MPE&VCA supported the “Myanmar Impact Society Forum 2020” organised by Social Enterprise Development Association Myanmar (SeDAM) in early May by having its founding members, Anthem Asia and Yangon Capital Partners, take part in the forum, which acted as a platform for stakeholders across the impact investment ecosystem.
At the Forum, U Tin Min Htut, of Yangon Capital Partners (YCP), shared his take on making investments that have an impact looking through the lens of PE investors. He also shared the different investment sizes and mandates that PE/VC investors are keen to conduct in Myanmar.
“Typical Private Equity firms in mature markets seek poorly managed or underperforming companies in good sectors to invest in so that they can take control of the management and operation to turn it around by improving efficiency in utilizing resources and making it more profitable so that they can later sell it for higher profit.” said Htut, giving an example of a PE firm’s involvement in its investee company.
On the point of identifying potential investee companies, Htut said “For my own investment I have a preference towards technology-based companies as it is easier to scale up. With the help of technology, companies can rapidly expand within the country or across the region.”
The day of the forum also included a “Social Innovation Ideas Challenge Pitch” at which the Yangon Institute of Economics students pitched their business ideas to the judges.
Rahul Sejpal, assistant director at Anthem Asia was among the judges who graded the university students’ pitching skills and gave feedback on their business plans, an effort that MPE&VCA took to promoting entrepreneurship among the students with budding talents.