News
Chinese electric car maker LeapMotor raises $288m
Hangzhou-based electric car maker LeapMotor has raised RMB2 billion ($288 million) in a Series A round of funding led by Shanghai Electric - a Hong Kong-listed Chinese power generation and electrical equipment manufacturer.
Hillhouse leads round for Chinese B2B finance platform
Yunzhangfang, a Chinese corporate tax and financial management software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider, has raised RMB300 million ($43.2 million) in a Series C round led by Hillhouse Capital.
China's Geek+ closes Series B round at $150m
Geek+, a Chinese manufacturer of robots for use in logistics and warehousing, has closed its Series B round with $150 million in commitments. It is claimed to be the largest financing globally in the logistics robotics space and it takes Geek+’s valuation...
SCPE buys controlling stake in Korean meat importer
Standard Chartered Private Equity (SCPE) has acquired a controlling interest in Sunwoo, a South Korea-based meat importer, for $90.1 million.
Chinese commercial rocket launch player raises $43m
Chinese commercial space launch start-up LandSpace has secured RMB300 million ($43 million) in an extended Series B round led by China Growth Capital.
Coatue leads $70m round for China, US-based Agora
Agora.io, a real-time voice and video communication platform established by Tony Zhao, formerly CTO of Chinese social networking player YY.com, has received $70 million in Series C funding led by Coatue Management.
Vision Fund invests $2b in Korea's Coupang
SoftBank Vision Fund has committed $2 billion to South Korean e-commerce business Coupang, reportedly valuing the company at $9 billion.
500 Startups closes Vietnam fund at $14m
500 Startups has closed its Vietnam-focused early-stage VC fund at $14 million, beating a target of $10 million.
CITIC Capital buys control of cooking sauce brand Amoy
CITIC Capital has acquired a controlling stake in Amoy Food, a Hong Kong-based manufacturer of cooking sauces owned by Japanese food and beverage maker Ajinomoto, for an undisclosed sum.
GGV leads $108m round for Chinese e-commerce platform
Chinese community e-commerce platform Xiaoqule has raised $108 million in a Series A round of funding led by GGV Capital and Vertex Ventures.
Blackbird joins $7m round for New Zealand's Sunfed
Blackbird Ventures has joined a NZ$10 million ($7 million) funding round for Sunfed Meats, a New Zealand-based company that specializes in meat-like vegetarian foodstuffs.
Chinese financial education business receives $115m Series C
Golden Education, which claims to be China’s largest professional financial education provider, has received RMB800 million ($115 million) in Series C funding led by Hillhouse Capital and Morgan Stanley.
HarbourVest backs secondary restructuring of Capital Today investment
HarbourVest Partners has led a secondary transaction worth approximately $420 million that enabled Capital Today China Group to take out an investment from its first fund – Yifeng Pharmacy – and roll it into a new vehicle as a means of extending the holding...
Chinese GP buys Germany's Cordenka for $274m
BMC Europe Fund I, a PE vehicle launched earlier this year with support from Shanghai International Group (SIG), has completed its first investment with the acquisition of German industrial textiles manufacturer Cordenka for EUR240 million ($274 million)....
PAG confirms $6b close on third Asia buyout fund
PAG Asia Capital has announced that its third pan-regional fund has closed at the hard cap of $6 billion – confirming an AVCJ report from last week.
China's ICBC sets up $200m India venture fund
Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) has launched a $200 million fund to invest in Indian start-ups and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
SparkLabs launches $10m Taiwan fund, recruits NBA star
SparkLabs Group, a pan-Asian network of accelerators and global venture funds, has launched a $10 million fund in Taiwan and appointed NBA star Jeremy Lin (pictured) as an advisor.
LPs still keen on Asia despite slow distributions - AVCJ Forum
Institutional investors remain committed to Asia even though distributions from funds targeting the region can be slower to come than those in the US and Western Europe, the AVCJ Forum heard.
China's Alphamab gets $100m Series A
China’s Alphamab Oncology has completed a $100 million Series A funding round from a group of investors including PAG Growth Capital, Advantech Capital, and OrbiMed.
Korean GPs worry about valuations, wage hikes - AVCJ Forum
South Korean private equity investors warned the AVCJ Forum that valuations and an increase in the minimum wage could play havoc in the market next year following what has so far been a relatively benign 2018.
India GPs focus on investee alignment – AVCJ Forum
Investment and exit opportunities in India’s private equity market continue to improve, thanks in part to growing confidence among GPs in their ability to partner with portfolio companies through crucial stages of development.
Blackstone agrees $792m sale of Australia chemicals business
The Blackstone Group has agreed to sell Ixom, a chemicals business it carved out from Australia’s Orica three years ago, to Keppel Infrastructure Trust (KIT) for approximately A$1.1 billion ($792 million).
IDG, Matrix back $20m round for Singapore's KuCoin
IDG Capital, Matrix Partners, and Neo Global Capital have jointly invested $20 million in Singapore-based cryptocurrency services company KuCoin.
Australia's Future Fund leads $140m round for Rocket Lab
Australia’s Future Fund has led a $140 million Series E round for Rocket Lab, a US-based space technology company that operates primarily in New Zealand.