M&As seen as main exit route for S-E Asia startups

Singapore

MERGERS and acquisitions (M&As), and less initial public offers (IPOs), will drive tech startup exits in South-east Asia in the next five years, Singapore-based venture capital firm Golden Gate Ventures (GGV) has predicted.

In a report released on Tuesday, GGV projects M&As in the region to grow over 500 per cent from 2015 to 2020, and at least 250 exits - most of which will be acquisitions - to occur each year beginning 2020, due in part to the growth of institutional funds and global players looking to expand their footprint in the region.

Said Vinnie Lauria, GGV managing partner: "In the United States, the ideal exit for te…