Media
India's Snapdeal acquires VC-backed FreeCharge
Indian online marketplace Snapdeal has acquired venture capital-backed online bill payment service FreeCharge in a deal said to be worth as much as $450 million.
PE-backed film studio gets funding from China’s Huayi
STX Entertainment, a Hollywood studio set up with support from Hony Capital and TPG Capital, has secured a three-year financing deal with China’s Huayi Brothers Media Corp. to release 12-15 movies a year by 2016.
Japan news app raises another $10m from VCs
SmartNews, the Tokyo-based start-up behind the news curation app of the same name, has raised $10 million in another round of funding led by Japanese internet gaming firm Gree.
GGV boosts China internet of things exposure
GGV Capital has added three Chinese firms to its internet of things (IoT) portfolio, increasing its total holdings in the sector to eight companies.
Vertex to support parenting site's India expansion
Vertex Ventures, a VC subsidiary of Singapore's Temasek Holdings, has led a funding round for online parenting portal theAsianparent, bringing the total raised by the site to S$4.5 million ($3.3 million).
Japan's Rakuten to acquire VC-backed US eBook firm
Japan's Rakuten will pay $410 million to acquire US-based digital book marketplace OverDrive from Insight Venture Partners, a US private equity and venture capital firm.
Japanese ticketing platform gets $5m Series B round
Japanese online ticketing platform Peatix has raised $5 million in a Series B round of funding led by DG Incubation, with strategic investment from SPH Media Fund and Japanese media company Sunny Side Up.
VC-backed Flipkart acquires India's AdIQuity
Indian VC-backed e-commerce giant Flipkart has acquired AdIQuity, a domestic mobile ad network. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Kalaari invests $2.5m in India-based Codigami
Kalaari Capital has committed $2.5 million to Codigami, parent company of Indian social media manager app Crowdfire, in a Series A round of funding.
Cool Japan invests $37m in TV channel Wakuwaku
The government-backed Cool Japan Fund will contribute JPY4.4 billion ($37 million) to a JPY 11 billion investment in entertainment channel Wakuwaku Japan alongside SKY Perfect JSAT Corp (SJC).
Singapore’s GIC boosts stake in Merlin Entertainments
GIC Private has nearly doubled its stake in London-based Merlin Entertainments, operator of Madame Tussaud’s and Legoland, to 5.2%.
Alibaba affiliate to invest $383m in China’s Enlight Media
Hangzhou Ali Venture Capital, a VC subsidiary owned by Alibaba Group founders Jack Ma and Simon Xie, has acquired a RMB2.4billion ($383 million) stake in Chinese TV and movie producer Enlight Media.
Cool Japan joins consortium in $160m SDI Media purchase
The government-backed Cool Japan Fund has joined a consortium of Japanese investors, led by production company Imagica Roboto Holdings, to acquire a 100% stake in US subtitler SDI Media Group.
Tiger Global leads $4m Series A round for India news app
Tiger Global has led a $4 million Series A round investment in India's News In Shorts (NIS), a mobile-based service that aggregates shortened news stories.
China’s Heaven-Sent Capital invests $32m in media enterprise
Chinese private equity firm Heaven-Sent Capital has invested RMB200 million ($32 million) in Great Wall Movie and Television, a Shenzhen-listed television and movie producer.
Warburg Pincus exits China Tulip Media via trade sale
Warburg Pincus has fully exited Chinese outdoor advertising firm Tulip Media Corporation following an acquisition by Shanghai New Culture Media Group.
PremjiInvest leads Series C round for India's Amagi Media Labs
PremjiInvest has led a Series C round of funding for Amagi Media Labs, a Bangalore-based firm that facilitates targeted television advertising based on geography.
Dentsu challenges take-private of China’s Charm Communications
The CMC Capital-backed privatization of Charm Communications is being challenged by Dentsu Aegis, which refused to accept the terms for the acquisition of its minority stake in the Chinese advertising agency.
L Capital Asia leads cornerstones for Asiaray Media’s HK IPO
L Capital Asia, is participating as a cornerstone investor in Greater China out-of-home advertising company Asiaray Media Group’s Hong Kong IPO, which is targeting up to HK$772.2 million ($99.5 million).
PEP exits Australian cinema chain Hoyts to Chinese buyer
Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) has exited Australian cinema operator Hoyts Group to an investment vehicle set up by Xishuang Sun, chairman of Chinese property developer Dalian Yifang.
PE firms set for part exits as India’s VRL Logistics, UFO Moviez file for IPOs
New Silk Route (NSR) will sell shares in VRL Logistics and Providence Equity Partners and 3i Group will make partial exits from UFO Moviez as both companies filed for IPOs in India.
India Value Fund exits Radio City to trade buyer
India Value Fund Advisors (IVFA) has exited Music Broadcast, which runs FM radio station Radio City, to Jagran Prakashan, a listed Indian media conglomerate backed by The Blackstone Group.
Carlyle starts a new chapter with Newgen
When The Carlyle Group first parted ways with India-based publishing and technical services provider Newgen KnowledgeWorks in 2011 it was on good terms.
Beijing Enlight Media launches $160m VC fund
Chinese media and entertainment group Enlight Media has launched a venture fund with a target of RMB1 billion ($160 million).