East Ventures, a leading venture capital firm that has supported over 300 technology companies in Southeast Asia, won the 2025 VC Deal of the Year Award from the Singapore Venture and Private Capital Association (SVCA). This award recognizes companies that demonstrate exceptional investment expertise and deliver outstanding performance over the past year, setting a new standard of excellence in the private and venture capital industry.

Strategic Investment in Fore Coffee Highlights East Ventures’ Vision

East Ventures received the award for its investment in Fore, a rapidly growing Indonesian food and beverage company that manages premium-affordable brands such as Fore Coffee and Fore Donut. The award highlights East Ventures' ability to identify and nurture high-potential companies while creating long-term value across the ecosystem.

Fore Coffee was incubated by East Ventures in 2018. It was founded through a shared vision between Willson Cuaca, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of East Ventures, and Robin Boe and Jhoni Kusno, Co-Founders of Otten Coffee. Their ambition was to revive the glory of Indonesia’s coffee industry, especially Arabica beans, through a modern specialty coffee brand.

Fore Coffee’s Growth and Successful IPO in a Challenging Market

Fore was built with a focus on sustainable operations and a clear path to profitability. As of June 2025, the company had expanded to 261 outlets across Indonesia and Singapore. Fore completed its initial public offering (IPO) on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) in April 2025.

The IPO was designed to benefit all parties involved—the company, investors, and new shareholders. Despite market challenges during the listing period, Fore achieved strong results, with an oversubscription of more than 200% and consistently positive stock performance to date.

Willson Cuaca said, “We are very grateful to the teams at East Ventures and Fore that made this achievement possible. Incubating Fore from the beginning until its public listing was not something we anticipated, and we did not follow the typical VC playbook. Throughout the journey, we built new capabilities, expanded our network, and most importantly, forged our own path. Despite facing unprecedented challenges, including passing through the lowest point of the BEI market, we remained persistent and reached the finish line. This award is not about East Ventures’ glory; rather, it is a signal to the ecosystem that we all have a role in advancing the region.”

Industry Experts Applaud East Ventures’ Role in Southeast Asia’s VC Market

Sharon Lim, CEO of the Singapore Venture and Private Capital Association, said, “This deal clearly shows the important role venture capital companies have in emerging markets with high growth. East Ventures’ investment in Fore demonstrates how early-stage funding and the right partnerships are key ingredients to take a cup of coffee to an IPO amid many obstacles.”

East Ventures’ Commitment to Innovation in Southeast Asia

This recognition strengthens East Ventures’ commitment to providing catalytic funding and supporting more entrepreneurs to drive innovation in Southeast Asia. It aligns with the company’s mission to build a productive and healthy region for current and future generations.

PHOTO: EAST VENTURES

This article was created with AI assistance.