Chairman & Founder, H&Q Asia Pacific
Dr. Ta-lin Hsu is Chairman of H&Q Asia Pacific and has been investing in Asia for over 20 years. He joined Hambrecht & Quist Group in 1985 as a General Partner and founded H&Q Asia Pacific in 1986. Since inception, H&Q Asia Pacific has managed over $2.7 billion in committed capital through 23 funds and operates from six offices throughout the region. Before joining Hambrecht & Quist, Dr. Hsu worked at IBM for 12 years. In his last position, Dr. Hsu held corporate responsibility for all of IBM’s advanced research in mass storage systems and technology. Dr. Hsu was born in mainland China in 1943.
H&Q Asia Pacific
H&Q Asia Pacific is recognized as a pioneer of Asian venture capital and private equity in a number of respects, including being the first firm to bring “Silicon Valley” style venture capital to Taiwan in 1986, the only firm to open four offices in ASEAN countries between 1987 and 1991, the first firm to work in partnership with the Malaysian government on establishing a technology VC fund (the Malaysian Technology Development Fund) in 1992, one of the first funds to enter China in 1993 (funded by Aetna Insurance, IFC, Bank of China, Boeing and Monsanto), one of the first firms to successfully migrate a leading international retail brand to China (Starbucks China), a leading medium band to Japan (MTV), one of the first firms to execute a successful buyout and turnaround deal in Korea following the Asian financial crisis (Good Morning Securities, which received the “Exit of the Year” award from the Asia Venture Capital Journal in 2002), the first foreign VC firm to take a major Japanese technology company public in Japan in 2002 (Access Corporation) and the first firm to take a foreign company public on the Emerging Markets Board of the Taiwan Stock Exchange in 2009 (Array Networks).
Recognition and Awards
Due to his role in various landmark transactions as well as in developing the Asian venture capital and private equity industry, Dr. Hsu has been recognized by BusinessWeek in its “Stars of Asia” ranking; Forbes magazine as one of the 25 Top Tech Deal Makers in 2007, one of the Top Deal Makers in 2008 as well as one of the 25 Notable Chinese-Americans in 2008; and New Fortune Magazine as one of “100 People Influencing China’s and the World’s Capital Flow” in 2009.
Corporate Affiliations
Dr. Hsu serves on the boards of various leading global corporations, including ASE Inc., Sinogen International Ltd., and One Inc.
Government/Non-Profit Affiliations
Dr. Hsu plays an active role in developing business and policy relationships between the U.S. and Asia, including advisory positions with government, academic and industry organizations. Dr. Hsu was a founding member of the prestigious Technology Review Board, a group established to advise the Executive Yuan of Taiwan on all technology matters, and is one of the founding members of and Advisor to the Monte Jade Science & Technology organization, the premier non-profit organization promoting business and technology relations between Taiwan and the U.S.
Dr. Hsu is a Board Member of K T Li Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology, the Founding President of the Chinese Institute of Engineers / USA SF Bay Area Chapter, Chairman of the Board of Give2Asia. Additionally, Dr. Hsu serves on the boards of the Asian Americans for Good Government, Shin-Shin Educational Foundation and member of Committee of 100.
Education
Dr. Hsu received his B.S. degree in Physics from the National Taiwan University (from which he received the “Outstanding Alumni Award” in 2009), his M.S. degree in Electrophysics from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, and his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley.