Technology
JFDI.Asia launches latest accelerator program
Joyful Frog Digital Incubator (JFDI.Asia) - a Singapore-based accelerator - has launched its latest 100-day program with an intake of 10 new start-ups. The teams were chosen through an open competition that attracted 321 applications.
JAFCO invests $3m in Japan online laundry service
JAFCO Ventures has invested JPY300 million ($3 million) in White Plus, the Japanese start-up behind Lenet, an online laundry delivery service.
Fuji Startup Ventures backs Japanese classifieds site
Fuji Startup Ventures (FSV), the VC investment arm of Japanese national TV network Fuji Terebi, has invested JPY50 million ($500,000) in classifieds website JMTY.com - pronounced "Jimoti."
Baring Asia to take majority stake in India's Hexaware, General Atlantic exits
Baring Private Equity Asia will acquire a 41.8% holding in Hexaware Technologies, an IT and business process outsourcing services firm, from the founders and General Atlantic (GA) for up to INR16.87 billion ($261.9 million). It will then have to make...
Nippon Venture Capital invests $1.7m in internet start-up Volare
Nippon Venture Capital has invested JPY170 million ($1.7 million) in Japanese web solutions start-up Volare.
Baring Asia to invest in PE-backed Hexaware - report
Baring Private Equity Asia (BAPE) is said to be in talks to back Hexaware Technologies, with a view to taking a majority stake in the Indian software company.
Profile: 500 Startups' Dave McClure
A Silicon Valley veteran of nearly 25 years standing, 500 Startups founder Dave McClure has worked for PayPal and sold a software firm to Intel. Now he is bringing his own brand of angel investing to Asia
CyberAgent, Gree, GMO invest in Japan's Kaizen platform
CyberAgent Ventures, Gree Ventures and GMO Venture Partners have together invested $800,000 in Kaizen platform, the Japanese start-up behind website service planBCD.
Shenzhen lottery site 500wan.com eyes $150m US IPO – report
Chinese venture capital-backed local lottery website 500wan.com plans on raising at least $150 million through an IPO in the US later this year.
Australia's RecruitLoop secures seed funding
Australian recruitment marketplace RecruitLoop (RL) has raised $500,000 from Russian firm The Untitled VC, Microsoft executive Todd Forest and a Middle East-based recruiter to fund its expansion in the US.
Draper Nexus leads $2m round for Japan travel site startup Trippiece
Draper Nexus Venture Partners has led a JPY200 million ($2 million) round of investment in Tokyo-based travel site startup Trippiece.
Q&A: Rocket Internet's Tito Costa
Rocket Internet, which has raised more than $1 billion in funding in the last year, is known for launching copycats of successful sites. Tito Costa, managing director for Southeast Asia, outlines a different strategy for the region
Financial technology: The new normal
Initiatives are in place to make private equity reporting faster, more detailed and completely standardized. Are the guidelines a good fit for the industry in Asia and what are GPs doing to meet them?
Axa to exit Arkadin to Japan's NTT
Axa Private Equity has entered exclusive negotiations with Japan's NTT Communications Corporation to sell its stake in collaboration software as a service (SaaS) provider Arkadin.
Jafco invests $10m in lunch box delivery start-up
Japanese VC firm Jafco Ventures has invested JPY1 billion ($10 million) in Star Festival, the start-up behind lunchbox delivery and catering site Gochikuru.com.
Sequoia-backed Quick Heal targets India IPO
Sequoia Capital-backed Quick Heal Technologies (QHT), an Indian security software-maker, expects to file its draft red herring prospectus and begin the formal listing process next year.
Chinese VCs join funding round for gesture-based technology developer
Shunwei Capital Partners and CTQuan joined Chinese mobile handset maker Xiaomi in a Series B funding round for Israel’s Pebbles Interfaces worth $11 million.
China's Zhonglu VC invests in five start-ups
A venture capital arm of Shanghai Zhonglu Group, a Chinese bicycle manufacturer, has invested a total of RMB36.4 million ($5.9 million) in five online technology start-ups. Zhonglu VC will take a 20% stake in each company.
China's 58.com plans for $100m IPO in the US - report
Chinese venture capital-backed local classifieds website 58.com intends to raise at least $100 million through a US IPO later this year.
Daiwa, Intec invest $2m in Japan's Repica
Japan's Daiwa PI Partners and Intec IT Capital have invested JPY200 million ($2 million) in Repica, a company that develops CRM solutions for Japanese businesses.
INCJ invests $27m in Japan patent fund
Government-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has invested JPY2.75 billion ($27.8 million) in a fund that will buy unused patents and license them to domestic start-ups.
China Merchants sells stake in NTong Technology
The direct investment arm of China Merchants Group plans to sell its entire 12.34% stake in NTong Technology to Shenzhen-listed Unisplendour Corporation (UNIS), for RMB86.36 million ($14.07 million). The proposed deal values the company at about RMB700...
Japan's ACA targets $100m for domestic IT fund
Japanese buyout firm Asian Capital Alliance (ACA) is targeting $100 million for a new fund focused on businesses in the domestic information and communications technology space.
VCs back India SME group-buying service
Despite there being around 47 million small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in India, the segment has not yet participated in the country's e-commerce boom. While 51% of online SMEs use the internet to advertise, a mere 27% use it for trade, according...