Early-stage companies developing solutions in clean energy, sustainable agriculture, inclusive finance, and other priority sectors may receive up to $400,000 in seed funding under a new program launched by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
ADB Ventures, the venture capital arm of the ADB, has launched the Southeast Asia Emerging Entrepreneurs Kickstart, or SEEK, in partnership with JICA to help promising startups scale solutions to complex development challenges in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
The program will initially target startups in Japan, drawing on the country’s expertise in technology and innovation and its growing community of companies developing solutions for Asia and the Pacific.
Eligible companies will be considered for seed funding of up to $400,000 to help advance their solutions from market exploration to commercial deployment.
SEEK will support startups developing innovations in clean energy, sustainable industry, smart mobility, logistics, sustainable agriculture, the circular economy, inclusive finance, the digital economy, and resilient communities.
The initiative is supported by the High-Level Technology Fund, an ADB trust fund financed by the Government of Japan.
“Early-stage companies developing solutions to pressing development challenges often struggle to find capital, especially in emerging markets,” said Isabel Chatterton, ADB director general for private sector operations.
“Through SEEK, JICA helps prepare startups for regional expansion, while ADB Ventures provides the early-stage capital they need to grow,” Chatterton added.
Selected companies will receive market-entry support, connections to potential customers, investors and partners across the region, and guidance from experts in various fields.
The support is intended to help startups validate local demand, adapt their business models and prepare for regional expansion.
This could be particularly important for companies entering markets where customer needs, regulations and commercial conditions differ from those in Japan.
Takaaki Nomoto, director of the Multilateral Development Banks Division at Japan’s Ministry of Finance, said many Japanese startups have innovative technologies and ideas with strong potential to address development challenges in ADB developing member countries.
“This initiative is expected not only to contribute to solving development challenges across Asia and the Pacific, but also to support Japanese companies in expanding into global markets,” Nomoto said.
He added that SEEK could accelerate the piloting and market adaptation of technologies, facilitate the scaling of promising innovations and bridge early-stage technologies with sustainable development outcomes.
Beyond supporting individual companies, SEEK aims to establish a replicable model that connects startup innovations with market and development needs.
ADB Ventures backs early-stage companies with scalable solutions to development challenges across Asia and the Pacific.
Through patient capital, early-stage support and access to ADB’s regional networks, it helps startups validate markets, reduce risks and scale in sectors including climate technology, inclusive finance, sustainable food systems, clean energy, and resilient communities.
JICA is Japan’s bilateral aid agency and implements the country’s Official Development Assistance.
It operates in more than 150 countries and regions through technical cooperation, official development loans and grant aid.
Japan-based startups interested in opportunities in Southeast Asia and the Pacific may submit a company profile and pitch deck to SEEK for consideration.