DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ HongShan split from Sequoia last year as US-China relations worsened. Now, it's eyeing up Europe.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Callum Burroughs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Last June, storied investor Sequoia Capital announced it was to split itself into three separate entities. Sequoia Capital would look after the US and Europe; Peak XV Partners would manage its investments in India; and HongShan Capital would be based in China. The emergence of HongShan as an active investor in Europe would result in the firm "competing with former family," one source said. The expansion could be aimed at attracting businesses that target the Chinese market or companies set up by Chinese entrepreneurs away from home, the FT said, citing sources who had spoken with Shen. HongShan Capital's most recent fund includes LPs such as CalPERS, the University of Texas Investment Management Company, and the University of Washington endowment.

Persons: HongShan, Neil Shen, Shen Organizations: Sequoia Capital, YouTube, Sequoia, Partners, HongShan, Business, United, Strategic, University of Texas Investment Management Company, University of Washington Locations: China, Europe, India, London, Singapore, Asia

☆ Tech investors face 'new era' of China restrictions after Biden order limits funding in A.I., chips
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Biden administration's executive order restricting U.S. private equity and venture capital investments in Chinese technology finally landed on Wednesday. For U.S. tech investors who'd already grown wary of the budding cross-Pacific rivalry, the ruling is the clearest signal yet that the world's second-biggest economy is off limits. Biden is specifically targeting investments in technologies like semiconductors, quantum computing and artificial intelligence on concern that China's advancements in those areas run counter to U.S. national security interests. U.S. investors have been steadily retreating from China due to a combination of a weakening economy and the fraught geopolitical environment. "Most investors want to avoid being seen as acting against U.S. national security interests."

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, We've, Elena McGovern, Neil Shen helming, Eric Reiner, Adam Hickey, Mayer Brown, Steve Sarracino, that's, Activant, There's Organizations: Biden, Capstone, Chinese Communist Party, Sequoia Capital, Sequoia, Vine Ventures, Justice Department's, who's, U.S, Activant, Investors Locations: Belen , New Mexico, U.S, China, Sequoia China, Israel, Latin America, Germany, South Africa, The U.S, ByteDance

The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party sent letters to four separate U.S. venture capital firms, including Qualcomm's venture arm, expressing "serious concern" about their investments in Chinese tech startups. The letters, which were made public on Wednesday, were sent to GGV Capital, GST Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures, and Walden International. Qualcomm Ventures, for example, made 13 investments in Chinese A.I. Walden, a smaller firm, was identified as a particularly significant backer of Chinese AI companies. He said at the time he found there was "broad support" among venture capitalists and others to keep U.S. asset managers from investing in Chinese AI firms.

Persons: Mike Gallagher, Wisconsin Republican Mike Gallagher, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Janet Yellen, Antony Blinken, Gallagher, Krishnamoorthi, SenseTime, GGV, Didi, Megvii, Abu, Walden, Intellifusion, Neil Shen helming Organizations: U.S, Capitol, Chinese Communist Party, GGV, Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures, Walden International, Wisconsin Republican, Treasury, New York Times, Qualcomm, Tiger Global Management, Tiger Global, Denglin Technology, Georgetown's Center for Security, Emerging Technology, Macquarie Group, GSR Ventures, Center for Security, Horizon Robotics, Silicon Valley, CNBC, U.S . Commerce Department, Street, Sequoia Capital, Sequoia Locations: Illinois, China, U.S, Silver, Denglin, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore, Megvii, Sequoia China

☆ Private equity hurtles towards hard Asia reset
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Una Galani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SINGAPORE, June 7 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Sequoia’s decision to carve out its China business formalises a push for a hard reset in Asia that private equity firms have until now largely been grappling with behind the scenes. These country-agnostic funds accounted for just over half the money raised in 2022 in the region, a 22-year high. Granted, these South and Southeast Asia markets are small at present compared to China; that’s why more firms are seeking bigger-ticket buyouts in Australia and Japan. That will eventually weigh on performance in the region, which for top-quartile Asia funds last year was a very respectable median 25% net internal rate of return, per Preqin. Private equity’s cooling relationship with China, though, is likely to hit hard for most.

Persons: Neil Shen, Shailendra Singh, Singh, Zhang Lei, There’s, Shen, Antony Currie, Katrina Hamlin Organizations: Reuters, Bain & Co, Bain Capital, KKR, XV Partners, Sequoia, Twitter, NEWS Venture, Sequoia Capital, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, China, Asia, Republic, Sequoia, India, Southeast Asia, Greater China, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Hillhouse, Singapore, Australia, Japan, U.S

Economic challenges and geopolitical tensions have made fundraising and investment difficult, and eaten into global venture funds' returns. "It has become increasingly complex to run a decentralized global investment business," Sequoia said in the statement. Sequoia China will retain its current Chinese name and adopt the name HongShan in English, while Sequoia India and Southeast Asia will become Peak XV Partners, the firm said. Sequoia started to invest in local companies in China, India and Southeast Asia more than 15 years ago, according to the statement. Sequoia China, founded and led by former entrepreneur and investment banker Shen, has invested in more than 1,200 companies in sectors ranging from technology to healthcare.

Persons: Sequoia, Roelof Botha, Neil Shen, Shailendra Singh, Shen, Biden, Weiheng Chen, Wilson, Steven Yu, Yu, Trump, we've, Singh, Oyo, Kane Wu, Julie Zhu, Sriram, Roxanne Liu, Krystal Hu, Bernadette Baum, Mark Potter, Paul Simao Organizations: Sequoia Capital, Economic, Investment, Sequoia, XV Partners, HK, PDD Holdings, Reuters, Global Law, China -, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, China, India, Southeast Asia, COVID, Sequoia China, Sequoia India, Shanghai, U.S, China - U.S, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Beijing, San Francisco

☆ Sequoia to separate China, India and Southeast Asia operations by March 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, June 6 (Reuters) - Global venture capital giant Sequoia announced Tuesday that it is planning to separate its China, and India and Southeast Asia businesses into two independent firms. The China and India and Southeast Asia businesses will become independent and distinct with separate brands, by March 31, 2024, Sequoia said in a statement signed by managing partners Roelof Botha, China head Neil Shen and India head Shailendra Singh. Sequoia China will retain its current Chinese name and adopt the name HongShan in English, while Sequoia India and Southeast Asia will become Peak XV Partners, the firm said. The firm partnered with local leaders in China and India and Southeast Asia over 15 years ago, according to the statement. Singh and his team raised a $2.5 billion India and Southeast Asia fund last year, its biggest yet.

Persons: Sequoia, Roelof Botha, Neil Shen, Shailendra Singh, Shen, Singh, Kane Wu, Julie Zhu, Sriram, Louise Heavens, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Sequoia, Sequoia Capital, XV Partners, HK, PDD Holdings, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe, Sequoia China, Sequoia India, Oyo, Mumbai

☆ The decision to split Sequoia Capital into 3 entities puts to bed any questions of a power struggle at the VC powerhouse
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Melia Russell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

VC powerhouse Sequoia Capital announced Tuesday that it is splitting into three entities. One of those entities, Sequoia China, known locally as HongShan, will operate as a distinct firm. The mighty Sequoia Capital is dropping branches. The decision puts to bed any question of a power struggle at one of Silicon Valley's most respected firms. And unlike some other global firms that had veto power over investments overseas, according to Bloomberg, Sequoia China had full autonomy to strike its own deals.

Persons: Roelof Botha, Neil Shen, Forbes, Alex Konrad, Doug Leone, Instagram, Bytedance, Botha, Shen, Julian Bek, Elon Musk's Organizations: Sequoia Capital, Sequoia, XV Partners, YouTube, Bloomberg, Shen, Sequoia China, Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Accel, Elon, Twitter, Fidelity Locations: Sequoia China, China, Europe, HongShan, India, Southeast Asia, Sequoia, Sequoia Capital China, Asia, Silicon Valley, London, FTX

☆ Venture Capital Giant Sequoia Spins Off China and India Units
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Lauren Hirsch | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Sequoia Capital, one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent venture capital firms, is breaking itself up, spinning out its Chinese unit into an independent company at a time of rising tensions between China and the United States over investment and access to advanced technologies. The firm announced on Tuesday that it planned to split into three independent partnerships, with its businesses in China and India adopting new brands and the firm in the United States and Europe retaining the Sequoia name. The firm’s global footprint had become “increasingly complex” to manage, said a statement from Sequoia’s managing partner Roelof Botha; the firm’s China head, Neil Shen; and its India head, Shailendra Singh. “Increasingly, we deal with portfolio conflicts across entities because founders really now have global ambitions,” Mr. Botha said. “And the brand confusion was just starting to chafe at everybody.”

