Expara

Expara Driven by our core values of integrity, empathy, trust and teamwork, we are passionate and committed

Expara is a leading venture capital company established in Singapore since 2003. Expara develops and teaches entrepreneurship, innovation and venture finance through experiential training programs and innovation challenges for entrepreneurs, corporations and public institutions in Southeast Asia. Douglas Abrams, the founder of Expara, has been investing in, teaching, training and mentoring entrepreneurs in Singapore since 2000 and has been focused on the Interactive and Digital Media space since 2003. Expara funds and incubates startups through Expara IDM Ventures Private Limited. Expara IDM Ventures was one of the first private incubators to be appointed under the Media Development Authority of Singapore's i.Jam Microfunding Scheme in 2007 and i.Jam Reload scheme in 2012. In 2012, