Official Record
Fund focus: Asian LPs amplify Mekong’s ambitions
Travel restrictions forced Mekong Capital to look closer to home when raising its latest fund, but the manager was already building out a more Asia-centric LP base
Zeitgeist: 2020 in quotes
What industry participants had to say on China IPOs, conducting due diligence on GPs, waiting for distress opportunities, working from home, co-underwriting deals, and sensible recruitment policies
Timeline: 2020 by numbers
A selection of the key fundraising, investment and exit events - presented in chronological order - from the past 12 months
Musical chairs: Asia PE people moves
A selection of the transfers, promotions, arrivals and departures in the private equity community in 2020
Fund focus: Integral scales up again
Riding on a wave of IPOs that have returned the principal on Fund II and given Fund III a strong start, Integral Corporation has secured $1.18 billion in commitments for its fourth Japan fund
Deal focus: Everstone secures 3x return on outsourcing play
Everstone Group helps outsourcing specialist Everise adapt to the work-at-home realities of the day before exiting the business to Brookfield Asset Management
Deal focus: Japan GPs see upside in specialized staffing
CLSA Capital Partners’ sale of Japanese staffing services player Qit to Advantage Partners reveals enduring private equity interest in potentially shaky categories made sturdy by specialization
Fund focus: DCL targets China's unremitting debtors
With $455 million in commitments for its latest renminbi fund, DCL Investments hopes to make its on-the-ground capabilities count in resolving China’s non-performing loans problem
Deal focus: Speed pays off for Ince with Eeo
Ince Capital's $35 million investment in Eeo Education's Series B round is the largest from its debut fund. The GP has since re-upped in a $265 million Series C at twice the valuation
Deal focus: Huaxing gives overseas LPs taste of China medtech
In addition to raising $213 million for its latest renminbi-denominated fund, Huaxing Healthcare Capital sourced $230 million from co-investors for a succession deal in China’s orthopedics space
Deal focus: Cashfree targets merchants in India’s payments boom
Apis Partners' support of India-based Cashfree is driven by a recognition that the democratization of digital payments is as much about empowering traditional merchants as unbanked consumers
Deal focus: PingCap puts its head in the cloud
Real-time analytical support and limitless scale underpin the rise of Chinese cloud database provider PingCap. Will it be part of a new breed of local enterprise software giants?
Fund focus: Equis’ infrastructure overhaul
Swapping a traditional fund for a less familiar corporate vehicle represented a gamble for Equis, but the Asian infrastructure manager was confident its approach would make sense to a subset of investors
Fund focus: Future Capital looks forward
Cloud-based infrastructure, logistics technology, mobility solutions and the internet of things are key themes for Future Capital as it begins to deploy its latest China-focused early-stage technology fund
Deal focus: V2Food tackles alternative protein’s price problem
Australia’s V2Food is bringing affordability to the alternative protein space as fresh funding fuels an Asian expansion. The China entry will be a delicate proposition
Deal focus: Iron Pillar demonstrates conviction in FreshToHome
Social distancing is driving demand for FreshToHome's farm-to-fork fish and meat supply chain offering. The company's $121 million Series C will go towards expansion in India and the Middle East
Deal focus: Proterra whisks Asia supply chain for Eat Just
With China consuming more eggs per capita than its Western peers, Proterra Investment Partners sees strong growth potential for plant-based substitute Just Egg. The GP has committed $100 million to an Asia supply chain roll-out
Fund focus: Secondaries drive Ping An unit’s transition
China Ping An Insurance Overseas Holdings has aspirations to manage assets for third-party investors. Spinning out part of the global private equity portfolio may help it get there
Deal focus: Delta, Daiwa target Myanmar’s PET peeve
Commercial Plastics Holding - the target of a rare Myanmar private equity buyout - is being positioned as a leader in the country's plastic bottle recycling industry
Fund focus: 9 Basil targets Thai distress
9 Basil's predictions of distress in Southeast Asia have been realized faster than anticipated due to COVID-19. The Thai manager is now gauging the likely impact of social unrest
Deal focus: Lyre’s opts for science instead of a still
Australia-founded beverages maker Lyre’s has raised $11.5 million in seed funding with a view to helping non-alcoholic spirits follow in the footsteps of alternative protein
Deal focus: VR gaming comes of age
Japanese videogame publishing company Thirdverse believes the time is right to bring virtual reality entertainment to the masses. VCs with expertise in the sector are beginning to agree
Deal focus: Flash Express secures Thai corporate support for Series D
Having previously relied heavily on Chinese investors, Thailand express delivery player Flash Express sought out local partners for its $200 million Series D as part of plans for domestic consolidation
Fund focus: BA Capital backs youth
ByteDance spinout BA Capital has raised $147 million for its second renminbi-denominated fund and is also raising a US dollar vehicle. Backing consumer brands that resonate with young people underpins the investment thesis