Rising Giants

Welcome to Rising Giants with your hosts Max Thornton and Dominic Kalousek, where we explore the world of innovation and entrepreneurship in Cambodia and Southeaset Asia.

On this week's episode we have Vanda Horn. Vanda is the Co-Founder and CEO of Solo Landscapes, an adventure tour operator for explorers and nature lovers who share the same desire to get out of their own comfort zone and to reconnect with themselves.

Besides running tours, Solo Landscapes is committed to supporting the training of local guides in waste management practices and hosting skills.

Welcome to Rising Giants with your hosts Max Thornton and Dominic Kalousek, where we explore the world of innovation and entrepreneurship in Cambodia and the Southeaset Asia region.

On this week's episode we have Lucinda Revell.  Lucinda is the co-founder of Boost Capital, a company dedicated to leveraging innovative technology to broaden access to digital financial services, particularly for the underbanked.

Through Boost's cutting-edge technology, entrepreneurs now have the ability to apply for loans via chat in just 5-10 minutes, without the need for app downloads, and with the flexibility to do so from any location and at any time.

Lucinda's role at Boost extends beyond co-founding; she leads the charge in enhancing user experience and overseeing the implementation and management of banking partner systems. 

Before her journey with Boost, Lucinda served as the Chief Corporate Development Officer of Soma Group, one of Cambodia’s leading local conglomerate comprised of 10 subsidiary companies across five business divisions (Infrastructure, Trading, Agriculture, Education, and Hospitality & Real Estate).

Be sure to like, subscribe, and leave a review on our channel as it helps us continue to grow within the region and world. We hope you enjoy the episode.

Welcome back to Rising Giants with your hosts Max Thornton and Dominic Kalousek, where we explore the world of innovation and entrepreneurship in Cambodia and the Southeaset Asia region.

On the episode today we have Louis-Alban Batard-Dupre, Co-Founder & CEO of Yindii. Louis is a seasoned social entrepreneur and sustainability expert with over a decade of experience nurturing startups across Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia. His latest venture, Yindii, is a game-changer in the food retail industry. By bridging the gap between retailers, food businesses, and consumers, Yindii tackles one of humanity's greatest challenges: food waste and its detrimental effects on climate change.

Yindii's innovative platform not only benefits food businesses by minimizing losses and boosting revenues but also empowers consumers with access to affordable, high-quality meals. Moreover, it champions environmental sustainability by significantly reducing food waste and its ecological footprint.

Currently operating in Thailand and Hong Kong, with Singapore soon to follow, Yindii has ambitious plans for expansion into additional markets in the near future. Join Louis as he shares his journey and vision for a more sustainable future through Yindii.

Be sure to like, subscribe, and leave a review on our channel as it helps us continue to grow within the region and world. We hope you enjoy the episode.

Today on Rising Giants, we're excited to introduce Ee Ling Lim, the Co-Founder of Smarter Me and Executive Director of Market Launch at 500 Global.

Ee Ling heads up 500 Global's Market Launch Team, overseeing the development and implementation of startup programs for 500 and its partners all over the world, from Egypt and Canada, to Japan and Taiwan. In her role, she works with various ecosystem stakeholders - Governments, corporations, foundations, startups - to accelerate their innovation journey.

Ee Ling is also the Co-Founder of Smarter Me and Young Founders Summit, a platform which aims to make entrepreneurial mindset and skillset accessible to Generation Zs globally. Nurturing Gen Zs’ changemaker heartset, combined with digital-first innovation, to unleash a future world that is inclusive, accessible, and sustainable.

Today on Rising Giants, we're excited to introduce Surasit Sachdev, the CEO and Co-Founder of Hungry Hub. A born entrepreneur, he has always been a problem solver. For him, trying new food and eating at new restaurants is a hobby. His passion for technology together with the reservation problems he experienced led him to the creation of Hungry Hub.

Hungry Hub is N.1 restaurant reservation app in Thailand. Surasit leads a team of up to 100 people, helping over 1,000 restaraunt brands generate over $50 million in new revenue. Hungry Hub has so raised $2m+ in funding so far and is looking to scale further and expand beyond Thailand in 2024.

