World enterprise capital agency Antler has appointed fintech veteran Hiro Kiga as accomplice for Southeast Asia and Japan to strengthen its early-stage funding presence throughout each markets.
Based mostly in Singapore, Kiga will lead Antler’s technique in Japan whereas coordinating with the Southeast Asia staff to speed up day-zero investing, enhance founder mobility and drive cross-border collaboration.
Kiga co-founded Wallex, a B2B international alternate and cross-border funds platform that turned a regional fintech participant earlier than its acquisition by Singapore-based M-DAQ in 2022.
He beforehand spent 4 years in enterprise capital at Try VC (previously GREE) and Yello Cellular after starting his profession as a software program engineer at Macquarie Group.
His monitor file consists of an early Collection A funding in Bukalapak, lengthy earlier than the Indonesian e-commerce agency went public.
Antler stated Kiga’s appointment coincides with its rising footprint in Japan, the place it’s working residency programmes to develop founder expertise.
The agency added that this enlargement enhances its work in rising ecosystems reminiscent of Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia and helps its objective of constructing globally centered startups from day one.
“Having skilled the complete cycle of constructing and exiting a startup, I’m excited to return to the investor’s seat with a founder’s lens. I do know first-hand how essential early assist and empathy are for founders at day zero. Antler’s mission of being a day zero backer with a very world platform resonates deeply with me.
I sit up for leveraging my Japan – Southeast Asia expertise to again extra founders, provoke extra capital flows between these markets, and to assist the following wave of entrepreneurs in constructing cross-border, globally formidable startups.”
stated Hiro Kiga, on his appointment as Accomplice.
Featured picture: Edited by Fintech Information Singapore, primarily based on picture by karandaev through Freepik