Top ten highlights from the APAC PE, VC, and startup ecosystem this week:
- Female Founders in India: The gender funding gap in India highlighted by the Female Founders in India 2024 report shows that venture funding for Indian startups founded by women rebounded in
- However, their share in overall fundraising fell to 8.8%.
- Startup Gender Disparity: Startups founded solely by women raised $118.6 million in 2024, accounting for only 0.7% of total funding for private companies in India, while all-male founding teams secured nearly 91.2% of funding.
- Indonesia’s Startup Updates: CROWDE appoints new CEO amid fraud allegations, eFishery faces cash drain, and DCG enters ‘External Administration’.
- Startup Layoffs in Indonesia: Insurtech firm Qoala, P2P lender Julo, and edtech firm Arkademi lay off staff amidst challenging times in Indonesia’s startup industry.
- IPO News: PT Yupi Indo Jelly Gum prepares for an imminent IPO in Jakarta, showcasing the region’s growing capital markets.
- Healthcare M&A: Apollo Hospitals Enterprise in talks to acquire Belenus Champion Hospital, reflecting the increasing M&A activity in India’s hospital sector.
- Wealth Management Hiring Spree: Investment firms are increasing hirings in the private wealth sector across Asia in 2025, underscoring the region’s growing prominence as a global hub for private wealth management.
- Fund Updates: Sarona Asset Management raises its third global emerging markets fund-of-funds, emphasizing increased deployment in Asia.
- Funding Rounds: Darwinbox raises $140 million, FDcare secures $2.5 million, Instant raises $18 million, and Zhipu AI secures over 1 billion yuan in fresh funding, among other funding updates.
- Investment Partnerships: India’s A Junior VC closes debut venture fund, Blackbird-backed AI healthcare startup Heidi raises $16.6 million, and Vingroup signs a potential $1 billion equity investment deal with JTA Investment Qatar.”
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