The latest news from academia, regulators
research labs and other things of interest
Posted: Apr 26th, 2012
Nanostart AG Presses Ahead With Expansion in Asia
(Nanowerk News) Nanostart AG is pressing ahead with its expansion in Asia and has formed a new company, Nanostart Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, together with investment partners. Nanostart is contributing its wholly-owned subsidiary Nanostart Asia Pte Ltd and its 50 per cent interest in Nanostart Singapore Early Stage Venture Fund, in exchange for which it will receive 56 per cent of the shares in the new Singapore-based company. The remaining 44 per cent will be held by partners in Singapore and other Asian countries, consisting of investors whose experience and networks will help Nanostart AG to achieve quick and easy expansion in Singapore and Asia.
Nanostart has two positions on the Board of Directors of the new company.
Andreas Kröll, Investment Director of Nanostart Asia Pacific, explains: "Since 2009, we have established ourselves as one of the most active investors in Singapore. The financial commitment and the contact networks of our partners in important countries are now the catalysts for our strategic expansion in Asia. In the medium to long-term, we want to acquire holdings in Asia outside of Singapore. The next step is to expand our team."
In 2008, Nanostart AG launched activities in Asia. At that time, the company was selected by the government-supported National Research Foundation (NRF) to manage a government venture fund for promoting young nanotechnology companies. The 100-percent subsidiary Nanostart Asia was launched in 2008 to manage the Nanostart Singapore Early Stage Venture Fund, in which Nanostart AG and the NRF are the two primary shareholders with approximately 50 percent each. The fund currently owns three holdings and has already executed one successful exit. New partners include experienced, extremely well networked venture capital investors from Singapore, Malaysia, China, and elsewhere.
Nanostart AG, headquartered in the German financial capital of Frankfurt, is a leading nanotechnology investment company, with portfolio companies spanning the globe from Silicon Valley to Singapore. The company provides venture capital financing for nanotechnology companies in various growth phases with a focus on innovation-driven industries of the future such as cleantech, life sciences and IT/electronics. As main shareholder of Nanostart Asia Pacific Ptd Ltd Nanostart invests as partner of the Singaporean government.
Source: Nanostart (press release)
Translate this article:
Check out these other trending stories on Nanowerk: