Founders Circle Progress · Activation Gate
VC outreach activates the moment this hits $25,000
$12,500
raised of
$25,000
$12,500 to go · Next signed SAFE closes the gap by $X · Next ref: SKO-FC-006
Phase 1 · Now → FC hits $25K
Relationship-building only. No pitch, no deck, no ask.
Follow, engage with content, find warm intro paths, attend events. The goal is that when you send the first message at activation, it is never cold.
⬛ Tier 1 — SEA focus, right stage, highest priority
Activate first. Geographic and thesis alignment strongest. Vinnie Lauria is physically in HCMC.
VL
Vinnie Lauria
Founding Partner · Golden Gate Ventures
🏙️ Based in Ho Chi Minh City — same city as SariKo Node 1
LinkedIn
Twitter/X @vinnielau
Events
HIGHEST PRIORITY
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LI Follow on LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/vincentlauria · Vinnie is very active — posts about SEA ecosystem, HCMC startups, and founder advice
X Follow on Twitter/X
@vinnielau · Engage on his posts about SEA startups and HCMC ecosystem before sending LinkedIn connect
LI Comment on 3 posts (spread over 2 weeks)
Thoughtful comments on his SEA ecosystem posts — not "great post!" but a specific add. Establish your presence before the connect request.
EVENT Identify a HCMC startup event where Vinnie speaks or attends
GGV has a HCMC office. Watch for Tech in Asia, Echelon, or local SEA startup events in HCMC. Being in the same room removes all cold friction.
LI Send connect request (with note — pre-activation only)
"Vinnie — Filipino founder in HCMC building the commerce layer for the Filipino diaspora community here. You're one of the few VCs who actually operates from this city. Would love to be connected." No pitch. No ask. Just context.
LI Warm path identified
GGV portfolio companies in HCMC — ask your existing network if anyone knows Vinnie or has pitched GGV. A founder intro from a portfolio company is 10x more effective than a cold connect.
Why this person
GGV opened offices in Hanoi and HCMC in 2022. Vinnie is physically based here. Backed Carousell (SEA community marketplace). Invests in social commerce and marketplaces at early stage. He is the geographic and thesis overlap at its peak.
First message when FC hits $25K
"Vinnie — SariKo just crossed 38 community sellers here in HCMC at zero paid CAC. We built the commerce layer for Filipino diaspora — verified storefronts, VNPay, Lalamove — and the community distributed it for us. One church announcement, 300 buyers. Golden Gate's portfolio includes Carousell. We're adding what Carousell never had. Would love 20 minutes."
JP
Jeffrey Paine
Founding Partner · Golden Gate Ventures
Golden Gate Ventures · Singapore / HCMC
LinkedIn
Reach after Vinnie
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LI Follow on LinkedIn
LI Comment on 2 posts
Engage on Jeffrey's posts about SEA marketplace investing or portfolio companies before connecting.
LI Connect with note
Connect after Vinnie is warm — ideally Vinnie makes the intro.
LI Warm path — via Vinnie
If Vinnie warms to SariKo, ask him to introduce Jeffrey rather than doing a cold connect.
Why this person
Co-founder of GGV alongside Vinnie. Same portfolio, same thesis on SEA marketplaces. Approach only after Vinnie is warm — two partners at the same firm is a firm-level conversation, which is where you want to be.
CC
Chi-Hua Chien
Co-Founder, Managing Partner · Goodwater Capital
Goodwater Capital · Backed Weee! (SariKo's closest analog)
LinkedIn
Backed Weee!
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LI Follow on LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/chihuachien · Former Kleiner Perkins partner, invested in Facebook, Twitter early.
LI Comment on posts about ethnic commerce or consumer tech
Goodwater publishes consumer tech research. Engage with their content, especially anything touching SEA or ethnic/cultural consumer markets.
