100×100 Launches $100M Fund II to Build 50 Climate Startups in SEA and India

Why It Matters

The fund demonstrates a scalable, impact‑driven approach that could deliver sizable emissions cuts while offering investors high‑growth, profit‑generating climate tech assets in fast‑growing Asian markets.

Key Takeaways

• Fund II allocates $100M to launch 50 climate ventures in SEA, India
• Target revenue per venture is $100M, aiming for 100Mt CO2e abatement
• Portfolio survival rate nearly double VC median, showing builder model efficiency
• Rize generated $11M revenue in 2025, scaling rice methane reduction
• Fund II backed by US DFC, Singapore EDB, British International Investment

Pulse Analysis

100×100’s $100 million Fund II marks a decisive shift from traditional venture capital toward a venture‑building engine tailored for climate tech in Southeast Asia and India. By co‑founding companies with experienced operators, the studio embeds operational expertise, larger equity stakes, and a playbook that emphasizes a "green discount"—solutions that cut costs while slashing emissions. This model aligns with the region’s rapid industrialisation, manufacturing reshoring, and expanding food‑system supply chains, creating a fertile market for technologies that improve productivity and lower carbon footprints.

The firm’s track record underscores the potency of this approach. Fund I, closed at $60 million, produced 27 co‑founded firms across eight countries, delivering a portfolio survival rate nearly twice the industry median and capital efficiency 1.5 times higher than typical VC‑backed startups. Notable successes include Rize, which posted $11 million in revenue in 2025 while reducing methane emissions for over 40,000 rice farmers, and Helios, a Philippine residential solar provider growing over 40 % month‑on‑month. These examples illustrate how the builder’s focus on cost‑saving, emissions‑reducing products accelerates market adoption in price‑sensitive Asian economies.

For investors, Fund II offers a repeatable engine that promises both impact and returns. Institutional backers such as the US Development Finance Corporation, Singapore’s Economic Development Board, and British International Investment are betting on the studio’s ability to consistently launch $100 million‑revenue ventures that collectively aim to cut 10 % of global emissions. While challenges remain—high capital intensity, fragmented supply chains, and regulatory complexity—the builder’s deep founder network and hands‑on support mitigate many risks. If successful, 100×100 could reshape climate‑tech financing, proving that active venture creation is a viable path to scaling high‑impact solutions in emerging markets.

Deal Summary

Singapore‑based climate company builder 100×100 announced the close of its $100 million second fund aimed at co‑founding 50 climate ventures across Southeast Asia and India. Backed by the US Development Finance Corporation, Singapore Economic Development Board and British International Investment, the fund targets energy, food, materials and supply‑chain sectors, with each venture targeting $100 million in revenue and 100 million metric tons of CO₂ abatement.