Long-term owners of essential businesses.
Rough Capital is a Singapore-based owner-operator firm focused on acquiring and stewarding high-quality businesses, with a long-term, hands-on approach to ownership
Our philosophy
Ownership over transactions.
We partner with business owners seeking a thoughtful and responsible transition. We prioritize continuity, people, and operational integrity — not financial engineering or short-term exits.
We invest our own capital, take an active role in the business, and commit for the long-term. Each business we acquire is treated as an enduring enterprise, not a transaction to be optimized.
Our focus areas
Focused, but not constrained.
Our primary interest is in established, profitable businesses that provide essential products or services, with strong fundamentals and a clear role in the real economy.
Priority areas include:
Specialized, technically differentiated product and service businesses that support the construction and built environment ecosystem — including building materials, diagnostics/inspection, specialist engineering services, facilities management, regulated sub-sectors, specialist trade services, etc.
We remain open to opportunities beyond these areas where there is a strong business, a committed owner, and a clear path to long-term stewardship.
About us
Led by an owner-operator.
Rough Capital is led by Tan Li-Jie, Founder & Managing Partner.
Li-Jie is pursuing the acquisition and long-term operation of a single great business in Singapore. He works closely with business owners to ensure a thoughtful transition, with a focus on continuity, people, and building enduring value.
His background spans law, strategy and operations. Li-Jie began his career as a lawyer advising on complex construction and infrastructure projects, before moving into regional in-house roles across APAC. He later advised private equity and multinational clients on strategy, cost transformation and commercial due diligence in consulting.
Most recently, Li-Jie served as General Manager of an enterprise software company, where he led product development, scaling, and a successful institutional seed-stage fundraising.
He is based in Singapore and takes an active, hands-on approach to ownership.
Contact Us.
If you’re interested in a conversation, please leave your details and we’ll be in touch.
We typically respond within 1-2 business days.