Venture
Fund focus: Morningside scales up for growth deals
Morningside Venture Capital divides up the corpus of its $660 million fourth fund to address a China market increasingly characterized by early-stage and late-stage deals
Sequoia, Matrix commit $7.6m to India's TinyOwl
TinyOwl, an India-based mobile food-ordering platform, has raised INR500 million ($7.6 million) from existing investors Sequoia Capital and Matrix Partners.
China cross-border e-commerce platform raises $30m
Bolome, a Shanghai-based cross-border e-commerce platform, has raised a $30 million Series B round of funding from Chinese and South Korean investors including search engine Baidu, LB Investment, Share Capital and Chengwei Capital.
Japan female-focused video ad network raises $6.6m
Jafco, TBS Innovation Partners and strategic investors iStyle and Excite Japan have invested JPY800 million ($6.6 million) in Open8, a Tokyo-based start-up that a video ad platform targeted at women.
Lilly Asia commits $15m to China cancer drug developer
Lilly Asia Venture has provided a Series A round of funding worth $15 million for MabSpace Bioscience, a China-based company focused on developing cancer therapies.
Indonesia's restaurant discovery app secures $8m
Qraved, an Indonesia-based online restaurant booking platform, has secured an $8 million Series B round of funding co-led by US-based Richmond Global Ventures and China-based Gobi Partners.
Morningside closes fourth China TMT fund at $660m
Morningside Venture Capital, a VC firm set up by Hong Kong’s Chan family – owners of property developer Hang Lung Group – has closed its fourth China-focused fund at $660 million.
The billion-dollar club: Asia's tech unicorns
Asia accounts for one fifth of the global tech sector’s unicorn population as companies raise larger rounds at ever higher valuations. But as investor sentiment weakens, some of these behemoths should be concerned
Chinese appliance maker to invest in Cathay's Sino-French fund
Shenzhen-listed home appliance maker Joyoung has committed EUR5 million (5.53 million) to Cathay Capital’s Sino French Innovation Fund, which is looking to invest in start-ups in France, China and the US.
China O2O delivery start-up raises $13m
Matrix Partners and Lightspeed China Partners have committed $13 million in extended Series A round of funding to 123Feng.com, a Chinese start-up provides delivery services for e-commerce and food-ordering platforms.
China car servicing platform Tuhu raises further $50m
Tuhu, a Chinese B2C auto services platform, has raised $50 million in an extended Series C round of funding led by Hillhouse Capital.
GGV seeks $1.1b for VC investments in China, US
GGV Capital is planning to raise up to $1.1 billion across three vehicles – a core venture fund, a top-up vehicle and an early-stage fund – that will target start-up and growth-stage technology deals in China and the US.
Taikang Life leads $220m round for China's Womai
Taikang Life Insurance has led a $220 million Series C round of funding for Womai.com, an online grocery shop under Chinese state-owned food conglomerate COFCO, valuing the company at approximately $1 billion.
Google invests in VC-backed Chinese start-up Mobvoi
Google has agreed to buy a significant minority stake in Mobvoi, a Chinese voice-activated mobile search services provider, as part of a $75 million Series C round of funding.
Formation 8 backs Singapore grocery delivery service
US venture capital firm Formation 8 has led a $15 million Series A round for Singapore-based on-demand grocery delivery start-up Honestbee.
India delivery start-up Opinio gets $7m Series A round
Opinio, a hyperlocal delivery start-up based in India, has raised $7 million in a Series A round led by Indian logistics firm Delhivery. Sands Capital Ventures and existing investor Accel Partners also participated.
Q&A: Vertex China's Choon Chong Tay
Vertex Ventures’ China team recently raised their first fund independent of the Singapore parent. Managing Director Choon Chong Tay explains the organizational changes and discusses the team’s investment strategy
China's LeTV buys control in VC-backed Yongche
Chinese media company LeTV Holdings has acquired 70% in Yongche.com, facilitating an exit for existing shareholders in the car rental and taxi-booking app.
Matrix leads $5m Series A for Hong Kong's Klook
Matrix Partners has led a $5 million Series A round of funding for Klook, a Hong Kong-based online travel start-up.
China's Wuxi Healthcare VC joins round for US genetics start-up
Wuxi Healthcare Venture, a corporate venture fund owned by China-based Wuxi Pharmatech, has participated in a $115 million Series E round of funding for 23andMe, a Silicon Valley-based genetics-testing company.
Alibaba seeks full ownership of video platform Youku Tudou
Alibaba Group is looking to take full ownership of Chinese online video platform Youku Tudou in a deal that values the US-listed company at approximately $4.2 billion.
PE-backed Jiuxian approved to list on China's New Third Board
Jiuxianwang E-commerce, a PE-backed Chinese e-commerce site that sells wines and spirits, has won regulatory approval to list on China’s over-the-counter (OTC) board.
Ant Financial leads round for China VC news platform 36kr
36Kr.com, a Chinese news portal that covers venture capital and technology start-ups, has raised a Series D round of funding led by Ant Financial, an online finance affiliate of Alibaba Group.
China outbound travel site Qulv.com raises $20m
Qulv.com, a Chinese outbound travel-focused platform, has raised a $20 million Series A round of funding from domestic GP Yuantai Changqing Fund.