TMT
Gobi, Core Capital launch $10m Philippines VC fund
Gobi Partners, a VC firm focused on early-stage Chinese and Southeast Asia companies, has made its first foray to the Philippines through the launch of a $10 million fund. It is partnering with Core Capital, a recently-established VC player based in Manila....
Microsoft to invest in PE-backed ride-hailing platform Grab
Microsoft has made a strategic investment in Grab as part of a wider arrangement that will see it collaborate with the Southeast Asia-focused ride-hailing business on digital services.
India's Droom gets $30m Series E round
The family office of Joe Hirao, founder of Japanese media platform ZigExN, has led a $30 million Series E round for Indian used-car trading marketplace Droom.
SIG leads Series B-plus for China car-sharing platform Togo
Chinese car-sharing platform Togo has received millions of US dollars in an extended Series B funding round led by Susquehanna Asia Investment (SIG), with participation from ZhenFund and Crescent Point. It takes the company’s total funding since inception...
India's Iron Pillar closes debut fund at $90m
Indian venture capital firm Iron Pillar Capital Management has closed its maiden fund with aggregate capital commitments of just over $90 million.
India's Blume reaches $40m first close on early-stage fund
Indian venture capital firm Blume Ventures has reached a first close of $40 million on Blume Ventures Fund III, its third early-stage fund.
Tencent invests $318m in recently-listed streaming site Bilibili
Tencent Holdings has agreed to invest $317.6 million in Bilibili, a VC-backed Chinese animation streaming platform that listed on NASDAQ in March.
Deal focus: Oyo passes the $1b mark
Oyo Rooms has taken a budget hotel marketing strategy that worked in India and applied it to overseas markets, notably China. Investors were bullish enough on its growth potential to provide a $1 billion Series E round
China Sports Capital leads $15m round for gaming network
Fighting Esports Group (FEG), a China-based online gaming network, has raised a RMB100 million ($14.5 million) Series A round led by China Sports Capital, a joint venture between Sequoia Capital China and CMC Capital Partners.
Mitsui leads $40m Series B for Singapore's Campana
Mitsui & Co has led a $40 million Series B round for Campana Group as the data network infrastructure company advances the installation of an undersea fiber cable system between Singapore and Myanmar.
PAG-backed Tencent Music files for US IPO
Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME), one of the world’s largest music streaming services, has filed to list in the US. PAG Asia Capital is among the company’s minority backers.
China's Cootek struggles on trading debut, vows to push forward
CooTek – the VC-backed Chinese app developer behind the TouchPal smart phone keyboard – shrugged off a disappointing trading debut in New York and pledged to cultivate new products with a view to easing reliance on its flagship offering.
Tiger Global leads $44m Series C for China's Udesk
China-based customer services outsourcing provider Udesk has raised RMB300 million ($43.6 million) in a Series C round of funding led by Tiger Global Management, with participation from existing investors Legend Capital and DCM.
China sports streaming: Match of the day
Private capital entering China’s sports streaming space is gravitating to platforms backed by the incumbent internet giants. But how long will it be before the big content bets pay off?
China's Liulishuo posts modest gain following $72m US IPO
Liulishuo, a Chinese English language learning app that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver customized teaching solutions for adults, ended its first day of trading on the New York Stock Exchange up 1.2%.
TPG, SoftBank Ventures Korea team up for $300m China fund
TPG Capital and SoftBank Ventures Korea are launching a $300 million China fund that will invest in start-ups focusing on technology, media, and the internet.
CLSA co-leads funding round for Taiwan's ACT
CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP) has co-led a funding round of undisclosed size for ACT Genomics, a Taiwan-based developer of genetic sequencing and diagnostic services.
Eight Roads leads Series C for India's PharmEasy
Indian online pharmacy PharmEasy has raised a $50 million Series C funding round led by Eight Roads Ventures, the proprietary investment arm of Fidelity International.
SoftBank, Sequoia back $1b round for India's Oyo
India-based online hospitality platform Oyo has raised a $1 billion funding round aimed at supporting domestic and overseas expansion from existing investors including SoftBank Vision Fund and Sequoia Capital India.
India's Pi Ventures closes early-stage fund at $31m
Pi Ventures, an Indian early-stage investor focused on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, has closed its debut fund at INR2.25 billion ($30.9 million).
Japan payments player Origami raises $60m Series C
Origami, a Tokyo-based mobile payments platform, has raised JPY6.6 billion ($60 million) in Series C funding from investors including SBI Investment, Union Pay International, Mitsui Sumitomo Card, and Credit Saison.
Chinese B2B liquor trading platform gets $200m Series C
Tencent Holdings and Meituan-Dianping have led a $200 million Series D funding round for business-to-business (B2B) online liquor trading platform Yijiupi.
Meituan-Dianping gains on debut after $4.2b Hong Kong IPO
Chinese online-to-offline (O2O) lifestyle services platform Meituan-Dianping gained 5.3% on its trading debut in Hong Kong following a HK$33.1 billion ($4.2 billion) IPO.
TPG, Goldman invest $70m in India's Livspace
Indian home design portal Livspace has raised $70 million in Series C funding led by TPG Growth, the middle market investment platform of TPG Capital, and Goldman Sachs.