INTEL TO PUSH FOR GREATER INTERNET PENETRATION IN SE ASIA

Intel Capital’s managing director for Asia Pacific, Sudheer Kuppam, said at a press conference during the World Economic Forum on East Asia in Bangkok last week that Intel aims to help double or triple broadband Internet connection in Southeast Asia. 

“Private motivation here in this region is about broadband connection. This region has a total of 600 million people but only 100 to 150 million people are now connected to the broadband Internet. Most of our investment here will be Internet related,” said Kuppam.

He also said that Intel Capital had invested a total of US$17 million (Bt510 million) in two Asian companies. They are Reebonz.com and Vietnam Communication Corporation. 

“We will have a stake of not more than 20 per cent in each company. This is our policy investment,” said Kuppam.

There are no investment plans for Thailand now, but the company is constantly looking for investment opportunities in technology space in Thailand. In emerging markets, Intel Capital will focus on education, consumer Internet, data centre, mobility, and smart TV.

“We are committed to fostering innovation and local entrepreneurship, enrich technical capabilities and global competitiveness of Southeast Asia companies,” said Kuppam.

Recently, Intel capital announced, in August 2011, its worldwide investment programme called Intel Capital Ultrabook Fund, with a capital of $300 million. The fund will invest in companies building hardware and software technologies that help deliver new and enhanced user experiences, longer battery life and slim component and platform technologies.

In November 2011, it also announced Intel Capital AppUp Fund with $100 million to invest in software tools and services companies developing innovative applications for the mobile and PC ecosystem. The investments will focus across multiple technologies and devices, with key focus areas including cross-platform technologies such as HTML5, as well as experiences designed specifically for Ultrabooks.

“There are a lot of interesting applications in Thailand. The developers can benefit from the AppUp fund,” said Kuppam.

Currently, Intel Capital has invested more than $10.6 billion in 51 countries. This year, Intel Capital has already invested a total of $157 million in 28 deals. About 46 per cent of the investment is outside North America and it is in nine international investments. 

Intel Capital started to invest in Southeast Asia in 1999. Currently, it has invested more than $95 million in a dozen companies in this region. 

Meanwhile, Intel Semiconductor’s vice president and general manager for Asia Pacific, Gregory M Bryant, said that the company aims to have double digits growth in revenue in the Asia-Pacific region for this year. He has four key strategies in driving Intel business in the Asia Pacific, including ultrabook, consumer Internet, data centre, and emerging new businesses such as Intel-inside smart phone and table, and intelligent end-point devices.

“My challenge is to assist small and medium business owners throughout this region to understand what technology can do for them. The Asean Economic Community is one huge opportunity that technologies can play an important role in to help Asian businesses to improve their competitiveness,” said Bryant.