500 Startups
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François Derbaix is a serial entrepreneur and angel investor. In 1997, he began his career in business as a consultant for The Boston Consulting Group. He moved quickly into entrepreneurship. In 2000, he founded Toprural, a rural tourism platform that operates in 10 countries and earned €5m in 2009. In 2012, Toprural was acquired by HomeAway.He also co-founded Rentalia (acquired by Idealista in 2012), Indexa Capital, Bewa7er, Soysuper and Aplazame.Since leaving entrepreneurship, Derbaix has dedicated his time to supporting new internet projects as an angel investor in Spanish tech startups such as Kantox and Deporvillage.
François Derbaix is a serial entrepreneur and angel investor. In 1997, he began his career in business as a consultant for The Boston Consulting Group. He moved quickly into entrepreneurship. In 2000, he founded Toprural, a rural tourism platform that operates in 10 countries and earned €5m in 2009. In 2012, Toprural was acquired by HomeAway.He also co-founded Rentalia (acquired by Idealista in 2012), Indexa Capital, Bewa7er, Soysuper and Aplazame.Since leaving entrepreneurship, Derbaix has dedicated his time to supporting new internet projects as an angel investor in Spanish tech startups such as Kantox and Deporvillage.
AIA Group is the largest independent publicly listed pan-Asian life insurance group. Headquartered in Hong Kong, the group operates in 18 markets across Asia-Pacific. In 2014, AIA began to partner with venture capital firms to launch AIA Accelerator to support innovative and disruptive startups.AIA Group was originally founded in Shanghai, under the name of American Asiatic Underwriters. In 1939, the founder Cornelius Vander Starr relocated the head office to New York. AIA became a subsidiary of American International Group (AIG). AIA was listed in Hong Kong in 2010 and AIG sold all its shares of AIA Group in 2012.
AIA Group is the largest independent publicly listed pan-Asian life insurance group. Headquartered in Hong Kong, the group operates in 18 markets across Asia-Pacific. In 2014, AIA began to partner with venture capital firms to launch AIA Accelerator to support innovative and disruptive startups.AIA Group was originally founded in Shanghai, under the name of American Asiatic Underwriters. In 1939, the founder Cornelius Vander Starr relocated the head office to New York. AIA became a subsidiary of American International Group (AIG). AIA was listed in Hong Kong in 2010 and AIG sold all its shares of AIA Group in 2012.
Owned by French investment group Eurazeo, Idinvest Partners was founded in 1997 in Paris, France, as AGF Private Equity and operated as part of German multinational Allianz until 2010, when it became an independent entity. With additional offices in Madrid, Frankfurt, Shanghai and Dubai, Idinvest manages €8bn in assets and has invested in around 4,000 companies, with 75 exits. It specializes in private equity and venture capital financing of European small and mid-size startups and has been named Best Private Equity Team by Deloitte in its 2012 Technology Fast 50 Awards. The company was acquired by Eurazeo in April 2018.
Owned by French investment group Eurazeo, Idinvest Partners was founded in 1997 in Paris, France, as AGF Private Equity and operated as part of German multinational Allianz until 2010, when it became an independent entity. With additional offices in Madrid, Frankfurt, Shanghai and Dubai, Idinvest manages €8bn in assets and has invested in around 4,000 companies, with 75 exits. It specializes in private equity and venture capital financing of European small and mid-size startups and has been named Best Private Equity Team by Deloitte in its 2012 Technology Fast 50 Awards. The company was acquired by Eurazeo in April 2018.
Fondazione Marche, founded in 2009, is a private, non-profit business promotion organization that operates exclusively in the Italian territory of the Marche Region in central-eastern Italy. It is based in the regional capital Ancona. The organization was established by local business leaders in association with banks Banca Popolare di Ancona and BPU, who funded the company with €15m. It invests across sectors and technologies, with both tech and non-tech startups supported. Its most recent investment to date was in Italo-Spanish insect protein flour manufacturer Nutrinsect, with a €350,000 pre-seed investment in May 2020.
Fondazione Marche, founded in 2009, is a private, non-profit business promotion organization that operates exclusively in the Italian territory of the Marche Region in central-eastern Italy. It is based in the regional capital Ancona. The organization was established by local business leaders in association with banks Banca Popolare di Ancona and BPU, who funded the company with €15m. It invests across sectors and technologies, with both tech and non-tech startups supported. Its most recent investment to date was in Italo-Spanish insect protein flour manufacturer Nutrinsect, with a €350,000 pre-seed investment in May 2020.
Paul Allen was an American business magnate and investor. Best known as Microsoft Corporation co-founder with his childhood friend Bill Gates, he left the company after eight years after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. Allen died in 2018 at the age of 65, with a net worth of $20.3bn.His multibillion-dollar investment arm Vulcan Capital has backed tech startups around the world, including Spotify, Alibaba Group and Flipkart. Allen also owned the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, the NFL's Seattle Seahawks and has a stake in the Seattle Sounders soccer team. He also donated over $2bn to philanthropic initiatives.
