Gobi Partners not only invests in Asian ecosystems, but we also build bridges between them. As part of our mandate to bring North Asia and Southeast Asia closer together, we recently participated in the Hong Kong Investment Corporation’s delegation to Brunei and Malaysia. The trip highlighted the importance of developing sustainable relationships between China and ASEAN markets for advancing technology across Asia.
Brunei boasts a high GDP per capita and internet penetration rate and was among the earliest ASEAN countries to develop infrastructure for patient capital investing. Located on Borneo Island, Brunei has a relatively small population, but is an ideal market for technological innovation as it targets economic diversification, digital transformation, and sustainable technology.
As part of the visit, the HKIC delegation met with the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Brunei, Brunei Economic Development Board, Brunei Investment Agency, and other financial institutions.
Both Brunei and Malaysia’s technology and investment ecosystems are important collaborators for Hong Kong and the Greater Bay area, with HKIC’s network serving as a conduit for startups that want to expand in overseas markets.
HKIC brought more than 10 companies to Malaysia and Brunei to build partnerships. During the trip, they met with leadership from more than 40 organisations, including patient capital institutions, industry partners, government bodies, and academic institutions.
The attending organisations manage over HK $4 trillion in assets and maintain deep ties within both countries' ecosystems. These included Khazanah Nasional Berhad, Employees Provident Fund, Permodalan Nasional Berhad, Brunei Investment Agency.
HKIC’s delegation and the exchanges it fostered were valuable opportunities to support startups as they expand throughout Asia and build deeper investment ties between markets. By promoting the cross-pollination of innovation and technology through strategic partnerships, HKIC supports the development of critical sectors like hard tech, biotech, new energy and green technology, benefiting markets across Asia.