EVENT Find a Goodwater Genesis program entry point
Goodwater runs the Genesis seed program (700+ startups across 60 countries). Applying to Genesis is a legitimate warm path to Chi-Hua and Eric before the main raise.
LI Connect with note referencing Weee!
"Chi-Hua — you backed Weee! from early stage. We are building the same ethnic community commerce thesis in Southeast Asia — local, city by city, diaspora-specific. Node 1 is live in HCMC with 38 sellers at $0 CAC."
LI Warm path via Goodwater portfolio
Goodwater has invested in 56 SEA companies. Check if anyone in your Antler / Nexea / FI Vietnam alumni network knows a Goodwater portfolio founder who can make an intro.
Why this person
Chi-Hua backed Weee! — the $4.1B ethnic grocery platform that is SariKo's closest global analog. Goodwater is a consumer tech fund with deep SEA investment history (56 SEA companies). The thesis is directly translatable.
First message when FC hits $25K
"Chi-Hua — Weee! validated ethnic community commerce at $4.1B in the US. SariKo is building the same thesis in SEA, locally, city by city. Node 1 is live in HCMC. 38 sellers, $0 CAC, community-distributed. Would love 20 minutes on what you learned from Weee!'s early days."
EK
Eric Kim
Co-Founder, Managing Partner · Goodwater Capital
Goodwater Capital · Backed Weee! + Coupang
LinkedIn
Backed Coupang (Seoul relevance)
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LI Follow on LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/erickim37 · Active poster on consumer tech and SEA investing
LI Engage with 2 posts — SEA consumer or Korea/Coupang content
Eric posts about SEA consumer tech and Korea. The Coupang/Korea angle is relevant to QueToi (Node 2 in Seoul).
LI Connect — via Chi-Hua or direct
Reach Chi-Hua first. If Chi-Hua responds positively, ask him to loop Eric in. Goodwater is a two-partner firm — you want both.
LI Goodwater Genesis program application
Applying gets SariKo into their 700-company data set. Email: info@goodwatercap.com. Reference Weee! investment thesis in the application.
PS
Paul Santos
Co-Founder, Managing Partner · Wavemaker Partners
Wavemaker Partners · EXISTING WARM CONTACT
LinkedIn
WARM — EXISTING CONTACT
⚠️ B2B angle only
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LI Engage with Paul's current posts — B2B/enterprise topics
linkedin.com/in/b-paul-santos-b18a052 · Wavemaker posts about enterprise and deep tech SEA. Comment on posts about B2B marketplace models or infrastructure.
LI Share SariKo product update via LinkedIn (public post)
Post a builder update about the City License model or the QueToi Seoul node. Tag relevant topics. Paul follows the SEA founder community closely — organic discovery is valuable.
EMAIL Send a brief update when FC hits $25K — B2B framing only
ALWAYS pitch Wavemaker as: "City License operators pay $25K to run a node. Pangea is the B2B infrastructure. SariKo is Node 1." Never as a consumer marketplace. Standing rule — do not deviate.
EVENT Track Wavemaker events in Singapore or Manila
Wavemaker runs portfolio events in Singapore. Given Paul's Philippines background, Manila appearances are common. Being there in person is the warmest possible intro.
Why this person
Paul Santos is a co-founder of six companies who sold three before starting Wavemaker. He understands operator-founders. The City License model (operators pay $25K for corridor rights) is Wavemaker's language. Enterprise infrastructure. Revenue on day one of each node launch.
⚠️ ALWAYS use B2B angle with Wavemaker
"Paul — City License operators pay $25K for exclusive corridor rights and run their own community node. Pangea is the B2B infrastructure layer underneath. SariKo (Node 1, HCMC) is live with 38 sellers at $0 CAC. Every node added earns us capital rather than spending it."