Paul Allen was an American business magnate and investor. Best known as Microsoft Corporation co-founder with his childhood friend Bill Gates, he left the company after eight years after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. Allen died in 2018 at the age of 65, with a net worth of $20.3bn.His multibillion-dollar investment arm Vulcan Capital has backed tech startups around the world, including Spotify, Alibaba Group and Flipkart. Allen also owned the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, the NFL's Seattle Seahawks and has a stake in the Seattle Sounders soccer team. He also donated over $2bn to philanthropic initiatives.
Founded in 2018, Kale United is a Stockholm-based ethical investor with an overriding interest in plant-based technologies. It raises funds from crowd campaigns and currently has a portfolio of 30 companies, mostly Swedish alternative meat startups. It had crowdfunded €1.34m by April 2020 for its portfolio of companies from three separate campaigns. It also has a portfolio of plant-based public shares and features a team of vegan expert investors and business leaders. Its founder, Måns Ullerstam, owns a third of the company. He is also CEO of local vegetarian food producer startup Astrid och Aporna.
Founded in 2018, Kale United is a Stockholm-based ethical investor with an overriding interest in plant-based technologies. It raises funds from crowd campaigns and currently has a portfolio of 30 companies, mostly Swedish alternative meat startups. It had crowdfunded €1.34m by April 2020 for its portfolio of companies from three separate campaigns. It also has a portfolio of plant-based public shares and features a team of vegan expert investors and business leaders. Its founder, Måns Ullerstam, owns a third of the company. He is also CEO of local vegetarian food producer startup Astrid och Aporna.
Based in Seattle, Washington, Pivotal Ventures was founded by Melinda Gates in 2015 as a separate, independent organization from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The VC-arm and incubator aim to foster social innovation in the US, focusing on the social progress of women and families. It has supported diversity & inclusion, healthcare and impact startups by providing early-stage funding to enterprises with philanthropic and scalable goals. In October 2020, Pivotal launched a fund for adolescent mental health in partnership with Panorama Global. In September 2020, it also joined Techstars to create a new accelerator program to find innovative eldercare solutions for seniors and their caregivers.
Based in Seattle, Washington, Pivotal Ventures was founded by Melinda Gates in 2015 as a separate, independent organization from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The VC-arm and incubator aim to foster social innovation in the US, focusing on the social progress of women and families. It has supported diversity & inclusion, healthcare and impact startups by providing early-stage funding to enterprises with philanthropic and scalable goals. In October 2020, Pivotal launched a fund for adolescent mental health in partnership with Panorama Global. In September 2020, it also joined Techstars to create a new accelerator program to find innovative eldercare solutions for seniors and their caregivers.
Rick Klausner is an award-winning scientist, former executive director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and an entrepreneur. Cell and molecular biologist Klausner was also director of the US National Cancer Institute from 1999-2001 and currently serves as CEO at biotech Lyell Immunopharma working with cell-based technology. He has also co-founded three US healthcare startups to date, Juno Therapeutics in 2013, MindStrong Health in 2014 and GRAIL in 2015. In 2021, he participated as an investor in the $48m Series A round of Dutch cell-based meat startup Meatable which leverages pluripotent stem cells for the first time in foodtech.
Rick Klausner is an award-winning scientist, former executive director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and an entrepreneur. Cell and molecular biologist Klausner was also director of the US National Cancer Institute from 1999-2001 and currently serves as CEO at biotech Lyell Immunopharma working with cell-based technology. He has also co-founded three US healthcare startups to date, Juno Therapeutics in 2013, MindStrong Health in 2014 and GRAIL in 2015. In 2021, he participated as an investor in the $48m Series A round of Dutch cell-based meat startup Meatable which leverages pluripotent stem cells for the first time in foodtech.
Taavet Hinrikus is the Estonian-born co-founder and CEO of money transfer platform and unicorn TransferWise (now called Wise). He was formerly Skype’s Director of Strategy and is a prolific angel investor across sectors and technologies, with investments in around 30 startups to date. His most recent investments include in the April 2021 $11m Series A round of automatic contract negotiator PACTUM and in the March 2021 $48m Series A round of Dutch cell-based meat startup Meatable which leverages pluripotent stem cells for the first time in foodtech.
Taavet Hinrikus is the Estonian-born co-founder and CEO of money transfer platform and unicorn TransferWise (now called Wise). He was formerly Skype’s Director of Strategy and is a prolific angel investor across sectors and technologies, with investments in around 30 startups to date. His most recent investments include in the April 2021 $11m Series A round of automatic contract negotiator PACTUM and in the March 2021 $48m Series A round of Dutch cell-based meat startup Meatable which leverages pluripotent stem cells for the first time in foodtech.
