In Partnership with Imperium Group
Robust, a North America and Southeast Asia-based venture capital firm, is quickly gaining traction in diverse markets as it seeks out innovations and new technologies that turn industries on their heads.
Its founder, the Thai-born serial entrepreneur Kanin Asvaplungprohm (‘Asva’), has wrapped up two significant deals since he launched Robust in early 2022 and is now focused on drawing in more investors and startups in 2023. The New Year will also herald Robust Research, an online publication evoking thought leadership articles on emerging trends worldwide.
“Robust actively backs disruptive, innovative companies throughout their lifecycle. We are keyed into supporting the next big thing rather than a hot, short-term fad,” said Asva, who also provides different advisory services to growth-stage firms and startups on Asia’s technology ecosystem and regulatory landscape.
Having overseen more than $200m in managed funds across the finance and tech spheres before launching Robust, Asva is already in rarified air. He is one of the few solo cross-border venture capitalists who have an innate knack for understanding the diverse cultures of North America and Southeast Asia.
That has enabled Robust, based in New York and Bangkok, to quickly build a reputation for borderless venture capitalism underpinned by an experienced network of industry veterans, strategic experts, financiers, and dynamic founders. With decades of combined experience, they regularly collaborate across markets to seek steady success for founders and the greatest return for investors.
According to Asva, such in-depth experience contributed to Robust singling out life sciences brand Symbiome and construction SaaS Offsight for seed capital as they advance novel concepts in their industries.
Symbiome is a trailblazer in its industry, providing organic and sustainable products focused on supplementing modern skin biomes with greater microbial diversity to produce stronger, healthier skin cells. The San Francisco brand sources natural ingredients, such as Sanoma Leaf Oil, from an organic farm in Brazil that adheres to sustainable practices, such as regenerative farming.
The pharmaceutical-grade human adipocyte stem cell conditioned media used in Symbiome products is prepared under strict cGMP by their partner in an FDA-inspected facility. The result is a skincare line unique to Symbiome’s proprietary Biointact formulation process. Their best-selling product is the serum, The Answer.
Robust has also thrown its backing behind Offsight, a software that streamlines several processes related to offsite building and construction, allowing clients to assess production remotely, ensure quality, run audits, and keep track of inventory all from one convenient interface.
Giving clients a simple way to oversee a project, Offsight cuts down the busy work by breaking down data to foster effective decision-making while tracking labor and material costs. Managers using Offsight can filter by project or work order to ensure every process is completed as efficiently as possible.
Offsight also boasts task management tools to follow production tasks from beginning to end, with daily updates sent to managers and executives that can be securely exchanged with third parties for the purpose of routine inspection and auditing. The software allows managers to follow live work orders, recording the time worked during shifts while sharing real-time data with vendors.
Asva said: “Robust backs independent thinkers who are solving complex scientific, engineering, and logistical problems. We forge like-minded partnerships and help build defensible economic moats. We invest for the betterment of humanity because a rising tide lifts all boats.”
While Robust will continue its mission into 2023 for new frontiers and paradigm-shifting technologies, Asva is also setting its sights on building Robust Research, a platform for thought leadership.
“Robust Research, which will launch by mid-2023, is an opportunity to empower readers through knowledge,” he added. He intends for Robust Research to be an independent publication adhering to the highest editorial standards and building an intellectual community through thought leadership.
“It will be a platform where the Robust team and its think tank of veterans can publish essays, white papers, and report on emerging trends in venture capital, business, philosophy, and the arts. We want to invite the best and brightest minds from all industries to contribute.”
Asva has set the bar high for himself and his venture capital firm, but as its name reflects, he is self-confident and resilient to win over doubters and critics thanks to his laser focus on backing innovation and concepts across industries.
He concluded: “The aim of Robust is to stand from the crowd in the venture capital world, break boundaries and challenge the status quo. We have traction and are looking to 2023 with renewed positivity. Backing winners, leaders, and new innovation have never been so exciting.”
About Robust
Robust is an early-stage industry agnostic venture capital firm that invests for the betterment of humanity by championing transformational technologies. The Robust team is US and Southeast Asia based, but borderless in its pursuit to achieve capital gains and superior investment returns by making early-stage investments in independent thinkers and their revolutionary ideas.
For more information visit www.robust.vc or email: contact@robust.vc