CHINA:
1. Wuhan tech plants to continue operation amid coronavirus lockdown
2. Nio announces private placement of USD 235 million convertible notes
3. WeChat offers explanation for blocking links to DingTalk
4. Chinese Tesla owners file complaints over outdated Model 3 hardware
5. Chinese e-commerce platform Shein plans on IPO
6. Short video app Douyin is internally testing audio streaming function.
7. Chinese AR glasses brand Mad Gaze banks $18.6m in series A money
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MOBILE-ONLY MARKETS:
1. SG’s Monk’s Hill Ventures closes second fund below target at $100m
2. Singapore knowledge-sharing platform Arches secures $450k
3. 500 Startups invests in Singapore-based esports startup ESPL
4. Singapore’s tech entertainment AnyMind raises $26.4m Series B, launches D2C service
5. Indonesian AI-based NLP platform Datasaur snags US$1M funding from GDP Ventures
7. Lodha Developers raises $200m via bond sale to refinance debt
8. Indonesian P2P lender Modalku ties up with Shopee
CROSS-BORDER:
1. Apple, Microsoft, Google look to move production away from China.
2. Frontline Ventures raises new $80M fund focused on bringing US firms to Europe
3. Self-driving startup Pony.ai kicks off robotaxi service in Fremont, California
OVERSEAS:
1. Female-founded startups landed more deals globally in 2019 than ever before
2. South Korea passes one of the world’s first comprehensive cryptocurrency laws
3. Citing Star Wars, Kleiner Perkins closes a $700M fund for early-stage companies
4. Venture firm Sequoia is sounding the alarm about the economy again as coronavirus spreads
5. Google recommends Washington State employees work from home, citing coronavirus risk
6. Lyft is the latest tech company to send employees home over coronavirus
7. Nokia draws 500 million euro R&D loan from European Investment Bank
8. AT&T partners with Google Cloud for 5G edge computing
9. Nvidia acquires data storage and management platform SwiftStack
10. Israeli AI chipmaker Hailo raises $60 million, total funding $88 million
11. Spindrift, maker of fizzy drinks, has raised $29.8 million
12. Budgeting software startup Airbase adds $23.5M to its Series A as it posts quick growth
14. Mobile banking app Empower Finance just closed a $20 million Series A round
15. Veritas Entertainment raises $10 million and unveils LVL esports venue in Berlin
16. Australian fintech startup InDebted raises $9m Series A
17. Emma, the personal finance tracker, scores $2.5M seed led by Connect Ventures
Image Credits: CaixingGlobal