Latest news with #GrowthFund
Korea Herald
22-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Ashita Group Secures USD 155M in Growth Capital from CPFam-LDA Asia Growth Fund and AEI Capital Group to Fuel Regional E-Commerce and Social Commerce Expansion Post-Listing
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ashita Group, a rising leader in the B2B2C, e-commerce, and social commerce sectors, proudly announces a transformative commitment of growth capital investment up to USD 155 million by CPFam-LDA Asia Growth Fund and AEI Capital Group into Ashita Group, as it is gearing towards its upcoming public listing. This milestone follows a recent pre-listing strategic investment in Ashita Group at USD 1 billion valuation led by AEI Capital Group in partnership with 3 other institutional investors, namely (i) Vynn Capital, a top VC firm focused in SEA and backed by prominent sovereign wealth funds and conglomerates, (ii) VisionGain Capital, a prominent hedge fund firm focused in China and Asia, known for its active participation in China unicorn investments space, and (iii) the strategic investment arm of Fonixtree Technology, Alibaba Cloud's overseas associated company for global digitalisation business riding on AliCloud technologies. This investment underscores the strong market confidence in Ashita Group's vision to redefine digital commerce across Southeast Asia and beyond over the next 5 years. The CPFam-LDA Asia Growth Fund, a strategic joint venture between LDA Capital, a global alternative investment firm, and CP Group, Thailand's largest and most diversified conglomerate, has committed USD 55 million to support Ashita Group over a three-year period following its public listing. Launched in 2023 with a USD 2 billion mandate, the fund is focused on backing high-growth, pre-IPO and publicly listed companies across Southeast Asia. By leveraging CP Group's deep regional relationships and LDA's cross-border investment expertise, the CPFam-LDA Asia Growth Fund aims to unlock transformational growth opportunities and deliver long-term value across the region. "Ashita Group is redefining how social commerce and digital distribution scale across Southeast Asia," said Warren Baker, Managing Partner at LDA Capital. "Their tech-enabled B2B2C platform, robust logistics infrastructure, and data-driven approach uniquely position them to capture growth across underserved markets. We believe Ashita is on the cusp of exponential expansion, and we're proud to support their public listing and long-term vision through the CPFam-LDA Asia Growth Fund." AEI APAC Growth Equity Flagship Fund under AEI Capital Group with groupwide AUM exceeding USD2 billion, a long-standing partner of Ashita Group for the past 8–9 years, shall also commit to invest up to USD 50 million + 50 million over a 2+2-year period upon Ashita Group's public listing, reinforcing AEI Capital's role as Ashita's public listing cornerstone investor during the listing phase. "Having supported Ashita Group for nearly a decade, we've witnessed their incredible potential firsthand," said John Tan, Chairman & CEO of AEI Capital Group. "This investment underscores our confidence in their ability to lead the next wave of digital commerce innovation in the region." Ashita Group's CEO, Sherly, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnerships, stating, "These USD 155 million investment commitments by CPFam-LDA Asia Growth Fund and AEI APAC Growth Equity Flagship Fund, mark a transformative chapter for Ashita Group. With the backing of such a diverse and strategic group of investors, we are well-positioned to scale our operations, innovate at an unprecedented pace, and deliver exceptional value to our partners and customers across the region." The combined capital commitments will fuel Ashita Group's regional expansion in the B2B2C, e- commerce, and social commerce sectors over the next 4 years. The company plans to leverage this funding to enhance its platform capabilities, drive technological innovation, and capture new market opportunities across Southeast Asia, China, and beyond, with a focus on global digitalisation trends. Ashita Group's public listing is poised to be a game-changer, enabling the company to tap into new growth avenues while building on its strong foundation in the digital commerce space. With a clear focus on innovation and customer-centric solutions, Ashita Group aims to set new benchmarks in the industry over the coming years. The digital investment banking consortium formed by CapForce International Holdings Ltd. and European Credit Investment Bank is the financial advisor and placement agent for Ashita Group in the aforesaid transactions.
