Richard Armstrong is a Venture Partner at TA Ventures based in Southeast Asia, focused on emerging markets, with an emphasis on consumer technology and marketplaces. Outside TA Ventures, he has angel invested in over 70 companies globally.

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👋🏼 How would you explain your job to someone outside tech?

We find companies at the earliest stages solving the biggest problems of today around the globe, back them, and give them resources to solve these problems no matter where they are.

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🧐 What's something about you or your job that would surprise us?

Most of my time is not actually spent behind the desk and crunching numbers, but more meeting individuals from all parts of the globe.

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🏆 What has been the biggest highlight of your career so far?

Working and meeting alongside the best entrepreneurs and backing the most exciting early companies, such as HD and many more.

Being able to lead emerging markets for TA Ventures and speaking to founders solving the biggest problems every day and being able to help them.

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🔍 What's a startup trend or space you're watching this year?‍

Creator-led brands. Where creators that have massive followings in their categories leverage this with zero CAC and build highly profitable businesses that don't need a lot of capital to scale in a profitable manner.

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💼 What advice would you give someone starting out in your industry?

Try to meet as many founders as possible and people, and try to be as useful as possible and expect nothing in return.

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‍🗣 What's one thing you can keep talking about for hours?

Tech

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🎥 What's your favorite movie/TV show?

Silicon Valley

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🍨 What's your go-to ice cream flavor?‍

Mango Sorbet