CLSA launches early-stage fintech unit

Target areas will include artificial intelligence (AI), automation, big data, blockchain, cybersecurity, digital assets, and regulatory technology, a developing field also known as "regtech" that focuses on compliance support. 

"The financial services industry is going through an unprecedented period of technological change with emerging technologies both improving and disrupting established business models," Jonathan Slone, CLSA's CEO, said in a statement. "This opportunity enhances CLSA's strategy to deploy capital in a sector that is not only our native business but also one that is ripe with opportunities and in the region that CLSA knows inside out."

CLSA made its first investment under AlphaLabs in April by backing Symphony Communications Services, a cloud-enabled content sharing platform provider based in the US with a presence in Singapore and Hong Kong. Its second investment was Epistema, an Israel-based data and analytics company that uses AI. Other investors in the Epistema round included MizMaa Ventures, Mithril Capital Management, Slack Technologies, Pico Venture Partners, and Flint Capital.

CLSA is owned by CITIC Securities and plans to help AlphaLabs portfolio companies scale by leveraging its technology-driven financial business across Asia Pacific. Other recent fintech activity by the firm includes participation by CLSA in a $290 million Series D round for Chinese peer-to-peer lending platform operator Dianrong.

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• Topics
• Greater China
• Financials
• Technology
• Early-stage
• Hong Kong (China)
• Asia
• artificial intelligence
• blockchain
• seed
• Venture