Today on Rising Giants, we're excited to introduce Richard Armstrong, a Venture Partner at TA Ventures in Southeast Asia. His primary role involves scouting for promising ventures within emerging markets, with a keen focus on consumer technology and marketplaces. With five years of hands-on experience in startups and venture capital, Richard brings invaluable insights as a two-time founder himself. Moreover, his extensive background in creator and media domains enriches his perspective.

Richard's influence extends beyond his role at TA Ventures; he's also an Angel Investor in over 70 companies globally, supporting founders through effective go-to-market and marketing strategies.

Today on Rising Giants we have Amanda Cua, she is the Founder and CEO of BackScoop, a media startup focused on Southeast Asian startups and tech. It started with their first product, a free daily newsletter that makes it fun and easy to stay informed with everything Southeast Asian business and startups in minutes.

Launched in late 2021, BackScoop is read by thousands of SEA’s top founders, execs, VCs and startup operators. Born and raised in the Philippines, Amanda is 22 years old and was previously the first employee at Y Combinator-backed edtech Avion School.

Key Points From The Show:

• Zero to One building the n.1 startup newsletter in Southeast Asia
• The growth of the Philippines and regional startup ecosystems
• Learnings from launching One More Scoop podcast in 2023!

On this week's episode of Rising Giants we are with Sophorth Khuon, CEO and Co-Founder of Morakot Technology. Morakot's core specialty is providing cloud-based core banking platforms for microfinance institutions and banks, having achieved market leadership in Cambodia, now expanding across Southeast Asia. They also recently launched Mora BNPL, Cambodia's first Buy Now, Pay Later platform.

Key Points From The Show:

• The pathway for expanding Morakot into Indonesia and the Philippines in 2024!
• What it is like communicating the new BNPL concept to consumers in Cambodia
• The art of being able to both sell and build a great product

On this week's episode of Rising Giants we are with Casino Apte, Co-Founder of Gamlytics. Gamlytics is an esports analytics and management platform, they provide esports teams with tools to streamline daily operations as well as advanced data analytics to improve player performance, optimize strategy, and sharpen team composition.

Key Points From The Show:

• 'Moneyballing esports': bringing esports statistics into the 21st century
• Building teams in a global industry: Bangkok, Santiago and Los Angeles!
• Why assembling a cult like atmosphere is a key ingredient of startup success

On this week's episode of Rising Giants we have the pleasure of speaking with Sotha Veng, Founder & CEO of PlasGate. PlasGate is the largest and first cloud SMS, IP, Voice and OTT gateway in Cambodia authorized by Smart, Cellcard and Metfone. They provide an end to end B2B solution so businesses can set new communication standards with customers.

Key Points From The Show:

• Building a new sector from scratch and earning trust from customers
• How convincing people to share your vision is the key reason for startup success
• Why you shouldn't always look at startups with rose-tinted glasses

On this week's episode of Rising Giants we have the pleasure of speaking with Harprem Doowa, Founder of Eazy Digital. Eazy builds platforms for insurance companies helping them digitize at affordable prices. Harprem previously Co-Founded and exited various startups including Frank (insurtech), Orami/Moxy (lifestyle products), WhatsNew Thailand, Petloft and Fluffi (pet products).

Key Points From The Show:

• Lessons from a serial entrepreneur in Southeast Asia having Co-Founded 5+ startups!
• Making insurance easier and innovating an industry drowning in paperwork!
• Why having straightforward people that don't skirt around problems is make or break at a startup

On this week's episode of Rising Giants we have the pleasure of speaking with Thomas Schings, GM of RGX, where he is building the first licensed Digital Asset Exchange in Cambodia. Thomas also spent five years as Head of Research at The Association of Banks in Cambodia, supporting the Cambodian banking sector to reach international best standards.

Key Points From The Show:

• Is there any inherent value in memecoins like Dogecoin?
• How RGX is looking to differentiate itself from other CEXs
• Why Cambodia is well positioned to be a hub for digital asset adoption over the long term

On this week's episode of Rising Giants we have the pleasure of speaking with Sopheakmonkol Sok, Co-Founder and CEO of Codingate. Codingate is one of the original pioneers in the tech space in Cambodia, having built some of the leading applications in the country and transitioned many leading businesses to a digital future. They now embark on a new chapter that is product centric!

