Startups turn heads in Silicon Valley
Cambodia’s startups have clamoured to attract foreign venture capital, and now even Silicon Valley is paying attention. Last month, local media and entertainment site Khmerload – described by some as Cambodia’s version of Buzzfeed – secured $200,000 in investment from the regional arm of California-based venture capital seed fund 500 Startups, marking the first-ever Silicon Valley investment into a Cambodian startup. Now another fund created by Silicon Valley venture capitalists – and one with an impressive track record of early-stage investment in Southeast Asia – has expressed interest in the Kingdom’s startup scene. Paul Bragiel, a founding partner of Southeast Asia-focused venture capital firm Golden Gate Ventures, said following a visit to Phnom Penh last week to meet local tech entrepreneurs that he left convinced of the country’s investment potential.
