Hear the latest insights on the global accelerator and venture capital industries from one of Silicon Valley’s leading players, SparkLabs Group Partner & Co-Founder, Bernard Moon. 

01:15 Intro to the SparkLabs Group accelerators and VC funds - and how back in 2012 they came up with the concept to launch their first accelerator in Seoul

04:45 What locations are you planning for the launch of the next SparkLabs accelerators?

06:05 Overview of one of the latest SparkLabs initiatives - SparkLabs Frontier - which partners with universities to drive innovation

• The first program is with Arizona State University - the #1 ranked US university for innovation 

09:30 Many accelerators start in the US and go global. SparkLabs started out as a global accelerator. Did that make it harder or easier to raise funding and attract applicants?

10:30 The SparkLabs strategy is to grow slowly, but the model and culture works. Bernard cites how Edgar Chiu has turned SparkLabs Taipei into the leading accelerator in Taiwan in the first two years after launch.

11:40 Startups don’t come to SparkLabs for the money, they come to be part of the SparkLabs Ecosystem. 

• How does SparkLabs differentiate from the other leading accelerator programs, like Y Combinator, TechStars and Plug & Play?

13:30 What makes a good accelerator program?

• Are there too many accelerators? 
• • 60% of corporate accelerators fail within 2 years - CB Insights
  • 100+ accelerators and incubators in Singapore alone
• Is the industry set for a shake-up?

17:30 An overview of the SparkLabs venture capital funds

19:50 SparkLabs has invested in over 260 companies, what are some of the highlights?

• Andela
• Memebox

22:00 Silicon Valley has long been the home of venture capital - but many firms are now looking to Asia. Where does the Valley see the opportunities in Asia? 

• The next billion middle class in Asia

25:00 Overview of the recent launch of  SparkLabs Foundry - SparkLabs’ “Innovation as a Service” offering for the Fortune 500 - and it’s partnership with SRI International, one of the world’s leading research and innovation institutes.

27:25 Bernard just launched his 13th Annual Industry Predictions on VentureBeat - titled “2020: Our meatless, cashless, city-less future” - what are the highlights?

32:25  You live in Silicon Valley, but the other co-founders live in Korea, the UK and Singapore. How do you manage to keep everyone in contact - and on the same page - with regards to your investment strategy, expansion plans, etc.? 

34:00 Let’s say SparkLabs doesn’t exist - and you wanted to start an accelerator today. Where would you locate it  - and why? (spoiler alert: it’s not Silicon Valley)

35:15 What do you know today - that you wish you knew when you started SparkLabs?

36:50 Final question - tell us something about yourself that we don’t already know.