TMT
Square Peg leads $40m round for Singapore edtech player
Australia-based Square Peg Capital has led a USD 40m Series B round for Singapore-based education technology provider Cialfo.
India smart devices producer Smartron raises $200m
Smartron, an India-focused smart devices brand backed by cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, has received USD 200m in funding from Global Emerging Markets Group (GEM).
Potentia joins round for Australia construction tender platform
Australia’s Potentia Capital has joined a AUD 35m (USD 25m) round for local construction tender and procurement platform EstimateOne.
Bond leads $43m Series C for Australia's Eucalyptus
Bond, a US-based technology investment firm established by Silicon Valley stalwart Mary Meeker, has led a AUD 60m (USD 43m) Series C round for Australian telehealth platform Eucalyptus.
China IPOs: Offshore angst
Private equity exit timelines were thrown into disarray last year when US IPOs abruptly stopped. Regulators have offered some clarity, but investors are unsure when – or if – the magic will return
Invesco leads $700m round for India’s Swiggy
Invesco has led a USD 700m round for India-based on-demand delivery platform Swiggy at a reported valuation of USD 10.5bn.
Ex-CVC Asia head raises $200m SPAC
Generation Asia Acquisition, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) sponsored by Roy Kuan, formerly Asia managing partner at CVC Capital Partners, has raised USD 200m through a US offering.
BRV leads $140m Series C for Korea's Green Labs
BRV Capital Management has led a KRW 170bn (USD 140m) Series C round for Green Labs, a Korea-based agricultural technology start-up seeking to digitalise the food production value chain.
Vision Fund leads $150m round for China e-commerce enabler
Shoplazza, a China-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider specialising in cross-border e-commerce, has raised USD 150m in the first tranche of Series C led by SoftBank Vision Fund II.
Asia PE investment hits new high in 2021
A rebound in China-based activity took Asia private equity investment to a record USD 105.3bn in the fourth quarter, ensuring that 2021 represents a new high watermark for the industry.
Impact investors commit $60m to India agtech platform
Quona Capital, Lightrock India, and Asia Impact SA have co-led a USD 60m Series C round for Indian agriculture technology platform Arya.
Fund focus: Ince eyes global entrepreneurs
Blockchain, hardware, and entrepreneurs going global are on the agenda for Ince Capital Partners’ second fund, which closed above target despite LPs getting spooked by the tech sector crackdown
China GPs emphasize consumer sector opportunities
Policy volatility in China has prompted many investors to eschew consumer-facing business models in favour of B2B plays like deep-tech, but sector specialists still see opportunity, the Hong Kong Venture Capital & Private Equity Association’s (HKVCA)...
MBK to buy control of Korea e-commerce solutions provider
MBK Partners has agreed to buy a controlling stake in KoreaCenter, a Korea-based e-commerce services provider, for KRW 491.7bn (USD 429.8m) across several equity and debt transactions.
WestBridge, GSV lead $100m Series E for India's Lead School
WestBridge Capital and GSV Ventures have led a USD 100m Series E round for Indian education technology platform Lead School at a valuation of USD 1.1bn.
Apis invests $50m in Singapore loyalty program start-up
Apis Partners has invested USD 50m in Singapore-based loyalty program management and development services provider Giift.
PE consortium cuts 51job take-private offer by 28%
A private equity consortium pursuing a take-private of US-listed Chinese online recruitment platform 51job has cut its offer price by 28%, citing deteriorating market conditions, regulatory tightening in China, and the continuing impact of COVID-19.
Indonesia's eFishery raises $90m Series C
Temasek Holdings, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, and Sequoia Capital India have co-led a USD 90m Series C round for Indonesian aquaculture technology start-up eFishery.
Carsome hits $1.7b valuation on closing $290m Series E
Carsome, a Malaysia-headquartered used car trading platform with operations across Southeast Asia, has raised USD 290m in Series E funding led by Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), 65 Equity Partners, and Seatown Private Capital Master Fund.
China's Ince raises $700m across two funds
Ince Capital, a Chinese venture capital firm established by J.P. Gan, formerly a managing partner at Qiming Venture Partners, has raised USD 700m for its second fund and for an accompanying vehicle aimed at later-stage opportunities.
China's Linear Capital raises $500m
Linear Capital, a China-based, technology-focused investment firm, has raised USD 500m for its fifth US dollar-denominated fund and its second opportunity Fund. It brings the firm’s total assets under management to USD 2bn.
India's Zupee closes Series B at $102m
Zupee, an Indian skill-based gaming platform, has raised a USD 72m Series B extension, taking the overall round to USD 102m. The company is now valued at USD 600m.
Nexus co-founder Naren Gupta dies aged 73
Naren Gupta, a co-founder of Nexus Venture Partners who is acknowledged as one of the pioneers of venture capital in India, has died at the age of 73.
Eastern Bell raises $2b across US dollar, renminbi funds
Eastern Bell Capital has closed its second US dollar-denominated fund and its sixth renminbi-denominated fund with aggregate commitments of more than CNY 13bn (USD 2bn).