Category: Featured

Forbes Midas List 2015: A Good Year For China Venture

Four new venture capitalists arrived on the Forbes Midas List of 100 top tech investors following a stellar year for China-based companies, which saw smartphone maker Xiaomi crowned as the world’s highest-valued private tech company and Alibaba as the largest-ever IPO. Sequoia Capital’s China team added one more VC to the firm’s already stacked Midas roster. Coming in strong at #22, Steven...

Sequoia VC: West Is In Denial Over Shift In Tech Power To China

It’s interesting to see Sequoia Capital venture investor Mike Moritz contending that Silicon Valley tech is over-inflated while China startup investing is still going strong — and stronger. Here’s an excerpt from an interview with Moritz in an article at Fortune. Moritz argued that money splashed on Silicon Valley companies could probably be put to better use...

PCH Fills Out Tech Ecosystem For Hardware Startups With Fab Deal

There’s a China connection in the recent deal that PCH made to buy the once high-rising and well-funded e-commerce startup, Fab, which crashed last year. The product development and supply chain firm PCH has a major manufacturing and logistics base in Shenzhen, where its operations assemble, package and get products ready to ship for major multinational companies as well as small to medium-sized...

Alibaba, Tencent, Qihoo 360 Driving Up Valuations

Late stage valuations are being driven by corporate venture capitalists seeking access to innovation so they are willing to pay more, pointed out VC Mark Suster at the PreMoney conference in Miami. These new investors include China’s tech titans Alibaba, Renren, Tencent, Fosun and Qihoo 360. It’s the theme of Silicon Dragon San Francisco 2015, March 25. In fact,...

Are Chinese Tech Startups Overvalued?

Technology startups in China are raising cash at a record pace from private investors, prompting concerns about potential overvaluation. The latest hot deal is an $800 million-plus round for Shanghai-based Dianping, an online-review site similar to Yelp Inc., as the WSJ’s Rick Carew and Juro Osawa report. Late demand from new investors increased the fundraising, pushing Dianping’s...

Investors Beware: Today’s $100M+ Late-stage Private Rounds Differ from an IPO

Every successful technology company raises money throughout its lifecycle, perhaps starting with a seed investment and progressing through Series A, B, C, late-stage investments, and, for the most successful companies, an IPO. Historically, different financial institutions specialized in different stages, because the assessment of risk and opportunity was considered unique at each stage — for example,...

Tech E-Trade Route Between The UK And China Opens Up

Struggling to think of any strong startup connections between the UK and China?  Think again. Incubators, accelerators, tech delegations, stock exchanges, and U.K.-based business leaders are eyeing growth and profits by leveraging opportunities in the Far East. Trade flows have always been strong, but not for tech innovation and venture investment. Now that’s changing as more and more...

Valuation game: India’s Micromax Nowhere Close To China’s Xiaomi

Home-grown mobile handset maker Micromax Informatics, which sold as many or even more smartphones in the past couple of quarters than global smartphone leader Samsung in India, is reportedly seeking a valuation of $3-3.5 billion for a potential stake sale. The valuation, which is close to three times its annual sales, is too low compared to its...

Renren’s Burst Of US Deals Showcases China Tech Going Global

China’s social networking site Renren is continuing its strategy of investing in U.S. tech startups with disruptive technology. Adding to its expanding portfolio, Renren has recently invested $5 million in mortgage marketplace Sindeo, based in San Francisco. See earlier Forbes post on Renren strategy of moving outside its core business, both by market sector and geographic...

Silicon Dragon Talk: Hong Kong Startups – A Reality Check

Silicon Dragon Talk: Offering a reality check on Hong Kong’s new push as a startup innovation capital, with guests Tytus Michalski of Fresco Capital, Melissa Guzy of Arbor Ventures and Simon Squibb of Nest. Hosted by Rebecca Fannin of Silicon Dragon Ventures.