OCBC Hong Kong eyes $2.7b for serial entrepreneurs

It has lent $1.17b to more than 1,800 repeat founders since 2017.

OCBC Hong Kong has launched a dedicated department to provide more than $2.7b (S$3.5b) in financing to serial entrepreneurs from 2025 to 2028.

Serial entrepreneurs operate multiple companies, aiming to grow and eventually sell them. In Singapore, one in three new businesses is started by someone already running another company, said Ruby Yiu, head of emerging business at OCBC Hong Kong 

“We see the same trend in Hong Kong,” she told Asian Banking & Finance. “We are focusing on serial entrepreneurs because they are a huge and fast-growing segment.”

Many entrepreneurs in Hong Kong operate new ventures within family businesses seeking modernization, or focus on sustainability sectors such as renewable energy and clean technology. Several plan regional expansions, which OCBC aims to support through its financing and advisory services.

Since 2017, OCBC has extended $1.17b (S$1.5b) to more than 1,800 serial entrepreneurs. The bank seeks to more than double that funding in the next three years.

To identify clients, it uses advanced data analytics, customer feedback, and proprietary algorithms to find entrepreneurs managing multiple active businesses.

Yiu said the bank takes a holistic approach, assessing entrepreneurs’ experience, track record, and overall strategy across their companies, rather than evaluating each venture separately.

“We proactively engage those with scalable business models and expansion plans to offer tailored and sector-specific financing solutions,” she said in an emailed reply to questions.

OCBC’s regional network also supports cross-border growth in markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

The department is part of a broader plan to provide capital and guidance that grows with entrepreneurs, helping them scale businesses locally and internationally, Yiu said.