In Malaysia, many venture capital (VC) firms invest in startups, helping entrepreneurs launch and expand their businesses. Many of these firms provide significant funding to local startups, often as part of their initial financing round.
Malaysia’s strong connections, infrastructure, talent pool and government support create an ideal environment for business development. As a result, the VC and angel investor landscape in Malaysia is flourishing, with a growing number of investors expressing interest in the market.
Venture capital of Malaysia
This article presents a list of venture capital firms and in Malaysia to help entrepreneurs find suitable funding partners.
Table of Contents
Quest Ventures
| Founded in | 2011 |
| Founded by | James Tan and Yunming Wang |
| Headquartered | Singapore |
| Sectors of Investment | Alternative food, aviation, banking, insurance, logistics & transportation, oil & gas, and smart cities. |
Quest Ventures has core strategy for advancing the digital economy across Asia. They are a leading venture capital firm in key sectors such as AI, e-commerce, finance, and more. Their portfolio includes industry giants such as Carousell and ShopBack.
Collaborating with the Applied Innovation Institute, they drive innovation across a variety of sectors by leveraging research and startup partnerships. Their impact goes beyond profit, as they drive social good initiatives in areas such as financial inclusion and healthcare. Their ventures have created employment opportunities for over 4,400 individuals, while their enterprise and ESG efforts are benefiting thousands across Asia in 2023.
500 Startups
| Founded in | 2010 |
| Founded by | Christine Tsai, Dave Mcclure |
| Headquartered | San Francisco, California |
| Sectors of Investment | SaaS, Media, E-Commerce, Consumer, Healthcare, Proptech & Real Estate, Hardware & Industrials, Education, Devops, Fintech, Crypto & Blockchain |
500 Startups is a venture capital firm driven by a mission to empower talented entrepreneurs around the world, assist them in building successful companies and fostering a thriving global ecosystem. It is renowned as one of the most active firms globally, with a strong presence in Silicon Valley since its inception.
Through its five global funds and 15 thematic funds, it has invested in over 2,300 companies across various geographic markets and verticals. With a team of over 100 members spread across 20 countries, they provide comprehensive support to their global portfolio spanning over 75 countries. Notable investments include Credit Karma, Twilio, and Grab. In addition to seed capital, 500 Seed offers startup support through the Accelerator Program, which focuses on digital marketing, lean startup practices, and fundraising. Additionally, they contribute to the worldwide innovation ecosystem through educational programs, events, and strategic partnerships with corporations and governments.
Gobi Partners
| Founded in | 2002 |
| Founded by | Thomas Tsao |
| Headquartered | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. |
| Sectors of Investment | AI & ML, Biotech, Crypto & Blockchain, E-Commerce, Education, Food & Beverage, Hardware, Healthcare, Supply Chain & Logistics, Marketplace, Media, SaaS, Transportation, AR & VR, Agriculture, Automative, Sports, Fintech |
Gobi Partners, a leading Asia-focused venture capital firm with $1.6 billion in assets under management, operates out of Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong. Since its founding in 2002, it has expanded to 15 locations, raised 17 funds and invested in 380 startups.
The firm’s mission is to empower disadvantaged entrepreneurs, promote gender equality and circular economy initiatives, and foster innovation in emerging markets. Committed to the UN Global Compact principles, Gobi advocates for human rights, labor rights, environmental sustainability, and anti-corruption practices. They prioritize the upliftment of diverse communities in emerging markets and believe in connecting the entrepreneurial ecosystem across Asia. With investments in a variety of sectors and founders, including female leaders and Muslim economies, Gobi supports pioneers solving Asia’s challenges. Their portfolios create jobs, uplift local communities, and impact millions of individuals annually. Collaborating with entrepreneurs, governments, corporates, investors, and NGOs, Gobi Partners brings innovative ideas to life.
Cradle Fund
| Founded in | 2003 |
| Founded by | Non-profit |
| Headquartered | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Sectors of Investment | biotechnology, life sciences, materials science and development technology |
Cradle Fund, a non-profit venture capital investment firm. They support early-stage startups through their programs and initiatives, inviting entrepreneurs and innovators to join their community.
Their mission is to foster a strong and innovative business environment for technology entrepreneurs through the Cradle Investment Programme (CIP). Founded in 2003, Cradle has funded over 1000 Malaysian technology-based companies across multiple sectors, boasting the highest commercialisation rate among funding agencies in the country. Their programme offering goes beyond monetary support, including commercialisation support and various value-added services to accelerate growth.
NEXEA Venture Capital
| Founded in | 2015 |
| Founded by | Ben Lim, TJ Quah, and Alex Lim |
| Headquartered | Selangor, Malaysia |
| Sectors of Investment | consumer products, consumer services, information technology, and e-commerce |
At NEXEA, we assist entrepreneurs in accelerating the growth of their startups through our Angel Investors, Startup Accelerator, and Venture Capital programs across Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
Specializing in growth, accelerator, and incubator investments, They focus on seed-stage, early-stage, growth-stage, and later-stage companies. Their goal is to raise and support future tech giants, aiming for a 10x growth within a few years. NEXEA’s accelerator program is renowned for attracting some of the top local startups.
