Southeast Asia
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).
Rocket Internet delivers Series A financing to Bridestory
Rocket Internet has participated in a Series A round of funding for Indonesian online wedding marketplace Bridestory. The size of the investment was not disclosed, but it is said to be between $1 million and $10 million.
CIMB, Mitsubishi in $130m first close on SE Asia-focused fund
Malaysian financial services provider CIMB Group and Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation have announced a first close of $130 million on their ASEAN Industrial Growth Fund (AIGF).
KV Asia invests in Singapore’s Aalst Chocolate
KV Asia Capital has invested in Aalst Chocolate, a Singapore-based manufacturer of premium chocolate. Financial terms were not disclosed.
OTPP commits funding to Singapore mobile platform Garena
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) has led a new round of funding for Singapore-headquartered mobile internet and gaming platform Garena. Existing shareholders also participated.
Navis agrees Domestic Group medical equipment unit carve-out
Malaysia-based GP Navis Capital Partners has agreed to buy Domestic Medical Division (DMD), the cold chain medical equipment unit of Sweden's Domestic Group. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Warburg Pincus to invest $125m in Indonesia shopping mall JV
Warburg Pincus plans to invest $125 million into a joint venture (JV) formed with Indonesian property developer Nirvana Development to build shopping malls in the country.
NSI Ventures leads round for Singapore insurance marketplace
NSI Ventures, the VC unit of Northstar Group, has led Series A round of funding worth $8 million for Asian insurance and wellness marketplace CXA, alongside consumer and technology fund F&H and healthcare investor BioVeda.
Southeast Asia education: Top of the class?
With an emerging middle class willing to pay a premium for better services, Southeast Asian education has clear attractions. But investors seeking scale opportunities must pick their markets and strategies carefully.
Equis in $1.7b fundraising bonanza
Equis Funds Group's first foray into Japan’s solar energy sector was at least 18 months in the making. The energy and infrastructure-focused GP mapped the entire region in terms of solar power potential and regulatory factors then, working with Partners...
Singapore start-ups: Another option
The Singapore Exchange and Clearbridge Accelerator are launching a capital-raising platform for Asian start-ups. Does it represent a much-needed stepping stone between private and public markets?
Equis raises $1.7b for Asia energy, infrastructure investments
Asia-focused energy and infrastructure GP Equis Funds Group has closed its second fund at $1 billion and also raised $300 million for a follow-on vehicle to Fund I and $400 million for two existing platform investments.
Rocket Internet buys up Asia food delivery platforms
Online food delivery provider Foodpanda has acquired peers in seven Asian markets and become part of a global platform created by its parent, Rocket Internet.
DBS launches Singapore venture debt program
DBS Bank has launched a venture debt program to support Singapore start-ups, presenting a capital-raising channel that involves little or no dilution of equity.
Facebook co-founder leads round for Singapore property site
Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook and Singapore resident, has led a S$2 million ($1.5 million) round of seed funding for 99.co, a local property listings site. Sequoia Capital also participated alongside several entrepreneurs-turned-investors.
Navis tops off Fund VII with shariah-compliant vehicle
Navis Capital Partners has reached a final close of $1.5 billion on its seventh fund with the addition of a shariah-compliant parallel vehicle. The bulk of the international LP commitments, totaling around $1.3 billion, came by February of last year.
YJ Capital launches Fund II, backs Indonesia fashion site
YJ Capital - the corporate VC arm of Yahoo! Japan - has announced the launch of its second fund, which has made its first investment in Indonesia fashion flash sale site VIP Plaza.
CVC makes another partial exit from Matahari - report
CVC Capital Partners has reportedly reduced its stake in Indonesia’s Matahari Department Store from 14% to around 2% after making two separate sales.
Goldman backs Antuit’s big data ambitions
Various factors influence the amount of milk a cow produces – breed, diet, weather, living conditions and the calving cycle among them. Working with one of its clients, dairy giant Fonterra, Singapore-headquartered big data analytics firm Antuit now...
Asia start-ups: The SoftBank effect
SoftBank has laid down a marker in Asia’s technology space over the past six months, investing nearly $2 billion and promising much more. What does this say about the Japanese giant’s broader ambitions?
Singapore: Start-up central
When looking for an example of how Singapore start-ups previously struggled to get funding, one of the founders of tenCube was happy to oblige. Bootstrapped into existence in 2005, the mobile security solutions provider spent a frustrating 18 months trying...
Quadria seals landmark Indonesia pharma deal
Southeast Asia-focused healthcare investor Quadria Capital, which is expected to close its latest fund in the next two months, has taken a minority stake in Indonesian drug manufacturer Soho Global Health.
Singapore Exchange, Clearbridge form SME capital-raising platform
The Singapore Exchange (SGX) has partnered with Clearbridge Accelerator to set up a capital-raising platform for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Asia.
Singapore expands Block 71 tech start-up hub
Singapore start-up hub JTC LaunchPad @ one-north – better known to many as Block 71 – has been expanded to accommodate 500 companies and 35 incubators, with plans to create space for 250 more.