AC Ventures partners CTO-as-a-service firm 8020cto to boost Southeast Asian tech teams

8020cto, a CTO-as-a-service company, has partnered with Southeast Asian venture capital firm AC Ventures by committing to provide engineering leadership solutions for the firm’s portfolio companies.

8020cto said in a statement its team includes software engineering executives from the global head offices of top software companies such as Uber, Apple, Yahoo, Coinbase, Instagram, Ava Labs (Avalanche blockchain), and others.

“Many new founders face technical challenges. They may not know how to navigate or what to look out for. This is where a strong technical leader can bring immense value,” said Jeffrey Scholz, Founder of 8020cto. 

According to him, software engineering leadership is difficult because it demands the individual to be an exceptional technologist, have a strong business sense, and possess excellent leadership ability.

“Top engineering leaders out of Silicon Valley have the privilege of learning this complex blend of rare skills from top institutions and businesses,” he added.

Meanwhile, 8020cto Advisor Lucas Ou-Yang said :” We believe we can bootstrap the talent shortage that software-based startups face. Infusing startups with institutional knowledge of engineering talent development and software best practices, will create positive externalities for the whole ecosystem.”

8020cto guides founders on coordinating technical and business strategies and coaches CTOs and senior engineers on how to run high-performing engineering teams.

Where appropriate, 8020cto directly solves intricate technical problems such as scalable architecture, machine learning, cybersecurity, recommender systems, and blockchain.

“We are glad to have 8020cto as our partner on this initiative. The team brings unique know-how, market insights, and great playbooks to the table that will help our portfolio companies operate with the best technical talent possible,” said Adrian Li, Founder and Managing Partner at AC Ventures.

“We look forward to having Lucas, Jeffrey, and the team deliver wonderful technical value to the companies we back, and hopefully give them a leg up in the market,” he added.

AC Ventures is a leading Southeast Asian venture capital firm investing in early-stage startups focused on Indonesia and ASEAN. The firm’s mission is to partner with and empower entrepreneurs with more than capital.

The firm combines operational experience, industry knowledge, deep local networks, and resources to create value for startups. Its vision is to be a generational partner to founders driving positive societal change and economic impact in Indonesia and beyond.  

AC Ventures currently has over $500 million in assets under management, invested across five funds. Since 2012, the firm’s partners have invested in more than 100 technology companies in the region, including some of the most iconic names in the ASEAN digital ecosystem.

Its Partners Adrian Li, Michael Soerijadji, Helen Wong, and Pandu Sjahrir lead a team of over 35 professionals with offices in Jakarta and Singapore.

AC Ventures raises over $205M for oversubscribed Fund III to invest in Indonesia’s next generation of technology leaders