Acadian Ventures
| Founded in | 2019 |
| Founded by | Jason Corsello |
| Headquartered | Madison, Connecticut |
| Sectors of Investment | software |
Acadian Ventures invests in work technologies, believing in the transformative power of technology to simplify work and increase productivity. They focus on companies that leverage technology to make work more rewarding and efficient.
From a global perspective, they see changes in technology creating new opportunities and believe in the importance of adapting to the changing work landscape. Recognizing the complexity of work and its global nature, they support visionary entrepreneurs around the world, aiming to solve critical challenges in the workplace. By providing capital, advice and support, Acadian Ventures aims to be a meaningful partner to founders, shaping the future of work.
1337 Ventures
| Founded in | 2012 |
| Founded by | Bikesh Lakhmichand |
| Headquartered | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Sectors of Investment | technology solutions, social enterprises, and commerce |
1337 Ventures is a Venture Capital firm targeting pre-seed and seed-stage startups in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, focusing on technology solutions, social enterprises, and commerce sectors.
They provide acceleration and incubation services, including funding access, mentorship, office space, software licenses, and app development support. With a track record of over 700 successful alumni, they aim to scale companies from ideas to multi-million dollar valuations within 10 months. Through their core activities of idea generation, validation, and growth stage investment, they’ve diversified into innovative areas like retail analytics and wearable technology. Additionally, their Leet Academy offers corporate digital transformation workshops, while Leet Capital connects startups with angel and retail investors through Equity Crowdfunding.
Xeraya Capital
| Founded in | 2012 |
| Headquartered | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Sectors of Investment | medical technologies, pharmaceutical biotechnology, and biorenewables |
Xeraya Capital invests in innovative solutions to healthcare and sustainability challenges, guided by three core principles: recognition of partners as individuals, commitment to transparency and ethical conduct, and responsibility to clients, partners, employees and investee companies.
Established with the support of Khazanah Nasional Berhad, Xeraya aims to provide agile capital support for life science breakthroughs, foster long-term relationships and create a positive impact on Malaysian and global communities. Led by an experienced team, Xeraya oversees a diverse portfolio of investments, constantly seeking new opportunities for growth and impact.
OSK Ventures International
| Founded in | 2000 |
| Founded by | Tan Sri Ong |
| Headquartered | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Sectors of Investment | consumer retail, education, enterprise, and financial services technology |
OSK Ventures International is a renowned investment firm committed to becoming the preferred investor in local communities. They provide venture capital and venture debt to Southeast Asian companies, fostering growth and supporting innovative industries.
Their investment scope ranges from start-ups to late-stage companies seeking expansion. OSKVI focuses on business to business (B2B) enterprises and enterprise technology that enhances business operations. Their financing options include expansion capital, venture capital, mezzanine financing, and venture debt.
Malaysian Life Sciences Capital Fund
| Founded in | 2006 |
| Headquartered | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Sectors of Investment | agriculture, industrials, industrial supplies and parts, life sciences, healthcare, and biotechnology |
Based in Malaysia, MLSCF has successfully transferred biotechnology from more developed countries to less developed countries, focusing on technologies with the potential to significantly increase agricultural productivity.
Co-managed by two organizations, the Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC) and Burrill & Company, the fund oversees $150 million in committed capital. The fund operates on the principle of “science without borders,” promoting open innovation to reduce transaction costs associated with technology transfer.
Conclusion
The Malaysia Venture Capital Roadmap 2024-2030, presented by Malaysia Venture Capital Management Berhad, provides valuable insight into the growing opportunities within Malaysia’s VC ecosystem. Focusing on improving access to funding and regulatory processes, Malaysia aims to expand its VC presence as both a primary and secondary market. The roadmap outlines strategic initiatives to establish Malaysia as a leading VC hub in Southeast Asia. Emphasising the importance of collaboration and regulatory reforms, the roadmap seeks to foster a coherent ecosystem conducive to VC growth. This includes capacity building programmes, public-private sector partnerships, and regional integration efforts.
FAQs
What is the Malaysia venture capital roadmap for 2024?
The Malaysia Venture Capital Roadmap (MVCR) for 2024-2030 aims to establish Malaysia as an emerging VC hub in Southeast Asia, aspiring to become the top choice for VC investment in the region. The roadmap seeks to improve the VC ecosystem through three key strategies.
What is the Malaysia venture capital roadmap MVCR?
The recently introduced Malaysian Venture Capital Roadmap (MVCR) aims to improve the ecosystem by implementing essential strategies and 11 interventions. These initiatives aim to unlock capital for innovation, establish a favourable regulatory framework for growth, and enhance the ecosystem’s ability to accelerate growth.
What is the outlook for Malaysia in 2024?
According to the data, the Malaysian economy grew by 1.4% on a quarter-on-quarter seasonally adjusted basis, compared with a 1% contraction in the fourth quarter of last year. The central bank has maintained its forecast of economic growth of 4% to 5% for 2024.
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