Founding Across Borders
AIYA Victoria x Uncommon Collective present:
Founding Across Borders: Building Businesses with Purpose in the Asia Pacific 🌏
How do you build a business in Australia while still creating impact for your family and community back home?
What does it really take to grow across borders with purpose at the center?
Join us for an evening of learning and connection with founders who have grown businesses in Australia, Indonesia and the Asia Pacific. You will hear real stories of wins, challenges and practical lessons that you can apply to your own journey.
Why attend
Learn how others have built while balancing family, culture and community impact
Get practical tips to expand into Asia and scale internationally
Hear examples of companies that have successfully grown across borders
Ask your questions in a live Q&A with experienced founders
Meet and connect with other entrepreneurs, startups and professionals who are exploring similar paths
Come for the insights, stay for the food, drinks and community.
Our speakers
Shaye Pumar – Branding & Marketing Strategist, HEX
A creative, branding and marketing strategist with 17 years experience growing over 250 businesses across Asia Pacific. As Chief Marketing Officer at HEX, a for-impact EdTech company that delivers life-changing experiences for students, Shaye helps scale the vision of getting more students ready for the exponential future. She is also the co-founder of Big Sister and Transformation Australia, powerful online communities of 75k young, international professionals. Through all of her work Shaye is a passionate career and entrepreneurship mentor, with a focus on unlocking the potential trapped within traditional Asian cultural norms. Shaye has a background in Communication Design, and has worked across multiple industries from SaaS, Education, EdTech and Creative Agencies.
Prem Kumar Venkataramani - Chief Operating Officer, Next XR Group
Prem Kumar Venkataramani is the Chief Operating Officer at Next XR Group, where he leads global operations across Australia, India, Singapore, and the USA. With a background that blends Mechanical Engineering, Game Development, and Cyber Security, and a master’s degree in Quality and Process Management, Prem brings a unique mix of technical and strategic expertise.
At Next XR, he oversees the deployment of Goalcert, the company’s flagship AI-powered immersive learning platform, along with a growing portfolio of XR and AI-driven solutions across industries such as education, manufacturing, healthcare, defense, BFSI, and real estate. Under his leadership, the company has expanded into six countries and established itself as a trusted innovator in scalable and secure technology solutions.
Prem also contributes to ExeQuantum, a venture focused on post-quantum cryptography and compliance innovations, reflecting his commitment to shaping the future of secure, intelligent systems worldwide.
Aldo Suryokusumo – CEO, Safelog.ai
Aldo Suryokusumo is the Co-Founder and CEO of Safelog.ai, a VC-backed trust and safety technology company that uses AI to make background checks smarter, faster, and fair across Southeast Asia. Under his leadership, Safelog.ai is redefining how organizations build trust in hiring and governance which creates a safer workplace for all.
Aldo is also a Partner at Bridge60, an APAC-focused investment syndicate and the recipient of the prestigious Australian-ASEAN Scholarship Awardee, recognized for his cross-border leadership and vision in shaping ethical technology for emerging markets. He frequently speaks about the future of trust, responsible innovation, and the power of collaboration between technology and humanity.
Iain Shearer – Co-Founder & President, Krakatoas Football Club
Iain’s professional career has been primarily in service based roles, and currently works as a Member Consultant at UniSuper. In his spare time, he serves as co-founder and President of Krakatoas Football Club—an Australian Rules (AFL) football club dedicated to introducing the sport to Melbourne’s Indonesian community. For over a decade, the Krakatoas have introduced hundreds of Indonesians to Australian Rules football, with many players going on to join local clubs, and some have even spread the Krakatoas ethos by creating their own clubs in Indonesia. Iain lived and worked in Indonesia between 2004-2015. During this period, Iain was involved in many community and business projects, most notably founding the company Zap. Zap is a chain of beauty clinics that began as an industry disruptor and has since become the industry leader across Indonesia. Iain’s community and business achievements were shaped by the lessons learned navigating Indonesia’s complex bureaucracy and adapting to rapidly shifting consumer trends. Iain’s journey is a testament to his passion for fostering meaningful connections between people, with a particular focus on celebrating and building cross-cultural understanding within the Australia–Indonesia relationship.
📅 When: 16 October, 6–8pm
📍 Where: East Melbourne Library
🎟️ Tickets: Free (spots are limited)