Key Points From The Show:

• What makes a great founder: execution, not ideas!
• Launching GateMaster AI: making AI more user friendly and accessible for business
• Transitioning Codingate from services to products

On this week's episode of Rising Giants we have the pleasure of speaking with Harrison White, Founder & Editor of Cambodia Investment Review and long time partner of RG. CIR is Cambodia’s #1 local news outlet dedicated to Cambodian investment news in the English language, publishing the latest business and investment news.

Key Points From The Show:

• How to build a media company in the 21st century!
• Their new business vertical launch: CIR Recruitment
• The impact of AI on the newsroom

On this week's episode of Rising Giants we have the pleasure of speaking with Stephen Higgins, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Mekong Strategic Capital! Stephen has more than two decades of experience in banking and financial services, communications, leadership, and strategy. At Mekong Strategic Capital he specialises in financial services and renewable energy, and has advised on some of the largest transactions in Cambodia in recent years.

Key Points From The Show:

• Perception vs Reality in Cambodia
• Future short-term and long-term economic outlook of Cambodia
• Founding and building Mekong Strategic Capital: One of Cambodia's leading Venture Capital Funds

On this week's episode of Rising Giants we have the pleasure of hosting Yulia Khouri on the show. Yulia is the Founder & CEO of Animal Mama, one of Cambodia's most prominent veterinary hospitals, as well as Home of Heroes, the first retirement home in the world for de-mining dogs.

Key Points From The Show:

• Yulia's story of building one of the most successful veterinary hospitals in Cambodia alongside the overall development of the veterinary sector
• The impact of the Home of Heroes providing a well deserved retirement for de-mining dogs
• Founder Insights: finding balance between business and passion

To support Home of Heroes, please see the following link to learn more! Link: https://www.facebook.com/homeoftheheroes/

On this week's episode of Rising Giants we have the pleasure of speaking with Gabriele Faja, CEO of Soundskool Music and Producer of Madama Butterfly Opera.

Gabi was born in Italy and grew up in a home with parents that were both classical musicians where he grew a passion for music at an early age. He then attended the Royal College of Music in London where he graduated in classical music performance and began his journey as a founder in the world of music. His journey led him to Cambodia with his brother and in 2011 he founded Soundskool Music. Since then, Gabi has taken on different roles including Director of Production for Madama Butterfly Opera.

Key Points From the Show:

• Discussing Gabi's passion for music and his journey moving from London to Cambodia
• First Mover Founder: Building Soundskool and the challenges faced as a founder in the music and retail space
• Bringing the opera to Cambodia: What's in store with the production of Madama Butterfly

Purchase your tickets today for Madama Butterfly Opera on December 10th, 2023 at the Koh Pich Theatre in Phnom Penh using the following link!: https://www.madama-butterfly.org/tickets/

We are welcoming Lydet on Rising Giants this week. He is the founder of Tech for Kids Academy, that provides a new learning pathway for students to apply their knowledge in technological innovation, offering short courses in IoT, Coding, Robotics, AI and Entrepreneurship.

He is also the President of The British Chevening Alumni Association of Cambodia, a network of Cambodian recipients of British Chevening Fellowships and Scholarships provided through the British Embassy in Cambodia.

Key Points From The Show:

• How being part of Chevening influenced Lydet's trajectory into entrepreneurship
• Becoming a serial founder; embarking both failure and success along the way
• How Tech for Kids is forging a new path for students in Cambodia to fully embrace a technological future

Join us this week as we have the pleasure of speaking with Christophe Forsinetti, Co-Founder of OBOR Capital and Investment Director of Leap Philanthropy. Christophe has over 18 years of investment experience in emerging markets, and has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the region, as well as the geopolitical and socio-economic factors that influence them. Entering into Cambodia's market in the early 2010's, he has a great perspective on how the country's startup space has developed over the past nearly 15 years and a deep understanding of what it takes for companies to succeed in developing markets.