Malaysian Reserve
22-05-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Ashita Group Secures USD 155M in Growth Capital from CPFam-LDA Asia Growth Fund and AEI Capital Group to Fuel Regional E-Commerce and Social Commerce Expansion Post-Listing
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Ashita Group, a rising leader in the B2B2C, e-commerce, and social commerce sectors, proudly announces a transformative commitment of growth capital investment up to USD 155 million by CPFam-LDA Asia Growth Fund and AEI Capital Group into Ashita Group, as it is gearing towards its upcoming public listing. This milestone follows a recent pre-listing strategic investment in Ashita Group at USD 1 billion valuation led by AEI Capital Group in partnership with 3 other institutional investors, namely (i) Vynn Capital, a top VC firm focused in SEA and backed by prominent sovereign wealth funds and conglomerates, (ii) VisionGain Capital, a prominent hedge fund firm focused in China and Asia, known for its active participation in China unicorn investments space, and (iii) the strategic investment arm of Fonixtree Technology, Alibaba Cloud's overseas associated company for global digitalisation business riding on AliCloud technologies. This investment underscores the strong market confidence in Ashita Group's vision to redefine digital commerce across Southeast Asia and beyond over the next 5 years. The CPFam-LDA Asia Growth Fund, a strategic joint venture between LDA Capital, a global alternative investment firm, and CP Group, Thailand's largest and most diversified conglomerate, has committed USD 55 million to support Ashita Group over a three-year period following its public listing. Launched in 2023 with a USD 2 billion mandate, the fund is focused on backing high-growth, pre-IPO and publicly listed companies across Southeast Asia. By leveraging CP Group's deep regional relationships and LDA's cross-border investment expertise, the CPFam-LDA Asia Growth Fund aims to unlock transformational growth opportunities and deliver long-term value across the region. 'Ashita Group is redefining how social commerce and digital distribution scale across Southeast Asia,' said Warren Baker, Managing Partner at LDA Capital. 'Their tech-enabled B2B2C platform, robust logistics infrastructure, and data-driven approach uniquely position them to capture growth across underserved markets. We believe Ashita is on the cusp of exponential expansion, and we're proud to support their public listing and long-term vision through the CPFam-LDA Asia Growth Fund.' AEI APAC Growth Equity Flagship Fund under AEI Capital Group with groupwide AUM exceeding USD2 billion, a long-standing partner of Ashita Group for the past 8–9 years, shall also commit to invest up to USD 50 million + 50 million over a 2+2-year period upon Ashita Group's public listing, reinforcing AEI Capital's role as Ashita's public listing cornerstone investor during the listing phase. 'Having supported Ashita Group for nearly a decade, we've witnessed their incredible potential firsthand,' said John Tan, Chairman & CEO of AEI Capital Group. 'This investment underscores our confidence in their ability to lead the next wave of digital commerce innovation in the region.' Ashita Group's CEO, Sherly, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnerships, stating, 'These USD 155 million investment commitments by CPFam-LDA Asia Growth Fund and AEI APAC Growth Equity Flagship Fund, mark a transformative chapter for Ashita Group. With the backing of such a diverse and strategic group of investors, we are well-positioned to scale our operations, innovate at an unprecedented pace, and deliver exceptional value to our partners and customers across the region.' The combined capital commitments will fuel Ashita Group's regional expansion in the B2B2C, e- commerce, and social commerce sectors over the next 4 years. The company plans to leverage this funding to enhance its platform capabilities, drive technological innovation, and capture new market opportunities across Southeast Asia, China, and beyond, with a focus on global digitalisation trends. Ashita Group's public listing is poised to be a game-changer, enabling the company to tap into new growth avenues while building on its strong foundation in the digital commerce space. With a clear focus on innovation and customer-centric solutions, Ashita Group aims to set new benchmarks in the industry over the coming years. The digital investment banking consortium formed by CapForce International Holdings Ltd. and European Credit Investment Bank is the financial advisor and placement agent for Ashita Group in the aforesaid transactions. For more information about LDA Capital and AEI Capital Group, please visit the following respective websites: – LDA Capital: AEI Capital Group:
Otago Daily Times
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
No respite for the politically driven
