UVC: Peng T. Ong from Monk’s Hill Ventures on first principles thinking, importance of board of directors, what it takes to raise a series A round, and why being an entrepreneur is the best decision he has ever made
Understanding VC is a deep dive on how Venture Capitalists work. In this episode, I talk to Peng T. Ong, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Monk’s Hill Ventures on first principles thinking, what it takes to raises a Series A round, the importance of the board of directors, questions founders should ask VCs while pitching to them, how Monk’s Hill Ventures support their portfolio companies, and strategies startups use while expanding their business to different countries in Southeast Asia. He also shares why being an entrepreneur is the best decision that he has made, and why AI and bioengineering are the most important technologies for the future of mankind.
Peng is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Monk’s Hill Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in early-stage tech companies, primarily Series A, in Southeast Asia. Peng is an industry veteran with over 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur, founder, and investor in Silicon Valley and in Asia. He is based in Indonesia and is a board member of Glints, ELSA, Finaxar, and Intelligent Video Solutions.
Prior to Monk’s Hill Ventures, he was a Venture Partner at GSR Ventures in China. The firm is known for its successful investments in companies like Didi Chuxing and Qunar. As an entrepreneur, he co-founded a series of successful companies including Electric Classifieds (today known as Match.com), Interwoven and Encentuate, which combined today generate over USD$1 billion in revenues annually.
Peng is currently the Chairman of SolveEducation! and serves as a board member of the International Advisory Board for the University of Texas at Austin and SEA Founders.
Peng earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas and an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois.
Key Takeaways
- Why the best investment Peng has made is being an entrepreneur and how that helped him as an investor
- What is first principles thinking and how founders must use the framework while building startups
- What questions should you as a founder ask a VC while pitching to them
- What stage a startup must be in terms of product, distribution, and team to successfully raise a Series A round
- How Monk’s Hill Ventures support their portfolio companies in scaling their businesses
- Importance of Board of directors in the success of a startup
- Strategies startups use while expanding their business to different countries in Southeast Asia
- Why artificial intelligence and bioengineering are the most important technologies for the future of mankind
Peng T. Ong
Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Monk’s Hill Ventures
Peng is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Monk’s Hill Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in early-stage tech companies, primarily Series A, in Southeast Asia. Peng is an industry veteran with over 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur, founder, and investor in Silicon Valley and in Asia. He is based in Indonesia and is a board member of Glints, ELSA, Finaxar, and Intelligent Video Solutions.
Prior to Monk’s Hill Ventures, he was a Venture Partner at GSR Ventures in China. The firm is known for its successful investments in companies like Didi Chuxing and Qunar. As an entrepreneur, he co-founded a series of successful companies including Electric Classifieds (today known as Match.com), Interwoven and Encentuate, which combined today generate over USD$1 billion in revenues annually.
Peng is currently the Chairman of SolveEducation! and serves as a board member of the International Advisory Board for the University of Texas at Austin and SEA Founders.
Peng earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas and an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois.
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