Shows
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.150 - Dominic Williams MBE, British Ambassador to CambodiaDominic Williams is the British Ambassador to Cambodia, having joined the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in 2005. His diplomatic career includes postings in France, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Peru, and Nigeria. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2011 for his contributions during the Sri Lankan conflict. In London, he has worked on UN Peacekeeping, the Syria conflict, and consular affairs. He speaks English, French, Khmer, and Spanish.BritCham Cambodia: https://www.britchamcambodia.org/Follow RG on TikTok & Instagram: @risinggiantsfmCatch our full videos on YouTube: @risinggiantsfmAll RG links: https://linktr.ee/risinggiantsfm2025-06-1848 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.133 - Dominic Sharpe, Country Director, Liger Leadership AcademyOn this week's episode of Rising Giants we have the pleasure of speaking with Dominic Sharpe, Country Director of Liger Academy.
Liger Leadership Academy provides a world-class learning experience – empowering students today to become leaders of tomorrow through experiential project-based learning to develop students' understanding of real-life challenges and their country's needs. Dom's passion for helping create and shape the program over the years has help lead to it's great success in sending its graduates to international universities on full scholarships.
Liger Leadership Academy: https://www.ligeracademy.org
Follow RG on TikTok & Instagram: @risinggiantsfm
Catch our full videos on YouTube: @risinggiantsfm
All RG links: https://linktr.ee/risinggiantsfm2024-07-1950 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.124 - Khin Wathann Oo, Lead Program Coordinator, Cnai AcceleratorWelcome 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 weeks episode we have the pleasure of speaking with Khin Wathann Oo, Lead Program Coordinator of Cnai Accelerator in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Cnai Accelerator is Cambodia's leading gender-smart accelerator helping nurture and encourage founders to grow impactful startups in Cambodia.
Inclusively designed, each year Cnai 's program leverages online diagnostics and resources, a leading global curriculum from Village Capital, and up to three rounds of direct, structured s...2024-05-0949 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.123 - Vanda Horn, Co-Founder, Solo LandscapesWelcome 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.
Solo Landscapes: h...2024-05-0253 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.122 - Lucinda Revell, Co-Founder, Boost CapitalWelcome 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 l...2024-04-1845 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.121 - Louis-Alban Batard-Dupre , Co-Founder & CEO, YindiiWelcome 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...2024-04-111h 05
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.98 - Thierry Tea, CEO at Negocia Capital and VP at OCIC GroupOn 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...2023-08-241h 07
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.96 - Socheata Bun, Chief Operating Officer, 8TEEN CommunicationOn 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
...2023-08-1044 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.93 - Ley Kamthong, Co-Founder & CEO, CheckinMeOn 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 Ch...2023-07-1348 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.91 - Abby Kuba, The Voice Behind The 32nd SEA GAMES & 12th ASEAN PARA GAMESOn 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 🏃🏽♀️
Follow us on TikTok & Instagram...2023-06-2244 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.90 - Jeremy Au, VC, Monk's Hill Ventures, Founder, BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech PodcastTune 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 i...2023-06-1554 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.89 - Sirivudh Sarin, CEO of VTENHOn 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...2023-06-0746 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.88 - Tong Hour (Key) & PingAnn Oung, Co-Founders, Attire LoungeThis 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 👔
Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @risinggiantsfm
All RG links: https://linktr.ee/risinggiantsfm2023-05-3048 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.87 - Finding Your Place In The Startup Space - Bill Chea, Lida Loem, Leap Sok, Vorleak Oun, and Parth BorkotokyWelcome 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:
🗣 Bill Chea of Startup Grind (Moderator)
💸 Lida Loem of SHE Investments
📚 Leap Sok of SALATE...2023-05-1935 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.86 - The Best Ways to Raise Startup Funding in Cambodia - Vireak Chea, Jolyda Sou, Chankiriroth Sim & Buntongyi NitIf 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
Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @risinggiantsfm
All RG links: https://linktr.ee/risinggiantsfm2023-05-1146 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.85 - Cambodia's Expanding Creator Economy - Penhleak Chan, Sok Visal, Pzee Youk, Sopheak Chheng & Chy SilaIf 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
Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @risinggiantsfm
All RG links: https://linktr.ee/risinggiantsfm2023-05-0435 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.84 - The Most Important Trends Impacting Startups in Cambodia - Richard Yim, Daneth Reasmey, Langda Chea, Sopheakmonkol Sok & Daniel PachecoIf 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
Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @risinggiantsfm
All RG links: https://linktr.ee/risinggiantsfm2023-04-2729 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.83 - The Key Issues Impacting Venture Capital in Southeast Asia - Bora Kem, Jeremy Au, Tean Ly, Ollie Forsyth, Chhor Sophanak & Frederic H ProulxWelcome 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)
...2023-04-2144 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.82 - KESORRR, Singer & SongwriterKESORRR is a Cambodian singer, songwriter, and creative entrepreneur. Before embarking on her solo career KESORRR was the lead vocalist in SmallWorld SmallBand, a contemporary musician group, one of the leading bands in Cambodia, a unique showcase of this generation’s talent of Cambodia. Kesorrr is also a co-founder of PlerngKob, (“The Sacred Fire” in English), a creative house of dynamic young groups passionate about the arts, music, and film.
KESORRR recently released 'Let It Go' to mark her new era as a her own artist, check out the song here: https://songwhip.com/kesorrr/letitgo
What we dive into:
- Her...2023-03-2455 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.81 - Pisey Khun, CEO & Co-Founder, WorkingnaWelcome 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...2023-03-1651 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.80 - Come to our Startup & Innovation Festival on April 8 at FACTORY Phnom Penh!Teaser for our upcoming Startup & Innovation Festival on April 8 in Phnom Penh! Hear in person from Bora Kem (Mekong Strategic Capital), Sopheak Chheng (Rean Podcast), Kounila Keo (Mekhala), Chy Sila (Sabay), Sok Visal (KlapYaHandz), Richard Yim (Quantum) and many more!
🗓 Saturday, 8th April 2023
🕛 Doors open at 12 - 8pm
📍 Factory Phnom Penh
🎟 Tickets:
• Student: $10
• General: $20
All F&B included in ticket cost!
🎁 Lucky draw worth $500!