Key Points From The Show:

• Deep dive into Christophe's background from growing up in Africa at an early age and starting his career in Silicon Valley
• What it was like being one of the earliest VC's in Cambodia's ecosystem
• Key learnings about the what it takes to be an investor in a developing market

This week on Rising Giants we have Socheat, the cofounder of one of Cambodia's leading healthteach companies, Pethyoeung, having recently set up their parent company, Pymed, in Dallas, Texas, USA, now entering a period of focused expansion beyond Cambodia.

Pethyoeung is the largest cloud-based Hospital Management Software Platform created to advance the healthcare ecosystem in Cambodia and ASEAN nations through securing medical records, patient data and smoothening hospital operating processes and is also integrated with a premier healthcare marketplace to help improving the pathway to access to healthcare of people anywhere, anytime conveniently.

Key Points From The Episode:

• How COVID accelerated healthtech in Cambodia
• Why unlocking healthcare data is a key driver of future prosperity
• "Better to die in an ocean than a pond": pushing forward on global expansion

On this episode of Rising Giants, we welcome Senior Startup Development Specialist at Techo Startup Center Vantharith Oum to discuss his experience living and studying in Korea, his early work at Paragon University, and his first startup experience with Watershed Ventures.

He shares his plans to support early startup businesses in Cambodia through joining Techo Startup Center, where he plays a pivotal role in continuing to foster startup activity and the adoption of technology across different sectors in the country, as well as coving the importance of impact investing. Lastly, we discuss the importance of user behavior, context, motivation, fear, and inspiration when creating a product, and some of the core values that he lives by.

Key Points From The Episode:

• The Impact Of International Experience
• Challenges and Opportunities in the Cambodian Startup Ecosystem
• Value-Based Decision-Making and Vantharith's three core values

We are welcoming back Jolyda Sou to Rising Giants. Jolyda is a Fulbright scholar and multidisciplinary professional in financial management and investment (PFM, corporate finance, venture capital, tech startups) plus project management and social advocacy developed through working and traveling in 25+ countries. Jolyda recently launched Prestige Consulting, a professional service firm specializing in helping businesses with financial management, marketing, and staff training.

3 Key Points From The Show:

• Fresh ideas for tech startup acceleration in Cambodia
• Making money online; easier said than done!
• Adapting management styles with Millenials vs. Gen Zs

Kicking off our 101st episode of Rising Giants, Max and Dom get together to reflect on key learnings from the first 100 episodes over the past 3 years of hosting the channel. While many things are covered, we first and foremost want to say thank you to each of the guests who have come on the show and spent their valuable time with us - it has been a huge pleasure to learn from each of you and cover the amazing contributions you are making to the Cambodian ecosystem. We are excited for the next 100+ episodes to come over the coming years and hope you enjoy this one!

Key Points From The Show:

- Max and Dom’s key takeaways after 100 episodes of Rising Giants

- Consistency Is Key: The importance of accountability and motivation when it comes to achieving success

- What’s in store for the future of Rising Giants

We are welcoming back Rithy Thul to Rising Giants to mark our 100th episode release! In the last two years Rithy has been busy building and supporting the next wave of grassroots tech innovation in the country focused mostly on KOOMPI (computers) and Selendra (web 3).

SmallWorld Ventures has been at the forefront of building the startup community in Cambodia providing a collaborative space for entrepreneurs to thrive. Since inception they have made 10+ seed equity investments into promising startups and have also built an internal team of technicians engaged in research and development projects with an aim to spin off new ventures.

3 Key Points From The Show:

• Finding a balance between building and selling as a founder
• Making technology more accessible in schools across Cambodia
• The impact of VIPASSANA meditation on Rithy’s work and life outlook

Shivam Tripathi is joining Rising Giants this week! Shivam started his career at J.P. Morgan in Mumbai, he then discovered his passion for entrepreneurship and began his journey into Cambodia in 2013. During his time in Cambodia, he co-led the creation of OBOR Capital, a leading investment firm in the country and went on to be a Co-Founder of Camboticket, Cambodia's pioneering travel ticketing platform, whereby he was recognised as Forbes Asia 30U30. In 2022 Shivam began a new entrepreneurial journey in Bangalore as the Co-Founder of newme, a real-time fashion company serving Gen Z across India and South East Asia.

