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11/17/13

Tech Sector Europe: Investors flock to Europe in search of next Supercell - by Mia Shanley and Jussi Rosendahl

Investments in the tech sector in Europe are at $3.22 billion so far in 2013, compared with $3.58 billion last year, according to Thomson Reuters data. Europe makes up 11 percent of global investments so far this year compared with 10 percent in 2012.

Riding a wave of euphoria surrounding the success of Finnish mobile game maker Supercell, venture capital firms are chasing after European tech start-ups in search of the next big thing.

Japanese tech and telecoms group SoftBank's 51 percent stake purchase in 3-year-old Supercell, announced last month, valued the maker of hit games "Clash of Clans" and "Hay Day" at $3 billion.

"Everybody wants to be the new Supercell," Torleif Ahlsand, General Partner at Nordic technology investor Northzone, said at the annual "Slush" tech start-up conference in the Finnish capital.

With low economic growth prospects in Europe and the United States, venture capital investors hungry for yield are looking to new tech start-ups to provide the high level of returns they seek. And the amount of cash chasing the next potential winner could drive up valuations.

A strong market debut by Twitter Inc. in the United States and a comeback by Facebook following a shaky market debut last year has also lifted the mood.

Finnish gaming veteran Lasse Seppanen, CEO of PlayRaven, said in the past he had had to chase the venture capitalists.

"These days, VCs are calling me," he said.

And while investors say there is a risk of bubbles forming, the industry appeared to be growing at a more sustainable pace than in previous tech booms.

"We think there is going to be a steady flow of billion dollar companies in Europe," Kevin Comolli, General Partner at Accel, an early Supercell investor, told Reuters.



Read more: Investors flock to Europe in search of next Supercell | Reuters

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