Thursday, 4 December 2014

Top Venture Capital Firms In Singapore



Over the years, Singapore has been at the centre of technology boom in Southeast Asia. Investors are increasingly getting attracted towards the organized and pro-business attitude of the startup industry in Singapore. Today, the city-state is a highly-preferred destination for global talents with entrepreneurial mindsets. For all those talents, here’s a list of some of the top venture capital firms in Singapore along with their industry focus and investment stages.

Top venture Capital Firms in Singapore
·         Adam Street Partners
- Industry Focus - Software, enterprise software and Biotechnology.
- Early stage investment

·         Ardent Capital
- Industry Focus - Technology, Transactional Commerce and Advertising.
- Seed and early stage investments.

·         Carlyle Group
- Industry Focus - Real Assets, and Corporate and Private Equity.
- Early stage, late stage and private equity investments.

·         Digital Media Partner
- Industry Focus - Digital Market and Consumer Internet.
- Growth stage investments.

·         Extream Ventures
- Industry Focus - Internet, Security, Biometrics and Semiconductor.
- Seed and early stage investments

·         Fenox Venture Capital
- Industry Focus - Technology.
- Seed and early stage investments

·         Flag Capital
- Industry Focus - Energy Resources and Real Estate.
- Seed stage investment

·         Golden Gate Ventures
- Industry Focus - Technology, Mobile, Online Business, Finance, etc.
- Seed and early stage investments

·         Gree Ventures
- Industry Focus - Technology and Online Business.
- Seed stage, early stage and later stage investments.

·         Gobi Partners
- Industry Focus - Digital Media, Digital technology.
- Seed stage, early stage and later stage investments.

·         GGV Capital
- Industry Focus - Healthcare, Infrastructure, Consumer products and services.
- Seed stage, early stage and later stage investments.

·         Innosight Ventures
- Industry Focus - Internet Marketing, Mobile Application Development, Mobile Gaming, IT Security, etc.
- Seed and early stage investments.

·         Intel Capital
- Industry Focus - Digital Media and Entertainment, Software Services, Computing, Mobile, Consumer Internet, Manufacturing Industry.
- Merger, acquisitions and equity investments.

·         JAFCO Asia
- Industry Focus - Technology.
- Seed stage, early stage and later stage investments.

·         JFDI.Asia
- Industry Focus - Technology.
- Seed stage, early stage and grant investments.

·         Mclean Watson Capital
- Industry Focus -Technology, IT, Software Services, Telecommunications and Energy.
- Seed, early, mid and later stage investments.

·         Singtel Innov8
- Industry Focus - Digital Content Services, Customer Service Enhancers, Next Generation Devices, Network Capabilities, etc.
- Seed and early stage investments.

·         SEAVI Advent
- Industry Focus - Technology, healthcare, energy, etc.
- Early to late stage investments.

·         TNF Ventures
- Industry Focus - Telecommunications, Technology, Medical, Eco-friendly Products/Services, Media, etc.
-  Seed and early stage investments.

·         Upstream Ventures
- Industry Focus - IT, Internet, Software Services, Security, Biometrics, IDM and Semiconductors.
- Early stage investments.

·         Welden International
- Industry Focus - IT and Software, Internet/Digital marketing, Cleantech, Semiconductors, and emerging technologies.
- Seed, early and later stage and private equity investments.

Conclusion
To enable the startups get quick access to the suitable investors, there are many networks in Singapore that are, currently, working on a global platform. One such intelligent network is the Merger alpha, an intelligent network that offers a common platform for buyer, sellers, investors and financial advisers of the Asian market so that they can easily come in contact with each other and fulfill their business needs.
For more information, feel free to visit Merger Alpha http://mergeralpha.com/.

Monday, 1 December 2014

Private Equity Options For Capital Raising In Singapore

Capital Raising In Singapore
The biggest challenge for any start-up is to raise capital so as to set the business off the ground. Commonly, entrepreneurs turn to their friends and families or personal savings for the initial rounds of financing but a time comes when they need more capital for further growth and expansion of the business. Thankfully, entrepreneurs in Singapore have, currently, ample options to boost their start-ups as the city-state is attracting more and more foreign private investors to boost its start-up ecosystem.
Capital raising in Singapore has become much easier now with the launch of many government aided and private equity firms which have realized the growing potential of the Southeast Asian start-up markets. Here are some of the best options for private equity financing in Singapore that businesses, often, tend to approach.

