TLDR:
- Matrix Partners China rebrands as MPC to distance itself from foreign investments amid US-China technology tensions.
- US venture firms, including Sequoia and GGV, have also made similar moves in response to geopolitical pressures.
US venture capital firm Matrix Partners has rebranded its regional entities in India and China as part of a broader effort to address the deepening technology divide between the US and China. The firm’s China operations, previously known as Matrix Partners China, will now be referred to as MPC, while its India unit has been renamed Z47. Matrix’s US entity will retain the original Matrix Partners name. This renaming is intended to underscore the localisation efforts of the regional teams, which have operated independently from one another since their inception.
The move comes amidst US government efforts to restrict investment in sensitive hi-tech areas in China, leading some investors to reevaluate their market strategies. Sequoia Capital, a prominent US venture fund, recently split its global operations into separate units for the US, India, and China, with the China subsidiary officially becoming HongShan. Other firms such as BlueRun and GGV Capital have also taken similar steps to distance themselves from their Chinese affiliates.
Matrix Partners was one of the earliest US venture firms to establish a presence in China, launching in 2008 prior to the mobile internet boom. The firm’s China unit, which currently manages 70 billion yuan (US$9.6 billion) in assets, has invested in major tech unicorns such as Ele.me, Didi Chuxing, Li Auto, and Xpeng. The rebranding of Matrix Partners China as MPC reflects the evolving landscape of global investment amid escalating geopolitical tensions.
