International 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 Cell after starting his profession as a software program engineer at Macquarie Group.
His observe report contains an early Collection A funding in Bukalapak, lengthy earlier than the Indonesian e-commerce agency went public.
Antler mentioned 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 resembling Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia and helps its purpose of constructing globally targeted startups from day one.
“Having skilled the total 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 help 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 look ahead to leveraging my Japan – Southeast Asia expertise to again extra founders, provoke extra capital flows between these markets, and to help the following wave of entrepreneurs in constructing cross-border, globally bold startups.”
mentioned Hiro Kiga, on his appointment as Companion.
Featured picture: Edited by Fintech Information Singapore, based mostly on picture by karandaev through Freepik