Venture
Snapdeal partners with eBay, closes $50m funding round
Indian online retailer Snapdeal has raised $50 million from lead investor eBay, Intel Capital, Saama Capital, Russian VC ru-Net and Japan’s Recruit Holdings. Existing investors Bessemer Venture, Nexus Venture Partners and Kalaari Capital also participated...
Clearstone-backed Games2Win acquires Indian start-up
Games2Win, an Indian online gaming business backed by Clearstone Ventures, has acquired Backyard Game FactoRy (BGF) - a New Dehli-based game developer.
Nexus invests $2.5m in Housing.co.in
Nexus Venture Partners will back Indian real estate search portal Housing.co.in with $2.5 million in funding to help expand its technology and data teams.
Shinsei Bank backs Series B for Japan's Smart Education
Shinsei Corporate Investment (SCI), a unit of Japan's Shinsei Bank, has committed JPY75.3 million ($748,000) to educational smartphone app developer Smart Education. This brings the start-up's Series B round to a total of JPY350 million.
KDDI, Yahoo, CyberAgent invest $3m in online language service
KDDI Open Innovation Fund, CyberAgent Ventures and YJ Capital - the investment arm of Yahoo Japan - have taken part in JPY330 million ($3.2 million) round of funding for RareJob, an English-language learning website.
India's Snapdeal acquires e-retailer Shopo
Sequoia Capital-backed Shopo.in, an online marketplace for Indian handicraft products, has been bought by Snapdeal.com promoter Jasper Infotech for an undisclosed amount. Shopo had raised funding from Sequoia, SRI Capital and Seeders Venture Capital in...
SE Asia VC Ardent gets backing from US, Japan partners
Southeast Asia-focused venture capital firm Ardent has received its first round of external funding from US-based Siemer Ventures and Japanese VCs Recruit Strategic Partners and GMO Venture Partners. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.
SingTel Innov8 leads Series C round for TubeMogul
SingTel Innov8, the venture capital arm of Singapore Telecommunications, has led a $10 million Series C round of investment in TubeMogul, a global video marketing platform.
Nissay, Nippon invest $1m in online translation service
Nissay Capital and Nippon Venture Capital Co. (NVCC) have led a JPY108 million ($1 million) round of investment in Japan's Yaraku, the company behind online cloud translation service WorldJumper. Individual investors are also said to have taken part in...
Invictus Oncology gets $2m from Navam, Aarin
Indian investors Navam Capital and Aarin Capital have invested INR10.5 million ($1.88 million) in Delhi-based Invictus Oncology as part of a Series A round of funding.
Globis upbeat on Fund IV first close
When Japanese tech-focused VC Globis Capital Partners raised its third fund in 2006, it was against a very different backdrop. The process took just four months and the vehicle closed at JPY18 billion, JPY3 billion over target.
VC-backed companies lead the way in Australia R&D - study
Venture capital-backed companies in Australia spend an average 200 times more on R&D per employee than other businesses, according to a report by the Australian Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (AVCAL).
China's Kaida VC invests in VTL Associates
China’s Suzhou Industrial Park Kaida Venture Capital has invested in VTL Associates, a Philadelphia-based financial consulting firm that develops equity and fixed income indexes.
East Ventures leads seed funding round in Japan's TwitCasting
East Ventures has led a JPY64.8 million ($633,000) round of seed funding in Moi Corp., the Japanese company behind social video application TwitCasting.
China's LightInTheBox sets IPO terms, targets up to $87m
VC-backed Chinese online retailer LightInTheBox plans to raise up to $87 million through its IPO on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
Kae Capital seeds India language-learning platform
Indian venture capital firm Kae Capital has invested an undisclosed amount for a minority stake in Intap Labs, the start-up behind language-learning platform CultureAlley.com.
Sequoia leads $5m investment in Indian energy drink maker
Sequoia Capital, Catamaran Investment and FootPrint Ventures have put $8 million (INR 440 million) into Hector Beverages, owners of energy drink brand Tzinga.
Japan's Globis reaches $78m first close on Fund IV
Tokyo-based venture firm Globis Capital Partners has reached a first close on its fourth fund a JPY8 billion ($78 million). Globis Fund IV, will focus on Japanese companies looking to capitalize on high-growth Asian markets as well as those in the domestic...
Q&A: Intel Capital's Sudheer Kuppam
Sudheer Kuppam, managing director for India, Japan, Australasia and Southeast Asia at Intel Capital, outlines his plans to usher Asian consumers onto technology platforms by meeting local needs in local languages
Survival of the fittest: China's internet giants go toe to toe
China's internet giants are on an acquisition spree as they seek to diversify their product platforms and carve out competitive positions in a battle that is likely to see valuations rise and rise
Four VCs invest in China Bama Tea Series A round
IDG Capital Partners, Tiantu Capital, Shenzhen-based Cowin Capital and Tianjixing Capital have jointly invested in a Series A round of funding for Anxi Bama Tea worth RMB150 million ($24 million).
Sequoia's Shen remains top Asia VC in Midas List
Seven Asia-based investors have made it on to the 2013 Forbes Midas List of leading global venture capitalists. This compares to 10 last year, although an increasing number of US resident members are known for backing Chinese and Indian start-ups.
Baidu buys VC-backed PPS' online video platform
Baidu has agreed to pay $370 million for PPS’ online video business, creating an exit opportunity for the company’s venture capital backers. Ceyuan Ventures, Qiming Venture Partners and Vision Knight Capital have invested in PPStream in the last seven...
Accion backs Asian financial services start-ups
Non-profit microfinance pioneer Accion will provide funding to three Asian start-ups through its $10 million seed initiative, Venture Lab. Singapore-based Coda Payments, Demyst Data and Indian education access provider Varthana are among the five businesses...