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.

Raiz Investimentos Leads USD20m Round for Brazilian Insurtech Pier

Raiz Investimentos, the family office of Sem Parar Founder Ivan Toledo, led a USD20m round for Pier, a Brazil-based insurtech for smartphones and vehicles, with follow-on from Canary, monashees, BTG Pactual and Mercado Libre. Read More

CRV Leads USD57m Series B for Startup Expense Management Platform Jeeves

CRV led a USD57m Series B for Jeeves, a US-based expense management platform for startups with operations in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil and Chile, with participation from Silicon Valley Bank, Tencent, Alkeon Capital Management and Soros Fund Management. Read More

VIG Partners Invests USD100m in South Korea’s BioEnergyFarmAsan

VIG Partners acquired a controlling stake in South Korea-based waste-to-energy facility operator BioEnergyFarmAsan for about USD100m. Read More

KKR Leads USD45m Series B for Vietnam’s KiotViet

KKR led a USD45m Series B for KiotViet, a Vietnam-based merchant platform for MSMEs, with follow-on from Jungle Ventures. Read More

Energy Access Relief Fund Reaches USD68m First Close

A global coalition convened by Acumen and including CDC Group, DFC, FMO, Green Climate Fund, the Rockefeller Foundation and IFC, among others, launched the Energy Access Relief Fund to provide relief capital in the form of short-term loans to energy access companies in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. The fund, which is managed by Social Investment Managers and Advisors, reached a… Read More

MediaTek, Catcha Group, Penjana, Others Invest USD170m Series D+ for Malaysia’s Carsome

Carsome, a Malaysia-based auto resale marketplace, raised a USD170m Series D+ at a reported USD1.3b valuation from investors including MediaTek, Catcha Group, Penjana Kapital and Emissary Capital, and follow-on from Asia Partners, Gobi Partners, 500 Southeast Asia, Ondine Capital, MUFG Innovation Partners, Daiwa PI Partners and others. Carsome also secured a USD30m credit facility. Read More

Anthemis and 500 Lead USD20m Series A for Mexican Proptech Flat.mx

Anthemis and 500 led a USD20m Series A for Flat.mx, a Mexico-based proptech focused on the purchase, renovation and resale of residential real estate, with participation from Expa and follow-on from ALLVP. Read More

Mubadala Leads USD35m Series C for Russia’s Borzo

Mubadala led a USD35m Series C for Borzo, a Russia-founded crowdsourced same-day delivery service, with participation from VNV Global, RDIF, Flashpoint Venture Capital and others. Read More

Temasek’s Aicadium Acquires Singapore’s Basis AI; Sequoia Exits

Temasek-founded Aicadium acquired BasisAI, a Singapore-based AI software provider, facilitating an exit for Sequoia Capital India and three co-founders of the company. Read More

Everstone Acquires India’s Calibre Chemicals for USD100m

Everstone Capital acquired Calibre Chemicals, an India-based specialty ingredients company focused on the pharmaceutical, nutritional and personal care segments, for a reported USD100m. Read More

SEEDRA Ventures, 500 and Nama Ventures Lead Seed Round for UAE’s Starzly

SEEDRA Ventures, 500 and existing investor Nama Ventures led an undisclosed seed round for UAE-based celebrity content platform Starzly. Read More

Amethis Sells 22% Stake in Burkina Faso’s Sodigaz to AIIM

Amethis sold its 22% stake in Sodigaz APC, a gas bottle distributor in Burkina Faso, to African Infrastructure Investment Managers for an undisclosed amount. Read More