The evergreen Winston Peters keeps rolling on and on, and he tells political editor Mike Houlahan that he has no intention of quitting now. Whatever you think of Winston Raymond Peters' politics, there is little denying he is the most remarkable politician in our House of Representatives. At five weeks past his 80th birthday Mr Peters maintains a schedule which would daunt the young and healthy. Just back from an overseas trip as minister of foreign affairs and due to head overseas again next week, Mr Peters on Monday last week plunged into a hectic week at Parliament before flying to Dunedin on Friday morning. After his interview with the Otago Daily Times he was to deliver keynote speeches to the Otago Regional Investment Summit and at the formal opening of KiwiRail's Hillside workshops — each packed full of his trademark pugnacity and humour — as well as attend a range of meetings. The Hillside opening was a signal reminder of the central role played by a New Zealand First party which Mr Peters has always avowedly called centrist — even if at the time of writing it seems unlikely to work again with Labour. Back in 2020, while in coalition with Labour, Mr Peters toured Hillside before telling its workforce the NZ First-created Provincial Growth Fund, and his party's belief in rail, had made possible a planned multimillion-dollar revitalisation of the workshop. Five years later, this time as part of a coalition with National and Act New Zealand Mr Peters — once again the deputy prime minister — was back to officially open the new Hillside, and take his share of the credit. "It's still the same party and it's all the same cause. New Zealand First was the driving generator here," Mr Peters said. "I'll go there today, and there'll be a stack of other politicians there. The question is, 'what did you do about it?' Only one party said rebuild our workshops. We did. Only one party has put the level of money into KiwiRail as we did. "I'm back a second time in charge of KiwiRail ... it's a nationwide, alternative, transport system. That is simply a no-brainer." And, he was quick to remind people, that transport service includes the inter-island ferry ... another task the unflagging Mr Peters has taken on. A quick run-down of the first 18 months of the coalition government suggests New Zealand First has already secured about 60%-70% of the commitments it secured as part of its agreements with its partner parties, albeit that some of them are "engagements", "investigations", "ensurings" or "progressings" which may, or may not, result in any tangible outcome. Also, things such as reform of Pharmac, passing new resource management legislation and scrapping the Māori Health Authority were priorities shared by all three governing parties. Nonetheless, NZ First had plenty of victories to claim, such as the Regional Infrastructure Fund, advancement of grocery sector reform and keeping the age of national superannuation at 65. Others, such as the pledged 500 extra frontline police in two years, are still promised but are taking longer than hoped to be achieved. NZ First can also be more than satisfied that most public polls for the past 12 months have shown it well above the critical 5% MMP threshold, historically a level of support minor parties in coalition have found it difficult to achieve, let alone maintain. "It [NZ First's achievements] would be higher than that, be much higher than that," Mr Peters said. "I would put it at 75, 80%, and I'm glad you've raised it because we have had just recently in the last week reviewed all of our intentions to ensure that nothing falls by the wayside of this timetable. "Some of our supporters want you to do it all in the first five minutes, but in the three years, we're going to do, to the max, what we promised to do, and to be able to demonstrate this, nobody keeps their promises as much as New Zealand First does." One promise Mr Peters is adamant NZ First has kept is that the new Dunedin hospital will not be, to repeat his oft-used phrase, "nickel and dimed". The ODT understands Mr Peters was an influential voice in the government's ultimate decision to go ahead with building on the former Cadbury's site, despite the cost blow-outs on the project, and he confirmed he had met a delegation from Otago and Southland to discuss the project. "I did the best I could to make my party's representation on why this hospital [would go ahead], downsized in cost as it had to be, because I know what the costings look like," Mr Peters said. "Dunedin is going to get a hospital. In time, it'll be a much better hospital too, because it's got room for improvement." In some ways the hospital is a perfect illustration of what Mr Peters says is NZ First's role in government, of being both a handbrake and an accelerator. The handbrake is reining in costs (which Mr Peters said had escalated "out of all proportion" to the rate of inflation) and the accelerator is getting the hospital built . . . just as Hillside was built. Mr Peter is about to step aside as deputy prime minister, in keeping with the coalition agreement, but promises his party will be just as active after it shifts across the House to where Act New Zealand now sits, "We will be making sure that our policy commitments are kept, doing our best to be