Persons: Roelof Botha, Neil Shen, Shailendra Singh, Botha, ”, “, ” Mr Organizations: Sequoia Locations: China, United States, India, Europe

☆ Sequoia Capital to split into three parts, separating its China and India businesses
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Sequoia partners Roelof Botha, Neil Shen, and Shailendra Singh delivered the update to their limited partners via a joint message. Botha is managing partner for Sequoia's U.S. and Europe business, while Shen and Singh run Sequoia's China and Southeast Asia businesses, respectively. "To deliver on our mission, we have decided to fully embrace our local-first approach," the three partners told their investors. "We've seen growing market confusion due to the shared Sequoia brand as well as portfolio conflicts across entities." Sequoia is one of the world's top venture funds, with notable investments in Apple, Google, Paypal, and Zoom.

Persons: Roelof Botha, Neil Shen, Shailendra Singh, Botha, Shen, Singh Organizations: Sequoia, Sequoia's, XV Partners, Apple, Google, Paypal Locations: China, U.S, Europe, Southeast Asia, India

☆ US venture capital titan Sequoia to split off China business amid tension with Beijing
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —Venture capital titan Sequoia is splitting its business into three independent partnerships, each with separate brands. Sequoia Capital executives briefed investors Tuesday about the plans, which are expected to be completed by March 2024. The firm’s operations in Europe and the United States will retain the current name, Sequoia Capital. Its Chinese unit, Sequoia China, will use its current Chinese name, HongShan. The company’s business operations in India and Southeast Asia will be spun off into a partnership named Peak XV Partners.

Persons: hyping, Roelof Botha, Neil Shen, Shailendra Singh, Biden, TikTok Organizations: DC CNN — Venture, Sequoia Capital, XV Partners, Apple, Sequoia, Republicans, US, Street Journal Locations: Washington, China, Beijing, Europe, United States, Sequoia China, India, Southeast Asia, Montana

NEW YORK, June 6 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Sequoia is blazing another new trail in venture capital. As one of Silicon Valley’s pioneers, Sequoia Capital has backed everything from Apple (AAPL.O) to Zoom Video Communications (ZM.O) over the past half-century, and many others in between, including Instagram, 23andMe (ME.O) and DoorDash (DASH.N). The world has changed, however – and changed yet again – since Sequoia opened its doors. Valentine named Sequoia after a tree that lives thousands of years, signifying a plan to survive and grow through any sort of climate. Follow @thereallsl on TwitterFollow @anshumandaga on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSVenture capital firm Sequoia Capital said on June 6 that it would separate its China, India and Southeast Asia, and U.S. and European arms into three businesses.

Persons: Don Valentine, – Roelof Botha, Neil Shen, Shailendra Singh –, Valentine, Sequoia, ByteDance, Jeffrey Goldfarb, Sharon Lam Organizations: YORK, Reuters, Sequoia Capital, Apple, Video Communications, Investments, HK, Sequoia, Venture, Thomson Locations: China, India, U.S, Sequoia, Southeast Asia, United States, Mumbai, Shanghai

☆ Hong Kong government announces measures to lure wealthy family offices
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, March 24 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's government announced a series of measures on Friday to attract wealthy family offices to set up in the financial hub as authorities try to restore business confidence and investor allure after three years of severe COVID-19 rules. "The policy statement demonstrates our determination to develop Hong Kong into a leading global family office hub," Paul Chan, the city's financial secretary said. Chan said this would help bolster Hong Kong's financial sector as well as areas including technology, green, arts and culture and philanthropy. City leader John Lee said last year that he had set a target of attracting 200 large family offices to set up in Hong Kong by 2025. Hong Kong's push to attract wealthy families comes as many wealthy individuals and companies shifted to rival financial hubs such as Singapore after Beijing's imposition of a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020.

Search resuls for: "Neil Shen"

12 mentions found