With 17 investments in the past 12 months, Prosus Ventures, with Martin Tschopp at the helm, continues to be a prominent and influential investment unit in the world of corporate venture capital.
Formerly known as Naspers Ventures, then part of South African internet company Naspers, Prosus Ventures invests in a range of areas and technologies. Prosus and Naspers are known for astute investments in the early years of the millennium, most famously in Chinese internet company Tencent. The Prosus Ventures arm is now looking for the next set of growth companies.
Prosus Ventures has invested in more than 100 startups since it was founded in 2015 and currently has $1.4bn invested across the portfolio globally
Prosus Ventures has invested in more than 100 startups since it was founded in 2015 and currently has $1.4bn invested across the portfolio globally.
In August 2023, it led a $10m seed round for Australian cybersecurity startup Plerion. Prosus Ventures also co-led Copenhagen-based Corti’s $60m series B round, alongside Atomico last September. Corti is one of several startups using AI to revolutionise healthcare provision.
Tschopp’s investment strategy has been to partner with businesses that are solving big societal needs with technology – often in uniquely local ways. The unit aspires to back technology that can lead to meaningful change in consumer behaviour and economics.
Tschopp was chief operating officer of Prosus Ventures for four years, before taking on the role of CEO in November 2020. Since then, he has successfully steered Prosus Ventures through the panic and boom of the pandemic and then through the market uncertainty that followed.
Prior to joining Prosus, Tschopp served as CEO of Kiva.org, which facilitates financial access for marginalised communities. Before that spent eight years at internet marketplace company eBay, becoming general manager of eBay’s German operations.
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