Lightspeed raises $7 bn, keeps $500 mn for India and SE Asian startups

The global $7-bn fund-raise brings its total capital under management to over $18 bn

Lightspeed Venture Partners on Tuesday announced a global fund raise of more than $7 billion that includes a $500 million early-stage fund for the startups in the India and South East Asia markets.

The early-stage investor said that the closing of $500 million 'Lightspeed India IV' fund reflects its deepening commitment to the India and South East Asia region, since its first India investment in 2007 that includes Indian Energy Exchange, Oyo, BYJU's, Grab, Acko, Razorpay, Udaan, Sharechat and Innovaccer, among others

"We believe in investing at the earliest stages of innovation, partnering with generational entrepreneurs who have clarity of vision, an insatiable desire to build something enduring, and the conviction and courage to compete and win against all odds," said Arif Janmohamed, Partner, Lightspeed.

Over the past five years, the firm's presence has expanded to 28 professionals across four locations -- Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and Singapore.

Lightspeed said it continues to witness the broadening and deepening of the opportunity in the region, "led by world-class founders and an ever-expanding scope for technology to reshape the economy in India and Southeast Asia".

The global $7 billion fund-raise brings its total capital under management to over $18 billion.

The latest funding is approximately 60 per cent more than Lightspeed's last flagship fundraise, which focuses on expanding the firm's early-stage vehicles and supporting its large and growing global platform.

"We pride ourselves on being the first institutional capital behind our founders and having the patience, persistence and capital to help build companies from one employee to thousands, from day one to IPO," said Nicole Quinn, Partner, Lightspeed.

Today, almost every business is now a fintech business, which is why Lightspeed has invested over $1.5 billion in close to 100 global fintech companies including $600 million specifically in Blockchain and emerging use cases.

In the past six years, Lightspeed has invested $2.2 billion in early growth companies.

In the past two years alone, Lightspeed celebrated the IPOs and acquisitions of Affirm, Blend, Clever, Grab, Hillevax, The Honest Company, Outbrain, Pensando, TeneoBio, and TeneoTwo, and generated more than $2.7 billion in liquidity for their limited partners.