SPEAKERS

Steve has 28+ years’ experience building businesses, including 3 start-ups – most recently PropertyGuru, a profitable tech unicorn. He is an angel investor/advisor (25 startups) and VC partner (Wavemaker Partners). He is an accomplished entrepreneur and business leader who has supported the development of South East Asia’s start-up ecosystem over the last one and half decades. Steve is passionate about entrepreneurship, sustainability and social impact.

In 2007, Steve co-founded PropertyGuru, a Singapore homegrown tech unicorn. He led the business as CEO for the first 11 years, growing it from 2 people (with an idea), into a regional platform used by 25 million monthly users and over 1,200 staff in 5 countries. Steve continues to contribute to the Company’s strategy and governance as board director.

Steve has lived in Singapore for 15 years and been an active start-up mentor and angel investor (25 start-ups) with a focus on climate and social impact. Since 2018, he’s been an LP investor and part time venture partner at Wavemaker Partners (Singapore venture capital fund), investing in and supporting their portfolio. He mentors local start-up founders and regularly gives talks to students and business owners at start-up accelerators such as Antler, Found8, Singapore Tourism Authority and Big Idea Ventures; schools such as NUS, INSEAD SMU, and Young Founder School); as well as VC funds such as Cocoon, True Global Ventures, Monks Hill Ventures and Genesis Ventures. Since 2009, he’s been a member of the Singapore chapter of Entrepreneur Organisation (EO) and member of Singapore’s Angel Central start-up investment group since 2018. In 2007, Steve was awarded the “Spirit of Enterprise Award” in recognition of contributions to entrepreneurship in Singapore.

Steve started Planet Rise Pte Ltd earlier this year to advise and invest in start-ups, with a long term focus on tackling climate change and poverty. The companies supported today comprise food waste reduction, clean energy, financial inclusion, marine conservation, clean water, migrant worker rights, solar energy micro-grids, cell-based food and women-led social enterprises. He gives time and money to a number of Singaporean charities including Willing Hearts, Beyond Social Services, TWC2, Children’s Cancer Foundation, Yellow Ribbon, South Central Community and Assisi Hospice. Steve advises Impact Investment Exchange (Singapore HQ impact investor supporting women-led social enterprises) and is a member of AVPN (Asian Venture and Philanthropy Network) in Singapore. He is also a judge/investor for Temasek Foundation’s The Liveability Challenge in Singapore, recognising the best sustainability focused tech companies globally.

Prior to PropertyGuru, Steve invested in and helped build ComiAsia as CEO, a Singapore mobile content start-up backed by SEEDS Capital. Before moving to Singapore, he founded Business2Profit in UK to help large enterprises develop new ventures, as well as start-ups with their funding/growth. Previously, Steve held a number of telecommunications leadership roles for over 10 years and his last position was director of a $500 million turnover business unit at Cable & Wireless.

Steve has helped PropertyGuru secure industry awards including Hitwise #1, CNBC World’s Best Property Portal, SVCA Best Performing VC Backed Firm, SiTF Best E-Enterprise and Best Mobile App, HRD Employer of Choice (Bronze), Mob-Ex Gold Best App and Influential Brands Outstanding Digital Brand Award. He is a keynote speaker and regularly interviewed by the media.