Investor Profile: Translink Capital — Thesis, Cheque Size & How to Apply

Translink Capital funding comes with something most venture firms cannot offer: a bridge into Asia. If you are asking how to get funding from Translink Capital, know that this Palo Alto early-stage firm, founded in 2006, invests in technology startups and connects them with more than 40 leading Asian multinationals — and it manages over $1 billion in assets.

Translink Capital funding: thesis and sectors

Translink Capital describes itself as a venture capital firm with more than 20 years of experience investing in technology companies and connecting them to Asia. Its investment focus spans artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, mobility, digital health, industry 4.0 and robotics, fintech and blockchain, sustainability, retail technology and e-commerce, big data and cloud, and interactive media. The core idea is integration: investment plus business development. Portfolio companies gain customer, channel partner or supplier relationships with Asia's largest companies, and the firm's partners have themselves run United States venture practices for large Asian strategics such as Foxconn, SoftBank and UMC.

Fund size and cheque size

Translink Capital has over $1 billion of assets under management, according to a Business Wire announcement, and says it has helped more than 175 startup companies grow across 11 funds. Its Opportunities Fund closed at $120 million in November 2023, aimed at later-stage investments in its most promising portfolio companies and select new investments. A standard cheque size is not stated on the firm's official site; third-party fund listings put typical cheques at roughly $500,000 to $5 million, so founders should treat that range as indicative rather than official. The firm's own site states its stage clearly: seed to Series B, with a focus on Series A, investing globally but concentrated in North America, Western Europe and Asia.

Notable portfolio companies

The firm's portfolio reflects its cross-border model. Kurly, the South Korean grocery e-commerce company, and Rescale, the high-performance computing platform, are among the names its own site highlights, alongside Captura, the direct ocean capture company founded at Caltech. Thintronics, which is reinventing interconnect insulator technologies for next-generation computing and wireless performance, closed a $23 million Series A led by Maverick Capital and Translink Capital, with the company citing the firm's connections in its target entry markets in the United States and Asia.

Partners and team

Translink Capital is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, with offices spanning Silicon Valley, Tokyo, Beijing, Seoul, Taipei and Kuala Lumpur — a footprint that mirrors its investment geography. Managing directors named in fund listings include Eric Hsia and Toshi Otani. The team is deliberately hands-on and cross-border: its investors bring operating experience from both the United States and Asia, and the firm's model pairs each portfolio company with corporate partners who can become customers, distributors or suppliers.

How to apply for funding

Founders can reach Translink Capital through its official website, translinkcapital.com, which lists the general contact address [email protected] and phone (650) 330-7353. A strong pitch should explain not only the product and traction, but also the Asia angle: which markets, partners or supply chains in Japan, Korea, China or Taiwan would accelerate the business, and what the firm should open first.