📜 Event Agenda:
• 12pm - Guest arrival & networking
• 12:30 - Debate: the key issues impacting venture capital in Southeast Asia
• 1:30 - Debate: the most important trends impacting startups in Cambodia
• 2:30 - Networking break & arcade games
• 3 - Cambodia’s expanding creator economy
• 3:45 - The bes...2023-03-0912 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.79 - Chandara Tuy, CEO of WonderpassWelcome 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": C...2023-03-0253 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.78 - Leap Sok, CEO & Founder of SalaLeap 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.
...2023-02-1647 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.77 - Daniel Pacheco, Co-Founder & CEO, Samai DistillaryWelcome 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 tr...2023-02-0848 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.76 - Chankiriroth Sim, Founder & CEO, BanhJiWelcome 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...2023-02-0234 min
Rising GiantsRising Giant N.75 - Bill Chea, Entrepreneur & Community Builder at Startup Grind, TEDx, Ignite, and OMOHUBWelcome 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:2023-01-2552 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.74 - Joshua Jones, CEO of Three Corner CoffeeWelcome 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! H...2023-01-1839 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.73 - Allen Dodgson Tan, Author, Essential Cambodia: A Guide for Foreign Entrepreneurs, Investors and ManagersOn this week's episode we have the pleasure of speaking with Allen Dodgson Tan, who recently released one of the most up to date and fascinating guidebooks on how to understand Cambodia in the 2020's, as a foreign entrepreneur, investor or manager; Essential Cambodia.
Allen is an executive leader in Cambodia with deep experience setting up new companies, organizations and initiatives (e.g. WorldBridge, OOCTANE, Bluebell, Mekong Future Initiative etc.). He specializes in bringing concepts from ideas through start-up and operational sustainability and provides strategic advice and consultancy to companies on Cambodian market entry strategy, helping businesses...2023-01-111h 00
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.72 - Cheryl Ng, Head of Impact Venture Building, Platform ImpactThis week we are welcoming Cheryl back on Rising Giants now she has taken on a new role in the impact investing and venture building space joining the team at Platform Impact.
Platform Impact provides organizations with strategy and management advisory services to plan, set up, launch and implement their own Impact Driven Enterprises in Cambodia and Southeast Asia. This is done through creating new business models based on the principles of inclusivity & sustainability, and building new market knowledge at the Bottom of the Pyramid.
What we dive into in the episode:
- O...2023-01-0447 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.71 - Event Special: ANGKOR 500 Turn Up, What Do Investors Look For In A Startup?Rising Giants moderated a panel at ANGKOR 500 Turn Up 'What Do Investors Look For In A Startup?' on December 2, 2022 at the American University of Phnom Penh.
- Moderator - Max Thornton, Co-Founder & Co-Host, Rising Giants
- Panelist - Christophe Forsinetti, Founder & Chairman, OBOR Capital
- Panelist - Vannarath Vicheth, Investment Director, OBOR Capital
Event info: a one-day in-person event in Phnom Penh, Cambodia designed for local and international leaders in the venture capital industry and leaders in corporations to obtain the latest business insights and to learn about innovations and e...2022-12-2236 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.70 - Laura Mam, CEO of Baramey ProductionWelcome back to this week's special episode where we have the pleasure of speaking with Laura Mam, Co-Founder & CEO of Baramey Production! Laura was born in San Jose, California to Cambodian refugee parents where she grew up in a household of talented musicians and singers that influenced her passion for music. After graduating in 2008 from University of California, Berkley, she kick started her music career with her song "Pka Proheam Rik Popreay " (meaning "morning flower is beautifully blossoming") that became an overnight sensation. In 2016, Laura and her mother created Baramey Production, their own production company dedicated to supporting upcoming a...2022-12-151h 07
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.69 - Chy Sila, Co-Founder & Director, Khmer Fresh Milk 'Kirisu Farm'On this week's episode of Rising Giants, we have the pleasure of speaking with Chy Sila, Co-Founder and Director at Khmer Fresh Milk and CEO of Sabay Digital! In this round 2 interview, we talk with Sila about his recent study tour to one of the world’s leading tech startup centers Israel (with Rising Giants Langda Chea, Vireak Chea, and other Cambodian entrepreneurs) where they discussed the importance of more collaboration between the two startup ecosystems. We also take the time to dive into one of Sila's passions, learning about the recent business developments at Kirisu farms and the lo...2022-12-0731 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N. 68 - Tharoth Sam, Bokator Martial Artist and ActressTharoth Sam is joining today on Rising Giants to discuss her fascinating life story of becoming one of Cambodia's top martial artists and carving out a new role for woman in a sport that has traditionally been male-dominated.
What we dive into:
- Tharoth's early struggles and tests to becoming Cambodia's first and now most well known female martial artist
- Combining her love of martial arts and acting into one to mark her next stage in her career
- Her recent starring in Shotgun Wedding with Jennifer Lopez, being released o...2022-11-2455 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.67 - Jennifer Lin, Chief Executive Officer of Choice AcceleratorWelcome back to this week's episode of Rising Giants where we have the opportunity to host Jennifer Lin, CEO of Choice Accelerator in Phnom Penh. As one of the few commercial accelerators actively investing in Cambodia, Choice Accelerator strives to support entrepreneurs and startups in Cambodia through capital funding, customized and one-on-one mentorship sessions, strategic connection referrals, and co-working space. Jennifer completed her MBA at the University of Oxford and is also an investor herself, focusing on early-stage companies who are making an impact.
In the episode, we dive into:
- Jennifer's career in Taiwan...2022-11-1751 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.66 - Vireak Chea, Co-Founder & CEO, PillTechWe are excited to have Vireak back on Rising Giants to discuss the recent growth of PillTech and it's latest funding round of $500k, just announced last week! PillTech works to improve Cambodia’s pharmaceutical distribution networks by creating a platform to help improve medication safety and reducing counterfeit drug available in the market.
What we dive into this time:
- Vireak's plan to scale PillTech to the next level having successfully closed this funding round
- Strategies for raising capital from local and international investors; start early!
- How leveraging the eco...2022-11-0324 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.65 - Leang Rottnak, CEO, DreamTeamToday on Rising Giants we have the pleasure of chatting to Rottnak, the CEO of DreamTeam, Cambodia's first influencer focused marketing agency that provide marketing, talent management and production services, currently working with more than 100 influencers in Cambodia that generate more than 500 million views on Facebook and YouTube a month!
What we dive into:
- Why influencer focused marketing is quickly becoming the most efficient form of brand visibility in Cambodia!
- Why uniqueness, creativity and authenticity, not followers are the key characteristics of a premium influencer
- The key to buil...2022-10-2638 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.64 - Daneth Reasmey, CEO and Co-Founder, TenboxThis week on Rising Giants we have Daneth Reasmey, she is the CEO and Co-Founder of Tenbox a recent startup in Cambodia that is looking to transform the B2B wholesale grocery space through the creation of an all-in-one ecommerce supply chain platform. The goal is to make product trading as easy as ordering your lunch and help store owners source anything they need in one place, by connecting brands with store owners and enabling automated efficient supply solutions.
What we dive into in the episode:
- Starting Tenbox in the middle of the pandemic...2022-10-1946 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.63 - Sophanak Chhor, VP of Technology and Innovation and Managing Director of IG VentureWelcome back to this week's episode of Rising Giants where we have the pleasure of speaking with VP of Technology and Innovation and Managing Director Sophanak Chhor of IG Venture. IG is currently one of the most active groups in the startup scene working with early stage ventures by providing resources to help scale the business through their venture building model alongside the capital invested in the business. They are also focused on 3 main areas of infrastructure within the Financial, Logistics, and Healthcare industries. In addition, we really enjoyed talking about Phanak's journey of becoming an entrepreneur after starting...2022-10-1245 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.62 - Vorleak Oun, Co-Founder and General Manager, HospicareOn this week's episode of Rising Giants we have the pleasure of speaking with Vorleak Oun of Hospicare - Cambodia’s first at home health care business focused on providing the core services of nursing care, care assessments, home nursing procedures, home physiotherapy, and home medical services. Having started the business in 2019, Vorleak has her eyes set on growing Hospicare within Cambodia by providing high quality care to all of her users. Currently, she is seeking to raise seed stage capital as she focuses on hiring more nurses to her team and building out operations as they currently stand.
...2022-10-0536 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.61 - Ratana Phurik-Callebaut, Private Sector and Investment Specialist in CambodiaWelcome back to this week's episode of Rising Giants where we have the opportunity to speak with Ratana Phurik-Callebaut, private sector and investment specialist in Cambodia. With over 20 years of experience in international trade and investment she has held many director positions most recently joining ACLEDA Bank and for launching the Cambodia Community of Investment Professionals with the support of the CFA institute . She has incredible perspectives on her view of educating and retaining top talent within the finance industry in the country and a "glass half full" outlook on the Cambodia startup ecosystem and we really enjoyed this c...2022-09-2846 minRising GiantsRising Giants N.60 - Peter Thiel, Zero to One - Book ReviewA special unique episode to mark our 60th release, we are reviewing the most recommended book so far on the podcast, Zero to One by Peter Thiel. We loved spending time to learn about these ideas that have had such a big impact on our guests, we hope you enjoy tuning into this! ZT1 blurb: "the great secret of our time is that there are still uncharted frontiers to explore and new inventions to create. Thiel begins with the contrarian premise that we live in an age of technological stagnation, even if we’re too distracted by shiny mobile de...2022-09-2041 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.59 - Pablo Caprile, Co-Founder of Brixie and Group CFO at iCare BenefitsOn this weeks episode of Rising Giants, we are excited to share our round 2 interview with previous guest Pablo Caprile. He has helped iCare Benefits recently raise a $15M impact facility from Singapore based investor HeliCap which is the largest raise to date by a non-bank Cambodian startup in the ecosystem. In addition, Pablo has been working on fundraising and rolling out the product launch for Brixie - a digital real estate tokenization platform which aims to make real estate investment accessible for everyone around the world.
In the episode, we dive into:
- Helicap's $15M...2022-09-0929 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.58 - Dr. Ben Li, Founder & Chairman of Urban Village & Factory Phnom PenhWelcome back to this week's episode of Rising Giants where we have the huge pleasure of having Dr. Ben Li, Founder & Chairman of Urban Village & Factory Phnom Penh, on the show! Dr. Ben Li is one of Asia's most influential and youngest entrepreneurs with over 15 years of global business experience. Dr. Li studied law in the UK and he is also a Certified Chartered Accountant in Hong Kong. He is the Founder & Chairman of Urban Village, the largest Hong Kong-standard condominium project in Cambodia and Factory Phnom Penh, the biggest creative art hub in Southeast Asia, providing co-working space...2022-08-1536 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.57 - Richard Yim, Founder and CEO of Quantum Engineering and Demine RoboticsOn this week's episode of Rising Giants we have the pleasure of speaking with Richard Yim, Co-founder and CEO of Demine Robotics, a company that is building technology to clear landmines and IEDs. He is also the founder of Quantum Engineering and Manufacturing, was listed on Forbes 30 under 30, and among his other accomplishments sits on the advisory board for the National Council for Science Technology and Innovation. Richard is also leading the charge of electrification in Cambodia - through battery storage, electric vehicles, and renewable energy - and how he is focusing on strategies to retain top talent in...2022-08-0753 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.56 - Tom Edwards, Co-Founder & Director, Mad Monkey HostelsThis week on the podcast we have Tom Edwards, the Co-Founder & Director of Mad Monkey Hostels. Tom left behind the life of investment banking in Liverpool, arriving in Cambodia in 2011 and soon after meeting his cofounders spontaneously and jumping into entrepreneurship by setting up the first Mad Monkey Hostel in Phnom Penh in 2012. Since then the company has opened 2 more hostels in Cambodia and 10+ hostels all over the region: Laos, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines and Australia. Further to this, the group was able to weather the pandemic and secure $4.6m in private equity investment in March 2022, marking a foundational point...2022-07-2251 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.55 - Ben Jeffreys, Founder & CEO of ATECOn this week's episode of Rising Giants, we have the pleasure of speaking with Ben Jeffreys from ATEC, one of Cambodia's most successful startups to have expanded into Southeast Asia. ATEC provides sustainable, affordable and accessible clean cooking products for all Base of Pyramid households through the sales of their two flagship on-grid and off-grid products, ATECBiodigester and eCook induction stoves. 👨🏽🌾🧑🏽🍳
In the episode, we dive into:
- How Ben was able to lean into the challenges of building a startup in frontier markets during a time when survival was "week to week", especially in the early days.
2022-07-1547 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.54 - Vichet In, CEO & Co-Founder, Groupin, Little Fashion & MedialoadOn this week's episode of Rising Giants we have the pleasure of speaking with Vichet In - one of Cambodia's most successful entrepreneurs, having started local e-commerce site Little Digital, digital media company Mediaload, and now Groupin. Vichet has also led a successful expansion of his businesses into Myanmar (Myanmarload) and Malaysia (Groupin), while fundraising for one of the largest rounds in Cambodian history.
