GPCA covers the latest fund, investment and industry news across our markets in two newsletters: NewsWatch is a weekly round-up of key transactions across asset classes; the Global Tech Brief is a bi-weekly review of tech transactions and innovations with cross-border applications. Subscribe in the left-hand sidebar.

Access past editions of NewsWatch here.

Lixiang Automotive Raises USD530 Million in Series C Round Led by Xing Wang

China-based electric vehicle producer Lixiang Automotive has secured USD530 million in a Series C funding round led by Meituan-Dianping founder and CEO Xing Wang, with participation from Source Code Capital, Intime Retail Group, BlueRun Venture, FutureCap, and Funcity Capital. The deal reportedly values Lixiang at USD2.9 billion. Read More

Alquilando Secures USD1.1 Million Pre-Series A Round from NXTP Labs, ArFintech, and Rosental Inversiones

Argentina-based rental services platform Alquilando has secured a USD1.1 million Pre-Series A funding round from Latin America-focused early-stage investor NXTP Labs, Argentina-focused fintech investor ArFintech, and Argentina-based investment bank Rosental Inversiones. The company connects homeowners with tenants, offers renters insurance, and provides online rental payment services. Read More

PAPE Fund III Reaches USD62 Million Final Close

South Africa-focused private equity firm PAPE Fund Managers has reached a final close for PAPE Fund III with ZAR950 million (approximately USD62 million) in commitments. Investors in the fund include South African asset manager Public Investment Corporation, development finance institution FMO, funds of funds 27four Investment Managers and SA SME Fund, multi-family office Rosebank Wealth Group, Eskom Pension & Provident… Read More

D&D Pharmatech Receives USD137 Million Series B Investment Led by Octave Life Sciences

Korea-based clinical biotechnology company D&D Pharmatech has raised a USD137 million Series B funding round led by US-based investment firm Octave Life Sciences. Korea-focused venture investors Smilegate Investment, InterVest, Magna Investment, and LB Investment also participated in the round, along with individual investors from the US and Korea. D&D Pharmatech focuses on the development and commercialization of biotechnology medicines through… Read More

Carlyle to Acquire 100 Percent Stake in Coney Park

Global alternative asset manager The Carlyle Group has agreed to acquire a 100 percent stake in Peru-based amusement park and arcade operator Coney Park from Peruvian media and entertainment conglomerate Grupo El Comercio. Coney Park, which operates 169 venues in Peru, Colombia, and Chile, will partner with Carlyle to improve its entertainment offerings and grow its customer base. Carlyle will… Read More

Anchor Equity Partners, KKR, and Princeville Capital Invest in Cue Holdings

Korea-focused fund manager Anchor Equity Partners has led an investment round for China-based marketing solutions provider Cue Holdings. Global alternative investment manager KKR, which originally acquired a controlling stake in Cue in 2018, and global technology investor Princeville Capital also participated in the round. Cue provides enterprises with data-driven marketing insights and growth solutions, and will use the funding to… Read More

01VC Reaches USD100 Million Final Close for Second Fund

China-focused fund manager 01VC has reached a final close for its second USD denominated fund with USD100 million in commitments. Investors in the fund include international foundations, endowments, family offices, and funds of funds. Fund II will focus on early-stage opportunities in technology-enabled supply chain businesses, logistics platforms, business-to-business companies, enterprise software providers, and consumer internet platforms. Read More

Naspers Leads USD125 Million Investment Round for Meesho

Global technology group Naspers has led a USD125 million investment round for India-based e-commerce platform Meesho. Other investors in the round include Facebook, individual investor Arun Sarin, and venture capital investors SAIF Partners, Sequoia Capital, Shunwei Capital, RPS Ventures, and Venture Highway. Meesho connects product resellers with suppliers and provides logistics and payment services via its platform. The company—which currently… Read More

AIIM and Nedbank Invest USD26 Million in SOLA Group

African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM), a subsidiary of Africa-focused asset manager Old Mutual Alternative Investments, and Nedbank Energy Finance have agreed to invest ZAR400 million (approximately USD26 million) in SOLA Group, a South-Africa based renewable energy provider. The company, which develops and operates solar photovoltaic (PV) projects, will use the funding to construct 40 megawatts of commercial and industrial PV… Read More

Kotak Reaches USD1 Billion Final Close for Special Situations Fund

Kotak Investment Advisors, the alternative investment arm of Kotak Mahindra Bank, has reached a final close for Kotak Special Situations Fund with USD1 billion in capital commitments. Abu Dhabi Investment Authority anchored the fund with a USD500 million commitment. Kotak Special Situations Fund will focus on structured credit solutions and settlement of non-performing loans (NPLs) in India. Read More

responsAbility Partially Exits Fawry in IPO, Invests in Aye Finance

Egypt-based electronic payments platform Fawry has raised EGP1.6 billion (approximately USD96 million) in its initial public offering (IPO) on The Egyptian Exchange. As part of the IPO, Africa-focused private investment firm Helios Investment Partners and impact investment fund manager responsAbility Investments, which respectively invested in Fawry in 2015 and 2017, completed partial exits of their stakes in the company. Separately,… Read More

Ethos and Apex Acquire Torre Industries

South Africa-focused private equity fund manager Ethos and global private equity investment group Apex Partners have acquired two separate parts of Torre Industries, a South Africa-based industrial equipment producer. Following the company’s delisting from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in April, the company was separated into Torre Analytical Service, which Ethos has acquired through its Mid Market Fund I, and Torre… Read More