Catcha Group to put up to $100M into growth stage startups in Southeast Asia

Catcha Group CEO Patrick Grove

Catcha Group is a familiar name within the startup scene in Southeast Asia. It has listed a number of its portfolio companies in Australia, notably iProperty and iBuy. Now, it wants to pour more money into finding the next crop of startup successes.

The group announced today that it will invest between US$50 million and US$100 million in growth stage startups in Southeast Asia within three to five years. The investments will be made through the newly formed Catcha Ventures, and will likely target series A stage companies in new media, technology, and mobile.

Portfolio companies will be paired with mentors from within the Catcha Group to help their businesses grow. Looking at Catcha’s portfolio, its expertise appears to lie within online media, ecommerce, and web marketplaces. They’ll also be able to advise startups on scaling and navigating an exit through a trade sale or public offering.

The management expertise may turn out to be the most valuable, given that the winning opportunities in today’s environment may be situated on mobile as opposed to the web, which was where Catcha made its money.

The firm says that they’re seeking to back “proven digital business models” in emerging markets – referring to countries like the Philippines and Indonesia.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Catcha made such an announcement. It pledged over a year ago to invest as much as US$150 million into internet companies in the region.

A Catcha spokesperson, however, clarifies that the sum of money refers to a separate fund focusing on acquisitions, and adds that deals have already been made. These include the buyout of LivingSocial’s Southeast Asia business, all the brands under the iBuy umbrella, and Says.com.

Catcha Ventures is an entirely new fund focusing on minority-stake investments.

See more: Patrick Grove’s iBuy Group sinks to all-time low, but that may not be the full picture

Update (October 28): Added details on Catcha’s earlier US$150 million fund.