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.

ZWC Partners Reaches USD400m First Close for China and Southeast Asia VC Fund

ZWC Partners has reached a USD400m first close for its latest USD-denominated fund, a vehicle targeting early- and growth-stage startups specializing in industrial internet and new consumer across China and Southeast Asia. Read More

Lilly Asia Ventures and ARCH Venture Partners Lead USD100m Series A for US- and China-Based Drug Developer SciNeuro

Lilly Asia Ventures and ARCH Venture Partners led a USD100m Series A for SciNeuro Pharmaceuticals, a China- and US-based drug developer specializing in treatments for central nervous system disorders, with participation from Boyu Capital, General Atlantic, Sequoia Capital China, TF Capital, and Zoo Capital. Read More

I&P Invests Pre-Series A for Ivorian Mobile Video Content Startup StarNews

Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P), through its fund I&P Afrique Entrepreneurs 2, has invested in an undisclosed pre-Series A for Ivory Coast-based mobile video content startup StarNews. Read More

Helios Acquires 35% Stake in Discount Grocery Retailer BIM Morocco at USD200m Valuation

Helios Investment Partners has acquired a 35% stake in the Moroccan subsidiary of Turkey-based discount grocery retailer BIM at a reported USD200m valuation. Read More

CLSA Capital Completes USD226m Final Close for PE Debt Fund

CLSA Capital Partners has closed its maiden private debt fund, Lending Ark Asia Secured Private Debt, at USD226m. The fund targets Asia and is to be managed by a joint venture between Lending Ark Asia’s principals, Messrs Gregory Park and Carol Lee Park, and CLSA Capital. Read More

Asia Partners Leads USD30m Series D for Malaysian Used Car Marketplace Carsome

Asia Partners led a USD30m Series D for Malaysia-based used car marketplace Carsome, with participation from existing investors Burda Principal Investments and Ondine Capital. Read More

KaszeK Ventures and QED Lead USD62m Series B for Mexican Crypto Platform Bitso

KaszeK Ventures and QED Investors led a USD62m Series B for Mexico-based crypto platform Bitso, with follow-on from Coinbase Ventures and Pantera Capital. Read More

I Squared Capital Acquires and Merges Singaporean Cloud Services Companies InfoFabrica and Cloud Kinetics

I Squared Capital, through its ISQ Global Infrastructure Fund II, has acquired and merged InfoFabrica and Cloud Kinetics, two Singapore-based cloud migration services companies, as part of a new Asian Digital Infrastructure platform. Read More

Temasek Invests USD20m in Brazilian Payment Processing Platform Conductor

Temasek has invested USD20m in Conductor, a Brazilian payment processing platform and banking as a service company, bringing the company’s latest round of fundraising to USD170m. Viking Global Investors previously led a USD150m investment in Conductor in October 2020. Read More

Target Global and Palta Lead USD5m Series A for Cyprus’ Nutrition Platform Simple

Target Global and Palta led a USD5m Series A for Cyprus-based nutrition platform Simple, with participation from S16 Angel Fund and Supernova. Read More

IDB Invest and Blue Like an Orange Provide USD50m Mezzanine Facility for Panamanian Hospitality Startup Selina

IDB Invest and Blue Like an Orange have provided USD35m and USD15m, respectively, in mezzanine financing to Panama-based hospitality startup Selina to support the continuity of its expansion plans in Latin America and the Caribbean. Read More

Mid Europa to Acquire Polish Cloud Business Management Solutions Company Sage

Mid Europa Partners has entered into an agreement to acquire Sage Poland, a Polish cloud business management solutions company for SMEs, from The Sage Group. The transaction is subject to antitrust approval and is expected to close in early 2021. Read More