Helicap

Helicap is a Singapore-based financial technology and investment firm focused on private credit in Southeast Asia and the wider Asia-Pacific region. Established in 2018 by David Z Wang, Quentin Vanoekel, and Jeremy Tan, the company was created to address the financing gap affecting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises and individuals that are underserved by conventional banks. Its business is built around connecting professional and institutional investors with non-bank financial institutions, alternative lenders, and high-growth companies that require debt capital. The firm operates as a technology-enabled intermediary and investment platform rather than as a conventional retail bank. It sources and evaluates private-credit opportunities, structures financing transactions, and provides investors with access to loan-originator and specialty-finance exposure. Its target ecosystem includes more than 35,000 non-bank financial institutions and other alternative lenders across Asia. Through those partners, Helicap aims to reach underserved small and medium-sized businesses and consumers, particularly in markets where formal banking penetration, credit infrastructure, or collateral availability is limited. Helicap’s underwriting and monitoring process is supported by a proprietary credit-analytics engine. The system is designed to process large volumes of performance and portfolio data supplied by loan originators. This approach helps the firm assess businesses that may have limited conventional credit histories, compare originator performance, and develop risk frameworks for private-credit investments. The company combines this analytical capability with local market sourcing and due diligence through operating personnel in several Asian markets. The group also has regulated Singapore operations. Helicap Investments Pte. Ltd. holds a Capital Markets Services licence for fund management, while Helicap Securities Pte. Ltd. is licensed for dealing in securities and serves in activities including debt-facility arrangement. Helicap Securities originated from the 2019 acquisition of Arcor Capital, which was subsequently rebranded under the Helicap name. The company’s financing history includes a seed round led by former Singapore minister Teo Ser Luck, a Pre-Series A round involving East Ventures and Soilbuild Group, and a Series A led by Saison Capital. In early 2025, Helicap completed a Series B investment round led by Malaysia’s Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad. By the end of 2025, the company reported cumulative facilitated or deployed volume above US$700 million. In the same period, it expanded into Mongolia, its ninth operating country, including a financing facility of up to US$25 million for Pocket NBFI to support digital-lending growth. Helicap presents financial inclusion and environmental, social, and governance considerations as central elements of its investment approach. Through originator partners, the firm says its network is connected to more than 200 million small businesses and individuals across Asia. In 2023, it worked with Temasek Trust and the United Nations Capital Development Fund on a financial-inclusion report focused on Southeast Asia. The company has also reported a workforce in which women represented half of the team in 2025. Its recognition has included technology and private-credit awards from business and fintech publications, although the exact scope and methodology of such awards should be checked against primary announcements.

Helicap was incorporated in Singapore on January 18, 2018, by David Z Wang, Quentin Vanoekel, and Jeremy Tan. The founders focused on the shortage of suitable financing available to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises and individuals across Asia. Their model sought to use technology, local market expertise, and private capital to serve borrowers and financial intermediaries that are often difficult for traditional banks to underwrite. The company initially developed as a private-credit platform linking investors with alternative lenders and non-bank financial institutions. Its model addressed both sides of the market: financial institutions and growing businesses received access to debt capital, while professional and institutional investors received opportunities to participate in privately originated credit. Helicap’s underwriting process was supported by a proprietary analytics engine designed to process large datasets from loan originators, allowing the firm to evaluate repayment performance, portfolio quality, and other indicators that may be unavailable through conventional credit reporting. During its early growth period, Helicap raised a US$1.5 million seed round led by former Singapore Minister Teo Ser Luck. It subsequently secured US$5 million in Pre-Series A funding from East Ventures and Soilbuild Group, followed by a US$10 million Series A led by Saison Capital. These financings supported the expansion of its investment activities, technology, and regional network. A significant step in the development of the group came in 2019, when Helicap acquired the securities firm Arcor Capital. The acquired business was rebranded as Helicap Securities and became part of the group’s regulated capital-markets infrastructure. Alongside Helicap Investments, which operates as a licensed fund-management entity, Helicap Securities enabled the group to undertake regulated securities activities and arrange debt facilities in Singapore, subject to the permissions of the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Helicap expanded its operating presence across Southeast Asia and other Asian markets. Its personnel, sometimes referred to internally as Helicappers, have worked from or supported markets including Malaysia, Indonesia, and India. The regional structure allows the firm to conduct local sourcing, assess originators in their operating context, and monitor differences in regulation, consumer behavior, credit performance, and financial inclusion across countries. The firm has also emphasized social-impact considerations. Its investment process incorporates environmental, social, and governance criteria, while its originator network is intended to improve access to finance for underserved businesses and individuals. In 2023, Helicap collaborated with Temasek Trust and the United Nations Capital Development Fund on a report about financial inclusion in Southeast Asia. The company has stated that its partner network is indirectly connected to more than 200 million micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises and individuals across Asia. In early 2025, Helicap completed a Series B investment round led by Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad of Malaysia. Later in 2025, the group entered Mongolia, described in the source material as its ninth country of operation. Its Mongolian activity included a financing facility of up to US$25 million for Pocket NBFI, a digital-lending business. By the end of 2025, Helicap reported cumulative deployed or facilitated volume above US$700 million. The company also received recognition in technology and private-credit categories during 2025 and 2026, though independent verification of award titles, dates, and selection criteria remains advisable. Helicap remains a private, active financial-services business centered on technology-enabled private credit. Its principal strategic challenge is balancing rapid regional growth with underwriting discipline, regulatory compliance, funding diversification, and the risks associated with alternative lending markets.

