Chapter 23 Data Link: Financing "Waterloo"

Jiang Nanchun, who received Softbank's investment, tasted the taste of happiness in 2004, and the demand for LCD TV advertisements exploded.The phenomenon of full advertisements emerges endlessly, but this also means that Jiangnanchun needs more money to lay out a larger market. At the same time, Yu Feng, the rival of Focus Group, is also actively looking for new investors.The hard work paid off, and two months after Focus received the second round of financing of US$12.5 million, Yu Feng "caught up" Zu Wencui, the managing director of Carlyle Group.Just like Jiang Nanchun and Yu Wei back then, Yu Feng's commercial advertising model also deeply moved Zu Wencui, who was equally sensitive to smell.

The news that Juzhong might join hands with Carlyle quickly reached Jiang Nanchun.At this time, Jiang Nanchun, who has been in the ups and downs of the business world for more than ten years, has become a little "cruel", and he is determined to destroy the good thing of gathering people and "make pornography" of this matter.In fact, Jiang Nanchun has his own ideas: If Carlyle can be persuaded to switch his guns and support the investment in Focus, wouldn’t it kill two birds with one stone and kill two birds with one stone? In July 2004, in a club in Shanghai, a big man wearing glasses was talking about the grand blueprint of Focus to Carlyle's Zu Wencui.Later, the passionate big man gets an unexpected "no" reply.

"I may have always had a strong provocative force, and most venture capitalists would like me. But only that time, the huge enthusiasm collided with the cold ice, and the other party did not respond." More than a year later, Jiang Nanchun recalled with a smile. However, Zu Wencui said that he knew Yu Feng earlier than he knew Jiang Nanchun, and the cooperation between Carlyle and Juzhong was almost finished.At the same time, Carlyle believed that the many investors introduced by Focus made its shareholder structure too complicated, so Carlyle did not plan to join in the excitement of Focus.

Therefore, in September 2004, Juzhong received $15 million in venture capital from Carlyle.Although this was almost half a year later than Zhongzhong’s second round of financing, it was the largest international investment since the birth of the outdoor building LCD TV advertising industry at that time.What's more, the details that cannot be ignored are that Carlyle has a profound background. Its chairman is the former CEO of the international IT giant IBM Gerstner, and former US President George W. Bush is the chairman of Carlyle's Asia Advisory Committee.The confidence Yu Feng gained from this is self-evident, and he even arranged the announcement of the financing news to Diaoyutai.

Jiang Nanchun, who has always been smooth in financing, rarely encounters the "Waterloo" of venture capital. The marriage of Carlyle and Juzhong makes Jiang Nanchun feel like sitting on pins and needles.At this time, Jiang Nanchun, who has never set limits on himself and has the courage to face the status quo, and his focus are facing great pressure.