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Inventus leads $2m investment in eDreams Edusoft
Inventus Capital Partners and Mumbai Angels have backed Indian education software company eDreams Edusoft with $2 million in a second round of funding.
SE Asia VC Ardent gets backing from US, Japan partners
Southeast Asia-focused venture capital firm Ardent has received its first round of external funding from US-based Siemer Ventures and Japanese VCs Recruit Strategic Partners and GMO Venture Partners. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.
China’s Fosun supports Alibaba in logistics build-out
Chinese conglomerate Fosun International will contribute RMB500 million ($81.4 million) for a 10% interest in Alibaba Group’s nationwide logistics project. Known as the China Smart Logistics Network, the project is expected to receive up to RMB100 billion...
Warburg Pincus co-president targets emerging markets consumer, tech – AVCJ Forum
Warburg Pincus sees investment potential at the nexus of consumer and technology as it looks to increase its activity in emerging markets. China is set to feature strongly, but so too will India, Brazil, and central and eastern Europe.
PE firms target SingTel’s Australian satellite unit
Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) has put its Australian satellite unit up for sale, seeking at least A$2 billion ($1.9 billion), and a string of private equity firms and strategic investors are said to be chasing the asset.
Nissay, Nippon invest $1m in online translation service
Nissay Capital and Nippon Venture Capital Co. (NVCC) have led a JPY108 million ($1 million) round of investment in Japan's Yaraku, the company behind online cloud translation service WorldJumper. Individual investors are also said to have taken part in...
End of an era as KKR sells Seven West
With KKR's exit from Seven West Media, the two investments that arguably defined Australia’s boom market of the mid-2000s have now entered the history books.
East Ventures leads seed funding round in Japan's TwitCasting
East Ventures has led a JPY64.8 million ($633,000) round of seed funding in Moi Corp., the Japanese company behind social video application TwitCasting.
China’s LightInTheBox sets IPO terms, targets up to $87m
VC-backed Chinese online retailer LightInTheBox plans to raise up to $87 million through its IPO on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
PE-controlled Chinese cinema equipment maker files for US IPO
Chinese digital cinema equipment manufacturer GDC Technology, a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group and Yunfeng Capital, has announced plans to raise up to $75 million through a NASDAQ IPO. With only two Chinese firms managing to go public in the US...
Partners Group buys majority stake in India’s CSS Corp - Update
Partners Group has acquired a majority stake in IT services provider CSS Corp. for $270 million. The deal facilitates the exit of existing investors SAIF Partners, Goldman Sachs and Sierra Ventures.
SparkLabs selects 10 companies for its second start-up class
Korean start-up accelerator SparkLabs has selected a second class of 10 for its mentoring program. The program is three months in length and provides funding, office space and access to a network of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and angel investors.
Kae Capital seeds India language-learning platform
Indian venture capital firm Kae Capital has invested an undisclosed amount for a minority stake in Intap Labs, the start-up behind language-learning platform CultureAlley.com.
Financial services in China: Carving a niche
With investment opportunities in China's traditional banking and insurance industries limited, private equity firms are looking to niche financial services. What have they found in the shadows?
KKR exits Australia's Seven West Media
KKR has exited its stake in Australia’s Seven West Media via the public market, raising around A$265 million ($260 million). The private equity firm invested in what was then Seven Media Group in 2006 at the height of the buyout boom, before merging...
Blackstone tables $660m take-private bid for China’s Pactera
The Blackstone Group has joined the flood of private equity firms targeting China take-privates, backing a management buyout of US-listed tech outsourcing firm Pactera Technology International. It takes the number of private equity-supported transactions...
Japan's Globis reaches $78m first close on Fund IV
Tokyo-based venture firm Globis Capital Partners has reached a first close on its fourth fund a JPY8 billion ($78 million). Globis Fund IV, will focus on Japanese companies looking to capitalize on high-growth Asian markets as well as those in the domestic...
Capital International backs Philippines media conglomerate
Capital International has invested PHP2.5 billion ($60.7 million) in ABS-CBN Corporation, the Philippines’ largest media and entertainment company. The funding will be used to support ABS-CBN’s platform expansion, including boosting its digital terrestrial...
Q&A: Intel Capital's Sudheer Kuppam
Sudheer Kuppam, managing director for India, Japan, Australasia and Southeast Asia at Intel Capital, outlines his plans to usher Asian consumers onto technology platforms by meeting local needs in local languages
Survival of the fittest: China's internet giants go toe to toe
China's internet giants are on an acquisition spree as they seek to diversify their product platforms and carve out competitive positions in a battle that is likely to see valuations rise and rise
Samsung Venture leads $15m round for Taiwan Ubitus
Samsung Ventures, the VC arm of Korea’s Samsung Group, has led a new round of funding worth $15 million for Taiwanese cloud gaming firm Ubitus.
Alibaba invests $294m in Chinese digital mapping firm
Alibaba Group has agreed to pay $294 million for a 28% stake in AutoNavi Holdings, a Chinese digital mapping company listed in the US. The deal is further evidence of cash-rich Chinese internet companies’ increasing acquisitiveness as they seek to diversify...
CPE invests $1m in Malaysia’s Asia Bioenergy Technologies
China Private Equity Investment Holdings (CPE), an AIM-listed vehicle that claims to offer European investors exposure to Chinese private equity in China without the limitations imposed by closed-end funds, has bought a 13.08% stake in Asia Bioenergy...
Baidu buys VC-backed PPS’ online video platform
Baidu has agreed to pay $370 million for PPS’ online video business, creating an exit opportunity for the company’s venture capital backers. Ceyuan Ventures, Qiming Venture Partners and Vision Knight Capital have invested in PPStream in the last seven...