Behind the Hot Internet finance: VC cautious entrepreneur Mixed

"Standing on a draught, the pig will fly!" An internet financial entrepreneur describes the state of the industry so much.

This year, the concept of "internet finance" has been hot, especially after the emergence of the balance treasure, the Internet financial industry began to "explode." Once quiet peer-to-peer companies, wealth management app, and so on are outside attention, the development of the last ten years of the third party payment industry has also been zoned "internet finance" category.

In Zhongguancun, in addition to Tencent, Microsoft, Sina and other technology companies in the building, a marked "internet finance" the building is particularly eye-catching. In Shijingshan and other regions, the emergence of the Internet financial industry base. It is reported that this is set up by all levels of government to promote the development of internet finance industry, is currently inviting Internet financial enterprises to settle in.

Entrepreneurs are busy. In addition to the development of the company's business, but also to maintain communication with the regulatory level, and peer exchanges. The Internet financial organizations and conferences in the industry are numerous, and many entrepreneurs run daily in business and conference. An internet financial entrepreneur describes the mood at this time: "Restlessness." ”

VC is also very busy. From last year's cautious look at internet finance, I have been busy watching the project. IDG, Sequoia Capital, soft silver China, broadband capital, Kleiner has been in the Internet financial sector to sell the layout. Since the second half of this year, Rong 360, box payment, digging wealth, 91 financial supermarkets, a favorable network, Copper Street, and other successively disclosed financing information.

However, compared with the once hot group buys, the electricity merchant, the internet finance did not reach the bubble state. Internet finance has a high threshold, regulatory standards have not been determined, the overall risk investment is still relatively cautious.

Entrepreneurial agitation

Internet finance entrepreneurs did not expect, after 1-2 years of quiet period, the second half of 2013, the Internet financial hot, was pushed to the waves.

Most of the Internet financial start-ups were founded in 2010. At that time, the concept of Internet finance had not arisen. In the 2011, Xu Jianwen saw the American Peer-to-peer model and founded everyone's enrichment, but in the circumstances, friends, customers, investors are not recognized. It has been difficult to develop the company before 2012.

In the second half of 2012, Xu Jianwen relationship to visit a number of VC big guy, with the creation of Albert Chairman Zheng Weihe, Pine wo Capital Chairman Rofei, but the other side that there is a risk in legal policy, questioning "is not illegal fund-raising?" Borrowing the target of 2, 30,000 yuan, which has such a customer? The cost of borrowing is so high, who can borrow it? "

But since June 2013, the whole industry has undergone a roller-coaster-style change. The landmark event is the appearance of the balance treasure.

"2013 years ago, no one mentioned the word ' Internet finance ', after 2013 balance Treasure was born, the industry suddenly ' exploded '. "Xu Jianwen that the balance of treasure on the Internet financial concept of the fiery work must not."

Now, how hot is internet finance?

The most intuitive is the various "Hinghan", forum exchanges. The country has a large and small number of activities, almost daily Internet financial salon. 2013 years Internet conference in the Internet Financial sub-forum for example, the venue is full, many people sat on the floor to hear the speech, participants in various industries, including funds, securities, insurance, IT, peer-to-peer, public financing, venture capital ...

"I will choose some more meaningful peer exchanges or cross-sectoral exchanges to explore specific and meaningful work in detail." Many meetings are fake big empty, looking to the prospect of internet finance, talking big data, not really landed. Some founders speak the same story every time, with little innovation. "said one internet financial entrepreneur.

Xuzey receives invitations to conferences and forums every day, but now rarely participates. "Everyone says the same thing every time, the final conclusion is that they are groping." ”

In addition to running activities, the industry has also raised a number of third-party training organizations. For example, teach entrepreneurs how to do internet finance, how to marketing, and the charge is not low.

The "noisy" atmosphere is related to the early stages of internet finance. "Because of the lack of supervision, entrepreneurs are looking at the attitude of the regulatory layer, want to maintain communication with the regulatory level on various occasions, on the other hand, we are at the same starting line, do not open up the distance, hoping to sound, establish a brand." "said Shang, vice president of the favorable network.

