Key Takeaways
- • SC Capital Partners founder and chairman Suchad Chiaranussati and BEI Group founder and CEO Collin Lau have jointly invested in Hong Kong student housing operator iRENT, with financial terms undisclosed.
- • iRENT currently manages 30 buildings with nearly 3,000 beds in Hong Kong and targets more than 50 buildings and over 5,000 beds within two years.
- • The investors plan to fund property refurbishments, upgrade leasing systems and customer services, and eventually take iRENT's model into other Asian markets.
- • DayOne Data Centers signed an MoU with Sembcorp Utilities to assess integrated power and energy solutions for its Asian data centre developments, including on-site generation, renewable supply, fuel storage and O&M.
- • The DayOne-Sembcorp pact builds on an existing renewable power purchase agreement for DayOne's upcoming SG1 data centre in Singapore, and supports DayOne's goal of 100% renewable energy by 2030 where market conditions allow.
Summary
Suchad Chiaranussati, founder and chairman of Singapore-based real estate investment manager SC Capital Partners, and Collin Lau, founder and CEO of BEI Group, have jointly invested in Hong Kong student housing operator iRENT as they look to build a youth accommodation platform across Asia. The financial terms of the investment were not disclosed. The duo plan to help iRENT expand its Hong Kong portfolio through property refurbishments, improve its leasing systems and customer services, and eventually enter other Asian markets, drawing on their regional real estate networks.
Founded in 2014, iRENT currently manages 30 buildings with nearly 3,000 beds in Hong Kong. Over the next two years, it aims to expand to more than 50 buildings with capacity exceeding 5,000 beds. The company said the investment comes amid rising demand for student accommodation in Hong Kong, driven by growing international student enrolment and a shortage of purpose-built housing. Chiaranussati said Hong Kong's universities are increasingly attracting students from mainland China and overseas while supply remains limited, a gap that could support sustained demand for professionally managed accommodation. Lau said the investment reflects opportunities in specialised living sectors across Asia.
Chiaranussati owns Fusion Hotel Group and Hotel Management Japan, which together manage more than 50 hotels with over 12,000 rooms across Asia-Pacific. SC Capital Partners, founded in 2004, oversaw $9.7 billion in assets under management as of June 2026. BEI Group invests in and operates businesses across real estate, accommodation, and healthcare.
In a separate development, Singapore-headquartered data centre operator DayOne Data Centers has signed a memorandum of understanding with Sembcorp Utilities to explore integrated power and energy solutions for its data centre developments across Asia, as operators seek to secure electricity supply amid rising AI-driven demand. Under the agreement, the companies will assess on-site power generation, renewable energy supply, fuel supply and storage, and operations and maintenance services for selected projects, with feasibility and commercial viability to be evaluated before any implementation decision. Jamie Khoo, chief executive of DayOne, said scaling digital infrastructure requires planning energy pathways from the outset. Koh Chiap Khiong, president and chief executive of Sembcorp's gas and related services business, said energy infrastructure must grow alongside digital infrastructure to support AI.
The agreement builds on existing cooperation. Sembcorp already holds a power purchase agreement to supply renewable energy to DayOne's upcoming SG1 data centre in Singapore, whose operations are expected to be fully covered by renewable energy under that arrangement. DayOne aims to use 100% renewable energy by 2030, where market conditions allow.
Founded in 2014, iRENT currently manages 30 buildings with nearly 3,000 beds in Hong Kong. Over the next two years, it aims to expand to more than 50 buildings with capacity exceeding 5,000 beds. The company said the investment comes amid rising demand for student accommodation in Hong Kong, driven by growing international student enrolment and a shortage of purpose-built housing. Chiaranussati said Hong Kong's universities are increasingly attracting students from mainland China and overseas while supply remains limited, a gap that could support sustained demand for professionally managed accommodation. Lau said the investment reflects opportunities in specialised living sectors across Asia.
Chiaranussati owns Fusion Hotel Group and Hotel Management Japan, which together manage more than 50 hotels with over 12,000 rooms across Asia-Pacific. SC Capital Partners, founded in 2004, oversaw $9.7 billion in assets under management as of June 2026. BEI Group invests in and operates businesses across real estate, accommodation, and healthcare.
In a separate development, Singapore-headquartered data centre operator DayOne Data Centers has signed a memorandum of understanding with Sembcorp Utilities to explore integrated power and energy solutions for its data centre developments across Asia, as operators seek to secure electricity supply amid rising AI-driven demand. Under the agreement, the companies will assess on-site power generation, renewable energy supply, fuel supply and storage, and operations and maintenance services for selected projects, with feasibility and commercial viability to be evaluated before any implementation decision. Jamie Khoo, chief executive of DayOne, said scaling digital infrastructure requires planning energy pathways from the outset. Koh Chiap Khiong, president and chief executive of Sembcorp's gas and related services business, said energy infrastructure must grow alongside digital infrastructure to support AI.
The agreement builds on existing cooperation. Sembcorp already holds a power purchase agreement to supply renewable energy to DayOne's upcoming SG1 data centre in Singapore, whose operations are expected to be fully covered by renewable energy under that arrangement. DayOne aims to use 100% renewable energy by 2030, where market conditions allow.
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