3 Key Points From The Show:

- The importance of persistence and playing the long term game when entering a new market as a founder

- Translating the lessons learned as a founder and investor in Cambodia to his next chapter with newme in India

- The key ingredients needed when building a startup that will stand the test of time

On this week's episode of Rising Giants, Max Thornton and Dom Kalousek welcome Thierry Tea, CEO at Negocia Capital and VP at OCIC Group. Thierry shares his journey of being inspired by his parents and grandparents who were entrepreneurs in Cambodia in the 1960s and 70s, and his 10 years in the corporate world before taking a sabbatical to start his own entrepreneurial journey. He is now working to redevelop the district of Koh Pich and to help develop local talents and put Cambodia on the map as a leader in innovation and entrepreneurship.

Key Points From The Show:

• Thierry's early career in the Aviation industry and how that success led to his transition into the Cambodian startup space
• The development of Koh Pich and a vision for a new future
• The importance of investing in education for impactful change

On this week's episode of Rising Giants we are excited to host Siriwat Chhem, Director, Asian Vision Institute, Startup Advisor. In the episode, Siriwat discusses the implications of the digital economy and the use of AI in society, and his approach to learning which includes a diverse range of sources as he shares his journey of becoming a tech educator, and his insights on the differences in technology adoption between Italy and Cambodia. Upon returning back to Cambodia, he has made a huge impact by advising in the startup space with some of the up and coming tech companies. We also dive into exciting interpersonal questions like how the importance of controlling our reactions will help lead to a more positive approach to life.

Key points from the show:

• Cambodia potential to leapfrog other countries in terms of technology adoption

• The Implications of the Digital Economy and the Use of AI in Society

• The Importance of Focusing On Being Human And Creative

On this episode of the podcast, Max Thornton and Dom Kalousek are joined by Socheata Bun to discuss the influencer marketing industry in Cambodia. They talk about Socheata's journey in the marketing space, the competitive nature of the beverage industry, and the income earned by influencers. They also discuss the 'Beyond The Games' campaign, the key trends impacting digital influencers in 2023, and the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs.

Key Points From The Episode:

- The Journey of a Digital Marketer: Socheata Bun

- Exploring the Influencer Marketing Industry in Cambodia

- One Direction: Uniting Cambodia Through the 'Beyond The Games' Campaign and the Power of Influencers

This week on Rising Giants we have Sopheak Chheng, he is the Founder of Rean Thort and Host of the most popular Cambodia podcast, Rean Podcast, having hosted many of the top influencers in the country across music, film, gaming, sport etc. Rean Thort started out in 2014 as the 'The First Free Photography & Video Tutorials in Khmer Language in Cambodia', but since then has grown to close to 500k YouTube subscribers with a wide array of content.

3 key points from the show:

• Gimbal for Gear; sacrifices made along the way to achieve success
• His unique approach to podcasting that puts guests at ease
• How to lean into your vision of the future

Check out Rean Thort channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@reanthort

We are welcoming Richard Yim back on RG to a deep-dive into the topic of artificial intelligence (AI)!

Richard is a leading technology entrepreneur in Cambodia, the Founder & CEO of Quantum, having been recognized as Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia and ASEAN Top 40 Under 40. Quantum is a metal fabrication manufacturer that helps companies launch new products more efficiently. They also launched their own products including Q-Motor electric scooter and are exploring further product rollouts in hydroponics and EVs.

3 key topics we discuss on the podcast:

• The non-obvious sectors AI could impact in the future
• Could AI be the great human capital equalizer globally?
• Bootleggers and Baptists; how disruption divides opinion

On this week’s episode of Rising Giants, Max Thornton and Dom Kalousek interview Ley Kamthong, a successful entrepreneur and CEO of CheckinMe. Thong shares his journey of going abroad for university and work, how that inspired him to build his startups CheckinMe & PAPA Deliver, and how he focuses on understanding how to scale a business. CheckinMe is a SaaS business that automates the workplace via a attendance recoding solution through QR code mobile technology, with plans for future product rollouts.