• 2025

  Series B investment round

  [1]Helicapen.wikipedia.org

  Kenanga Investment Bank leads Helicap’s Series B investment round.

• 2025

  Entry into Mongolia

  [1]Helicapen.wikipedia.org

  Helicap expands into Mongolia and arranges a financing facility of up to US$25 million for Pocket NBFI.

• 2023

  Financial-inclusion research collaboration

  [1]Helicapen.wikipedia.org

  Helicap collaborates with Temasek Trust and the United Nations Capital Development Fund on a Southeast Asian financial-inclusion report.

• 2019

  Acquisition of Arcor Capital

  [1]Helicapen.wikipedia.org

  Helicap acquires Arcor Capital and rebrands the securities business as Helicap Securities.

• 2018

  Helicap is founded in Singapore

  [1]Helicapen.wikipedia.org

  David Z Wang, Quentin Vanoekel, and Jeremy Tan establish Helicap to address financing gaps affecting underserved Asian businesses and individuals.

• 2018

  Seed financing

  [1]Helicapen.wikipedia.org

  Helicap raises a US$1.5 million seed round led by former Singapore Minister Teo Ser Luck.

A technology-enabled private-credit platform focused on connecting institutional and professional capital with underserved borrowers and alternative financial institutions across Asia.

• Investment management · 2018

  Private-credit investment platform

  Helicap connects professional and institutional investors with privately originated credit opportunities involving non-bank financial institutions, alternative lenders, and growing businesses. The platform is intended to provide capital access in markets where traditional bank lending is limited while giving investors exposure to structured private-credit transactions.

• Financial technology

  Proprietary credit analytics engine

  Helicap’s analytics technology processes performance and portfolio information from loan originators. It supports due diligence, underwriting, monitoring, and risk analysis, particularly for originators and borrowers with limited conventional credit histories.

• Securities and debt arrangement · 2019

  Helicap Securities

  Helicap Securities is the group’s Singapore securities business, formed through the rebranding of Arcor Capital after its 2019 acquisition. It holds a Capital Markets Services licence for dealing in securities and supports activities including debt-facility arrangement.

• Fund management

  Helicap Investments

  Helicap Investments is the group’s Singapore fund-management subsidiary. It holds a Capital Markets Services licence and forms part of the regulated infrastructure supporting Helicap’s private-credit investment activities.

• 2023Southeast Asia financial-inclusion report

  Southeast Asia

  Helicap worked with Temasek Trust and the United Nations Capital Development Fund to produce research on financial inclusion in Southeast Asia, reinforcing the company’s focus on underserved businesses and individuals.

  Outcome. The collaboration produced a regional financial-inclusion report and supported Helicap’s public positioning around inclusive finance.

  Source

• 2025

  Expand into MongoliaStrategy

  Background

  Helicap pursued broader Asian coverage for its private-credit and digital-lending activities.

  Action taken

  The company entered Mongolia and arranged a financing facility of up to US$25 million for Pocket NBFI.

  Aftermath

  Mongolia became Helicap’s ninth reported country of operation and extended its regional digital-finance network.

  Financing facility. Up to US$25 million (2025)

  Source

• 2025

  Complete Series B investment roundOther

  Background

  Helicap needed additional capital to support the growth of its private-credit platform and regional operations.

  Action taken

  The company completed a Series B investment round led by Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad.

  Aftermath

  The round strengthened Helicap’s institutional backing and supported its continued Asian expansion.

  Source

• 2019

  Acquire and rebrand Arcor CapitalM&A

  Background

  Helicap sought to strengthen its regulated securities and capital-markets capabilities as its private-credit platform expanded.

  Action taken

  The company acquired Arcor Capital and rebranded it as Helicap Securities.

  Aftermath

  Helicap Securities became part of the group’s regulated infrastructure and supported securities dealing and debt-facility arrangement.

  Source

1. 1Helicapen.wikipedia.org