Watch this panel discussion on SE Asia’s ‘super angel’ investors

With founders of mature startups doubling up as angel investors, Southeast Asia is likely to produce more ‘super angels’ over the next two to three years.

“We’ve seen some that are turning into super angels. The signs are pointing towards that as the ecosystem is maturing,” said Edward Tirtanata, CEO and co-founder of Kopi Kenangan, Indonesia’s largest venture-backed F&B chain.

Tirtanata, who set up an angel investment vehicle Kenangan Fund in May 2020 to make bets on early-stage startups in Indonesia, was speaking at DealStreetAsia’s recent Asia PE-VC Summit 2021, at a session titled New angel tribe: Rise of the founder-investor on Sept. 30.

Co-panelist Darius Cheung, founder and CEO of Singapore digital property firm 99.co, said it will take just two to three years for the region to see a super angel. Cheung has made over 10 investments and scored three exits as an angel investor.

Also in the panel was Weihan Liew, a venture partner at GGV Capital, who said angel investors need to maintain full transparency when they make investments that could potentially result in a conflict of interest.

Watch the video of their chat, which was moderated by Rajive Keshup, Director, Cathay Innovation.