Carsome, Southeast Asia’s largest integrated car e-commerce platform, recently completed its Series D fundraising. The US$30 million round, one of the largest all-equity financings to-date in Southeast Asia’s online automotive industry, was led by Asia Partners.

The last few years have seen Southeast Asia become a major focal point for private investment dollars. With the region’s 600 million-strong population and fast-growing middle class, its consumer market is the latest battleground for businesses looking to grow. Investment dollars have poured into the region, seeking large unicorns and even larger returns.

Nick Nash of Asia Partners says his private equity firms looks for humble, quiet, underappreciated companies to invest in. He describes these as "rhinoceroses" instead of "unicorns," which is what start-ups valued at more than $1 billion are called.

It’s a “golden age” for aspiring unicorns in Southeast Asia, according to Nick Nash, co-founder of growth equity investment firm Asia Partners. At current levels of affluence, the region is in a sweet spot – the same zone that China and Japan were at when a majority of their tech companies went public.