Softbank
China's Zuoyebang gets $1.6b Series E extension
Zuoyebang, which claims to be China’s largest online education company, has secured $1.6 billion in an extended Series E funding round that features Alibaba Group as a new investor.
China trucking platform Manbang raises $1.7b
Manbang Group, China's so-called "Uber for trucks" that matches shippers with drivers and fleet operators, has raised a $1.7 billion round led by SoftBank Vision Fund, Sequoia Capital China, Permira and Fidelity.
China agricultural drone maker XAG raises $182m
XAG, a Chinese manufacturer of agricultural drones, has raised a RMB1.2 billion ($182 million) round led by Baidu Capital and SoftBank Vision Fund II.
Japan's Drone Fund secures anchor LPs for third vintage
Japan’s Drone Fund has reached a first close of undisclosed size on its third VC fund, with SMBC Nikko Securities and NTT Docomo coming in as anchor LPs. The target is JPY10 billion ($95 million).
Vision Fund leads $319m round for China's XtalPi
China and US-based artificial intelligence-enabled drug development platform XtalPi has raised $319 million in Series C funding led by SoftBank Vision Fund, the investment arm of insurer PICC Group, and Morningside Venture Capital.
China AI: A rude awakening
Two years ago, artificial intelligence start-ups were the bright young things of China’s technology sector. Now these companies are struggling to justify their lofty valuations
Vision Fund leads $100m Series C for Singapore-founded Biofourmis
SoftBank Vision Fund has led a $100 million Series C round for Biofourmis, a Singapore founded and now US-based operator of a health analytics platform.
SoftBank leads $150m round for India's Unacademy
SoftBank has led a $150 million round for Indian education technology provider Unacademy, confirming the start-up’s unicorn status with a valuation around $1.4 billion.
Microsoft seeks to acquire TikTok assets from China's ByteDance
Microsoft Corporation wants to continue discussions over the purchase of the US operation of TikTok from PE-backed Chinese technology giant ByteDance amid threats from US President Donald Trump to ban the short video platform.
Chinese real estate platform Beike pursues US IPO
Beike, a Chinese online real estate platform backed by Tencent Holdings, SoftBank Vision Fund and Hillhouse Capital, has filed for US IPO.
China's Didi raises $500m for autonomous driving unit
SoftBank Corporation’s second Vision Fund – which currently comprises balance sheet capital from its parent – has led a $500 million funding round for the autonomous driving technology business of Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing.
China car trading platform Chehaoduo raises $200m
Chehaoduo, a Chinese online auto services provider that runs used car trading platform Guazi and new car trading platform Maodou, has raised $200 million in an extended Series D round from SoftBank Vision Fund and Sequoia Capital China.
Gaocheng partner joins SoftBank Vision Fund
Daisy Cai, previously a partner at China-based growth capital investor Gaocheng Capital, has joined SoftBank Vision Fund.
Korean digital food trading platform raises $11m
Tridge, a Korean international trading platform for agricultural products, has raised $11 million in a Series B round from SoftBank.
India’s Oyo closes Series F round at $1.5b
Indian hotel platform Oyo has concluded a $1.5 billion Series F round by raising $807 million from RA Hospitality Holdings, an entity controlled by founder and CEO Ritesh Agarwal, and SoftBank Vision Fund.
SoftBank Vision Fund invests $275m in India's Lenskart
SoftBank Vision Fund has led a Series G round of more than $275 million for Lenskart, an Indian omnichannel eyewear retailer, facilitating exits for several early investors.
India's Paytm raises $1b
Indian mobile payment and e-commerce platform Paytm has raised a $1 billion Series G round led by T Rowe Price.
PE-backed Ping An fintech spin-out pursues US offering
OneConnect Financial Technology, an affiliate of China’s Ping An Insurance backed by the likes of IDG Capital, SBI Group, and SoftBank Vision Fund, has filed to list in the US.
SoftBank founder admits to lapses on WeWork
SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son admitted to a lapse in judgment on WeWork while disclosing that SoftBank Vision Fund and SoftBank Group have written down their positions in the beleaguered co-working space provider by a combined $7.7 billion.
India’s Oyo raises $700m in ongoing Series F
Indian hotel platform Oyo has raised $700 million from RA Hospitality Holdings, an entity controlled by founder and CEO Ritesh Agarwal, as part of a Series F round targeting $1.5 billion.
VC-backed Chinese AI companies hit by US blacklisting
Eight Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) start-ups have been blacklisted by the US government. Several have received PE and VC funding, including SenseTime and Megvii Technology.
WeWork IPO reveals extent of global scaling risk
WeWork, a US co-working space provider pursuing an aggressive Asia expansion with the backing of several PE investors, revealed a number of risks associated with rapid global growth in a filing for its US IPO.
SoftBank expects at least $108b for second Vision Fund
SoftBank Group is set to establish its second Vision Fund focused on artificial intelligence (AI) with about $108 billion in initial commitments.
SoftBank Ventures Asia hits $269m first close on global fund
SoftBank Ventures Asia – previously known as SoftBank Ventures Korea – has reached a first close of KRW317.4 billion ($269 million) on a fund that will make early-stage investments globally with a focus on Asia.