Innovation developments price noting in Southeast Asia: Q&A with Rachel Lau, RHL Ventures managing companion
The southeast Asian area has develop into one other innovation hub on the earth. With a valuation of US$340 billion in 2020, the area attracts many enterprise capital companies and startups to innovate the native economies. Rachel Lau, managing companion at RHL Ventures, a Malaysian non-public funding agency that focuses on development capital investments in Southeast Asia and the US, shares her insights on the newest innovation developments, introduced by main startups in Southeast Asia.
Lau will be part of additionally Lululemon Taiwan GM Gulshan Kumar and Giant’s particular assistant to CEO, Marcel Yang because the audio system on the Asia Venturing Roundtable III: Innovating Traditional Industries – Golden Opportunities in Asia, Sep 14, 8-9:30 am Taipei-SG-HK time. The occasion can be moderated by Richard Dasher, director of US-Asia Tech Management Center, Stanford University.
Q: Please give a quick introduction to RHL Ventures and your background.
A: My background has at all times been with ventures capital. I’ve completed this for 15 years, beforehand in Hong Kong, New York, and Australia. In 2017 I got here again to Malaysia to start out our three way partnership with my companions. Essentially, we largely invested in collection A and collection B startups in Southeast Asia. We have exited 30 firms by now. We’ve simply closed two funds, one is Southeast Asia Venture Fund, the opposite is a Venture Debt, which is extra stage agnostic.
We began off with some household capitals, however are largely with institutional capitals at this level. The final two funds have been government-backed, or sovereign funded.
We predominantly put money into Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore. Thailand and the Philippines are by probability.
Q: RHL invests in SMEs in Southeast Asia. Are there particular funding themes?
A: We do not have a selected sector focus however do fairly a bit within the meals tech house. Previously we did lots associated to customers house. Now for the reason that COVID, we’re fairly eager on meals safety, particularly final yr the meals provide chain broke down. Our investments within the meals house embody various protein, meals procurement, wholesome snack, low GI meals, substitutes, and many others. Then we additionally put money into healthcare, because the Southeast Asian inhabitants ages, we’d like the proper merchandise to suit the wants of the getting old inhabitants. As we’re extra educated, we are actually keener on ensuring everyone is more healthy.
Q: On your web site, you mentioned your funding…
