Dr. Clarence Tan to give Keynote Address at ABAF 2017

Dr. Clarence Tan
Dr. Clarence Tan, former Ambassador of Singularity University

ABAF also features prominent speakers from USA, UK, Israel, Australia, Hong Kong, China, India and Singapore

Dr. Clarence Tan, a former Ambassador for Singularity University, is giving the Keynote Address at the Asian Business Angel Forum (ABAF) 2017, to be held in Sri Lanka for the first time on October 11, 2017. Founded by Dr Peter Diamandis and Dr Ray Kurzweil, Singularity University is an academic institution that seeks to harness some of the world’s sharpest minds.

Dr. Tan will speak on the topic of “Exponential Technology Reshaping Future Start-ups”.

Full list of ABAF 2017 speakers:

  • Dr. Clarence Tan, a former Ambassador of Singularity University (Australia)
  • Dr. Yehoshua (Shuki) Gleitman, Chairman of GIBF (Guangzhuo Israel Biotech Fund)
  • Dr. Samson Tam, Chairman of the Hong Kong Business Angel Network (HKBAN)
  • Dr. Mark Hon, Chairman of Business Angel Network South East Asia (BANSEA)
  • Rajan Anandan, VP for SEA & India at Google
  • Pankaj Jain, Member of the Investment Committee at Wadi Accelerator (USA)
  • David Chen, Co-founder of AngelVest / Founding Chairman of Harvard Business School Alumni Angels of China
  • Brigitte Baumann Gervais, Founder and CEO of Go Beyond Early Stage Investing (UK)
  • Jordan Green, Chairman of ABAF/Melbourne Angels
  • Padmaja Ruparel, President of the Indian Angel Network (IAN)
  • Sanchayan Chakraborty, Partner at Aavishkaar (India)
  • Jayesh Parekh, Managing Partner at Jungle Ventures (Singapore)

ABAF is Asia’s largest annual start-up investor forum, attracting premier Business Angels, Venture Capitalist, Entrepreneurs, Policy Makers, Government Officials and other like-minded High Net-worth Individuals (HNIs) to one central networking platform. The forum has been held successfully across Asia ever since its inaugural event in Singapore in 2010. Venture Engine’s 2017 finale also plays an important role at ABAF’s program, taking up one full day of the proceedings.

Past ABAF conferences have typically welcomed 250 prominent business personalities, including as many as 50 investors, from the Asian region as well as Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

“There will be over 25 start-ups from Venture Engine showcased for ABAF 2017 delegates. Interestingly, this year’s Venture Engine applications consisted mostly of post revenue companies where some were at the Seed Investment stage, while others were looking to secure Series A funding, a key indicator of the increasing sophistication of our market,” noted a Founder Member of the Lankan Angel Network, the host organization for ABAF 2017.

ABAF 2017 will also comprises sessions on “Facilitating Cross Border Investments between Angel Networks”, “Global and Regional Start-up Trends”, “Driving Exits” and “Impact Funding”. An in-depth agenda, and other details, is accessible via www.lankanangelnetwork.com/ABAFColombo.

“ABAF 2017 will display a start up corner where past participants of Venture Engine programs will be showcased. In addition we are giving an opportunity to a limited number of start-ups wishing to showcase their products or services to over 200 local and overseas delegates. If interested, email us at info@lankanangelnetwork.com on or before the 15th of September 2017,” the Founder Member added.

Kicking off on October 11, at the Cinnamon Lakeside hotel, ABAF follows the sixth edition of Venture Engine, the country’s trailblazing program for entrepreneurship acceleration and empowerment, which will be held the previous day. Venture Engine participants, both past and present, will also benefit from the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to directly access, via ABAF, investments, expertise, and mentoring offered by well-respected individuals in the field of global finance. Emphasizing ABAF’s 2017 theme of “Crafting the Future”, the conference offers valuable analysis of what is trending in the regional and global start-up scenes. It also provides extensive technical training and panel discussions offering insights in many vital areas.

A strategic partner for this year’s Venture Engine, the Lankan Angel Network is the host of ABAF 2017. The Lankan Angel Network is Sri Lanka’s pioneering Business Angel Network with over 75 member investors who have collectively invested over Rs. 2 billion in 25 local start-ups, while Venture Engine is a product of a 2012 collaboration between BOVCapital and the Indian Angel Network. For 2017, venture capital firm Aavishkaar serves as Venture Engine’s Platinum Sponsor, while Orion City is the Silver Sponsor and Dialog Axiata is the Official Telecommunications Sponsor. Visit www.ventureengine.lk for more details.




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