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Northern Light Venture Capital

Asia, Beijing, China, Beijing

Description

Northern Light Venture Capital (NLVC) is a prominent venture capital firm based in Beijing, China, established in 2005. The firm has carved out a significant niche in the Chinese venture landscape, primarily focusing on early- and growth-stage investments across a diverse range of sectors. NLVC targets companies in technology, media, telecommunications (TMT), consumer services, healthcare, and advanced technologies, demonstrating a broad yet strategic investment mandate aimed at disruptive innovations and market leaders.

NLVC's investment philosophy emphasizes identifying and nurturing companies with strong management teams, innovative business models, and significant market potential. Over its nearly two-decade history, the firm has built an impressive portfolio, including several high-profile successes and unicorns. Notable investments include early backing of giants like Meituan-Dianping and ByteDance, which have grown to become dominant forces in their respective industries. Their strategic support often extends beyond capital, providing operational guidance and industry connections to their portfolio companies.

The firm manages multiple funds, with substantial capital under management. For instance, NLVC successfully closed its sixth USD fund at $1.2 billion and a new RMB fund at 3.5 billion yuan in 2021, underscoring its robust financial capacity and continued commitment to the Chinese market. These significant fund sizes enable NLVC to deploy substantial capital, with typical first check sizes ranging from approximately $5 million for promising early-stage ventures to potentially $40 million or more for growth-stage companies requiring larger capital injections. This flexibility allows them to engage with companies across various stages of development, from Series A to later growth rounds.

NLVC's consistent track record of identifying and scaling successful enterprises has solidified its reputation as a leading venture capital player in China. Its deep understanding of the local market dynamics, combined with a global perspective, positions it as a preferred partner for ambitious entrepreneurs seeking to revolutionize their industries.

Investor Profile

Northern Light Venture Capital has backed more than 109 startups, with 3 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 23 rounds, about 21% of its total and boasts 51 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Series A, Series B, Series C rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in China, United States, Singapore.
  • Strong thematic focus on Software, Information Technology, Internet.
  • Led 2 rounds in the past year.
  • Typical check size: $5M – $40M.

Stage Focus

  • Series A (25%)
  • Series B (23%)
  • Series C (20%)
  • Series D (11%)
  • Seed (10%)
  • Series Unknown (6%)
  • Post Ipo Equity (2%)
  • Angel (2%)
  • Series E (1%)

Country Focus

  • China (55%)
  • United States (36%)
  • Singapore (5%)
  • South Korea (3%)
  • South Africa (2%)

Industry Focus

  • Software
  • Information Technology
  • Internet
  • Manufacturing
  • Mobile
  • Health Care
  • Semiconductor
  • E-commerce
  • Biotechnology
  • Security
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.

Who does Northern Light Venture Capital frequently co-invest with?

Qualcomm Ventures
North America, California, United States, San Diego
Co-Investments: 8
Kleiner Perkins
North America, California, United States, Menlo Park
Co-Investments: 17
IDG Capital
Asia, Beijing, China, Beijing
Co-Investments: 9
New Enterprise Associates
North America, California, United States, Menlo Park
Co-Investments: 15
GSR Ventures
North America, California, United States, Menlo Park
Co-Investments: 5
HongShan
Asia, Beijing, China, Beijing
Co-Investments: 11
Qiming Venture Partners
Asia, Shanghai, China, Shanghai
Co-Investments: 13
Oriza Ventures
North America, California, United States, Santa Clara
Co-Investments: 7
GGV Capital
North America, California, United States, Menlo Park
Co-Investments: 7
Intel Capital
North America, California, United States, Santa Clara
Co-Investments: 6

Which angels does Northern Light Venture Capital often collaborate with?

CS
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
MS
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Shared Deals: 1
Shawn Shi
Asia, Central Region, Singapore, Singapore
Shared Deals: 1
MN
North America, California, United States, San Mateo
Shared Deals: 1
CB
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
Shared Deals: 1
OD
North America, New York, United States, New York
Shared Deals: 1
RC
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
NC
North America, United States
Shared Deals: 1

What are some of recent deals done by Northern Light Venture Capital?

Wala English

Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

Wala English is the provider of the full-process AI c contextual learning service.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)Education
SeedJul 31, 2025
Amount Raised: $12,000,000
VelaVigo

Shanghai, Shanghai, China

VelaVigo is a start-up company engaged in macromolecular biopharmaceutical.

BiopharmaBiotechnologyHealth CareTherapeutics
SeedJul 28, 2025
Amount Raised: $60,000,000
VOC AI

San Jose, California, United States

VOC AI offers AI tools for ecommerce insights and customer service solutions.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)Developer ToolsInformation TechnologySoftware
Series UnknownMar 21, 2025
Amount Raised: $13,794,530
AscentStream

Xuhui, Shanghai, China

AscentStream is a software development company that provides cloud messaging software and stream processing solutions.

Cloud ComputingCloud InfrastructureInformation TechnologySoftware
AngelFeb 7, 2025
Shengrun New Materials

Ningbo, Zhejiang, China

Shengrun New Materials is an aerogel material manufacturer.

IndustrialManufacturingProduct Design
SeedJan 14, 2025
RootData

Singapore, Central Region, Singapore

RootData operates as a Web3 asset data platform.

Information TechnologyWeb3
SeedApr 5, 2024
Amount Raised: $1,250,000
Aegis

Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

Aegis is a blockchain security company.

BlockchainNetwork SecuritySecurity
SeedAug 17, 2023
BUD

Singapore, Central Region, Singapore

BUD is an open metaverse gaming platform that connects millions of virtual worlds created by our community, made up of 9 million creators.

3D TechnologyGamingInternetMetaverseSocial MediaSocial Network
Series BMay 23, 2022
Amount Raised: $37,000,000
Point One

Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

Building the next-gen consumer products!

Metaverse
Series BMay 23, 2022
Amount Raised: $36,800,000
Zhonghui Laser

Suzhou, Jiangsu, China

Zhonghui Laser is an emerging technology company dedicated to the development and manufacture of advanced lasers.

LaserManufacturing
Series AMay 7, 2022