Rio Tinto, a prominent Australian mining company, has partnered strategically with Founders Factory, a renowned global venture studio and startup investor. This collaboration aims to support the development and commercialization of technologies in the mining sector, aligning with Rio Tinto’s mission to innovate and meet the world’s growing demand for essential materials. Under this partnership, […]

Netherlands-based investment firm Orient Growth Ventures has successfully closed its second fund, Orient Growth Fund II, amassing $90 million in commitments. This fund is a major increase from its inaugural $25-million fund raised in 2020. The firm has shown an escalating focus on backing early-stage venture capital managers across Southeast Asia and India. With Orient […]

Antler, a global early-stage VC firm headquartered in Singapore, has announced its largest pre-seed investment round to date, committing $5.1 million to 37 startups across Southeast Asia. The portfolio encompasses a wide range of sectors, including AI, B2B SaaS, fintech, and healthcare, addressing various regional challenges. Antler’s recent commitment to backing Singaporean startups, including BorderDollar, […]

InnoVen Capital, the venture debt provider backed by Temasek’s Seviora and UOB, has announced the launch of its second China fund, InnoVen China Fund II, with an initial close of approximately US$130 million.  This USD-RMB dual-currency fund aims for a total size of US$250 million. The fund has already secured about half of its target, […]

Japanese financial giant SBI Holdings is set to unveil a $663 million fund dedicated to supporting startups engaged in Web3, AI, and the Metaverse. The fund’s operations are scheduled to commence by the close of the current year, with investments reaching 150-200 companies within its portfolio. Each investment within the fund is anticipated to span […]

Singapore’s Jungle Ventures has announced the launch of First Cheque@Jungle, a new program aimed at investing in startups during their pre-seed and seed stages. First Cheque@Jungle is designed as a bespoke program targeting operators and innovators at the idea stage and those seeking support in their pre-seed and seed stages.  The First Cheque program plans to […]

Singapore-based venture capital firm Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India (VVSEAI) has successfully concluded its fifth funding round, raising $541 million. The figure represents an 80% increase compared to the amount raised for its previous fund, VVSEAI Fund IV, in 2019. VVSEAI Fund V’s substantial corpus includes a dedicated co-investment envelope of $50 million, which […]

Venture capital firm 500 Global has successfully closed its 500 Southeast Asia III fund, amassing $143 million in capital. It is the firm’s largest early-stage fund dedicated to Southeast Asia. It serves as its primary investment vehicle for startups throughout the region’s growth journey, from pre-seed stages to the cusp of initial public offerings (IPOs). […]

Venture capital platform Antler has recently unveiled its Antler ONDC, an Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)-focused venture platform in India. This initiative is a collaboration between Antler and notable figures such as Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, FIDE (Beckn Protocol), and ONDC.  Antler ONDC serves as a resource hub and expert network for founders who […]

Former executives of Fave, Joel Neoh and Audra Pakalnyte, have joined forces to launch First Move, an early-stage fund specifically focused on supporting startups that cater to consumers in Southeast Asia.  First Move has a backing of venture capital firm 500 Global and in collaboration with the Consumer Tech Angel Syndicate, a close-knit group of […]