Angel Investors
Angel investors are private investors who are most wealthy people looking to invest in high-risk start-ups in exchange for an equity share in the company. They work either individually or as a network of angels to invest in start-ups and seed stage businesses. The wealthy individuals referred to as the angel investors form a significant part of capital raising in Singapore.
The angel investors typically invest in those high-potential start-ups that deal with a business that they are familiar with. Apart from offering capital, the investors also share their knowledge and offer valuable guidance especially on finance and management.

Venture Capitalists
Compared to the US and Europe, the venture capital industry is still new in Singapore. Venture capitalists, although quite similar to the angel investors slightly differ in their operations. While they are also in search for high-potential start-ups, the return is they expect is, however, much more than what the angel investors expect. Usually, they expect a return of more 25% percent for each year’s investment.
Venture capital is the most popular option for capital raising in Singapore. Not only do they offer guidance and mentorship along with capital, they even offer the maximum amount of financing required by a start-up to grow and expand. The VCs are mostly interested in sectors like IT, manufacturing, services, biotechnology, medicine, etc.

Private Funds
The third private equity option for start-ups is the private fund. Banks, financial organizations and investment companies are the main sources of private funds. Unlike the angel investors and the venture capitalists, the private funds neither invest in the seed-stage or growth-stage not get involved in the investee company’s business. They just await a good return on their investment which is why they are usually considered ideal for the established businesses.

Conclusion
For start-ups planning for capital raisingin Singapore, options are many but they have to ensure that they have a sound business plan with a sizable and scalable market. Convincing the private investors is quite a tough job; it might take several rounds of meetings and pitch preparations to ultimately find a suitable investor. For best results, it is highly advisable for start-ups to become a part of a network that drastically reduces the time required to find the right investor. Such a popular network is the Merger Alpha, based in Singapore that performs the task of bringing together buyers, sellers, investors and advisers under a single roof. For more information on the network or capital raising in Singapore, feel free to visit http://mergeralpha.com/

Monday, 24 November 2014

Raising Venture Capital in Singapore Now Becomes Easier

Venture Capital in Singapore
Today, Singapore is the fastest growing VC hub of Southeast Asia with investors and entrepreneurs from around the world getting increasingly attracted towards this emerging Silicon Valley of Asia. Both government and non-government VC firms are together working to boost the startup ecosystem in Singapore.
Ever since the establishment of the TIF, Technopreneurship Investment Fund, the venture capital industry in Singapore has started witnessing a rapid growth. The past few years have seen the entry and formation of numerous venture capital firms that have opened a whole new world for startups looking for venture capital in Singapore.

The government of Singapore is extremely enthusiastic in pushing the startup ecosystem for which it has already launched various initiatives to attract more and more investors. To make Singapore a startup-friendly nation, the government has launched several initiatives such as Equity Financing Schemes, Cash Grants, Business Incubation schemes, Debt Financing Schemes and Tax Incentive Scheme so as to enable the entrepreneurs to get easy access venture capital in Singapore.
The private venture capital firms in Singapore are also working in full swing to support the entrepreneurs looking to start a business in the city-state. Some of the top venture capital firms in Singapore include JFDI. Asia, Golden gate Ventures, Innov8 Ventures, Ardent Capital, Extreme Ventures and others. These are constantly in search for unique business ideas where see a huge market potential and an efficient management team. 

Apart from offering venture capital in Singapore, the VCs also offer guidance and mentorship to the startups. This is an added benefit for the first-time entrepreneurs as they are comparatively new to the industry and have less experience in building business strategies. The investors share their experience, knowledge and valuable contacts with the entrepreneurs and give them ample scope to grow and expand their businesses.
The private venture capital in Singapore mostly goes for the service, manufacturing and the technology sector.  Although the VC firms typically tend to invest in the late-stage startups leaving the seed stage for the angel investors, they still sometimes invest at an early stage if they find the investment extremely profitable. They prefer those ventures which have the potential to grow into a million-dollar business in future.
Entrepreneurs often find it highly challenging to get access to venture capital in Singapore although, with all the requirements fulfilled, they can definitely hope to find the right investor for their company. The total duration of the investment is nearly 3 to 6 years and during this period the VCs expect a return of 25 to 30 percent for each year’s investment. Once the business reaches its peak, they take their share of profit and exit the venture.

The best way to find venture capital is to do a proper valuation of the business, sealing the loopholes, targeting a sizable and scalable market and having an organized management team that can work independently even if the owner is replaced. Do you think you have a sound business plan? Are you looking for venture capital in Singapore? Do share your thoughts with us at the comment box. To get quick access to the right investment partner, you can also become a part of Merger Alpha, a common platform targeted to bring together buyers, seller, investors and financial advisors.
For more information on venture capital in Singapore, feel free to visit http://mergeralpha.com/.

