Singapore
Singapore VCs commit $204m in COVID-19 support
Singapore government-connected VC investors Seeds Capital and EDBI have committed S$285 million ($204 million) to support local start-ups facing challenges related to COVID-19.
Deal focus: GoBear builds financial menu for Southeast Asia
GoBear, a Singapore-headquartered financial services platform, believes it can create financial products suitable for consumers and institutional partners alike
Sequoia, Hana lead Series A for micromobility start-up
Beam, a Singapore-headquartered ride-sharing platform for e-scooters, has raised $26 million in a Series A funding round led by Sequoia Capital India and Hana Ventures.
Deal focus: Wiz moves fast in Southeast Asia
Wiz.Ai has leveraged the accuracy of its talkbot to secure business from corporate customers in Southeast Asia with specific use-case needs. The company's $6 million Series A round will support further expansion
Warburg Pincus raises stake in Asia real assets fund manager
Warburg Pincus has agreed to increase its ownership of ARA Asset Management – an Asia Pacific real assets fund manager that was privatized in 2016 – as China’s AVIC Trust exited the business.
Southeast Asia talkbot secures $6m pre-A round
Singapore-based talkbot provider Wiz.Ai has raised $6 million in pre-A funding led by GGV Capital. ZWC Partners, Insignia Venture Partners, Wavemaker Partners, and Orion Fund also participated.
Unigestion loses Asia Pacific private equity head
Eric Marchand, who leads Asia Pacific private equity activity at Europe-headquartered asset manager Unigestion, will be leaving the firm in July after approximately eight years of service.
B Capital forms partnership with Singapore incubator Antler
B Capital Group, a global growth-stage investor active in Southeast Asia, has formed a partnership with Singapore-based start-up incubator Antler.
Deal focus: Validus takes holistic approach to SME financing
Singapore peer-to-peer lender employs algorithm-based credit assessment tools and an unorthodox approach to origination as it seeks to address inefficiencies in Southeast Asian supply chain finance
Optum, Health Catalyst back Singapore's Holmusk
US investors Optum Ventures and Health Catalyst Capital have co-led a $21.5 million Series A round for Singapore-based healthcare technology developer Holmusk.
Deal focus: RWDC's plastics replacement mission
RWDC Industries believes it has a biodegradable substitute for plastic that can be produced at scale. The Singapore and US-based company now has $133 million in VC funding to help make its case
Singapore SME financing platform gets $20m
Validus, a Singapore-headquartered financing platform for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Southeast Asia, has raised $20 million in a Series B+ round co-led by Vertex Growth and Orion Fund.
Hummingbird Bioscience gets $25m extended Series B
Hummingbird Bioscience, a Singapore and US-based drug developer with two cancer treatments on course to enter clinical trials, has received $25 million in an extended Series B round of funding led by the holding company of Korea’s SK Group.
Everstone sells Asia payroll business to US strategic player
India and Southeast Asia-focused private equity firm Everstone Group has agreed to sell Singapore-headquartered human resources software provider Excelity Group to US peer Ceridian. The size of the deal has not been disclosed.
Singapore's RWDC Industries secures $133m Series B
RWDC Industries, a Singapore-based start-up that is developing fully biodegradable alternatives to single-use plastics, has raised $133 million in Series B funding.
Singapore's Ninja Van raises $279m Series D
GeoPost, a logistics division of French postal services giant La Poste, has led a $279 million Series D round for Singapore last-mile delivery start-up Ninja Van.
Tikehau Capital names NAB's Parekh as Asia head
Tikehau Capital, a French private equity firm expanding in Asia, has appointed Neil Parekh, currently the Asia lead at National Australia Bank (NAB), as its regional head.
Openspace, Gaw back Singapore's SensorFlow
Gaw Capital, a Hong Kong-based private equity firm with a real estate focus, and Openspace Ventures have co-led an $8.3 million funding round for SensorFlow, a Singaporean energy management solution provider.
Singapore GP launches $500m Japan-Israel tech fund
Singapore private equity firm Chartered Group has teamed up with Israel’s Ministry of Defense to launch a Japan-Israel cross-border technology fund targeting $500 million.
Singapore's Quest Ventures achieves first close for new fund
Quest Ventures, a Singapore-headquartered venture capital firm, has achieved the first close for a new fund. The target for the vehicle is $50 million.
Southeast Asia VC: Different strokes
Ahead of an expected increase in LP interest, Southeast Asian VCs vie to stand out from the crowd by fine-tuning strategies to capture the virtues of both generalists and specialists
Cross-border tech pollination: Mutually assured disruption
Southeast Asia and Latin America are trying to leverage complementary aspects of their start-up ecosystems, much like China and Africa before them. These endeavors are not as straightforward as they might seem
Deal focus: A digital protector for the cloud era
Inspired by the Korean word for tiger and how it symbolizes protection, cybersecurity start-up Horangi wants to ensure Southeast Asia’s growing pack of digital cubs are well-guarded
TNB Aura launches COVID-19 special situations fund
Singapore VC firm TNB Aura has launched an open-ended special situations fund that will support early-stage start-ups under financial pressure related to COVID-19.