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It is common knowledge that being an entrepreneur requires grit and determination. These words ring especially true in today’s challenging macroeconomic climate. Global markets are on the brink of recession, which means only companies that should exist are the ones that prevail. This didn’t stop newly minted venture capitalist Kanin Asvaplungprohm (‘Asva’) from embarking on his odyssey. As the saying goes, “when the going gets tough, the tough gets going.” Despite the odds being stacked against him, Kanin successfully raised Robust’s inaugural fund.
From Thailand to the teeming streets of New York to the sophistication of Silicon Valley and the heady confluence of business complexities in Bangkok, Kanin has seen it all. He grew up between metropolitan Bangkok and Silicon Valley. It was a juxtaposition of rapid gentrification in a third-world country and being at the forefront of innovation. Kanin understood the power of technology. He founded Robust to back transformational technologies that break down the barriers of industry.
Today we do a deep dive into the backstory of Kanin Asva: how he became the fund manager he is and what’s next.
Coming of Age
Kanin was a shy, studious kid growing up. Born into a family of entrepreneurs, the drive to challenge was instilled from a very young age. At the green age of 18, Kanin moved to the United States to broaden his horizons. His international background that straddles Southeast Asia and North America gave him a leg up. “I am a cultural sponge, I’ve seen it all, and I can foster relationships with anybody.” Asva stated.
Education and Career
He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Management Science at the University of California, San Diego. He went on to the University of San Francisco for a Master’s degree in Financial Analysis summa cum laude.
Kanin advises startups and growth-stage firms on South East Asia’s complex regulatory landscape and tech ecosystem; he also serves on the boards of Smart Squadron and the ShareWaves Foundation. Having managed over $200m in his various roles from Bangkok Bank to Oyster Ventures and Dynafolio, a small-cap private equity firm focused on rescuing distressed small-cap businesses; he honed his operational, financial and management prowess. He learnt why businesses fail, how to save them and developed an operational playbook that includes laser-focused attention to detail and the entrepreneurial drive that underpins Robust.
Establishing Robust
Robust is an early-stage venture capital firm that champions paradigm-shifting technologies. Kanin launched Robust to make an impact. Venture capitalism sits at the intersection between technology and finance. He wanted to create lasting value for entrepreneurs, investors as well as humankind. According to Kanin, raising a fund from scratch has been a colossal and humbling challenge. “My only regret is not starting sooner,” he stated. Robust is headquartered in North America and Southeast Asia, and is supported by a worldwide network of operators, policy specialists, and experts who understand the geopolitical landscape.
Robust is borderless in its pursuit to achieve superior investment returns and capital gains through early-stage investments in independent thinkers. In fact, they seek out arbitrage opportunities in undercapitalized markets.
While they invest globally, their primary focus is bridging the economic and technological gap between North America and South East Asia. Kanin added, “We are unrelenting investors, and the words “no” and “failure” do not exist in our vocabulary. We partner for the long haul with a select few exceptional founders who solve complex economic, logistic, scientific, and engineering problems and are aligned with our vision.”
While early-stage investing can be high risk, it offers high rewards. Rather than ‘spray-and-pray’, Kanin employs an intentional, quality-oriented approach in which accuracy trumps volume. “That’s how we de-risk the portfolio and generate alpha” Asva stated. And with his extensive operational background, Kanin is able to add tangible value for founders.
To date, Robust has backed two revolutionary companies: Offsight, a project management software company that maximizes productivity in modular construction, and Symbiome, a R&D focused microbiome-nourishing life sciences company in the skincare sector.
Although Robust is under a year old, Kanin Asva has already demonstrated his ability to identify high-growth companies, which puts him in the upper echelon of fund managers. He is also one of very few early stage venture capitalists in Southeast Asia to successfully raise a cross-border fund.
Investing for Humanity
Kanin has an unrelenting commitment to better humanity by championing paradigm-shifting technologies. “Capitalism for the sheer sake of self-enrichment has limited upside. However, when you invest in technologies that change scientific and economic outcomes, you can eliminate the denominator completely; the potential is infinite,” he added.
Kanin inspires emerging entrepreneurs and venture capitalists wishing to establish themselves. Click the below links to learn more:
Instagram: @GemKanin
Twitter: @GemKanin
Website: https://www.robust.vc/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasva/
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This content is brought to you by Jitender Jagga.
Photos provided by the author