Chris Witkowsky
Genstar Capital has agreed to acquire Asset International, Inc., which provides data and marketing solutions to the global asset management industry. The deal is expected to close in July.
GGV Capital and Chengwei Capital have led a $20 million Series B funding round in Light Chaser Animation Studios, a developer of animated films with a focus on Chinese culture. Existing investors Hillhouse Capital and IDG participated in the funding round, while China Renaissance worked as the financial advisor.
Osage Venture Partners has led a $3.1 million funding round in Sidecar, a Philadelphia-based big data marketing services startup. Osage joins existing investors NextStage Capital, Innovation Ventures, Gabriel Investments, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, Mid-Atlantic Angel Group, Robinhood Ventures, ARC Angel Group and Michael G. Rubin.
Milestone Capital has led a $35 million Series B funding in JHL Biotech, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company. Milestone was joined by a consortium of venture capitalists and individuals, including President International Corp., Fubon Financial Holdings, Taishin Financial Holdings, TaiAn Technologies, Hotung Group, Allen Chao, and existing Series A investors China Development Industrial Bank, Biomark Capital and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.
Standard Chartered Private Equity has invested $60 million in AJ Networks, an equipment rental company in Korea. AJ Networks was established in 2000.
NGP Natural Resources X and NGP Energy Technology Partners II have invested in Oilfield Water Logistics, a new company formed to acquire, develop and manage water-related and other oilfield fluids infrastructure and services. In May, Oilfield Water Logistics bought a portfolio of saltwater disposal wells and entered into surface use agreements in New Mexico to serve oil and gas producers in the Permian Basin.
To end this lovely June week, First Read finds computer scientists not heeding the lessons of science fiction, Congress warns U.S. investors about Chinese companies like Alibaba and a crack down on the annual dog-meat eating festival.
Cisco, Google Ventures, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Triangle Venture Capital Group, True Ventures and VMware have invested $40 million in Puppet Labs, which provides IT automation software. The funding brings total venture capital raised to $86 million since June 2009. Puppet Labs also added Mukesh Sharma as vice president of sales, EMEA.
The Teacher Retirement System of Texas invested about $2.4 billion in private equity in 2013, including $830 million in primary fund commitments and $95 million to emerging managers.
GTIS Partners, a real estate private equity firm, has re-hired Amy Boyle as managing director and chief financial officer. Boyle replaces former CFO, Grace Cheng. Prior to GTIS, Boyle worked as CFO of three publicly registered real estate investment trusts advised by American Realty Capital. Before, she was CFO for the Clarion Lion Properties Fund. From 2006 to 2009, Boyle worked as vice president and controller at GTIS Partners.