Impact investment
PayPal backs Quona, Sweef impact funds
PayPal has confirmed LP commitments of undisclosed size to funds managed by financial inclusion-focused Quona Capital and women-led businesses specialist Sweef Capital.
IFC leads $24m Series B for India's Onsurity
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has led a USD 24m Series B round for Indian employee healthcare insurance start-up Onsurity.
LeapFrog eyes February close, claims significant progress on fundraise
Impact investor LeapFrog Investments expects to close its fourth flagship fund in February, with a source close to the situation adding that "a significant share" of the targeted USD 1bn has already been raised.
India's Unitus combines with US affiliate Capria
India-based impact investor Unitus Ventures has combined with its US affiliate Capria Ventures, with the unified entity to operate globally under the Capria name.
KKR exits Australia's GreenCollar to OTPP
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) will take full ownership of GreenCollar, an environmental services provider that helped establish Australia’s carbon credit market. This will facilitate an exit for KKR and other unnamed shareholders.
GP profile: Quona Capital
Financial innovation-focused Quona Capital operates across global developing markets with a compact team and a strict returns-focused impact agenda. Asia dominates the growth narrative
Japan VCs back $100m round for local impact investor Gojo
Japanese impact investor and microfinance institution Gojo & Company has secured a USD 100m Series E from a group of local VC investors including Global Brain and Globis Capital Partners.
IFC to back India's Wellspring Healthcare
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is set to invest USD 11m in India’s Wellspring Healthcare, which operates 17 primary care clinics in Mumbai and Pune.
Hong Kong's Micro Connect raises $458m Series C
Hong Kong’s Micro Connect, a financier for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), has raised USD 458m in Series C funding. It did not name the investors.
Eurazeo draws on Asian support for $448m smart city fund
France-based GP Eurazeo won support from several Asian institutional investors for its latest smart city fund, which has closed on EUR 400m (USD 445m). The vehicle is also expected to deploy significantly in the region.
Danish fund invests $24m in India's Arohan Financial
Indian microfinancier Arohan Financial Services has received DKK 166m (USD 24.3m) from the government of Denmark’s Investment Fund for Developing Countries (IFU).
India's Omnivore hits $150m first close on third fund
India agricultural technology-focused impact investor Omnivore has reached a first close of USD 150m on its third fund, beating the overall target of USD 130m. The hard cap is USD 200m.
ResponsAbility raises $106m for climate-agri debt fund
Swiss impact investor ResponsAbility has raised USD 106m for a global climate-smart agriculture and food private debt fund that will be 40% deployed in Asia.
Deal focus: LeapFrog taps Asian appetite for impact
A multi-fund commitment from Hong Kong’s AIA Group to LeapFrog Investments underscores growing interest in impact strategies among Asian LPs as they hone social mandates
Indonesia microfinance player Amartha raises $100m
Indonesia’s Amartha, a small business lender focused on rural women entrepreneurs, has raised USD 100m in debt financing from US impact investor Community Investment Management (CIM).
India's Lok seeks $200m for Fund IV, gets AIIB support
Indian impact investor Lok Capital has secured USD 25m from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) for its fourth private equity fund. The target is USD 200m.
Hong Kong's AIA commits $200m to LeapFrog
Hong Kong-listed insurance company AIA Group has agreed to commit USD 200m to various funds managed by LeapFrog Investments, a UK-based impact investor with an extensive Asia footprint.
Deal focus: Evermos extends impact to social commerce
Indonesia’s Evermos has more than doubled its total funding as investors see promise in a social commerce model that prioritises cottage industries and underemployed women
Deal focus: KKR brings impact to the classroom
EQuest Education has enlarged its K-12 school footprint in Vietnam through a string of acquisitions. KKR continues to support this consolidation effort via its global impact investment strategy
Australia's Giant Leap closes second impact fund with $30m
Australian impact VC investor Giant Leap has closed its second fund with about AUD 45m (USD 30m) in commitments. The firm raised AUD 15m for Fund I in 2016.
KKR invests $120m in Vietnam school operator
KKR has invested USD 120m in Vietnam school operator EQuest Education via its global impact fund. The deal comprises a combination of debt and equity.
Profile: Mandala Capital’s Uday Garg
Uday Garg realised an unlikely career arc from tennis to private equity with the establishment of India’s Mandala Capital. This was guided by a passion for achieving impact in food and agriculture
Sweef's Asia women-focused fund makes debut investment
Singapore’s Sweef Capital, a women-focused impact investor, has made its first investment, providing an undisclosed sum to Vietnamese children’s technical academy Teky Alpha.
Capria hits first close on emerging markets fund
Capria Ventures, a US-based impact investor with a significant India presence, has reached a first close of unspecified size on its latest emerging markets fund. The target is USD 100m.