Secrets to Investing and Scaling Entrepreneurial Ecosystems. Insights from Bernard Moon - SparkLabs

Bernard Moon has been at the heart of the startup universe globally. He is the co-founder and partner at SparkLabs Group, a network of startup accelerators and venture capital funds known for energizing startup scenes.

He's not just playing the game; he's changing it, with investments in over 500 startups worldwide. He’s an advisor to renowned academic institutions and a seasoned writer for major technology journals.

We talk about his journey, the startup world and expansion into multiple geographies, Saudi Arabia being the latest, what investors look for, AI and product.

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Where to find Bernard:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernardmoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bernardmoon/
X: https://twitter.com/bernardmoon
Website: https://bernardmoon.com/
SparkLabs Accelerator in South Korea: sparklabs.co.kr
SparkLabs Group: www.sparklabsgroup.com

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In this episode with Bernard, we discuss:

00:00 Intro
02:03 Being in the venture space for a decade
02:43 What is SparkLabs Group?
03:34 From public policy to entrepreneurship
05:03 The interconnection between your upbringing and entrepreneurial mindset
08:12 Koreans are creative
08:58 The humble beginnings of SparkLabs
11:59 Challenges of starting-up in South Korea
14:33 Risk-taking and practicalities in global entrepreneurship
16:02 Investing in 500 startups
16:31 Adapting and improving their model across geographies
19:50 Bernard on the expansion model
20:38 A funny story
23:09 The criteria for selecting founders
25:47 Bernard on his GGUTT feeling and assessing people
28:29 Startup application process
29:53 AI application process?
31:00 Networking and relationships
33:29 The right time to start, stop, pivot
36:47 Co-founder, technical co-founder
37:33 Generalist investors globally, industry-specific on the accelerator side
40:00 Bernard’s view on the investment landscape
41:59: It’s not the investor’s fault
42:40 The Future is Data
43:59 How AI is changing the way that we work
45:33 The impact of launching multiple startup hubs and sharing
48:05 Setting up the latest hub in Riyadh and interest from the UAE
51:46 The drive and competitiveness in Saudi Arabia
53:15 What keeps Bernard excited
54:19 Staying up to date
54:14 Are we in an AI bubble?