Break Down the Path to Sustainable Success
As a first-time visitor to Silicon Valley, Eddie Yu, founder of OKOsix navigated the unknown in tandem with his fellow founders, shared a flat, forged lasting bonds, and emerged from his cocoon of uncertainty with newfound confidence endowed by the Global Booster, a six-month programme organised by HKSTP, partnering with global innovation platform Plug and Play, a move to assert growth ambitions of the I&T ecosystem, provides comprehensive training and fundraising support tailored to business development needs for each startup.
“Together, we practiced and refined our presentation until it was pitch-perfect,” he recalled. Not only did he willed interests from 80 potential investors for its specialty in compostable solutions, some of them flew in Hong Kong for due diligence and see if there are even more potential for the biodegradable materials applied beyond the use in disposable medical, hygiene, and personal care products.
The unforgettable experience dubbed “once in a lifetime” by Eddie himself, offering invaluable insights that significantly changed OKOsix’s trajectory, refining plans to scale manufacturing, and adapting to global demand – this realignment allowed him to adjust fundraising strategies to prioritize growth stages. Eddie also expressed gratitude for the time spent with four other startup founders. “Their businesses are much more mature than mine,” he said, “and became a kind of guidance and inspiration for me.” The sentiment extends to the local community in more ways than one, ultimately leading to the recruitment of their new Chief Innovation Officer with a doctorate in chemistry at Stanford University, and financial advisors each chiming in respective expertise.
Said with amusement, “I still remember the looks on other countries’ startup representatives when they learned about our programme, astounded and envious in equal measure!”
Even the Intangible Gains are Off the Charts
GoGoChart serves a diverse range of enterprise customers across various industries, notably mobile gaming and finance, with an impressive portfolio boasting over 2,000 clients, GoGoChart has distinguished itself as a pioneering provider of strategies and solutions in digital marketing.
The app had its visibility optimized and conversions driven by strong online presence, tinkering with strategic boosts, algorithms for ranking, ratings, keywords, and store listings, the list goes on. Though, competition in the field remains tough nonetheless, the solution carried spotlight as a rising star in startup awards from both Deloitte and Financial Times. Given its track record, participating in the programme was a logical step for GoGoChart, empowering them to expand into the US market.
While this visit was not his first, Daniel Lo, CEO of GoGoChart found an even deeper connection with the business culture and community this time. Described as one of those awakening moments, he delved deeply into engaging with locals, and gaining a profound understanding of how the ecosystem operates.
Lo recounted: “Each day began with an early morning start, Plug and Play curated a packed schedule of sessions with mentors and investors, so we get to make the most of our time together. Dinners often featured engaging conversations with individuals from various professional backgrounds. As night fell on the West Coast, a new day began in Hong Kong; we founders worked late into the morning to stay on the line with our teams.”
He further explained that weekends often presented with unique opportunities for their professional networks to flourish. “We’d invite our new connections back to our place for a bite and get-togethers, strengthening trusts and bonds.” he said.
Despite setbacks and rejections, the networking effort ultimately paid off handsomely when Lightspeed Venture Partners, a prominent multi-stage venture capital firm, invited GoGoChart to conduct a health check on the digital marketing strategies of their portfolio companies, and from there, GoGoChart has demonstrated remarkable growth at a compound rate.
“I had the privilege of braving the unknown alongside my fellow founders in Silicon Valley,” Lo still recalled with excitement. “One particularly memorable moment was when we boldly decided to cold-pitch venture capitalists at a café in Menlo Park – a hub for these investors to congregate and share their insights.”
“Perhaps the least tangible – yet most rewarding thing – was the opportunity to surround myself with the world’s brightest minds, which only served to make me humbler and more cognizant of the importance of hard work, perseverance, and a commitment to lifelong learning.” he reflected.
The Global Booster Programme has been hailed as a transformative experience to empower startups in breaking new grounds while fostering their founders’ personal growth, as an epitome of values HKSTP holds at heart, the “booster bunch” for the second cohort is now ready to fly from the city to markets around the world, entrepreneurship will no longer perceived as a solo journey, but an exploration odyssey.
Original article: Tech Crunch on 15-4-2025