Venture
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Sequoia, Kae lead round for India logistics marketplace
Sequoia Capital and Kae Capital have led a INR350 million ($5.5 million) Series A round for Indian online logistics marketplace Porter, with participation from three strategic angel investors.
Alibaba, Ant Financial form JV to invest in China’s O2O service
Alibaba Group and its financial affiliate Ant Financial plan to invest nearly $1 billion in a joint venture that will tap into China’s local online-to-offline (O2O) services market, initially focusing on the food and beverage segment.
Matrix, SAIF back India-based hotel start-up
Treebo, an Indian online budget hotel chain, has raised a $6 million Series A round led by Matrix Partners India and SAIF Partners.
Deal focus: Qiming sees Tuhu as agent of disruption
When it comes to using technology to disrupt China’s auto industry, private equity and venture capital funding appears to have targeted almost every corner of the space.
Fund focus: InnoSpring builds cross-border bridges
San Francisco's Artisan State faced the classic start-up dilemma: a great idea with no way to make it happen. The firm knew there was demand for professional-quality photo books at affordable prices, but it didn’t have the facilities to produce them....
Onshore IPOs and China VIEs: Replacement capital?
With Chinese entrepreneurs considering domestic IPOs, foreign VCs face the prospect of having to sell off investments in restricted industries. But the trend can only be sustained as long as valuations remain high
Blue Sky reaches $11.5m first close on Australia VC fund
Australia-based alternatives investor Blue Sky has reached a first close of A$15 million ($11.5 million) on its second venture capital fund. The vehicle has a full target of A$30 million.
Tech in Asia secures $4m funding round
Tech in Asia, a Singapore-based digital media company that focuses on Asian start-ups, has raised a $4 million round led by SB ISAT Fund, a $50 million vehicle backed by Japan's SoftBank and Indonesia's Indosat.
Shenzhen Fortune invests $48m in Focus Media
Fortune Capital has invested RMB300 million ($48 million) in Focus Media, a PE-backed Chinese outdoor advertising firm on course for a $7.37 billion backdoor listing in Shenzhen.
China regulator allows 100% foreign ownership in e-commerce
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has permitted foreign investors to fully own and operate e-commerce companies operating within the country.
Faering leads $11m Series C for FundsIndia
Faering Capital has led a INR700 million ($11 million) Series C round for Wealth India Financial Services, the parent company of online financial services platform FundsIndia.
Dianping leads $30m round for China’s Farmlink
Farmlink, which operates a digital platform through which small and medium-sized restaurants in China can order food supplies, has received a $30 million in Series B funding led by listings and group-buying specialist Dianping.
Qiming, Trustbridge back China education app developer
Chinese online education app developer Xuebajun has raised a $50 million Series B round led by Qiming Venture Partners and Trustbridge Partners, with participation by existing investor Vertex Ventures.
VC in Japan's universities: Getting schooled
For the past decade, Japan’s universities have been working with venture capital to commercialize their research. Recent developments in the public and private sectors suggest this relationship is evolving
US-China incubator raises $5m for second seed fund
InnoSpring, a technology incubator platform focused on US and China-based companies, has raised $5 million for its second fund aimed at seed-stage investments.
Indian healthcare player La Renon raises $16m from Sequoia
La Renon, an Indian developer and manufacturer of pharmaceutical drugs and services, has raised INR1 billion ($16 million) in Series A funding from Sequoia Capital.
Hong Kong's GoGovan gets $10m Series B round
Hong Kong app-enabled logistics start-up GoGoVan has raised $10 million in Series B round of funding. Investors in the round included Hu Zemin, the former CEO of Android app store 91 Wireless, and social media firm RenRen.
Indian fashion app Voonik raises $5m from Sequoia, Seedfund
Voonik, a personalized fashion shopping portal based in India, has raised $5 million in Series A funding from Sequoia Capital and existing investor Seedfund.
Japan ministries approve $80m for Osaka University VC fund
Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry (METI), and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology (MEXT) have approved a JPY10 billion ($80 million) investment by Osaka University into its recently launched venture capital arm.
India's Swiggy raises $16.5m from Norwest, Accel, SAIF
Indian food delivery platform Swiggy has raised $16.5 million in a Series B round led by Norwest Venture Partners, along with existing investors Accel Partners and SAIF Partners and an unnamed investor.
China social e-commerce start-up raises $10m from GGV
Chinese e-commerce discovery site Red has raised more than $10 million in Series B funding from GGV Capital.
China bus Wi-Fi network raises $11.5 Series A round
Baidu has led a $11.5 million Series A round investment in Qianhai Mobile, a unit of digital outdoor advertising firm Vision China Media, which operates Wi-Fi networks for bus routes.
Innovation Works leads $6m round for China's Smellme
Chinese pet-oriented social network Smellme has raised a $6 million Series A round of funding led by Innovation Works.
Snow Leopard, Paytm commit $5m to India's Jugnoo
Indian autorickshaw-hailing service Jugnoo has raised INR320 million ($5 million) in Series A funding from Snow Leopard Technology Ventures and Paytm, along with some existing angel investors.