Established in January 2020, the ADB Ventures Financing Partnership Facility (ADB Ventures) invests in early-stage companies with technology-enabled solutions that have the potential to scale and deliver climate and development impact in emerging Asia. 

ADB Ventures is a nonsovereign platform, with ADB accepting and administering financial contributions to trust funds and technical assistance from multiple funding sources, including bilateral partners, multilateral organizations, and the private sector. Partners’ contributions to this financing facility may be in the form of returnable capital and/or grants.  

ADB Ventures was set up to become a leading impact technology investment platform in Asia and the Pacific that crowds in risk capital for early-stage companies. The facility helps unlock the potential for private sector capital and technological know-how to contribute toward attaining climate and development Sustainable Development Goals. 

In 2024, ADB Ventures Investment Fund 1 (VIF1) expanded its portfolio by adding four new companies, disbursing $3.7 million in equity investments, and making four follow-on investments totaling $2.8 million. 

The new VIF1 portfolio investments for 2024 include: 

• Tiger New Energy: Electrifying mobility solution with a nationwide network of battery-swapping stations in Bangladesh. 
• IBISA: A climate parametric insurance platform leveraging satellite data analytics. 
• InnoCSR: Provider of advanced soil stabilizers enabling non-fired, eco-friendly brickmaking and green construction materials. 
• Electrifi Mobility: A full-stack electric mobility-as-a-service provider that helps commercial fleet electrify while accelerating India’s electrification. 

Gender and Climate Impact: VIF1 has surpassed its gender impact target, with over 90% of investments classified as gender-focused. Some 32% of start-ups in the VIF1 and SEED portfolios were founded by women innovators, underscoring the facility’s commitment to fostering gender-inclusive growth in the climate-tech ecosystem. VIF1 has eliminated just over a million tons of carbon dioxide emissions, while more than 1.5 million people have benefited from better access to finance, and more jobs and economic opportunities. 

VIF1 has tripled its performance against its interim target for additional capital raised by investee companies, from $50 million to more than $150 million. Additionally, facilitating media exposure for climate-centric, impactful technology solutions has been instrumental in attracting broader investment support. In 2024 alone, ADB Ventures’ portfolio companies garnered significant media coverage, with over 2,700 mentions in news articles. 

The ADB Ventures’ SEED program continued providing catalytic funding for early-stage companies to validate and deploy their solutions in developing Asia. By generating proprietary deal flows, the SEED program plays a crucial role in ADB Ventures’ investment operations. To date, the program has supported over 40 companies across diverse sectors, including climate-smart agriculture, climate-focused financial technology, e-mobility, and energy efficiency. These efforts have facilitated cross-border technology transfers and knowledge sharing across 13 ADB developing member countries.