Private Equity Korea » Events

Reminder: Korean Investment Workshop AFF Hong Kong

Ross Geesman — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:18:38 +0000

Just a reminder that Invest KOREA will be attending the Hong Kong Asian Financial Forum on January 16-17. Visitors will have the chance to attend our investment workshop and 1:1 meetings with Korean companies.

Please see this post for more information or get in touch with us at rgeesman@kotra.or.kr or jiunpark@kotra.or.kr. We hope to see many of our readers there!

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Kotra’s Buy Korea Summit 2012

Ross Geesman — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:42:25 +0000

The Korea Trade Investment Promotions Agency (KOTRA) has announced the Buy Korea Summit to be held on February 14 at Seoul’s KINTEX Convention Center Seoul.

The conference is intended to provide opportunities for business development and partnership formation between Korean and international businesses. This year there are over 2,500 South Korean companies in attendance making many opportunities for networking and one-on-one meetings to discuss sourcing, joint-ventures and investment.

Registration is for the event is free and can be completed at the website tradesouthkorea.org.

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Event Summary: 2011 PE/VC Networking Luncheon

Ross Geesman — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:01:03 +0000

On Monday December 19, Invest KOREA’s Financial Industry Investment Promotion Team hosted the PE/VC Networking Luncheon at Seoul’s COEX Convention and Exhibition Center. The luncheon included presentations a welcome speech by Invest KOREA Commissioner Hank Ahn and a presentation (Korean) on the Financial Industry Investment Promotion Team by director Sung-il Park.

The main attraction was a presentation made by our special guests, attorneys Jae-young Jang and Byeong-tae Kim of law firm Shin and Kim. The presentation covered amendments to the Korean Commercial Code and their implications for private equity and venture capital investments. While we don’t have permission to distribute their presentation materials, if you leave a comment we will request that a copy be sent to you. Otherwise, take a look at these English language materials related to the commercial code revision and other legal issues here.

The event was attended by 50 people representing 36 private equity and venture capital firms including IMM Private Equity, Goldman Sachs, Mirae Asset Securities, and Vertex. Media attendees included the bell, Merger Market and Dow Jones. By all accounts, the event was a success and so many people registered that the room we rented was filled to capacity.

Keep an eye out for announcements about next year’s events in Korea and around the world, the first being the Korean Investment Workshop at the Asian Financial Forum in Hong Kong in January.

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Korean Investment Workshop at AFF – Hong Kong 2012

Ross Geesman — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:32:31 +0000

Invest KOREA will be attending the Asian Financial Forum at the Hong Kong Convention Center on January 16th and 17th. We will be holding a workshop and 1:1 meetings with Korean companies on the 17th and we are looking forward to seeing many of our readers there.

The workshop will kick off with an opening speech from Invest KOREA Commissioner, Hank Ahn, who will briefly outline the role and goals of the organization. Then, an official from the Ministry of Knowledge Economy will give a presentation explaining the Ministry’s strategy to support Korea’s New Growth Engines and introducing the nation’s investment environment. After, five investment-seeking companies from Korea’s high-performing IT, software, and cleantech industries will talk about their exciting new technologies and business models. Lastly, co-investment opportunities for global private equity and venture capital investors will be introduced in an informational overview of the KoFC-backed Global Win-Win Fund.

In the afternoon, after the workshop, investors will have the opportunity to conduct 1:1 meetings with Korean companies at our “AFF Deal Flow” event. Currently 3 listed and 5 unlisted companies are confirmed to attend.

Please contact us at rgeesman@kotra.or.kr or jiunpark@kotra.or.kr for more information.

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Korea Financial Forum: London

Stephanie Lim — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 07:53:57 +0000

On December 1, 2011, Invest KOREA and the Ministry of Knowledge Economy will be at the Savoy hotel in London for the Korea Financial Forum. The purpose of this forum is to inform potential investors of opportunities in the Korean private equity, venture capital, and real estate markets, and to strengthen cooperation within the financial industry.

The event program consists of presentations, panels, and one-on-one meetings. Two separate tracks, one focusing on private equity and venture capital and the other on real estate, will run concurrently. Both tracks will include presentations and discussions by leading private sector experts on market trends and opportunities.

