Venture
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Chinese food-ordering platform Ele.me raises $630m
Ele.me, a Chinese online food-ordering platform, has raised $630 million from a combination of new and existing investors. The investment reportedly values the business at more than $3 billion.
Asia e-commerce: The next generation
Most of emerging Asia’s e-commerce giants faced a binary choice between the asset-heavy online retail and asset-light marketplace models. Now, though, investors have a more nuanced opportunity set
Deal focus: RedMart channels the Amazon spirit
Amazon.com is the world’s largest online retailer, but it retains fleetness of foot that defies its size. This is based on the ability to embrace not only new technology but also innovative approaches to management. The “two-pizza rule” devised...
Loan or own? Chinese strategics offer debt to start-ups
As Chinese start-ups raise larger, later-stage rounds, strategic investors are looking to participate through structured debt products rather than through equity. This approach presents its own risks
China drone start-up EHang gets $42m Series B round
GP Capital, a China-focused PE fund backed by Shanghai International Group, has led a $42 million Series B round of funding for EHang, a Chinese commercial drone manufacturer.
Japan’s Freee raises $30m Series C round
DCM, Recruit Holdings and Japan Co-Invest have committed $30 million in Series C funding to Freee, a Japan-based provider of automated online accounting software.
Philippines targets 500 domestic tech start-ups by 2020
The Philippines government has outlined plans to achieve 500 domestic technology start-ups with a combined valuation of $2 billion by 2020.
China online campus convenience store secures $31m
Shenzhen Capital Group has led a RMB200 million ($31 million) pre-Series B round of funding for 59store.com, a Chinese online convenience store focused on serving students.
Standard Chartered, CFF lead $207m round for China’s Dianrong
A consortium co-led by Standard Chartered Bank and China Fintech Fund (CFF) has invested $207 million in a Series C round of funding for Dianrong.com, a Chinese VC-backed peer-to-peer (P2P) online lending service platform.
NEA, Orios commit $4m to India's IntelligenceNODE
IntelligenceNODE, a retail-oriented big data analytics start-up based in India, has raised a $4 million Series A round led by New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and Orios Venture Partners.
IFC to back Jungle Venture's second fund
International Finance Corporation (IFC) will invest up to $10 million in Singapore-based Jungle Ventures' second venture capital fund.
Didi Kuaidi, CIC join $350m round for Southeast Asia’s GrabTaxi
Didi Kuaidi, China’s largest mobile ride-hailing app operator, and China Investment Corporation (CIC) have participated in a $350 million funding round for Southeast Asia-focused mobile taxi-booking app GrabTaxi.
Yunfeng leads Series C round for China’s logistic app Yunmanman
Yunfeng Capital has led a Series C round of funding for Yunmanman, a Shanghai-based mobile logistic distribution platform. Existing investors Sequoia Capital and Lightspeed China Partners also participated.
Singapore online grocer RedMart raises $26.7m
Singapore-based online grocery marketplace RedMart has raised $26.7 million in a bridge round from existing investors Garena Online, Softbank Ventures Korea and US-based Visionnaire Ventures.
Deal focus: Blume targets e-commerce’s back-end
Asian e-commerce companies are having a hard time living up to their billing. Orders may come in at the speed of light, but deliveries come from warehouses that largely still dependent on relatively slow human labor.
Softbank, Foxconn, Alibaba lead $500m round for Snapdeal
SoftBank Group, Foxconn Technology Group and Alibaba Group have led a $500 million investment in Indian online marketplace Snapdeal.
IDG, JD in $174m round for Shanghai Pharma’s e-commerce unit
Chinese online retailer JD.com and IDG Capital Partners have participated in a RMB1.11 billion ($174 million) Series A round of funding for Shanghai Pharmaceuticals’ online drug distribution platform.
India's IIFL to raise $153 million VC fund
IIFL Wealth Management, the Indian financial services firm backed by Fairfax Holdings and the Carlyle Group, will raise a seed venture fund of up to INR10 billion ($153 million).
Tiger invests $15m in Indian fashion site Roposo
Tiger Global has invested $15 million in Indian fashion-oriented social network Roposo.
Chinese event venues search portal raises $20m
HotelGG.com, a Chinese online booking platform for event venues, has raised $20 million in a Series B round of funding from existing investors including Matrix China Partners, Chengwei Ventures and SIG China.
Kalaari leads funding round for YourStory
Indian tech business news website YourStory has raised a Series A round led by Kalaari Capital, with participation from Qualcomm Ventures, Ratan Tata and T.V. Mohandas Pai.
China cancer diagnostics firm Burning Rock raises $23m
Burning Rock Biotech, a Chinese cancer diagnostic start-up, has raised RMB150 million ($23 million) in an extended Series A round of funding from Ji Feng Capital, Sequoia Capital and Legend Star.
India's VC-backed Mobikon buys Singapore's Trii.be
Indian customer engagement and marketing platform Mobikon, which is backed by Jungle Ventures, has bought Singapore's feedback management start-up Trii.be.
Alibaba, Tencent in $313m round for CMC’s smart TV start-up
Whaley Technology, a smart TV maker founded by Chinese media mogul Ruigang Li, has raised RMB2 billion ($313 million) in funding from Li’s media-focused fund CMC Capital Partners, Alibaba Group and Tencent Holdings.