Key Points Of The Show:

- How Ley Kamthong's entrepreneurial journey leads to Co-Founding Check-in Me

- Unbreakable: Building team to align with your goals

- The importance of building networks, learning tech (AI!), and having open-mindedness

- Best Advice: Grow business's with multiple mentors

On this week's episode of Rising Giants, we have Lida Loem, Co-Founder & Head of Learning Design (Techincal Advisor) of SHE Investments. A Co-Founder of SHE, Lida has been co-designing and leading the delivery of SHE Incubator, Accelerator, Financial Literacy, and Investment Readiness Programs with hundreds of women each year since March 2015. With over 10 years’ experience in Facilitation and Training, Lida is also a certified BDS Counsellor with UNIDO under CAPFish Project. Shortlisted as a final nominee for Mentor of the Year in the 2020 Women of the Future SE Asia Awards, alongside multiple other national and international awards and nominations, Lida is one of Cambodia’s most influential and experienced coaches and facilitators, specializing in women’s leadership and economic empowerment. 

Key Points From The Show:

• How SHE Investments Is Helping Bridge The Gender Gap For Cambodian Women Entrepreneurs
• Women in Tech: Preparing For Hyper Growth
• Startup Education: SHE Investments Digital Literacy Support
• The impact of KOTRA-Riel how its revolutionizing rural businesses

On this week's episode of the podcast, Abby Kuba shares her experience as a key figure in the preparation of the Southeast Asia games and the ASEAN Para games. She talks about the challenges she faced, including dealing with different country protocols and researching historical meanings of sports.

Key Points from the Show:

• Cambodia’s Historical Moment: Highlights From The 32nd Southeast Asia & 12th ASEAN Para Games 🇰🇭
• Behind The Scenes: The Successes and Challenges of Hosting the Games 🎬
• Cambodia’s Unexpected 4th Place Finish at the Games and the Countries Sport's Movement 🏃🏽‍♀️

Tune in this week as we have the pleasure of having Jeremy Au, VC, Monk's Hill Ventures, Founder, BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast

3 key topics to dive into:

• Spreading the news of Cambodia's Startup Ecosystem to Singapore VCs! 🌏
• Keep Startups Weird; what does it mean to be a founder in SEA? 😜
• The Categories of Startup Builders in Cambodia & SEA 🦾

Join us on this episode of the podcast as we explore the importance of stability, education, and ecosystem enablers in building successful startup cultures in Southeast Asia. We also discuss the impact of GDP per capita and the internet on cultural homogenization across different countries, as well as the challenges and opportunities for startups in Cambodia, a country with a young and educated population.

On this episode of the podcast, we delve into the world of e-commerce in Cambodia with VTENH's CEO Sirivudh Sarin. In the episode, we discover how VTENH is using AI to predict customer behavior and improve product recommendations, as well as the impact of social commerce on the industry. We also explore the competitive landscape of e-commerce in Cambodia and VTENH's unique culture and management style that emphasizes clarity of direction and the importance of every team member's role.

In the episode we dive into:

• The impact of A.I. in E-Commerce
• Focusing on growth, not the competition
• Cambodia leapfrogging Web 2.0 adoption
• How to build a strong and unique work culture

This week on Rising Giants we welcome Tong Hour (Key) and PingAnn Oung, the Co-Founders of Attire Lounge, the first sartorial gentlemen's style consultant house in Cambodia with a variety of ready-to-wear collections including sartorial, groom, and office wears available in-house.

What we dive into in the episode:

• Building A Team That Embodies Your Brand 🧱
• Bake Bread Before You Start a Baking Business! 🥖
• Intersections Between Failing Small And Bootstrapping 🥾
• Feel Good Fashion And How This Can Positively Impact Your Identity 👔

Welcome back to Rising Giant, Hosted by Max Thornton and Dominic Kalousek, speaking with the leading entrepreneurs, investors, and creatives in Cambodia’s vibrant startup scene to learn what it takes to be a Rising Giant. 

