Lisk commits $15M to support Web3 startups in emerging markets
- Lisk commits $15M to support Web3 startups in emerging markets Lisk has launched the EMpower Fund, a bold $15 million venture...
- This fund is designed to support startups solving real-world problems with Web3 technology in markets often overlooked by traditional investors.
- Lisk’s $15 Million EMpower Fund targets Web3 startups The fund offers up to $250,000 in capital for each startup and practical...
- Unleashing a $5.2 trillion opportunity in emerging markets Emerging markets represent an untapped $5.2 trillion investment opportunity with venture returns averaging...
Keep reading for the full breakdown on emerging markets — everything you need to know is covered below.
Lisk has launched the EMpower Fund, a bold $15 million venture initiative targeting Web3 startups in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. This fund is designed to support startups solving real-world problems with Web3 technology in markets often overlooked by traditional investors.
Lisk aims to unlock the massive potential in these emerging economies where Web3 adoption is already gaining momentum.
Lisk’s $15 Million EMpower Fund targets Web3 startups
The fund offers up to $250,000 in capital for each startup and practical advisory services encompassing fundraising strategies, regulatory compliance, and tokenisation. Among the initial beneficiaries are Lov.
Cash, a South African company specialising in digital supply chains; Afrikabal, an agritech company; Indonesia’s stablecoin platform IDRX; and SigraFi, a company that provides gold-backed lending solutions.
Dominic Schwenter, Lisk’s COO, emphasised the strategy: “Emerging markets are no longer the future of Web3; they are the present. The EMpower Fund is designed to bridge the capital gap for world-class founders building global companies from these ecosystems.”
This approach diverges from the typical “parachute capital” model and focuses on supporting startups that have already demonstrated traction, reducing investment risk.
Unleashing a $5.2 trillion opportunity in emerging markets
Emerging markets represent an untapped $5.2 trillion investment opportunity with venture returns averaging 9-11% annually over the last 15 years. Due to limited institutional backing, many startups in these regions rely on self-funding to scale.
Lisk believes this necessity-driven entrepreneurship breeds resilience and innovative solutions. Gideon Greaves, Lisk’s Head of Investments, explained: “Where global venture capitalists see risk, Lisk sees overlooked value.
Founders in LATAM, Africa, and Asia are already proving they can build products with genuine adoption despite limited access to venture dollars.”
Lisk’s model combines capital investment with mentoring to prepare startups for global institutional funding, creating a pipeline from post-incubation to Series A readiness.
By focusing on Web3 infrastructure and applications that address actual concerns like payments, identification, and supply chain transparency, Lisk’s EMpower Fund helps global-scale entrepreneurs in high-growth emerging countries. Venture capital attention is shifting to undervalued ecosystems, which are now proving their viability and potential.