An AI-first approach to increasing profitability 

Matsu Partners ("Matsu") is a privately-owned entity that invests in SMEs in South-East Asia, selectively advises entities on AI use cases of interest, whilst offers shared support services to SMEs seeking to consolidate back-office operations - simplifying operations whilst achieving cost savings.

Investing in SMEs

Our approach is unique as we work alongside owners before investment to prove what better looks like. Being digitally native, this includes implementing AI and operational measures that can demonstrate an improvement in customer sales and profitability within 90 days.

This approach proves what can be achieved from a longer term partnership, where both values and culture align.  When combining an SME's industry-leading knowledge with our function expertise in driving profitability across large corporations, this provides the foundation for unlocking further growth. 

We have three key principles:

  • Partnership: Our model is based on working with owners to realise the full potential of their business. Their industry expertise combined with ours is 1+1 = 3.
  • Empathy: This starts with caring for employees - aligning, incentivising, and sponsoring people to realise their potential - a happy workforce breeds success.
  • Technology and Data Science: This is core to our DNA - as this can propel a small business into a leading competitive position. We are operators and have used these techniques to find new customers, realise further revenues from existing customers, and significantly reduce internal admin and paperwork. 

We will consider investments along one of three pathways:

  • Pathway 1: A business with annual profitability of > US$1.5m 
  • Pathway 2: Revenues of US$1m+ per annum with owners open to combining with other firms to build a bigger company
  • Pathway 3: A minority investment following-on from having engaged in our shared support services

Shared services

SMEs are consistently distracted by back-office functions like accounting, tax, HR, marketing, website management, and others. These are either outsourced, often at variable quality and considerable expense, or require devoting head-count away from revenue activities.

From working with SMEs, Matsu Partners has standardised delivery of these elements that we offer to others at low cost, saving SMEs money, time and complexity -                        helping owners focus on what's most important - their customer - and not paperwork.  

AI value creation consulting

Given our founder's background as Head of Data Science value creation for a leading global private equity firm, we selectively advise entities on advanced AI use cases of direct interest. This typically applies to Investors (Limited Partners) and their portfolio holdings.