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Upstart Leads USD145m Series E for Emerging Markets-Focused Lender Tala

Emerging markets-focused digital lender Tala raised a USD145m Series E led by Upstart, with participation from The Stellar Development Foundation’s Enterprise Fund and angel investors. Existing investors IVP, Revolution Growth and Lowercase Capital followed on. Read More

AIIM Completes ~USD370m Capital Increase for IDEAS Fund

AIIM completed a ZAR5.5b (~USD370m) capital increase for its IDEAS Managed Fund, bringing the overall size of the open-ended fund to more than ZAR22b (~USD1.48b). Read More

IHS Towers Raises USD378m in NYSE IPO; ECP, MTN, AIIM, FMO, Ninety One & Goldman Sachs Partially Exit

Nigeria-based telecommunications infrastructure company IHS Towers raised USD378m in its IPO on the NYSE. The company issued 18m shares and investors including ECP, MTN, AIIM, FMO, Ninety One and Goldman Sachs sold an additional 4.5m shares. Read More

Actis Reaches USD4.7b Final Close for Energy Fund

Actis reached a USD4.7b final close for its Actis Energy 5, with an additional USD1.3b in capital for co-investments, exceeding the fund’s USD4b target. The vehicle will invest in power-generation projects globally, with a focus on emerging markets. Read More

JICA Invests USD2.5m in Sanergy’s Nairobi Black Soldier Fly Project

The Japanese International Cooperation Agency invested USD2.5m in Sanergy, a Kenya-based sanitation and waste management solutions company, to support the Black Soldier Fly project, its organic waste transformation effort in Nairobi and beyond. Sanergy collects organic waste and transforms it into insect feed, fertilizer and biofuel by using black soldier fly larvae. Read More

Adenia Partners Acquires Kenya’s Altilands

Adenia Partners acquired a majority stake in Altilands, the parent company of Red Lands Roses, a Kenya-based grower of fresh-cut roses, for an undisclosed amount. Read More

LeapFrog Leads USD250m Series E for India’s CarDekho

LeapFrog Investments led a USD250m Series E for India-based auto resale marketplace CarDekho at a reported USD1.2b valuation, with participation from Mirae Asset, Canyon Partners, Franklin Templeton, Harbor Spring Capital and follow-on from Sequoia Capital India and Sunley House. The round comprised USD200m in equity and USD50m in debt. Read More

Anchor Equity Partners Reaches USD1.6b Final Close for South Korea & North Asia Fund

Anchor Equity Partners reached a USD1.6b final close for its fourth fund focused on South Korea and North Asia. Read More

Creandum Leads USD17.4m Series A for Poland’s Vue Storefront

Creandum led a USD17.4m Series A for Vue Storefront, a Poland-based frontend platform for headless commerce, with participation from Earlybird Venture Capital and Paua Ventures. Read More

Alkeon Capital Leads USD125m Series B for India’s Hubilo

Alkeon Capital led a USD125m Series B for Hubilo, an hybrid events platform founded in India and headquartered in the US, with participation from Lightspeed Venture Partners and Balderton Capital. Read More

Tiger Global Leads USD35m Series C for India’s M2P Fintech

Tiger Global led a USD35m Series C for India-based API infrastructure company M2P Fintech, with follow-on from Beenext, Flourish Ventures, Omidyar Network India, 8i Ventures, Better Capital and the DMI Group. Read More

Lendable Reaches USD49m First Close for Emerging Market Fintech Fund

Emerging market fintech credit provider Lendable reached a USD49m first close for its Lendable MSME Fintech Credit Fund. The vehicle, which has an initial target size of USD100m, will provide credit to African and Asian fintech companies that offer credit facilities and financial services to MSMEs. DFC, DFAT, Calvert, Ceniarth, BIO, FMO and FSD Africa invested in the fund. Read… Read More