The following Korean companies will be available, by reservation, for one-on-one meetings that afternoon:

EN Technologies

EN Technologies is emerging as one of Korea’s leading providers of products for controlling, managing, and connecting to green power systems. The company’s core strength is in power electronics, i.e. products that control and manage the flow of power including power supplies, electrical switchgear, and transmission products.

ForMediaTech

ForMediaTech is a developer and marketer of digital imaging software and hardware. The company has developed stereoscopic (3D) technology that separates specific patterns in various media by analyzing colors and shapes in images. They use this technology to create diverse image analysis for conversion into 3D.

Ilshim Global

Ilshim Global is one of the leading producers and developers of microfiber cleaning cloths in Korea. In 2011, the company released a new product, the Windoro-Window Cleaning Robot, which is similar to the Roomba by iRobot, but Windoro uses neodymium magnets cling to windows while cleaning them to a shine.

Jinhae Ocean Resort

Jinhae Ocean Resort is the only SPC at the Busan-Jinhae Free Economic Zone (BJFEZ). The company develops and operates the integrated tourism & leisure complex at BJFEZ, one of Korea’s six Free Economic Zones, and provides an ideal living and business environment for foreign investors and their families.

To register to attend the forum or to meet with any of these companies, please contact Hwankuk Kang at kcc2008@kotra.or.kr in Seoul, or Suk-ho Lee at sukholee@kotra.or.kr in London.

Korea PE & VC Cleantech Forum in Review

Stephanie Lim — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:09:58 +0000

Korea PE & VC Cleantech Forum

November 3, 2011

Keynote Speech

Scott Kalb, the CIO of the Korea Investment Corporation started the day by talking about the challenge of climate change and the need to reform the global energy infrastructure. According to Kalb, Asia has overtaken all other regions in terms of investment in cleantech, and infrastructure reformation in Korea would require annual investment of $500 billion.

The Market Outlook: Managing through the Turmoil

Andrew Economos, Head of Sovereign & Institutional Strategy, Asia, from JP Morgan, explained the new fiscal world order. He discussed the roots of the financial problems in Europe and the US, and predicted that emerging markets will continue to grow and buffer the global downturn.

The Evolution & Future of Cleantech

Nicholas Parker and Greg Neichen of the Cleantech Group followed with their expert insight on how unprecedented global challenges have led to innovation. The energetic duo gave examples of ways that investment into cleantech can contribute not only to the future of the industry, but also to the prosperity of mankind, emphasizing the importance of transforming existing global infrastructures.

Cleantech Investment Strategies & Deal Drivers in Asia

Moderated by Richard Youngman, also from the Cleantech Group, this panel included representatives from Idinvest Partners, Maybank PE, Keytone Ventures, and Tsing Capital, all of which also stressed the importance of infrastructure change. These global investors talked about strategies to leverage opportunities in Asia, and consensus was that by seeking innovative, proven solutions with wide applications, investors can avoid imaginary bubbles in the cleantech space.

Korean LP’s Investment Strategy & Asset Allocation

The last panel that morning was moderated by Jonathan Shieber of Dow Jones. The panelists were esteemed officials from the Korea Investment Corporation (KIC), Korea Post Insurance Bureau, and the Korea Finance Corporation (KoFC). During the discussion, Young Joon Kim of the KoFC said 30 percent of its funds are allocated to cleantech as per the national green growth initiative and its “Low-Carbon, Green-Growth” fund will be increasingly allocated to the water sector.

: Nicholas Parker and Greg Neichin of the Cleantech Group

Korea’s Investment Environment & Deal Sourcing Strategies

After a networking luncheon that featured international cuisine, the afternoon session began with a panel led by Sung-il Park of Invest KOREA, who asked local PE and VC firms to share their reasons for investing in Korean companies. Kwan Lee of IMM PE cited the opportunities in the growing financial market, James Kim of EQ Partners mentioned the competitive environment, Ji-Yeong Kang of Samho Green Investment pointed out the outstanding potential of the IT & cleantech sectors, and Jason Lee of L&S VC noted the unparalleled policy support for cleantech investment.

