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PRESS RELEASE
SVCA announces the winners for its inaugural awards; donates S$20,000 to the National Library Board’s mobile library
SINGAPORE - 6 October 2010 - Singapore Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (“SVCA”) announced the winners of its inaugural SVCA Annual Awards at its gala dinner last evening.
The newly established Annual Awards Programme aims to highlight the successful venture capital (“VC”) and private equity (“PE”) investments in Singapore, as well as recognise the achievements of the dynamic VC/PE players in the local industry.
Showcasing the successful VC/PE investments and players
There are two award categories this year - Best Performing VC/PE-backed Company and Best Exit. The winners of this year’s SVCA Annual Awards are:
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Name of VC/PE Company |
Name of Investee Company |
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Best Performing VC/PE-Backed Company (Category A) |
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Upstream Ventures & |
AllProperty Media Pte. Ltd. |
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Best Performing VC/PE-Backed Company (Category B) - JOINT WINNERS |
|
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3i Group |
Asia Capital Reinsurance Group |
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iGlobe Partners |
Telenav, Inc. |
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Best Exit (Category A) |
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Vickers Financial Group |
Cambridge Real Estate Investment Management Pte. Ltd. |
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Best Exit (Category B) - JOINT WINNERS |
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Southern Capital Group |
Novomatrix Pte. Ltd. |
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Symphony Capital Partners |
Parkway Holdings Limited |
For more information on the award winners and finalists, please refer to the Notes to Editors.
The intent of the Best Performing VC/PE-backed Company awards is to recognise superior business performance achieved by investors and investee companies working closely together, through good times and bad times. The financial performance of VC/PE-backed companies, as well as subjective information on how well the investors and management teams worked together, was the basis for the selection of the winners.
Selection for the Best Exit awards was based primarily on objective information which includes investment returns, investment holding period, and the size of the transaction.
To cater to the inherent differences in investing in, growing, and exiting from small-cap and mid-cap businesses, two categories were created for each award to represent small and large transactions.
Nominations were received from SVCA members and the final judging of the winners was done by a panel comprising some of the SVCA Hall of Fame inductees, and facilitated by Mr Davy Lau, Consultant and Partner of Egon Zehnder International Pte. Ltd.
“With an active and growing local VC and PE industry, we believe it is timely to raise the visibility of VC and PE as an important asset class and economic driver in Singapore. The SVCA Annual Awards Programme is one of our initiatives to demonstrate to companies the important role that VC and PE can play in their corporate development, as well as to showcase to potential investors the attractive returns and investment opportunities VC and PE can offer,” says Mr Eugene Wong, Chairman of SVCA.
Honouring the pioneers
During the SVCA gala dinner, five industry leaders were also officially inducted into the newly instituted SVCA Hall of Fame. The SVCA Hall of Fame was established to honour individuals who have made exemplary and lasting contributions to the local VC and PE community, and have paved the way for the present generation of investors.
The five inductees were: Mr Timothy Chia Chee Ming (Chairman of Hup Soon Global Corporation Limited and Chairman-Asia for UBS Investment Bank); Mr Lee Kheng Nam (Chairman of Vertex Venture Holdings); Dr Christopher Leong Ka Cheong (co-founder and President of Transpac Capital Pte Ltd); Mr Tan Keng Boon (Managing Director of South East Asia Venture Investment and founding President of the SVCA); and Mr Anil Thadani (Chairman of Symphony Asia Holdings Pte Ltd).
As members of the SVCA Hall of Fame, these individuals will serve as mentors to the SVCA community.
Winners of SVCA Annual Awards and SVCA Hall of Fame inductees
From left: Mr Mayank Parekh (Partner, Southern Capital Group), Dr Finian Tan (Chairman, Vickers Financial Group), Dr Khalil Binebine (Vice Chairman, Investor Relations, Vickers Financial Group), Mr Timothy Chia (Chairman, Hup Soon Global Corporation Limited), Mr Pierre Hennes (Partner, Upstream Ventures), Mr Anil Thadani (Chairman of Symphony Capital Partners & Symphony Asia Holdings Pte Ltd), Mr Tan Keng Boon (Chief Executive, SEAVI Advent Venture Management Pte Ltd), Dr Christopher Leong (President, Transpac Capital Pte Ltd), Mr Lee Kheng Nam (Chairman, Vertex Venture Holdings), Ms Soo Hoon Hauw (Operating Partner, Singapore, iGlobe Partners), Mr Mark Thornton (Partner, Head of SE Asia, 3i Group), Mr John Tan (Chief Executive, Asia Capital Reinsurance Group).
Giving back to society
As part of SVCA’s corporate philanthropy efforts, net proceeds of the SVCA gala dinner – amounting to S$20,000 – was donated to the National Library Board (“NLB”) to equip “Molly”, the mobile library, with digital media in the form of audio books and educational DVDs. “Molly” is one of NLB’s initiatives to promote reading and literacy among the disadvantaged.