In the episode, we dive into:
- How Vichet's serial entrepreneur career started with Little Digital (L192.com) and how that led to founding Khmerload - one of Cambodia's most successful d...2022-07-081h 10
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.53 - Hal Bosher, Board Director, Delta Capital Myanmar & Co-Founder, Wave MoneyHal Bosher joins us this week, having had a fascinating career so far in the emerging market investment scene in Southeast Asia. Hal currently serves as the Board Director at Delta Capital Myanmar, the largest private equity fund for the country with $100m+ AUM. Prior to Delta, Hal worked with the IFC and World Bank, before having an opportunity to relocate to Myanmar and join Yoma Bank in 2012 (one of Myanmar's largest private banks), where he served as CEO until 2019. In his time at Yoma he also co-founded Wave Money (JV between Yoma Bank and Telenor), which is Myanmar's...2022-06-271h 01
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.52 - Jolyda Sou, Financial Management & Investment SpecialistOn this week's episode of Rising Giants, we have Jolyda Sou on the show to talk about her journey and dive deep into the growing startup ecosystem in Cambodia. In this short conversation we cover a variety of topics related to Cambodian startups, such as financial management, preparing for investment readiness, criteria investors use when screening investment opportunities, and her overall perspective on which sectors she's most excited about over the next couple years.
In the episode, we dive into:
- Jolyda's career journey and what she has learned becoming an investment professional within the...2022-06-1531 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.51 - Tomas Pokorny, Co-Founder of Brixie and Board Director at Cambodia Association of Finance and Technology (CAFT)Welcome back to our newest episode of Rising Giants with a very special guest, Tomas Pokorny. Tomas has had a very successful career, personally taking on many different challenges early on starting as an aviation engineer, working in many diverse environments around the world, and ultimately landing in Cambodia founding his own ventures and becoming CEO of Pi-Pay - one of Cambodia's most successful e-payment services & payment infrastructure providers that focuses on merchant payments and users and data engagement. He is passionate about the fintech industry and is one of the hardest working individuals we have had the pleasure...2022-05-3059 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.50 - Kay Woo, Founder, MVLChain, TADA & Onion MobilityToday on the show we have a very special guest to mark our 50th episode of Rising Giants. Kay Woo is the founder of MVLChain, TADA and Onion Mobility. TADA, which is powered by MVLChain, is Southeast Asia’s first blockchain-based zero-commission ride-hailing service having launched in Singapore and Cambodia. They closed a $5m Series A investment at the end of 2019 to further strengthen their position as innovators in the mobility sector in Southeast Asia, led by South Korean VC firm, SV Investment, alongside two of the largest car parts manufacturers, Central and SIMWON Inc. Onion Mobility, a new ven...2022-05-1946 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.49 - Roxana Gheorghe, General Manager at TRIBE HotelsWelcome back to this week's episode of Rising Giants where we have the pleasure of interviewing Roxana Gheorghe - General Manager at TRIBE Hotel located in Phnom Penh! Roxana has had a successful career working within the hospitality industry, growing through the ranks where she is now leading operations of the first TRIBE hotel debut in Asia under the Accor Hospitality group.
This 260 room TRIBE Hotel will be located in One Phnom Penh Square and will feature rooftop restaurant and bar Hemisphere, as well as an outdoor saltwater pool overlooking the Mekong River. In addition, they offer a...2022-04-2847 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.48 - Jamie Raine, Co-Founder and CEO of Indriya and Director of Strategic Partnerships at WildcatsIn this week's episode, we have the pleasure of hosting Jamie Raine - Co-Founder and CEO of Indriya and Director of Strategic Partnerships at Wildcats! Jamie was born in Indonesia and moved to Phnom Penh to pursue his career in the startup world which included going viral as a music artist and utilizing that opportunity to grow Indriya - a company which provides integrated technological solutions to companies across the Southeast Asian markets. Jamie is also Director of Strategic Partnerships at Wildcats.io, the world’s first Actuator for Innovation, working with companies and organizations to solve their biggest in...2022-04-2148 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.47 - Sok Visal, Founder, Director, and Producer of KlapYaHandz & 802 FilmsWelcome back to this week's episode of Rising Giants where we have the huge pleasure of speaking with Sok Visal, Founder/Director/and Producer of KlapYaHandz and 802 Films. Visal has been recognized as playing a huge part in the rebirth of Cambodia’s music and film industries having many accomplishments on both as a music and film producer over the past 20 years, founding Cambodia's first Hip Hop, Alternative Music Label KlapyaHandz as well as 802 Film Productions and Mekong Movies to name a few. With so much to discuss about everything Visal has done for the music and film industry in...2022-04-141h 02
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.46 - Sochata Hong, Co-Founder, Missy FitToday on the show, Chata joins us. Having grown up in Cambodia, as well as working and living abroad in the USA and Singapore, Chata returned to Cambodia in 2020, where she increasingly grew a passion for entrepreneurship. Chata co-founded Missy Fit in 2021, Cambodia's first women only gym, that aims to create a safe and enabling space for women to work on their fitness lifestyles under the slogan, 'At Missy we believe in progress not perfection, Work on you, For you'
What we dive into in the episode:
- Chata's experience in the USA / Singapore, and...2022-03-1854 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.45 - Dr. Buntongyi Nit, Founder & CEO, MeetDoctorWelcome back to this week's episode of Rising Giants where we have the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Buntongyi Nit, Founder and CEO of MeetDoctor. Dr. Tong is a young Cambodian doctor and entrepreneur who has inspired many and created MeetDoctor with the vision and goal of making healthcare accessible to everyone in Cambodia, from urban areas to the most remote locations in Cambodia, while also improving the quality of treatment by connecting with doctors and hospitals from abroad.
MeetDoctor is Cambodia's first digital doctor consultation service, offering a telemedicine solution for patients who need primary care a...2022-03-1055 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.44 - Zoe Ng, Co-Founder & Managing Director, RaintreeZoë Ng is a Co-Founder and Managing Director of Raintree. Raintree is an award-winning creative workspace in Phnom Penh, co-founded by our guest Zoë NG and Cambodian architect Hok Kang. With its unique community-focused and design-conscious approach, they’ve become a hub for creatives, entrepreneurs, technologists, young people, and professionals to come together through events, programs, and independent research projects.
