India
Kotak targets $1.5b for second India special situations fund
Kotak Investment Advisors is looking to raise USD 1.5bn for its second India-focused special opportunities credit fund, up from about USD 1bn in the previous vintage.
1Q analysis: Monetising managers
Baring Asia and PAG underline the value of their management entities; exits slump amid uncertainty; BGH Capital, renminbi GPs shore up fundraising; investment fails to extend the late 2021 flourish
KKR buys minority stake in India's Shriram General Insurance
KKR has acquired a 9.99% stake in Shriram General Insurance, an Indian insurer backed by local conglomerate Shriram Group and African financial services group Sanlam, for an undisclosed sum.
Elevation raises $670m for latest India VC fund
India-focused Elevation Capital has closed its latest early-stage fund on USD 670m on the back of a 100% increase in the firm’s pace of deployment in the past 12 months.
ChrysCapital, GIC back $593m India asset management carve-out
ChrysCapital Partners and GIC have teamed up with Bandhan Financial Holdings – an Indian banking and financial services company – to acquire IDFC’s asset management business for INR 45bn (USD 593m).
India's Omnivore launches $130m agtech VC fund
India’s Omnivore Partners has launched its third domestic agricultural technology VC fund with a target of USD 130m.
Aavishkaar hits $130m first close on latest India impact fund
Aavishkaar Capital has reached a first close of INR 10bn (USD 130m) on its latest India impact fund. It is reportedly targeting a final close of USD 200m.
India's True North to target local LPs for Fund VII
India-based middle-market private equity firm True North will make a concerted effort to market to domestic LPs for the first time on launching its seventh fund in the second quarter.
CPPIB leads $805m round for India's VerSe
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) has led a USD 805m Series J round for India’s Verse Innovation, parent of media apps Dailyhunt and Josh. It is said to value the company at USD 5bn.
Fund focus: India’s HealthQuad bulks up for Fund II
Indian health-tech VC firm HealthQuad has achieved a quantum leap in capacity to invest with its second vintage as foreign capital discovers the local opportunity set and thinks globally about impact
Multiples leads $111m Series D for India NBFC
Multiples Private Equity has agreed to lead a INR 8.7bn (USD 111m) Series D round for India’s Kogta Financial, a non-bank financing company (NBFC) specialising in used vehicles and micro businesses.
Deal focus: India EV set for mass mobility boom
India’s EverSource Capital sees a fast track to auto industry electrification in the B2B fleet services of Lithium Urban Technologies. The company plans more than fivefold growth in the next few years
Bain buys minority stake in India's IIFL Wealth
Bain Capital has paid INR 33.8bn (USD 484m) for a 24.98% stake in India’s IIFL Wealth Management, taking out positions held by General Atlantic and Fairfax India Holdings.
India's Games24x7 raises $75m, becomes unicorn
Malabar Investment has led a USD 75m funding round for Games 24x7, an India-based mobile games operator, at a valuation of USD 2.5bn.
India’s LC Nueva hits first close on debut VC fund
LC Nueva Investment Partners, a partnership between Singapore’s Lighthouse Canton and India’s Nueva Capital, has hit a first close of about USD 30m on its debut VC fund. The target is USD 40m.
Insight leads Series C for UK, India-based Builder.ai
Insight Partners has led a USD 100m Series C round for Builder.ai, a low-code/no-code app development platform that has a significant back-office presence in India.
HealthQuad raises $162m for India healthcare VC fund
HealthQuad, an India-focused healthcare VC investor backed by Quadria Capital, has closed its second fund on USD 162m, more than twice the original target.
Paragon backs Indian caffeine-based personal care brand
Paragon Partners has led a INR 2.4bn (USD 31.7m) Series C round for mCaffeine, an India-based direct-to-consumer (D2C) personal care brand that specialises in caffeine-infused products.
Deal focus: India e-sports early-mover makes waves
Loco is positioned to take a leadership role in India’s up-for-grabs game streaming industry following a sizeable Series A round and promising early traction in community building
BNPL: Voodoo economics?
Credit-driven e-commerce is coming to developing Asia with an attractive supply-demand equation and a mix of macro and business-level risks. Start-ups are courting incumbents, not disrupting them
Deal focus: Apis targets modes of engagement
Through investments in Giift and Xoxoday, Apis Partners is betting on the emergence of personalised, data-driven loyalty and incentives programs and Asian corporates doing more to retain staff and customers
IIFL Private Equity targets $524m for latest India pre-IPO fund
IIFL Private Equity is seeking up to INR 40bn (USD 524m) in commitments for its latest India pre-IPO fund as part of a broad fundraising push intended to secure INR 70bn to INR 80bn across multiple strategies over the next 12 months.
India cricket metaverse start-up raises $100m
Insight Partners has led USD 100m Series A round for FanCraze, an Indian digital assets start-up that earlier this year launched a range of cricket-themed non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
A91 leads $35m Series C for India beauty brand
A91 Partners has led a USD 35m Series C round for Plum, an India-based direct-to-consumer (D2C) personal care brand. Existing investors Unilever Ventures and Faering Capital also participated.