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IDG Ventures and Vertex Lead an INR1.4 Billion Financing Round in Yatra.com (Asia)
Venture capital firm IDG Ventures India and Vertex Venture Holdings, the venture investment arm of Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund Temasek, have led an INR1.4 billion (approximately US$23.1 million) financing round in India-based online travel company Yatra.com. Existing investors venture capital firm Norwest Venture Partners, Intel Corporation’s venture capital arm Intel Capital, media company TV18 Group and Reliance Group’s corporate venture… Read More
The Abraaj Group Invests in Chocolate Confectionery Manufacturer Kool Food (MENA)
Global growth markets investor The Abraaj Group has acquired a stake in Kool Food, a Morocco-based chocolate confectionery manufacturer. Kool Food specializes in developing, producing and selling chocolate confections and powder drinks, as well as other sweet and salted food products under its own brand. The investment will be used to consolidate Kool Food’s market position in Morocco and for… Read More
The Carlyle Group Closes Carlyle Sub-Saharan Africa Fund at US$698 Million (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Global alternative asset manager The Carlyle Group has reached a final close on its Carlyle Sub-Saharan Africa Fund (CSSAF) with US$698 million in capital commitments, surpassing its initial target of US$500 million. CSSAF will focus on investment opportunities linked to the growth of the emerging middle class across Sub-Saharan Africa, in sectors that include consumer, logistics, financial services and telecommunications.… Read More
AVentures Capital Participates in a Series A Financing Round for Augmented Pixels (CEE and CIS)
Ukraine and Russia-focused venture capital firm AVentures Capital and Torben Maygaard, founder of outsourcing company Ciklum, have participated in a Series A financing round for Ukraine-based augmented reality technology developer Augmented Pixels. Previously, the company received a seed investment from AVentures Capital in February 2013 for an estimated US$1 million and a 25 percent stake. Augmented Pixels offers products including… Read More
ChrysCapital Participates in a US$21 Million Financing Round for Au Financiers, Increases Stake in ING Vysya Bank (Asia)
India-focused investment firm ChrysCapital, private equity firm Warburg Pincus and development finance institution International Finance Corporation (IFC) have participated in a US$21 million financing round for India-based non-banking finance company Au Financiers. Financial services firm Motilal Oswal Securities also invested US$3 million in the round. The investment will be used for expanding the company’s network in ten states. Separately, over… Read More
ChrysCapital Increases Stake in Torrent Pharma (Asia)
India-focused investment firm ChrysCapital has invested INR700 million (approximately US$12 million) to increase its stake in India-based drug maker Torrent Pharmaceuticals from 1.9 percent to 2.6 percent. Torrent Pharmaceuticals, which is a subsidiary of diversified industrial conglomerate Torrent Group, recently received regulatory approval to acquire the domestic formulation business of Elder Pharmaceuticals for INR20 billion (approximately US$330 million). ChrysCapital first… Read More
RRJ Capital and SeaTown to Invest US$250 Million in Logistics Warehouse Developer Yupei (Asia)
Asia-focused private equity firm RRJ Capital and Singapore-based investment manager SeaTown Holdings International have agreed to invest US$250 million in Shanghai Yupei Group, a China-based logistics warehouse developer. This investment follows a US$200 million financing round for Yupei completed last year by global private investment firm The Carlyle Group and real estate investment management firm The Townsend Group. The combined… Read More
TPG Joins Ex-LightSquared CEO in Myanmar Telecom Venture (Asia)
TPG Growth, the middle market and growth equity platform of global private investment firm TPG, has invested US$40 million in Apollo Towers Myanmar, a Myanmar-focused telecommunications venture led by Sanjiv Ahuja, the former CEO of LightSquared. The investment will support Apollo’s plans to build and manage approximately 1,000 mobile communications towers across Myanmar this year. In December 2013, Norwegian telecommunications… Read More
India-based Ratnakar Bank Raises US$55 Million Round (Asia)
India-based Ratnakar Bank has raised INR3.3 billion (approximately US$55 million) from new and existing investors including development finance institutions CDC Group and International Finance Corporation, investment and advisory firm Asia Capital & Advisors and private equity firm Gaja Capital. CDC Group invested US$28 million for a 4.8 percent equity stake in the company. Ratnakar Bank operates a network of 160… Read More
TPG Raises US$2.9 Billion for Its Sixth Asia Pacific Fund, Forms US$100 Million Joint Venture with Smile Group (Asia)
Global private investment firm TPG has completed a third round of fundraising for its sixth Asian Fund with US$2.9 billion in capital commitments. The fund has already invested in three companies, including China-based broadcaster Phoenix Satellite Television Holdings. Separately, the middle market and growth equity platform of TPG, TPG Growth, has formed a US$100 million joint venture with India-based internet… Read More
Vision Knight Capital Closes Vision Knight Capital China Fund II (Asia)
China-focused private equity firm Vision Knight Capital has closed Vision Knight Capital China Fund II at its hard cap with US$550 million in capital commitments. The fund, which will make investments in China’s retail, consumer internet and e-commerce sectors, received commitments from a mix of global institutional investors, including sovereign wealth funds, pension plans, endowments, foundations, diversified financial institutions and… Read More
Abris Sells Stake in Siodemka to DPD Polska, Completes IPO of Masterlease (CEE and CIS)
Central and Eastern Europe-focused private equity fund manager Abris Capital Partners has completed its second exit of Poland-based delivery company Siodemka via a sale to DPD Polska, a Poland-based provider of parcel services. Abris originally invested in Siodemka three years ago. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Separately, Abris’s portfolio company Masterlease Polska, a Poland-based provider of fleet… Read More