Up Against the Giants: Building a Global AI-Native Company | Vertex Ventures SEA & India
AI-native startups are taking on far better-resourced giants. How do they win, and why are they building in Vietnam?
Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India is bringing together founders, investors and technology leaders in Ho Chi Minh City. Join us for an evening exploring how AI is reshaping the way companies are built, operated and scaled globally.
Hear from leaders at PatSnap, TinyFish, and Drylab, who are building AI companies for global markets. Through real-world experiences and insights, discover how AI-native companies rethink operations, compete against much larger players, and leverage Vietnam's growing talent pool to build world-class teams.
Beyond the discussion, connect with fellow founders, investors, and builders across the tech ecosystem, exchange perspectives, and explore new opportunities during our networking session.
With thanks to The Sentry, our Venue Partner, and Tech59, our Media Partner.
🌐 Panelists
Ray Chohan is Co-Founder of PatSnap and built its European and North American business. He launched PatSnap's London operation from his apartment in 2012 and grew it to over 100 people. Before PatSnap, he spent eight years in Datamonitor's GTM organisation, where he was recognised as one of its leading revenue generators.
Huy Vo is Country Director of TinyFish Vietnam and the company’s first hire in the country. He helped build the local team from the ground up, and it now contributes to TinyFish’s core AI technology. After spending 24 years in the United States, he returned to Vietnam to develop TinyFish’s presence and its growing AI operations.
John Phan is Co-founder and CEO of Drylab, an agentic AI platform that uses autonomous AI scientists to accelerate life sciences research. He founded Drylab in 2025 with CTO Huy Phan and CSO Nhi Nguyen, and previously carried out AI research with ByteDance’s Seed team. Drylab’s US$3 million seed round was led by VVSEAI with participation from PatSnap.
🌐 Moderator
The panel will be moderated by Benedict Tan, Associate Director, Investment at Vertex Ventures SEA & India
💡What we’ll cover
Building AI-native companies: how AI changes the way you run a company, from operations and processes to org design
Competing against the giants: where startups still win when up against larger incumbents with far more resources
Vietnam as an AI talent hub: is Vietnam a sourcing story or a building story?
Audience Q&A
💼 Agenda
5:00 PM - 5:45 PM: Check-in and Open Networking
5:45 PM to 6:00 PM: Opening Remarks
6:00 PM - 7:00PM: Panel discussion and Q&A
7:00 PM to 8:30 PM: Closing & Networking
This is an invite-only event. As spaces are limited, please ensure you have an approved ticket before arriving.
Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India
Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India is a leading early-stage venture capital firm focused on partnering with high-growth startups across Southeast Asia and India. With a strong network and strategic expertise, they have invested in successful companies such as Grab, FirstCry, Nium, Licious, Kissht, Kuku FM, Abacus Digital, RPG Commerce and Patsnap, driving innovation and scaling businesses across various sectors.
The Sentry
Vietnam’s leading social real estate firm. Home to the regions leading Space Users in the Start-Up, E-Commerce, Gaming, IT, Venture Capital & Education sectors.
Tech59
A launchpad for innovation, bringing together founders, investors, and innovators to connect, collaborate, and unlock opportunities across Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
🎟️ If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at vvsea_communications@vertexventures.com, events@thesentry.com.vn