Tokyo Startup Founder 101

• Jed Ng - Founder of AngelSchool. vc & Angel Investor - Jed is the Founder of AngelSchool. vc and a seasoned angel investor who achieved his first exit in 2018 and backed two seed-stage startups that became Unicorns ($1B+ valuation). He also built the world’s largest API Marketplace with an a16z-backed startup, giving him deep operator experience in platform, product, and GTM execution. He has organically grown his investor network to 1,500+ LPs, scaled his average check size by 10x, and now deploys up to $1M into a single startup.
  AngelSchool. vc combines an Angel Syndicate with an accelerator program for investors. Their global LP base of 1,500+ investors enables them to deploy $5M -$10 MN per year. Their accelerator program trains emerging venture investors- from first-time check writers to syndicate leads. Program fellows join their investment committee to get real deal experience and build their track record in real time.

❯ Moderator

• Erdinc Ekinci - Founder, Investment Lead of Co-capital. vc, Co-Founder, CEO of Openfor. co, Managing Director of Founder Institute Japan/Korea/Taiwan

❯ 📌 Who Should Attend

• LPs and aspiring angel investors who want to understand how to start angel investing and build a structured, scalable approach
• Startup founders who want to learn how to find, evaluate, and engage the right angel investors
• Operators and professionals exploring angel investing as part of their long-term investment strategy
• Ecosystem builders and community leaders who want a clear view of how modern angel investing works from both sides of the table

❯ 📌 What You Will Learn

• How angel investing works from first check to exit
• How top angels source deals, evaluate startups, and make investment decisions
• What angel investors actually look for before saying yes to a startup
• How syndicates work and how LPs and founders engage with them
• How to approach, position, and build conviction with angel investors

❯ About the Organizers:

• Founder Institute: Founder Institute, which originated in Silicon Valley, is a founder and idea stage accelerator, and with its Founder Capital, backs the best performing FI alumni as early as the angel stage. FI has over 8K+ startup portfolio (Including leading e-learning platform Udemy, IPO in Nasdaq $3,8B) across 200 cities in 100 countries around the world.) We are also the largest mentor network in the world, with over 35,000 mentors, and our alumni have already raised over $2 billion in US dollars and have recently exceeded the 10K mark of investors network as the FI-Venture-Network.
• FI’s sister program, called VC Lab, helps launch aspiring investors into launching VC firms. As an accelerator that allows both sides of the table, 70% of the activities we do are advocacy of entrepreneurship and ecosystem creation, which means we do way more activity than the accelerator to promote entrepreneurship to solve real-world problems with entrepreneurship in an economically feasible way, build a company that grows into a venture-scale.
• Openfor. co: A “Global Partnership Accelerator” originated in Silicon Valley that combined with an online platform and marketplace for learning, building, launching, monetizing, and growing partner ecosystems and a collaborative community around you for achieving effective marketing, sales, community building, GTM, fundraising, and many more.
• Co-Capital: Pre-seed & Seed stage new firm that focuses on hands-on GTM, sales, and partnership support, focusing on English-speaking Asian founders who have global ambitions from day ONE. Domiciled in the USA, with regional appearances in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Utilizes partnerships with the GTM expert network and the venture partner network across 20 major hubs and a network of 35 other VC networks who are willing to co-back our founders!

❯❯ This is a live, interactive online event, so be sure to RSVP at https://fi.co/e/385858/meetup to receive the Zoom URL to join us live!

Saudi Arabia is rapidly emerging as MENA's next startup hub, with local startups raising $860 million across 114 VC deals in the first half of 2025 alone. Key sectors like fintech, e‑commerce, AI, and logistics are leading this surge, fueled by Vision 2030 initiatives and mega-projects such as NEOM, Red Sea, and Qiddiya. This momentum highlights the Kingdom as a founder-friendly, high-growth market with opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to scale regionally and globally. At this session, Omar Munawar from SEEDRA Ventures will share how the firm backs founders with strategic capital, operational insight, and access to regional markets.