a positive influence on the policies the government should be following and not experimenting on, and consolidating the lively support New Zealand First has got because of our focus on fundamental political principles," Mr Peters said. "The common, ordinary, common-sense, plain-sense things is what distinguishes us from other parties. And that's what we're going to focus on, campaign real hard, starting real soon." Winston Peters, Foreign Minister On peace prospects in Ukraine "People won't agree with me on this, but it largely depends upon what Donald Trump does. It's in the fourth year of the war now; it was an absolutely illegal invasion. They'll make a lot of excuses, Russia will, but they're all blandishments and propaganda ... [President Vladimir] Putin and others are caught by their duplicity of their actions." On the power of small states "My message has always been that small states matter, that small states deserve the same respect as the big states. It's the very foundation of our unity going forward. Might is not right. The rules of war should apply. Democracy is important. There are many things in which New Zealand has a tremendous record, and we should be proud of that and exhibit that, and seek to proselytise the advantage to other small countries of what we're doing." On Gaza "It [Israeli aggression] is beyond the pale now, that here we've got the situations where the obstruction of aid is too apparent. We've talked to the Palestinian Authority, we talked to the highest authorities in Egypt, in the Emirates, in Indonesia. We talked to a whole lot of countries, Turkey, which are largely or wholly Islamic, about this issue. They understand New Zealand's position, but apparently back here, the New Zealand protesters do not." On surviving as foreign minister "I have a seriously good, really focused diet. Then there are certain things that we do on the plane, drinking an extraordinary amount of apple juice — it's one of the best liquids to have — and I have a herbal sleeping tablet that's safe. I try and stick to my domestic timetable back home, no matter what, because when you get back home, you'll be back on sync, but much faster. It is an arduous, difficult job, but you don't realise how great it is to get 11 hours of peace with no phone going."
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mairs and Power's Strategic Moves: U.S. Bancorp Reduction Highlights Q1 2025
Mairs and Power (Trades, Portfolio) recently submitted their 13F filing for the first quarter of 2025, offering a glimpse into their strategic investment decisions during this period. Based in Minnesota, Mairs and Power (Trades, Portfolio) manages three mutual funds: the Growth Fund, the Balanced Fund, and the Small-Cap Fund. Since its inception in 1931, the firm has adhered to a disciplined long-term investment approach, focusing on companies with consistent growth, strong returns on invested capital, and durable competitive advantages. Their low turnover strategy allows for well-considered investment decisions, providing a comprehensive understanding of business strategies and market cycles. Mairs and Power (Trades, Portfolio)'s focus on less efficient market areas aims to benefit investors with a long-term perspective, contrasting with the short-term focus of many active and hedge fund managers. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 4 Warning Sign with MSFT. Mairs and Power (Trades, Portfolio) added a total of 8 stocks, among them: The most significant addition was Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (NYSE:TSM), with 397,657 shares, accounting for 0.69% of the portfolio and a total value of $66.01 million. The second largest addition to the portfolio was Cognex Corp (NASDAQ:CGNX), consisting of 63,359 shares, representing approximately 0.02% of the portfolio, with a total value of $1.89 million. The third largest addition was iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA), with 11,571 shares, accounting for 0.01% of the portfolio and a total value of $945,710. Mairs and Power (Trades, Portfolio) also increased stakes in a total of 54 stocks, among them: The most notable increase was WEC Energy Group Inc (NYSE:WEC), with an additional 625,323 shares, bringing the total to 1,389,081 shares. This adjustment represents a significant 81.87% increase in share count, a 0.71% impact on the current portfolio, with a total value of $151.38 million. The second largest increase was The Kraft Heinz Co (NASDAQ:KHC), with an additional 985,915 shares, bringing the total to 2,372,182. This adjustment represents a significant 71.12% increase in share count, with a total value of $72.19 million. Mairs and Power (Trades, Portfolio) completely exited 16 holdings in the first quarter of 2025, as detailed below: S&P MidCap 400 ETF (MDY): Mairs and Power (Trades, Portfolio) sold all 1,035 shares, resulting in a -0.01% impact on the portfolio. Comcast Corp (NASDAQ:CMCSA): Mairs and Power (Trades, Portfolio) liquidated all 5,392 shares, causing a -0% impact on the portfolio. Mairs and Power (Trades, Portfolio) also reduced positions