Hard Truths By Vertex

How do you get millennials to buy something usually recommended by their grandparents? And how do you keep their attention when the product you sell takes months to show results? How do you know when you’ve achieved product-market fit?

How do you convince billion-dollar institutional investors to trust a relative upstart with their funds in a market with so much financial turmoil?

We often think about startups as a 0 to 1 game with a team of founders working and pivoting around one theme in the hope of finding success. But that is a highly risky way to try and build VC-scale businesses.

Indonesians are voracious consumers of social media, and the creator economy is set to grow massively in the coming years. As the industry grows, unmet needs in engaging and monetizing their content arise.

What are the hard truths about building a climate tech market in a country and region where the awareness, tech and regulations are yet to mature?

It’s hard to translate vision into reality – and especially so when you are trying to help workers build a better life. But when you see it happening, the moment is magical!

What are the hard truths about being a startup builder in manufacturing, and what was Vertex Ventures’ thesis for investing in such a tradition-bound and notoriously difficult space?

Vertex Ventures has been investing in South East Asia and India long before it became fashionable (!) so we know a thing or two about which sectors are on the rise.

Starting with a little office in a dilapidated old building to joining the rarefied ranks of unicorns in Southeast Asia, Nium has come a long way. But what did it take to keep it going even when the chips were down and fresh funding was hard to come by?

How did Vertex Ventures get started as one of the oldest VCs in the region? And what’s our secret recipe for identifying high-potential founders? Find out in this episode