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Q&A: Vertex Ventures' Ben Mathias
Ben Mathias, managing director and head of India at Temasek Holdings-backed Vertex Ventures, discusses the firm’s priorities for adding value to Indian start-ups looking to the global stage
Chinese courier start-up gets $50m Series C-plus
Chinese intercity courier services provider Shansong has secured an extended Series C round of funding led by Shunwei Capital Partners and Chinese retailer Beijing Hualian Group.
Sequoia discloses China, India fundraising activity
Sequoia Capital has topped up its fourth India fund – having closed the fifth country vehicle early last year – and disclosed that its most recent China growth vehicle closed at $899.5 million.
Emerging India invests $50m in domestic travel site
Emerging India Focus Funds has invested $50 million in Indian online travel portal Goomo, a division of its portfolio company Orbit Corporate & Leisure Travels.
China P2P site Tuandaiwang raises $262m
Chinese peer-to-peer (P2P) online lending platform Tuandaiwang confirmed it has raised a RMB1.8 million ($262 million) pre-IPO round led by China Minsheng Investment Group (CMIG).
Deal focus: Chubao targets mass market appeal
Having built its business by licensing mobile software to smart phone manufacturers, China's Chubao has raised $100 million to bankroll a freemium model that will allow it to interact directly with users
Fund focus: Gree widens its regional scope
For its $67 million second fund, Gree Ventures has added India to its existing Japan and Southeast Asia coverage with a view to facilitating wider cross-border collaboration
Australia VC: Meet the neighbors
Australia’s growing technology sector is set to benefit from long-term socioeconomic trends in Asia. Success will depend on both operational tenacity and a fundamental shift in expansion philosophy
Warburg Pincus leads $120m round for China’s Yuanfudao
Warburg Pincus has led a $120 million round of funding for China’s Yuanfudao in what is said to be the largest-ever PE investment in the country's online tutoring industry.
Naspers leads $80m round India's VC-backed Swiggy
South African internet conglomerate Naspers Group has led a Series E round of funding worth $80 million for Swiggy, an India-based online food-ordering and delivery platform.
Sequoia, Perfect World back China online bookstore business
Sequoia Capital China has co-led a funding round for online reading business Zongheng Literature, working in tandem with Perfect World, the Chinese movies-to-gaming company that controls Zongheng.
Helion co-founder launches $100m India fintech fund
Rahul Chandra, co-founder and managing director at India-based Helion Venture Partners, is looking to raise $100 million for an early-stage fund. He will retain his existing portfolio management responsibilities at Helion.
Tech investors leverage changing Chinese consumption patterns
The disruption caused by technology in China's consumer and business services sectors - and the change this brings to traditional business models - is generating increased deal flow for private equity and venture capital investors.
Everstone re-ups in India's Servion
Everstone Capital has invested $8 million in Indian customer experience management (CEM) solutions provider Servion Global Solutions, raising its total stake in the company to $74 million.
Australian adtech start-up Unlockd secures $23m
Malaysian telecommunications conglomerate Axiata has led a $23 million investment in early-stage Australian advertising technology company Unlockd.
China automobile services platform Lechebang gets $44m
Lechebang, a Chinese online automobile services platform focused on after-sale services, has completed a RMB300 million ($44 million) Series B round led by Grand Flight Investment.
VC investors to exit India's ItzCash to strategic
US-based software developer Ebix has agreed to buy a majority stake in Indian financial technology firm ItzCash, providing an exit for its VC backers including Lightspeed Venture, Matrix Partners and Intel Capital.
Big beast: The SoftBank Vision Fund
SoftBank's global technology fund is significant enough to redraw the private equity investment opportunity in certain industries, if not to redraw the industries themselves
Japan’s Gree Ventures closes second fund at $67m
Gree Ventures, which was set up by Japanese mobile gaming company Gree, has closed its second early-stage VC fund at $67 million.
China mobile communication app Chubao raises $100m
Shanghai-based mobile communication app developer Chubao Technology has completed a $100 million Series D round co-led by CCB International, an investment unit of China Construction Bank, and China PE firm HG Capital.
Deal focus: Wish scales up cross-border e-commerce
Wish secures an extended Series F round to build out its platform that enables Chinese suppliers to sell cut-price goods to US and European consumers
China’s Cloudwise raises $26m from VCs
CBC Capital has led a $26 million Series C round for Cloudwise, a Beijing-based application performance management (APM) solutions provider, with participation from SIG Asia and Sequoia Capital China.
SoftBank achieves $93b first close on global tech fund
SoftBank Group Corp. has reached a first close of more than $93 billion on its global technology investment fund. A final close of $100 billion is expected within six months.
Jungle leads $5.3m Series A for India's PaySense
Jungle Ventures has led a $5.3 million Series A round for Indian online credit platform PaySense.