Transportation
Grab completes SPAC merger, sees volatile trading debut
Southeast Asia ride-hailing platform turned super app Grab experienced a tumultuous first day of trading on NASDAQ following the completion of its merger with a US-listed special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) at an enterprise valuation of $30.4 billion.
China ride-hailing app T3 Go raises $1.2b
T3 Go, a Nanjing-based ride-hailing platform, has raised a RMB7.7 billion ($1.2 billion) Series A round led by CITIC Investments. Redview Capital and Virtue Capital also took part.
China flying vehicle developer HT Aero raises $500m
HT Aero, an urban air mobility (UAM) company affiliated with Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Xpeng, has raised a $500 million Series A round led by Xpeng, IDG Capital, and 5Y Capital.
India bus-tracking app Chalo raises $40m
India bus-tracking app Chalo has raised a $40 million round led by Filter Capital and Lightrock India with support from WaterBridge Ventures and US-based Raine Ventures.
Falcon Edge leads $200m round for India's Ola Electric
Falcon Edge Capital has led a $200 million investment in Indian electric vehicle (EV) maker Ola Electric at a valuation of $3 billion with support from SoftBank.
GM invests $300m in China autonomous driving player Momenta
General Motors (GM) has entered China’s autonomous driving industry with a $300 million investment in Momenta, a local developer of sensor technology.
Taiwan's Gogoro set for $2.3b SPAC merger
A special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) backed by Homer Sun, former CIO of Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA), has agreed a $2.35 billion merger with Taiwan-based electric scooter manufacturer Gogoro.
China ride-hailing app Caocao raises $588m
Caocao Chuxing, the ride-hailing arm of Chinese automaker Geely, has raised a RMB3.8 billion ($588 million) Series B round from five state-backed investors.
India's Delhivery buys PE-owned Spoton Logistics
Indian e-commerce logistics Delhivery has acquired Spoton Logistics, a private equity-owned express logistics and supply chain business, with a view to strengthening its B2B capabilities.
China gas station platform Newlink raises $308m
Newlink Group, operator of a platform that helps drivers in China locate the best value gas stations and charging piles, has raised RMB2 billion ($308 million) led by China Merchants Capital.
India motorcycle taxi platform raises $52m
Indian motorcycle taxi platform Rapido has raised $52 million in Series C funding featuring the corporate VC arm of Shell.
SoftBank leads $150m Series C for US, India-based Netradyne
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 has led a $150 million Series C round for Netradyne, a US and India-based software provider for vehicle fleet operators.
Baring Asia secures $324m exit from Korean courier business
Baring Private Equity Asia has sold Korean courier company Logen, ending an eight-year holding period that featured a disputed – and aborted – sale to CVC Capital Partners followed by an arbitration proceeding.
Deal focus: LocoNav targets gap in fleet digitization
The rapidly modernizing fleet management industry has seen surprisingly little progress in terms of driver and dispatcher services. Global VCs see a solution in India’s LocoNav
Partners Group backs China's Apex Logistics
Partners Group has acquired a 24.9% stake in China’s Apex Logistics from its majority owner Kuehne+Nagel for an undisclosed sum as part of an expansion plan.
China's Didi targeted by regulators within days of bumper US IPO
Didi completed the largest PE-backed IPO in the US in seven years by a Chinese company, but its stock was pegged back within days of launch after the country's internet regulator moved against the ride-hailing platform.
Carlyle leads restructuring of Trans Maldivian Airways
The Carlyle Group’s credit platform has led a restructuring of Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA), a Bain Capital-owned seaplane operator whose fortunes are tied to those of the Maldives tourism industry.
Velocity hits first close on Southeast Asia travel fund
Velocity Ventures, a Singapore-based VC firm focused on travel and hospitality, has reached a first close on its debut fund. Commitments stand at 40% of the $20 million target.
China ride-hailing giant Didi files for US IPO
Chinese ride-hailing platform operator Didi, which has raised over $20 billion in private funding during its nine-year history and is valued at more than $60 billion, has filed to list in the US.
China self-driving truck start-up agrees $3.3b SPAC merger
Plus, a China-based autonomous driving technology developer that specializes in trucks, has agreed to merge with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) at a valuation of $3.3 billion.
China bike-sharing player Hellobike pursues US IPO
Hello Inc, best known as the operator of China bike-sharing service Hellobike and backed by the likes of Alibaba's Ant Group and GGV Capital, has filed for an IPO in the US.
Mobility: Gravitational shift
The automotive industry’s VC overtures might be in retrograde, but traditional carmakers are finding new ways to make a mark in mobility innovation. This creates new dynamics for financial investors
Deal focus: Plus pulls financial, strategic levers
China’s first autonomous driving truck will shortly enter mass production, courtesy of Plus and its array of private equity and automotive industry supporters
China’s Hike Capital seeks $300m for Fund III
Hike Capital, a Chinese venture capital firm established by the founder of classifieds website Ganji.com and a senior executive at NetEase, is targeting $300 million for its third US dollar-denominated fund.