SEEDRA Ventures has made over 38 investments across the region, with typical funding checks ranging from $1–5 million, and their portfolio includes high-impact companies like Tamara, Lendo, Zid, Lucidya, and Noon Academy. Omar will discuss recent investment patterns, sector opportunities, and growth strategies for founders interested in tapping into the Saudi market.

This is your chance to cut through myths and see Saudi’s startup landscape as it really is: a thriving, globally connected ecosystem where bold founders can build market-leading businesses. Whether you are exploring expansion, fundraising, or launching a new venture, this session provides actionable insights and a roadmap to capitalize on Saudi Arabia’s booming startup ecosystem — with guidance from one of the region’s most influential investors, Omar Munawar of SEEDRA Ventures.

❯ Agenda:
- Welcome and Introduction
- Speaker Introduction
- Panel Discussion on Key Topics
- Audience Q&A

❯ Featured Speaker:

• Omar Munawar - A seasoned venture capitalist at SEEDRA Ventures, a Riyadh-based early-stage investment firm focused on backing bold founders across the Middle East. With a strong track record of over 38 investments in high-impact startups, Omar has helped companies like Tamara, Lendo, Zid, Lucidya, and Noon Academy scale from local innovators to market leaders.

❯ Moderator:

• Erdinc Ekinci - Founder, Investment Lead of Co-capital .vc, Co-Founder, CEO of Openfor .co, Managing Director of Founder Institute Japan/Korea/Taiwan

❯ 📌 Who Should Attend?

• Early-stage founders looking to scale their startups in Saudi Arabia and the MENA region.
• Entrepreneurs exploring new markets and global expansion opportunities.
• Investors and venture builders seeking insights into Saudi’s booming startup ecosystem.
• Startup enthusiasts and ecosystem stakeholders who want to understand funding trends, sector opportunities, and growth strategies.
• Anyone curious about MENA’s next startup hub and how to tap into high-growth opportunities with strategic guidance from SEEDRA Ventures.

❯❯ This is a live, interactive online event, so be sure to RSVP at https://fi.co/e/386233/meetup to receive the Zoom URL to join us live!

Did you know that you don't need to be naturally creative or wait for a sudden 'aha' moment to come up with a great startup idea? In fact, anyone can generate innovative business ideas by following a clear, structured process. In this live workshop, Jonathan Greechan (Co-Founder & CEO of Founder Institute) will reveal a proven framework for developing impactful startup ideas, based on his experience working with over 10,000 startups worldwide. Participants will also have the chance to present their ideas and network with other aspiring entrepreneurs in their industry.

❯ RSVP now at 👉 https://fi.co/startupwebinar/21574 to get your link and join us live!

❯ What You'll Learn:

• How to avoid common startup mistakes and learn how to refine your ideas.
• Proven strategies for generating successful startup concepts.
• Six actionable frameworks to help you develop your ideas.
• Networking and idea-sharing for valuable feedback and potential co-founder connections.

❯ Featured Speaker:

• Jonathan Greechan - Co-Founder & CEO of the Founder Institute - Jonathan Greechan is the Co-Founder & CEO of the Founder Institute, the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator. Since 2009, he has grown and scaled the organization to chapters in over 200 cities and over 100 countries, producing over 8100 portfolio companies with nearly $2B in venture funding. In his long career in tech and marketing, Jonathan has advised thousands of startups on marketing, growth, and product strategy and has spoken at startup conferences on four continents.

❯ Who Should Attend:

• Anyone who has an early-stage company or a startup idea.
• Anyone who would like feedback on their idea or pitch.
• Anyone that is interested in joining a new startup or looking for a co-founder.

❯❯ Don’t miss this live, interactive online event packed with valuable insights! RSVP now at 👉 https://fi.co/startupwebinar/21574 to get your link and join us live!