in 118 stocks. The most significant changes include: Reduced U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB) by 2,138,623 shares, resulting in a -50.84% decrease in shares and a -0.99% impact on the portfolio. The stock traded at an average price of $46.14 during the quarter and has returned -5.78% over the past 3 months and -5.93% year-to-date. Reduced Qualcomm Inc (NASDAQ:QCOM) by 368,523 shares, resulting in a -27.95% reduction in shares and a -0.55% impact on the portfolio. The stock traded at an average price of $163 during the quarter and has returned -10.92% over the past 3 months and -0.13% year-to-date. At the first quarter of 2025, Mairs and Power (Trades, Portfolio)'s portfolio included 221 stocks. The top holdings included 7.8% in Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT), 6.54% in NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA), 4.94% in UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH), 4.75% in Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN), and 4.24% in JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE:JPM). The holdings are mainly concentrated in all 11 industries: Technology, Industrials, Healthcare, Financial Services, Consumer Cyclical, Communication Services, Basic Materials, Utilities, Consumer Defensive, Energy, and Real Estate. This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Miami Herald
18-04-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
CerraCap Ventures Levels Up with Tyler Barth Joining as General Partner for New Growth Fund
COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / April 18, 2025 / CerraCap Ventures, the global VC firm celebrated for its innovative, data-driven investments in game-changing technologies, is amped to launch its first-ever Growth Fund (CGF). The fund is laser-focused on catapulting CerraCap's standout companies toward rapid market leadership and impactful exits. With this bold expansion, CerraCap proudly welcomes industry dynamo Tyler Barth as a General Partner. Barth isn't your typical investor-he's a seasoned pro with over twenty years of experience igniting growth strategies, pioneering investments, and building vibrant business communities. As the visionary behind Legacy House Management, Barth's strategic mojo has powered partnerships with big hitters like Inception Financial, Sony Corporation, and Crosswind Financial. His appointment marks an exciting leap forward in CerraCap's drive to scale transformative brands across pivotal sectors. "We're beyond excited to welcome Tyler aboard," said Saurabh Suri, Managing Partner at CerraCap Ventures. "Launching the Growth Fund opens an exhilarating new chapter for us. Tyler's global vision, combined with his passion for impact-driven investments, is exactly what we need to supercharge mission-aligned companies into true market leaders." Tyler Barth is renowned for his vibrant approach to community building and leveraging expansive global networks across education, finance, mobility, energy, entertainment, media, technology, and consumer brands. A dedicated advocate for sustainability and ethical innovation, Barth seeks out businesses shaking things up with purpose-driven solutions. Previously, Barth advised Guggenheim Partners' Global CIO for over a decade and significantly elevated Blue Microphones, guiding the brand through its successful acquisition by Logitech. Beyond business, Barth is deeply committed to philanthropy, having championed global health initiatives and cancer research for over three decades, collaborating with renowned organizations such as The Prostate Cancer Foundation, City of Hope, Charlize Theron's Africa Outreach Project, and the V Foundation. "Over the years, I have been deeply impressed by the exceptional team at CerraCap Ventures - individuals I am honored to collaborate with in pursuit of meaningful impact. Joining this powerhouse comes at a pivotal moment in the market. The Growth Fund is teeming with opportunities in defense, cyber, mobility, and health-tech. Let's do some great business and power companies across these verticals to driving real, global change.!" shared Tyler Barth, GP of CerraCap Growth Fund. With CerraCap's Growth Fund now live, the firm continues its legacy of backing visionary entrepreneurs, expanding its market presence, and providing dynamic later-stage investment opportunities. Tyler Barth's arrival underscores CerraCap's forward-looking approach and unwavering dedication to impactful partnerships that spark significant growth and positive change. About CerraCap Ventures CerraCap Ventures, a Global Venture Capital fund headquartered in Southern California, dedicated to early-stage and growth stage technology investments in enterprise (B2B) solutions focused on the new fundamentals of the digital age - Enterprise AI, Cyber Security and Healthcare. It enables rapid growth of technology startups leveraging its unique Sales & Scale™ business model, driving revenue from large enterprises into its portfolio companies. For more information, visit Contact Information Nikki Arora SOURCE: CerraCap Ventures press release
