contributor posts

With the world slowly getting back to normal, offices partially opening up and getting better at co-existing with the COVID-19 virus; the new normal is going to command a new outlook.

Whether your startup is pivoting its strategy or looking to fundraise or struggling to communicate with relevant stakeholders; our contributors’ opinions are here to your rescue.

Handy for founders

Adapting has been a key theme at PatSnap since the onset of COVID-19. From shifting to a new WFH model, managing the COVID situation in their East and West offices, and adjusting to the needs of our customers during this unprecedented time, they’ve moved quickly and adapted expertly. Founder and CEO, Jeffrey Tiong, shares their story.

Fifty per cent of the success of your first pitch is in your problem statement, says Cocoon Capital’s Ine Jacobsen. Why? It sets the tone of the pitch and helps us understand the market size, the need for the solution, and who’s paying. Having seen and heard over 2,000 pitches in the last year alone, she realised 90 per cent of startup founders struggle to clearly define their problem statement. Here’s how to do it right.

How many startups are on a perpetual tour of gas stations? Going from one funding round to another with the dream of eventually getting acquired without ever becoming a self-sustaining business. Knowing when to fundraise externally, especially in COVID times, can make or break your startup, says venture investor Sam Gibbs.

Gearing up for the new normal

In early March 2020, Indonesia announced its first confirmed case of COVID-19. Since then, there have been rapid shifts in consumers’ lifestyles, purchase patterns, and consumer behaviour as they are starting to recalibrate their budget. In this contributed post, Tokopedia’s customer engagement chief, Rudy Dalimunthe, shares his trade secrets on how to manage customer service during a crisis.

2020 was supposed to be an exciting year for Southeast Asia’s thriving startup ecosystem. This is an unprecedented global crisis where even the large corporations are taking a beating from, so startups need to rewire their culture and emerge stronger.

As the pandemic crisis grows, brands have been compelled to rethink their communication strategies, both internal and external, so as to continue reaching out to their target audiences including employees, investors, and consumers, etc., effectively. PR professional Anu Gupta, shares guiding principles of communications in light of the new normal.

COVID-19 has disrupted the trajectory of startups and has split them into two distinct paths: an accelerated upward hockey stick or a steep drop off a cliff. Edmas Neo, CEO of Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE), shares a back to work toolkit for startups to adapt to the new normal.

Food for thought

Miguel Encarnacion is a basketball-obsessed venture capitalist. In his contributed post, he has sharedsix VC lessons from the lens of basketball stalwarts featured in Netflix’s latest show The Last Dance.

Startups play a very important role in the business ecosystem in that they aim to disrupt the societal norms and in the process, solve problems that bring about value for people in the community. An enthusiastic graduate shares the lessons from his 10-day spent volunteering stint in Cambodia and argues why Cambodia provides ample playground for student entrepreneurs and fintech startups.

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