Q: In layman’s terms, what exactly is the scope and nature of Saltwater Associates’ Global Investment Analytics Centre established in Margao?
Saltwater Associates raises money from India and international investors for business in India and outside India. It specialises in private equity and growth capital.
Saltwater is an investing banking firm which performs its role in between the traditional banking and the traditional way of business where we make way for capital. Its key products include strategy, consulting and growth.
Q: Can you throw some more light on this ?
Major investment decisions globally whether it is inbound, into India or outbound out of India now more importantly focuses on key analysis of investment to manage, protect, secure and ensure that investments are effectively promoted, structured, executed and managed.
This ensures global investments come into India smoothly as well as Indian companies latching on to opportunities globally for growth. In both cases, Saltwater Associates Investment banking relies on investment analysis on matters of regulation, taxes, repatriation, demographics, market research and return on investment.
Q: Does it offer consultancy services as well?
No. In fact, we hire other consultancy firms. We specialise in raising money. While the legal and accounting work required in the process of raising money is outsourced by our firm, the research in this regard is done in-house.
Q: How has the ‘Investment Policy 2013’ of the Goa government helped vis a vis the establishing of this firm in Goa?
Investment Policy 2013 of the Goa government has helped us to make a decision as to where to have the Centre in Goa.
Earlier, we were based in Pune, Mumbai and Goa. Now everything will be done in Goa while the front-end will be in Mumbai. So, the Policy has helped us make a decision in this regard as we felt this Policy is conducive.
The Goa Investment Promotion Board (IPB), being the nodal agency, has sped up this process.
Q: The government has ambitious plans of generating some 50,000
jobs as a direct outcome of this
Policy. How can Saltwater Associates facilitate the government’s endeavour ?
This is because we raise risk capital and this facilitates investment in sectors like technology, bio-tech, health care, media (including digital media) and entertainment.
So, in all these sectors, we can facilitate massive investment which can be small as well as huge.
Q: What role can bodies such as GCCI and GSIA play in facilitating such investments?
Since GCCI is the representative body of GCCI and GSIA represents the SME sector, both can play a supportive role to a very important fact that Goa with Saltwater Associates can itself build a Regional Venture Capital (VC) Fund. This support could be in advisory as well as collaborative capacity.
Q: What other benefits, in addition to some already mentioned above, does your firm offer for Goa ?
Saltwater Associates will bring collateral benefits to Goa.
Q: Are you hinting that the government must also set up a Venture Capital Fund alongside firms such as Saltwater Associates ?
No. The government should not be doing business. It should do the job of facilitating business. For instance, if we are raising Rs 150 crore fund, then the government can put in Rs 15 crore and the balance will be ours. We can create any business out of it.
