Antler, the global venture capital firm, has appointed Frank Kang as Associate Partner and Country Head for Malaysia. Leveraging his extensive entrepreneurial background, Frank Kang’s role will be pivotal in driving Antler’s investment strategy and operations in the region, fostering cross-border startup success. This appointment aligns with Antler’s commitment to supporting founders from the pre-seed stage through to Series A and beyond.
9 August 2023 – Prominent global venture capital firm, Antler, has unveiled its latest strategic move by appointing Frank Kang as Associate Partner for Malaysia. This senior-level addition underscores Antler’s commitment to nurturing early-stage startups and empowering exceptional founders in the region. In conjunction with this role, Frank will also assume the position of Country Head, spearheading Antler’s investment strategy and operations in Malaysia.
Frank Kang’s appointment is set to leverage his extensive entrepreneurial journey spanning 17 years and diverse industries. As a serial entrepreneur, his foray into the business world began at the age of 23 when he co-founded a pioneering social networking service, securing investment from the renowned Japanese multinational, SoftBank. With a track record of establishing successful ventures, Frank’s expertise extends from Silicon Valley, where he brought Twitter services to Korea and founded one of the country’s largest Twitter directories with millions of users. In Malaysia, he acquired the prominent e-commerce platform everyday.com.my (later rebranded as LivingSocial Malaysia), overseeing its expansion from a small team to a workforce of over 160 employees. Notably, he also founded Althea, Korea’s leading beauty platform with globally recognized institutional investors.
Antler, renowned for its status as one of the world’s most active early-stage investors, boasts a portfolio of over 792 companies across 26 cities, reflecting a combined value of US$3.7 billion. The firm’s distinct approach to fostering startup success, termed “Day Zero investing,” differentiates it from conventional entrepreneurial programs. This approach encapsulates comprehensive support for founders, commencing from the pre-seed phase and extending through Series A and beyond.
As Frank Kang takes the helm as Associate Partner and Country Head for Antler Malaysia, he expressed his excitement about his role. “Having navigated both failure and success early in my career, I am thrilled to assist founders in building and scaling impactful businesses. I believe Malaysia’s local talents hold immense potential, and together, we can empower them to think globally.”
Jussi Salovaara, Co-founder and Managing Partner Asia at Antler, lauded the addition of Frank Kang to the team. “With Frank’s proven ability to build scalable businesses across Asia, we are pleased to welcome him as we expand our presence across 26 cities, including Malaysia. Antler remains committed to fostering entrepreneurial progress and supporting founders at every stage of their journey.”
Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Antler is poised to invest in over 30 startups throughout Malaysia within the next three years. This commitment is set to be realized through Antler’s inaugural residency program in Malaysia, scheduled to commence in October 2023. With Frank Kang’s leadership, Antler’s aspirations to elevate Malaysia’s entrepreneurial impact and foster cross-border success are set to gain momentum.
