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In a LinkedIn post that I stumbled across recently, the poster shared that his habit of gaming complemented his expertise in coding. For him, the same competitive streak that placed him at the top of various leader boards also drove him to excel in software design.
The same wisdom may not directly apply for founders-turned-VCs. While the investors I spoke with talked about several distinct advantages their experience as a founder offered them, data from other studies suggest that those advantages aren’t substantial – or could even be a double-edged sword.
As Monk’s Hill Ventures managing partner Lim Kuo-Yi puts it, founder VCs need to be aware of any bias that arises from their experiences.
What’s unique about Southeast Asia’s founder-investors is that as many as 40% established their own investment companies. Roughly 80% of their US-based peers, on the other hand, opted to join a firm instead.
For now, the trend of founder VCs appears to be slowing. Southeast Asia has witnessed a boom in these professionals, with three out of four VCs emerging as founders in just the last five years. But alternative pathways into becoming a venture capitalist still exist, and Southeast Asia might yet see a different breed of founder-investor soon.
— Tay Tian Wen, journalist at Tech in Asia
Top stories this week
Image credit: Timmy Loen
1️. The rapid rise of SEA’s founder-VC mafia
Three out of four founder-turned-VCs emerged in just the last five years, and a significant number have established their own firms.
2. TikTok Shop has set SEA on fire within months
Selling on TikTok Shop has become a big business for some in this region. How long will the party last?
3. HappyFresh is safe, but expect more headwinds for Indonesia’s e-grocery space
As the pandemic’s boost for e-grocery fades, cracks are emerging in both B2C and B2B models. What’s next?
4. TaniHub’s future precarious amid C-suite exits, fresh allegations
The company has seen all of its C-level executives depart, as well as a host of leaders that had been helming its troubled P2P business unit, TaniFund.
5. Tracking layoffs across Asia’s startup ecosystem (Updated)
Several startups are dismissing staff to stay afloat as headwinds hit Asia. This layoff tracker is keeping tabs on marching orders.
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