Japanese insurance giant works with InsurTech-focussed VC firm

Tokio Marine Asia has formed a strategic partnership with Arbor Ventures, a leading global FinTech / InsurTech-focused venture capital firm, headquartered in Singapore.

This partnership, established through Tokio Marine’s Innovation Lab in Singapore, marks the Tokyo-headquartered insurance group’s commitment to accelerating the digital transformation of the global insurance industry. The group has been promoting transformational digital initiatives on a global basis, leveraging on collaborations with startups and service providers with key strategic capabilities.

To accelerate the identification and development of new business models, Tokio Marine Holdings announced in April 2022 that as of that month, its corporate venture capital fund called “Tokio Marine Future Fund” had gone into full-scale operations. The Fund works in strategic partnership with venture capital firms such as World Innovation Lab,, to invest in early-stage startups.

Tokio Marine will identify and invest directly in high-growth potential startups through the CVC Fund in addition to partnering with Arbor and other leading VCs for unique insights and access to promising startups leading the digital transformation in insurance. Arbor’s addition to Tokio Marine’s group of collaborative VCs significantly heightens its future opportunities.

Arbor is a global FinTech/InsurTech-focussed VC with offices in Singapore, USA, Japan as well as a presence in EMENA. Arbor’s global connectivity and portfolio as well as its engagement in local markets will further enable Tokio Marine group’s innovation labs, spread across seven cities, including Singapore, to collaborate broadly with synergy beyond borders.

Mr Masashi Namatame, group chief digital officer at Tokio Marine Holdings, said, “Arbor’s target to create the future of FinTech resonates with Tokio Marine’s digital strategy. With Arbor’s network and astute scouting of startups with strong potential in the FinTech space, it will greatly complement Tokio Marine’s collaborative efforts to serve innovative products and services in the insurance industry and beyond.”

Singapore-based Tokio Marine Asia is an established regional headquarters and intermediate holding company. It oversees eight P&C insurance companies and five life insurers in eight countries in Asia. The regional company is wholly owned by Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance. The ultimate parent company is Tokio Marine Holdings.