"GO-TECH with GO-JEK: An evening of technology, engineering & strategy with GO-JEK and Openspace Ventures” presented by Startup Grind Bangkok and True Digital Park
Startup Grind Bangkok and True Digital Park presents a double-fireside chat event! Ajey Gore, Group CTO at GO-JEK & Aakash Dharmadhikari, Director of Product Analytics, will share insights on how to build the culture and incentive structure of a high-performing engineering team, as well as how to build a scalable tech stack. Ian Sikora, VP of Technology at Openspace Ventures, will share wisdom and insights on conducting effective & impactful technical due diligence.
SPEAKERS
Ajey Gore is Group CTO at GO-JEK, with 18 years of experience in building core technology strategy across diverse domains. Ajey is helping GO-JEK deliver a transport, logistics, lifestyle and payment platforms- offering 18 products, owned and operated by GO-JEK. Ajey founded Codeignition, which was acquired by GO-JEK, before that, Ajey served Thoughtworks as Head of Technology. Ajey is an active influencer in the technology community, organizes not-for-profit conferences such as RubyConf, GopherCon and DevOpsDays through his not-for-profit organization.
Aakash Dharmadhikari is Director of Product Analytics at GO-JEK. He was formally Founder and COO of C42 Engineering, a boutique software consultancy. C42 engineering was acquired by GO-JEK in 2015. As head of products in C42, Aakash launched RubyMonk.com and PythonMonk.com, helping people worldwide learn these programming languages every year. As part of the founding team of C42 Engineering, he has been responsible for building a strong brand backed by a stellar engineering team, growing the consulting practice from nothing to a $1 million runway in 24 months with no external funding.
Ian Sikora is VP of Technology at Openspace Ventures and currently represents Openspace as an observer on the board at Pathao, a fastest ride-hailing company in Bangladesh that also provides delivery services. Ian was the Head of Product at HOOQ where he recruited, hired and led 12 person engineering team and rebuilt the entire tech stack in a year. Before HOOQ, Ian was working for the startup Premise Data in San Francisco where he built the company’s marketing and sales pipeline from scratch. He also worked at Globe Telecom in the Philippines where he managed the global launch of Facebook’s Internet.org. In 6 months, the product doubled the number of internet users on the network and got 1 million people to use the internet for the first time.
About GO-JEK
Established in 2010 as a motorcycle ride-hailing phone service, GO-JEK has evolved into an on-demand mobile platform and a cutting-edge app, providing a wide range of services that includes transportation, logistics, mobile payments, food delivery, and many other on-demand services.GO-JEK is a technology company with a social mission to improve the welfare and livelihoods of workers in various informal sectors in Indonesia. GO-JEK champions 3 essential values: speed, innovation, and social impact.GO-JEK now operates in 50 cities across Indonesia, including Bali, Balikpapan, Banda Aceh, Bandar Lampung, Bandung, Banjarmasin, Banyuwangi, Batam, Belitung, Bukittinggi, Cilacap, Cirebon, Garut, Gresik,Jakarta, Jambi, Jember, Karawang, Kediri, Madiun, Madura, Magelang, Makassar, Malang, Manado, Mataram, Medan, Mojokerto, Padang, Palembang, Pasuruan, Pekalongan, Pekanbaru, Pematang Siantar, Pontianak, Probolinggo, Purwakarta, Purwokerto, Salatiga, Samarinda, Semarang, Serang, Sidoarjo, Solo, Sukabumi,Sumedang, Surabaya, Tasikmalaya, Tegal, and Yogyakarta. GO-JEK is now expanding into Singapore (under GO-JEK), Vietnam (under GO-VIET) and Thailand (under GET Thailand).
About Openspace Ventures
Openspace Ventures makes investments in early-stage technology companies based in Southeast Asia. The typical investments are at Round A or B stage, where revenue traction is building and capital is required to drive rapid growth. The existing portfolio covers B2C and B2B technologies who are accessing local, regional and global markets. Openspace Ventures has more than US$225 million assets under management from a range of global and regional institutional investors. It is currently deploying capital from its second fund.
