Beyond Silicon Valley: Exploring Global Innovation with Pegasus Tech Ventures

Pegasus Tech Ventures, a global VC firm with offices in seven countries, invests in promising tech startups and bridges innovation ecosystems worldwide. Beyond providing funding, they offer a unique "VCaaS" service, connecting large corporations with their portfolio companies for potential partnerships in business development, manufacturing, and global expansion. Their strong network, involvement in major startup competitions, and focus on disruptive technologies further solidify their position as a key player in fueling global innovation. With that in mind, why don’t you join me in learning more about Pegasus Tech Ventures with its Marketing Manager, Janice Mok.

How did your professional journey lead to Pegasus Tech Ventures? 

Prior to Pegasus Tech Ventures, I started my career in various tech and beauty startups where I led the marketing, content, and creative efforts. I also led the design of web and mobile apps for tech clients in Silicon Valley. I was also involved in public relations working with high-profile online influencers for strategic business partnerships and product collaborations.

What drew you to their mission and focus?

I was drawn to Pegasus’ emphasis on accelerating the portfolios by connecting them to their global corporate partners – helping them reach for business development and global expansion. Not only was I drawn to Pegasus, but was also drawn to the other initiative called Startup World Cup. It is one of the largest global startup pitch competitions bringing in over 50,000 attendees and 10,000 startups--bringing together top Silicon Valley executives all under one roof each year. When I first joined, there were 16 regional events. As of today, we’ve grown from 16 regional events to approximately 50 regional events per a yearly cycle. I knew this initiative could grow to its full potential at a larger scale, so my goal is to have the Startup World Cup in every major city in the world. It is not only for giving entrepreneurs a platform, but also serves as an outlet to source great deals for Pegasus other VCs would not be able to reach.

What is Pegasus Tech Ventures and what makes it unique from other VCs? 

Pegasus operates under a unique model that is unlike any other VCs. We are different from most traditional VCs because instead of having mainly institutional investors, or LPs which stand for limited partners, almost all of our LPs are large corporations. With these large corporations, we establish a dedicated corporate VC fund in most cases, and manage each fund based on the strategic needs of the corporate partners. By identifying & investing into top technology startups that can collaborate with our corporate partners, we create a win-win situation for both the startups and the corporate partners, and further support innovation activities for our corporate partners. 

Can you describe what Pegasus Tech Ventures typically invests in? What are some of the ideal startup key qualities you look for?

Since Pegasus invests in sectors that can create synergistic opportunities for our corporate partners, and we have 40+ corporate partners, our investment target sectors are quite diverse. We invest in companies operating in the consumer, enterprise, finance technology, artificial intelligence, healthcare, internet of things, cleantech, robotics, and many more. Qualities we look for before we invest is if they can signal strong growth potential. We look for a talented team that is willing to adapt, as well as a viable business model showing strong early revenue streams, and showing competitive edge. Entrepreneurs should know that VCs spend a lot of time vetting these characteristics to reduce any risk of an opportunity. 

Can you share some of the biggest challenges and opportunities you face in marketing Pegasus Tech Ventures and its portfolio companies?

One of the challenges is to have a certain understanding of the diverse sectors we are investing into. I would also say generating content that converts into thought leadership pieces is another challenge from a marketing standpoint as there are a lot of media channels as well as a lot of knowledgeable investors & experts in different industries. Due to the ever-changing trends on social media, we must be on top to create high quality content that creates high traffic and organic engagement. 

How does Pegasus Tech Ventures support its portfolio companies beyond just providing capital?

Our model called VCaaS (Venture Capital as a Service) is a win for corporate partners. While most VCs create funds based on investment from a multitude of investors all with different interests and prioritize profit on investments, we are focused on still generating return for our investors, while also working with corporate partners on supporting their innovation initiatives. We create single LP funds for each of our corporate partners in most cases, which ensures that we only direct a corporate partner’s funds to startups that align with its strategic goals, then support the business alliance activities to create win-win opportunities for our corporate partners and the portfolio companies.

In your role as Marketing Manager, what are your top priorities for the next year? What metrics do you use to measure success?

One of my top priorities is to spread the word more on our unique VCaaS business model so more corporations and startups can take advantage of the Pegasus model. Also, another one of my priorities for the next year is to build a mobile app for the Startup World Cup platform. I’d like our attendees to use our app to navigate our Grand Finale conference, as well as creating a tight-knit community where global entrepreneurs could network and create more opportunities. Lastly, I’d like to grow more Startup World Cup regionals and expand to countries we haven’t been to. 

Janice Mok is the Marketing Manager of Pegasus Tech Ventures. Janice orchestrates strategies to build brand awareness, attract promising startups and corporate partners for their VCaaS service, and nurture leads for potential investments. From crafting messaging to managing social media and events, she is the engine driving Pegasus' global innovation connections.

Visit www.techshake.asia if you would like to know and connect more with Pegasus Tech Ventures.