Not-for-profit social impact investor, Rabo Foundation, is a subsidiary of Rabobank based in the Netherlands. The bank specializes in sustainability-oriented banking, food and agriculture financing.Founded in Utrecht in 1974, Rabo Foundation actively invests in the Netherlands and 22 emerging markets across Africa, Asia and Latin America. It mainly focuses on funding for social enterprises, especially savings and credit cooperatives and producer organizations for smallholder farmers. It currently has investments in 26 startups including participation in AgroCenta’s $790,000 seed round in January 2021. Rabo has also pumped in $500,000 in Dutch fintech Geldfit.nl, a debt prevention and counseling app service.
Not-for-profit social impact investor, Rabo Foundation, is a subsidiary of Rabobank based in the Netherlands. The bank specializes in sustainability-oriented banking, food and agriculture financing.Founded in Utrecht in 1974, Rabo Foundation actively invests in the Netherlands and 22 emerging markets across Africa, Asia and Latin America. It mainly focuses on funding for social enterprises, especially savings and credit cooperatives and producer organizations for smallholder farmers. It currently has investments in 26 startups including participation in AgroCenta’s $790,000 seed round in January 2021. Rabo has also pumped in $500,000 in Dutch fintech Geldfit.nl, a debt prevention and counseling app service.
Twitter co-founder Evan Williams is also CEO at media company Medium and an angel investor with disclosed investments in 18 startups to date. His investments are across multiple market segments and are all based in the US. His most recent disclosed investments include participation in the $4.6m seed round of compensation fintech player OpenComp in March 2021, as well as in the $30m Series B round of audio and video creation platform Descript in January 2021.
Twitter co-founder Evan Williams is also CEO at media company Medium and an angel investor with disclosed investments in 18 startups to date. His investments are across multiple market segments and are all based in the US. His most recent disclosed investments include participation in the $4.6m seed round of compensation fintech player OpenComp in March 2021, as well as in the $30m Series B round of audio and video creation platform Descript in January 2021.
Founded in 1976, KKR is an American private equity firm headquartered in New York City, USA. The company currently oversees investment opportunities in various industries in America, Europe and Asia, ranging from venture capital to hedge funds. As of March 2021, it has $367bn assets under management, with more than 100 companies in their investment portfolio.Its investment portfolio in Asia-Pacific includes major corporations like Panasonic, COFCO Meat and GenesisCare, as well as startups like Gojek. Elsewhere, it has invested in companies like ride-hailing startup Lyft (which has gone for an IPO), historic guitar maker Gibson, and combat sport broadcasting company UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).
Founded in 1976, KKR is an American private equity firm headquartered in New York City, USA. The company currently oversees investment opportunities in various industries in America, Europe and Asia, ranging from venture capital to hedge funds. As of March 2021, it has $367bn assets under management, with more than 100 companies in their investment portfolio.Its investment portfolio in Asia-Pacific includes major corporations like Panasonic, COFCO Meat and GenesisCare, as well as startups like Gojek. Elsewhere, it has invested in companies like ride-hailing startup Lyft (which has gone for an IPO), historic guitar maker Gibson, and combat sport broadcasting company UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).
Since its founding in 1972, American venture capital firm Sequoia Capital has partnered with the founders of companies that now have an aggregate, public market value of over $1.4tn. Sequoia Capital acquired Indian venture capital firm Westbridge Capital Partners in 2006, and later became the foundation for Sequoia Capital India. Sequoia Capital India focuses primarily in India and Southeast Asia. It has invested in many major tech companies in the region, including Indian edtech firm Byju’s, budget accommodation network OYO, and Indonesian ride-hailing unicorn Gojek. In 2019, it launched Surge, an accelerator program for early-stage startups in Southeast Asia and India.
Since its founding in 1972, American venture capital firm Sequoia Capital has partnered with the founders of companies that now have an aggregate, public market value of over $1.4tn. Sequoia Capital acquired Indian venture capital firm Westbridge Capital Partners in 2006, and later became the foundation for Sequoia Capital India. Sequoia Capital India focuses primarily in India and Southeast Asia. It has invested in many major tech companies in the region, including Indian edtech firm Byju’s, budget accommodation network OYO, and Indonesian ride-hailing unicorn Gojek. In 2019, it launched Surge, an accelerator program for early-stage startups in Southeast Asia and India.
Schneider Electric is a Europe-based company primarily providing energy management and automation solutions for homes, commercial and industrial-scale properties. The company was originally named Schneider & Cie, founded in 1836 as a metal and weaponry, but between 1975 and 1999 began to refocus towards the electrical industry. The company was renamed Schneider Electric in 1999.Schneider’s technologies focus on managing energy use and conserving energy through a combination of hardware and software. Consequently, Schneider’s investments into startups revolve around the energy sector, with companies like solar power management service Xurya, battery manufacturer Verkor, and building management SaaS Clockworks Analytics as part of their portfolio.
