BSA x WOWS Global - Capital in Chaos 🌪️
How Founders & Investors Navigate Uncertain Markets
Most founders think fundraising is about pitching.
It is not.
It is about surviving long enough to become undeniable.
Hosted by the Bangkok Startup Association at The Great Room Gaysorn Tower, this founder-level conversation brought together operators, investors, and builders to union retraite pensions oubliées discuss what fundraising, venture capital, AI, and startup growth actually look like in Southeast Asia today.
No startup fantasy.
No motivational fluff.
No recycled LinkedIn advice.
Just honest conversations from people actively building and investing in the market right now.
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🎤 Featured Speakers
- Gagan Ajmani
CEO of WOWS Global and former CFO of Deliveree.
Gagan shared deep insights on venture capital, scaling startups across Southeast Asia, and what investors truly look for in founders during uncertain markets.
- Abhi Agarwal
CEO of Living Roots.
Abhi discussed agriculture, sustainability, food security, and why some of the biggest opportunities in Southeast Asia may come from overlooked industries.
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🎙️ ahl playoffs Moderator
- Alex Avanth
Advisor, investor, coach, and General Partner at MoreFutures Southeast Asia.
Alex led the discussion around venture funding, founder psychology, investor expectations, and navigating uncertainty as a startup builder.
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🚀 Hosted By
- Billy van der Loo
Founder & President of Bangkok Startup Association
Managing Partner & Chief Hunter at StartupBreed
Building one of the most active startup ecosystems and founder communities in Thailand.
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What We Covered
• Why fundraising across ASEAN has become significantly harder
• What investors actually want in 2026
• Why traction matters more than hype
• The shift from “growth at all costs” to sustainable businesses
• AI, SaaS, and why barriers to entry are collapsing
• What makes a startup truly VC-backable
• Why distribution and network may matter more than code
• Agriculture, food security, and overlooked billion-dollar opportunities
• Why “network is net worth”
• How founders should think about investors in today’s market
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Why This Matters
Southeast Asia’s startup ecosystem is evolving fast.
Capital is becoming more selective.
AI is changing how businesses are built.
The rules of fundraising are changing in real time.
The founders who survive this era will not just be good at pitching.
They will be exceptional builders.
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📅 NEXT EVENT → DISRUPTORS #3 | 11 JUNE 2026
Bangkok’s founders, investors, creators, operators, and innovators are gathering again for one of the city’s biggest startup networking nights.
If you want high-signal conversations, meaningful connections, and the people building the future of Southeast Asia in one room - this is the event.
🚀 See you at the next one.
For more details about BSA -
#BangkokStartupAssociation #BangkokStartups #StartupThailand #CapitalinChaos #ThaiStartup #VentureCapital #StartupEcosystem nancy guthrie #AIStartups #Fundraising #SoutheastAsiaStartups #BSA
