tg-me.com/venture_tg/5109
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In a tough fundraising climate, Tokyo-based Headline Asia has closed its fifth fund at $145M, becoming the first significant new VC vehicle raised in Asia in months. The fund will target early-stage startups across Japan, Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and South Korea—focusing on founders with real traction and region-wide potential.
• $145M fund focused on seed to Series A rounds
• Backed by Japan Investment Corporation, Taiwan’s NDF, Korea Venture Investment Corp, and SME Support Japan
• Early bets include Japan’s Newmo (ride-hailing), Singapore’s Jenfi (revenue-based financing), and Pi-xcels (NFC receipts)
• Sector focus: e-commerce, fintech, logistics, AI, and intellectual property
• Strategy: help founders expand across Asia using Japanese distribution and capital
• Asia-Pacific VC funding hit its lowest point since 2014—just $13B in Q1, down 40% YoY
• Cross-border collaboration is core to Headline’s thesis, with Japan as a strategic launchpad
• LPs are still backing funds with local credibility and a clear path to returns
• LPs want capital-efficient, cash-flow-conscious startups—not unicorn moonshots
• Headline’s “Japan+Asia” model bets on founders with regional ambition and early product-market fit
• Fund V positions the firm for outsized returns in a compressed valuation environment
In a quiet VC season, Headline Asia is making a bold regional play—betting that cross-border scale still wins in the long run.
