Nikkei acquires DealStreetAsia to deepen Asian startup and tech coverage

Nikkei Group, which oversees Financial Times (FT) and Nikkei Asian Review, is looking to deepen the coverage of the Asian startup ecosystem and tech industries through the acquisition of DealStreetAsia. The move also aims to strengthen Nikkei and FT’s existing corporate news and data service scoutAsia. Through the acquisition, Nikkei now has a majority stake in the Singapore-based company that focuses on deal breaks and features of the corporate investment landscape in Southeast Asia and India. President and CEO of Nikkei Inc Naotoshi Okada said that both parties will be expanding and deepening the reporting of the thriving Asian technology and startup scene. Additionally, a "strong focus" will be placed on developing the editorial offering at Nikkei Asian Review, which is key in the media company's global strategy. Founder and editor-in-chief of DealStreetAsia Joji Thomas Philip said, “Joining forces with Nikkei will help us accelerate our mission of helping the PE-VC industry and deal makers understand the changing mega-trends in this space.” Launched in 2014, DealStreetAsia has attracted the region’s top private equity venture capital and mergers and acquisition executives as well as startup founders with editorially-led events such as the flagship Asia PE-VC Summit held every September in Singapore. Nikkei purchased FT in 2015. Prior to that, the London-based global news organisation has been owned by Pearson since 1957.  The FT will spearhead the Nikkei Group’s quality English language expansion, while Nikkei will leverage the experience and expertise of the FT for the international growth of its media properties.