The-Wolfpack leadership team
The-Wolfpack, an early-stage startup fund in the direct-to-consumer (D2C) sector, has announced its launch in Singapore.
Christened ‘The Wolfpack Pioneer VCC’, the US$5 million debut fund is focused on helping early-stage startups in APAC to reach customers through smarter media and experience-first strategies.
The fund, which is fully subscribed, aims to be the venture partner of choice for startups in the consumer goods, leisure and media sectors — who require strategic capital to drive growth in nuanced markets across Southeast Asia and Australia.
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It will work closely with founders to scale strategically with impact by leveraging on its industry network with key C-suite decision-makers in the region.
As per a press note, the team is in a stage of deployment with an eye on eight to ten companies.
The-Wolfpack claims investments are made with portfolio synergy in mind to give companies opportunities to collaborate and cross-sell with others. Portfolio companies will also be invited to a quarterly session where they will have the opportunity for knowledge-sharing and gain insights from corporate partners and industry leaders.
In parallel, the VC firm is looking to raise a second fund targeted at more than S$20 million (US$14.90 million).
Furthermore, the team is eyeing an expansion into Thailand and has been identifying opportunities to bring their portfolio into the market and invest in early-stage companies there.
“Most VCs will tell you to focus on one thing and do that really well but we’ve built enough major consumer brands to know that’s not enough to succeed in complex markets across APAC,” said Toh Jin Wei, Co-founder and Managing Partner of The-Wolfpack.
“Products and services need to deliver experiences, inspire community advocates and create media ecosystems. That’s why we’ve launched The-Wolfpack — to help startup founders close this critical gap,” he added.
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“We’re in this for the long-haul with our founders and plan to grow The-Wolfpack to support their journey. Our portfolio companies will know that our Rolodex will never be closed to them,” said Simon Nichols, Co-founder and Managing Partner of The-Wolfpack.
“Tackling this region is no easy feat for D2C companies, which is why The-Wolfpack has so much value to bring. You need a 360 approach to win over individual markets here — this means having a sound rollout strategy that captures local nuances and access to the right media, events, digital and place-making partners is critical,” said Vit Suthithavil (Song), Managing Director of Panther Entertainment and The-Wolfpack’s Strategic Thailand Advisor.
“The-Wolfpack is the missing piece D2C startups need. Having worked closely with Jin Wei and Simon over the years, I’ve seen firsthand how their sharp on-the-ground insights and local connections with decision-makers can pivot companies to new heights,” said Glenn Sugita, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Northstar Advisors and Mentor to The-Wolfpack.
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Image Credit: The-Wolfpack
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