Venture Spark is setting a new standard in Thailand’s startup ecosystem. Designed to transform early-stage ideas into impactful global ventures, this accelerator offers a sector-agnostic program providing guaranteed funding, mentorship, and unparalleled access to a global network.

With the backing of prominent partners like InnoSpace Thailand, Venture Spark said it empowers founders to scale their ideas regionally and globally, according to a statement.

What Makes Venture Spark Unique?
Venture Spark addresses critical gaps in Thailand’s startup ecosystem by focusing on three pillars:

1. Capital: Guaranteed funding for the top-performing startups, with opportunities for matching funds through collaborations with government agencies like DEPA and NIA.
2. Mentorship: Access to a global network of seasoned mentors and industry leaders to navigate challenges and build sustainable ventures.

3. Global Vision: Instilling the confidence and tools to think big and succeed on a global stage.

Key Benefits for Startups:
● Corporate Collaborations: Opportunities to partner with top Thai corporations for market validation and scaling.
● Funding Opportunities: A fast-track program for securing investments.
● Inclusive Ecosystem: Open to all sectors, with a focus on collaboration between local founders, expats, and digital nomads.

Applications are open now for the first cohort, with a deadline of Feb 14, 2025.

Meet the Founders Behind the Vision
The accelerator was founded by Ankit Upadhyay, Sivach Sornchaitanasuk, and Ted Thetnaungsoe, who together bring decades of experience in innovation, venture capital, and startup community building.

● Ankit Upadhyay: A Global Perspective on Entrepreneurship & Investing

Ankit’s journey began in Silicon Valley, as an engineer working in the semiconductor industry. His expertise spans management consulting at McKinsey & Co., running product operations at SanDisk, and leading e-commerce innovations at Shopee in Thailand and India.

Ankit’s expertise also extends across advanced semiconductor packaging technologies and early-stage startup investing across the United States, India, and Southeast Asia. Over the last 8 years in Thailand, Ankit has immersed himself in the local startup ecosystem, seeing firsthand the untapped potential the country’s nascent ecosystem has to offer. He’s now committed to empowering local founders and helping them scale their businesses regionally and globally.

● Sivach Sornchaitanasuk: Empowering Founders with Strategic Leadership Sivach’s entrepreneurial roots run deep as a second-generation leader in his family business. After working in the UK, where he drove global digital transformations at Triumph Motorcycles, Sivach returned to Thailand to make a lasting impact on the local startup scene. As an angel investor, his experience in scaling ventures has been invaluable to startups in Thailand and beyond.

In 2023, Ankit & Sivach joined forces to build A2D Ventures, a digital platform dedicated to building Southeast Asia’s largest angel investing network and syndicate. A2D Ventures provides angel investors the opportunity to co-invest alongside top-tier VCs in the next generation of game-changing startups in the region.

● Ted Thetnaungsoe: Building Thailand’s Largest Startup Community Ted’s journey to success is rooted in resilience and community building. Having lived in Thailand for over 16 years, he started his own startup that provides enterprise supply chain management software for hotels. While preparing to scale up his business, Ted started organizing YC Startup School meetups in Bangkok, which eventually grew into the Bangkok Startup Association and has since become Thailand’s largest startup community, connecting over 1,000 members in under 2 years. Ted’s focus is on creating a supportive environment for entrepreneurs. He firmly believes that a world-class accelerator program, offering mentorship, capital, and a global network, is key to transforming Thailand’s startups into international success stories.

Powered by InnoSpace Thailand: A Key Partner for Success

Venture Spark’s success is driven by its collaboration with InnoSpace Thailand, a public-private joint venture fostering Thailand’s innovation ecosystem.

Narusan Dhanvarjor, CEO of InnoSpace Thailand,

“We’re thrilled to partner with Venture Spark to create an ecosystem where visionary founders can thrive. This accelerator represents a bold step in shaping Thailand’s future as a global innovation hub.”

InnoSpace (Thailand) has already backed 21 startups from Thailand mainly focused on early-stage deep-tech startups where they can potentially become new Thailand S-Curve and global players. Key shareholders and partners of InnoSpace include leading conglomerates in Thailand from various industries like PTTOR, SET, BDMS, C.P. Group, and ThaiBev, as well as the government collaborations with DEPA, Ministry of Industry, NSTDA, NIA, and FTI (The Federation of Thai Industries) to create an ecosystem for innovation and venture building in Thailand.

Together, A2D Ventures and InnoSpace are pioneering a new era of entrepreneurship in Thailand, creating a platform for startups to achieve their full potential and scale globally.

Participants will gain access to seasoned advisors from InnoSpace’s pool of industry experts, bridge startups with large corporations for pilot projects, scaling, or product validation, and partnerships with international ecosystems that can help startups explore overseas markets.

Applications Are Now Open

Startups ready to transform their ideas into impactful ventures are invited to apply for Venture Spark’s upcoming cohort. The program welcomes applications from startups that meet the following criteria:

● Made in Thailand: Startups must be based in Thailand and committed to scaling their ventures globally.
● MVP-Ready: Applicants should have a minimum viable product (MVP) developed and ready for testing and scaling.

● Team with a Bold Vision: Founders must have a dedicated team united by a shared vision for creating impactful and scalable solutions.

Applications close on Feb 14, 2025.

Visit venturespark.asia to learn more and apply.
Explore the FAQ: venturespark.asia/#faq

This cohort represents a unique opportunity to join Thailand’s premier accelerator and spark the next wave of innovation.

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