Asia-focused venture capital firm Gobi Partners has partnered with Japan’s Cross Capital to enhance Japanese investments in Southeast Asia’s startup ecosystem. This collaboration aims to provide startups and investors with essential resources and networks. Cross Capital connects Japanese corporations to top-tier venture capitalists through its fund of funds, which includes around 1,800 startups. They plan to invest in 10 leading VC funds across various regions to facilitate market entry and scaling for startups. Despite the partnership, Southeast Asian startups reported a decline in equity deals and funding, with Q3 2024 seeing the lowest quarterly proceeds since 2019.