Lisk, the growth platform for Web3 founders, has announced the Lisk EMpower Fund, a $15 million venture initiative dedicated to supporting startups in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. The fund targets founders building blockchain-based solutions with real-world utility in payments, remittances, supply chain, and digital identity.
As part of the launch, four early recipients were announced:
- Lov.cash – a South African digital supply chain platform.
- Afrikabal – an Agritech platform supporting African farmers.
- IDRX – an Indonesian stablecoin project.
- SigraFi – a platform financing small gold producers through gold-backed onchain loan notes.
The Lisk EMpower Fund stands apart from traditional VC models by prioritizing emerging markets where blockchain adoption is organic and impact-driven.
“Global VCs have become obsessed with speculation. In high-growth markets, the opposite is true. Founders are solving real problems with real utility, and that is where the next unicorns will come from,” said Gideon Greaves, Head of Investments at Lisk.
Lisk’s mission is to bridge the global funding gap by offering hands-on capital, technical guidance, and access to its international network of Web3 investors.
The $5.2 Trillion Opportunity
Emerging markets represent a $5.2 trillion opportunity often overlooked by global venture firms. Many founders in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia bootstrap their startups to significant traction without institutional funding.
Data from Cambridge Associates shows that emerging markets have outperformed global benchmarks, delivering 9–11% annualized venture returns over the past decade. Lisk believes this momentum signals the start of a new wave of innovation driven by blockchain technology and digital infrastructure.
By contrast, U.S. early-stage venture capital is facing saturation, inflated valuations, and slowing returns, creating a strategic opening for funds like Lisk EMpower.
Lisk’s Investment Model
The Lisk EMpower Fund integrates incubation, evaluation, and growth capital through a structured, scalable model that reduces risk while maximizing local impact.
Key features include:
- Web3-native investment: Capital dedicated to startups building blockchain solutions for payments, remittances, and identity.
- Emerging market focus: Targeting regions where adoption is high and the technology is solving real challenges.
- Hands-on advisory: Lisk supports founders with investor-grade modeling, pitch refinement, and international fundraising.
- Tokenized fund structure: The fund uses tokenization to enable secondary market liquidity and allow broader participation from retail LPs.
“Emerging markets are no longer the future of Web3, they are the present,” said Dominic Schwenter, COO at Lisk. “The Lisk EMpower Fund bridges the capital gap for world-class founders building global companies from these ecosystems.”
Early Access Through Local Partnerships
Through partnerships with leading incubators and accelerators, Lisk secures early access to pre-vetted deal flow across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.
Each selected startup receives up to $250,000 in seed capital alongside strategic support that includes:
- Legal structuring for international expansion
- Financial modeling and investor readiness
- Access to Lisk’s network of global venture partners
The launch of the Lisk EMpower Fund marks a turning point for Web3 founders in high-growth regions. By combining capital, mentorship, and blockchain expertise, Lisk aims to accelerate the rise of impactful, scalable startups that address real economic challenges while driving sustainable digital transformation.
For many founders in these regions, Lisk represents more than a source of funding. It’s a long-term partner at the intersection of local innovation and global opportunity.
