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Convergence Partners Invests in 4Di Capital Fund 1, Transfers the Management of Several Portfolio Companies to 4Di Capital (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Africa-focused investment management firm Convergence Partners will join early-stage technology venture capital firm 4Di Capital’s 4Di Capital Fund 1 as a limited partner and transfer management of its current portfolio of technology venture investments to 4Di. The portfolio companies, all based in South Africa, include mobile aggregator Integrat, location systems developer Bloodhound Technologies and gaming platform Skillpod Media. Last year,… Read More
Darby Private Equity Backs Vital Renewable Energy (Latin America)
Darby Private Equity, the private equity arm of Franklin Templeton Investments, has backed Brazil-based renewable energy investment company Vital Renewable Energy (VREC), which operates a sugar and ethanol facility, for US$15 million as part of a US$31 million refinancing. The transaction was structured through Darby Latin American Mezzanine Fund II. The financing will allow VREC to complete the next phase… Read More
Motilal Oswal Private Equity Raises Its Stake in SME Lender Intec Capital (Asia)
Motilal Oswal Private Equity, a subsidiary of Indian financial services company Motilal Oswal Financial Services, has increased its stake in India-based non-banking financial institution Intec Capital to over 32 percent after completing an open offer and fresh allotment of equity shares. In March 2013, Motilal Oswal, structured through its India Business Excellence Fund-II, had invested around INR373 million (approximately US$6.9… Read More
ClearVue Partners Fund I Reaches US$262 Million Final Close (Asia)
China-focused private equity firm ClearVue Partners has closed its first fund, ClearVue Partners Fund I, with US$262 million in capital commitments, exceeding its original target of US$200 million. The fund will invest in early-growth consumer companies in the food and beverage, lifestyle, internet and mobile sectors. Investors include institutions, endowments and pension funds such as Fidelity Investments and JP Morgan… Read More
Mayfield Raises Its Second India-dedicated Fund With US$108 Million in Commitments (Asia)
Global venture capital firm Mayfield has reached a final close on its second India-dedicated venture capital fund, Mayfield India II, with US$108 million in capital commitments. Mayfield follows an early-stage venture capital strategy, and plans to invest between US$2 million and US$8 million in companies targeting the infrastructure sector, tech and tech-enabled services and the consumer middle class. Read More
Hopu Participates in a US$2.5 Billion Investment in Global Logistic Properties (Asia)
China-focused private equity investment firm Hopu Investment Management has agreed to take part in a consortium investment of US$2.5 billion in Singapore-listed Global Logistic Properties (GLP), a warehouse operator with interests in China, Japan and Brazil. The consortium, which includes Bank of China's investment unit among other unnamed investors, will subscribe to around 74.3 million new shares in GLP for… Read More
Kotak Private Equity Group Buys Stake in Samson Maritime, JM Financial and IFC Exit (Asia)
Mid-market growth investor Kotak Private Equity Group has acquired a minority stake in India-based offshore logistics support services company Samson Maritime for around INR1.5 billion (approximately US$24.2 million). The deal provided an exit to existing shareholders development finance institution International Finance Company (IFC) and JM Financial Investment Managers, a subsidiary of Indian asset management company JM Financial Group. In 2008,… Read More
Sequoia Capital Leads Financing Rounds in Cheyipai and to8to (Asia)
Venture capital firm Sequoia Capital has led a US$50 million financing round in China-based second-hand vehicle e-commerce platform Cheyipai. Venture capital firms Morningside Ventures, Matrix Partners and CITIC Capital, which each took part in the previous two rounds of financing, also participated in the new round. Cheyipai intends to use new funding to optimize the online-to-offline service experience and speed… Read More
Elbrus Capital Closes Elbrus Capital Fund II with US$550 Million in Commitments (CEE and CIS)
Russia and CIS-focused private equity firm Elbrus Capital has reached a final close on Elbrus Capital Fund II with US$550 million in capital commitments, exceeding its target of US$500 million and hitting its hard cap. In addition, the fund secured US$150 million in financing from U.S. development finance institution Overseas Private Investment Corporation, which will bring the total capital available… Read More
Agri-Vie Invests US$5 Million in Flower Export Business Kariki Group (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Sub-Saharan Africa-focused private equity fund Agri-Vie, which targets food and agribusiness investments, has made a US$5 million investment in Kenya-based flower exporting business Kariki Group. The funding will allow Kariki to expand its business and explore growth opportunities in European, Japanese, Middle-Eastern and Australasian markets. Read More
Temasek Holdings, IDG Capital Partners, Ceyuan Ventures and SAIF Partners Participate in US$100 Million Financing Round for Vancl Led by Xiaomi’s Lei Jun (Asia)
Lei Jun, a Chinese angel investor and co-founder of smart phone maker Xiaomi, had led a US$100 million financing round for China-based online clothing retailer Vancl. Existing investors Singapore investment company Temasek Holdings and venture capital firms IDG Capital Partners, Ceyuan Ventures and SAIF Partners also participated. Vancl previously received a US$230 million round of financing in June 2011. Read More
CDH Venture and Unity Ventures Invest in Travel Service Provider Lailaihui (Asia)
CDH Venture, a venture capital team under the umbrella of alternative asset fund manager CDH Investments, has led a new funding round for China-based backpacker travel service Lailaihui alongside existing investor Unity Ventures, a China-focused venture capital firm. The transaction was reported to be around US$1 million. Lailaihui intends to use the proceeds to improve after-sales service and launch new… Read More