Zoë is from Malaysia and spent her early professional career in the UK before moving to Cambodia over 10 years ago. She began her career as a strategy consultant at McKinsey and Google, covering multiple sectors including Media, Teleco...2022-03-0241 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.43 - Langda Chea, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, BookMeBusWelcome back to this week's episode of Rising Giants where we have the huge pleasure of speaking with Langda Chea, founder and CEO of Bookmebus - one of Cambodia's most successful tech startup ups. BookMeBus is an on-demand transportation platform connecting national destinations and international countries in the Mekong, enabling domestic and foreign travelers to purchase bus, ferry and taxi tickets online with ease.
We love this episode as Langda shares with us his journey prior to founding Bookmebus us as well as his future outlook on Cambodia’s market and startup ecosystem.
What to div...2022-02-101h 13
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.42 - Parth Borkotoky, Chief Executive Officer, AzayllaThis week Parth joins us on RG. He runs Azaylla, which is one of the most recent startups in Cambodia to secure funding - from the VC impact firm Uberis Capital (see RG episode N.12 with Trisha of Uberis). Parth has been interested in agriculture from an early age, receiving an MS degree in Agricultural Economics from Universiti Putra Malaysia. He is originally from India and has been based out of Cambodia since 2017, working in the agritech space and founding Azaylla in 2019.
Azaylla is solving bottlenecks in the agricultural supply chain in Cambodia: at one end, they...2022-01-2750 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.41 - Rotanak Ros 'Chef Nak', Cambodian Chef, Culinary Author and EntrepreneurTo kickoff 2022 we have a very special guest on the podcast, Rotanak Ros, AKA Chef Nak! Chef Nak is Cambodia's first female celebrity chef whose mission is to celebrate, develop and preserve the art of Cambodian (Khmer cuisine) and bring its unique flavors and rich culinary culture to the world's stage. As a passionate cook, successful entrepreneur, healthy lifestyle advocate, loving wife and mother of two, she shares her knowledge in the form of books, online cooking shows and tours. She is also in the process of creating Cambodia's first culinary center, located on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. 2022-01-1956 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.40 with Max and Dom - 2021 Year in ReviewWelcome back to the 40th episode of Rising Giants with your hosts Max Thornton and Dom Kalousek. After stepping away for a few weeks to rest and reflect, they decided to release a 2021 year in review for Rising Giants. In the discussion, Max and Dom look back on the past year, talking about what it was like to start a podcast in a frontier market which has never had one before, the challenges faced and lessons learned creating the now leading business & entrepreneurship podcast in the country, plans for 2022, and some of their favorite piece of advice shared by...2022-01-1230 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.39 - Hashim Alkaff, Chief Business Officer, Wing CommerceThis week we welcome Hashim Alkaff onto Rising Giants. Hashim arrived in Cambodia in 2019 as the leader of Grab's business in the country as it went through a period of rapid growth in the market after working for the company in Singapore. In 2021 he took on a new challenge and began a role with Wing, where he is the Chief Business officer leading their new business unit 'Wing Mall', which is a q-commerce solution that looks to provide a countrywide logistics and e-commerce solution made accessible to all.
What we dive into:
- Hashim's advice...2021-12-1548 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.38 - Melanie Mossard, Director of Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Impact Hub Phnom PenhWe are welcoming Melanie from Impact Hub on the show this week. Melanie arrived in Cambodia in 2015 when the incubation and startup ecosystem was very nascent in Cambodia. Since then she has risen to lead Impact Hub in Cambodia, the oldest and most prolific startup incubator in the country, where she is currently the director of entrepreneurship and innovation.
What we dive into:
- Melanie's unwavering passion for planting entrepreneurial seeds in the mind of youth and watering it on a regular basis to ignite their talents!
- The power of social entrepreneurship an...2021-12-031h 05
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.37 - Tania Unsworth, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Seekers SpiritsOn this week's episode of Rising Giants we have the pleasure of speaking with Tania Unsworth, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Seekers Spirits - Cambodia's first premium gin distillery. Having previously worked in the hospitality industry in Europe and Cambodia before switching over to spirits, Tania co-founded Seekers with her husband Marco with a dream of producing small batch spirits inspired by the Mekong Region. Since inception in 2018, Seekers has grown to become a household name in the country and recognized for their locally sourced, bold flavors in major spirit competitions around the world.
What we dive...2021-11-2452 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.36 - Vireak Chea, Co-Founder & CEO, PillTechToday on the show we have Dr. Vireak Khloth Chea, who is the co-founder & CEO of PillTech, a certified pharmacist from California receiving his Doctor of Pharmacy from Pacific University Oregon School of Pharmacy. Pilltech is a digital marketplace connecting pharmaceutical suppliers to pharmacy owners in Cambodia. Pilltech is improving Cambodia's pharmaceutical distribution networks by creating a platform to help improve medication safety, reduce counterfeit drugs available in the market and grow efficiency in supply chain management.
What we dive into:
- Why pharmacy distribution needs a radical rethink in Cambodia; creating a model that reduces time spent on procurement...2021-11-101h 01
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.35 - Jitka Markova, Cambodia Programme Lead, 500 GlobalToday on the show we have Jitka Markova, who is one of the key operators in the incubation space in Cambodia, leading 500 Global's incubation efforts in the country. 500 Global is a venture capital firm with more than $1.8 billion in assets under management that invests early in founders building fast-growing technology companies. Jitka is part of 500's Ecosystems Team, overseeing ANGKOR 500 programme in Cambodia, building partnerships with governments, enterprises, and other stakeholders in driving innovation and developing startup ecosystems through technology startups capacity building, mentoring and training.
What we dive into:
- Bringing a Silicon Valley...2021-11-031h 00
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.34 - Thyda Thaung, Founder & CEO, Thaung EnterpriseThyda Thaung is the founder of Thaung Enterprise, running the largest salt farm in Cambodia both for domestic consumption and export, located in southern Cambodia, Kampot province. Thyda founded the enterprise to help bring together the local community and connect salt producers to local and international markets. Thyda is the winner of the 2018 Cambodia’s Young Women Entrepreneur Awards. She also won the second prize of the 2020 National Entrepreneurship Awards.
What we dive into:
- How Thyda built Thaung Enterprise into the market-leading company in the salt industry in Cambodia.
