Description

One of the earliest challenges facing entrepreneurs/founders is securing the funding to turn their dream into a reality. In the SBE Committee's first event of a 4-part series focused on starting, scaling, going to market and stabilizing a small business/startup, we speak to experts on the funding side, from venture capital and bank lending, and we speak to founders on the startup side who have successfully raised capital. Through a moderated discussion with our panel, we explore how VCs and banks evaluate companies, and how a founder prepares to approach VCs and banks to launch their startup. We aim to share insights with our audience about a few of the ways small businesses and entrepreneurs in Thailand can fund their ideas.

About the speakers:
Dylan Keota - Investment Manager at ECG Venture Capital. Dylan Keota is a private equity expert, originally from sunny California. With his career firmly rooted in this field, Dylan began by creating multiple startups in hospitality and tourism at a Venture Builder. Now, he manages one of Thailand's largest non-corporate backed VCs at ECG Venture Capital (formerly ECG Research), spearheading the company's expansion onto the global stage. Dylan's strategic investments in leading tech companies like Polestar and Lotus Tech, as well as top tier funds from around the world, have cemented his reputation as a trailblazer in Thailand's startup ecosystem.

Phoorin Rungsipanodorn - Officer of Entrepreneurs Development Department at Small and Medium Enterprises Development Bank of Thailand. Phoorin (Pae) works in the Entrepreneurs Development Department of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Bank of Thailand (SME Bank). He has served as Project Manager of Learning Management System Platform (LMS) for SMEs, social media platform management, and lecturer for SME entrepreneurs on the topic of business transformation to business innovation.

Prabhav Rakhra - Co-Founder and Managing Director at Salary Hero. Prabhav (Prab) is the Co-founder and MD of Salary Hero, a fintech headquartered in Bangkok. Salary Hero is an employee financial health platform built for the Thai market and work with a number of large companies to empower their workers. Prior to founding Salary Hero Prab was a Director at Barclays Investment Bank in their New York and London offices before moving to Bain & Co. in Bangkok where he focused on PE & Financial Services. He holds an MBA from Columbia University.