Intel Capital invests in five Asian companies

The latest round of investment takes Intel Capital's total global spending in 2012 to $250 million across 45 deals, with 58% of commitments by value being made outside of the US. However, the pace of investment has been reined in. In 2011 as whole, Intel Capital completed 89 transactions worth a collective $409 million.

Its newest round of Asia investments include Bollywood and South Asian content distributor Hungama.com; Taiwan-based integrated circuit design house FocalTech; South Korea's social game developer LIFO Interactive; and two Chinese companies - mobile advertising provider UUCun and 3D game developer Transmension.

Financial details of each deal were not disclosed.

"We have a very large presence in China and India and other parts of Asia including South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and Vietnam," Arvind Sodhani (pictured), president of Intel Capital, told AVCJ at the Intel Capital Global Summit in California. "This part of the world represents a significant portion of our total investments and the new investments we announced today show our efforts that are underway in Asia."

While India and China remain two largest Asian markets for Intel Capital, Sudheer Kuppam, managing director of Asia Pacific operations, added that Southeast Asia is increasingly interesting as an integrated market. In May, the venture capital player invested $17 million in Singapore-based sales e-commerce group Reebonz.com and Hanoi-based internet company Vietnam Communications Corporation (VC Corp).

"If we put all Southeast Asia countries together, there is a population of half a billion and most of them are young people. The question is whether we can find companies that can transcend this combined population," Kuppam said. "If you are just targeting a particular country, then the company should provide a really compelling business model."

On the exit front, Intel Capital had divested 26 companies as of September, with seven achieving IPOs and the rest acquired through M&A. In June, Sinosun Technology - a Chinese information security systems and chips developer - listed on China's Growth Enterprise Market. Intel Capital invested in the company in 2004.

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• Early-stage
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• Intel Capital
• Technology