Singapore-based healthtech startup Lucence has raised US$20 million in a series A round led by global healthcare provider IHH Healthcare. SGInnovate also participated in the round, along with existing investors such as Temasek Holdings subsidiary Heliconia Capital, Lim Kaling, and Koh Boon Hwee. Lucence uses liquid biopsy, a blood-based technology that’s less invasive than tissue biopsies, to help clinicians analyze…
Venture capital investors are flocking to Singapore despite uncertainty around U.S.-China trade relations, even as businesses hold back spending, according to Peter Ong, chairman of Enterprise Singapore. Protracted trade tensions have not affected investor willingness to pump billions of dollars into young companies because their investment horizon goes beyond the current environment, Ong said in an interview on the sidelines…
Singapore fintech startup M-DAQ Pte won the backing of Samsung Group’s venture capital fund in a bid to expand in South Korea and beyond. With Samsung’s investment in its pre-series D round, the company’s valuation will exceed S$500 million ($368 million), up from S$250 million in November 2015, according to Chief Executive Officer Richard Koh. M-DAQ didn’t disclose the amount…
With digital transformation going deeper and wider in the education sector, several edtech startups are launching innovative teaching and learning technologies that create positive student outcomes. Recently, three Indian startups—Eckovation, Kings Learning and PlayAblo —have joined Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) startup programme which assists entrepreneurs with building the next generation of online learning, analytics, and campus management solutions on the…
Some of Jungle's investments in India include Livspace, Moglix, PaySense, Engineer.Ai, Tookitaki, Klinify Jungle Ventures, one of Southeast Asia’s largest early-stage venture capital firms, has announced that it closed its third fund, Jungle Ventures III. Some of Jungle's investments in India include Livspace, Moglix, PaySense, Engineer.Ai, Tookitaki, Klinify. The firm raised a total of $240 million, which includes $40 million…
US quantum computing startup IonQ said on Tuesday (Oct 22) it raised US$55 million in a funding round that was led by venture funds backed by Samsung Electronics and the government of the United Arab Emirates. With the investments from Samsung Catalyst Fund and Mubadala Capital, Maryland-based IonQ said its total funds raised to date reached US$77 million. The company…
Gold loan financier Muthoot Finance Ltd has raised $450 million through its maiden offshore bond issue from investors across the US, Asia and Europe, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. The bonds will mature in three years and have a coupon rate of 6.125%. “The proceeds will be used for permitted purposes including onward lending in accordance with…
Sydney-based Investa Commercial Property Fund (ICPF) is preparing to launch a roadshow to raise A$500m (€308m) to finance new acquisitions and its development projects. ICPF, which owns some of Australia’s best office buildings, predominantly in Sydney and Melbourne, will look to Asia, the UK, Europe and North America for fresh equity. Although the planned raising will be launched next week,…
Insignia Ventures Partners, a Singapore-based firm founded by a former venture partner of Sequoia Capital, has closed its second Southeast Asian fund at $200 million. The new fund underscores a growing interest in Southeast Asia’s startup scene. A number of VC firms, including Temasek Holdings Pte.’s Vertex Ventures and Vulcan Capital, the investment house of late Microsoft Corp. co-founder Paul…
India's mega fintech Paytm is close to bagging $2 billion of new financing from well-known investors, enough to fend off an influx of new rivals, according to people familiar with the matter. Jack Ma's Ant Financial, Japan's SoftBank Group Corp and Rob Citrone's Discovery Capital Management are in Paytm's latest financing round, boosting the cash horde of the Indian mega…