SINGAPORE, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Empyrean Sky Partners (ESP) has completed the fastest first close of 2026, raising US$90 million toward a US$200 million target for its Global Technology Fund. The fund targets growth-stage companies at the convergence of artificial intelligence, robotics and advanced manufacturing – sectors expected to reshape industrial productivity and global technology deployment.

The fund is co-managed with Lion X Ventures, the technology venture investment partner of and advised by OCBC, combining ESP's growth-stage investment expertise with Lion X Ventures' venture network. The collaboration enables the fund to identify and scale companies across multiple stages of innovation, offering founders capital alongside access to global networks and operational support to accelerate commercialization.

The fund has formed a strategic partnership with Dreame Technology, a leading global technology company. This collaboration enables portfolio companies to leverage Dreame's industrial insights, engineering expertise and commercialization capabilities, accelerating the path from innovation to market.

Rapid Execution Signals Investor Confidence

The speed and scale of the first close, US$90 million in record time, reflect strong investor demand for technology platforms integrating AI with physical systems. Institutional investors, family offices and industry participants have reportedly committed, citing ESP's track record and the fund's access to industrial ecosystems as key differentiators.

Ming Lei, Chairman and Founding Partner of ESP, whose prior investments include NIO Inc., RLX Technology and POP MART, said the fund aims to support founders building the next generation of intelligent systems through long-term capital, global networks and industrial access.

Irene Guo, CEO of Lion X Ventures, added that transformative technology is global from day one, and the partnership enables entrepreneurs to expand across markets with greater speed and impact.

A Fund Designed for the Next Industrial Era

It has been observed that growth-stage funds with access to strategic industrial partners remain relatively rare. By combining sector expertise and industrial collaboration, the fund offers investors exposure to companies shaping the next era of intelligent industry.

The fund focuses on businesses integrating software intelligence with advanced hardware, including robotics, smart devices, logistics automation and industrial manufacturing. With Asia emerging as a major innovation hub, ESP's fund is positioned to support companies with global impact potential.