YT
Yinglan Tan
Founding Managing Partner · Insignia Ventures Partners
Insignia Ventures Partners · $516M Fund III · Singapore
LinkedIn
Twitter/X @yinglantan
Cold — needs warm path
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LI Follow + follow Insignia Ventures page
linkedin.com/in/yinglantan · Also follow Insignia Ventures Partners page
LI Read "Backing the Bold" — Insignia Ventures Academy book
Yinglan's 3D framework is Drive, Differentiation, Dynamics. Reference these explicitly in your eventual first message. Shows you understand his evaluation framework, not just that you Googled him.
LI Comment on 3 Insignia Ventures posts over 3 weeks
Insignia publishes Southeast Asia commerce and fintech content regularly. Add value, not flattery. Specific market insights from your HCMC ground-level view are gold here.
EVENT Apply to Insignia Ventures Academy VC Acceleration Program
IVA runs cohorts for founders wanting VC exposure. Contact Program Lead Jiaway Koh at insignia.vc · This gets you into Yinglan's orbit before the fundraise.
LI Connect with note referencing Drive, Differentiation, Dynamics
After 3+ weeks of engagement: "Yinglan — SariKo is the first structured marketplace for Filipino diaspora commerce in HCMC. Drive: live with 38 sellers, $0 CAC. Differentiation: cultural trust moat no generic platform can replicate. Dynamics: City License model compounds as nodes scale."
Why this person
Yinglan was Sequoia Capital's first SEA hire before founding Insignia. He backs founders building in-market, not from abroad. Living and building inside HCMC is a rare qualifier. He makes only 8 investments per year — selectivity means your approach needs to be exceptionally precise.
KN
Khailee Ng
Managing Partner · 500 Global / 500 SEA
500 Global · Backed Carousell via 500 TukTuks · SEA pioneer
LinkedIn
Twitter/X @khailee
SEA ecosystem connector
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LI Follow on LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/khailee · Also follow 500 Global LinkedIn
X Follow @khailee · Engage on SEA ecosystem posts
Khailee is vocal on Twitter/X about SEA startups and community-driven commerce. His Carousell conviction is publicly documented. Engage there before LinkedIn.
EVENT Apply to 500 Global / 500 SEA programs
500 SEA III is a $143M fund. 500 runs accelerator programs across SEA. A 500 program application is a legitimate warm path to Khailee's network even if not selected.
LI Connect with note referencing Carousell
"Khailee — you backed Carousell before anyone saw the SEA community marketplace thesis. SariKo is adding the cultural identity layer Carousell never had. Node 1 live in HCMC. 38 sellers, $0 CAC."
⬛ Tier 2 — Global funds, strong category match
US-based. Warm-up through content, Twitter/X, and portfolio founder intros. Activate after Tier 1 at FC threshold.
AC
Andrew Chen
General Partner · Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)
a16z · Led Snackpass Series A · Author "The Cold Start Problem"
LinkedIn
Twitter/X @andrewchen
Blog: andrewchen.com
Cold Start thesis = SariKo playbook
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X Follow @andrewchen · Read his last 20 posts
Andrew is extremely active on Twitter/X. His Cold Start Problem framework maps directly to SariKo's church-activation playbook. Read the book or at minimum the blog before engaging. andrewchen.com
X Reply to 2-3 of his posts with a specific insight from HCMC
Andrew responds to founders with real data from real markets. Tweet something like: "We solved the cold start problem in a Filipino diaspora community in Ho Chi Minh City: one church announcement, 300 ready buyers, $0 CAC. Your framework from The Cold Start Problem — the 'atomic network' was the church, not an algorithm."
LI Follow on LinkedIn
WARM PATH Snackpass founder intro
Kevin Tan or Jamie Marshall (Snackpass co-founders) are Andrew's portfolio companies. Any Snackpass connection in your network is a warm intro to Andrew Chen. Check your Yale/Stanford alumni networks (Snackpass started at Yale).
LI Connect after Twitter/X engagement
Only connect on LinkedIn after at least 2 Twitter/X interactions have landed. His Twitter is his real channel — LinkedIn connect without Twitter warmup is cold.
