The active backers of SEA’s health scene

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Hello reader,

It’s that time of the year again, when the anxiety of last-minute shopping or frantic year-end vacation planning slowly gives way to the sense of anticipation and excitement. Flashy lights, dazzling decorations, and lines of food vendors pepper the streets, only to further affirm what you already know – Christmas is right around the corner (or, more accurately, in three days).

There is something about this widely-celebrated festival that sets the tone for the end of the year. It’s time to relax, recharge, and reflect on navigating yet another complex pandemic year. Clearly, I’m no Christmas grinch and I do not relate to Charles Dickens’ Ebenezer Scrooge. As you wrap your gifts and put the finishing touches to your Christmas tree, do take a moment to spread the holiday cheer as it is, after all, the season of giving.

The holidays are also the best time to scratch things off your wishlist and get your hands on some stellar deals. To that end, we take a look at the investors most actively involved in fueling the rise of Southeast Asia’s health startups. Also, if you are an entrepreneur looking for funding, fill in this form to get your company featured on our list of fundraising startups.

Today we look at,

• The most active investors in Southeast Asia’s health landscape
• An Indian startup promising grocery deliveries within 10 minutes
• Other newsy highlights such as VN welcomes a new unicorn and large funding rounds for South Korean and Indian startups

Merry Christmas from me and everyone at Tech in Asia.

Premium summary

A healthy dose of startups

Image credit: Timmy Loen

“Invest in your health” is advice thrown around so regularly and nonchalantly these days that it is almost inevitably met with a shrug. Most people are already aware of the benefits of implementing a healthy lifestyle through exercise and a balanced diet. However, here we take a look at the investors who may have taken that advice one step further and are putting their money where their mouth is.

• Top dogs: Antler and Seeds Capital have struck six and five deals, respectively, in Southeast Asia’s health startup ecosystem over the last two years. They are the only two investors to have had more than five deals in this space during the last 24 months.

• Double dip: More than half of the 20 most active investors in Southeast Asia’s health startup landscape have doubled down on their investments. They followed up their initial investment by pumping more money in later funding rounds for startups such as AEvice Health, Doctor Anywhere, and Homage.

• VCs don’t have all the fun: While the vast majority of active investors in Southeast Asia’s health scene are venture capitalists or early-stage investors, there are other important players. Most notably, Indonesia’s Sequis Life, a life insurance company, has invested in two health startups, while Seeds Capital is the investment arm of Enterprise Singapore, which is a statutory board of the Singapore government.

A brave promise