Thursday, 20 November 2014

A List Of Firms You Can Chase For Raising Venture Capital In Singapore

Raising Venture Capital In Singapore
The fast-growing venture capital industry in Singapore has opened ample opportunities for the Southeast Asian startups. Asia was always a powerhouse of talents who were waiting for the right opportunity to turn their unique ideas into reality. The biggest requirement was the capital they needed to grow their startups and with the entry of numerous international VC firms, the entrepreneurs are now quite hopeful of seeing their dreams fulfilled.
In case, you are planning to raise venture capital in Singapore, here’s a list of some of the top venture capital firms that are awaiting you provided you have a unique business idea to target a sizable and scalable market and a smart and hardworking management team.

Top Investors Offering Venture Capital In Singapore
•    Adam Street Partners – Invests in - Software, enterprise software and Biotechnology.
•    Ardent Capital – Invests in - Technology, Transactional Commerce and Advertising.
•    Carlyle Group – Invests in - Real Assets, and Corporate and Private Equity.
•    Digital Media Partner – Invests in - Digital Market and Consumer Internet.
•    Extream Ventures – Invests in - Internet, Security, Biometrics and Semiconductor.
•    Fenox Venture Capital – Invests in - Technology.
•    Flag Capital – Invests in - Energy Resources and Real Estate.
•    Golden Gate Ventures – Invests in - Technology, Mobile, Online Business, Finance, etc.
•    Gree Ventures – Invests in - Technology and Online Business.
•    Gobi Partners – Invests in - Digital Media, Digital technology.
•    GGV Capital – Invest in - Healthcare, Infrastructure, Consumer products and services.
•    Innosight Ventures – Invests in - Internet Marketing, Mobile Application Development, Mobile Gaming, IT Security, etc.
•    Intel Capital – Invests in - Digital Media and Entertainment, Software Services, Computing, Mobile, Consumer Internet, Manufacturing Industry.
•    JAFCO Asia – Invests in - Technology.
•    JFDI.Asia – Invests in - Technology.
•    Mclean Watson Capital – Invests in - Technology, IT, Software Services, Telecommunications and Energy.
•    Singtel Innov8 – Invests in - Digital Content Services, Customer Service Enhancers, Next Generation Devices, Network Capabilities, etc.
•    SEAVI Advent – Invests in - technology, healthcare, energy, etc.
•    TNF Ventures – Invests in - Telecommunications, Technology, Medical, Eco-friendly Products/Services, Media, etc.
•    Upstream Ventures – Invests in - IT, Internet, Software Services, Security, Biometrics, IDM and Semiconductors.
•    Welden International – Invests in - IT and Software, Internet/Digital marketing, Cleantech, Semiconductors, and emerging technologies.

Conclusion
Getting access to Venture Capital in Singapore is no more a distant dream; all you need is a sound business plan. Also make sure you target the right investors and not waste time chasing the one is not interested in the industry you are dealing with. The above list also covers the sector preference of the investors so that you find it easier to recognize your suitable investor.
For more information on venture capital in Singapore, feel free to visit http://mergeralpha.com/

Sunday, 16 November 2014

Tools You Can Use To Raise Capital For Your Startup



Raising capital can take you through a highly challenging path though there are certain strategies that can enable you to select that one way that suits your business perfectly. There are various ways you can raise capital for your startup and these wide varieties of tools to raise capital are more or less suitable for every entrepreneur. However, it is still important to understand the nature and stage of your business first and then select a suitable tool to raise capital for your venture. The basic requirements that you need to fulfill are, having a unique business idea, a market that is scalable and sizable, an efficient management team, a unique business model and a strong value proposition to convince the investors for financing.
Now, your personal savings can be your first and one of the most important tools to raise capital. If you can afford to invest at least 25% to 50% from your own pocket, it’s like getting the 50% of the hard work done. Such ventures, where the owner shows his commitment and confidence in the business by bringing out money to the table, are more capable of attracting the investors. You think 25% is too much to afford? 10% can also do some magic for sure.
 
In case you do not have any personal savings, you can start by asking your family and friends those who can afford to take the risk of investing in a seed stage startup. Although this tool can be quite complicated at times and even end up hurting the relationships, but if you be careful while dealing with these near-and-dear investors, you can avoid any unwanted turmoil. Another good source of fund can be the angel investors, who are, typically, wealthy individuals interested in supporting new innovations and development that can uplift the lifestyle of common men. Their main aim is to give financial support to your venture so that you can set your business off the ground and start gaining some traction. 

