3 ms·
A lot of negative comments here, especially around IP theft. We have a couple of Chinese investors and they've been top quartile for us. The main reason Chinese
by rdlecler1 10y ago
A lot of negative comments here, especially around IP theft. We have a couple of Chinese investors and they've been top quartile for us. The main reason Chinese money is looking to invest in the US is because they need a release valve for their money. RenRen invested in my friend's company and he said they've been great. I heard that Horizons has some tough terms but they are also great investors. As for the Chinese LPs I've spoken with, they seem much more entrepreneurial and less risk adverse than western LPs. This is an economy that has seen a near 38 year uninterrupted bull run with a lot of technological development. It's not surprising they are optimistic and want to invest in venture especially, if they want to diversify out of their existing industries/economy.
- toomuchstuff 10y agoJust don't mention the tech bubble.
- a13n 10y ago> 38 year uninterrupted bull run Umm, where were you Q1 this year when their market was crashing so hard it brought ours and everyone else's along with it?
- 3pt14159 10y agoHow do you know the main reason that the Chinese are looking to invest in the US within high tech VC? There is growth opportunities all around the world that don't require leaking business plans or technologies to a government that is hostile to worldwide IP protection. They clone all our major businesses (Google, Uber, etc), they shut us out of their currency markets, they shut us out of their property markets, they burden us with complex banking requirements and inexplicably expensive and annoying travel visas. But go on and tell me why I should be behind Chinese money further infecting our economy in this asymmetrical trading relationship. I understand Nato policy towards China is one of engagement. Pulling them so far into trade that they can't afford to take drastic military action, but it's getting to be a bit much. It's especially evident here in Toronto / Canada, where the government or highly, highly government connected businessmen fund some politicians and essentially not-for-profit news outlets (usually in Chinese). China isn't Europe. Dealing with them requires a much more realistic, firm hand.
- ryandamm 10y agoTo be fair, Chinese capital outflows are going everywhere in the US (and Canada), high tech is a tiny part of it. (Though there are structural reasons why capital leakage via investment is easier than other capital leakage.) In your own country, I'd point to Vancouver's real estate market as an example of Chinese capital flight that has nothing to do with IP. And to be fair, copying successful tech companies with local clones isn't a purely Chinese phenomenon. I forget the name of that German firm that was doing precisely that, but they're a good counterexample and a common villain on these forums.
- 3pt14159 10y agoThe difference is that they actively took steps to block our companies there, like Google, who had a fully working Chinese search engine. I get the Realism in politics reason they did it, but it doesn't mean that we have to have to treat China with the open hearts, open doors philosophy we've been dealing with other more liberal economies.
- wtvanhest 10y agoJust to be clear, the Chinese are not alone in cloning business models. The difference is that the barrier to entry from us firms is higher so at least one Chinese clon of each type survived and grows.