USA
China's Zhongwang acquires PE-owned Aleris for $2.3b
A unit of China Zhongwang has agreed to buy US aluminum company Aleris Corporation in a deal worth $2.3 billion, facilitating an exit for majority owner Oaktree Capital Management.
Sequoia leads $27m round for India, US-based Mitra
Sequoia India and US-based Sands Capital Ventures have led a $27.4 million Series B round of funding for Mitra Biotech, an India and US-based company that focuses on personalized cancer therapies.
Platinum buys Chinese manufacturing business
US-based Platinum Private Equity has agreed to acquire two Chinese manufacturing units from Singapore’s Broadway Industrial Group for S$150 million ($111 million).
Jaganath Swamy leaves HarbourVest to lead start-up
Jaganath Swamy, a vice-president at HarbourVest Partners, has left the firm to join Good Parents, a health and wellness-focused start-up based in San Francisco and Hong Kong.
3D printing: Dimension jump
3D printing technology is expected to grow at an accelerated rate now that its practical applications have come into focus. As a global manufacturing leader, Asia could be at the center of the boom
Deal focus: NextVR takes live VR worldwide
US-based virtual reality broadcaster NextVR raises $80 million for expansion, mostly from Asian investors
Australia's Square Peg in $17m round for UpGuard
Australian VC firm Square Peg Capital has contributed to a $17 million Series B round for UpGuard, a Sydney-founded cybersecurity start-up now headquartered in the US.
Norwest leads $15m Series B for India, US-based Zenoti
Norwest Venture Partners has led a $15 million Series B round of funding for Zenoti, an India-founded and US-headquartered software provider for the spa and wellness industry.
China's Tencent, PCCW invest in PE-backed STX Entertainment
China’s Tencent Holdings and Hong Kong-based telecom company PCCW have made equity investments in STX Entertainment, a Hollywood film and TV studio backed by Hony Capital and TPG Capital's growth arm.
Korean online beauty retailer Memebox raises $66m
Memebox, an e-commerce company that sells Korean beauty products, has raised $65.95 million in Series C funding led by Formation Group, an Asia-focused VC firm launched by Formation 8 co-founder Brian Koo.
Australia's Future Fund leads round for US-based MapR
Australia’s Future Fund has led a $50 million round of funding for US-based big data services company MapR Technologies.
Asian investors back $80m global expansion for NextVR
NextVR, a US-based start-up developing live streaming content for virtual reality (VR), has raised an $80 million Series B round, mostly from investors in Asia.
Drones: High-flying tech
The exponential rise in drone technology investment during the past few years is now expected to level off into slower growth as venture capitalists discover a galaxy of more nuanced opportunities
Deal focus: RocketSpace plots a China trajectory
With support from HNA Group, RocketSpace wants to take its San Francisco-based co-working space and accelerator model into new markets. China is the top priority
Sino-US VCs back US online marketplace GrubMarket
GrubMarket, a US-based online food marketplace, has raised $20 million in a Series B round of funding from several Sino-US investors including GGV Capital, Fosun Capital and Danhua Capital.
Discovery buys stake in CMC-backed VS Media
US media company Discovery Communications has acquired a minority stake in VS Media Group, a Hong Kong-based multi-channel network (MCN) that counts China’s CMC Holdings among its investors.
China's HNA supports US accelerator's global expansion
Chinese conglomerate HNA Group has agreed to invest $336 million to bankroll US start-up accelerator RocketSpace's global expansion, with a particular emphasis on China.
LP interview: PERA New Mexico
The Public Employees Retirement Association of New Mexico has seen its private equity portfolio outperform in recent years, but the program is still being revised. CIO Jonathan Grabel explains why
Foreign internet players in China: After Uber
Uber's experience in China suggests that foreign internet companies should be careful when picking their battles and wherever possible emphasize the international angle
PE-backed Chinese consortium buys Caesars games business for $4.4b
Yunfeng Capital, Hony Capital and CDH Investments' wealth management platform are part of a consortium that has agreed to buy Caesars Interactive Entertainment’s (CIE) social and mobile games business for $4.4 billion in cash.
MPM Capital forms VC fund with Japan's Astellas Pharma
MPM Capital, a US venture firm focused on early-stage life science companies, has launched a new investment vehicle in partnership with Japanese pharmaceutical company Astellas Pharma.
US-based Wonder Workshop raises $20m for China push
Wonder Workshop, the children's robotics manufacturer that recently agreed a distribution partnership with Chinese online retailer JD.com, has raised a $20 million Series B round to support further expansion in China.
Temasek leads $105m round for Sprinklr
Singapore’s Temasek Holdings has led a $105 million Series F round of funding in Sprinklr, a US-based social media company targeting growth in Asia Pacific.
KKR's Kravis sees Asia promise amid global macro volatility
Henry Kravis, co-founder of KKR, emphasized the importance of Asia’s rising middle class and the diversification of his firm’s investment approach as continued volatility globally is likely to deliver both uncertainty and opportunity.