On this week’s episode, we will be releasing the last of our panel discussions on our podcast channel, with this week’s debate “Finding Your Place in the startup space. You will hear from leading Cambodian entrepreneurs, including:

If you missed our first annual Start-Up & Innovation Festival held in Phnom Penh in April 2023, don't worry - we've got you covered! Tune in digitally right now and listen to some of the most influential minds in the startup founder scene in Cambodia:

💸The Best ways to raise startup funding in Cambodia - panel 4

• Max Thornton - Rising Giants (moderator)
• Vireak Chea - PillTech
• Jolyda Sou - Prestige Consulting
• Chankiriroth Sim - BhanJi
• Buntongyi Nit - MeetDoctor

If you missed our first annual Start-Up & Innovation Festival held in Phnom Penh in April 2023, don't worry - we've got you covered! Tune in digitally right now and listen to some of the most influential minds in the creative industry in Cambodia:

🎤Cambodia’s expanding creator economy - panel 3

• Penhleak Chan - Raintree Development (moderator)
• Sopheak Chheng - Rean Podcast
• Sok Visal - KlapYaHandz
• Chy Sila - Sabay
• Pzee Youk - 8TEEN Communication

If you missed our first annual Start-Up & Innovation Festival held in Phnom Penh in April 2023, don't worry - we've got you covered! Tune in digitally right now and listen to some of the most influential minds in the startup founder scene in Cambodia:

🦾The most important trends impacting startups in Cambodia - panel 2

• Richard Yim - Quantum (moderator)
• Daneth Reasmey - Tenbox
• Langda Chea - BookMeBus
• Sopheakmonkol Sok - Codingate
• Daniel Pacheco - Samai Distillery

Welcome back to this week's episode of Rising Giants, where we are thrilled to share some exciting news with you. If you missed the first annual Start-Up & Innovation Festival in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, don't worry - we've got you covered! We will be releasing all 5 panel discussions on our podcast channel, starting with "The Key Issues Impacting Venture Capital in Southeast Asia." In this episode, you will hear from leading Cambodian investors, including:

- Bora Kem (Mekong Strategic Capital)

- Frédéric H. Proulx (Haystack Fund)

- Tean Ly (Seeva Capital)

- Chhor Sophanak (IG International Group)

- as well as special guests: Jeremy Au (Monk Hill Ventures and BRAVE Podcast) and Ollie Forsyth (Antler)

During the discussion, the panel covered a range of important topics, including the current state of early stage investing in Southeast Asia, the investment climate in the region, and the challenges facing Cambodian startup growth and scalability. The panel also discussed the Cambodian startup scene and its potential for growth in the future. By listening to this episode, you will gain valuable insights into the world of venture capital in Southeast Asia and learn about the key issues impacting the region's startup ecosystem.

Welcome back to this week's episode of Rising Giants where we have the pleasure of speaking with Pisey Khun, CEO and Co-Founder of Workingna - Cambodia's leading automated hiring platform in Cambodia helping connect employers and job searchers all in one place. Through Workingna, the company offers employers less stress and guesswork in the hiring process by providing a one-stop automation and analytics platform featuring data-driven recruitment and assessment tools, while also offering job applicants empowerment and branding tools to successfully present their credentials to prospective employers.

Since inception in 2019, the company has over 100K users and worked with hundreds of companies to find employees. We really enjoy this episode listening to Pisey's remarkable journey of leaving her comfortable full time job early in her career to pursue a passion, which we hope will inspire others who are in the same situation.

Key points in the show:

- Pisey's career journey and perspective on how she left the comfort of her full time position to pursue her entrepreneurship goals

- How Workingna became a market leader is supporting businesses in sourcing talent and helping employees on their job search

- "The importance of feedback loops": how Pisey created a strong work culture of open communication across all levels of management

Welcome back to this weeks episode of Rising Giants where we have Chandara Tuy, CEO of Wonderpass on the show. Wonderpass is the leading smart ticketing and technology provider founded in 2019 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and backed by Canadian venture capital firm, Haystack Fund. The company features two distinct platforms - "LIVE" a smart ticketing app and wearable tech for music, sports, events and attractions, and "Campus", a financial launchpad for University students. 

