Series B Funding

"Everyone, please calm down!" Tang Shizhe looked at the reporters below, who were buzzing with discussion, and raised his hands to quiet them.

"This decision was made after careful consideration. Our parent company, Titan Group, has other investment plans for Titan Environmental and needs funds to establish a new subsidiary. That's why we decided to distribute dividends!"

"This time, Sman Group of Eagle Country, which owns twenty percent of Titan Environmental, will receive 120 million in dividends, while our parent company, Titan Group, will receive the remaining 480 million!" After Tang Shizhe finished speaking, Jiro, the president of Sman Group, who had come especially for the occasion, stepped onto the stage and shook hands with him.

A flurry of camera flashes erupted below. Though the media outlets they worked for had received public-relations payments from Tang Shizhe and wouldn't reveal his identity, that didn't mean they couldn't expose Jiro.

"As for the second announcement, Titan Environmental will be launching a brand-new product called the Purification Tree 10ini!"

"Please look at the big screen!" Tang Shizhe pointed toward it. A cylindrical pendant about the size of two fingers gradually appeared on the screen.

"This Purification Tree is specially designed for people to take with them when they go out! The Purification Tree 10 is relatively large and isn't suitable for carrying around."

"But the Purification Tree 10ini is different. You can hang it around your neck, attach it to your belt, or even hang it on your phone! In short, it weighs only fifty grams and can ensure clean air within a radius of 1.5 meters!"

"Of course, because it's so small, it can't store enough energy to run while you're out. Aside from absorbing solar energy, it needs to be placed inside a Purification Tree 10 at night to recharge!" Tang Shizhe spoke with such enthusiasm that spittle flew.

At this point, he couldn't help secretly gloating. This was a bundled sale: anyone who wanted to buy a portable Purification Tree would have to buy a Purification Tree 10.

Anyone who had bought a Purification Tree 10 would never be able to tolerate the polluted air outside and would definitely buy the portable version. And there was no way a family would get by with just one portable unit; it wouldn't be surprising if they bought two or three.

And if a family bought three, they wouldn't have enough Purification Trees to charge them all at night unless they had three full-sized units. So they'd buy more Purification Trees.

Tang Shizhe could easily predict that, if production weren't limited, sales of his Purification Trees would already have gone through the roof!

"The third announcement is that we've accepted an investment from Victor Investment of the Sunset Empire. The investment amounts to 200 million US dollars in exchange for a five-percent stake in Titan Environmental!"

"After dilution, Sman Group will own nineteen percent of the shares, while Titan Group will own seventy-six percent."

"We'll use the entire investment to expand our production lines, aiming to increase production capacity to four times its current level. We'll also open a new production line to manufacture the Purification Tree ini!"

"In addition, online preorders are now open for both the Purification Tree 10 and the Purification Tree ini. Orders will be shipped in the order payment is received!" After finishing, Tang Shizhe bowed and stepped down from the podium.

The next day, major newspapers and news outlets reported on the press conference. The first announcement drew the attention of investment firms and investors around the world.

They watched enviously as Sman Group made 120 million US dollars in dividends in just two months. After all, the company had only just started selling its first product, and it hadn't even expanded its production lines yet!

Sales of its first product were still climbing, and the company was practically a money tree!

At a price-to-earnings ratio of ten, Sman Group's current nineteen-percent stake was already worth a full 1.9 billion US dollars!

They were consumed by envy and jealousy. Why hadn't they had the foresight to invest? That was what investors around the world were thinking.

Compared to those investment firms and investors, ordinary people were more interested in the release of the Purification Tree ini. Each one cost only fifty US dollars, or 300 RMB!

What were you buying for 300 RMB? Your family's health!

Was it expensive? Not at all! More than seventy percent of families in Xia Kingdom could afford that price.

People who had already bought Purification Trees and grown addicted to clean air eagerly logged onto Titan Environmental's website, waving their money around.

By then, a preorder option had already been added to the website's homepage.

The Purification Tree could be shipped as soon as it came off the production line, but the Purification Tree ini would take a full two months.

Those two months would give Tang Shizhe time to renovate the factory buildings and install and test the equipment.

In Tang Shizhe's office,

Tang Shizhe sat on the sofa with one leg crossed over the other, looking at Tang Yi, Tang Er, and Tang San.

"Boss, I've finished secretly acquiring the factories in the surrounding area."

"We got the abandoned factories with ease, paying only ten percent above their original prices. But the factories that were still operating cost us quite a bit more—we paid a full fifty percent above the market average!"

"Acquiring all the factories cost a total of 1.02 billion RMB, but the extra land should be enough to support another expansion."

"The renovation budget is expected to be about 280 million, and we'll need another one billion for equipment."

"Once everything is done, we'll be able to increase our production capacity to five times its current level and add another production line capable of making 500,000 Purification Tree ini units a day." Tang Yi reported to Tang Shizhe while holding a tablet.

"Are we short on funds?" Tang Shizhe asked, taking a sip of chilled cola from a stemmed glass.

"No, boss. Titan Environmental has fourteen billion in its own funds, and the twelve billion RMB from the financing will arrive soon."

"On top of that, preorders for the Purification Tree 10 and Purification Tree ini have already brought in two billion online."

"We now have a total of 4.6 billion available. After covering the production-line expansion costs, we'll still have 2.3 billion left." Tang Yi shook his head, indicating they were under no pressure at all.

"Good. Next!" Tang Shizhe waved Tang Yi away, then turned his gaze to Tang Er.

"Boss, I've already met with Victor, the president of Victor Investment, on your behalf. We've signed the new financing agreement, and we've also sent a spy to infiltrate his side," Tang Er said hurriedly.

"Not bad. What about Tang San?" Tang Shizhe turned to him.

"Boss, I've finished the work you assigned me."

"Our subsidiary, Titan Biotechnology, under Titan Group, has been established. We spent 100 million RMB to buy a bankrupt battery-contracting company in the neighboring city. Tang Wuyi has gone there to prepare to renovate its factory and streamline its workforce." Tang San set the tablet down in front of Tang Shizhe. The screen displayed the logo of Titan Biotechnology.