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BigBasket Raises US$300 Million from Alibaba, Abraaj and Others (Asia)
India-based online grocer BigBasket has raised US$300 million in a Series E round led by China-based e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding, which contributed US$225 million to the deal. Global growth markets investor The Abraaj Group, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and growth investment firm Sands Capital Management also participated in the round and contributed the remainder. BigBasket plans to use the… Read More
responsAbility Fully Exits Financiera Confianza (Latin America)
Impact investment fund manager responsAbility Investments has fully exited its minority stake in Peru-based microfinance institution Financiera Confianza to majority shareholder Fundación Microfinanzas BBVA. Confianza provides microcredit and deposit services across 147 branches with a focus on the rural areas of Peru. responsAbility originally invested in Confianza in 2008. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Read More
CITIC Capital Leads US$21 Million Series D Round for Organica Water (CEE and CIS)
China-focused alternative investment management and advisory company CITIC Capital Holdings has led a US$21 million Series D round for Hungary-based Organica Water, with participation from existing investor Idinvest Partners. CITIC Capital and Idinvest Partners invested through CITIC Capital Silk Road Fund and Electranova Capital I Fund, respectively. Organica is a global provider of solutions for the treatment and recycling of… Read More
Cepheus Growth Capital Fund Reaches US$51 Million First Close (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Ethiopia-focused fund manager Cepheus Growth Capital Partners has reached a first close for Cepheus Growth Capital Fund with US$51 million in capital commitments. Investors in the fund include development finance institutions CDC, Norfund and the European Investment Bank, family offices and high-net worth individuals. The fund will invest across Ethiopia’s main economic sectors with a focus on opportunities in manufacturing,… Read More
Mediterrania Capital Partners Invests in Cairo Scan Radiology and Labs (MENA)
Africa-focused private equity fund manager Mediterrania Capital Partners has invested in Egypt-based Cairo Scan Radiology and Labs through Mediterrania Capital III. Cairo Scan provides medical imaging services and diagnostics across 16 centers in Cairo and Giza. The new funds will support the expansion of Cairo Scan’s branch network. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Read More
COPE Private Equity Completes Exit from Serba Dinamik (Asia)
Malaysia-focused fund manager COPE Private Equity, formerly known as CMS Opus Private Equity, has fully exited its stake in Bursa Malaysia-listed engineering services company Serba Dinamik Holdings. COPE originally invested MYR35 million (approximately US$11 million) in the company in 2013 through COPE-KPF Opportunities 1 and COPE Opportunities 2. Serba Dinamik, which provides engineering solutions and maintenance services primarily to oil… Read More
Affinity Equity Partners to Invest in Shinsegae Group, Trimco International Holdings (Asia)
Asia-focused private equity fund manager Affinity Equity Partners, along with BRV Capital Management, an affiliate of U.S.-based venture capital firm BlueRun Ventures, has agreed to invest more than KRW1 trillion (approximately US$938 million) in the e-commerce operations of Korea-based retail conglomerate Shinsegae Group. The deal will spin out the online retail operations of the conglomerate’s Shinsegae Mall and E-mart Mall… Read More
Mekong Capital Completes Exit from MobileWorld (Asia)
Vietnam-focused private equity fund manager Mekong Capital has fully exited its investment in Vietnam-based mobile device and home appliance retailer MobileWorld. The firm sold five million shares for VND165,000 (approximately US$7.26) per share for proceeds of VND825 billion (approximately US$36.3 million). Mekong originally invested US$3.5 million for a 35 percent stake in MobileWorld in 2007 through Mekong Enterprise Fund II.… Read More
CITIC Capital Partners Leads Series A Round for Bazhuayu (Asia)
CITIC Capital Partners, the private equity arm of CITIC Capital, has led a Series A round for Bazhuayu, a China-based developer of automated web data scraping software. The company plans to use the funds to develop big data, artificial intelligence and scenario-based application technologies. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Read More
AIIM Acquires Minority Stake in Amandi Power Plant (Sub-Saharan Africa)
African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) has acquired a minority stake in the Amandi power plant in Ghana from Rontom Trust, a vehicle affiliated with the project founders. The dual-fuel combined cycle power plant achieved financial close in December 2016 and is currently under construction. The project is also owned by Endeavor Energy and Aldwych—which are in turn backed by energy… Read More
Value4Capital Reaches US$99 Million Close for V4C Poland Plus Fund (CEE and CIS)
Poland- and Central Europe-focused private equity fund manager Value4Capital has reached a close for V4C Poland Plus Fund with more than EUR80 million (approximately US$99 million) in capital commitments. Investors in the fund include the European Investment Fund and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, as well as undisclosed private Polish investors. While V4C Poland Plus Fund will focus… Read More
Equanimity Investments Reaches US$11 Million First Close for Debut Fund (Asia)
India-focused venture capital fund manager Equanimity Investments has reached a first close for its debut fund with INR700 million (approximately US$11 million) in capital commitments. Investors in the fund include individuals from India and the United States. The fund, which has a target of INR1 billion (approximately US$15.7 million), will invest in technology-enabled companies across various sectors in India. Read More