Official Record
Deal focus: GoBear builds financial menu for Southeast Asia
GoBear, a Singapore-headquartered financial services platform, believes it can create financial products suitable for consumers and institutional partners alike
Fund focus: China’s Glory wins VC backing
Glory Ventures counts several larger Chinese peers among the LPs in its latest renminbi and US dollar-denominated funds. They all want a glimpse of the firm’s deep technology pipeline
Deal focus: Wiz moves fast in Southeast Asia
Wiz.Ai has leveraged the accuracy of its talkbot to secure business from corporate customers in Southeast Asia with specific use-case needs. The company's $6 million Series A round will support further expansion
Deal focus: Bobobox rethinks budget hotels
Bobobox's flexible solution to accommodation for frontline healthcare workers in Indonesia led to support from the Li Ka Shing Foundation and helped secure a Series A from Li's Horizons Ventures
Deal focus: Shiprocket joins the tribe
US-based Tribe Capital sees similar qualities in Indian logistics aggregator Shiprocket as in other software-as-a-service stalwarts
Deal focus: Validus takes holistic approach to SME financing
Singapore peer-to-peer lender employs algorithm-based credit assessment tools and an unorthodox approach to origination as it seeks to address inefficiencies in Southeast Asian supply chain finance
Deal focus: KKR’s Colonial First State breakthrough
Divestments of non-core assets by Australia's big four banks are keenly tracked by strategic players and financial sponsors. KKR's investment in Colonial First State represents the first PE deal of this nature
Deal focus: Pop Mart dominates China’s dolls
Best known in China for the Molly series of fashion dolls, Pop Mart emerged as a leader before many others recognized the market potential. The Loyal Valley Capital-backed company is now preparing for an IPO
Deal focus: GudangAda fills FMCG distribution void
Keeping every small store in Indonesia well-stocked is a monumentally complex challenge that GudangAda tackles by bringing buyers and sellers together online.
Deal focus: RWDC's plastics replacement mission
RWDC Industries believes it has a biodegradable substitute for plastic that can be produced at scale. The Singapore and US-based company now has $133 million in VC funding to help make its case
Deal focus: Oriente’s plastic alternative
Well-capitalized though not immune to COVID-19 disruption, Indonesia and Philippines-focused online lender Oriente is waiting for the market to get back to normal
Deal focus: Circulate makes early moves in a must-win battle
Specialist venture capital firm Circulate Capital is targeting overlooked start-ups with a view to stemming a global environmental crisis that puts Asia at center stage
Deal focus: VCs back DataCanvas’ opensource solution
Chinese start-up DataCanvas wants to democratize artificial intelligence through a plug-and-play platform that lets companies customize algorithms. Financial institutions are the early adopters
Deal focus: SensorFlow’s coronavirus pivot
With hotel occupancy falling - and demand for its energy management solution taking a hit - SensorFlow moved quickly to make the revenue model sustainable. The company is now targeting vertical and geographic expansion
Deal focus: Kargo serves Indonesia’s logistics needs
Kargo Technologies, Indonesia's only pure online marketplace for the trucking industry, has responded to the coronavirus outbreak by focusing on the transportation of consumer staples
Fund focus: Coral targets Japan’s Series B gap
Having previously raised dedicated vehicles to support follow-on rounds for Japanese start-ups, Coral Capital has gone a step further with a fund dedicated to the strategy
Fund focus: Qiming’s triumph of quick thinking
Having overcome coronavirus disruption to close its seventh fund at $1.1 billion, Qiming Venture Partners is ready to go bigger on China healthcare
Deal focus: Huilianyi’s digitization drive
China Renaissance backed Huilianyi's $42 million extended Series C round with a view to capitalizing on widespread corporate adoption of electronic invoicing
Deal focus: Korean GPs seal semiconductor carve-out
Alchemist Capital Partners and Credian Partners' acquisition of MagnaChip Semiconductor’s foundry services group was the largest PE buyout in Korea during the first quarter. AVCJ and Mergermarket offer some insights
AVCJ Awards 2019: AVCJ Special Achievement: Renuka Ramnath
Renuka Ramnath has played a significant role in the development of private equity in India, initially with ICICI Venture and now with Multiples Alternative Asset Management
Deal focus: Integral discovers booming cosmetics niche
Now under private equity ownership, T-Garden is credited with pioneering fashion model-led contact lens marketing in Japan - and helping an often-overlooked market creep into the mainstream
Deal focus: Yuanfudao stakes its claim
Eight years old and yet to turn a profit, Chinese K-12 online education platform Yuanfudao is now valued at $7.8 billion. Investors say they are comfortable playing the long game
Deal focus: TVS SCS targets supply chain upgrade
Gateway Partners is backing India's TVS Supply Chain Solutions to become more than just a traditional domestic logistics player
Deal focus: A digital protector for the cloud era
Inspired by the Korean word for tiger and how it symbolizes protection, cybersecurity start-up Horangi wants to ensure Southeast Asia’s growing pack of digital cubs are well-guarded