Japanese New VC, UNLEASH Capital Partners, Announces Launch of Its Inaugural Fund of USD 30mn to Address Financial Inclusion Challenges in India
Dec 18, 2023
BusinessWire India
Mumbai (Maharashtra)/ Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 18: UNLEASH Capital Partners, Inc. ("UNLEASH") announced the launch of its first fund, with a capital commitment of JPY 4.5 billion (approximately Rs 250 crores). The fund will invest in promising early-stage companies that are at the forefront of tackling the wide-ranging challenges associated with financial inclusion in India.
UNLEASH is a group company of Gojo & Company, Inc ("Gojo"), a Japanese holding company of inclusive financial service providers operating in India, Tajikistan, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. Gojo has expanded its partnership with Indian financial service providers since 2018 spanning various financial service segments such as microfinance, wholesale lending, affordable housing, supply-chain finance, and digital lending. Gojo's consolidated assets under management stands at approximately USD 792 million as of September 2023.
Raised within a record time of 4 months, UNLEASH, a newly established venture capital fund, is co-founded by Natsuki Sugai, a founding-stage member of Gojo and the Managing Partner at UNLEASH, alongside Gojo itself. Sohil Shah, Gojo's Investment lead and Head of venture capital, joins UNLEASH as a Founding Member and Investment Partner. While Gojo traditionally invests in lending-focused growth-stage companies, UNLEASH will focus on acquiring minority stakes in early-stage tech-driven startups in India.
The investment ethos and processes at UNLEASH will operate autonomously yet in alignment with Gojo's vision and mission. The first fund, valued at approximately Rs 250 crores, has garnered support from marquee Japanese investors, including financial institutions like Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation ("SMBC"), Corporates, and family offices, all of which participated in the first closing. With an ambition to invest in 20-25 companies, the fund is keen on exploring business collaboration opportunities between its investors and portfolio companies to catalyze synergistic growth in the Indian market.
Company & Fund overview
Name: UNLEASH Capital Partners, Inc.
Foundation: October 2023
India Office: Mumbai, Bengaluru
Managing fund: UNLEASH No. 1 Investment Partnership
AUM: USD30mn+
Vision: Enable a world where everyone can determine their future.
Mission: Extend financial inclusion by unleashing bold entrepreneurs' potential.
Long Term Goal: Deploy USD 10 billion in total by 2050.
Website: https://unleashcp.com
Contact: info@unleashcp.com
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