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Siguler Guff Raises US$309 Million for Brazil Special Situations Fund (Latin America)
Global multi-strategy private equity firm Siguler Guff & Company has raised US$309 million for Siguler Guff Brazil Special Situations Fund. Investors in the fund include the University of Michigan Regents, which committed US$100 million. The fund will invest in legal claims against Brazilian government entities. Read More
IIX Leads Series A Round of US$1.66 Million for SOLshare (Asia)
Impact Investment Exchange (IIX), an Asia-focused impact investment firm, has led a Series A round of US$1.66 million for Bangladesh-based off-grid solar energy company SOLshare. Portugal-based power company Energias de Portugal and Innogy New Ventures, the venture capital arm of Germany-based utility company Innogy, also participated in the funding round. The deal represents IIX’s first investment from the IIX Growth… Read More
Horizon Capital Backs Intellias (CEE and CIS)
Horizon Capital, a private equity fund manager focused on investments in mid-cap companies in Ukraine and the neighboring region, has agreed to acquire a minority stake in Ukraine-based software developer and information technology services provider Intellias. The company plans to use the funding to open new delivery hubs in Ukraine, as well as locations in Central and Eastern Europe. Financial… Read More
General Atlantic Leads Arco to Nasdaq IPO, Invests US$100 Million in Byju (Latin America, Asia)
Arco Educação, a Brazil-based company providing curriculum, teacher training and consulting services to educational institutions, has raised US$194 million via its initial public offering on Nasdaq. The company, which is backed by global growth equity firm General Atlantic, sold approximately 11.1 million shares at a price of US$17.50 per share in the offering. General Atlantic did not dispose of any… Read More
LeapFrog Invests in Pyramid Group (Sub-Saharan)
Emerging markets specialist private equity fund manager LeapFrog Investments has invested in Pyramid Group, a Tanzania-based medical equipment and pharmaceuticals distributor serving customers across Sub-Saharan Africa. Through the new partnership with LeapFrog, Pyramid intends to expand its distribution network across the region, optimize internal operations and introduce new product lines, such as renal and oncology. Financial details of the transaction… Read More
Actis and Improvon Group Launch Nairobi Gate Industrial Park (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Impact North, a joint venture between global growth markets investor Actis and South Africa-based real estate investment firm Improvon Group, have reportedly launched the Nairobi Gate Industrial Park. The 103-acre development, which will require investment of KES11 billion (approximately US$108 million), will comprise warehousing facilities for use in the industrial and logistics operations of local and international companies. Read More
Private Capital-backed Viomi Raises US$103 Million in IPO (Asia)
Viomi Technology, a China-based manufacturer of internet of things-enabled smart home appliances, has raised US$103 million via its initial public offering on Nasdaq. The company sold 11.4 million American Depositary Shares (ADS) at a price of US$9 per ADS. Viomi was previously backed by Sequoia Capital, Shunwei Capital Partners and Morningside Ventures, none of which disposed of shares in the… Read More
KKR Agrees to Partially Exit United Group, Launches SinoCare Group (CEE and CIS, Asia)
Global alternative investment manager KKR has agreed to exit part of its stake in United Group, a Netherlands-based telecommunications company serving Southeast Europe, to international investment firm BC Partners. The deal, which is subject to regulatory approvals, reportedly values the company at EUR2.6 billion (approximately US$3.1 billion) including debt. KKR acquired United Group in 2014 and will retain a substantial… Read More
SoftBank Vision Fund Leads US$1 Billion Investment in OYO (Asia)
The SoftBank Vision Fund, a private investment fund managed by Japan-based technology conglomerate SoftBank, has led an investment of US$1 billion in India-based hospitality chain OYO Rooms. Venture capital fund managers Sequoia Capital and Lightspeed Venture Partners and principal investment firm Greenoaks Capital also participated in the funding round. The backers have reportedly already invested US$800 million and have committed… Read More
Golden Gate Ventures Leads US$15 Million Investment in Shohoz (Asia)
Southeast Asia-focused venture capital fund manager Golden Gate Ventures has led a pre-Series B funding round of US$15 million for Shohoz, a Bangladesh-based ride-hailing and online ticket booking platform. Singaporean angel investor Koh Boon Hwee and early-stage venture capital firms Linear Venture and 500 Startups also participated in the funding round. Shohoz plans to use the new funds to grow… Read More
Unmeed Housing Finance Raises US$9 Million from LGT Impact and Lok Capital (Asia)
Private equity impact investors LGT Impact and Lok Capital have committed INR650 million (approximately US$9 million) in a Series C financing round for Unmeed Housing Finance, an India-based provider of home loans to low- and middle-income families. LGT invested INR600 million (approximately US$8.3 million), and Lok, which also participated in the company’s Series B round in May 2017, committed the… Read More
Brookfield and Digital Realty Agree to Acquire Ascenty from Great Hill Partners for US$1.8 Billion (Latin America)
Growth equity firm Great Hill Partners has agreed to exit Brazil-based data center operator Ascenty to Digital Realty Trust, a U.S.-based data center company, and Brookfield Infrastructure, an affiliate of global alternative asset manager Brookfield Asset Management, for US$1.8 billion. The acquiring consortium will provide an additional US$425 million in capital expenditures to fund ongoing data center development projects. Digital… Read More