LaunchSep 9, 2026, 08:37 UTC

East Ventures, SV Investment launch Korea-Southeast Asia corridor fund, KDB anchors

What's the deal? East Ventures and SV Investment announced the first close of a joint fund targeting startups across Southeast Asia and South Korea. The fund, branded "East Ventures South Korea fund in partnership with SV Investment," is anchored by the Korea Development Bank (KDB), Korea's state-owned lender, with additional backing from an unnamed global neobank.

What's the endgame? The fund is co-managed by both firms and ready to deploy. It targets revenue-generating startups raising Series A to B rounds, writing cheques of $1 million to $3 million as lead investor.

Why now? Both firms are positioning as a bridge between the two regions. "South Korea will have increasing opportunities to expand into one of the fastest-growing and largest markets, while Southeast Asia will benefit from the adoption of advanced technology from South Korea," said David Junghun Bang, managing partner at SV Investment.

Roderick Purwana, managing partner at East Ventures, called the close "a significant milestone in our shared commitment to fostering cross-border collaboration."

By the numbers: Founded in Indonesia in 2009, East Ventures has raised nine funds and invested in over 300 seed and growth-stage tech companies, including Tokopedia, Traveloka, and Xendit. Preqin has named it the most consistent top-performing VC fund globally.

SV Investment, a publicly listed Seoul firm, runs overseas branches in Singapore, Boston, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, and is among the most active Korean venture investors in Southeast Asia.

What's next? The fund continues to court investors and expects a final close by mid-2025.

The signal: State-backed capital and a cross-border mandate point to deepening ties between South Korea's tech sector and Southeast Asia's fast-growing markets, with corridor funds emerging as a vehicle to move technology and capital in both directions.