- Building a dif...2021-10-211h 01
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.33 - Sai, Musician, Actor and Charity Fundraiser; Run with Sai CampaignThis week we have Uon Pakthom, commonly known as Sai on the show. Sai is one of Cambodia's leading musicians, exploring the intersection between traditional Khmer music and modern sounds. He also has a passion for acting and has starred in and directed many Cambodian productions. In 2020, Sai embarked on a bold mission to raise a substantial amount of money for Angkor Hospital for Children. He did this by completing 97 days of running, spanning 21 provinces and 2,400 kilometers, beating his fundraising target and raising $500k for the hospital; one of the most successful charity fundraising initiatives the country has ever...2021-10-1347 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants N.32 - Celia Boyd, Co-Founder, SHE InvestmentsThis week we welcome Celia to the show. Celia has long had a passion for impact-driven entrepreneurship having arrived in Cambodia in 2013, building SHE Investments from inception into the leading organization it is today; SHE works with female entrepreneurs through Cambodia's first gender and culturally tailored business incubator and accelerator programs to support them to scale their enterprises to create social and economic impact, bridge the gender gap in entrepreneurship, and facilitate market-based solutions to poverty.
What we dive into:
- 'Learning by doing: the early struggles and lessons learned, when being...2021-10-061h 02
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.31 Joey Ra, Transformation Coach & Founder of Cambodia Coaching InstituteIn today's episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Joey Ra. Joey is Cambodia's only Certified Professional Co-Active Coach and the Founder of Cambodia's Coaching Institute, the country's first professional coaching training program.
Born in Korea and raised in the UK, he now works to nurture and grow coaching in Cambodia and beyond, serving as teacher and mentor to coaches in the region. In pursuit of this mission, he has trained over 100 leaders in Cambodia to be professional coaches or leader-as-coach. He has a particular interest in the impact of trauma on the long-term behaviors of...2021-09-2957 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.30 Sarita Reth, Miss Universe Cambodia 2020, Actor, Film Producer, TV HostSarita Reth joins us this week for a very special podcast episode. Sarita is currently Miss Universe Cambodia 2020, representing her country as Miss Universe for the fourth time Cambodia has successfully entered a contestant. Prior to this Sarita has had a distinguished career in the media & entertainment industry, having acted and/or produced in over ten films and TV shows. Furthermore, Sarita recently took on the role of Good Will Ambassador for the Ministry of Women's Affairs, the first to hold this accoladed position.
What we dive into:
- Three ways she dealt with countless f...2021-09-2250 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.29 Jack Lee, Chief Executive Officer, Smile ShopWelcome back to Rising Giants. Today we have our first Chinese businessman on the show, Jack Lee, talking about his journey as an entrepreneurial adventurer across Asia, landing in Cambodia and founding one of the leading e-commerce businesses in the country, Smile Shop. Jack has worked across Southeast Asia for over a decade, meticulously studying and perfecting how to do business in these evolving markets whilst adapting to the local culture and customs.
What we get into:
- Why building and maintaining a highly committed team is the most important definer of success as a...2021-09-1547 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.28 Pablo Alonso Caprile, Group CFO, iCare BenefitsThis week we are interviewing Pablo Alonso Caprile. Pablo is the Group CFO at iCare Benefits, the leading buy-now-pay-later firm in Cambodia and Laos, having served over 300,000 customers. iCare looks to play a critical role in addressing financial inclusion by offering low-income women factory workers an interest-free option to purchase consumer goods and improve their lives, without the need for taking on shark loans or additional debt. iCare has also recently launched its new subsidiary iCare Leasing, to continue expanding its services offering to its customers.
Prior to joining iCare in 2015, Pablo worked in the capital markets i...2021-08-261h 01
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.27 Keertan Menon, Frontier Market Private Equity InvestorToday on the show we have Keertan Menon, a private equity investor, working for one of the leading players globally that operate in the key frontier markets of Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central Asia. Prior to getting involved in frontier market investing, Keertan worked for one of the leading software venture capitalists in Europe. Some of the key frontier markets he has interfaced with include Ethiopia, Rwanda, Georgia, Mongolia, and Vietnam.
What we dive into:
- The fundamentals driving frontier markets today; sustainable demographics, growing consumption, infrastructure spending, free trade blocs
- Sectors w...2021-08-1752 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.26 Saing Sab, Co-Founder, SelendraToday on the show we have Saing. Saing is the Co-Founder of Selendra, Cambodia's first full-scale blockchain, which has been in development and prototyping since 2016. As Selendra now has opened its technology to the world and is beginning rolling out its mainnet over the next 6-12 months, Saing is taking the lead with technology development and expanding use cases. Saing is also the CEO of Bitriel, which is a crypto wallet that plays a key role in the Selendra ecosystem. Prior to Selendra and Bitriel, Saing worked in various computer science roles for leading financial institutions in Cambodia.
2021-08-0851 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.25 Jovany Antonio, Managing Director, DA&G Real Estate Investment ManagementJovany joins us this week bringing decades of experience navigating real estate markets in the USA and Southeast Asia. Since arriving in Cambodia in 2014, Jovany has quickly established himself as a leading figure in the real estate community. As the Managing Director of DA&G, Jovany is building a one-stop shop for real estate investors looking to interface with Cambodia and get the most out of their investments.
What we dive into:
- Witnessing first-hand the immense growth in real estate investment in Cambodia over the last decade
- Where the untapped opportunities a...2021-08-0149 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.24 Jazmyn Himel, Incubation Lead, Women in Tek NetworkThis week, we have Jazmyn from Women in Tek Network joining us for a fascinating conversation about her journey into the incubation space in Cambodia. WTN is one of the few incubation programs in the country fully dedicated to advancing women's entrepreneurship. Jazmyn is Cambodian-Canadian, having also lived and worked in Canada, Laos, and Thailand. She is intent upon making a big difference in the entrepreneurial community in Cambodia, driving forward the case for women tech entrepreneurship, acting as a mentor, mediator, and confidant to some of the most talented up and coming women entrepreneurs in the country.
2021-07-2348 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.23 David Totten, Managing Director, Emerging Markets ConsultingThis week we have the pleasure of speaking with David of EMC. David has built EMC into a leading regional consulting firm that uses international best practice methodologies and hard-won local knowledge to help clients answer their most difficult strategic questions when operating in the frontier markets of Cambodia and Laos. David is originally from the UK, with an extensive background that includes working in post-communist Russia, Germany, and Greece, operating mostly in the telecoms and software space before arriving in Cambodia in 2008 and joining EMC in 2011.
