[ 6 September 2001 ] The CNSG Investment Forum

The CNSG Investment Forum at Traders Hotel featured a group of promising US companies that have been invited by the CommerceNet Singapore (“CNSG”). The forum is ideal for those seeking investment deals, partnerships or simply just networking. For the investment forum included participation from leading venture capital firms from Singapore and selected portfolio companies that are looking for strategic partners/collaborators, technology and new opportunities in the US and Asia.

The first presentation of the US Company – QEDSoft was made by Dr Amy Shuen. QEDSoft offers the most advanced server based software platform delivering high quality rich media and animation over narrowband and broadband IP connections. The company’s products include many unique features such as the capability to overlay 3D content on different media such as Web pages, Word documents, PowerPoint slides, CDROM content. Future applications can support handhelds, wireless, iTVs, ATM, kiosks etc.

QEDSoft’s solution is a core enabling technology, compatible with industry standards like JPEG, MP3, and future versions of MPEG4 and MPEG7, as well as with the major authoring tools, and complementary to the thrusts of rich media stakeholders, providing the missing 3D piece of rich media. It is particularly significant for information display, navigation, e-commerce, advertising, entertainment and the transition of gaming platforms into web-enabled home entertainment devices.

Mr Moses Ma, representing the Next Generation Ventures had a portfolio of US companies into wireless technologies which included the following:

1. APRI – The Advanced Postal Research Institute, a global technology consortium of postal offices to build the next business infrastructure. 
2. Bigtribe – location-based wireless application services.
3. G/ui – new design metaphors for 3G user interfaces.
4. sms|agent – lightweight sms application services.
5. Mobile Movie Advisor – wireless movie recommendations.
6. GVN – The Global Venture Network, an IOI network.

The US companies were in Singapore to share their Silicon Valley experience and the latest development in the high-tech and e-commerce arena in the US. They also looked for possible funding from the VC as well as forged business alliances with the local companies that are in the related space. They also talked to the local VC communities to investigate about the current investment interests and climate in Singapore as well as the region. There was a good turn-out from the VC communities at the Investment Forum including TIF Ventures, Baring Communication, Yorkshire Capitals, iglobepartners to name but just a few.