Granatus Ventures: Deep-Tech Builders Bridging Armenia and Southeast Asia

In a region where venture narratives often orbit consumer super-apps and fintech scale-ups, Granatus Ventures stands out for a different reason: it hunts for hard problems. From AI drug design to quantum software and industrial robotics, the Yerevan-born firm backs deep-tech founders early, then helps them compound value by tapping exceptional engineering talent across Armenia, while building market pathways globally. With Singapore as an outreach base and research collaborations in healthtech touching Southeast Asia, Granatus is emerging as a useful co-investor for SEA founders tackling SDG-aligned challenges that demand scientific or computational edge.

Quick Facts

• Firm: Granatus Ventures (CJSC)

• Founded: 2013

• Base: Yerevan, with footprint in London, Singapore, and Chicago

• Funds: Fund I (classic seed); Tech4SDG Fund (target ~$40M) focused on deep-tech aligned to UN SDGs

• Sectors: AI/ML, biotech/therapeutics, robotics, advanced & quantum computing, data/vision systems; applications in healthcare, education, climate/resource efficiency, ag/food

• Stages: Pre-seed/Seed to Series A (select B)

• Tickets: Typically $100k–$1M initial; up to ~$1–3M in follow-ons under Tech4SDG

• SEA Angle: Singapore presence; ecosystem engagement; portfolio research ties in Singapore (e.g., dengue-focused AI drug discovery collaboration)

Why They Matter to Southeast Asia

• Deep-tech conviction in an execution-heavy region: SEA’s health, climate, and productivity pain points are tailor-made for applied deep-tech. Granatus brings pattern recognition from US/EU deep-tech and pairs it with scalable Armenian engineering pipelines, useful for SEA startups needing robust R&D at sensible burn.

• Singapore as a springboard: The firm’s presence and activity in Singapore make it a natural node for pilots, partnerships, and co-investor syndication across the region.

• SDG-aligned mandate: Health security (e.g., dengue), sustainable manufacturing, and food resilience are priority arenas where SEA governments and corporates actively fund pilots, Granatus looks for exactly these intersections.

Investment Thesis (at a glance)

• Back the science early: Preference for IP-centric teams with defensible technology and a clear route to productization.

• High tech risk, managed market risk: Granatus leans into novel algorithms, materials, biology, or robotics where differentiation is measurable, while validating go-to-market through early design partners.

• Global build, Armenia-enabled: Encourage R&D or engineering scale-ups in Armenia to accelerate velocity and capital efficiency; commercial pathways can sit in the US, EU, or SEA.

• SDG lens for Tech4SDG: Outcomes that move needles in health, climate/resource use, education, and food/agri get priority.

Check Size & Stages

• Initial tickets: USD $100k–$1M typical for pre-seed/seed (examples on record include low six-figure first checks).

• Follow-ons: Up to ~$1–3M from Tech4SDG for companies progressing to Series A/B.

• Lead or co-lead: Comfortable leading at seed; collaborative with specialist funds for later rounds.

Geography & Presence

• Global mandate with a consistent Armenia engineering hub strategy.

• SEA touchpoints:

  • Singapore location (sourcing, partnerships, LP/BD).

  • Ecosystem engagement (e.g., thought-leadership in AI & health).

  • Portfolio R&D linkages in Singapore on infectious-disease drug discovery, directly relevant to SEA public-health priorities.

Portfolio Highlights (Representative)

• Gecko Robotics — AI-driven robotics for critical infrastructure (US).

• Modicus Prime — Computer vision for pharma quality (US/Armenia).

• Bactobio — ML-guided microbial discovery for therapeutics/industry (UK).

• BlueQubit — Quantum software tools (US/Armenia).

• Denovo Sciences — AI drug design (US/Armenia); collaboration in Singapore on dengue inhibitors.

• SuperAnnotate — Data infrastructure for AI (US/Armenia).

• CodeSignal — Technical hiring assessments (US/Armenia).

• Benivo — Global mobility tech (UK).

• Collectly — Patient billing/RCM (US).

• Waveye / Sparxell / Endometrics — Newer deep-tech bets across sensors, sustainable materials, women’s health.

While Granatus engages actively in Singapore, publicly disclosed SEA-headquartered portfolio companies are limited; current SEA relevance comes via presence, events, and R&D partnerships.

What Granatus Looks For

• Science-led edge: Patents, datasets, or demonstrable algorithmic/materials/biological advantage.

• Credible path to revenue: Design partners, regulatory strategy (for health/biotech), and early unit-economic clarity.

• Team composition: Technical founders with domain depth; commercial co-founders or advisors who can translate IP into pilot wins.

• Talent leverage: Willingness to build or extend Armenia-based engineering/R&D for speed and capital efficiency.

• Impact with pragmatism: SDG-aligned outcomes that can scale in real markets.

How SEA Founders Can Engage

• Show the wedge: For health/climate/industrial use cases, bring pilot data or a lined-up POC, especially with hospitals, manufacturers, or agencies in Singapore or key SEA markets.

• Map the build plan: Outline how an Armenia engineering node accelerates your roadmap (hiring plan, IP security, collaboration rhythms).

• Regulatory and QA fluency: For biotech/medtech/pharma-adjacent products, present your QA/QMS posture and regulatory glidepath (e.g., HSA, CE, FDA)—they will ask.

• Syndicate early: Granatus collaborates well with specialist deep-tech and sector funds; propose a co-lead or target syndicate upfront.

Typical Round Structures (Illustrative)

• Pre-seed/Seed: $0.5–1.5M total rounds; Granatus leads or co-leads with ~$0.3–$1.0M; heavy technical diligence; early design partners in place.

• Seed+ / Series A: $3–10M rounds; Granatus follows on (~$1–3M) alongside sector specialists or regional funds; milestones include clinical/field data, regulatory progress, or industrial deployments.

Why Co-Invest With Them

• Hard-tech diligence muscle: Experience across AI, computer vision, biotech, and robotics shortens decision cycles with technical founders.

• Scaled engineering capacity: The Armenia node lets startups stretch dollars without compromising speed or quality.

• Global network: US/EU commercialization routes plus Singapore connectivity for SEA pilots.

Fit Check for SEA Teams

You’re likely a match if you are:

• Building deep-tech with clear IP moats (AI models + proprietary data, molecular discovery platforms, advanced sensors/robotics, or quantum-adjacent software).

• Targeting health, climate/resource efficiency, food/agri, or industrial reliability, problems that matter in SEA.

• Open to distributed R&D with a high-caliber Armenia team to accelerate build velocity.

• Raising $0.5–1.5M seed (with room for $1–3M follow-ons as traction mounts).

WOWS Take

Granatus Ventures is an early-stage deep-tech specialist that pairs scientific ambition with disciplined build mechanics. For SEA founders, especially those orbiting Singapore, the firm offers a pragmatic route to scale: sophisticated technical diligence, real follow-on capacity, and a proven playbook for capital-efficient, IP-heavy company building.

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