No more 'burn, baby, burn': VCs expect more caution in 2020

The early-stage funding scene remains vibrant, but the exuberance may be toned down, VCs tell BT

Sharanya Pillai

Published Sun, Jan 12, 2020 · 09:50 PM

Singapore

THE South-east Asian startup party is far from over, but venture capital firms expect that the music may hit a note of caution, as investors emphasise business fundamentals over pure hype.

2019 brought a bumper crop of mega funding rounds in South-east Asia, particularly for regional unicorns such as Grab, Gojek and Bukalapak. The early-stage funding scene also remains vibrant, Michele Daoud, a partner at Monk's Hill Ventures, told The Business Times.

But the days of "burn, baby, burn" may be over, with the fallout from WeWork reminding players of the importance of profitability, reckons Chua Kee Lock, managing partner of Vertex Ventures South-east Asia and India.

Jeffrey Seah, a partner at Quest Ventures, similarly thinks that 2020 may bring more mindfulness and perhaps even more…