In the noisy environment, most entrepreneurs have a dual mentality, the Internet financial explosion of the development of excitement and agitation, the second is the regulatory uncertainty, the Giants move uncertainty under some concerns.

"We are most worried about two points, one is the internet giant with abundant capital and resources to enter, start-up companies consumption." Second, Peer-to-peer industry does not enter the threshold, if some want to make quick money companies have serious problems, triggering bad social events, leading to a phased tightening of supervision, which has a huge impact. A peer-to-peer company executive said.

In good credit net CEO Li Mingshun, 2013 internet finance still "wool". "Internet finance is hot after the balance treasure." Over the past six months, the industry noise is mainly on the mode of discussion, the potential change of discussion, in fact, the real revolutionary products have not appeared. ”

He believes that the current Internet finance is only hot, but the actual impact is negligible. 2013 is more about doing research and thinking about how to act in the 2014.

VC into internet Finance

The investment community's attitude towards internet finance has also shown a roller-coaster change.

Before the first half of this year, most investment institutions were wary of internet finance. In the second half of 2012, Xu Jianwen had a relationship to visit a number of VC big guy, with the creation of Albert Chairman Zheng Weihe, Pine wo Capital Chairman Rofei, but the other side that there are risks in legal policy, questioning "is not illegal fund-raising?" In addition, investors on the prospect of Peer-to-peer mode is also "not understand." "Borrowing 2, 30,000 yuan, which has such customers?" The cost of borrowing is so high, who borrows it? "

Favorable network Vice President Shang first half with VC contact, VC also more cautious, there are some resistance. "VC will say that this is the big direction, very optimistic about you, but not quite sure whether the market is mature, regulatory compliance, whether there is a risk, because the policy changes to bring the industry big shuffle." ”

But in the second half of this year, VC attitude has changed a lot, has been from the past "cast and not cast" to cast what mode of project.

"After 8 September this year, every day to call me a lot of wind, through a variety of relationships to contact me." Including IDG, SoftBank China, Kleiner, Ding Hui Investment, Shanda Capital, recovery capital and other large investment institutions, small investment institutions more. The contrast is too obvious. Xu Jianwen sighed.

Xuzey every day will receive the investor's telephone, the mail, "does not see at all, unless specially has the sincerity to be able to see." ”

Public information shows that since the second half of this year, Internet financial companies that have been invested have 360, box payments, digging up wealth, 91 financial supermarkets, favorable nets, copper street and so on, the well-known investment institutions involved include Sequoia Capital, Kleiner-Peng Hua Ying, IDG, SoftBank China, broadband capital, latitude and longitude, Jinsha venture investment, The speed of light venture, Bertelsmann, etc.

In fact, an investor in the investment community said that the only external disclosure of investment projects, virtually all the well-known investment institutions have begun to invest in the layout, "first place." ”

From the past two years, the first to start layout, the most frequent investment institutions are IDG and Sequoia Capital. IDG investment companies include virtual currency issuing company Coinbase and OpenCoin, peer-to-peer company letter, personal accounting financing platform to dig wealth, app banking platform Copper Street.

Sequoia Capital investment companies have Peer-to-peer company racket loan, loan search added 360, payment platform 19PAY and Chanfong, virtual goods, credit service provider MO9, credit card management app card cattle.

Many investors have been "rose", according to one investor, who now has a clear pattern and a reputation for valuations.

A favorable network chairman appointed that some companies in the internet finance industry are overvalued, but there is no clear bubble in the industry. "Venture capital has not yet been entered on a large scale, and internet finance companies, recognised by venture capital, are numbered." ”

Although the VC is busy watching the project, but the Internet financial industry is far from the same year group buying, electricity dealers so hot. VC overall still relatively cautious, the main shot is a few big investment institutions.

Xuzey that, unlike traditional internet projects, internet finance is a deterministic business, the need for huge funds, resources input, "Internet finance must be big VC play things." ”