AppWorks #28 Demo Day is a wrap!
Time flies! From joining AppWorks in Accelerator #24 in 2022 to now celebrating the debut of batch #28, it’s been an amazing journey for me. I'm thrilled to be the MC for AppWorks Demo Day #28 in Taiwan and excited to see our event becoming more international, with investors from Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong joining us this time around.?
I'd like to highlight some incredible teams from Taiwan and SEA during the Demo Day.
adplist.org (SG) - global mentorship platform providing access to expert knowledge
Felix Lee , a young entrepreneur who self-taught coding and design, built his first company, a travel planning platform, and exited through M&A. Now 26, he’s on his second entrepreneur journey with ADPList, founded during the pandemic to help job seekers. This initiative quickly grew, amassing over 1.66 million consultation hours. Unlike LinkedIn, it facilitates direct connections for career and life advice. Now, ADPList boasts over 300K active members and 25K mentors from companies like Netflix, Airbnb, and Google, with a retention rate of over 60%.
Borong (MY) - B2B bulk e-commerce platform
Aizat Rahim , a former pro basketball player inspired by Kobe Bryant's "give your all" spirit, brings this dedication to his entrepreneurial journey. After two successful exits, his latest venture Borong excels in B2B e-commerce with a GTV approaching a billion dollars in 2023 and a 75% repeat purchase rate. Aizat aims to make Borong the "Amazon of Southeast Asia," digitizing B2B connections and building a robust omnichannel ecosystem.
EQUO Co. (Techstars ‘21) (VN) - sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics and paper
It’s surprising to me that a single-use straw takes 200 years to decompose. Navigating sustainability can be challenging, but Marina Tran-Vu?? , a Vietnamese-born entrepreneur raised in Canada, is making a real difference. With extensive brand-building experience at Unilever, Bacardi, and LG Electronics, she founded EQUO in 2020. EQUO offers 100% plastic-free straws, cutlery, plates, and drinkware made from biodegradable materials like sugarcane, coconut, coffee, and rice. This sustainable brand is now distributed to over 18 countries, including the EU, Canada, the US, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Marina's commitment to reducing single-use plastic pollution is paving the way for a greener future.
(A fun fact about Marina: She is not only fighting plastic pollution but she’s also a reality TV star who has appeared on Shark Tank Vietnam!)
Orderfaz (ID) - Shopify for social commerce sellers
Chat commerce is a big part of daily business in Indonesia, with people using WhatsApp for almost everything, but the supply chain is not well-organized. Reynaldi Gandawidjaja and his co-founders saw the opportunity to disrupt the sector with tech and founded Orderfaz in 2023.
Reynaldi, a young serial entrepreneur under 30, is on his third startup journey. Before Orderfaz, he exited his previous venture through M&A. Orderfaz offers a subscription-based e-commerce SaaS service, helping businesses create landing pages with checkout forms and managing orders from platforms like TikTok Shop, Tokopedia, Shopee, and Lazada. By identifying abandoned carts and sending notifications, Orderfaz boosts conversion rates and helps manage ads and inventory data. Reynaldi's goal for 2024 is to expand to Malaysia.
Return Helper (SG) - software solution for e-commerce returns
Ever wondered who handles reverse logistics when you return an online purchase? The answer is Return Helper!
With the rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce, reverse logistics has become crucial. Return Helper uses technology to manage returns, exchanges, and secondary sales efficiently, turning return costs into economic value. Founder Chun Wai Roy Wan has over 15 years of experience in e-commerce, logistics, and SaaS from his time at eBay. With a robust product and Roy's expertise, Return Helper has attracted clients like Casetify, Charles & Keith, and more. Brands can scale faster internationally with the help of Return Helper, worry-free about reverse logistics.
ABConvert (TW) - specializes in A/B testing tools for e-commerce
I recently read Jeffrey's entrepreneur journey on Medium and was deeply moved. Yi Hung Lin (Jeffrey) once interned at AppWorks and graduated from NTU with a finance degree. Instead of following the traditional finance path, he self-taught coding and became an engineer and entrepreneur.
At just 25, he tirelessly built an MVP that was initially rejected by the Shopify app store. However, within two weeks, he continuously iterated and successfully got the product listed. Through constant refinement and user feedback, he gained confidence. Now, his platform ranks among the top three in the A/B Testing category on Shopify. His goal is to realize the dream of "Software Made in Taiwan" and export it to the world.
OLLI Technology (VN) - AI-powered operating system to bring toys to life
I have a child myself. Nowadays, many parents, including me, worry about our kids spending too much time on iPads, absorbing a lot of information but not necessarily developing their speaking skills.
Hai Ta , a dedicated father and entrepreneur from Vietnam, shares this concern. Before founding this startup, he successfully built two profitable and sustainable companies in the garment and audio industries in Vietnam. But a parent's love is unparalleled. Motivated by his deep love for his daughter, Hai uses AI technology to create toys that help children improve their speaking skills. His innovative approach has led to partnerships with toy companies in the US and EU!
Last but not least, we also have the following teams in the web3 space and GSEA market taking the stage. I’m deeply proud of all the founders making such great progress.
[Web3 Space]?
You're welcome to connect with these outstanding founders for further collaboration, and together, drive the regional startup ecosystem forward! If you are an investor or strategic partner, we invite you to join our next Taiwan Demo Day or Singapore Showcase by filling out the invitation list here. If you are a founder looking to forge key partnerships and meet like-minded founders, apply to AppWorks Accelerator #29 ??
???? Bridging RWA and DeFi for Transformative Finance | Fintech Leader | Shaping the Future of Finance | Blockchain Advocate ????
8 个月Thanks AppWorks & team for this opportunity. Highly recommended for early stage founders / startups (both web2 & web3) to apply for AppWorks accelerator.
Financial Advisory Service-Assistant Manager
8 个月Looking forward to this!
Founder of EQUO (Cartier Impact Fellow '24) - Bringing made-in-Asia sustainable goods to the world ? Techstars '21 ? Visa Vietnam She’s Next Winner ? UNOPS Global Innovation Winner ? Shark Tank Vietnam
8 个月Thank you Michelle and the AppWorks team for the great event and opportunity! Can’t wait to see y’all in Singapore again! ??