Our History

SOW Asia was founded in 2009 by Darius Yuen, an investment banker in Hong Kong, SAR. Following the 2008 financial crisis, it became apparent we face large social challenges that neither traditional capital markets nor traditional charity can solve within those silos. Mr. Yuen left banking and founded SOW Asia to champion venture philanthropy through the application of business discipline as a force for the betterment of society. Although SOW Asia was initially focused on individual investment opportunities, it became clear that the necessary first step was building an environment in which social businesses can grow. SOW Asia is now partnering with a number of organizations from multiple sectors, including public, private, academia and non-profit, in order to build a more comprehensive eco-system.