The capital that the angel investors offer is, however, less than what is offered by the venture capitalists, the most important tools in capital raising. Venture capitalists are professional investors who pool money from the wealthy individuals and invest that money in highly-potential markets that ensure huge profits.
Finding the right venture capitalist is very important as every investor has his own stage and sector preferences. Some like to invest at the growth stage while others might be interested in the seed stage startups. Similarly, the various sectors like technology, energy, software, hospitality, etc. are also a deciding factor while choosing a venture capital firm in Singapore.


There are many other tools such as incubators, crowdfunding, etc. through which you can raise capital for your venture. In any case, make sure you have a unique business plan that can easily make anyone fall for it.
Do share with me your experience with capital raising in the comment box given below.
For more information on capital raising, feel free to visit http://www.mergeralpha.com/. Merger Alpha is a common platform focused on the Southeast Asian markets that enables companies to find the right buyer, seller, investor or M&A targets. Let your company also be a part of the platform and quickly get access to the desired segment.
Good Luck!
 

Saturday, 15 November 2014

Venture Capital Financing In Singapore

http://mergeralpha.com/blog/category/capital-raising/
                Capital Raising in Singapore
The Singaporean government is actively involved in bringing more and more investors to the island so as to give a boost to the startup ecosystem. The formation on the TIF has significantly enhanced this process and today, there are numerous venture capitalists in the city-state searching for suitable tech startups with innovative ideas. The Block projects launched by the government aim at fulfilling all the basic necessities of the startups like providing land, tools and equipment, man power, capital and many other facilities. Apart from this, the low personal and corporate tax rates, business-friendly government policies, highly educated people, and most importantly, Singapore being a corporate hub of Southeast Asia together make it a lucrative destination for the investors.

Today, there are ample options for startups looking for venture capital financing in Singapore. Though the process of finding a VC is not that easy but entrepreneurs can still manage to attract the investor through a highly potential business plan with a sizeable market and a strong value proposition.
Some of the renowned venture capital firms in Singapore include JFDI.Asia, Ardent Capital, Jungle Ventures, TNF Ventures, Golden Gate Ventures, Carlyle Group, Intel Capital, JAFCO Asia, Singtel Innov8, Gobi partners, Flag capital, Extream Ventures, Stream Global and others.
The venture capitalists differ in the choice of industry and stage of investments in companies. Typically, venture capital financing in Singapore is seen at the growth stage though many investors pour money even at the seed stage if it is a highly potential and unique idea.

The government of Singapore is aiming to bring in more global investors so as to provide the Southeast Asian startups with ample scope to set their business off the ground. In the near future, venture capital financing in Singapore is expected to become a huge industry which is, currently, at a nascent stage. However, things are still good enough and entrepreneur can definitely manage to find an investor through effective networking.
Merger Alpha is an effective network targeting the Southeast Asian markets. It provides a common platform for buyer, sellers, investors and financial advisors of the startup ecosystem thus making it easier for everyone to get in touch with each other. If you too want to be a part of Merger Alpha or you want to know more about venture capital financing in Singapore, feel free to visit http://mergeralpha.com/.

Thursday, 13 November 2014

Tools Required To Raise Venture capital

Venture Capital in Singapore
Capital raising is an important chapter in almost every entrepreneur’s life. To turn the dream business idea into reality, entrepreneurs try out various tools to raise capital for their startups although the capital raised is often not enough to support complete growth and expansion. This results in the need for further rounds of financing. However, Venture capital is one such source which can provide the entrepreneurs with the maximum amount of capital though raising venture capital is the toughest job for the entrepreneurs.
There are many things that the entrepreneurs need to take care of while venture capital raising and these are nothing but the fundamental tools to raise capital. The first and the most important thing is, to decide what you want and how much you want. A proper business valuation makes the task much easier for the entrepreneurs and also gives their business the much-needed credibility.

The next most important thing is to find a suitable investor or venture capitalist. Not all investor have the same preference for sector and stage of investment, so it is very essential for entrepreneurs to identify the right investor. The best thing would be to explore the investors’ websites and gather information about their sector and stage preference. The investors usually prefer to invest in a sector which they are well aware of as this minimizes the risk associated with the investment. The first pitch is very important and often determines the destiny for the entrepreneur. The first pitch should be formal and crisp and it should aim at creating air of mystery so as to make the investors cling to the deal. It should not be too narrative as there are chances the investors might get bored and decide to move back. The entrepreneurs should try to make the deal sound lucrative.

The fundamental things that any investor would like to see is a unique business plan, a sizable and scalable market, a strong value proposition, an innovative business model and a smart and hardworking management team. In the absence of any of these tools, no entrepreneur should dare to spend time in venture capital raising. For more information on tools needed to raise capital, feel free to visit http://mergeralpha.com/