Dunzo, Pharmeasy backer LGT Lightstone Aspada rebrands as Lightrock

By Joseph Rai

  • 11 Feb 2021
Credit: 123RF.com

LGT Lightstone Aspada, formed after the acquisition of India-focused impact investment fund Aspada by Swiss investor LGT in 2019, Thursday said it has rebranded to Lightrock.

This follows the decision of LGT Group, a global private equity platform, to integrate its impact investment businesses into a newly formed entity, Lightrock, as per a statement. 

Last year, LGT had planned to give its three business units -- impact investment business, LGT Private Banking and LGT Capital Partners -- greater autonomy.

Lightrock will continue to make growth stage impact investments in India with ticket sizes ranging between  $10 million and $50 million. It will also continue to manage past investments from the Aspada and SONG funds. 

In 2019, LGT had acquired the management organisation of Aspada and a significant majority position of its portfolio from Aspada’s sole shareholder, Soros Economic Development Fund (SEDF).

Lightrock said it currently manages $400 million in investments across 27 companies in India.

Last year, Lightrock led a funding round in microlender SmartCoin; and also took part in a $6 million (around Rs 44 crore) pre-Series B funding round in Arya Collateral Warehousing Services Pvt. Ltd.

Its other investments include online pharmacy company Pharmeasy and hyperlocal delivery platform Dunzo.