News
China's Baidu to establish internet, AI-focused fund
Chinese search giant Baidu has announced plans for an investment fund that will concentrate on start-ups with pan-internet and artificial intelligence (AI) strategies. The vehicle – known as Changcheng Investment Partners – will have initial capital of...
GIP to buy IDFC's India infrastructure business
Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) has agreed to buy the infrastructure business of IDFC Alternatives, the alternative asset investment arm of India’s IDFC Group.
AVCJ daily bulletin returns May 2
AVCJ's daily bulletin will not be published on Tuesday May 1 due to the Labor Day public holiday in Hong Kong.
TPG, Carlyle lead $1.9b round for Baidu's financial services unit
TPG Capital and The Carlyle Group have led a $1.9 billion funding round for Chinese search giant Baidu’s financial services unit, which is being spun out as Du Xiao Man.
Capital Group leads Series E for China's Innovent Biologics
Capital Group Private Markets (CGPM), a private equity affiliate of US-based Capital Group Companies, has led a $150 million Series E round for Chinese biopharmaceutical developer Innovent Biologics.
SIG leads $13.5m round for US, China-based Castbox
SIG China has led a $13.5 million Series B funding round for Castbox, a US and China-based podcasting platform with content in multiple languages.
China car-trading platform Renrenche gets $300m
Goldman Sachs, Tencent Holdings and ride-hailing business Didi Chuxing have led a $300 million funding round for Renrenche, a Chinese consumer-to-consumer (C2C) used-car trading platform.
Asian investors commit $150m to Arctic Green Energy
CITIC Capital and China Everbright have committed $100 million in debt and equity funding to Iceland-based geothermal energy developer Arctic Green Energy (AGE), alongside a $50 million loan facility provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Corporates embrace VC to understand disruption - AVCJ Forum
Southeast Asian corporates are becoming increasingly involved in technology investment as they seek to understand how their traditional businesses might be disrupted, executives told the AVCJ Indonesia Forum.
PE-backed Vietnamese lender completes $992m IPO
Vietnam Technological & Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Techcombank, TCB), a private-sector lender backed by Warburg Pincus, has raised VND21 trillion ($922 million) in the country’s biggest IPO to date.
China VC specialization to accelerate as ecosystem expands
China’s venture capital ecosystem is set to see a rapid proliferation of niche sector funds as overall economic growth piques domestic competition in the asset class.
New Zealand's Pencarrow closes Fund V at $176m
New Zealand-based Pencarrow Private Equity has reached a first and final close of NZ$250 million ($176 million) for its fifth fund after eight weeks on the market. It had targeted a corpus of NZ$200 million.
Affinity-backed Tegel gets $310m buyout offer
Tegel Group, a poultry producer in which Affinity Equity Partners is the largest shareholder, has received a privatization offer from Philippines-based Bounty Fresh Foods that values the business at approximately NZ$438 million ($310 million).
India's PE-backed Bharti, Indus to merge
Indus Towers, an Indian telecom tower network backed by Providence Equity Partners, will merge with domestic rival Bharti Infratel, whose investors include KKR and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB).
VCs should favor originality in SE Asia start-ups - AVCJ Forum
International venture capital firms are misguided in their attempts to find established parallels for Southeast Asian businesses in other markets because they could end up missing out on true innovation, industry participants told the AVCJ Indonesia Forum....
NSI goes independent, rebrands as Openspace Ventures
NSI Ventures, a Southeast Asian early-stage investor affiliated to Northstar Group, is to become fully independent and rebrand itself as Openspace Ventures.
BGH-led group makes $3.1b bid for Australia's Healthscope
A group of PE investors led by BGH Capital and including AustralianSuper, GIC Private, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) has launched a buyout offer for Australian hospital operator Healthscope that...
Japan's D4V closes debut venture fund at $46m
D4V, a firm set up by Japanese seed-stage investor Genuine Startups and US-based design consultancy Ideo, has closed its debut venture capital fund with more than JPY5 billion ($46 million) in commitments.
Sinovation confirms Fund IV close at $500m
Chinese VC firm Sinovation Ventures has confirmed a final close for its fourth fund at the targeted corpus of $500 million.
SoftBank leads $1.9b funding round for China's Manbang
The Full Truck Alliance Group, a Chinese trucking logistics firm also known as Manbang, has raised a $1.9 billion funding round led by SoftBank Group.
CPPIB promotes Kim in Asia leadership reshuffle
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) has promoted Suyi Kim to the role of senior managing director and head of Asia Pacific, along with additional changes in the firm’s Asian leadership.
Eight Roads launches $275m China tech fund
Eight Roads Ventures, the proprietary investment arm of Fidelity International, has launched a China-focused technology fund worth $275 million. The parent company is the sole LP.
Ron Cao's Sky9 raises $200m for China VC fund
Sky9 Capital, a venture capital firm established by Ron Cao (pictured), formerly of Lightspeed China, has closed its debut US dollar-denominated fund at $200 million.
CRE Alliance invests $40m in Chinese tutoring business
CRE Alliance, a private equity joint venture between China Resources Enterprise (CRE) and Great Wall Asset Management, has made its first investment, backing a Chinese tutoring business.