Origo Sino-India to merge with UK cleantech PE firm

Beijing-based private equity and consulting firm Origo Sino-India (OSI) is planning to merge with UK-based Origo Resource Partners (ORP), VCCircle reported late yesterday.

The merged entity is expected to have a market capitalization of about £37 million ($60.7 million), for a combined investment portfolio of 15 companies with an in aggregate value of £53.8 million.

The combined company is expected to primarily focus on investments in China.

OSI (LON:OSI), which centers on growth opportunities in China and India, said its board approved the merger with ORP, which focuses on natural resource investments in China and India including solar, wind, and water technologies.

ORP says it invests in different segments includes energy, cleantech, metals and mining, and agriculture. ORP (LON:ORP), which raised £48.6 million in gross proceeds from its 2007 initial public offering, has previously been advised by OSI.

The two firms have invested in Hyderabad, India-based Roshini International Bio Energy, which produces bioenergy feedstock, as well as Seattle-based HaloSource, a water purification firm working in India and China, which has received investment from the Masdar Clean Tech Fund (see Abu Dhabi, the next cleantech hub?).

In 2007, OSI took a 20 percent stake in Roshini and also launched an international joint venture with Roshini focused on the renewable bioenergy sector.

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