Catcha launches new Catcha Ventures division

• To invest US$50-100mil in high-growth digital companies in SEA
• Catcha Ventures will deploy a unique mentorship programme

INTERNATIONAL investment firm Catcha Group has announced the formal launch of Catcha Ventures, a division focused on minority investments in high-growth new media, technology and mobile companies in South-East Asia.
 
Catcha Ventures will invest between US$50 million and US$100 million in selected companies over the next three to five years, the company said in a statement.
 
Although venture capital and angel investments in startups have increased throughout the region, growth-stage funding has been largely overlooked, Catcha Group said.
 
Catcha Ventures has been founded to address a lack of funding for business that have matured from a startup and entered their ‘growth phase,’ it added.
 
“Over the last 15 years we have created a number of highly successful digital companies in the Asean region,” said Catcha Group chief executive officer Patrick grove (pic above).
 
“We are excited to bring our experience and knowledge to bear in working with the next generation of disruptive entrepreneurs to help them create amazing digital businesses,” he added.
 
Since 2007, Catcha Group has taken four of its portfolio companies from start up through to IPO (initial public offering) and still controls all four public companies today.
 
One such company, iProperty Group, recently attracted a US$100-million investment from Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation in return for a 17% stake.
 
The challenges faced by companies in their growth phase are inherently different, Catcha Group said. These new issues often include rapid revenue and customer growth, establishing and scaling management and technology systems, dealing with competition and regional expansion.
 
Catcha Ventures will deploy a unique mentorship programme, underpinned by Catcha Group’s network of seasoned digital CEOs and executives, allowing entrepreneurs to leverage off and learn from such management leaders, the company said in its statement.
 
“We have enjoyed enormous benefits from knowledge-sharing between our companies and will deploy the exact mentorship and investee community management model across our Catcha Ventures portfolio companies,” said Grove, a Digital News Asia Digerati50.
 
“We will pair each investee company with a senior mentor and advisor from within our group to help it navigate challenges as its business grows.
 
“Chances are, for any digital business encountering growth-related issues in South-East Asia, a company within our network has already successfully resolved that same challenge. Funding is one thing, but this experience and access to our network of executives and advisors is both invaluable and unique,” he declared.
 
Catcha Ventures has already begun to make investments, the company said, without elaborating.
 
Related Stories:
 
Digerati50: Hardened dotcom star ready for next level
 
Weak VC leadership letting Asean region down: Catcha chief
 
Catcha to invest US$150mil in online businesses in Asean
 
iProperty market cap crosses RM1bil mark

 
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