Presenting the judges for this year’s Startup Arena Pitch Battle

The 2023 Tech in Asia Conference is less than a month away, which means that we’re setting the wheels in motion for our annual Startup Arena Pitch Battle.

At this year’s event, organized in partnership with East Ventures for the third year running, six promising early-stage startups across Asia will showcase their solutions as they compete for cash prizes and global visibility.

Applications for Startup Arena are still open, so in the lead up to the final selection, we’re shining a spotlight on the judges who will be lending their expertise to decide this year’s winner.

Melisa Irene, East Ventures

Melisa Irene has been with East Ventures since 2015, when she first joined as an associate after graduating from Binus International University. She rose through the ranks, becoming the firm’s first female partner as well as its youngest in 2019.

Irene sits on the boards of several of East Ventures’ portfolio companies, and provides support coordination for deals and portfolio firms.

East Ventures is a pioneering, sector-agnostic VC firm in Indonesia. It has backed over 300 companies in Southeast Asia including GoTo Group, Xendit, Carro, and Tech in Asia.

Edwin Wibowo, Waresix

In 2017, Edwin Wibowo and Andree Susanto established Waresix a Jakarta-based logistics tech startup. Wibowo has a background in mechanical engineering, having both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in the field from the University of California, Berkeley. He also has a decade of experience in logistics operations and managing software systems.

Waresix moves more than 30 million metric tons of goods annually across over 220 cities in Indonesia. With its fleet of over 58,000 trucks, the firm uses its tech capabilities to scale operations excellence and improve logistics efficiency.

Mo Aidrus, Rayn Group

Mo Aidrus is the co-founder and CEO of Rayn Group, a tech-focused holding company. Prior to founding Rayn, he worked for Accenture’s US and Singapore offices, serving as a managing director and partner for two major unicorns in Southeast Asia.

Rayn was established in 2020 to build products and solutions by leveraging user-centered design, cutting-edge technology, and data-driven insights to enable and empower organizations across the world to achieve more.

Jeffrey Seah, MSW Ventures

Jeffrey Seah is the founder and general partner for two funds: Asia Fund X at MSW Ventures and Asia Fund II at Quest Ventures. Prior to becoming a venture capitalist, he worked in media and advertising, serving as the regional CEO of Starcom MediaVest Group and chairman of its Asia digital leadership team.

Launched in 2023, MSW Ventures focuses on Southeast Asia, targeting investments in foodtech, agritech, data tech, and sustainability.

Put your best pitch forward

We’re super excited about Startup Arena, and we hope you are too. If you fit the following criteria, be sure to submit an application before it’s too late:

• Operate in Southeast Asia
• Have a prototype, minimum viable product, or existing operations
• Have raised less than US$10 million
• Have a compelling English-language pitch explaining the problem, solution, risk, and potential that drives their business

Submissions will close on September 29, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. (GMT+7).

(P.S: Need help with your pitch deck? Check out this guide for some tips).

If you aren’t working on a startup but are still keen on Southeast Asia’s tech and startup ecosystem, get your tickets for the Tech in Asia Conference and witness the Startup Arena Pitch Battle in action. You’ll hear from some of the region’s leaders and changemakers, gain insights on emerging trends, and grow your network.

East Ventures is partnering with Tech in Asia to host this year’s Startup Arena Pitch Battle in search of the next big startup at the 2023 Tech in Asia Conference.

Applications for this year’s Startup Arena Pitch Battle are still open and will close on September 29, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. (GMT+7). Register now.

REGISTER NOW

This content was produced by Tech in Asia Studios, which connects brands with Asia’s tech community. Learn more about partnering with Tech in Asia Studios.