Korea’s Regulatory Environment for Global Financial Investors

This panel was moderated by Alex Yang of Kim & Chang, who was joined by representatives from the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the National Tax Service, as well as Joshua Kahn of Hamilton Lane and Keith Gillard of Pangaea Ventures. Kahn observed that Korea’s investment environment has been changing as the nation gains more experience, and Gillard lauded Korea’s unique investment incentive programs.

Strategies for Early & Growth State Cleantech Investing

Greg Neichin from the Cleantech Group returned to moderate this panel and was joined by representatives from SkyLake Incuvest, BP Ventures, Entropy Ventures, and CLSA Capital Partners. Prompted by Neichin, the panelists discussed the difficulties of venture investment; they stressed the need for proof of concept and a solid understanding of the relevant technology as well as the market and methods of capital creation.

Global LP Investment Strategy & Manager Selection

Jonathan Shieber returned to ask the panelists to list reasons for investing in cleantech despite the poor success rate. Global investors from Robeco-SAM PE, HarbourVest, Squadron Capital, Wilshire Private Markets, and Macquarie Funds Group agreed that while the history of cleantech investment has been tumultuous, the sector will be profitable in the future. Wide and thorough diversification, they said, is the key to absorbing losses.

Top speakers confirmed for Korea PE & VC Cleantech Forum

Brett Moffat — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 04:43:47 +0000

Invest KOREA and event partners SGI and Cleantech Group are pleased to announce the top line-up of confirmed speakers and panelists for the upcoming Korea PE & VC Cleantech Forum.

Speakers and panelists include:

Scott Kalb – CIO, Korea Investment Corporation
Andrew Economos – Head of Sovereign & Institutional Strategy Asia, JP Morgan
Nicholas Parker – Co-founder, Cleantech Group
Greg Neichin – Vice President, Research & Advisory, Cleantech Group
Don Ye – Founder, Tsing Capital
Richard Youngman – Managing Director Europe & Asia, Cleantech Group
Nicolas Chaudron – Partner, Idinvest
Nigel Khoo – CEO, Maybank PE
Eric Tao – Partner & Co-founder, Keytone Ventures
Dong-ik Lee – Head of Private Markets Group, Korea Investment Corporation
Jong Yung Jung – CIO, Korea Post Savings Fund
Young Joon Kim – General Manager, Korea Finance Corporation
Tim Kang – Managing Director, Samho Green Investment
Kwan Lee – Senior Managing Director, IMM Private Equity
Jason Lee – Managing Director, L&S Venture Capital
James Kim – CEO, EQ Partners
Dae Young Kwon – Director, Financial Services Commission
Kyung Suk Jung – Director, National Tax Service
Joshua Kahn – Director, Hamilton Lane
KS Lee – Managing Director, Skylake Incuvest
Vivek Sharma – Associate, BP Ventures
Sylvia Chan – Managing Director & Co-founder, Entropy Ventures
Peter Kennedy – Managing Director, CLSA Capital
Eric ter Braak – Investment Director, Robeco – SAM Private Equity
Scott Voss – Managing Director, HarbourVest
Eugene So – Investment Director, Squadron Capital
Kevin Nee – President, Wilshire Private Markets

The Forum, which is taking place Nov. 2 – 3, 2011 at the Grand InterContinental Hotel, is set to be the largest cleantech investment event ever held in Korea.

See the event post here for more information or contact Ms. Stephanie Lim of Invest KOREA at stephanie@kotra.or.kr or on +82 2 3460 7539.

RUSNANO and I2BF Global Ventures invest in Nesscap Energy

Stephanie Lim — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 07:27:56 +0000

RUSNANO and I2BF Global Ventures have announced an investment agreement with Nesscap Energy Inc., a global leader in the research, development, and manufacturing of ultracapacitor products.

RUSNANO and I2BF respectively subscribed for $19 million and $1 million worth of Nesscap common shares. Nesscap will use the proceeds from this financing to establish an ultracapacitor production facility and a fundamental research center in the Russia, as well as for the expansion of Nesscap’s current manufacturing and core R&D operations in Korea.

Also under the terms of the investment agreement, the Managing Director of RUSNANO, Mr. Georgy Kolpachev, will join Nesscap’s board of directors.