Launched in 2008, “Molly” is a new-generation, wireless mobile library service, specially fitted and redesigned from an old SBS bus. “Molly” is part of NLB's efforts to reach the less privileged and underserved community – such as special education schools, homes, orphanages and welfare associations – to enable them to discover the joy of reading and to encourage them to become active users of public libraries.
“We are delighted that the Singapore Venture Capital and Private Equity Association has chosen the National Library Board’s mobile library bus, Molly, as the recipient of its charitable contribution this year. The donation will go towards purchasing audio books and DVDs for Molly, which will enhance our current collection. This will further our efforts to develop a passion for reading and lifelong learning among the underserved and unreached groups of Singaporeans,” says Ms Tay Ai Cheng, Senior Director, Public Library Services Group.
Mr Eugene Wong, Chairman of SVCA, presenting a cheque to Ms Tay Ai Cheng, Senior Director, Public Library Services Group of the National Library Board.
“The SVCA is focused on promoting innovation and entrepreneurship and, in this context, we wanted to do something in the area of social entrepreneurship where technology and innovation are merged to bring tremendous positive impact to society. We selected NLB’s Molly initiative as the recipient of this year's fundraising because we were delighted with what they have achieved and by equipping Molly with digital media, we felt that we could potentially amplify the impact of what they are already doing,” says Mr Raj Rajkumar, Vice Chairman of SVCA.
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About Singapore Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (“SVCA”)
Established in 1992, SVCA is a not-for-profit organisation formed to foster the growth of venture capital (“VC”) and private equity (“PE”) in Singapore and around the region. From a humble start of 2, its membership now exceeds 100 and continues to grow with the industry’s development.
Since its inception, SVCA has championed various efforts to promote the local VC/PE industry through talks, workshops, seminars, conferences and networking events. The thrusts of SVCA continue to be: (1) fostering a greater understanding of the importance of venture capital and private equity to the Singapore economy in support of entrepreneurship and innovation; (2) representing the local VC/PE industry in and outside of Singapore; (3) nurturing an environment conducive for advancing VC/PE investment and profession; and (4) providing a platform to match fund-seeking businesses with our members and the investment community.
For more information about SVCA, please visit: www.svca.org.sg.
Issued on behalf of The Singapore Venture Capital and Private Equity Association by :
August Consulting Pte Ltd
Tel: (65) 6733 8873 Fax: (65) 6733 9913
CHIN May Nah – maynah@august.com.sg
NOTES TO EDITORS
2010 SVCA ANNUAL AWARDS
Name of VC/PE Company |
Name of Investee Company |
Best Performing VC/PE-Backed Company (Category A) |
|
WINNER |
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Upstream Ventures & |
AllProperty Media Pte. Ltd. |
FINALISTS |
|
Upstream Ventures |
Tagit Pte. Ltd. |
Sirius
Angel Fund & |
Transmex Systems International Pte. Ltd. |
Best Performing VC/PE-Backed Company (Category B) |
|
JOINT WINNERS |
|
3i Group |
Asia Capital Reinsurance Group |
iGlobe Partners |
Telenav, Inc. |
FINALIST |
|
3V
SourceOne Capital & |
EQUVO Pte. Ltd. |
Best Exit (Category A) |
|
WINNER |
|
Vickers Financial Group |
Cambridge Real Estate Investment Management Pte. Ltd. |
FINALISTS |
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Sirius Angel Fund |
e-Fusion Pte. Ltd. |
3V SourceOne Capital |
Sino TechFibre Ltd. |
Best Exit (Category B) |
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JOINT WINNERS |
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Southern Capital Group |
Novomatrix Pte. Ltd. |
Symphony Capital Partners |
Parkway Holdings Limited |
About the Winners and Finalists
AllProperty Media Pte. Ltd. (www.propertyguru.com.sg) About Upstream Ventures Established in 2003 in Singapore, Upstream Ventures (www.upstreamventures.com) is a venture capital firm that focuses on early-stage venture creation by providing funding, expertise and networks to emerging companies across Singapore, India and China. It backs outstanding teams that have the vision and discipline to build high-growth enterprises targeting Asian and global markets in sectors such as Internet, IDM (interactive digital media), mobile & wireless, security & biometrics, and semiconductors. Its operationally-experienced team engages early in the life of a company when it can most effectively accelerate growth. It builds strong and reliable management teams, works closely with its companies to develop and execute strategies, and provides access to key players, markets and capital through its strong industrial and financial networks. Upstream Ventures is a founding member of Extream Ventures, a S$20 million early-stage VC fund funded in part by the Singapore National Research Foundation. About Tigris Capital Tigris Capital is a Singapore-based, early-stage seed fund targeting innovative and highly scalable digital media start-ups. The fund currently holds 9 investments with a majority based in Asia. Portfolio companies include iXiGO.com (travel search), Mozat (mobile social networking), Attentio (social media analytics), Ringleader (mobile advertising) and Ethos Technologies (tech consulting). |
