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India's Zepto raises $200m at $1.4bn valuation
Indian grocery delivery start-up Zepto has raised a USD 200m Series E round led by StepStone Group at a valuation of USD 1.4bn.
Vietnam's VNG files for US IPO
Vietnam-based VNG, operator of the country’s largest mobile game publishing platform and largest messaging app, has filed for an IPO in the US.
Indian family offices invest $52m in FirstCry
Three Indian family offices have committed INR 4.35bn (USD 52.7m) to domestic mother-and-baby retailer FirstCry through a secondary transaction that facilitated a partial exit for SoftBank Vision Fund, among others.
LP interview: India's Catamaran
Catamaran brings a global, tech-savvy approach to private equity that sets it apart from most Indian family offices. A strong historical focus on digital inclusion is now extending into manufacturing
PE-linked SPAC to merge with China ride-hailing business
A special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) led by two Chinese private equity investors has agreed to merge with local ride-hailing business Wanshun Technology Industrial Group in a deal that values the target at approximately USD 300m.
Biden clamps down on US investment in Chinese technology
US President Joe Biden has signed an executive order prohibiting outbound foreign investment in China that targets certain sensitive technologies, including semiconductors and microelectronics, quantum information technologies, and artificial intelligence...
Japan's Advantage sells Wavedash to US-listed strategic for $61m
Japan’s Advantage Partners has sold online ticket marketplace Wavedash to Vivid Seats, a US-listed ticketing technology company, for JPY 8.7bn (USD 61m).
Chinese grocery player Miss Fresh sells shares at $31m valuation
Chinese online grocery delivery platform Miss Fresh has agreed to sell an 88.1% stake to a third-party investor at a valuation of approximately USD 31m – one-tenth of the company’s market capitalisation when it listed in June 2021.
5Y seeks $700m for latest China VC fund
China-focused 5Y Capital has set a target of USD 700m for its latest venture capital fund – in line with what the manager raised in the previous vintage.
India edtech: Class dismissed
With investment all but evaporated and its champion in a tailspin of bad press, India’s massive online K-12 education space is in an awkward limbo. It’s a welcome correction though
Chinese retailer KK Group files for Hong Kong IPO
KK Group, a Chinese online-to-offline lifestyle retailer that has raised more than USD 400m in venture capital funding, has filed for a Hong Kong IPO.
China ride-hailing platform T3 gets $140m Series A extension
T3 Go, a Chinese ride-hailing platform looking to challenge incumbent market leader Didi Chuxing, has raised more than CNY 1bn (USD 140m) in an extended Series A round of funding.
KKR leads $190m Series C for Korea fashion platform
KKR has led a USD 190m Series C round for Korean online fashion platform Musinsa with support from Wellington Management.
India's LetsTransport gets $25m Series D
Bertelsmann India Investments has led a USD 25m Series D round for LetsTransport, a platform that aims to integrate independent truckers into the mainstream economy.
Antler expands into Malaysia through Khazanah partnership
Singapore-based accelerator and VC investor Antler is opening an office in Kuala Lumpur as it becomes the latest GP to join Khazanah Nasional’s Future Malaysia Programme.
Japan procurement marketplace secures $89m Series C
Six Japanese venture capital firms have led a Series C round of USD 89m for Caddi, operator of a B2B procurement marketplace that services the manufacturing sector.
China red envelope marketing start-up raises $28m
Saoyasao, a Chinese digital commerce service provider best known for using "red envelopes" to attract customers to offline stores, has raised a CNY 200m (USD 28m) Series A round from two local investors.
Japan VC draws global attention - AVCJ Forum
Japan’s venture capital market is attracting increased international attention by virtue of its relatively stable returns and a start-up-friendly policy regime, investors told the AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Forum Japan 2023.
Deal focus: Nothing's swift evolution into something
A global brand developed by a European-Chinese founder, Nothing has made its presence felt on the idiosyncratic edges of the smart phone market. Investors have responded positively
RTP Global collects USD 1bn for early-stage investments
RTP Global, a global early-stage venture capital firm that has made nearly 50 investments in India and Southeast Asia, has announced the launch of its fourth fund with USD 1bn in commitments.
Q&A: Soul Capital's Herry Han
Lightspeed China spinout Soul Capital is pursuing an early-stage dual-currency strategy in China. Herry Han, the firm’s founding partner and CEO, explains how and why he’s staying relevant
Australia's Blackbird backs virtual football league
Blackbird Ventures has led a AUD 3m (USD 2m) pre-seed round for One Future Football (1FF), a Melbourne-based start-up that has launched an entirely virtual global football league.
Philippines VC firm Kaya raises $12m across two funds
Philippines-based VC investor and venture studio Kaya Founders has achieved a first close of USD 12m across two early-stage funds. The target - for both vehicles - is USD 25m.
Start-up banking: Filling an SVB-shaped hole
Silicon Valley Bank was arguably the only institution globally to comprehensively service the unique banking needs of start-ups. In its absence, a mix of players are rising to the challenge