East Ventures

East Ventures is a sector-agnostic venture capital firm founded in 2009. It has invested in over 457 tech companies,  665 investments and 40 successful exits across Southeast Asia, providing multi-stage investment from Seed to Growth stages. The firm focuses on two key factors for evaluating startups: People and Potential Market. It believes in fast decision-making, often closing deals within 24-48 hours. 

East Ventures is involved in both tech companies and initiatives that promote sustainability, incorporating ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) practices in its operations.

East Ventures completes around 47.5 rounds per year, showing its active presence in the venture capital market. The firm’s Follow-On Index is 0.31, indicating that East Ventures often provides early-stage funding and may not always follow up with additional rounds as the companies grow.

They also hosted the largest East Ventures Summit where they brought 6 stages, 40 sessions, and 100+ speakers, all in one day. The Summit featured policymakers, leading investors, industry experts, and the brightest startup founders of the East Ventures ecosystem.

launching the ECOVISEA platform for calculating and managing environmental impacts, and establishing healthcare and climate-focused funds, such as a US$30 million healthcare fund and a US$100 million Southeast Asia-South Korea investment fund. The firm has also been recognised for its impact on investment, receiving awards such as the Best Investor on Impact Investment by KEHATI.

East Ventures supports sectors such as healthtech, biotech, logistics, and IT. It has funded companies like Tokopedia, Traveloka, Xendit, and Ruangguru, contributing to the growth of several unicorns. Its commitment to sustainability is seen in projects like planting mangrove trees to absorb carbon emissions and launching the Climate Impact Innovations Challenge.

Additionally, East Ventures has been a signatory of the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and continues to promote digital competitiveness in Southeast Asia through its annual Digital Competitiveness Index.

East Ventures was founded in 2009 by Batara Eto, Willson Cuaca, and Taiga Matsuyama as a sector-agnostic venture capital firm with a focus on Southeast Asia and Japan. The firm saw potential in Indonesia’s emerging digital economy, despite the country's relatively low internet penetration at the time. 

East Ventures made its first investment in Tokopedia, an e-commerce platform, in 2010, which became a cornerstone of Indonesia’s digital economy. This investment marked the beginning of a long-term commitment to the tech ecosystem in Southeast Asia.

In 2011, East Ventures launched its first 100-day startup accelerator programme, aimed at nurturing early-stage companies. The firm achieved its first exit in 2011 by selling Disdus to Groupon. The company continued investing in notable startups, including Traveloka in 2012, which later became a leading travel platform in the region. Over the years, East Ventures expanded its investment portfolio across sectors like e-commerce, fintech, and logistics.

By 2017, the firm had invested in unicorns such as Tokopedia and Traveloka. East Ventures also launched EV Growth in 2018, a growth-stage fund to support later-stage investments in Southeast Asia. The fund raised US$250 million, exceeding its original target. In 2019, East Ventures celebrated its 10th anniversary and was named one of the “Most Consistent Top Performing Venture Capital Fund Managers” by Preqin.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, East Ventures launched the Indonesia PASTI BISA (IDPB) platform, mobilising its ecosystem to raise funds for COVID-19 test kits and medical equipment. In 2021, the firm supported unicorns Carro and Xendit, further strengthening its position in Southeast Asia’s venture capital landscape.

In recent years, East Ventures has shifted its focus to sustainability. In 2022, the firm launched the ECOVISEA platform, a free web-based greenhouse gas calculator developed in collaboration with KADIN Indonesia. That same year, it released its inaugural Sustainability Report and became a signatory of the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI).

In 2023, East Ventures announced a healthcare-focused fund of US$30 million, targeting healthcare startups in Indonesia. It also launched the Climate Impact Innovations Challenge in collaboration with Temasek Foundation, promoting climate tech solutions in Indonesia.

In 2024, East Ventures hosted its largest Summit, with over 100 speakers and various sessions focused on the digital economy and sustainability. The firm continues to invest in tech companies across Southeast Asia, with a focus on digital transformation, sustainability, and healthcare. Presently, it remains one of the most active venture capital firms in the region, supporting over 300 startups through multi-stage investments.

East Ventures follows a clear investment criteria based on two main factors: People and Potential Market. These criteria guide their decision-making process when evaluating startups for investment. They initially used a “3P” model, which included People, Product, and Potential Market, but they later refined this to focus on the most critical aspects—People and Potential Market.

• People: East Ventures believes that the strength of a startup lies in its founders. They look for founders who demonstrate three key traits: integrity, high-level self-awareness, and a paradoxical ability to manage conflicting skills or ideas. These traits are essential for building and leading a successful company. The firm values founders who can not only build a product but also adapt and lead their company through challenges.
• Potential Market: The size and growth potential of the market is another key factor. East Ventures assesses whether the startup is targeting a market that is large enough to support significant growth. The founders must have a clear understanding of the market size and the opportunity it presents. For growth-stage investments, East Ventures places an even stronger focus on market traction, ensuring the startup has demonstrated progress in capturing market share.
• Fast Decision-Making: One of East Ventures’ unique approaches is their ability to make investment decisions quickly. They often close deals within 24-48 hours, which allows startups to receive the funding they need without delays.

East Ventures focuses on creating value by investing in high-potential startups and supporting them through every stage of growth, from seed to expansion. Their value lies in their deep understanding of Southeast Asia's market and their commitment to building strong relationships with founders. East Ventures actively helps startups navigate challenges, providing not just capital but also mentorship and strategic guidance. They prioritise sustainable growth, encouraging startups to build solid foundations based on sound business models. With a focus on technology and innovation, East Ventures fosters long-term success by backing companies that contribute positively to society and the economy.

East Ventures' mission is to foster innovation and drive sustainable growth in Southeast Asia's digital economy by investing in early-stage and growth-stage startups. They aim to support entrepreneurs who create impactful solutions for large markets, particularly in sectors like technology, healthcare, and sustainability. By providing capital, mentorship, and strategic guidance, East Ventures empowers companies to achieve long-term financial sustainability. Their focus is not just on building profitable businesses but also on embedding responsible and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) practices to ensure positive outcomes for both society and the environment.