Who are we?
Sapien Group is a pan-APAC fintech-empowered funds, asset and wealth group with a presence across Australasia, USA, Southeast Asia and Greater China. Originally founded in 2015 as Sapien Ventures in Silicon Valley, with a deep focus in fintech, blockchain, online digital marketplaces and artificial intelligence sectors. Sapien has expanded over the years through its vast platform assets into multiple asset classes and geographies around the world.
Sapien Group is dedicated to providing investors and partners with robust and market-leading excess returns. In just a short span of 8 years, Sapien Group has upheld integrity, professionalism, and excellence in investment philosophy, along with grounded project management practices. This has led to an average annual investment growth rate of 56% over 6 years for venture capital funds, and the Total Value to Paid-In (TVPI) ratio has quadrupled compared to the initial investment amount, attracting significant market attention. Additionally, the returns from publicly listed stocks have exceeded 25% for three consecutive years. The combined assets under management by Sapien Group and its cooperative joint venture funds now surpass AUD 4.3 billion.
Discover our wide range of financial and professional services:
Venture Capital
Sapien Ventures
Listed Equities
Sapien Asset Management
Fixed Income
HFG Capital
Corporate Advisory
Keretsu Forum Australia
Trustee & Funds Admin
Sapien Capital Partners
Our History
Dawn of Sapien
"Sapien" a small-scale venture capital company, Sapien Ventures, emerged in Silicon Valley, USA. The founder liquidated all assets to invest in the first fund, rising rapidly in a manner reminiscent of "the rapid ascent of Homo sapiens" described in "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind." They quickly became a shining star in the technology venture capital industry.
SIV 188c
Sapien extended its operations to the southern hemisphere, particularly Australia. At the same time, they obtained accreditation for the Australian Significant Investor Visa (SIV/188C category). Due to their outstanding performance, they attracted immigrant investors, especially from China.
Airtasker
Invested in the online internet platform Airtasker, which successfully went public on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in 2018.
GSP
Sapien Ventures invested in the online international student enrolment platform GSP (Global Study Partner). By 2022, it had a market value of $20 million and performed above initial expectations.
Linqto
Early investments in Linqto.com, a unicorn secondary trading platform for private equity, with a first-round valuation of $8 million USD. It has since reached a pre-IPO valuation of $600 million USD.
Studyfin
Sapien Ventures invested in Studyfin.com.au (study finance), a one-stop service platform. In 2022 and 2023, through mergers and acquisitions with Singapore's TaisEdu Group and two acquisitions in the Thai education sector, it achieved a current market value of $32 million. In the same year, it expanded its business to Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
SIV Lobbying
Sapien Ventures successfully lobbied the Australian Prime Minister and six ministers to play a crucial role in retaining the Significant Investor Visa (SIV) policy in Australia. They received coverage in mainstream Australian media, solidifying their important position in this field.
Singapore
Established a global tax-free compliance mechanism in Singapore. This allows investors to legally and compliantly invest overseas while avoiding tax risks, providing peace of mind for investors.
Sapien Plus
Sapien Ventures established Sapien Plus, focusing on three major business sectors: financial technology, wealth management, and high-end clubs. They have built a "dual-track drive" and a robust development mechanism while pursuing flexibility, speed, and innovation in overall development alongside their existing core business.
Meet the team
Victor Jiang
Founder & Group MD
Serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist and a former consulting and software industry executive; founded first own company at age 23; worked and lived across 12 countries over 15 years; investor and board director in 10 tech companies across USA, AUS & China (of which 4 as Chairman); founder of the Sapien Group of companies
Daniel Laurence
Group Head of ASEAN Markets
Serial entrepreneur; venture investor; Head of Sapien’s Melbourne and Jakarta offices; experienced in FMCG, technology, charitables, and international trade. Cofounder of Navanti-Sapien Asset Management; ASEAN market specialist and well-connected amongst ASEAN family offices and HNW investors
John Du
Group Head of Sapien Plus
Serial entrepreneur; founder of Dream Overseas; Sapien Plus; and Studyfin. Over a 30+ year career he has worked across migration, international education, real estate, entertainment, and technology. Many of his ventures has earnt prestigious awards in local and international media.
Geoff Stanley
Group CFO
25+ year accounting and audit background, currently CFO at Booktopia (ASX:BKG) and led its IPO efforts, board director at iSelect (ASX:ISU); formerly Lead M&A Partner at Deloitte Australia; ex-Partner for advisory services at EY; advisor to many startups and mentor at Stone & Chalk
Sheetal Jiang
Group Head of Operations
20+ years of finance and accounting experience across Australia and UK; held responsibilities for financial control, HR and investor relations at Sapien Ventures and Skillsapien; previously at QBE, LMI, Booz Consulting, UK Ministry of Justice, UK NHS, ABB, State Street
Our successful ventures
Linqto
Developer of an investment platform intended to identify, evaluate, invest and trade securities in the world’s leading unicorns. The company’s offerings include simple, inexpensive and quick access to global private securities markets by providing liquidity for private securities markets, enabling founders, VCs and employees to realize early returns and liquidity without waiting for an IPO or trade sale.
AirTasker
Airtasker, headquartered in Sydney, Australia, is a dynamic and innovative company that has pioneered a transformative approach to task outsourcing. At its core, Airtasker operates as an expansive online and mobile marketplace that empowers users to effortlessly delegate their everyday tasks. The process is simple: users articulate the details of the task, set a budget, and submit it to the platform.
HashChing
HashChing stands as a trailblazing force in the Australian financial landscape, introducing a revolutionary approach to home loan accessibility. As the country’s pioneering online marketplace for home loan deals, HashChing removes the burden of extensive mortgage shopping. It’s a refreshing proposition for consumers who seek financial ease. What’s remarkable is that HashChing offers its services entirely free of charge to consumers.
Our accredited legal and compliance documents