Tagit Pte. Ltd. (www.tagit.tv) See above |
Transmex Systems International Pte. Ltd. (www.transmexsys.com) About Sirius Angel Fund Sirius Angel Fund is a S$20 million fund, in collaboration with SPRING Singapore under the latter's Business Angels Scheme, that invests in high-growth, innovative and early-stage companies. Under the Scheme, SPRING SEEDS Capital potentially matches Sirius Angel Fund’s investment up to a maximum of S$1.5 million per company. The Fund invests only in early-stage companies that are already generating sales. |
Asia Capital Reinsurance Group (www.asiacapitalre.com) About 3i Group Founded in 1945, 3i Group plc (LSE: III) is headquartered in London and a FTSE 100 component company. 3i has invested over US$45bn in more than 14,500 businesses globally to date and its total assets under management exceeded US$14.5bn as at 31 March 2010. An international investor focused on Private Equity, Infrastructure and Debt Management, and investing in Europe, Asia and North America, 3i has a well-established and growing presence in Asia with local teams in Singapore, Beijing, Mumbai and Delhi. Throughout Asia, 3i invests for minority stakes in businesses with outstanding growth potential. In India, 3i is currently investing its US$1.2bn infrastructure fund. |
EQUVO Pte. Ltd. (www.equvo.com) About 3V SourceOne Capital 3V SourceOne Capital is a regional private equity firm focusing on fast-growth investment opportunities in South East Asia and Greater China. 3VS1 portfolio companies include those in cleantech, manufacturing, advanced materials, healthcare and information technology. Founded in 2000 in Singapore and Silicon Valley, the 3VS1 management team adopts a hands-on entrepreneurial approach aided by over 80 years of team experience in private equity investment, banking and finance, sales and marketing, engineering, consulting, start-ups and technology management. |
Telenav, Inc. (www.telenav.com) About iGlobe Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Singapore, iGlobe is a leading Asia Pacific venture capital firm with presence in Silicon Valley, Shanghai and Auckland (NZ). Its extensive international relationships have enabled it to work with emerging growth companies in the United States, Europe and Asia as these entrepreneurs-led companies pursue global expansion, making iGlobe one of the very few Asian based fund managers with global investing reach and experience. Red Herring selected iGlobe Partners in 2009 as Top 100 Global VC. Over the years, iGlobe has built a reputation as a value-added investor with a strong operational track record in helping portfolio companies achieve growth objectives and exploit market opportunities. iGlobe’s hands-on investment style has enabled co-investment opportunities with top-tier Venture Capital firms to guide portfolio companies in their global expansion and exploit opportunities in the fast growing economies and markets of Asia. |
e-Fusion Pte. Ltd. (www.efusion.com.sg) See above |
Sino TechFibre Ltd. (www.sinotechfibre.listedcompany.com) See above |
Cambridge Real Estate Investment Management Pte. Ltd. (www.cambridge-itrust.com) About Vickers Financial Group Vickers Financial Group is an investment house with offices in Shanghai and Singapore. The group manages 3 funds and proprietary capital. Founded in 2004 by Dr Finian Tan, the Group seeks to create long term value for its investors by investing in and building a stable of great companies focused primarily on the Asia Pacific market. Building on the track record and stellar investment performance of its partners, which include hits such as Baidu.com Inc (NASDAQ: BIDU), Focus Media Holding Ltd (NASDAQ: FMCN), Kongzhong Corp (NASDAQ: KONG), and Cambridge Real Estate Investment Trust (SGX: CREIT), the group is focused on being a leader in the field of Alternative Investments in Asia. In addition to its close association with sophisticated institutional investors, Vickers' competitive advantage stems from its experience, knowledge of the markets, its network of government and industry leaders, and its track record in the region. With offices in Shanghai and Singapore, Vickers focuses on covering Asia with people on the ground trawling for deal flow. |
Best Exit (Category B) |
Novomatrix Pte. Ltd. (www.novomatrix.com) About Southern Capital Southern Capital is a private equity firm that focuses on control buyouts of middle market businesses in South East Asia, China and South Korea. Southern Capital manages the Mulberry Asia Funds and operates from 3 offices across Asia - Singapore, Shenzhen (China) and Seoul (South Korea). Southern Capital invests in businesses that are Asian market leaders, typically with enterprise values of between US$25 million to US$250 million. The team at Southern Capital has considerable investment and operational expertise and specialises in post-acquisition value creation. |
Parkway Holdings Limited (www.parkwayhealth.com) About Symphony Capital Partners Symphony Capital Partners was the advisor to two Schroder Ventures private equity funds which invested in Parkway Holdings in 1999 and exited in 2008. The team behind Symphony Capital Parters now helms Symphony Asia Holdings Pte Ltd, the advisor to Symphony International Holdings Limited (“SIHL”), a strategic investment company listed on the Main Board of the London Stock Exchange. SIHL invests in innovative and high-growth consumer businesses primarily in the Hospitality / Branded Real-Estate, Healthcare and Lifestyle sectors across the Asia Pacific region. |