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VC value-add: Operational gambit
As competition for VC deals intensifies in Asia and capital becomes commoditized, GPs are stressing their value-add credentials. Should we believe the hype?
India's Quikr buys VC-backed StayGlad
Indian classifieds site Quikr has bought StayGlad, an online marketplace for beauty services backed by Bessemer Venture Partners.
China used car platform Guazi finalizes $250m Series A round
Guazi.com, a China-based consumer-to-consumer (C2C) used car trading platform, has completed its $250 million Series A round of funding, which includes $204.5 million the company raised six months ago.
Baidu launches $200m VC fund to invest in AR, VR
Chinese search engine Baidu has launched a $200 million venture fund that will focus on next-generation technologies, such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).
Australia's AirTree raises $188m VC fund
AirTree Ventures claims to have raised Australia's largest-ever venture capital fund, having closed its latest vehicle at A$250 million ($188 million)
China's Sinovation Ventures raises $674m across two funds
Chinese early-stage VC firm Sinovation Ventures, formerly Innovation Works, has closed its third US dollar-denominated fund and second renminbi fund, with more than $674 million in aggregate commitments.
Ex-NBA star Yao Ming's PE fund seals US kickboxing deal
Yao Capital, an investment firm co-founded by Chinese former NBA star Yao Ming, has invested in Singapore-based kickboxing programmer Glory Sports International. The deal includes a joint venture that will promote the sport in China.
Innovation Works launches fund with China's Zall Group
China-based early-stage investor Innovation Works, which was founded by former Google China head Kai-Fu Lee, has teamed up with Hong Kong-listed real estate developer Zall Group to launch a private equity fund.
China logistics software start-up raises $25m Series B round
OTMS, a China-based logistics software developer, has raised a $25 million Series B round led by Weixing Chen, founder of local ride-hailing app operator Kuaidi Dache.
Foxconn invests $120m in China's Didi Chuxing
Foxconn Technology Group has invested $119.9 million in China-based ride-hailing platform Didi Chuxing at a valuation of $33.7 billion.
Ex-JP Morgan China president joins local VC firm
Brett Krause, former president of J.P. Morgan Chase China, has joined PurpleSky Capital as managing partner with a view to helping the local early-stage VC firm launch a debut US dollar-denominated fund.
Wanda-lust: Chinese investment in the US movie industry
Jianlin Wang, chairman of Dalian Wanda Group, has set his sights on buying one of Hollywood's six major studios. The rationale is sound but a strategy of incremental acquisitions might work better
India's InnoVen invests $6m in Capillary, Simplilearn
Indian venture debt firm InnoVen Capital has committed a total of $6 million in structured debt financing to cloud-based software provider Capillary Technologies and educational technology start-up Simplilearn.
Deal focus: HappyFresh prepares shopping list
Buyoed by a Series B round, Southeast Asian online grocery delivery business HappyFresh is refocusing on core markets with a view to deepening its sourcing relationships with major supermarkets
Wanderlust: PE taps into China's tourism boom
Ocean Link is China’s first private equity firm dedicated to investing in the travel and tourism industry. Can it successfully leverage an increasingly wealthy, free-spending and far-traveling domestic user base?
China local supermarket O2O player raises $195m
Huimin, a Chinese B2B e-commerce platform that focuses on small-scale supermarkets, has raised a RMB1.3 billion ($195 million) Series B round from a group of renminbi fund managers including Fortune Capital.
Sequoia, Venturra, SIG lead $8m Series A for Thailand's Zilingo
Sequoia Capital India, Venturra Capital and Susquehanna International Group (SIG) have led an $8 million Series A round for Thailand-based online fashion retailer Zilingo.
China online tourism operator Joyu Culture raises $150m
Shanghai Joyu Culture Communication, which operates Chinese VC-backed tourism booking site Lvmama.com, has raised RMB1 billion ($150 million) through a private placement on the National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ), also known as the New Third...
Premji invests in India's Lenskart
PremjiInvest, the family office of Wipro Group chairman Azim Premji, has invested in Indian online eyewear retailer Lenskart.
China online used car marketplace Renrenche raises $150m
Renrenche, a Chinese peer-to-peer second-hand car trading platform, has raised $150 million in the initial tranche of its ongoing Series D round of funding.
Temasek, GDP, Mistletoe in fresh round for Singapore's Garena
Singapore-headquartered mobile internet and gaming platform Garena has raised a fresh round of funding from a unit of Temasek Holdings, Indonesia's Global Digital Prima (GDP) Venture, and Japanese impact investor Mistletoe.
China's State Council proposes better deal for foreign VC firms
Foreign venture capital investors will receive equal treatment to their domestic counterparts as part of efforts to boost funding for start-ups, according to the Chinese government.
India's Paytm confirms $60m round
Indian mobile payment and e-commerce platform Paytm has raised $60 million from Mountain Capital, the investment arm of Taiwan-based microchip manufacturer MediaTek.
China overseas car rental platform raises $22m
Yitu8.net, an overseas car rental platform for Chinese outbound travelers, has raised a RMB150 million ($22 million) Series B round led by Sanhua Holdings, a Chinese refrigeration and air-conditioning components manufacturer.