Credit Saison launches $55m fund for Southeast Asia, India

The fund will be managed by an operationally independent Singapore-based VC arm called Saison Capital with a view to backing early-stage start-ups involved in financial inclusion for the underbanked and related technologies. It will invest 6-8 companies a year with initial ticket sizes of up to $1 million.

Saison Capital has made three investments to date, including commitments to fintech investors Quona Capital and Helicap, as well as Koinworks, an Indonesian P2P lending start-up. Koinworks has raised almost $30 million in total, according to AVCJ Research, including an approximately $12 million Series B round in June led by Quona and EV Growth.

The portfolio will be supported by Credit Saison’s existing network of Southeast Asian investments, which includes ride-hailing giant Grab and retail rewards platform ShopBack. Credit Saison will also leverage a joint venture with HCM Development Bank in Vietnam, as well as LP relationships with Cyberagent Ventures, East Ventures, Beenext Capital, Antler, and Strive, formerly known as Gree Ventures.

“The establishment of Saison Capital is Credit Saison’s latest commitment to its international expansion and the constant innovation and modernization of its operations and product offering,” Kosuke Mori, a managing partner at Saison Capital, said in a statement. “We can be a long-term growth partner for some of the world’s most exciting start-ups, supporting their internationalization and scaling up. We are taking these start-ups to the next level, from seed to Series A, B, and beyond.”

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• Topics
• Southeast Asia
• South Asia
• Fundraising
• Venture
• Singapore
• Financial Services
• seed