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.
Convergence Partners Invests US$1 Million in Snapt (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Africa-focused investment management firm Convergence Partners has invested US$1 million in South Africa-based load balancing, web acceleration and security software company Snapt. The company, which has a reported client base of 10,000 customers across 50 countries, plans to use the new capital to expand internationally. Read More
Lunar Capital Agrees to Buy a 10.4 Percent Stake in Honworld Group (Asia)
China-focused private equity firm Lunar Capital has agreed to buy a 10.4 percent stake in Honworld Group, a cooking wine manufacturer listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Lunar Capital will subscribe to 60 million shares in the company at HKD6.00 (approximately US$0.77) per share, totaling gross proceeds for the company of HKD360 million (approximately US$46.3 million). The transaction, which… Read More
Actis Sells Stake in Edita Food Industries; Reaches a Final Close (MENA, Sub-Saharan Africa)
Pan-emerging markets private equity firm Actis has sold a seven percent stake in Edita Food Industries, an Egypt-based snack food company. Actis sold 50.7 million shares for an average price of EGP17.85 (approximately US$2.00) per share, for total proceeds of EGP906 million (approximately US$102 million). Separately, Actis has reached a final close for Actis Africa Real Estate Fund 3 with… Read More
Pátria Investimentos to Invest BRL450 Million in ODATA (Latin America)
Pátria Investimentos, a Brazil-focused private equity firm partially owned by The Blackstone Group, will invest BRL450 million (approximately US$126 million) in Brazil-based data center company ODATA. The company received an initial investment of BRL200 million (approximately US$56 million), which will be used to build a data center in Santana de Parnaíba. ODATA will also receive more than BRL250 million (approximately… Read More
Aavishkaar Invests US$2 Million in Bangladesh-based CloudWell (Asia)
Southeast Asia-focused impact fund advisory firm Aavishkaar has invested US$2 million in Bangladesh-based payment systems company CloudWell. The transaction was structured through Aavishkaar Frontier Fund. CloudWell, which operates under the brand name PayWell, will use the new capital to expand geographically within Bangladesh. Read More
Quona Capital, QED Investors, Kaszek Ventures and Jaguar Ventures Invest in Konfio (Latin America)
Mexico-based lending platform Konfio has raised a US$8 million financing round from financial services-focused venture capital firm Quona Capital, private equity firm QED Investors and two Latin America-focused venture firms: Kaszek Ventures and Jaguar Ventures. Quona Capital structured its contribution through the Accion Frontier Inclusion Fund. Konfio intends to use the funding to strengthen its operations, grow its user base… Read More
Wamda Capital Leads Seed Financing Rounds for BitOasis and Boxit (MENA)
MENA-focused venture capital firm Wamda Capital has led a seed financing round for United Arab Emirates-based bitcoin exchange platform BitOasis. Other participants in the round included incubator Digital Currency Group, payment systems company Payfort and several angel investors. BitOasis plans to use the funding to grow its team and strengthen its presence outside the United Arab Emirates. Financial details of… Read More
Eos Capital to Acquire a Majority Stake in Elso Holdings (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Namibia-focused private equity firm Eos Capital will acquire a majority stake in Namibia-based cleaning products manufacturer Elso Holdings. The transaction will be structured through Eos Capital’s Allegrow Fund. Elso Holdings plans to use the capital to expand within the Southern African Development Community region. Financial details of the transaction, which is pending regulatory approval, were not disclosed. Read More
Digital Media Partners Leads a US$3 Million Series A Round for Jirnexu (Asia)
Emerging markets-focused venture capital firm Digital Media Partners has led a US$3 million Series A financing round for Jirnexu, a Malaysia-based financial technology startup focusing on customer acquisition and management solutions. Other participants in the round included Indonesia-based investment company Celebes Capital; Southeast Asia-focused private equity firm Tuas Capital Partners; NTT DOCOMO Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Japan-based… Read More
Vision Knight Capital Leads a CNY1 Billion Series C Round for Weidai (Asia)
China-focused private equity firm Vision Knight Capital has led a CNY1 billion (approximately US$153 million) Series C financing round for Weidai, a China-based peer-to-peer lending platform that specializes in providing auto loans. Financial services company China Securities and Shenzhen-listed home improvement company Dong Yi Ri Sheng Home Decoration Group also participated in the round. Weidai plans to use the new… Read More
Darby Private Equity Invests in Fifor Polska (CEE and CIS)
Darby Private Equity, the private equity arm of Franklin Templeton Investments, has invested in Poland-based snack manufacturer Fifor Polska. The transaction was structured through Darby Converging Europe Fund III. Fifor Polska will use the new capital to invest in its production capacity and efficiency. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Read More
CVC Capital Partners and Argyle Street Management Sell Shares in Indonesia-based Matahari (Asia)
Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners and special situations investor Argyle Street Management have sold shares worth IDR3.02 trillion (approximately US$223 million) in Indonesia-listed retailer Matahari Department Store. CVC’s latest share sale is the firm’s fourth sell-down in Matahari since Matahari’s initial public offering in March 2013. CVC originally acquired a 91 percent stake in the company in April 2010 for… Read More