Chinaccelerator Daily Digest 01/18/2021

CHINA:

1 China’s top regulator launches probe into e-commerce platform Vipshop over alleged ‘improper competition behaviour’

2 Guangdong authority orders Tencent, Xpeng, other tech firms to amend apps over cybersecurity concerns

3 Beijing sets up satellite internet measures as China aims to build new space infrastructure

4 Ant Group kicks off the overhaul of its fintech operations under the watchful eyes of China’s central bank and financial regulators

5 Bilibili Presents China’s First Virtual Idol Musical Film

6 China’s Tencent buys audiobook platform Lazy Audio for $417m

7 Tencent-backed app Kuaishou looks for more ways to monetise millions of users, trim losses after Hong Kong IPO gets go-head

8 BlackRock sells almost entire China Telecom stake for $200m

9 Cobots developer JAKA gets $46m

10 AI startup WAYZ bags $40m

11 YC-backed BlaBla raises $1.5M to teach English through short videos

12 Quantum Precision Measuring Startup CIQTEK Secures Round From Hillhouse

13 VSPN E-sports company acquires Banana Gaming & Media

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MOBILE-ONLY MARKETS:

1 SEA’s startups raised US$8.6B in 2020

2 Singapore’s GIC backs ThoughtWorks software consultancy firm with $720m round

3 Indian PM announces $133m seed fund to support startups

4 Indian insurtech startup Digit achieves unicorn status after $18.5m raise

5 Nazara Technologies becomes first Indian gaming firm to file IPO

6 India’s BharatPe digital platform start up secures $20m debt funding from Alteria Capital, ICICI Bank

7 Vietnamese PE firm VI Group to pursue tech bets to cash in on digital boom

CROSS-BORDER:

1 Xiaomi, COMAC Added On US Investment Blacklist

2 Video game platform Steam to enter China officially in 2021, raising concerns about censorship as content purge continues

3 Geniebook, an edutech startup that identifies students’ strengths and weaknesses using AI, expands into Vietnam

4 SoftBank, Hughes invest in UK’s satellite communications firm OneWeb

5 PayPal now the sole owner of a payments firm in China

6 Amazon launches mobile-only Prime Video subscription in India

7 Amazon makes education push in India with JEE preparation app

OVERSEAS

1 Dating App Bumble Files For IPO, Revealing 42M Monthly Users

2 Uber planning to spin out Postmates’ delivery robot arm

3 OneWeb Raises Big New Round for satellite network

4 UK’s Deliveroo raises $180m from investors at $7b valuation

5 Everlywell raises $75M from HealthQuest Capital following its recent $175M Series D round

6 UK’s Bloom & Wild raises $102M to seed its flower delivery service across Europe

7 Corporate credit card platform Moss raises $25.5 million

8 Crossbeam raises $25M to back startups built on ‘platform economies’

Image Credits: KrAsia