China remains top destination for venture capital in Asia: report

BEIJING - China remains the top destination for venture capital (VC) investment in Asia, with $3.6 billion invested in Q1, accounting firm KPMG said in a report.

The volume increased by $100 million from the previous quarter, according to the report on VC investment trends.

KPMG pointed out that investors in Asia were cautious, with a noticeable decline in the total number of deals, down from 403 in Q4 to 258.

Among a number of unicorns, China's bike-sharing platform ofo raised $450 million, the largest bike-sharing investment on record.

Other fundraisings in China in the global top 10 were $600 million for electric vehicle startup NIO, $360 million for courier Hive Box Technology and $350 million going to video sharing and live broadcasting app developer Kuaishou Technology.

In terms of sectors, the first quarter saw a significant amount of interest in medtech globally, particularly in the United States, Israel and Canada. The Asian medtech market has yet to achieve a strong presence, the report noted, but the potential is significant given the large consumer base.

Tech areas such as artificial intelligence, big data, cognitive learning and robotics are expected to continue to receive strong attention. Healthcare technology, fintech, and e-commerce are also expected to be strong sectors in Asia in Q2 and beyond, according to the report.