[RSVP Now] Beyond VC: how family offices and corporates fund your next market

Beyond VC: Family Capital, Corporates and Funding Your Next Market

Venture capital is often the first port of call for startups as they scale beyond their home markets, particularly across Southeast Asia, but it is not the only source of capital. Family offices and corporate investors are playing an increasingly important role alongside venture capital, often bringing market access, distribution networks and industry relationships that can be particularly valuable when entering a second market.

These relationships, however, work differently. Diligence can be slower and more personal, terms may be less standardised, and strategic alignment can matter as much as valuation. This session will bring together family capital, corporate investors and founders who have raised from them to explore how these investors evaluate opportunities, where they complement traditional venture funding, and the trade-offs founders should consider.

On the Panel:

Beth Henderson —Lead, Innovation & Commercialisation, The GEAR by Kajima

Choe Chee Hoe — Co-Founder & CEO, Qarbotech

Wai Phyo — Managing Director, Cho Cho Industries Ltd.

Moderated by:

Rony Palathinkal — Head of Urban SustaInnovator, SMU Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship

📅 28 October 2026 · 🕒 5:05 - 5:50PM SGT

💻 Converge Stage, Marina Bay Sands, Sands Expo & Convention Centre