In the episode, we dive into,

- How Wonderpass has revolutionized the digital ticketing in Cambodia

- "Path To CEO": Chandara's journey from leaving his master's program at university to joining Wonderpass as a Product Development Manager and then CEO. 

- How having a great mentor helped Chandara build a successful work culture 

Leap joins us today on Rising Giants, he is one of Cambodia's top tech founders, running one of the leading Ed-Tech startups in the country!

Through Sala, highschool students in Cambodia can seek advice and guidance, and do the test to find out what might be their best fit major and professional career be. Students can easily access the information, compare, and seek for best offers from each college provider. Moreover, students can receive valuable information and networking to make study an enjoyable experience while connecting them to the right opportunities for their future career.

What we dive into:

- Why the art of developing your business is all about working on yourself and becoming 1%  better everyday

- How SALA helps high school students navigate the university landscape confidently

- CEO's are humans also, they can make mistakes, it is part of the learning curve

Welcome back everyone and thank you for joining us for another episode of Rising Giants with your hosts Max Thornton and Dom Kalousek, where we talk with the leading entrepreneurs, investors, and creatives in Cambodia’s vibrant startup scene to learn what it means to be a Rising Giant.

On this weeks episode, we have the huge pleasure of speaking with Daniel Pacheco, Co-Founder and CEO of Samai Distillery in Phnom Penh. Daniel is originally from Venezuela but moved to Cambodia on a project bringing renewable energy to rural school in 2009. What started off as a summer trip turned into longer time and in 2014 Daniel Co-Founded Samai, Cambodia’s first premium rum manufacturer and distillery in the country.

Some of the key points from the show include:

- Diving into Daniel’s background and where his passion for rum all started 

- The secrets behind Samai’s success: how the team created the locally made premium product and are now distributing to different countries around the globe

- Talking about future plans of raising funds and the importance of making sure there is alignment with investors

If you haven’t already, please follow us on instagram and tie Tok @risinggiantsfm so see short form reels highlights moments from the episode, as well as check out our linktree to learn more about our partners and newsletter.

Welcome Kiriroth, the Founder & CEO of BanhJi to Rising Giants, he is one most well known FinTech entrepreneurs in Cambodia being at the forefront of bringing tech solutions to the finance industry. BanhJi is an award-winning inclusive FinTech startup providing MSMEs with a financial platform and applications that are fully connected with the payment and financing ecosystem to enable smart decisions, inclusive access to financial services, and innovative access to working capital financing.

What we dive into:

- The importance of not having analysis paralysis at the early-stage of founding a startup AKA 'don't think too much'

- 'Why free is not a business model'; the importance of evolving your business models as the facts change

- How to deal with stress as an entrepreneur; go for a long drive!

Welcome back to our 75th episode with Bill Chea. He is an entrepreneur and community builder, having been involved with bringing initiatives such as TEDx, Ignite, and Startup Grind to Cambodia. Always having been an entrepreneur since high school, we love this episode as we dive into his experiences creating these communities and helping launch the startup scene in the country. Among other things, he is the co-founder and managing director at OMOHUB Innovation and has over a decade of working experience in event management, supply chain, leadership, marketing and business development.

Key takeaways from the episode:

- The playbook on how to build a startup focused community, regardless of the country

- The number ways someone can get involved in the startup space without being a founder

- Which of the startup sectors are the most exciting in 2023 for Cambodia

Welcome back to this week's episode of Rising Giants where we welcome Joshua Jones, CEO of Three Corner Coffee, a social enterprise, which aims to produce and promote 100% Cambodian coffee products with international standards of hygiene and quality, giving Cambodians the ability to compete in today’s and tomorrow’s global economy. Three Corner Coffee Roaster currently sources its Cambodian Robusta coffee from both the Khmer and indigenous growers in Mondulkiri Province and is one of Cambodia’s leading coffee producers today. 

We dive into:

- How Josh likes his coffee and the Cambodia Coffee Boom! How Cambodia's coffee industry kicked off and where it is today

- 3 Corner Coffee's startup story and how they have built one of the best local brands working with indigenous growers in the Mondulkiri Province

- What does the future of coffee hold in Cambodia in the coming years