Venture
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
Frontline BioVentures merges with WuXi Ventures
Chinese healthcare specialists Frontline BioVentures and WuXi Healthcare Ventures have merged, forming a new investment firm called 6 Dimensions Capital.
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.
Lok leads $5.6m Series B for India's Ummeed
Lok Capital has led a $5.6 million Series B round for Indian affordable housing finance company Ummeed Housing Finance.
Lightspeed China closes debut renminbi fund at $87m
Lightspeed China Partners has closed its first renminbi-denominated venture fund at RMB600 million ($87 million).
Japanese digital marketing player receives $28m
From Scratch, a Japanese digital marketing platform, has raised approximately JPY3.2 billion ($28.4 million) in funding from Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) and Rakuten Ventures, as well as several existing investors.
Venture: Vietnam plus
Vietnam’s start-up ecosystem is gaining prominence as the diaspora community taps local tech talent to create businesses targeting global markets. Expect deal flow to increase substantially in coming years
Hillhouse leads $55m round for China AI developer Yitu
Hillhouse Capital has led a RMB380 million ($55 million) Series C round of funding for Yitu Technology, a Shanghai-based artificial intelligence (AI) technology developer.
IDG, DHFL invest $4m in India's EarlySalary
Indian financial technology platform EarlySalary has raised a $4 million funding round from IDG Ventures and Dewan Housing Finance (DHFL).
Qiming leads $17m round for China data storage software developer
Qiming Venture Partners has led a RMB120 million ($17 million) Series B round for XSKY Beijing Data Technology Corporation, a China-based data storage software services provider.
IFC set to back Stellaris' debut India VC fund
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is considering a $10 million commitment to the debut fund of Stellaris Venture Partners, a spin-out from Indian VC firm Helion Venture Partners.
Pagoda leads Series A for China smart sensing player
China-focused VC firm Pagoda Investment has led a RMB110 million ($16 million) Series A round of funding for Hesai, a Shanghai-based company that develops smart sensing technology solutions.
Tencent backs US music app Smule in Asia push
Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings has led a $54 million funding round for Smule, a US-based social media music company, to support its expansion in Asia.
BOCI leads Series C for Chinese online gold trading platform
An investment unit of Bank of China International (BOCI) has led a RMB200 million ($29 million) Series C round for G-banker, a Chinese online gold trading platform that has several venture capital backers.
China serviced apartment operator gets $43m
Anxin Apartment, a China-based serviced apartment operator, has raised RMB300 million ($43 million) in a Series B round spread across two tranches.
Sequoia, Banyan lead $51m round for China's Xiaodian
Sequoia Capital China and Banyan Capital have led a RMB350 million ($51 million) Series B round of funding for Xiaodian, a Beijing-based power bank rental company.
Tencent leads $34m round for VC-backed cloud player
Tencent Holding has led a RMB235 million ($34 million) funding round for Transwarp Technology, a Chinese big data technology developer backed by a string of venture capital investors.
China Creation leads $16m for credit evaluation specialist
China Creation Ventures, a VC firm recently launched by Wei Zhou, formerly a managing partner at KPCB China, has led a Series A round of funding worth RMB110 million ($16 million) for credit evaluation business IceKredit.
Singapore's NRF to invest $107m in AI
Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) has agreed to invest S$150 million ($107 million) over five years in a new multi-agency initiative aimed at fostering an artificial intelligence (AI) development ecosystem.
Southeast Asia VC: Common tastes
Venture capital investors increasingly view Southeast Asia as a single market as start-ups focus their attentions on a handful of large cities whose young populations have similar consumption habits
NetEase raises $23m for pig farm business
China local services platform Meituan-Dianping and Sinovation Ventures have jointly led a RMB160 million ($23m) Series A round for Weiyang, a pig farm business unit owned by Chinese internet firm NetEase.
VC-backed China Rapid Finance raises $60m in US IPO
China Rapid Finance (CRF), a VC-backed peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform, is trading up 32% on its IPO price following an offering on the New York Stock Exchange that raised $60 million.
Australia's Airwallex raises $13m Series A round
Tencent Holdings, Sequoia Capital China and Mastercard have all participated in a Series A funding round worth $13 million for Airwallex, an Australia-based cross-border payments company.