seed
India’s Zolve raises $15m seed round
Accel and Lightspeed Venture Partners have led a $15 million seed round for Zolve, an India-based digital bank focused on cross-border services.
500 Startups appoints Asia regional director
500 Startups has appointed Ee Ling Lim, formerly the VC’s country lead for Singapore, as regional director for Asia Pacific.
Singapore's Velocity Ventures launches travel fund
Velocity Ventures, a Singapore-based VC firm focused on travel and hospitality, has launched its debut early-stage fund targeting Southeast Asia with a target of $20 million.
VC unit of Japan's KLab spins out, rebrands as Anobaka
KVP, the VC unit of Japanese mobile games company KLab, has spun out as an independent entity under the name Anobaka.
500 Startups launches Cambodia division
500 Startups has launched a Cambodian unit in partnership with Khmer Enterprise, a start-up ecosystem support arm of the local government’s Entrepreneurship Development Fund.
Singapore's KK Fund launches large business accelerator
Singapore-based VC firm KK Fund has launched an accelerator that will help large companies develop new technology businesses through cooperation with regional start-ups.
Japan's Genesia Ventures closes second fund at $75m
Japanese early-stage investor Genesia Ventures has reached a final close of $75 million for its second fund, doubling the size of the previous vintage.
Lever invests five China alternative meat start-ups
Hong Kong and US-based food tech investor Lever VC has confirmed five investments in alternative protein start-ups from its recently launched China fund.
India venture capital: Local largesse
India’s venture capital industry is entering a new decade with a growing pool of local early-stage managers, a wider variety of funding sources, and a host of new risks and opportunities
Sequoia backs Indonesia MSME app
Sequoia Capital India has joined a $9 million pre-Series A round for Indonesia’s BukuKas, a bookkeeping app for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
Lever launches China alternative protein fund
Hong Kong and US-based food technology investor Lever VC has launched a RMB200 million ($28 million) fund dedicated to Chinese plant-based meat start-ups.
East Ventures reaches $57m first close on eighth fund
Indonesia’s East Ventures has reached a first close of $57 million on its eighth fund. The target is $88 million.
US-Singapore food tech fund to target Asia
Big Idea Ventures, a US and Singapore-based food technology investor, has launched its debut fund with a target of $50 million. Asia is a core market.
Cross-border tech pollination: Mutually assured disruption
Southeast Asia and Latin America are trying to leverage complementary aspects of their start-up ecosystems, much like China and Africa before them. These endeavors are not as straightforward as they might seem
Colombia VC to bridge Southeast Asia, Latin America
Latin Leap, a Colombian VC investor and start-up services provider, has launched a boutique fund targeting $20 million to help Southeast Asian companies expand into Latin America.
Grab launches Singapore-Vietnam accelerator
Singapore-based ride-hailing app Grab has teamed up with the local technology regulator to launch a start-up accelerator focused on facilitating business expansions into Vietnam.
Mongolia start-ups: Steppe forward
Unlike most frontiers, Mongolia is more talent hub than consumer market. There is no systemic hindrance to start-up investment but few mechanisms to sufficiently organize it
Japan’s I-nest Capital raises $60m for debut VC fund
I-nest Capital, a Japanese VC firm set up last year by former Mizuho Financial Group employees, has raised JPY6.6 billion ($60 million) for its debut fund. The target was JPY6 billion.
VC and age: No industry for old men
The trendy, shape-shifting world of venture capital is broadly seen as a young person’s game, although hard evidence to this effect remains in scarce supply
ADB launches venture arm
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a VC arm focused on climate change-related technologies and women’s empowerment in the region.
Accel closes sixth India VC fund at $550m
Accel Partners has closed its sixth early-stage India venture capital fund with $550 million in commitments.
Vietnam's FEBE Ventures launches $25m fund
FEBE Ventures, a Vietnam-based early-stage investor set up earlier this year, has launched a $25 million for targeting local and cross-border technology start-ups.
Y Combinator abandons China program
Silicon Valley-based accelerator Y Combinator has terminated its recently launched China program citing a change in its US leadership.
Maritime start-up accelerator launched in Singapore
US-based accelerator business Techstars and Singaporean logistics giant Eastern Pacific Shipping have teamed up for a maritime start-up accelerator in Singapore.