Cathay Innovation

Cathay Innovation operates as a global venture capital firm with a distinctive cross-border investment strategy connecting Asia, Europe, and the United States. The firm emerged from the strategic vision of Cathay Capital Private Equity, leveraging deep relationships across international markets to identify and scale technology companies globally. Based in San Francisco with additional offices in Paris, Beijing, and Singapore, Cathay Innovation has built its reputation on bridging geographical divides for portfolio companies seeking international expansion. The firm's $2 billion in assets under management positions it as a significant player in the growth-stage venture capital market. Cathay Innovation's portfolio spans multiple sectors including fintech, digital health, consumer technology, and aerospace & defense, with notable investments in companies like Swile (formerly Lunchr), the French employee benefits platform that raised over €200 million across multiple funding rounds. The firm has also backed Shift Technology, an AI-powered insurtech company, and Meero, a photography services marketplace that achieved unicorn status before facing operational challenges. What distinguishes Cathay Innovation is its ability to facilitate market entry for portfolio companies across different continents, particularly helping Asian companies expand westward and vice versa. This global connectivity stems from the founding team's extensive experience in international business and their parent organization's established presence across multiple markets. The firm typically writes checks ranging from $5 million to $50 million, participating in rounds from Series A through later-stage growth financing. Their investment approach emphasizes companies with strong unit economics and clear paths to international scalability, often leading or co-leading rounds where their geographic expertise provides strategic value beyond capital.