Russian VC firm eyes $50 million SEA investment

Focussing on internet and IT investment, subsidiary Ru-Net II has invested in 10 promising businesses in Russia since its inception in 2007. These include group-buying site Big Lion, video-streaming service ivi and advertising company iContext.

Within Southeast Asia, it was reported in September 2011 that Ru-Net was one of the investors putting $60 million into Vietnam internet holding company MJ Group. German company Rebate Networks and IDG Ventures also became partners of the company.

MJ owns portals Nhommua.com and Diadiem.com, which offer navigation and e-commerce services, as well Two.vn, a mobile applications company, and Two Media, an online advertising company. The company has around 500 employees in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

It is understood that Ru-Net plans to invest between $5 million and $20 million in a single transaction, focusing on start-ups that have already gone past the seed round and operate in the areas of online travel, e-commerce, entertainment, and social gaming.

Ru-Net’s partner in the region is Digital Media Partners, which is described as a team of media entrepreneurs and investment professionals dedicated to development of digital media industry in emerging markets.

Currently focussed on the emerging digital markets of Southeast Asia – Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam - the team comprises Singapore based Dmitry Levit and Hannah Nguyen, Bangkok-based Maxim Titov and Moscow-based Maria Shevtsova.