Asia
Pakistan EdTech startup Maqsad raises $2.1M pre-Seed funding led by Indus Valley Capital
The COVID-19 pandemic created a global education crisis, which was more pronounced in developing countries. This gave rise to EdTech startups globally, with ventures in countries like India and Indonesia scaling rapidly to make education more accessible for the wider population.
L Catterton-backed dental firm Zenyum plans expansion across Asia as clear aligners gain popularity
Zenyum's fundraising and expansion plans come as clear aligners are gaining popularity across Asia and Southeast Asia, trailing trends in the US and Europe. Since its founding in 2018, Zenyum said the company has grown exponentially, seeing a 4x revenue increase in 2020 alone.
Bank of China, DBS & HSBC join GSBN to form Trade Finance Advisory Group to transform global trade
The advisory group will explore the technical, legal, and regulatory frameworks needed to break the siloes between the global supply chain and financial institutions.
Alternative protein investor Lever VC announces $80M final close of Lever VC Fund I
Lever VC is also actively speaking with investors interested in Lever VC Fund II, which will begin raising early next year.
EY: Asia-Pacific M&A hit highest value on record, fuelled by technological innovation & ESG agendas
M&A targeting technology companies hit a record high in Asia-Pacific with tech, advanced manufacturing and mobility sectors topped regional deal activity.
Malaysia SPAC AEI CapForce II Investment plans to raise $100M from IPO
At the proposed deal size, AEI CapForce II Investment would command a market value of $129 million.
PayPal to acquire Japan BNPL unicorn Paidy for $2.7B
The acquisition will expand PayPal's capabilities, distribution and relevance in the domestic payments market in Japan, complementing the company's existing cross-border ecommerce business in the country, PayPal said.
Singapore e-commerce startup Rainforest raises $20M pre-Series A funding round led by Monk’s Hill Ventures
Funds will be used to drive Rainforest’s growth strategy, including expanding its portfolio of e-commerce brands in the home goods, mother & kids, personal care and pet categories by three times and growing its leadership team.
Pakistan logistics startup Truck It In extends pre-seed round to $4.5M
The extended round was again led by Global Founders Capital and Fatima Gobi Ventures. They have been joined by early-stage technology investment firm Picus Capital and Zayn Capital.
Central banks of Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa to test central bank digital currencies for international settlements
Led by BIS Innovation Hub’s Singapore Centre, the project, dubbed Project Dunbar, aims to develop prototype shared platforms for cross-border transactions using multiple CBDCs.
