Global Investment Confluence

Navigating the Pitch Process: Questions Startups Should Ask VCs As startups face constant rejections, it's easy to lose morale. But remember, the journey is as important as the destination. In the current landscape, especially in ASEAN, the activity level of many VCs has been notably low. In fact, most haven't made any investments in the past 15 months. This raises important questions for startups pitching their ideas. It’s crucial to understand that VCs may not only take calls because they're interested in investing. Often, they also aim to update their database, keeping a pulse on the market and scouting for future opportunities. Knowing this, here are some essential questions you should consider asking VCs during your pitch: 1. What specific sectors are you actively investing in at the moment? 2. How has your investment strategy changed in the past year? 3. Can you share the most recent investments you’ve made, and why you chose those companies? 4. What are the key factors you consider when deciding to invest in a startup? 5. How do you support your portfolio companies beyond capital? 6. How well do you understand the industry we're in, and how many other companies in this space have you evaluated? 7. For those companies you passed on, can you share why you chose not to invest? These questions can help you gauge a VC’s genuine interest and understand their current investment focus. If VCs are not comfortable answering these questions, they might not be the partners that you need. Remember, every pitch is a two-way street. You're not just selling your vision; you're also selecting partners who believe in your journey and can add value beyond the check they write. Stay persistent, stay curious, and most importantly, stay resilient. #Startups #VC #Entrepreneurship #Investing #Pitching #ASEAN #Resilience #BusinessGrowth #VentureCapital #StartupJourney #wowsglobal

Exciting Opportunity for Startups! We're thrilled to announce a startup dating event designed to connect startups with leading investors in a private setting in partnership between Amazon Web Services (AWS) and WOWS GLOBAL. Event Overview: Join us for a VC-Startup Private Speed Dating Evening, for a meaningful connections and explore potential investment deals. This event is a Techsauce side event occurring on the week of the biggest Thailand startup summit. Date & time: August 8th @ 6 - 9 pm See application link in the comment Tharin Sethi Pahrada (Mameaw) Sapprasert Yinglan Tan Surasee (Sean) Thongchan Pitchaya Charoenyos Matthew Windsor Alina Truhina Pongwut Ittipoonsawat Jirapat Suvidejkosol Att Asavanund Ashwani Ahuja Prinn Panitchpakdi Ratchanon Supakit Gagan Singh Nopawan Vince, AWS PMP® Nathan Upalawanna Ian Sikora #AWS #AWSStartupCommunity #VentureCapital #StartupEcosystem #TechSauce2024

Why is change not happening at the pace and scale our world urgently needs? The term "systems change" has gained popularity because our complex, interlinked problems—like climate change, social inequality, and biodiversity loss—need a different approach than isolated interventions. Yet, recognising this complexity often leaves us feeling overwhelmed. The urgency is palpable, but the power to make meaningful change feels elusive. How can individuals or organizations effect significant change in the face of such vast challenges? The beauty of complex issues is that a small shift in one thing can produce big changes in everything. Inspired by Kees Klomp, I came to the following formula: Urgency + Agency + Leverage = Accelerated Change. So what does this actually mean? Agency: The Potential to Bring About Change People often see themselves as mere cogs in a machine. But as systems theorist Russell L. Ackoff noted, "A system is not the sum of its parts, but a product of the interactions of these parts." This means that individual actions, strategically interconnected, can significantly influence the whole. You have more agency than you believe. I say often that social movements are built from critical connections, not critical mass. By connecting deeply with ourselves, each other, and the world, we can expand our collective agency. Leverage: Knowing How to Have an Outsized Impact We all want to know where the points of power are, and how to get our hands on them, as Donella Meadows said. Leverage points are specific places within a system—be it social, economic, or ecological—where a small shift in one element can cause large-scale changes in the entire system's behavior. These points are subtle yet profoundly strategic. Understanding your leverage—your unique knowledge, skills, and networks—can significantly amplify your impact. By identifying and influencing these points of power, we can create substantial, systemic change. I would love to hear: what are the key ingredients to catalyze accelerated change in your experience?

Recently visited COMAC and was blown away by what they have achieved. It’s not easy building a plane. I have no doubt that we now have a third choice. But what impressed me the most COMAC desire to be a long term partner and there was genuine friendship. No ego and a real Desire to win together. Their factory was completely automated using AI. Never seen anything like it in my life. Many firms in the west have forgotten loyalty and customer service and have forgotten the value of trust and a long term strategy in exchange for short term gain and a very short term view as opposed to really understanding their customers problems and working together to win.

What if entrepreneurs could easily get a small loan to turn their idea into reality? This is the thought that led to the launch of Virgin StartUp. About halfway through my career, I began to wonder why it was so difficult for budding entrepreneurs to access capital for their start-ups. If they could access small loans, I began to wonder what it would mean for them? what would it mean for the economy? And what about the future? If university students could access loans, why couldn’t businesses and banks work with the government to do the same for the people who are building the businesses of tomorrow? I knew that Virgin was in a position to help, and so the follow up question was, ‘how?’ Virgin StartUp became the answer to this question, and 10 years on it has now backed over 5,000 founders in the UK. Here’s the full story: https://virg.in/3UXp2De #VirginFamily #StartUps #Entrepreneurship #Founders #Curiosity

“Courage doesn't mean you don't get afraid. Courage means you don't let fear stop you.” - Bethany Hamilton Bethany Meilani Hamilton (born February 8, 1990) is an American professional surfer and writer who survived a 2003 shark attack in which her left arm was bitten off and who ultimately returned to professional surfing. She wrote about her experience in the 2004 autobiography, Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board, which was adapted into the 2011 feature film, Soul Surfer, in which she attributes her strength to her Christian faith. Hamilton was also the subject of a 2018 documentary, Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable, which discusses her marriage to Adam Dirks and how marriage and motherhood have affected her professional surfing career. Video: ramblingsloa