Asia has become a sweet spot for investors and businesses globally. Home to over half of the world’s population, the US$31 trillion economy is fuelled by rapid population growth, increasingly tech-savvy consumers, and a growing digital economy. While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruptions and uncertainty in the economy, technology and impact investors have remained active and taken a more responsible approach into a more ESG driven portfolio. According to Tech in Asia, 2019 saw US $7.7 billion in investments in Southeast Asia tech firms with a significant increase in the number of smaller deals. As technology intersects with numerous other sectors such as gender, education, agriculture, financial services, energy and livelihoods, investing in technology remains vital to amplify impact across Asia. Please join the conversation surrounding investment trends in a post-COVID World with a focus on early stage technology companies in Asia. The webinar will feature notable regional investors and AVPN members, Openspace Ventures and Teja Ventures.
Openspace Ventures is a prominent Southeast Asia focused VC which has impact firmly embedded in their portfolio. Their existing portfolio companies, such as Gojek, Halodoc, Topica and Biofourmis are already solving vital problems in their respective geographies and improving the lives of many. They are driving financial inclusion, creating decent work, accelerating sustainable agriculture, and expanding access to healthcare and education across underserved populations in Southeast Asia. Openspace’s sector agnostic investment strategy allows them to have a diverse portfolio spanning a wide range of industries including finance, education, health, agriculture, and energy.
Teja Ventures is the first gender lens VC fund for emerging Asia, investing in early stage technology companies for the She Economy. Its investment approach is premised on women as market makers in the internet economy, whether as consumers, online traffic or a mobile workforce, and leveraging technology to scale that potential. Their portfolio companies reflect the core consumption needs revolving around a woman’s life cycle, with a focus on digital distribution, health and wellness and financial inclusion. In a post-covid world, this strategy is proving to be countercyclical, with women being conduits to both new markets and addressing some of the world’s most urgent priorities.
This webinar:
- Gained valuable insight from two key players in the early stage investment in Southeast Asia and deepen understanding on how Covid has affected the way they look at investment opportunities in the region
- Identified the investment trends in a post Covid world
- Understood how technology can be a tool to democratise access to core needs, specifically the role that women and technology can play in solving some of the world’s most urgent challenges
