Translink Capital

Translink Capital is a Palo Alto venture firm with an unusual pitch: it invests in early-stage startups and then introduces them to some of the largest companies in Asia. Its partners have roots in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China. The firm says it works with more than 40 large Asian companies as corporate partners. Its Silicon Valley office is on Lytton Avenue, a block from University Avenue.

This page is a neutral profile for founders and readers interested in the local venture scene. It is based on the firm's own website and on dated press coverage, with sources named where figures appear. For background on venture funds, start with our venture capital guide.

Founding and founders

Translink's history page tells the story briefly. A group of friends got together in Silicon Valley to launch the firm, with backgrounds from China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. The firm notes that "a student of history might have been skeptical" of that mix of traditional rivals. It argues the diversity became its main strength.

The site is not consistent about the year. The history section says the firm was born in Silicon Valley in 2006. A statistics panel on the same page says "Founded 2007." We report both rather than pick one.

The team page lists three co-founders and managing directors: Toshi Otani, based in Silicon Valley, Sung Park in Seoul and Jackie Yang in Taipei. Eric Hsia and Gwong-Yih Lee are listed as managing directors in Silicon Valley. The page also honors Kazunori Ozaki, an honorary partner in Tokyo who died in 2015.

Offices in Palo Alto and Asia

Translink gives its Silicon Valley address as 530 Lytton Avenue, Suite 300, Palo Alto, CA 94301. Lytton runs parallel to University Avenue one block north, so the office is an easy walk from downtown restaurants and the Palo Alto Caltrain station. Our downtown Palo Alto guide covers the streets around it.

The Asian offices are the firm's other half. The about page lists offices in Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Beijing and Kuala Lumpur. Some are hosted by partner companies; the Taipei office, for example, is listed in care of UMC Capital.

How the corporate partner model works

Translink calls its corporate network "VC Partners." The homepage says it works with more than 40 leading Asian multinationals and helps portfolio companies set up customer, channel partner or supplier relationships with them. The firm frames this as its main value to founders.

Its about page publishes three figures about that network. These are the firm's own claims:

• It validates a strategic partner's intent before 100 percent of its investments.
• 81 percent of investments led to business relationships after the deal.
• 65 percent resulted in co-investment with strategic partners.

For a startup selling into manufacturing, telecom or consumer electronics in Asia, that kind of door-opening can matter more than the check. It also means Translink looks a little like a corporate venture arm, though it manages its own funds. Our page on corporate venture capital explains how strategic investors differ from financial ones.

Stage and focus

The homepage says Translink invests from seed to Series B, with a focus on Series A. It invests globally but concentrates on North America, Western Europe and Asia. Industries it names include:

• Artificial intelligence and big data
• Cybersecurity
• Mobility
• Digital health
• Industry 4.0 and robotics
• Fintech and blockchain
• Sustainability
• Retail tech and e-commerce
• Interactive media

The firm also has a sustainability page and an ESG policy. It says 69 percent of its portfolio is made up of minority-led companies, another of its own figures.

Notable investments

Translink's news page collects coverage of its portfolio. The table below uses items from that page, with the dates the firm lists.

Earlier entries include Plus One Robotics, which raised $50 million in March 2023 in a round led by Scale Venture Partners. Another is AiFi, which builds checkout-free stores. Quotes on the homepage come from founders of Provenance, Kurly and Rescale. A list like this shows companies that raised money or sold. It does not show the ones that struggled. It also says nothing about fund returns.

Funds and size

Translink's site says it has invested in more than 175 startups. The count of funds varies on the same site: one section says 11 funds and another says 13. DealStreetAsia reported in February 2019 that the firm had closed its fourth flagship venture fund, Translink Capital Partners IV, at $137.4 million, after a first close of $107 million from 16 investors. We did not find a more recent reported fund size, so we leave later figures out.

How founders reach Translink

The site has a "Let's talk" contact page. It also lists a general email address and phone number for the Silicon Valley office. Those are the channels the firm offers. Use them, or a warm introduction, rather than trying to reach individual partners directly.

1. Be clear about why Asia matters to your company. Translink's value lies in its corporate partners.
2. Name the kinds of partners you want: customers, distributors or suppliers.
3. Show traction suited to Series A, the firm's stated focus.
4. If you are a founder moving here from Asia, our founder visa guide covers immigration basics.

Translink in the local ecosystem

Palo Alto has long drawn Asian companies that want a window on Silicon Valley. Many run research labs or venture arms within a few miles of downtown. Stanford also draws students and visiting researchers from across the region, which keeps ties between Palo Alto and Asian industry close. Translink plays a bridging role in that world. It invests alongside traditional Silicon Valley firms, then helps its companies meet buyers in Tokyo, Seoul or Taipei. For founders, the practical point is that an Asian corporate partner can be both a customer and a later investor. The firm's own figure, that 65 percent of its deals led to co-investment by strategic partners, reflects that pattern. Our guide to where founders meet covers the informal side of the local scene, from coffee shops to meetups.

Frequently asked questions