About This Fund
ADB Ventures Investment Fund 1 is the debut venture capital vehicle of ADB Ventures, the technology venture platform of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), one of the world's largest multilateral development banks. The fund reached final close at USD 60 million in September 2020, funded primarily by sovereign and institutional donors committed to leveraging private capital for sustainable development across Asia and the Pacific. ADB Ventures Investment Fund 1 has a 17-year fund life, reflecting the longer holding periods required for early-stage companies operating in frontier and emerging markets where capital cycles differ substantially from developed market norms.
The fund invests in early-stage technology companies—primarily at the Seed and Series A stages—that deploy technology-enabled solutions addressing multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with particular emphasis on climate action and gender inclusion. Investment sizes range from USD 100,000 to USD 4 million per company, with at least 50% of the fund reserved for follow-on investments in top-performing portfolio companies. Four core verticals define the fund's thesis: clean technology, agricultural technology (AgTech), inclusive financial technology (FinTech), and health technology (HealthTech), with a concentration in developing member countries of the ADB across South, Southeast, and Central Asia.
ADB Ventures was established in 2019 as a platform to demonstrate that impact-first venture investing can generate market-rate returns in underserved Asian markets. By operating within the ADB ecosystem, the fund benefits from the bank's technical assistance programs, policy dialogue capabilities, and relationships with regulators and governments across 68 member countries. ADB Ventures Investment Fund 1 is part of the ADB Ventures Financing Partnership Facility, a broader mechanism designed to catalyze institutional co-investment into emerging technology companies across the region.