April 23, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics was named one of the top 300 global private equity firms last year, in a recent survey by UK-based Private Equity International Media.

According to the list, the Korean tech giant was the world’s 275th private equity firm that managed a total of 1.2 trillion won (US$1.07 billion) over the past five years. 

Samsung has expanded its funds through establishing investment units overseas such as Samsung Next and Samsung Oak Holdings in the US.

In January this year, Samsung Next set up the Samsung Next Fund, US$150 million venture capital investment fund, to expand support for startups in the US. It acquired 15 venture firms and has funded over 50 companies this year alone through the fund.

Samsung Oak Holdings, which was established in California on June 2016 to fund the semiconductor startups, supported the US$8 billion acquisition of Harman International last year. The deal was led by Samsung Strategy and Innovation Center, the company’s Silicon Valley campus.

Samsung was ranked 271 in the PEI 300 list in 2016.

By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com)