Reinvent Ventures

Reinvent acts as an idea incubator and venture builder. Instead of sourcing external founders, the firm internally conceives business ideas and provides the initial capital and operational support to launch them. Once a project reaches viability, it is spun out as an independent startup. This model is distinct from typical seed funds that invest in already-formed teams.

Reinvent describes itself as an 'idea incubator,' functioning more like a startup studio or venture builder than a traditional venture capital fund. It uses its own balance sheet to handcraft apps for startups, as stated on its website, rather than managing committed third-party capital. The firm's output is operating businesses, not a portfolio of minority equity stakes.

Reinvent's website points to work across technology, business, arts, and health. Its launched projects include an e-commerce shipping platform, a domain-name leasing marketplace, a maternal-health app, and a PropTech marketplace collaboration. This creates a footprint in consumer internet, logistics, digital health, and enterprise software.

Founder and CEO Dominic Penaloza leads the firm. He previously served as an executive at WeWork China, bringing operational experience in real estate and scaling technology-enabled businesses. Assistant Vice President Sharon Chen, formerly with Brookfield Properties, holds a senior role, though the precise investment-committee structure is not publicly detailed.

Reinvent is headquartered in Shanghai, China, and maintains a physical office in Seoul, South Korea, through its Reinvent Ventures (Korea Onshore) Ltd. entity at 431 Teheran-ro. Its portfolio companies serve markets beyond Asia; Chit Chats, for instance, operates in the Canadian e-commerce sector.