Vertex Ventures SEA & India, Backing Bold Tech Founders Across the Region

Backing Southeast Asia & India’s Next Generation of Tech Leaders

In the rapidly evolving startup ecosystems of Southeast Asia and India, few names carry the same weight as Vertex Ventures SEA & India (VVSEAI). A sector-agnostic early-stage investor, VVSEAI has earned a reputation as one of the region’s most respected and prolific venture capital firms, anchored by deep local roots, global insight, and a hands-on, founder-first approach.

The Vertex Advantage

Founded in 2010 and backed by Vertex Holdings (a Temasek Holdings subsidiary), Vertex SEA & India was established to identify and nurture high-potential tech companies across South and Southeast Asia. Over the past decade, it has emerged as a cornerstone investor across the region, with a philosophy of building alongside founders, not just betting on them.

Investment Strategy

• Stage Focus: Seed to Series B, with first checks typically ranging from $3M to $10M

• Sectors: Fintech, SaaS, Healthtech, Consumer Internet, Emerging Tech

• Approach: Lead investor, collaborative co-founder mindset, long-term capital and operational support

Geographic Footprint
With offices in Singapore, Bangalore, Jakarta, Bangkok, and Ho Chi Minh City, VVSEAI is deeply embedded in the region’s major tech hubs. The fund invests exclusively in Southeast Asia and India, but leverages the broader Vertex global network (with funds in the US, China, Israel, and beyond) to scale portfolio companies internationally.

A Track Record of Unicorns

Vertex SEA & India has been a first institutional backer for some of the most iconic names in the region’s startup history, including:

• Grab – The Southeast Asian super-app

• FirstCry – India’s top babycare e-commerce platform

• XPressBees – Logistics scale-up turned unicorn

• Nium – Global payments infrastructure platform

• Licious – India’s D2C meat and fresh food brand

• PatSnap – Global leader in IP and innovation intelligence

With over 80 active companies and six unicorns to date, VVSEAI’s portfolio is a blueprint of regional innovation and category leadership.

Why Founders Choose Vertex

What makes Vertex SEA & India stand out is not just capital, it’s partnership. The team prides itself on being accessible, operationally-minded, and deeply involved in the formative stages of company-building.

Founders receive more than just term sheets: they gain access to Vertex’s network of experts, future capital support, go-to-market resources, and regional connectivity. From boardroom guidance to talent strategy, Vertex becomes an embedded ally in a startup’s journey.

WOWS Global: The Road Ahead with Vertex SEA & India

With its fifth and largest fund raised in 2023, $541M of fresh dry powder, Vertex SEA & India is doubling down on its thesis: to be the first and most trusted institutional partner for breakthrough companies in Southeast Asia and India.

In a region brimming with digital transformation and untapped markets, Vertex is not just investing in companies. It’s helping build the tech backbone of tomorrow’s emerging economies.

Raising capital for your SEA or India-based tech startup?

Let WOWS Global help you get in front of Vertex Ventures SEA & India, at the right stage, with the right story.