With ORIGIN by TechNode’s launch at SWITCH 2018 quickly approaching, we would like to announce three more invigorating panels and fireside chats and introduce the VC Meetup portion of this event. We would also like to remind everyone that by purchasing the ORIGIN by TechNode Pass, you will be granted access to ALL conference tracks and exhibitions happening at SWITCH 2018. This is the final call to get it for the price of S$99 instead of S$450 when you buy through TechNode (offer ends September 16)!

Here are the panels, speakers, and participating VCs:

Transforming urban mobility

At SWITCH 2018, we will be examining the opportunities and challenges for electric vehicles in Asia. Back in April, global automobile manufacturer Ford revealed its plans for electric vehicles, particularly its special focus in China. Why China? China’s electric vehicle market grew rapidly over the past decade, making it now the world’s largest market for electric vehicles. Characterized by growing population and increasing urbanization and urban density, Southeast Asian countries are also seeing greater demand for electric vehicle development as a result of growing mobility needs and issues. The opportunities are there, but so are the challenges. As the market evolves, the Chinese government is said to raise barriers for new-energy vehicle (NEV) makers to access subsidies, which would in turn raise the price of the already high-cost NEVs. Competition is also growing, though many might reason that competition could be both good and bad. We invited Justin Sim, Co-founder of QIQ, and Maneesh Tripathi, Executive Director and Group CEO of Sevak Limited, to dive deeper into the opportunities and challenges companies are facing in the electric vehicle sector.

About the speakers

Justin Sim

Co-founder, QIQ

For more than 20 years, Justin owned and built a highly successful precision engineering firm providing strategic and operational solutions for multi-nationals in Southeast Asia. He has led design planning and project management of a wide variety of endeavors for clients in the Oil & Gas industries through to the Defense industry.  His experiences include steel, aluminum, ceramic and many other state-of-the-art fabrication including carbon fiber and 3-D printing. With a strong interest in green technology, he conceptualized and designed a flue gas CO2 digesting system for Sembcorp Power Generation Company using Advance High Yield Farming techniques. He further pioneered a new Thermal Energy Storage System that achieved 30% improvement to overall power consumption. He joined QIQ as a technology founder and chief designer for the rapid charging electric bicycle before handing the product over to Witono. Today, he manages the development of Autonomous Shuttle and advanced logistic delivery robotic solutions for indoor and outdoor use. This includes managing a team of highly dedicated innovators and engineers to create multiple verticals and products in the space of green autonomous mobility.

Maneesh Tripathi

Executive Director & Group CEO, Sevak Limited

Maneesh Tripathi is a Global citizen who has worked in 10 countries including United States of America, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Singapore, Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and India, in various Multinational firms. He is now running a $500 million+ listed company in Singapore and worked with MNCs like IBM and Philips. Maneesh has 28 years of work experience in Information Technology (various sectors), Telecom, Retail, and Manufacturing and Mobile industry. Tripathi was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Sevak Limited (formerly known as S i2i Ltd) in March 2010. Later, after the acquisition of the Affinity and the Selular Group in Indonesia he was appointed as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Affinity Group and Selular Group Indonesia in May 2011, within the same group Sevak Limited. Tripathi has played a key role in the integration, transition and growth plans of Affinity Group and Selular Group – (part of SGX Listed Sevak Limited), having business in Mobile Devices, VAS and Telecom operator calling card and VoIP business in Indonesia.

The game changer

We will also be exploring whether or not the QR code is the best payment system for Southeast Asia. With the ubiquity of QR codes in neighboring China, and with China’s large economic interest in the region, it’s no surprise that Southeast Asia may be next to adopt the mobile payment system. The payment method’s quick rise to popularity in China could be attributed to its cheaper and more convenient form compared to traditional systems. Now, it is gaining popularity in Southeast Asia for the same reasons, in addition to the fact that it does not require an internet connection, which is valuable to those countries in the region that lack sufficient internet speeds. Jocelyn Ang, COO of NETS, will be joining us at SWITCH 2018 to consider whether the QR code could help developing countries leapfrog the credit card system and what regulatory frameworks would be necessary for its large-scale implementation.

