Openspace

The best feedback we can get is from our founders—and we’re glad that Billy Kurniawan, Founder and CEO of Jiwa Group (Kopi Janji Jiwa & Jiwa Toast) recognizes the added value Openspace brings to the table. At Openspace, our role extends far beyond capital deployment; it’s about offering strategic guidance and hands-on support to navigate business complexities. We ride the growth cycle side-by-side with our portfolio companies and we are actively involved across multiple business functions, turning challenges into opportunities. We're committed to making our team available where and when our portfolio companies need assistance. #activeintelligence #venturecapital #funding #janjijiwa #southeastasia

We're excited to announce that Openspace has co-led, and is the largest investor in, an oversubscribed $27.3 million Series B funding round in Ampd Energy along with Kibo Invest. Ampd Energy is a Singapore-based manufacturer of advanced energy storage systems (ESS) that are designed to replace diesel generators in sectors with intermittent but high energy demands like mining and construction. Its flagship products, Enertainer™ and Ampd Silo™ battery, have the capacity to reduce carbon emissions by up to 90%, help improve on-site air quality by removing harmful pollutants from the air, and lower noise pollution, creating a cleaner and safer environment. This funding will be used to further its mission of decarbonizing high-emission industries by expanding into new verticals like mining and manufacturing and into new regions including the Middle East, Europe, the United States, and Southeast Asia. Click here to read more: https://lnkd.in/gi9JN-AS #activeintelligence #seriesB #fundraising #venturecapital

Congratulations to Fano (Fano Labs) for winning the Emerging Enterprise Award 2024, jointly organized by The Business Times and OCBC. Among over 650 contenders, Fano stood out as one of three winners recognized for their innovation, growth, and global scalability alongside Kskin Management and Pancare Medical. Since launching in 2021, Fano has addressed key challenges in multilingual environments with advanced performance language AI solutions. This year, they expanded their APAC footprint with a Singapore office and new Taiwan operations with a local team and an ASR model now supporting Taiwanese Mandarin, Hokkien, and English. In line with its international growth and the need to appeal to a global customer base, Fano recently completed a brand transformation, led by Fano’s core team and our Director of Brand Impact, Freddie Luchterhand-Dare. The new brand is rooted in how Fano unlocks performance with critical accuracy. Congratulations again to the Fano team on their journey and achievements! Click here to read more: https://lnkd.in/g6Fk7iRp #activeintelligence

Openspace is proud to announce that we have received the APAC Industry DEI Award from 100 Women In Finance, a global organization dedicated to increasing the representation of women in the finance industry. We are honored that our continuous commitment and work to promoting diversity and building an inclusive environment is being recognized. In a space where less than 20% of decision-makers in Southeast Asia’s VC industry are women, we feel a responsibility to drive change. Through initiatives like 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀, our four-month mentorship program for women interested in the VC industry, we are working to close the gap. This year alone, we mentored 50 talented women from across the region and various industries, and the impact and relationships built through the program continue to remind us why this work matters. "Whilst our firm is relatively small, we have worked disproportionately hard to achieve the right diversity of background, thought, and gender,” said Jessica Huang Pouleur, our Partner during the acceptance speech. Today, we are proud to have a team that is 50% women, representing 12 nationalities, and with 38% women in leadership roles. Our work in promoting diversity is part of a larger effort to drive positive change, as reflected in our broader ESG initiatives. As part of our 2024 sustainability goals, we are also aligning with the 2X Criteria, a globally recognized framework for advancing gender equity in corporate settings. We also recognize that diversity extends beyond gender and we will continuously find new ways to broaden our focus to include other underrepresented groups for a more inclusive environment. Read more about our sustainability efforts, including DEI initiatives, in our latest 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 here: https://lnkd.in/gviawvem If you’d like to learn more about 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺, check out our previous cohort here https://lnkd.in/gzwriTRP and stay tuned for more updates on the 5th cohort we'll be running next year. Click here to read more: https://lnkd.in/gsG27qcz #activeintelligence #DEI

Earlier this month, we hosted two insightful sessions with Rob Bier in Singapore and Jakarta. Rob, a leadership coach and the author of Smooth Scaling: 20 Rituals to Build a Friction-Free Organization, shared practical strategies that can seamlessly integrate into existing processes to address the challenges that high-growth organizations often face. We were thrilled to welcome leaders from Love, Bonito, Igloo, FINNOMENA, Fano (Fano Labs), PICKUP COFFEE, Every Half, and Jiwa Group (Kopi Janji Jiwa & Jiwa Toast), who engaged in meaningful discussions alongside Rob’s expertise. As an executive coach with extensive experience working with scale-ups, including several unicorns, Rob brought valuable insights to the table. Our discussions explored the distinction between scaling and growing, the importance of maintaining positivity while driving productivity through clarity and focus, and the complexities of building a scalable, high-performing organization. At the heart of it all, we emphasized the critical role of trust, collaboration, and authentic relationships in creating strong, cohesive teams. A big thank you to Rob and our portfolio companies for the rich discussions and shared learnings. #activeintelligence

Building a business that can weather challenges starts with how you treat your people. We believe that establishing trusting, bi-directional relationships with employees is critical in building companies that will stand the test of time. Establishing clear company values, creating channels for open feedback, and carefully managing recruitments and layoffs don't just enhance the work environment but also lay a foundation for sustainable growth and resilience. Find out more about how Openspace works with portfolio companies to put people first in our 2023 Sustainability Report: https://lnkd.in/gviawvem #activeintelligence #sustainability #sustainabilityreport #ESG

Thrilled to see three of our portfolio companies—PICKUP COFFEE, VNSC by Finhay, and Vui App by Nano Technologies—featured in the 50 Startups to Watch list in the newly released Destination Southeast Asia Report 2024 by Founders Forum Group and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). This report highlights the rapid growth of SEA's tech landscape and how it offers abundant opportunities for international companies seeking partnerships, investment, and expansion within the region. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gFzKJx42 To learn more about our portfolio companies and how they're shaping the future of tech in the region, check out our page here: https://lnkd.in/g8SAj4ZN #activeintelligence #southeastasia #startups

We had the pleasure of hosting 30 students from the NUS Private Equity Club for an exclusive networking event yesterday at our office. The session was all about giving them an insider’s look at the venture capital world featuring fun and interactive small-group discussions with our amazing teams in Investments, ESG, and IR. The roundtable format really let the students dive into different aspects of venture capital, and we’re thrilled to hear it sparked their interest in the VC industry. We’re excited about the bright future talent we met and can’t wait to help them grow in their careers. Openspace will be launching the Internship program for 2025 soon and welcome applicants for Investments and non-investment internship opportunities. Stay tuned! #activeintelligence #internship

CopilotIQ, a health tech company helping older Americans with chronic conditions by using connected devices and predictive analytics, and Biofourmis (OSV II), a global technology-enabled care delivery company, delivering in-home care solutions serving enterprise healthcare customers, today announced a strategic merger. This merger creates the first AI-driven platform that delivers seamless in-home care across the full continuum—from pre-surgical optimization to chronic care—providing a one-stop and unified solution for hospitals, payors, and patients. With CopilotIQ’s advanced software suite integrated into Biofourmis’ acute and post-acute offerings, the merged entity is set to revolutionize the healthcare landscape by offering more convenient, personalized, and data-driven care at every stage. Click here to read more: https://lnkd.in/g2a4Xp9S #activeintelligence

Building a business that can weather challenges starts with how you treat your people. We believe that establishing trusting, bi-directional relationships with employees is critical in building companies that will stand the test of time. Establishing clear company values, creating channels for open feedback, and carefully managing recruitments and layoffs don't just enhance the work environment but also lay a foundation for sustainable growth and resilience. Find out more about how Openspace works with portfolio companies to put people first in our 2023 Sustainability Report: https://lnkd.in/gviawvem #activeintelligence #sustainability #sustainabilityreport #ESG