News
Thoma Bravo bids $740m for Australia's Nearmap
Thoma Bravo, which claims to be the largest private equity investor in software globally, has launched a AUD 1.05bn (USD 740m) take-private bid for Nearmap, a listed Australian provider of aerial imagery technology and location data.
Blackstone set for exit from New Zealand's Partners Life
The Blackstone Group will exit its majority stake in New Zealand-based insurer Partners Life following the announcement of a full acquisition of the company by Japan’s Dai-ichi Life Holdings at a valuation of approximately NZD 1bn (USD 645m).
Korean carmakers take control of local autonomous driving player
Korean automakers Hyundai Motor and Kia have paid a combined KRW 427.7bn (USD 328.8m) for control of 42dot, a local autonomous driving software developer in which they and several VC investors already held minority stakes.
CPPIB puts $236m into Asia co-investments in second quarter
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) defied the recent slowdown in Asia private equity investment to deploy more than CAD 300m (USD 236m) across five deals alongside portfolio GPs between April and June.
ADIA commits $83m to India's Aditya Birla Health Insurance
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) has agreed to invest INR 6.6bn (USD 83.5m) in India’s Aditya Birla Health Insurance (ADBHI) for a 10% stake.
Bain targets $102m Japan advertising take-private
Bain Capital has won board approval from Net Marketing, a Tokyo-listed online advertising and media management business, for a take-private that values the company at approximately JPY 13.6bn (USD 102m).
China's Insilico Medicine gets another $35m
Insilico Medicine, a China-based artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery company, has closed the second tranche of its Series D round on USD 35m, with Prosperity7 Ventures taking the lead.
Singapore crypto risk platform extends Series A to $24m
Singapore’s Merkle Science, a predictive crypto analytics platform, has raised USD 24m in Series A funding led by K3 Ventures, Darrow Holdings, and Beco Capital.
Cartesian seals deal for China rollout of restaurant chain Popeyes
Cartesian Capital Group, a US private equity firm that has served as Restaurant Brands International’s (RBI) joint venture partner for Burger King in China for the past decade, has been awarded exclusive country development rights for the company’s...
Endeavour United exits Pizza Hut Japan
Endeavour United, a Japanese private equity firm established by the team behind turnaround investor Phoenix Capital, has ended its five-year tenure as owner of Pizza Hut Japan with a sale to Yamae Group Holdings
Chinese investors back emerging markets e-commerce enabler
Jet Commerce, an e-commerce enabler that helps brands sell into emerging markets, has raised over USD 60m in Series B funding led by Jinqiu Capital, Hidden Hill Capital, and Zhejiang SilkRoad Fund.
US private debt player Waterfall launches in Hong Kong
Waterfall Asset Management, a US alternatives manager primarily active in the private debt space, has established an Asia presence with the opening of an office in Hong Kong.
India’s CleverTap raises $105m Series D
India and US-based customer engagement platform CleverTap has raised a USD 105m Series D round led by Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ).
India edtech player UpGrad raises $210m
UpGrad, an India-based education technology company set up by media maven Ronnie Screwvala, has raised USD 210m featuring Temasek Holdings and education-focused private equity firm Kaizen.
Singapore's Capital Square revises StarTek take-private bid
Singapore-based private equity firm Capital Square Partners is continuing its bid to privatise US-listed outsourced customer engagement platform StarTek, having revised its targeted valuation downwards in the wake of market volatility.
Tech sector troubles hit Vision Fund performance
Valuation corrections across the technology sector globally continue to undermine the Vision Fund series, resulting in parent company SoftBank Group posting its second consecutive quarterly loss and founder Masayoshi Son professing shame at hyping up...
India's SquadStack raises $17.5m Series B
India’s SquadStack, a telemarketing technology provider, has raised a INR 1.4bn (USD 17.5m) Series B round led by Bertelsmann India Investments.
Navis exits medical cold chain player to US strategic
Navis Capital Partners has sold 100% of B Medical Systems, a Luxembourg-based biotech cold chain provider with significant Asian operations, at an enterprise value of EUR 460m (USD 469m).
China logistics robotics player Geek+ raises $100m
China’s Geek+, a manufacturer of robots used to move merchandise around warehouses, has raised USD 100m in Series E funding at a valuation of about USD 2bn.
Hong Kong's Gly Capital closes debut mobility fund
Gly Capital Management, which is majorly owned by a Chinese automaker, tapped external investors for the first time in raising USD 163m for global investments in smart cities and smart cars
China's Black Sesame completes Series C with $500m haul
Black Sesame Technologies, a China-based chipmaker specializing in autonomous driving applications, has closed a Series C extension led by SummitView Capital. This brings the size of the overall round to USD 500m.
J-Star invests in Japanese courier business
Japanese lower middle-market private equity firm J-Star has made an investment of undisclosed size in air cargo transportation and courier services provider Score Japan Holdings.
Gaorong, Tsing Song back China CDMO IntellectiveBio
Gaorong Capital and Tsing Song Capital have led a CNY 500m (USD 74m) Series C for IntellectiveBio, a China-based contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO).
Morningside joins round for China's Epigenic Therapeutics
Morningside Venture Capital has teamed up with Kingray Capital, Trinity Innovation Fund, TigerYeah Capital, and FountainBridge Capital to provide USD 20m in angel and pre-Series A funding for Epigenic Therapeutics, a China-based gene editing specialist.