Schneider Electric is a Europe-based company primarily providing energy management and automation solutions for homes, commercial and industrial-scale properties. The company was originally named Schneider & Cie, founded in 1836 as a metal and weaponry, but between 1975 and 1999 began to refocus towards the electrical industry. The company was renamed Schneider Electric in 1999.Schneider’s technologies focus on managing energy use and conserving energy through a combination of hardware and software. Consequently, Schneider’s investments into startups revolve around the energy sector, with companies like solar power management service Xurya, battery manufacturer Verkor, and building management SaaS Clockworks Analytics as part of their portfolio.
Founded in 1997 in London, Amadeus has invested in more than 130 companies, has over 40 employees and has raised over $1bn to date. The investor focuses on early-stage UK-based companies, although it has also invested in later-stage European and developing market startups. In August 2021, it announced a $150m upcoming investment drive in Brazil. Amadeus currently has 54 portfolio companies. Its recent investments include the June 2021 £20m Series A investment round of UK-based XYZ Reality that employs holograms in construction tech. In May 2021, it led the $4.8m investment in the cryptography lifecycle management platform Cryptosense.
Founded in 1997 in London, Amadeus has invested in more than 130 companies, has over 40 employees and has raised over $1bn to date. The investor focuses on early-stage UK-based companies, although it has also invested in later-stage European and developing market startups. In August 2021, it announced a $150m upcoming investment drive in Brazil. Amadeus currently has 54 portfolio companies. Its recent investments include the June 2021 £20m Series A investment round of UK-based XYZ Reality that employs holograms in construction tech. In May 2021, it led the $4.8m investment in the cryptography lifecycle management platform Cryptosense.
Portugal's Prodsmart takes AI, IoT-based manufacturing to US factories
Smart factories can cut wastage by 80% and improve inventory, production and supply chains, tackling US$200 billion worth of losses
Ricult: Providing smallholder farmers easier access to capital
Based in Pakistan and Thailand, Ricult’s mobile app platform provides advanced weather forecasting, easy loan applications and direct market access to help farmers increase productivity and profits
Forward Fooding: Ranking the world's agrifood startups on success and sustainability
The collaborative platform has opened applications for its FoodTech500 global ranking of agrifood startups; counts over 7,000 startups and scaleups mapped so far
Ciweishixi: HR startup helps Chinese youth pursue rewarding careers
Ciweishixi uses the Western internship model to help young people discover their true passion, online and offline
Alodokter wants personalised healthcare on tap
The Indonesian healthcare startup recently got a US$9 million Series B funding for expansion.
Xu Jinghong: Champion of young entrepreneurs and high-tech startups
Under Xu Jinghong’s leadership, Tsinghua Holdings grew its assets sevenfold and incubated over 10,000 businesses. In his new role as VC investor, Xu wants to nurture startups into future global leaders
Renewable energy crowdfunding platform Fundeen eyes 2019 profit amid sector boom
The young Spanish startup is eyeing projects worth €220 million by 2023, while cutting CO2 emissions equivalent to 1.3 million Madrid-New York flights
Inspired by rowdy teenagers: the Musical.ly story
Now better known as TikTok, the original Musical.ly was the only Chinese social app to have cracked the Western market – before it got snapped up by Bytedance and joined its stable of short video apps
Will China ride into a car-sharing future?
Chinese car-sharing startups face reckoning as more than 500 players crowd into a fast-growing, but young, market
KK Fund, GK Plug and Play Indonesia set up online meets between VCs and startups amid Covid-19
VCs like Sequoia Capital, EV Growth, Monk's Hill Ventures and MDI Ventures are onboard to spot potential investments despite Covid-19 downturn
Carlos Melo Brito: Driving force behind Porto's innovation boom
The professor has overseen the creation and growth of the University of Porto-based UPTEC incubator, birthplace of many of Portugal's most successful startups
SWITCH Singapore: Investors highlight Vietnam startup ecosystem's potential and resilience
The quality of Vietnam’s local talent remains one of its biggest strengths, but foreign investors also need to be patient and be familiar with the local regulatory landscape
This Chinese café startup aims to best Starbucks with “new retail” strategy
Luckin Coffee has gone from scratch to China’s first coffee shop unicorn in less than a year, pouring more than 5 million cups of coffee along the way
Cristina Fonseca: On a one-woman mission to make Portugal more innovative
The co-founder of Portugal's third unicorn, Talkdesk, is now an influential investor and AI authority
How Sequoia Capital China is helping its portfolio startups get through the Covid-19 crisis
The renowned investor is also making big bets on the opportunities that lie head
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