This week, we look at Temasek’s reported retreat from early-stage investing in Southeast Asia; the growing conversation around portfolio diversification across Europe and Asia; and Vietnam’s ambitious push for economic transformation.
Broader reset for Southeast Asia
The news that Singapore’s Temasek Holdings, one of the world’s most active investors, has pulled back from backing early-stage companies should not raise too many eyebrows.
After all, investors globally have had to navigate persistent macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties, with tariff fears and an interest rate environment unfavourable to private capital raising. The high-profile flops involving Temasek-backed companies – from FTX to BYJU’s and eFishery – have not helped.
But it does have implications for the broader VC and startup ecosystem, particularly in Southeast Asia, which is already suffering from poor investor sentiment and even worse fundraising challenges.
