OurEthos
At TNB Aura, we are investing in and helping to build the future of Southeast Asia.
As a thesis-led, high-conviction venture capital firm,
We believe uncommon results are borne from uncommon inputs.
We believe that bigger bets on fewer investments allow for impact that
pushes boundaries,
And it requires a curious mix of dreamers, scientists and contrarians.
At TNB Aura, we call it Uncommon Chemistry.
OurUncommon Approach
TransformativeImpact
We look for founders who want to be part of a new era of future-defining growth in Southeast Asia. They are the visionaries who want to tackle our region’s biggest challenges and make a difference in the lives of The Next Billion.
Distilling Data
Great ideas are a synthesis of science and passion. Our methodology is thesis-led and data-driven, allowing us to take an outbound approach. We utilise pattern recognition and deep local expertise to uncover winning business models tailored for our region.
UnwaveringConviction
We believe that opportunities in SEA are wide but shallow. This allows us to pick the winning models and canvass the market to back the best of the best. So when we’re in, we’re all in.
Partners InGrowth
More than investors, we’re partners in it for the long haul. We want to make every startup institutional-ready, and we are prepared to equip them with the right tools to become iconic businesses. Our goal? To be the best 'second' cheque in the region.
Our latestNews & Insights
Singapore-based Zuzu Hospitality, which provides a revenue platform for independent hotels, has raised US$9 million in a series B round led by SoftBank Ventures Asia.
In their investment philosophy, TNB Aura is taking a top-down approach when it comes to assessing a potential investment
Startup fundraising in SEA dipped to two-year low in Q1 this year
Despite #telehealth expenditures in #SoutheastAsia rising significantly faster than GDP, the telehealth landscape remains highly fragmented to date with physicians and consumers ready to embrace change. Read more about what we believe is the right model to win the market.
Deal Street Asia: At Least Seven Regional VCs Made their First Investment in the Philippines in 2022
At least seven regional VCs made their first investment in the Philippines in 2022
As weaker sentiment for technology risk cools venture capital markets globally, Southeast Asia is lagging in limbo. Investors remain bullish but continue to hold their fire amidst questions around valuations
Did you know that in Southeast Asia, the unbanked and underbanked population amounts to ~200M and ~100M respectively? #Vietnam ranks 2nd among the top 10 unbanked nations globally, with ~70% of the population remaining unbanked and underbanked. Our recent investment shows that GIMO (YC W22) is one of the first movers in Vietnam, adopting and promoting earned wage access model (“EWA”) or on-demand pay.
TNB AURA's latest investments into the D2C space have demonstrated our strong conviction that #SoutheastAsia is primed for D2C House-of-Brands champions to emerge. Read more on the Why and How in TNB Aura's latest Perspectives edition.
Indonesia, renowned as a traditional agrarian nation, has seen a large digital transformation in recent years as the sector continues to play a critical role in the country's economy. TNB AURA's latest AgriTech investments in AgriAku and Eratani demonstrate the key success factors establishing a gateway to the fragmented market in Indonesia - Read more in our latest Perspectives edition.
Singapore-based consumer electronics brand, PRISM+, today announced its plans for expansion, following the success of its first institutional funding round by TNB Aura.
TNB AURA had a great time participating in the SVCA 2022 Conference yesterday with our Founding Partner Vicknesh R Pillay sharing the stage with Frank Phuan EDPR Sunseap APAC, Jeffrey Perlman Warburg Pincus LLC, Trista Chen ERM: Environmental Resources Management, Anuj Maheshwari Temasek.
Indonesia-based Tjufoo has raised an undisclosed amount for its seed round led by TNB Aura, which will fund the brand aggregator’s efforts to grow local direct-to-consumer brands.
Offering a Venture Capitalist's perspective in our roundtable chat with DBS Corporate and Institutional Banking and Momentum Works, our Principal Joe Zhang, highlighted the increasing importance of investing in the sustainability of a business, along with a "large addressable market, strong momentum of economic development, and high rate of tech penetration and adoption".
Traditional E-Commerce have not been accessible to 2nd, 3rd tier, and rural markets due to low e-commerce literacy and trust, and the recent inception of Social Commerce has been a game changer for the underserved population.
Indonesian social commerce platform Super raised $70 million in a Series C funding round led by U.S. based investor New Enterprise Associates (NEA), according to an announcement on Thursday. The startup, which serves serves tier-2 and tier-3 cities and Indonesian rural areas, also has the round supported by additional investment from Insignia Ventures Partners, SoftBank Ventures Asia, DST Global Partners, Amasia, B Capital, TNB Aura, the Chairman of Bain Capital Stephen Pagliuca, the Former General Partner of Kleiner Perkins Eric Feng’s Goldhouse, and Xendit CEO Moses Lo.
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have a vital role in the national economy. Despite of having a smaller economic scale compared to multinational companies, MSMEs pose as the largest contributor to the Indonesian gross domestic product (GDP).
Indonesian EdTech company CoLearn raises an additional US$17 million in Series A follow-on funding led by TNB Aura, KTB Network and BINUS GROUP
Zipmex Thailand is preparing to launch a crypto Visa debit card service and plans to apply for a licence for a non-fungible token (NFT) trading platform this year with the goal of expanding its business in the digital asset industry.
The Southeast Asia Venture Capital landscape is bright. In 2021, the region has minted 20 unicorns, surpassing any previous decade's total. About a quarter of these are in the fintech space, followed by approximately 20 per cent in e-commerce.
