Albert Mai joins SGE, focused on the Vietnam startup scene
January 13, 2013 by Gwendolyn Regina T
We love working with dynamic, talented and passionate folks and one of our latest additions to our team, Albert is just like that.
SGE welcomes Albert Mai on board our team, focused on scouting the Vietnam startup scene.
I first met Albert in Singapore many months ago and he is now back in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, running a startup and helping the local community grow through events. To help you to get to know Albert better, we have a mini Q&A with him here.
Gwen: What are you passionate about?
Albert: My passions are technology, mentoring, growth and standing out. I love technology for it helps our lives be more connected, more productive, healthier and to be able to explore breakthrough opportunities without boundary. Helping others to become more successful at what they are doing is something that makes me happy. Growing is a part of life from the process of #Flearn (Fail and Learn) and permanent beta life, I’m addicted to this, especially how to apply agile and lean methodology from startup into it. Making a dent in the universe is what wakes me up every morning and keeps me up late at night.
Gwen: How has life brought you to what you are doing today?
Albert: Around 2 years ago, I struck upon a question as to what made me stand our from the rest of my classmates if we do everything the same: career path, student clubs and the same degree. Then I started to spend more time outside studies, to get out of the university comfort zone to find breakthrough opportunities. I was lucky to have joined an entrepreneurship bootcamp by Prof. Tom Kosnik, Startup Weekend Hochiminh and joined the Keewi team with Mike Tran.
Believing there are much more things outside Vietnam – the comfort zone – at the start of 2012, I participated in the ASEANpreneurs Youth Leader Exchange by NES in Singapore – that was the moment when I discovered how exciting and active the startup community here is. Four months later, I came back to this country.
I was lucky to have had opportunities to participate in Echelon 2012, Lean Startup Machine, Failcon, TechVenture and Building Lean Startups and 45 other tech and startup events in the 6 months as well as to build a network of nearly 100 inspiring entrepreneurs. During this time, I also co-organized Startup Grind Singapore events with Son. They taught me many lessons, one way or the other.
Coming back to Vietnam, I am doing many things to contribute to the growth of the local startup community with what I have learned from Singapore. It’s getting hotter day by day.
To Angelia Le, the one that always stays by my side, the most important part of my life who always goes with me everywhere in this journey.
Gwen: Tell us about the projects you are doing now.
Albert: Currently, I am working on StartMeUp, a monthly startup event in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. It is powered by the Keewi team and technology. We have organized 8 events featuring 22 speakers. At the moment, I am looking to invite speakers from Singapore (other countries are also welcomed) to share their experiences at our events and to engage with the local community here. Another project is my own blog @ StartUpOf.me so stay tuned!
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About The Author
Gwendolyn Regina T - Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Gwen is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of SGE. Previously, she was a partner of early stage technology investment firm, Thymos Capital and she has had two exits, one of which is iHipo. She is also an investor in Padlet, a Y-Combinator startup. Gwen also sits on the Board of Advisors for the Singapore Innovation & Productivity Institute, Steering Commmittee for the Singapore Infocomm Technology Federation Awards 2013, and Board of Advisors for Social Media Week 2013. A frequent public speaker, mentor and judge at various startup bootcamps, events and competitions, Gwen loves meeting founders, developers, designers and scientists across all ages. An alumnus of the National University of Singapore and its University Scholars Programme, Gwen also spent some time in Silicon Valley and is a graduate of the NUS-Stanford University overseas college programme. She is also a mentor at Polish tech startup incubator Gamma Rebels, the Singapore curator for US-headquartered StartupDigest and the Singapore Ambassador for the Sandbox Network - the leading global network of innovators under 30. Gwen has also been a Worldwide Judge for Imagine Cup - the premier student technology competition helmed by Microsoft. She has also spoken in Hong Kong at one of its largest youth conferences, MaD Asia, and was recently in Austria to help envision the future of the country's economy in 2032 on invitation from an Austrian governmental organization. Gwen speaks 3.25 languages, loves physics, travelling, dance and adventure sports. She can be found on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Read other posts by Gwendolyn Regina T
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