GO-JEK
Group CTO
GO-JEK
Director of Product Analytics
Openspace Ventures
Ajey Gore is Group CTO at GO-JEK, with 18 years of experience in building core technology strategy across diverse domains. Ajey is helping GO-JEK deliver a transport, logistics, lifestyle and payment platforms- offering 18 products, owned and operated by GO-JEK. Ajey founded Codeignition, which was acquired by GO-JEK, before that, Ajey served Thoughtworks as Head of Technology. Ajey is an active influencer in the technology community, organizes not-for-profit conferences such as RubyConf, GopherCon and DevOpsDays through his not-for-profit organization.
Aakash Dharmadhikari is Chief Product Officer at GO-JEK. He was formally Founder and COO of C42 Engineering, a boutique software consultancy. C42 engineering was acquired by GO-JEK in 2015. As head of products in C42, Aakash launched RubyMonk.com and PythonMonk.com, helping people worldwide learn these programming languages. As part of the founding team of C42 Engineering, he has been responsible for building a strong brand backed by a stellar engineering team, growing the consulting practice from nothing to a $1 million runway in 24 months with no external funding.
Ian Sikora is VP of Technology at Openspace Ventures and currently represents Openspace as an observer on the board at Pathao, a fastest ride-hailing company in Bangladesh that also provides delivery services. Ian was the Head of Product at HOOQ where he recruited, hired and led 12 person engineering team and rebuilt the entire tech stack in a year. Before HOOQ, Ian was working for the startup Premise Data in San Francisco where he built the company’s marketing and sales pipeline from scratch. He also worked at Globe Telecom in the Philippines where he managed the global launch of Facebook’s Internet.org. In 6 months, the product doubled the number of internet users on the network and got 1 million people to use the internet for the first time.
Digital Ventures
Managing Director, Corporate Venture Capital
See Bio
Openspace Ventures
Advisor
See Bio
Paul Ark spent the first half of his career as an investment banker, working on IPOs, acquisitions, and private equity deals for global banks Deutsche Bank and Citigroup in Asia and New York, as well as boutique advisories Tonson Capital and Blackwood Ventures in Southeast Asia. He then transitioned to the world of retail by joining Thailand’s retail conglomerate Central Group, working on regional joint ventures and working on the company’s market entry into China and other Asian markets. He spent several years facilitating Apple Retail’s market entry into Asian markets, opening flagship stores in China, Hong Kong, Japan and Australia, before joining Microsoft and advising on their China retail market entry strategy. Paul is also an active startup mentor and angel investor, having made investments in early-stage companies in the United States, China, and Thailand, and devotes much of his time supporting and developing the Thai startup ecosystem as a Startup Grind chapter director and Seedstars World ambassador for Bangkok. He currently manages the US$100 million corporate venture capital fund for Siam Commercial Bank’s Digital Ventures group, which has made investments across the globe. Paul has studied at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and London Business School.
Nichapat Ark is an advisor to Openspace Ventures (previously NSI Ventures), an angel investor, a startup mentor and Seedstars World Bangkok Ambassador. She has more than 20 years of experience in financial markets in Thailand. Her most recent post before she left her banking career was Executive Committee and Managing Director, Financial Markets for Standard Chartered Bank Thailand where she took part in driving the bank’s strategic planning and execution functions. Additionally, she was responsible for financial markets sales & trading, capital markets as well as asset & liability management for the bank. During her 10 years with Standard Chartered Bank, she spent 2 years in China as Managing Director of Financial Markets Sales based in Shanghai.
Nichapat obtained her Master of Business Administration degree, majoring in Finance from Sasin Graduate School of Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, and spent a term on exchange at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She received a Bachelor of Business Administration at Assumption University, Thailand.
Startup Grind Bangkok
Chapter Director
View Profile
Social Media
View Profile
Ginder
View Profile
Grinder
View Profile
Grinder
View Profile
Grinder
View Profile