According to Kolpachev, “products from the new plant in Russia will be supplied to the growing European and Asian markets for use within the automotive sector and renewable energy markets.”

Incidentally, Kolpachev will be joining an all-star lineup of speakers at Invest KOREA’s Korea PE & VC Cleantech Forum 2011 on November 3, and will be giving a presentation on Investing in Cleantech Convergence Technolgies.

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Korea PE & VC Cleantech Forum 2011

Stephanie Lim — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 07:13:53 +0000

The Korean government and The Cleantech Group have joined forces to provide the premier investing event in Korea. Held as part of the Foreign Investment Forum (FIF), the Korea PE & VC Cleantech Forum offers global investors the ultimate chance to fully realize the bright potential of investing in a clean Korea.

The agenda has been developed to deliver two days of unique insights into the cleantech investment environment and opportunities in Korea. The program includes distinguished keynote speeches, in-depth panels, exclusive research from Cleantech Group, and ample time for networking with other investors, policy makers and entrepreneurs.

Insight: Discussion panels and informative presentations

Investment trends, strategies & opportunities in Korea and Asia
Korean institutional investors’ asset allocation & investment strategy
Global fund of funds approach to cleantech investing
Korea Tax Office guide to the regulatory environment for global investors
Role of corporate investment in cleantech industries

Opportunity: Company Showcase & One-on-one meetings

Showcase of leading Korean cleantech companies from the wind, solar, electric vehicle and fuel cell industries
Pre-arranged meetings with Korean GPs and investment-seeking companies

Network: The largest gathering of investors held in Korea

Networking luncheon, cocktail reception, and buffet dinner with major Korean LPs such as NPS, KIC, Korea Post, and the Korea Finance Corporation
Over 300 industry professionals attended last year’s event

Invited Guests: Leaders in cleantech and finance

Institutional, private equity, and venture capital investors
Cleantech corporations, industry specialists, and advisors

Additionally, approved investors will be provided with accommodation for up to three nights.

For information, to RSVP, or for speaking or sponsorship inquiries, please contact:

Mr. Brett Moffat
+82 2 3460 7536 / b.moffat@kotra.or.kr.

For information on last year’s event see here.

The FIF will run over the course of two days, from November 2-3, and will be held at the Grand InterContintental Hotel in Seoul. Industry experts and government officials will give overviews of the investment environments and projects in the sectors of renewable energy, chemical and electronic material industries, and regional development and logistics. The program will also include an Emerging Markets Investment Forum and a Foreign Investment Press Conference.

Overwhelming attendance at Korea Investment Forums

Brett Moffat — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 04:58:19 +0000

Hank Ahn, Commissioner of Invest KOREA

As a testament to the attractiveness of Korea’s investment environment for financial investors, over 350 investors attended Invest KOREA’s Korea Investment Forums held in Hong Kong and Singapore earlier this week.

The forums, which were hosted by Junggwan Kim, Vice Minister for Trade and Energy, Ministry of Knowledge Economy, provided Hong Kong and Singapore-based investors with insight on investing in Korea’s finance and real estate sectors.

On a program full of highlights, in particular the ‘Private Equity/Venture Capital Trends and Deal Drivers in Korea’ panel session was well received.

The distinguished panelists for the session included – Kang Suk Lee (Skylake Incuvest), James Jonghoon Kim (EQ Partners), Kevin Kidoo Lee (Excelsior Capital Asia) (HK only), Jason Lee, (L&S Venture Capital), Kwan Lee (IMM PE), and Jun Park (Mirae Asset Private Equity) (SG only). This all-star panel provided a packed room of attendees with rare insight into investing into Korea.

Over the lunch, through video conference from KOTRA HQ in Seoul, investment-seeking Korean cleantech companies delivered IR presentations.

Korea Private Equity/Venture Capital Panel Discussion

Private Equity Korea » Events

Reminder: Korean Investment Workshop AFF Hong Kong

Kotra’s Buy Korea Summit 2012

Event Summary: 2011 PE/VC Networking Luncheon

Korean Investment Workshop at AFF – Hong Kong 2012

Korea Financial Forum: London

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