Robust

Today’s large-scale opportunities exists in complex, regulated industries that are intertwined with government. The problem is that heavily regulated industries such as defense, banking, telecommunication, and energy are dominated by entrenched interests – incumbents are aggressive in the defense of their franchises.

This generation’s winners are those who can challenge the status quo and transcend inefficient industries. This is a monumental challenge and founders must be equipped to face Goliath (e.g. Uber with taxi licensing, Airbnb with zoning).

Any counsel can help navigate statutory limitations; we go further and leverage the regulatory framework to your advantage by building strategic partnerships and coalitions, grassroots networks, lobbying and public affairs. All money is green, but we help you build defensible moats – that’s priceless.

We invest globally and have a presence in the United States and Thailand. Emerging markets are vastly undercapitalized and inundated with bureaucratic inefficiency. Southeast Asia in particular, is on the cusp of a digital transformation. The 2020 pandemic catalyzed an acceleration in the region’s internet adoption. Increased spending on STEM education and the relatively low cost of living enables labor arbitrage.

We have deep roots in Southeast Asia and a superlative understanding of the geopolitical landscape – our affiliates have a six-decade track record of robust regulatory hacking. We know what it takes to disrupt, and we have the human capital to help you execute. Grab surpassed Uber in Southeast Asia by offering localized product enhancements and services, we can help you do the same. In other emerging markets, we partner with a global network of operators, policy experts and local behemoths to help you win.

We are exceptionally selective in our partnerships because we commit fully. When Robust works with you, it’s because we’re aligned with your long-term vision. We gravitate toward independent thinkers and contrarians who are solving complex economic, logistical, scientific, and engineering problems. We don’t believe in fads, marginally valuable widgets, or redundant hardware.

We invest early (Pre-Seed to Series A) with the intent to follow-on throughout the company’s lifecycle. We invest globally with a focus on North America and Southeast Asia. Our term sheets contain provisions on governance (series-specific approval of indebtedness, issuance of additional securities) and economics (anti-dilution, pre-emptive, pro rata rights). We typically invest in SAFEs or Preferred Securities with a 1x (or higher) liquidation preference.

We’re early movers who thrive in competition. We have greater incentives to succeed than most investors because we have skin in the game. We’ve assembled a ‘think tank’  of seasoned operators, founders and strategic experts to empower your team. We take pride in formulating robust solutions to the problems that keep you up at night, be it operational, regulatory, legal, recruiting or fundraising. Failure is not an option for us. Let’s build together.