SINGAPORE – Venture capital firm 500 Global today announced the successful close of US$143 million across its largest Southeast Asian early-stage fund to date, 500 Southeast Asia III, L.P. (500 SEA III), and its growth investment vehicle for Southeast Asia. The new early-stage and growth vehicles demonstrate the team’s commitment to supporting founders in Southeast Asia from pre-seed to pre-IPO.
Limited partners (LPs) across its early-stage and growth investment vehicles include a sovereign wealth fund, public and private pension funds like Khazanah Nasional Berhad, Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (Diperbadankan) [KWAP], and Employees Provident Fund (EPF). A university endowment, family offices of prominent global investors, and portfolio companies valued at over US$1 billion from 500 Global’s first Southeast Asia early-stage fund have invested as LPs as well.
500 SEA III is 500 Global’s third Southeast Asia-focused early-stage fund, with each successive fund having nearly doubled in size since 2014. Originally targeted for US$75 million, 500 SEA III closed at US$100 million with over half of the fund coming from returning LPs. The early-stage fund will focus on investing in businesses and AI-enabled technologies that advance rural digitalization, sustainable cities, human and machine productivity, healthcare, food security and financial inclusivity. 500 SEA III aims to invest in 100 pre-seed to Series A startups, providing first checks between US$250,000 – US$500,000 across Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia.
500 Global’s past Southeast Asia investments have included US$5 million – US$20 million checks in Series C to D rounds of portfolio companies such as Carousell (2018), Carsome (2021), and most recently eFishery (2023), and has in the past invited their LPs to co-invest alongside them in select opportunities. The team is expanding its growth investing capabilities with the new vehicle. Most recently, 500 Global announced the appointment of the firm’s Partners in Southeast Asia – Saemin Ahn, Shahril Ibrahim, and Martin Cu – who currently lead 500 Global’s growth equity practice across the region, supporting and nurturing startups at every stage of their growth.
Over the past decade, 500 Global has backed over 340 companies across Southeast Asia. The firm is recognized as a leading technology investor in the region, having invested early in companies valued at over US$1 billion such as Grab, Bukalapak, Carsome, Carousell, FinAccel, and eFishery.
500 Global has a rich history of supporting early-stage founders in Southeast Asia, bolstered by its deep in-market expertise that forms the foundation of the firm’s multi-stage platform.
500 Global is a multi-stage venture capital firm with US$2.4 billion in assets under management as of 30 June 2023 that invests in founders building fast-growing technology companies. The company focus on markets where technology, innovation, and capital can unlock long-term value and drive economic growth.
