TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 November 2026 – Ondine Capital today announced the successful first close of its third USD-denominated VC fund. Ondine Capital Fund III has secured commitments from top-tier institutional and strategic limited partners, including several leading semiconductor enterprises in Taiwan.
Ondine Capital's newly appointed partner: Brian Yen
Building on the firm's deep-rooted expertise in semiconductors and deep technology, Ondine Capital Fund III will invest across the full AI value chain—spanning AI foundation models, next-generation semiconductors, AI infrastructure, AI-native software, and physical AI applications.
Ondine Capital Fund III's early portfolio highlights include:
- Recursive Superintelligence: Founded by former Salesforce Chief Scientist Richard Socher and built by veteran researchers from OpenAI, Google, and Meta, the startup focuses on recursive self-improving AI systems. It recently raised $650 million at a $4 billion pre-money valuation led by Google Ventures, with participation from Nvidia and AMD.
- Bot Auto: Founded by Xiaodi Hou (former co-founder and CTO of TuSimple), this Houston-based physical AI startup specializes in autonomous freight transportation. Bot Auto recently partnered with Ryan Transportation to launch driverless freight operations along the Houston-Dallas corridor.
- Salience Labs: Founded by Vaysh Kewada and Johannes Feldmann, the company develops silicon-photonics optical switching technology for AI data centers. Partnering with Tower Semiconductor, Salience Labs recently closed a $125 million financing round led by Bullhound Capital, with strategic backing from AMD Ventures and Intel Capital.
Partner Appointment to Boost Global Ecosystem
Coinciding with the first close, Ondine Capital announced the appointment of Brian Yen as Partner, reinforcing the firm's global sourcing and founder network.
Prior to joining Ondine Capital, Brian Yen served as Principal and Head of the Taipei Office at Headline Asia, where he cultivated an extensive network across Japan, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. His investment track record spans consumer technologies, agentic services, and physical AI, with notable investments including respond.io, forest inc., Braid, and iMotorbike. At Ondine Capital, Brian Yen will focus on backing early-stage founders building intelligent software and physical AI platforms.
"The convergence of AI and semiconductors is unleashing unprecedented opportunities across global tech," said Brian Yen. "As these technologies mature, we anticipate monumental value creation throughout the entire stack. Through Fund III, we look forward to empowering visionary founders who are shaping the future of computing and industry applications."
Ondine Capital continues to actively deploy capital and evaluate global investment opportunities in breakthrough, category-defining companies across the AI and semiconductor landscape.
Hashtag: #OndineCapital #RSI #BotAuto #SalienceLabs
https://www.ondinecap.com/
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About Ondine Capital
Ondine Capital is a premier venture capital firm focused on frontier technologies, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, enterprise software, clean energy, and emerging technology platforms. The firm backs visionary founders from inception, providing strategic support and access to a robust global network of industrial partners, investors, and entrepreneurs.
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HAIKOU, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire – 3 November 2026 - From Nov. 18 to 22, 2026, a global gathering dedicated to protecting the Earth's "green lungs" will take place in Haikou, Hainan Province, China: the 2026 Tropical Rainforest Ecosystem Partners Conference.
A Hainan Gibbon (Nomascus hainanus) photographed in the Bawangling Area of the National Park of Hainan Tropical Rainforest
From the vast Amazon rainforest to the dense forests of the Congo Basin and the diverse landscapes of the Malay Archipelago, representative rainforests from around the world will come together with the National Park of Hainan Tropical Rainforest for dialogue and exchange. Under the theme "Global Treasures · Shared Future," the conference embodies humanity's shared commitment to protecting rainforests and pursuing sustainable development.
Tropical rainforests cover less than one-tenth of the Earth's land area, yet they are home to more than half of the world's plant and animal species. Hainan, China's only tropical island province, is home to the country's largest, most concentrated and best-preserved contiguous tropical rainforest on a continental island. Established in 2021, the National Park of Hainan Tropical Rainforest covers more than 4,269 square kilometers and protects over 95 percent of Hainan Island's primary forests. Its forest coverage rate remains stable at 95.9 percent, while both its water and air quality excellence rates stand at 100 percent.
Over the past five years, this rainforest has continued to witness remarkable ecological achievements. The Hainan gibbon population has grown to 44 individuals across seven groups, making it the only gibbon population in the world to have shown sustained growth.
In addition, 91 previously undocumented wild plant and animal species have been recorded in the park. An integrated space-air-ground ecological monitoring system now provides round-the-clock, comprehensive monitoring and protection of the rainforest ecosystem. The "Bawangling Model" for Hainan gibbon conservation has also been recognized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a global model for protecting rare species.
The conference will explore how forests can serve as reservoirs of water, sources of food, generators of economic value and carbon sinks. Two keynote forums and four parallel forums will be held, bringing together participants for in-depth discussions on key topics, including water conservation and aquatic ecological security, the sustainable use of forest food resources, ways to unlock the value of ecological products, and carbon management in rainforests. The discussions will foster exchanges of ideas and the sharing of experience.
The conference will also focus on Hainan's efforts to seek dual World Heritage recognition for its natural and cultural heritage. It will bring together global expertise to support the nomination of the Hainan Tropical Rainforest and the Traditional Settlement of Li Ethnic Group for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a mixed natural and cultural heritage property. The initiative will explore new approaches to rainforest governance that uphold ecological protection as a firm priority while bringing tangible benefits to local communities.
In addition to the conference sessions, a series of supporting events will be held. "Rainforest Night," a showcase of Hainan's intangible cultural heritage, will offer an immersive audiovisual experience showcasing the distinctive traditions of the Li and Miao ethnic groups. The "Hidden Realms · Shared Life" Hainan Tropical Rainforest Photography Exhibition and the "Gifts of Nature" Ecological Products Market will showcase the rainforest's natural beauty and innovative ways of turning ecological resources into tangible benefits. Field expeditions into the Hainan Tropical Rainforest, media tours, and the public-interest initiative "Breathe Deep in the Rainforest · Protect Our Shared Habitat" will take participants deep into the rainforest to experience the vitality of its ecosystems.
As the Hainan Free Trade Port approaches the first anniversary of the launch of island-wide special customs operations and the National Park of Hainan Tropical Rainforest marks its fifth anniversary, this conference will serve as China's green calling card to the world and provide a platform for international dialogue and cooperation on rainforest conservation.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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