What Eastern Bell Capital does

Eastern Bell Capital (钟鼎资本) is a Shanghai-headquartered venture capital firm founded in 2010, specializing in technology-driven supply chain investments. The firm focuses on logistics, supply chain services, retail and branding, industrial technology, and enterprise services — built around the central thesis of 'improving industry efficiency with supply chain as core competence.' Eastern Bell manages approximately RMB 27 billion (~US$4 billion) across six RMB-denominated funds and two USD-denominated funds, investing from early-stage through growth equity. The firm claims a portfolio of 250+ companies including high-profile names such as Lalamove (货拉拉), XPeng Motors (小鹏汽车), Full Truck Alliance (满帮), JD Logistics (京东物流), ZKH (震坤行), M&G Stationery (晨光), Tianyancha (天眼查), Yiheda (怡合达), Zongteng Group (纵腾集团), and Sige New Energy (思格新能源, HKEX 2026).

The firm's business model follows standard venture capital mechanics — earning management fees on committed/deployed capital and carried interest on successful exits — with a differentiated 'partner-type significant investment' (伙伴型重注投资) approach that emphasizes substantial capital commitments and deep operational engagement alongside founders. Deal sourcing is driven primarily by an established entrepreneur ecosystem (250+ portfolio companies producing organic referrals), LP network relationships, and a sector-specialized partner team with domain expertise in supply chain, logistics, retail, and industrial technology. The partnership team is led by founder/CEO Yan Li (严力) and co-founder Mei Zhiming (梅志明, also CEO of Plus Group), with additional dedicated coverage partners including Zhu Yingchun (supply chain innovation), Sun Yanhua (consumer), Yin Junping (new energy/new mobility), and He Chuan (going-global / AI-driven supply chain).

In 2022 the firm restructured its investment organization from 3 groups into 5 battle units, repositioning as an 'industry+technology dual-driven market-based fund' targeting a 3D operating model across capability, efficiency, and value creation. In January 2026, Eastern Bell led the formation of the Going Global Navigator Alliance (出海领航者联盟) with portfolio companies Zongteng Group and Tec-Do, establishing a strategic ecosystem for supporting Chinese supply chain companies' international expansion. The firm also maintains an exclusive collaboration with Alibaba's Hupan Entrepreneurship Research Center for portfolio CEO leadership training. Eastern Bell is privately held (legal entity: 钟鼎（上海）创业投资管理有限公司), headquartered in Pudong New Area, Shanghai, and operates with a focused team of 51-100 employees; the firm has been consistently ranked in the Top 10-20 of Chinese VC firms by CVInfo, Zero2IPO, Forbes, and 36Kr between 2021 and 2025, and was the only Chinese GP in Preqin's 2023 global top 8 for fund performance consistency.

Name

Eastern Bell Capital

Legal name

钟鼎（上海）创业投资管理有限公司

Website

http://ebcapital.com.cn/en/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Eastern Bell Capital is a Shanghai-headquartered venture capital firm founded in 2010 that manages ~US$4 billion across eight funds, specializing in supply chain, logistics, retail, and industrial technology investments across a 250+ portfolio company base in China.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital (Supply Chain Themed)

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Business Services (B2B) Growth Equity (FSANACAD)

Keywords

• Venture capital funds
• Supply chain investing
• Growth stage equity
• Logistics investments
• Portfolio company management

Headquarters

HQ city

Shanghai

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Fund Management: Earns management fees on managed assets and carry/profit sharing from successful fund returns. Manages approximately RMB 27 billion (US$4 billion) across six RMB funds and two USD funds.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Eastern Bell Capital is a privately-held venture capital firm managing approximately RMB 27 billion (US$4 billion) across six RMB funds and two USD funds, making minority and control equity investments in early and growth-stage companies. Investment focus is on the supply chain theme — logistics, supply chain services, retail and branding, industrial technology, and enterprise services — paired with post-investment support programs for portfolio CEOs.

Product overview

Eastern Bell Capital (钟鼎资本) is a venture capital firm established in 2010, specializing in technology-driven supply chain themed investments. The firm manages approximately RMB 27 billion (US$4 billion) across six RMB funds and two USD funds. Rather than offering technology products, the firm provides investment services focused on supply chain innovation, logistics and transportation, retail and branding, industrial technology, and enterprise services sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RMB Supply Chain Venture Capital Funds (6 funds) A series of six RMB-denominated venture capital funds operated by Eastern Bell Capital that invest equity capital in early and growth-stage companies operating in supply chain, logistics, retail, industrial technology, and enterprise services, targeting sector efficiency improvements. Returns are generated from capital gains on successful exits.
• USD Supply Chain Venture Capital Funds (2 funds) Two USD-denominated venture capital funds managed by Eastern Bell Capital investing in supply chain-themed opportunities with cross-border exposure (e.g., EPG, MetaComp Pte. Ltd.), totaling approximately US$4 billion in AUM across both RMB and USD vehicles.
• Post-Investment Empowerment Programs (论道 / 修学 / 实战课) Three program tracks delivered to portfolio company CEOs and founders, combining strategic dialogue (论道), leadership learning (修学, including an exclusive partnership with Alibaba's Hupan Entrepreneurship Research Center), and operational practice (实战课). The package is offered as part of Eastern Bell's value-add beyond capital.
• Going Global Navigator Alliance (出海领航者联盟) A three-dimensional ecosystem serving Chinese companies going overseas, combining the resources of an investment institution (Eastern Bell), industry participants (Zongteng Group, Tec-Do), and government-backed support (招商局集团服务贸易基金), providing cross-border marketing and localization services to portfolio companies.

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• 普洛斯coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded by Eastern Bell founding partner Mei Zhiming. Partnership provides strategic resources and industry insights on supply chain and logistics.
• 纵腾集团coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey portfolio company and co-founder of '出海领航者联盟' (Going Global Navigator Alliance) with Eastern Bell and 钛动科技.
• 钛动科技coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey portfolio company and co-founder of Going Global Navigator Alliance for cross-border marketing and localization services.
• 招商局集团服务贸易基金majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner in the Going Global Navigator Alliance, providing capital leverage and industry resources.
• 湖畔创研中心majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive collaboration with Alibaba's Hupan Entrepreneurship Research Center for customized leadership training programs for portfolio CEOs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Legend Capital (君联资本): Beijing-headquartered growth-equity firm managing ~US$8B+ across RMB and USD funds with similar early-to-growth stage focus across enterprise services, consumer, and industrial tech — a direct comparable in size, structure, and Chinese GP ranking tier.
• Matrix Partners China (经纬创投): Top-tier Chinese early-to-growth VC with comparable AUM scale and sector breadth (consumer, enterprise services, industrial tech); overlaps significantly with Eastern Bell's portfolio categories and is consistently co-ranked in Top 10-20 Chinese VC lists.
• IDG Capital (IDG资本): Long-standing Chinese VC with similar early-to-growth stage positioning across enterprise services, industrial tech, and consumer — regularly co-ranked alongside Eastern Bell in Chinese VC Top 20 lists with overlapping LP universe.
• Sinovation Ventures (创新工场): Kai-Fu Lee-founded Chinese VC with comparable scale and overlapping thesis around AI/tech-enabled enterprise transformation — relevant comparable for Eastern Bell's growing AI-supply-chain investment focus.

Broad incumbents

• Hillhouse Capital (高瓴资本): Much larger incumbent (US$60B+ AUM) with material overlap in consumer, supply-chain-enabled retail (Yum China, Pinduoduo-era bets), and industrial automation — competes for the same supply-chain and logistics deals but at a meaningfully larger fund scale.
• Sequoia China (红杉中国): Pre-eminent Chinese VC with diversified coverage including logistics, supply chain SaaS, and enterprise services — a top-tier competitor for the same supply-chain deal flow but with broader sector coverage and a global LP base.
• CDH Investments (鼎晖投资): Established Chinese PE/VC platform with US$20B+ AUM and active in supply chain, logistics, and consumer — overlapping with Eastern Bell's verticals but with a more buyout-oriented mandate and broader sector reach.
• Yunfeng Capital (云锋基金): Jack Ma-affiliated growth investor with comparable fund vintage structure and consumer/enterprise services tilt — competes for cross-over and growth deals in Eastern Bell's core verticals.
• Primavera Capital (春华资本): Growth-equity firm with material exposure to consumer, logistics, and industrial tech — overlaps Eastern Bell's deal sourcing channels and LP base among Chinese institutional investors.

Emerging players

• ZhenFund (真格基金): Earlier-stage Chinese VC focused on seed/Series A — while smaller and earlier, it sources from the same Chinese founder ecosystem and frequently competes at the upstream end of Eastern Bell's investment funnel.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments204 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Eastern Bell Capital