Growth capital
Southeast Asia education: Top of the class?
With an emerging middle class willing to pay a premium for better services, Southeast Asian education has clear attractions. But investors seeking scale opportunities must pick their markets and strategies carefully.
China B2B platform targets supply chain disruption
Chinese B2B trading platforms Zhaogang.com and Zhaosuliao.com share more than just a desire to bring about technology-enabled disruption of inefficient offline industry supply chains. They also have several backers in common: IDG Capital Partners, Matrix...
Singapore start-ups: Another option
The Singapore Exchange and Clearbridge Accelerator are launching a capital-raising platform for Asian start-ups. Does it represent a much-needed stepping stone between private and public markets?
Creador invests $16.2 m in India's Ashiana Housing
Southeast Asia and India-focused GP Creador has paid INR1 billion ($16.2 million) for a minority stake in Ashiana Housing, a publicly-listed Indian property developer.
India mobile recharge platform FreeCharge raises $80m
Two hedge funds, San Francisco-based Valiant Capital Management and Hong Kong’s Tybourne Capital Management, have participated in an $80 million Series C round for Indian mobile top-up platform FreeCharge.
Alibaba to invest $590m in China smart phone maker Meizu
Alibaba Group has agreed to invest $590 million for a minority stake in Meizu Technology, a Chinese smart-phone maker.
Sequoia leads $60m round for China construction site
Sequoia Capital has led a $60 million funding round for Wangzhu Corporation, an online construction services provider controlled by Chinese property developer Greentown Group.
CDIB invests $55m across two China deals
CDIB Capital, a private equity arm of Taiwan's China Development Financial, has invested a total of $55 million in two Chinese companies.
Fidelity commits $10m to Greenlight Planet
Fidelity Growth Partners India has led a $10 million round of funding for Greenlight Planet, a US-based manufacturer of solar-powered lanterns for use in off-grid homes in developing countries.
GGV leads $50m round for China credit card management app
GGV Capital has led a $50 million Series B round of funding for 51Zhangdan, a Chinese mobile app that helps manage credit card spending.
CPPIB, QIC back $2.3b Sydney infrastructure project
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) are part of a consortium alongside toll road operator Transurban Group that is backing Sydney’s A$2.9 billion ($2.3 billion) NorthConnex tunnel project.
Temasek leas $60m round for India big data player Manthan
Temasek Holdings has led a $60 million round if funding for India-based data analytics firm Manthan Software Services, with participation from existing backer Norwest Venture Partners.
Fortune backs Huimin’s B2C-B2B switch
Huimin started out in 2012 as an online B2C platform, enabling Chinese consumers to order daily household items from small-scale supermarkets in their neighborhood. The supermarkets took care of the delivery and Huimin got a commission on each transaction....
CDC banks on rail to share the wealth
Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India, is served by just two rail freight container terminals. They are located in the northern industrial hotbed of Kanpur, with one operated by Pristine Logistics & InfraProjects and the other by Concor.
India's IL&FS reaches $40m first close on growth fund
India's IL&FS Investment Managers (IIML) - the PE unit of Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services - has made a first close on its latest growth fund at $40 million.
L Capital Asia exits India's PVR Leisure via share buyback
L Capital Asia has exited its stake in PVR Leisure, a unit of India multiplex operator PVR, via a share buyback arrangement with the parent.
CDC invests $25m in rural-focused India rail freight business
CDC Group, the UK development finance institution (DFI), has committed $25 million to Indian railway freight handler Pristine Logistics.
Lakeshore Capital invests $4.5m in Thailand steakhouse chain
Thailand-focused GP Lakeshore Capital Partners has invested $4.5 million in KT Restaurant, the Bangkok-based operator of mid-market steakhouse chain Santa Fe.
Alvarez & Marsal adds transaction advisory to Asia services offering
Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) is expanding its Asia operations with the addition of a pre-investment due diligence unit to complement existing performance improvement, turnaround management and business advisory services.
L Capital Asia backs Saudi Arabia gourmet confectioner
L Capital Asia - a PE firm sponsored by luxury goods conglomerate LVMH - has secured its first Middle East investment with the acquisition of a minority stake in Bateel, a luxury confectioner based in Saudi Arabia.
Hillhouse leads Series B for India auto portal CarDekho
Hillhouse Capital has led a Series B round of funding worth $50 million for GirnarSoft, owner and operator of India-based automobile trading platform and information portal CarDekho.
China food-ordering platform Ele.me raises $350m
Ele.me, a Chinese online food-ordering platform, has received $350 million in a Series E round of funding from CITIC Private Equity and Sequoia Capital as well as strategic investors Tencent Holdings, JD.com and Dianping.
Sailing invests $100m in China cross-border e-commerce site
Sailing Capital, a PE firm backed by Shanghai International Group, has committed $100 million in Series B funding to Ymatou, an e-commerce site that connects global retailers to Chinese consumers.
Chinese local supermarket O2O player gets $100m
CITIC Private Equity, Fortune Capital, GP Capital and Zhejiang Zheshang Investment Management have invested $100 million in Huimin, a Chinese B2B and B2C e-commerce platform that focuses on small-scale supermarkets.