On the ground

Deals don't start at desks. They start at conference happy hours, panel sidelines, commutes between venues, and referrals through networks built over time.

A large part of what makes this practice useful to clients is that I'm genuinely present in the markets and events that matter. Not as a passive attendee, but rather as someone who goes in with a mandate, works the room with purpose, and comes back with leads, introductions, and intelligence that moves things forward.

Below is a snapshot of the events I attend regularly, and the geographies where I maintain an active presence. If you need someone on the ground at a specific event, to represent your company, work introductions, or simply report back on what's happening in a market, that's a conversation worth having.

Circuit 1: Fintech and Web3

  • Token2049 Singapore

  • Consensus HK and Miami

  • Korea Blockchain Week

  • ETH Denver

  • EthCC (Cannes)

Circuit 2: Tech / AI

  • Singapore Fintech Festival

  • HK Fintech Week

  • NY, SF, and LA Tech Weeks by a16z

  • Hangzhou AI Week by Unique Research

  • GMI Cloud x Z.ai Agent Forge Hackathon

  • GDC

  • GTC

  • TechCrunch Disrupt

  • SXSW

Circuit 3: Sports Tech

  • GSIC global meetups

  • GDC SF

  • JohnWallStreet events on Blockchain X Sports and College Sports

  • Other sports industry specific meetups (e.g. PeakNIL SF launch event)

Circuit 4: Universities

  • MIT UPOP

  • Stanford main campus and global alumni events

  • University and Corporate sponsor hackathons

  • Shanghai World Foreign Language TEDx Youth Talk (invite by former student)

Conference Representation

Want your company represented at the next key event?

Not every company has someone with the right network and context to make a conference worth attending. I offer conference representation for clients who want a credible, well-connected presence at specific events — working introductions, attending panels and side events, and reporting back with qualified leads and market intelligence.

Past conference representation includes GDC (San Francisco) for the A7FL and regular attendance across the Token2049, ETH Denver, EthCC, and fintech week circuits on behalf of or alongside clients. If there's a specific event you'd like coverage at, get in touch early — popular events fill up fast.

Geographies

As interconnected as the world is, local presence with local networks still matters.

  • Singapore - base of origin

  • SF Bay Area, Los Angeles & New York - Networks from college days and later quant / AI recruiting stint

  • Hong Kong - ongoing presence, worked here from 2016-2020, several trips a year

  • Greater China - Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen and beyond. On the ground experience plus regular visits

Need a presence at a specific event or market?

Whether it's conference representation, on-the-ground intelligence, or introductions in a market you're entering, let's talk about what would be most useful.

Get in touch
Get in touch