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Hi readers,
Journalists always have to strike a balance between being fair and balanced and publishing in a timely manner. I often read stories from news outlets that are one-sided, which makes me think that the editorial team probably rushed to push out that story.
This is especially true with pieces that are critical about someone or something, as bad news is good news in the world of journalism, right? But the sad part is that every story has different nuances, narratives can be skewed when you only look at certain sides.
Of course, at times there are companies or people who don’t want to comment, in which case a journalist is constrained. But I would argue that there are still ways to build a fair and balanced narrative.
VC firm Peak XV, which was spun off from Sequoia Capital in June 2023, drew a lot of questions. For one, a slew of senior leaders exited Peak XV just 18 months after the spinoff. For another, these departures came after Peak XV reduced its latest fund size by 16% and cut its fees. It hasn’t also helped that many of its portfolio companies like Zilingo and eFishery have been in the news for the wrong reasons.
But looking deeper, I found that many of the executives who had left to start their own ventures received funding from Peak XV. This indicates that they likely didn’t leave the VC on bad terms.
Peak XV has also shifted its focus to the US and is even forming a team in the country. Just this week, the firm welcomed Y Combinator exec Arnav Sahu as a partner in the US.
In Southeast Asia, Peak XV is investing in companies that are building for global markets instead of those with a regional approach. There was data showing that the firm has been scaling back its investment in the region, especially in Indonesia.
While the VC has made some great investments while under the Sequoia Capital name, I’m curious to see how the personnel and strategy changes will affect Peak XV going forward.
— Collin Furtado, journalist at Tech in Asia
Top stories this week
Image credit: Timmy Loen
1️. Peak XV’s global surge: from SEA cuts to US push
The VC firm is changing its tack as it seeks a bigger exposure to the AI gold rush.
2. Global investors bet on SEA stocks amid US-China tensions
Still, most of the interest centers on Singapore and Malaysia.
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