9 May 2022, Singapore – SC Ventures, Standard Chartered’ s innovation, fintech investment and ventures arm, announced that it had entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with SBI Holdings, Inc to expand their portfolio, both at a business and geographic level, and to explore new ecosystems through this partnership.
SBI is a major Japanese financial conglomerate, with verticals in asset management, financial services and biotechnology-related businesses. Its venture capital fund has a diverse investment portfolio covering internet technology, fintech, artificial intelligence and big data, blockchain and crypto assets.
SC Ventures and SBI hold core beliefs in transforming financial services through building and investing in “ecosystems” of new companies, which will serve their customers in the ways they want to be served. Both organisations also have a common goal of leveraging innovative technology to fulfil society’s expectations of financial services, as it relates to enabling growth, welfare improvement, sustainability and financial inclusion in the markets where they operate.
The MOU offers an opportunity for SBI and SC Ventures to mutually benefit from the collective breadth of investment expertise and complementary global footprints. SBI is headquartered in Japan with a strong presence in Southeast Asian markets, while SC Ventures has significant experience operating across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
The MOU is structured to cover three main areas – (1) Opportunities to drive collaboration as well as co-invest in portfolio companies, including the option to establish joint venture funds, (2) Cooperation for business development to set up or scale business models leveraging each other’s geographic footprint (3) Creating ecosystems around particular themes to drive scale and impact (some examples include SMEs and supply chains, digital assets, decentralised finance, Web 3.0).
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SBI Holdings, Inc
SBI Holdings is a major Japanese financial conglomerate including Asset Management, Financial Services and Biotechnology-related businesses. The SBI Group was established in 1999 as a pioneer of Internet-based financial services in Japan and today has presence in 23 countries and regions and is listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange.
SC Ventures
SC Ventures is a business unit that provides a platform & catalyst for Standard Chartered to promote innovation, invest in disruptive financial technology and explore alternative business models.
For more information, please visit www.scventures.io and follow SC Ventures on LinkedIn
Standard Chartered
We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 59 of the world’s most dynamic markets and serving clients in a further 83. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good.
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