© 2024 Gobi Partners
Gobi Partners is a leading Asia-focused venture capital firm with US$1.6 billion in assets under management (AUM), headquartered in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong. Founded in 2002, Gobi now has a network of 15 locations, raised 17 funds and invested in 380 startups. The firm supports entrepreneurs from early to growth stages, with a particular focus on emerging markets.
Gobi's core mission includes empowering underserved entrepreneurs, promoting gender equality and circular economy initiatives, driving innovation in new markets and technologies, and nurturing entrepreneurial ecosystems. As a UN Global Compact Participant, Gobi aligns its strategies with universal principles on human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption.
to uplift people across gender, race, religion and ethnicity in emerging markets beyond the continent. We are committed to improving ourselves as well as our community around us.
in connecting entrepreneurial ecosystems, one emerging market at a time. We believe in entrepreneurs in Asia and their ability to empower communities and address socio-economic issues, given the opportunity and capital to do so.
in diverse sectors and founders, supporting female leaders, promoting gender equality and the Muslim economy.
are often pioneers or first movers in new markets and technologies, carving their own niches to solve Asia’s greatest challenges. Our entrepreneurs constantly thread new paths and break new ground, backed by Gobi’s Pan-Asian network of investors, startups, public and private sector partners.
create thousands of jobs, uplift their local communities and reach millions of people across the continent each year.
to work with entrepreneurs, governments, corporates, investors and NGOs to bring the best ideas to life.
As stewards of this planet, we have the responsibility to preserve the planet for generations to come.
We see venture capital as a force for good and an opportunity to inspire sustainable actions and solutions across our portfolio companies.
We invest in the most talented, diverse entrepreneurs who create the greatest social value for underserved markets. Through a strong ESG foundation, these companies not only positively transform ecosystems but are also resilient and deliver positive returns to our investors.
Integrating good ESG practices into the strategy and operations of early-stage startups is fundamental for a company's sustainable growth. Companies with good ESG principles not only see better employee retention, but also enhance their value to customers, stakeholders and investors.
As a participant of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and a signatory of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) by UN Women, we use international sustainability standards for our ESG framework from the UNGC, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), International Labor Organization (ILO) Multinational Enterprises (MNE) Declaration and United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
Gobi’s ESG framework ensures our investments remain socially responsible and are consistent with the best practices across the venture capital industry. During the pre-investment stage, companies are screened against our exclusion mandate based on the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) Performance Standards and Corporate Governance Methodology and extensive due diligence of ESG risks and opportunities are performed.
Post-investment, our monitoring teams ensure value creation through tracking and measuring key ESG factors that are most material and customized to each company. We see this as not only a moral imperative, but a competitive advantage in long-term financial sustainability and resiliency for entrepreneurs.
At Gobi, we have two investment themes in support of diversity and underserved markets: TaqwaTech and Women Founders.
We coined the term TaqwaTech in 2016 to represent investments into Islamic ventures and the Muslim economy. TaqwaTech recognizes the lack of opportunities and inclusion faced by entrepreneurs from Muslim-majority nations or startups catering to the close to two billion Muslim adherents globally.
Through the TaqwaTech vertical, Gobi hopes to invest in underserved entrepreneurs and innovators in emerging markets, including:
Throughout our ESG-driven pre-investment and investment processes, Gobi’s commitment to ensuring diversity in voices and inclusive management teams has resulted in Women Founders being at the forefront of our portfolio companies.
In seeking untapped reserves of talent and opportunity, we have found our most exciting startups and most innovative entrepreneurs in emerging markets. These bold founders are constantly finding unique solutions to their communities' most pressing issues. Throughout our ESG-driven pre-investment and investment processes, Gobi’s commitment to ensuring diversity in voices and inclusive management teams has resulted in Women Founders being at the forefront of our portfolio companies.
Our ESG policies are integrated with dedicated team leaders from diverse cultures, geographies and professional roles to keep ESG at the heart of our operations.
ESG Committee
Gobi’s dedicated ESG Committee meets quarterly to set the overall direction for ESG policy and strategy across all aspects of the business, including our portfolio companies. Its members include:
ESG Task Force
For day-to-day integration of ESG management systems and capacity building, Gobi’s ESG Taskforce monitors ESG performance data in line with management performance objectives. Its members include:
Gobi actively develops and integrates its ESG policies in partnership with international and regional sustainability organizations to ensure community impact, accountability and transparency.
Gobi pledged to invest US$50 million in businesses established by women, as part of a global consortium of venture funds committed to addressing the investment gap and investing US$1 billion by 2020 in women-founded companies.
Gobi is an international organizing partner for world's largest startup competition for women and tech, hosting local competitions for Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia, and providing advocacy and capacity-building support for the Southeast Asia region as ambassadors, judges, mentors, and speakers.
Gobi signed an MOU with Karandaaz Pakistan to facilitate deal referrals, co-investment and investment management for a portfolio of women-owned and managed businesses through the Women Ventures program.
Gobi has committed to investing in the sustainability sector and engaging in capacity building, upskilling, awareness and thought leadership on financing green or sustainable projects.
Gobi signed an MOU with UN Women to establish collaborative activities in advancing women’s economic empowerment (WEE) and women in leadership roles in Southeast Asia with the joint development of an ecosystem that champions women entrepreneurs, women-led businesses, and businesses that have a gender lens.
Since May 2021, Gobi has been committed to the United Nations Global Compact corporate responsibility initiative and its principles in the areas of human rights, labor, the environment, and anti-corruption.
Gobi has signed an MOU to conduct joint training and recruitment activities, and support in sponsoring and nominating candidates to the CodeGirls program, a community-funded coding boot camp for girls, based in Karachi, Pakistan.
If you would like to report an ESG issue with Gobi Partners or its portfolio companies, please fill out the Official Grievance Form.
We are regarded as one of the trailblazers of the Asian startup ecosystem by industry leaders.