What we dive into:
- Witnessing the first wa...2021-07-1945 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.22 Sofia Perez, Managing Principal, Idea ConsultancyThis week we are welcoming Sofia Perez on the podcast. Sofia is originally from the Philippines, having lived and worked in Cambodia since 2006, witnessing firsthand the radical change the country has been through. Sofia is the Managing Principal of the Idea Consultancy having built it into one of the leading names in the design consultancy space in the country. The Idea is a social company with a multi-disciplinary team of business consultants, data analysts, multimedia designers, project engineers, writers, trainers, and event planners.
What we discuss:
- How corporate social responsibility and community engagement is...2021-07-0845 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.21 Robbert Groenen, Myanmar Director, One to WatchThis week on the podcast we are diving into Myanmar, to give our audience an update on the investment situation in the country. Robbert has been on the ground in Myanmar, running incubation and investments for One to Watch since 2017, witnessing firsthand the rapid development and investor interest the country experienced in recent years. Prior to Myanmar, Robbert has worked in Nepal and Mexico, he is a keen frontier market enthusiast with a strong passion for impact investment.
What we get into:
- How entrepreneurs have responded to the crisis in the country in 2021; sectors t...2021-06-2547 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.20 Bora Kem, Partner, Mekong Strategic Partners, Investor, Smart Axiata Digital Innovation FundIn this week's podcast, we are joined by a very special guest, Bora Kem. He is one of the key names in the investment community in Cambodia, currently directing the Smart Axiata Digital Innovation Fund (SADIF), a $5m fund dedicated to investing in early-stage technology ventures in the country with a total of 10 portfolio companies. Bora has led SADIF in investing in some of the most innovative companies in the country over the last 5 years, including super app Nham24, fintech players Bahnji and Morakot as well as logistics firms Joonak and DRVR.
Bora grew up in the...2021-06-171h 07
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.19 Kim Tan-Am, Chief Digital Strategy Officer, Prudential (Cambodia)In this week's episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Kim Tan-Am, Chief Digital Strategy Officer at Prudential in Cambodia. Kim shares her remarkable journey moving to California at an early age from Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge. After graduating from Pepperdine and working at Wells Fargo, Kim returned to the Kingdom to join a microinsurance firm which led her to join Prudential in Cambodia as the Chief Digital Strategy Officer. In the episode, we cover the microinsurance sector, how these products work, the importance of education around insurance, and ultimately Kim’s perspective on how this product ca...2021-06-1046 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.18 Jussi Salovaara, Managing Partner Asia, Co-Founder, AntlerToday we have Jussi Salovaara on the show, he is the Co-Founder of Antler and leads their operations for Southeast Asia as well as being the Co-Host of the podcast 'Antler VC Cast'. Prior to Antler Jussi worked at McKinsey and Nokia. Antler is a venture generation firm working across Southeast Asia to nurture the best human capital in the region and give them the support to build fantastic businesses. Jussi is excited about the potential of new markets in the region such as Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn m...2021-05-281h 00
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.17 Christopher Dartsmith, Country Manager, Cambodia, Insitor PartnersChris is welcomed on the podcast as a seasoned frontier markets impact investor. He has worked across the frontier market investment space for over a decade now in Africa and Asia. Chris arrived in Cambodia in 2018 working with one of the leading early-stage impact investors in the country, Insitor Partners. Chris is passionate about spurring investment in essential ESG sectors such as energy, environment, fintech, and healthcare.
Subscribe for free today to our Rising Giants Newsletter: https://risinggiants.substack.com/
Rising Giants Website: www.risinggiants.fm
Episode Time Stamps:
1:00 – Chris’s backg...2021-05-1857 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.16 Sopheakmonkol Sok, Co-Founder & CEO, Codingate TechnologyToday's podcast guest is Monkol Sok, the Co-Founder & CEO of Codingate, the preeminent technology consultancy and SaaS firm in Cambodia. Monkol is a passionate entrepreneur, never settling for sitting still and being at the forefront of digital transformation in Cambodia as the country rapidly moves in this direction across many sectors we discuss including e-delivery, e-commerce and edtech.
Episode Time Stamp:
(1:00) – Monkol’s life changing experience studying abroad, his dream of providing better education in Cambodia, and how it laid the foundation for starting Codingate.
(7:00) – The origin story of Codingate: How Monkol started in 2013...2021-05-171h 05
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.15 Bridget McIntosh, Country Director, EnergyLab CambodiaThis week we are joined by Bridget of EnergyLab, a clean energy pioneer, who has been involved in the space in Cambodia and across Asia, from an investment, incubation and policy perspective since the early 2000's, when it was still a very nascent and unrealized concept in the region. She is currently leading EnergyLab Cambodia, which is the go-to organization in the country for anything clean energy related.
What we discuss:
- Cambodia's leapfrog in adopting on-grid solar over the last decade, going from no solar on the grid in 2016 to 410MW in 2021.
...2021-05-0156 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.14 Matthew Tippetts, Co-Founder & CEO, ClikIn this episode we are joined by Matthew Tippetts, Co-Founder & CEO of Clik. Matthew founded Clik in 2016 and is one of the most well funded startups in Cambodia having raised $4M since inception. As the CEO of Clik, Matthew aims to provide brick and mortar businesses with consumer insights beyond what is available online. By bridging the gap between merchants and their customers, Clik enables them to create a personalized consumer experience, provide a seamless secure payment and simultaneously grow their profitability.
Matthew is an experienced global entrepreneur, with over 20 years of experience in Telecom, Media and...2021-04-2554 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.13 Chy Sila, CEO & Founder, SabayThis week's guest is Chy Sila, one of the most influential entrepreneurs in Cambodia, who has been at the forefront of digital innovation in the country for the last two decades. He is known as the first Cambodian, to fully become adept at computer science, spurring a generation of new entrepreneurs that have followed in his footsteps.
What we discuss:
- The immense challenge of starting an internet business in Cambodia in the 2000's, when internet connectivity and developer talent was limited
- His viewpoint on the key trends impacting media and technology i...2021-04-171h 10
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.12 Trisha Mani, Impact Investor at Uberis Capital, CambodiaIn this episode we interview Trisha Mani, Fund Associate and ESG Lead at Uberis Capital, an Impact Investment Fund in Cambodia that supports social entrepreneurs across Southeast Asia. Trisha's work primarily focuses on investing and supporting innovative businesses committed to serving the Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP) and the Planet in the region. We really enjoyed learning about how Trisha broke into the work of Impact Investing and how she plans to use this experience to create a bigger impact in the world.
