Introduction to ePlanet

Established in 1999, ePlanet Capital (then known as ePlanet Ventures) pioneered the development of a truly global venture and growth capital business model. It was the first venture capital firm to utilise a global model with offices in Asia, Europe and the United States. At ePlanet Capital we seek to continue providing superior returns to our investors by making private equity investments on a global basis.

ePlanet consists of a team of more than 30 professionals across the globe in our offices located in Beijing, Bangalore, Seoul, London and Silicon Valley. We are also represented in Hong Kong and Shanghai. With our established and experienced team, we are in a unique position to source, evaluate and compare attractive investment opportunities globally. ePlanet's geographical reach enables us to identify and assess innovation as it develops around the globe, and to collaboratively compare each potential investment's utility, investment merits, addressable markets and likely growth rates. This approach has made us become one of the leaders in catalyzing migration of business models and technological innovation from developed markets to emerging markets. We have made over 100 investments across the globe since inception, including success stories such as for example Baidu, Skype, Focus Media and Kong Zhong. Our portfolio companies have achieved an aggregate market value of over $50 billion.

Investment Strategy

ePlanet’s investment strategy focuses on investments in economic growth and rising technology adoption. The team utilizes a global opportunistic approach of taking proven business models and technologies into emerging markets which  include Asia with emphasis on China, Korea, India, and Indonesia, Latin America, with emphasis on Brazil and Chile, and other high growth markets such as Turkey. ePlanet also considers investments in more established markets such as the US and Europe. 

The strategy is based on a global team incentive model, therefore ePlanet invests in the best deals with the best valuation regardless of geographic location. Emphasis is mainly on expansion and growth equity stage companies where there is traction in terms of annual revenue growth and net income growth, in addition to a smaller allocation to early stage investments.  ePlanet broadly focuses on three sectors, Internet and eCommerce, Telecoms and Media Technology, and Consumer Electronics. 

Companies are targeted where the application of innovation in technology and/or business models has the potential to create high-growth, category-dominant players. Innovation is not just limited to the emergence of new technology and/or an invention but will also include improvement in business model and business efficiencies across a broad spectrum of sectors and industries with the potential to address a large target market. Similarly, technology is also broadly defined to encompass a wide range of sectors and business and market-based strategies, such as information technology, software and software applications, consumer electronics, semiconductors, wireless, and internet services. 

ePlanet strives to deliver returns that will outperform industry benchmarks and result in minimal write-offs through applying distinct fundamentals that include the following: 

• Concentration on high growth and large sectors/industries: Portfolio examples include eCommera, a leader in the U.K. e-commerce market and  Vipukkan, a fast growing company in the Turkish e-commerce market, and two investments  seeded by the firm: Virgin Mobile Latin America, and Medfort Hospitals (India), both having the capability of growing into large category dominant  companies  in their respective geographic regions and sectors

• Focus on  migration of  successful proven business models from US/Europe to the emerging markets.  Portfolio examples include Baidu, where Google, a successful U.S business model was transplanted into China with  appropriate localization.  Another example is Tribe Mobile’s successful migration of the Virgin Mobile U.K. Mobile Virtual Network Operator (“MVNO”) business model to Latin America
•  Investments in strong founding teams with scalable business models that do not require significant sums of capital. A portfolio example of this is Silicon Mitus, founded by the ex-CEO of Samsung USA and also staffed by numerous prior members of Samsung top management

• ePlanet has a proven ability to migrate and adapt business models with a  12 year track record of transferring technology, knowledge and management talent from developed markets to emerging markets.  Utilizing ePlanet’s presence in global innovation centers, the team has created a successful model of applying or leveraging technology from the current leading innovation centers in the U.S and Europe to innovation-driven companies in emerging markets.

The ePlanet Philosophy

At ePlanet Capital, we believe in providing more than just capital to our portfolio companies. We seek to work closely with the management teams of our portfolio companies to position them for growth, future financing (if it is required) and eventual liquidity. As a board member, we are active, and we have the energy, experience and contacts to help take the company to the next stage and beyond. Investors, partners and industry contacts are our most valuable resources. Our well developed network of contacts is a powerful resource we can bring to bear in our efforts to help our portfolio companies succeed, and is instrumental in maintaining our excellent deal flow.

ePlanet Capital and all its group companies, including the UK regulated entity, ePlanet Capital Limited, are committed to acting fairly, ethically and with integrity. It is the policy of ePlanet Capital Limited not to engage in, or tolerate, bribery in any form within its business, or within organisations that it does business with. This is both a cultural commitment on the part of the firm and a legal requirement. The Bribery and Anti-Corruption policy has been adopted by the directors of ePlanet Capital Limited. The directors attach the utmost importance to this policy and apply a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to acts of bribery and corruption. All employees are required to comply with ePlanet Capital Limited’s Anti-Bribery Policy and to act in accordance with its provisions when carrying out work on behalf of ePlanet Capital Limited