Description

The AMCHAM SBE Committee invites you to join a deep dive into the current state of the local startup scene and a dynamic dialogue on how we can collectively enhance opportunities for aspiring founders.

Our panel of experts from the U.S. and Thailand will explore the vibrant world of Thai startups from their different perspectives as angel investors, accelerators and startup founders.

Your participation is not just welcome; it's essential as we create a space for shared learning and collaboration in shaping the future of startups in Thailand. Ready to be part of this exciting journey? Sign up for our event and let's pave the way for a thriving startup community in Thailand.

Our Speakers:
Nicolas El Baze is a global tech investor based in San Francisco. He has led over 80 early-stage investments in the US and Southeast Asia as a Partner at Tekton Ventures, FEBE, and Partech. Nicolas has been an early believer and contributor to the Thai startup ecosystem. He is currently an active investor in several Bangkok-based companies, including Beam Checkout, HonestDocs, PropertyScout, Zaapi, and Issa. Most recently, Nicolas has been leading Partech’s early-stage investments in the US and Southeast Asia. Several of his investments were acquired by industry leaders: Akimbi (acquired by VMware), ClearApp (Oracle), Meiosys (IBM), Pantero (Progress Software), Q-Layer (Sun Microsystems), Voxeet (Dolby). Nicolas currently sits on the boards of Rinse, OpenSesame, and Resilinc.Prior to becoming a venture capital investor, Nicolas spent 15 years as an entrepreneur and founded multiple companies, including Softway International (acq. by ITway), Softway Systems (acq. by Microsoft), and ISDnet (acq. by Cable & Wireless). Nicolas received an MBA from HEC Paris, and is a graduate of the International Management Program from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and the University of Cologne, Germany.

Ankit Upadhyay is the Founder & CEO of A2D Ventures - a fast growing platform that serves the growing needs of angel investors, family offices and startup founders alike; acting as a bridge between visionary founders and passionate investors looking to access venture capital while enabling acceleration of Southeast Asia’s fast growing startup led economy. Ankit brings a wealth of experience and passion in building, scaling and operating businesses. His journey has taken him from California to Asia, where he has delved into various sectors, including management consulting at McKinsey & Company, CxO roles at Shopee (e-commerce arm of SEA group), and advanced technologies like semiconductors manufacturing. He is an active angel investor and advocates for providing visionary founders with the necessary support in terms of capital, mentorship, network access, thought partnership, and management skills. Recognizing the practical impact of these resources, Ankit actively promotes the invaluable role of angel investors in shaping the success of promising ventures and their outsized impact in value creation.

Praphasiri Atthachin is the Head of Accelerator and Ecosystem at Krungsri Finnovate. Praphasiri has been a pivotal figure in Thailand's startup ecosystem since 2015, significantly contributing to the success of initiatives like 'Krungsri Uni Startup' and 'Krungsri RISE,' the first Fintech Corporate Accelerator in Thailand. She has spearheaded innovative programs such as 'Meet the Angels' and 'Krungsri UPcelerator,' aimed at nurturing startups through strategic investments and partnerships. With over 15 years of prior experience in marketing and consumer finance, Praphasiri continues to foster impactful connections and growth within the startup community.

Ted Thetnaungsoe is known for his creation of the YC Startup School Bangkok Community, a vibrant tech startup community, currently rebranded as OUR Startup Community (ourstartupcommunity.com). Since its inception in July 2022, the community has hosted over 20 monthly meetups & workshops and has engaged with 600+ members with a good mix of local (40%) and expat (60%). Ted is also a CEO & Technical Co-founder of a B2B SaaS company, BEESCM.com, the software behind the supply chain management of Thailand’s leading hotel operator, Centara Hotels & Resorts, and other 5-stars international chains and standalone hotels in Southeast Asia, Maldives and the Middle East.

Our moderator: Ollie Forsyth is the global head of Operators Network at Antler, a global early stage fund investing in founders from day zero. He covers technology sectors such as ConsumerTech including the creator economy, as well as AI. Ollie is currently based in Bangkok, before living in South Korea and London.