What we get into:
- Talking about Impact Investing in the region an...2021-04-0646 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.11 Frederic H. Proulx, Co-Founder Haystack, Managing Partner Haystack Asia CapitalIn this episode we interview Frederic Proulx of Haystack. Fred is a vision evoking entrepreneur and investor, having had a successful career in venture in Canada, whilst keeping a passion for Southeast Asia alongside his Khmer wife Linda Phou that has been a strong pillar in his success. Fred has now turned his attention fully to Cambodia, where he is intent upon creating a leading venture builder and investment player in the country, serving as a launchpad for the region. Fred is turning the investment model on its head in Cambodia, drawing lessons from all around the world to...2021-03-2654 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.10 Kenny Matthews, CEO & Founder, Moo Moo FarmsIn this episode we interview Kenny Matthews, the CEO & Founder of Cambodia's first commercial dairy farm; Moo Moo Farms. Kenny started Moo Moo Farms in 2015, he has had a fascinating entrepreneurial journey since then to both bring about social and economic change to the country, supporting a key industry that is set to see rapid development in the coming years.
What we get into:
- Why dairy was the entrepreneurial venture that fulfilled Kenny's motivations for positive change in the country
- The trials and tribulations of being a first mover in a n...2021-03-2058 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.9 Kounila Keo, Managing Partner, Mekhala Radiant CommunicationsIn this episode we interview Kounila Keo, a leading figure in the media and marketing community in Cambodia and the region. She has had a formative career spanning media (working for leading global and local publications) whilst also working in international development and most recently launching her own communication and marketing firm, Mekhala Radiant Communications. Kounila was also the recipient of Forbes 30 Under 30 in Asia in 2017. We are excited to release this episode on International Women's Day in Cambodia.
What we get into:
- How the marketing industry in Cambodia is having to adapt rapidly...2021-03-0847 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.8 Rithy Thul, Co-Founder, SmallWorld Venture & KOOMPIIn this episode we interview Rithy Thul, a true tech pioneer in Cambodia, acting as a role model for the new generation of tech entrepreneurs in the country. He founded SmallWorld Venture (VC firm) in 2011, Codingate in 2013 (tech development), Selendra (blockchain) in 2016, VitaminAir (ecoliving) in 2017 and Koompi (computer hardware and software) in 2018.
What we get into:
- Rithy's early journey into tech in Cambodia, leaving university and self-educating himself whilst living out of a pagoda in Phnom Penh
- His passion for blockchain technology, having been an early adopter of Bitcoin, Ethereum and s...2021-02-271h 25
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.7 Indranil Roy, Co-Founder, Eat CricheIn this episode we interview Indranil Roy, a really experienced entrepreneur having worked across a varying array of geographies and sectors. He is currently leading efforts for alternative protein entrepreneurship in Cambodia, with a bold ambition to 'feed the next billion' through an innovative approach to insect farming, carving out a place in this quickly evolving business area globally.
What we get into:
- Indranil's agile approach to business concepting and prototyping; how he has applied this across his startup journey
- The unique history of cricket farming in Cambodia, and how the i...2021-02-2159 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.6 Jim Rogers, Adventure Capitalist, Investment Biker, The Quantum FundIn this episode we interview the one and only Jim Rogers, a frontier market pioneer, that had a formative career on Wall Street alongside George Soros at The Quantum Fund, after which he turned his attention to becoming a first mover in many of the most exciting emerging market success stories of today, committing with foresight as others were unable to recognise the long term opportunities.
What we get into:
- Literally motorbiking across the world and seeing first hand the opportunties in nascent markets in the 1980's and beyond
- Being one o...2021-02-1244 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.5 Hassan Hajam, Executive Director & Chief Impact Officer, Platform ImpactIn this episode we interview Hassan Hajam, a social business early pioneer having been a mentee of Muhammad Yunus, originally from Tunisia, working currently in the impact accelerator space in Cambodia, having previously worked in Haiti and India.
What we get into:
- The similarities and differences in building social businesses in various frontier markets
- Sectors in Cambodia that look poised to be at the forefront of positive environmental and social change
- The growing movement towards impact investing globally and how this is being understood and applied in Cambodia2021-02-0655 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.4 Omar Sher, International Business Development & Strategy Lead, VP StartIn this episode we interview Omar Sher, an entrepreneur in Cambodia, originally from Pakistan, working in the energy space in Cambodia, having lived and worked all over Asia.
What we get into:
- Pioneering smart grid solutions in Cambodia
- Understanding of factors at play in the energy market in Cambodia
- Ability of smart grids to reduce electricity costs in Cambodia and catalyze investment activity2021-01-2942 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.3 Tomas Gimenez, Country Manager, Cambodia & Laos, AB InBevIn this episode we interview Tomas Gimenez, a business operator in Cambodia, originally from the USA, working in the FMCG space in Cambodia, having previously worked at BCG in New York.
What we get into:
- Strategies for FMCG market entry into a frontier market
- Understanding the unique customer profile of the Mekong region
- Novel approaches to cross-cultural marketing and sales2021-01-2155 min
Rising GiantsRising Giants - N.2 Cheryl Ng, Startup Incubator Manager, Cambodia, UNDPIn this episode we interview Cheryl Ng, startup incubator manager and international consultant for UNDP in Cambodia, originally from the Greater Toronto Area, working in the startup incubator space in Cambodia, having previously worked at Microsoft and Power Unit Youth Organization in Canada. She is also Co-Founder of Gen I and the Impactful Work Podcast, empowering audiences to create impact in everyday work by learning from professionals engaged in social impact work globally and locally.
What we get into:
- Deep dive into UNDP's Bluetribe incubator and their strategy for growing early-stage ventures in Cambodia's f...2021-01-1355 minRising GiantsRising Giants - N.1 'Get to Know Your Hosts' Max & DomWelcome to the Rising Giants Podcast with your hosts Max Thornton (FM VC Investor) and Dominic Kalousek (FM Impact Investor). Max grew up in the UK and currently works at OBOR Capital, previously at Oxford Business Group and Sharpe Capital. Dominic grew up in the US and currently works at Sevea and UBERIS Capital, previously at Bank of America.
Max & Dom begin the podcast by interviewing one another about their life stories and how they got involved in frontier market investing.
- Journeys to working and living in Cambodia
- What got them ex...2021-01-131h 02