Smartpay raises USD 7 million in pre-Series A round
Smartpay, a Japanese fintech company specializing in buy now, pay later solutions, has raised USD 7 million in a pre-Series A funding round led by SMBC Venture Capital. Angel Bridge, Matrix Partners, and Global Founders Capital contributed to this round.
Founded in 2020, Smartpay’s solutions also include a digital in-store payments service with free automated installments, as well as a digital financing service for users to pay for online purchases directly from their bank accounts.
WYZauto snags USD 2.25 million from Vynn Capital
WYZauto, a Thailand-headquartered online tire marketplace, has secured USD 2.25 million in funding from Vynn Capital.
This marks Vynn Capital’s inaugural investment from its new mobility and supply chain fund, which is backed by Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (KWAP), Sime Darby, Malaysia Venture Capital (MAVCAP), and AEI Capital, among other limited partners.
Other investors that participated in this investment include Vincent Lee, an early investor of Carsome, Oak Drive Ventures, and existing shareholders such as Kaya Founders.
Having expanded its operations to Malaysia in 2023, WYZauto will leverage Vynn Capital’s network to develop mutually beneficial partnerships that will accelerate its growth in the Malaysian market. —TechNode Global
SGX-listed APS to acquire Mobii Genius for USD 150 million
Asia-Pacific Strategic Investments (APS), a real estate firm listed on the Singapore Exchange (SGX), is acquiring Mobii Genius, a sustainable data solutions provider based in Taiwan, for USD 150 million.
According to a statement by APS, the firm plans to utilize Mobii Genius’ proprietary green technology, which includes carbon-neutral computing equipment and energy-saving algorithms, to drive sustainable growth and shareholder value.
“Our data infrastructure and the environment must both be healthy for the other to flourish. Mobii’s green technology has been specifically designed over the years to do just that: decrease energy waste while increasing efficiency. This acquisition by APS is poised to help make this technology more accessible to more regions, starting with our expansion into Southeast Asia,” said Tseng Kuan-Chih, CEO of Mobii Green Energy.
This deal is expected to complete in the final quarter of 2024, subject to fulfillment of the condition precedents.
Recent deals completed in China:
- Nieta Art, a Shanghai-registered artificial intelligence technology company specializing in content creation, has secured over RMB 10 million (USD 1.38 million) in angel and pre-Series A funding from Source Code Capital and MiraclePlus, among other investors. —36Kr
- TDHX, a Beijing-based developer of intelligent security solutions for industrial process control, has banked approximately RMB 800 million (USD 110.5 million) in a Series E funding round jointly led by Jingguorui Equity Investment Fund Management, Unicom CICC, and Svolt Capital, with participation from various other investors including the Beijing Information Industry Development Investment Fund, ZGC Science City, CNNC Emerging Industry Fund, Wangsu, Green Pine Capital Partners, and more. Deep Blue Partners acted as the leading financial advisor. —36Kr
- Applied Protein Technology, a Shanghai-registered biotechnology company, has successfully raised a nine-figure RMB sum in a Series C round of financing. The round was led by GF Xinde Investment, with Sun Rock Capital participating as well. Haoyue Capital reprised its role as the exclusive financial advisor. —36Kr
- Fabanyun, a Beijing-based legal tech company, has completed an eight-figure RMB pre-Series A funding round. The round was backed by Hualing Capital and several individual investors. Fabanyun aims to utilize the funds to enhance its platform and expand its customer base. —36Kr
- Apulis Technology, a Shenzhen-based AI technology firm, has secured an eight-figure RMB sum of strategic funding from Haier. Lighthouse Capital served as the exclusive financial advisor. Apulis will utilize the funds to accelerate its product development and expand its market reach. —36Kr
- Wenda Group, a Sichuan-based company specializing in digital business solutions, has completed an angel round of financing, raising RMB 50 million (USD 6.9 million) from Zhongxin Ding. —36Kr
- Bwee, a Shanghai-registered provider of wireless lighting solutions, has bagged an eight-figure RMB sum in a pre-Series A funding round led by Maizun Equity Investment Fund Management. —36Kr
Pro-Net, Mitsui and Rohto, Hyundai, and more led last Friday’s headlines:
- Proton New Energy Technology (Pro-Net), a wholly owned subsidiary of Malaysian automaker Proton, has secured MYR 200 million (USD 42.1 million) in funding from CIMB Bank to support its green mobility initiative and the importation and distribution of electric vehicles in Malaysia.
- Mitsui & Co and Rohto Pharmaceutical have agreed to jointly acquire Eu Yan Sang International (EYSI), a Singapore-headquartered health and wellness company, at a valuation of SGD 800 million (USD 592.7 million).
- Hyundai Motor Group (HMG), one of the largest conglomerates in South Korea, has emerged as the top shareholder of South Korean mobile carrier KT Corporation after acquiring shares from the country’s National Pension Service (NPS).
If there are any news or updates you’d like us to feature, get in touch with us at: [email protected].