How does a startup transition from achieving $100k in annual recurring revenue to successfully navigating its way to Series A funding?

Join Serene, co-founder and CEO of vibefam, as she seeks answers in a conversation with Puiyan LEUNG, a partner at Vertex Ventures, Southeast Asia and India.

They delve into the growth strategies, investment considerations, and dynamics of the Southeast Asian market. This episode also explores the power of optimism, the challenges startups face, and the crucial role of female leadership in shaping the future of business.

IN THIS EPISODE

(00:00) Introduction to Serene and Puiyan, and their roles at vibefam and Vertex Ventures

(02:44) A look back at the past year and Vertex Ventures' outlook for the future

(04:26) From $100k ARR to Series A - Key steps and challenges in scaling a startup for Series A funding

(10:34) What are the evaluation factors for Series A investment from Vertex Ventures' perspective?

(15:54) Do most startups come in having already raised a round before the Series A stage?

(18:58) What are some red flags on the cap table?

(21:39) How often do you see female founders trying to raise funds at the Series A stage?

(26:26) Female Leadership - How to support female-led ventures?

(30:04) Luck vs. Hard Work - Which is more important in startup success?

Serene Lim | Co-Founder of vibefam

Serene graduated with a business degree and started her career in the government service. Curious about entrepreneurship, she gave up the stability of her corporate job to join a unicorn startup where she got her first taste of business building.

Today, Serene runs vibefam, a business software that aims to unlock the potential of health and lifestyle businesses by helping them with payments, reservations and marketing automations. Today, vibefam is powering more than 100 businesses across Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong with more than 100,000 user sign ups since it launched 2 years ago. vibefam crossed $100K ARR in 2023 and are looking to accelerate their growth in 2024.

Puiyan LEUNG | Venture Capital

Puiyan Leung serves as Partner, Investment in Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India and focuses on opportunities in Southeast Asia.

Prior to joining Vertex Ventures, Puiyan was a Director of Investments and Operations at Singtel Innov8, the corporate venture arm of telco group Singtel. In her role, she built a pipeline of tech startups that fit with the firm’s investment themes and established strategic alliances and managed partnerships with key ecosystem stakeholders.

Prior to that, Puiyan assumed a range of operating roles and once served as Singtel’s Indonesia-based lead in representing the local market development and expansion interests for Singtel’s digital portfolio. Puiyan is a Kauffman Fellow and graduated with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering Degree from the National University of Singapore.

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