Ep. 29 Investor Thinking & Entrepreneur Psychology, China & Abroad

About Bruno Bensaid

Arrived in Shanghai in 1997 for a year studying Chinese at one China's top-10 universities. I then moved to Singapore in 1999 to join the APAC Finance team of Cisco Systems. Back in China (2002), I co-managed the China operations of French VC-backed Mobile Internet startups (we helped one of them raise financing from a Hong-Kong based VC).

In 2006, I started helping French VC firms and portfolio companies expand into China and later officially joined Ventech (a US$ 500-Mil Fund) as the "first China employee".

In late 2008, I started Shanghaivest, an investment banking advisory firm. It started focusing on cross-border M&A transactions between Europe and China in 2010 when a DLA Piper Partner joined me as a co-founder.

On the non-profit side: He founded the Shanghai Chapter of MobileMonday (a mobile industry community) in 2006 and joined the Steering Committee of AngelVest, a pioneering China-based angel investment organization in 2010.

I share my time between Europe and China, and I am a regular speaker and moderator at technology and investment conferences. Contributor of several articles and theses on China investment, cross-border M&A and technology environment in China.

Specialties: mobile technology, cross-border M&A and Investments with China, early-stage and seed financing, venture capital, private equity, mobile and internet, coaching, psychology of negotiation and working across cultures, public speaking

Episode Content:

• Bruno, so what you’ve been up to these days? I know you are all over the place.

• Tell us a bit about Shanghaivest and Angel vest

• Let’s go to the startup’s side first. Is it hard to raise money these days in China? Any particular fields that are easier?

• What kind of trends you see with Chinese Investors right now? I definitely see a change in Israel, where for the past to years Chinese investments in Israel are up in 50%. Seem like the Chinese are buying the world.

• What will be the best way to get involved in the VC world in China?

• what to look for in a startup and team of entrepreneurs?

• Which interesting companies you’ve seems recently coming from China among smaller ones that you see interesting potential?

• million $$ question, do you really need a partner to succeed in China?

• Where do you see the opportunities for investments in the next few years?

• how can people get in touch with you?

Episode Mentions:

• Bruno on Linkedin

• Mox

• Angelvest

• Chinaccelerator

• DD Up

• Light In The Box

• 360

• Hax

• Benjamin Joffe

• Mastermind

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