Brinc is a Hong Kong-based accelerator and venture fund founded in 2014 by Manav Gupta. The firm began as a hardware-focused accelerator, helping startups build physical products across IoT, connectivity, and consumer electronics. Over time, Brinc broadened its scope to include food technology, smart home, and – more recently – blockchain and Web3 projects. It operates offices in Hong Kong, Bahrain, and Dubai, giving it reach across Asia and the Middle East.
The fund runs cohort-based accelerator programs alongside direct venture investments. Early-stage companies accepted into a Brinc program typically receive seed capital, mentorship, and access to manufacturing and supply chain networks in Asia. This hardware-first DNA distinguishes Brinc from pure-software crypto funds. Its Web3 investments tend to favor projects where physical infrastructure, device connectivity, or real-world asset tokenization play a role. Public information about total assets under management is limited; Brinc has not disclosed a headline AUM figure.
Notable investments
- Brinc portfolio (hardware and IoT cohorts) – dozens of startups across connected devices and smart home. Specific Web3 portfolio names are not fully disclosed publicly.
- The firm has participated in blockchain infrastructure and DePIN (decentralized physical infrastructure) deals, consistent with its hardware background, though deal-level details are not widely reported.
Public information about individual crypto portfolio companies backed by Brinc is limited. The firm maintains a portfolio overview on its website but does not publish a complete deal list with valuations.
Team
Manav Gupta is the founder and CEO. He previously worked in product and business development roles in Asia before launching Brinc to address the gap between hardware entrepreneurship and early-stage capital in the region. Details on other managing partners and investment staff are not consistently reported in public sources. Brinc lists program managers and mentors across its regional offices, but their individual backgrounds are not widely covered in the press.
Recent activity
In 2024 and into 2025, Brinc expanded its Middle East programs, particularly through partnerships in Bahrain tied to government-backed innovation initiatives. The firm has shown interest in AI-hardware convergence and DePIN narratives, areas where its existing hardware accelerator network provides sourcing advantages. No major fund closes, high-profile exits, or prominent failures have been reported in mainstream financial media during this period.
With a reported portfolio of roughly ten Web3-adjacent investments and a nascent public track record in crypto, Brinc occupies a niche position – a hardware accelerator with selective blockchain exposure rather than a dedicated crypto fund. Its geographic bridgehead across Hong Kong and the Gulf region could be an advantage as regulatory clarity improves in both markets. However, the limited public data on returns and exits makes independent performance assessment difficult at this stage. Investors seeking detailed due diligence should contact Brinc directly or consult filings through Crunchbase.