Why this person
Andrew Chen wrote The Cold Start Problem. SariKo's church-activation playbook is a live case study of his framework: one trusted gatekeeper, one physical touchpoint, zero algorithmic dependency. His thesis was built for this story.
First message when FC hits $25K
"Andrew — we used the atomic network from your Cold Start framework to launch SariKo in a Filipino diaspora community in Ho Chi Minh City. One church, one Sunday, 300 ready buyers. 38 sellers onboarded at $0 CAC. We've built the same zero-CAC community-to-commerce engine across a culture Snackpass never reached. Happy to share the numbers."
ST
Sarah Tavel
General Partner · Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)
a16z · Consumer and marketplace expert · Former Benchmark
LinkedIn
Twitter/X @sarahtavel
Marketplace engagement loops thesis
0 / 4 steps
X Follow @sarahtavel · Read her Hierarchy of Engagement post
Sarah's "Hierarchy of Engagement" framework is exactly how SariKo thinks about seller retention. Read it before engaging. linkedin.com/in/sarahtavel
X Engage on 2 of her marketplace posts
Sarah writes extensively about marketplace retention and engagement loops. Reference SariKo's seller subscription model as a live example of her framework in action.
LI Follow and connect after Twitter warmup
Same sequence as Andrew Chen — Twitter/X first, then LinkedIn. Same firm, so ideally Andrew Chen warms to SariKo and introduces Sarah internally.
WARM PATH Via Andrew Chen at same firm
If Andrew Chen shows interest, ask him to flag SariKo to Sarah. Two champions inside a16z dramatically increases the probability of a check.
JK
Josh Kopelman
Founder / Partner · First Round Capital
First Round Capital · Snackpass early investor · First Round Review newsletter
LinkedIn
Twitter/X @jkopelman
📧 You're on First Round Review newsletter
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EMAIL You're on the First Round Review newsletter — use it
You receive First Round Review emails (confirmed in inbox). Reply to a newsletter edition with a specific insight from SariKo's market. Newsletter editors forward founder feedback that's specific and insightful. This is a legitimate warm path.
X Follow @jkopelman
linkedin.com/in/joshkopelman · Josh is selective about who he engages with on Twitter — quality of insight over frequency.
WARM PATH Snackpass founders — Yale alumni intro
Kevin Tan and Jamie Marshall (Snackpass) are Yale alumni. First Round backed them early. Any Yale alumni connection in your Philippines / Cebu professional network is a bridge. Founder Institute alumni network is another path.
LI Connect — after newsletter reply or Twitter engagement
"Josh — I've been reading First Round Review for years. We just built what Snackpass built on campuses, but for Filipino diaspora communities in Ho Chi Minh City. 38 sellers, $0 CAC. One church, 300 buyers. Would love 15 minutes."
⬛ Tier 3 — Specific thesis match, needs warm-up time
Follow and engage now. Warm intro path is essential before any direct outreach.
MI
Maha Ibrahim
General Partner · Canaan Partners
Canaan Partners · Led Homeis Series A (diaspora community app)
LinkedIn
Diaspora community conviction
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LI Follow on LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/mahav · Maha led the Homeis Series A — the immigrant community social platform. She has direct conviction in diaspora digital products.
LI Engage on diaspora-adjacent posts
Canaan invests in consumer community platforms. Find Maha's posts about immigrant tech or community apps and add specific insight from the HCMC Filipino diaspora.
WARM PATH Homeis founders intro
The Homeis founders are the cleanest intro to Maha. Check if anyone in your Antler Vietnam / Founder Institute Vietnam network has a connection to the Homeis founding team.
KG
Kirsten Green
Founder, Managing Partner · Forerunner Ventures
Forerunner Ventures · Major Faire investor · Consumer commerce thesis
LinkedIn
Twitter/X @kirstengreen
Independent seller community thesis
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LI Follow on LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/kirstengreen · Forerunner backed Faire's independent seller marketplace thesis. SariKo's City License operator model is structurally parallel.