About the speakers

Jocelyn Ang

COO, NETS

As COO, Jocelyn is responsible for NETS’ day-to-day operations, implementing the company’s strategic direction and driving the growth of its debit and internet payments businesses. In her tenure with NETS, she has held various senior management positions including Managing Director, General Manager (Operations), General Manager (Cards & Processing Business) and General Manager (Business Development & Strategic Planning). Jocelyn has more than 20 years of experience in the payments and electronic commerce industry, having previously worked at Singapore Network Services and the National Computer Board. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science from the National University of Singapore, a Graduate Diploma in Marketing from Singapore Institute of Management and an MBA from the University of Durham, UK.

Jeremy Tan

CEO, Liquid Pay

Jeremy Tan, CEO of Liquid Pay, is a well-known serial entrepreneur, thought leader, and sought-after keynote speaker in the payments industry. At Liquid Pay, Jeremy’s vision is to develop a hyper-personalized consumer experience and payment platform that enables partners to build dynamic and valuable relationships with their customers. Jeremy is also the founder and Chairman of Korvac Holdings, an investment holding and payments specialist company. Under Jeremy’s leadership, Korvac launched, co-invested, built and divested multiple technology companies over the past decade. Most recently, Korvac divested three companies to Wirecard Group, based in Germany. Jeremy serves as a board member of multiple organizations, including all the Korvac Group companies and Infocomm Investments Pte Ltd. He is also the exco member of the SGTech, Fintech Alliance and Smart Nation Committee. Previously, he served on the Board of the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (now Info-communications Media Development Authority). Jeremy holds a Master of Science (Comparative Politics) from the London School of Economics and a Bachelor of Engineering from King’s College London.

Connecting the unconnected

Free worldwide internet access: a possible highly debated topic we would like to bring forward at SWITCH 2018. This sounds like a solution for developing countries that do not have access to a fast and free internet, but a nightmare for internet service providers (ISP). According to a 2011 report, the global ISP industry’s total revenue was $196 billion. This means that free worldwide internet would strip a billion-dollar industry of profits. Some might argue that free internet access promotes productivity, that it is useful during emergencies, and that it is necessary in a world increasingly ruled by technology. Others might argue that free internet access will cause slower network speeds due to user overload and that it may lead to lower security and a higher risk of hacking. So, is free internet connectivity worth it? Samuel Li, Chief Investment Officer of LinkSure Network, will be comparing the pros and cons of having free internet access worldwide at SWITCH 2018.

About the speaker

Samuel Li

Chief Investment Officer, LinkSure Network

Samuel Li is the Chief Investment Officer and Executive Management Team (EMT) member of LinkSure Network. As Chief Investment Officer, Samuel oversees investment and M&A activities at LinkSure Network. Samuel has over 18 years of experience in investment banking and principal investment practices across Asia. Prior to LinkSure Network, Samuel was a partner at Shanda Capital and CFO of eHi Car Service (Ticker: EHIC). Samuel holds a bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and a master’s degree in Business Administration from China Europe International Business School (CEIBS).

VC Meetup

ORIGIN by TechNode at SWITCH 2018 will be rolling out three hours of VC speed networking Day Two of the event (September 18). This is a chance for VCs and startups to connect and for startups to pitch their ideas to 20 established VCs for funding and partnership.

To facilitate higher quality connections, VC Meetup will be composed of three breakout sessions, each with different industry focuses.

Breakout Session 1 includes: B2B/Enterprise, B2C, Sharing Economy, LegalTech, SaaS, TravelTech, Supply Chain/Logistics, E-commerce, FashionTech, Entertainment, HRTech, FoodTech, and Social Enterprise.

Breakout Session 2 includes: AgriTech, Energy/CleanTech, FinTech, InsurTech, IoT/Hardware, VR/AR, Robotics, Gaming, Cybersecurity, Smart Cities, and Cloud Computing.

Breakout Session 3 includes: Blockchain, ICO/Cryptos, AI/Machine Learning, MedTech, BioTech, SpaceTech, and Autonomous Vehicle.

Participating VCs include: Decacorn Capital, Found Ventures, Gobi Partners, GRAB, Ventures, InnoVen Capital, Mettle & Salt Partners, Monk’s Hill, Northridge Partners, Openspace Ventures, Plug & Play Tech Centre, Quest Ventures, SGInnovate, Spaze, Ventures, SPH Ventures, Teja Ventures, The Finlab, TNB Ventures, TRIVE Ventures, and Vertex Ventures.

We encourage all startups to take part in this opportunity! To participate, purchase a conference pass (78% off for startups – use code “TNVIP”) and pre-register your interest with us here.