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TPG’s Rise Fund Leads US$145 Million Series C Round for CFPA Microfinance (Asia)
The Rise Fund, TPG’s global impact investing fund, has led a Series C round of almost CNY1 billion (approximately US$145 million) for China-based rural lender CFPA Microfinance Management. Ant Financial, China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, IFC, Sequoia Capital, High Impact Capital Advisors and Renda Puhui also participated in the round. Investors in the round acquired both primary and secondary shares.… Read More
LIV Capital to Invest US$17 Million in Central de Corretajes (Latin America)
Latin America-focused growth-stage private equity fund manager LIV Capital has agreed to invest MXN350 million (approximately US$17 million) in Mexico-based financial markets infrastructure and brokerage company Central de Corretajes (Cencor). The deal, which is pending approval from the Office for the Treasury and Public Credit, is expected to financially strengthen the newly launched Mexican stock exchange, Bolsa Institucional de Valores… Read More
Ethos Raises US$182 Million for Ethos Fund VII and Ethos AI Fund I, Invests in Channel VAS and Vertice (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Southern Africa-focused alternative investment fund manager Ethos has reached a first close for its seventh buyout fund with ZAR2 billion (approximately US$140 million) in capital commitments from local South African investors. Separately, Ethos has reached a first close for its maiden artificial intelligence (AI)-focused fund, established in partnership with former insurance industry CEOs Nic Kohler and Roger Grobler, with ZAR600… Read More
Shunwei Capital Raises US$1.21 Billion for Fourth U.S. Dollar Fund (Asia)
China-focused venture capital firm Shunwei Capital Partners has raised US$1.21 billion for its fourth U.S. dollar-denominated fund. Shunwei’s total assets under management reportedly now stand at US$3.3 billion across four U.S. dollar- and two renminbi-denominated funds. Established in 2011, the firm primarily invests in early- to mid-stage internet, e-commerce and social networking companies. Read More
Gulf Capital to Sell DOTW for US$173 Million (MENA)
Australia-based online travel site Webjet has agreed to acquire Dubai-based business-to-business (B2B) accommodation wholesaler Destinations of the World (DOTW) from Middle East- and Africa-focused alternative investment firm Gulf Capital, as well as DOTW’s founder and management team, for US$173 million. DOTW, which operates in the Middle East, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Americas, connects hotels to travel bookers and retailers.… Read More
Sixth Sense Ventures Closes Second Fund at US$68 Million (Asia)
India-focused venture capital firm Sixth Sense Ventures has closed its second early-stage consumer-focused fund at INR5 billion (approximately US$68 million), reportedly surpassing its INR2.5 billion (approximately US$34 million) target. Investors in the fund include India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which committed INR500 million (approximately US$6.8 million), consumer companies, India-based pharmaceutical companies, family offices and high-net worth individuals. The fund… Read More
Horizon Capital Invests in Yarych (CEE and CIS)
Horizon Capital, a private equity fund manager focused on investments in mid-cap companies in Ukraine and the neighboring region, has acquired a minority stake in Ukraine-based biscuit producer Yarych. With Horizon’s support, Yarych plans to expand production in order to increase its presence in Ukraine and abroad. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Read More
Waburg Pincus Acquires DKSH’s Chinese Health Care Business for US$100 Million (Asia)
SIX Swiss Exchange-listed market expansion services provider DKSH has sold its Chinese health care business to global private equity fund manager Warburg Pincus for CHF100 million (approximately US$100 million). The transaction, which has fulfilled all necessary closing conditions and obtained the relevant regulatory approvals, includes DKSH’s pharmaceutical, consumer health and medical device businesses in China. Read More
Linzor Capital Sells Minority Stake in UTEL for US$20.5 Million (Latin America)
Latin America-focused private equity fund manager Linzor Capital Partners has sold a 30 percent stake in Mexico-based Universidad Tecnológica Latinoamericana (UTEL) to Australian Stock Exchange-listed online training and employment services company Seek for US$20.5 million. UTEL offers online higher education services, with doctoral, masters, bachelor and high-school programs. Read More
KKR Invests US$145 Million in PropertyGuru (Asia)
Singapore-based property technology company PropertyGuru Group has raised an SGD200 million (approximately US$145 million) Series D funding round from global alternative asset manager KKR. Southeast Asia-focused PropertyGuru has portals across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. KKR’s investment through KKR Asian Fund III allows for the full consolidation of Vietnamese property portal Batdongsan.com.vn into the Group. Read More
Jet Investment Raises US$176 Million for Second Fund (CEE and CIS)
Central and Eastern Europe-focused private equity firm Jet Investment has raised CZK4 billion (approximately US$176 million) for Jet 2 from more than 160 private investors, family investment companies and financial institutions including banks, insurance companies and international asset managers. The fund will focus on acquiring majority stakes in small and medium-sized enterprises in the engineering, automotive, alternative energy, specialty chemicals… Read More
Equator Capital Partners Invests in MFS Africa (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Impact investment fund manager Equator Capital Partners has invested in pan-African fintech company MFS Africa through ShoreCap III. MFS Africa offers merchants, banks, mobile operators and money transfer companies access to over 170 million mobile wallets through its digital payments hub. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Read More