What’s it like to begin your start-up and take it to a higher level where you can be noticed and attract attention from investors, potential partners, customers, media and even competitors? How do you handle good and not-so-good experiences along this journey? Can you afford to be discerning in your choice of investors, shareholders, advisors? How do you handle divergent interests amongst shareholders and the growing pains?

These are some of the questions addressed at a Dentons Rodyk workshop that took place at innovfest unbound 2017, the anchor event of Smart Nation Innovations, a week-long series of events that showcase Asia’s most innovative developments. The event brings together both the Asian and Western community of researchers and academia, corporates, start-ups and policy makers, resulting in new perspectives into the technology and innovation space.

Senior Partner S. Sivanesan moderated the panel discussion “From Founders to Being Found”, featuring speakers Sam Lim, Founder & CEO of Reebonz, Marcus Swanepoel, Co-founder & CEO of Luno, and Steve Melhuish, Co-founder and Vice Chairman of PropertyGuru.

More than 100 attendees turned up to hear and learn about the journey of these founders, from their start up phase to subsequent growth and expansion. The speakers shared their experiences and provided useful, logical and practical advice for would-be founders as well as those who think they have been ‘found’. Some topics discussed included paths to entrepreneurship, challenges the founders faced in setting up their businesses, and shifts in consumer behaviour.

Organised by NUS Enterprise and unbound, in partnership with Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), innovfest unbound is Southeast Asia’s most exciting innovation festival. Co-Chaired by Yossi Vardi and Lily Chan, it is the place where brands connect with disruptive innovation and explore Asian opportunities.

About Dentons Rodyk

Dentons Rodyk is one of Singapore's biggest law firms and part of the world’s largest, with a team of around 200 lawyers offering clients a full suite of legal services necessary to do business locally and globally. With over 160 years of establishment, consistently ranked highly in leading publications, we pride ourselves on providing the highest quality advice to our clients while maintaining strong working relationships with key public sector agencies and leading organisations in the private sector. Our combination with global law firm Dentons, makes us part of the world’s largest law firm with more than 12,500 professionals in over 160 locations in more than 80 countries.

Designed to be different, Dentons Rodyk can help you grow, protect, operate and finance your business. Our polycentric and purpose-driven approach, together with our commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and ESG, ensures we challenge the status quo to stay focused on what matters most to you.

The first global pan-ASEAN law firm, Dentons ASEAN has an established history in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore and will continue to grow our presence through combinations with exceptional local firms across the ASEAN region and help clients navigate change wherever they are located.

In the new dynamic decade, clients continue to be confronted with complex scenarios and want to work with a purpose-driven law firm that has the experience and confidence to help them thrive at wherever they are located. Through our combinations with firms that are leaders in their respective communities and local markets, along with the partner firms in Dentons’ Nextlaw Referral Network, Dentons is ideally positioned to support our clients everywhere in ASEAN and around the globe.