One of the reasons businesses cannot grow after the initial inception is due to the lack of capital. However, the presence of venture capital firms has solved that problems. Any startup that has a good product, service or idea that has a proven track record can catch the attention of venture capital firms. With huge injections of capital, startups are able to take their efforts further. In the process, such startups are able to continue their innovations and help create a better world.
Venture Capital firms deserve huge credits. Their help for startups go beyond their checkbooks. Each venture capital firm has personnel that have had manifold experiences with startups and large corporations. The people associated have different risk backgrounds and profiles. These people know what works and have contributed enormously to the growth of innovative startups.
SD Asia has decided to take a close look at venture capital firms around Asia. This Week, We take a look at Singapore Venture Capital Firms.
By ‘venture capital firm from Singapore’, we mean that the firms themselves were founded in Singapore. The founders and owners themselves do not have to be from Singapore themselves.
Here’s Our List:
SBI Ven Capital
SBI ven capital is an established private equity firm in technology sectors and financial services across Asia. They are well-renowned to allocate resources to emerging businesses that proved to be profitable in the long run.
The SBI Group has invested in more than 800 companies globally and we leverage this broad platform to further drive the value of their investments.
The SBI Group’s core businesses include Asset Management (managing Private Equity AUM in excess of US$3 billion), Financial services, including securities, banking, insurance and biotechnology-related business. As of March 31, 2014, the SBI Group consists of 213 companies (including consolidated partnerships, equity method affiliates and 6 publicly listed companies). SBI currently has investments in more than 13 countries across Asia.
Golden Gate Ventures
Started by Vinnie Laura, Jeffrey Paine and Paul Bragiel near the end of 2011, Golden Gate ventures is a VC that specializes in investing in fledgling technology companies in south-east Asia. Till date they have invested in 15 different companies including Codapay, an alternative payment channel that uses cellphones, Sendah, a mobile banking service and Carousell, a cellphone app that allows consumers the benefits of e commerce. Carousell in particular has been doing very well. They posted over 8million new and second hand products, since 2012, with over two million sold (that’s 8 transactions per minute). Sendah has also been doing well with a user base of around 50,000 users (that’s great since the company has a very niche target market). They invest at most $500,000 in firms that have a proven market following for their products and proceed to mentor said firms afterwards.
Jungle Ventures
The VC firm specializes in investing globally to solve local problems. Hence, they only invest in startups that provide solutions that relevant to the Asia Pacific market. It was founded by Amit Anand and Anurag Srivasta. To date they have invested in 23 companies including but not limited to Zipdial, Klinify, Fastacash, Mobikon, Docdoc, Ekstop and Cinemacraft. Of these Zipdial, the missed call content provider, has been included in the list of the most innovative companies in the world with over a Billion users already.
Jungle ventures currently has investments in USA, Singapore, India,Australia, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. They provide investment to companies at fledgling states, infrastructure and have also started up a seed fund incubator focused more towards Angel level investing.
New Asia Investments
New Asia Investments Pte Ltd, a technology investment holding company established in Singapore in 2012. Its goals is to explore the growth markets of Asia, mostly focusing on medical technology, industrial innovations and water treatment technologies. New Asia Investments invests in startups that are focused on upcoming innovative and technology oriented products and services that are ripe for launching or are already established with their products on the market. New Asia Investments also acts as a partner for the Singapore Government and assists in various side funding projects. In one of NA investments’ Singapore Fund the Singapore Government was a co-investor through its National Research Fund. The SG$22 million fund, (SG$10 million invested by the Government and SG$12 million by New Asia Investments) managed by New Asia Investments, has invested in five companies all headquartered in Singapore.
Monk’s Hill Ventures
Monk’s Hill Ventures launched an $80 million venture fund in May 2014, with the help of a team of talented entrepreneurs focused on early stage technology startups across Asia. The firm looks at Series A and B companies in Southeast Asia, deal size ranging between US$1 million to $3 million at 15 to 30 percent equity. It invests in later stage Silicon Valley startups at a range which falls in between $2 million to $5 million.
The partnership at Monk’s Hill comprises of managing directors Ong Peng Tsin, Lim Kuo-Yi, partner Stefan Jung, and special advisor Thomas Clayton. The VC’s website lists 38 digital companies its team has invested in and built. Among the most prominent ones are Lazada, Reebonz, Zalora,FoodPanda and Match.com on which they have invested through Monk’s Hill on May 15th, 2014. Monk’s Hill Ventures is also one of six venture capitalist firms that secured a total ofUS$48 million (SG$60 million) in investment grants from the Singapore government. The National Research Foundation (NRF)matches the funds is one the efforts by the Singapore Government to help investments to kick in and for startup growth.
Infocomm Investments:
The signapore based venture capital firm is owned fully by the Singapore government agency IDA. The VC firm manages US $160 million. The company mainly invests in information communications startups in their early stages. This firm also invests in startups with traction and potential to grow.
Besides investing, Infocomm investment also runs an accelerator program and works with corporations, universities and other accelerators to help promising startups with great ideas. Infocomm’s portfolio includes Bubbly, a startup that brings social networks to mobile phones and Guardtime, a startup that provides keyless signatures for independently verifiable proof of data integrity, helping organisations in financial services, government, telecommunications and healthcare strengthen control.
Singtel Innov8
SingTel Innov8 or also simply known as ‘Innov8’ is a wholly owned subsidiary of its parent company – Singapore Telecommunications Limited. Established in 22nd September 2012, SinTel is a corporate venture capital investment arm which manages an initial fund size of about USD $158 million. The venture capital firm invests in technologies which are actively working in the sectors of network capabilities, next generation devices, digital content services and customer service enhancers. Innov8, provides wider access to SingTel’s mobile customer base in both developed and emerging market in 25 counties and enterprise customers.
Innov8’s portfolio companies spans over a vast geographical region comprising of a total of seven companies in countries such as Singapore, USA, China, Australia, Israel, Hong Kong and Taiwan. It has invested in a total of 36 companies the likes of which includes Bitglass, Pokkt, Buuble Motion, Viki etc.