Announcing the Winners of the Investing in Women LP Award 2025
The Investing in Women LP Award 2025 is pleased to announce this year’s winners, recognizing limited partners (LPs) that are paving the way in advancing gender diversity within Southeast Asia’s venture capital (VC) industry. The award celebrates their commitment to investing in women-led and gender-balanced VC fund managers - funds with 30 to 70% female partners - and highlights how diversity is shaping the future of venture capital in the region.
The award is supported by Investing in Women (IW), an initiative of the Australian Government that focuses on catalyzing inclusive economic growth through women’s economic equality.
Winners of the Investing in Women LP Award 2025:
This year’s awardees were recognized for their catalytic role in advancing gender diversity in Southeast Asia’s venture ecosystem, be it through anchoring first-time funds or championing women-led and gender-balanced fund managers.
“We focus on managers with deep knowledge of local markets across Southeast Asia, India and Brazil. Backing women-led and gender-balanced funds is a natural extension of that strategy and we are honored to be recognized by the Investing in Women LP Award this year.”
-Visa Kannan, Managing Partner of Saison Capital, a Singapore-based investor, which is the venture arm of Credit Saison, one of Japan’s largest non-bank financial companies, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
"Investing in women-led funds is not only a matter of social responsibility but also a driver of long-term performance and new market opportunities. In Southeast Asia, we have invested in more than 20 funds to date, consistently supporting 2–5 new venture funds in the region every year, including funds led by women-led and gender-balanced fund managers,"
-Jihun Han, Head of KVIC Singapore. Since 2005, KVIC has been entrusted by ten ministries of the Korean government to raise and allocate venture funds.
“This award shines a spotlight on the vital contribution women are making to growing and diversifying Southeast Asia’s investment landscape. Gender balanced investment teams are more likely to invest in women founders, or companies that serve women as consumers, and thus to realise the potential of this underserved market segment. We are delighted to recognise LPs who are leading the way in building a more gender-equal future for the industry.”
-Hannah Birdsey, CEO of Investing in Women.
The 2025 Award Recipients were chosen by an independent selection committee comprising senior leaders from across the global investment community. This year’s committee included representatives from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), GIC (Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund), HarbourVest Partners, Pangaea Alternative Advisors, and New Dimension Capital. Their collective expertise ensured a rigorous and thoughtful review of nominees, grounded in data provided by data partner Preqin. Design, nomination and selection is managed by Propelevate, a consulting firm that enables investors to deliver social impact.
This second edition of the Investing in Women LP Award builds on a growing body of evidence that inclusive investment practices deliver both stronger financial returns and meaningful social impact. “There are demonstrated benefits to LPs of investing in gender-balanced funds including access to under-explored or differentiated investment pipelines, and reduced groupthink and cognitive bias, both leading to better investment decisions and higher returns,” said Krisila Benson, Managing Director of Propelevate.
According to a recent International Finance Corporation Report (2025), among VC funds at least six years old, gender-balanced funds reported net IRRs around 15.4%, or roughly 23% higher than male-dominated funds. For more mature vintages, the performance gap was even more pronounced where funds over ten years old delivered more than double the IRR and nearly 20% higher multiples than male-dominated funds. According to this same report, only 18% of VC fund partners in the region are women.
Together, this year’s winners channel meaningful capital into Southeast Asia’s venture markets, shaping not just portfolio outcomes but the wider investment landscape. With their scale and leadership, they play an important role in shaping investment flows across the region, and their recognition highlights how women-led and gender-balanced funds are becoming an essential part of building a stronger, more resilient venture ecosystem in Southeast Asia.
About the Investing in Women LP Award
The Investing in Women LP Award celebrates institutional investors and family offices who play an outstanding role in supporting women-led and gender-balanced venture fund managers across Southeast Asia. The award seeks to amplify their impact, inspire broader investment in women-led and gender-diverse funds, and strengthen the investment ecosystem for diverse fund managers.
About Investing in Women
Investing in Women (IW), an initiative of the Australian Government, focuses on accelerating women’s economic equality across Southeast Asia. By fostering equitable opportunities within the private sector, it aims to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth in targeted countries. For more information, visit Website.
About Propelevate
Propelevate is a boutique consulting firm working at the intersection of the private sector and social impact around the world. For more information, visit Website.