X Engage on consumer commerce posts
Forerunner publishes consumer market research. Engage with specific HCMC diaspora commerce data points — the spend-shift from remittance-out to local-buy is novel market data.
WARM PATH Faire founder connection
Faire founders Max Rhodes and Daniele Perito are the bridge to Kirsten Green. Check the Founder Institute and Nexea alumni network for any connection.
DS
David Sacks
Co-Founder, General Partner · Craft Ventures
Craft Ventures · Led Snackpass Series B
LinkedIn
Twitter/X @DavidSacks
Very active on X — engage there first
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X Follow @DavidSacks — engage on marketplace / community posts
linkedin.com/in/davidsacks · David is extremely active on X about startups, enterprise software, and marketplaces. Engage with quality replies — not fluff.
WARM PATH Snackpass founders as bridge
David led Snackpass Series B alongside a16z. Same warm intro path as Andrew Chen — Kevin Tan or Jamie Marshall (Snackpass) is the bridge to both VCs.
LI Connect after X engagement
Twitter/X engagement first. David's Twitter persona is his real presence — LinkedIn connect without Twitter warmup reads as cold outreach.
⬛ Tier 4 — Larger checks, seed the relationship for Series A
Follow and observe now. Initiate contact at Series A readiness. Too large for pre-seed but relationship building starts today.
HG
Hian Goh
Founding Partner · Openspace Ventures
Openspace Ventures · $500M AUM · SEA growth investor
LinkedIn
Series A target
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LI Follow on LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/hiangoh · Openspace invests in SEA growth-stage companies. Relationship target for Series A — not pre-seed.
LI Engage on SEA growth content over next 6 months
Build passive presence in Hian's content ecosystem. By the time SariKo hits Series A readiness, your name should already be familiar.
WC
Willson Cuaca
Co-Founder, Managing Partner · East Ventures
East Ventures · Indonesia-focused · Community seller ecosystem knowledge
LinkedIn
SEA context relationship
0 / 2 steps
LI Follow on LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/willsoncuaca · East Ventures backed companies in the Bukalapak / Indonesian community commerce ecosystem. Understands the "Bukalapak failed, here's why" story very well.
LI Engage on SEA community commerce posts
Willson is a prolific SEA ecosystem voice. Engage with specific insight about why cultural specificity creates a moat that generic Indonesian platforms never found.
Existing Warm Contacts · Act Now
These exist today. Don't wait for the FC gate.
Blueprint Ventures (Adi Manoj) messaged you twice on July 20. Quest Ventures newsletter subscriber. These are NOW actions, not pipeline actions.
AM
Adi Manoj — Messaged you TWICE on July 20 (unread)
Partner · Blueprint Ventures
Blueprint Ventures · Met at Builders and Backers (July 17, 2026) · HCMC
🔥 RESPOND NOW
LinkedIn inbox — unread
0 / 3 steps
LI Open LinkedIn inbox and reply to Adi's messages TODAY
Open LinkedIn inbox → · Two unread messages from Adi on July 20. He reached out after Builders and Backers. This is the warmest signal in your entire VC pipeline. Reply within 24 hours. Do not let this go cold.
LI Book a call or coffee in HCMC
Adi reached out proactively after meeting in person. The natural next step is a 30-minute call or in-person coffee in HCMC. Do not send a deck — just set the meeting. Deck only after he asks.
MEETING Prepare your 5-minute verbal pitch for the Blueprint Ventures call
Lead with: 38 sellers, $0 CAC, one church, 300 buyers. B2B City License infrastructure angle. Pangea as the global diaspora commerce platform. DocSend link only if he asks for the deck after the call.
Suggested reply to Adi's LinkedIn message
"Adi — great meeting you at Builders and Backers on Thursday. Apologies for the delay. Would love to continue the conversation. Free this week for a quick call or coffee in HCMC — what works for you?"