Christopher Quek is Managing Partner of TRIVE, a venture capital and advisory firm that works closely with SEA family businesses and family offices in alternative investments and transformation.

TRIVE focuses on early stage investments from Pre-A. It takes lead investor positions. Prominent investments include TADA Mobility, Charge+, Tokenize Xchange, Coderschool and Agrifreeze.

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👋🏼  How would you explain your job to someone outside tech?

Poorly paid fund manager, enslaved by my portco founders to work for them and awaiting for those huge exits to retire.

Kidding! I am a VC who pools investment money from Limited Partners (or investors) and deploy the capital into startup investments. I value-add to the portcos with 24 years as a serial entrepreneur and trained in finance. And after a period of time, I sell these investments at a higher value.

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🧐  What's something about you or your job that would surprise us?

We take 6 months to 3 years to know a company before investing into any company. I mentor over 100 startup founders and provide advisory, emotional and mental support. A few of my driven and successful mentees are on track to be invested by TRIVE. ‍

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🏆  What has been the biggest highlight of your career so far?

Building TRIVE as a platform to connect next generation business owners across SEA as LPs of TRIVE. They become clients to our portcos and implement new technologies in their companies to transform. TRIVE now have a network of over 300 next generation family business owners across SEA who aid us in our portco development.

Background - 92% of all businesses in SEA are family run. By building an ecosystem of LPs who are business owners, they become our champions to our portcos who need help expanding in SEA.

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🔍  What's a startup trend or space you're watching this year?

Mobility and Food supply chain - most of our top performing portcos are in there.

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💼  What advice would you give someone starting out in your industry?

It is a marathon, not a sprint. Constantly keep learning both entrepreneurship and financial knowledge to get an edge as a VC. Always give back and treat founders with respect.

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🗣  What's one thing you can keep talking about for hours?

Sparring ideas with my mentees/portco founders on how to grow their business to the next level.

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🎥  What's your favorite movie/TV show?

Friends, Battlestar Galactica (it reveals my age)

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🍨  What's your go-to ice cream flavor?

Favorite flavor? Lychee Martini from The Daily Scoop. They’re a Singaporean brand, I love the flavors, and it’s easy to eat because I am lactose intolerant and the way they make it is easy on the stomach.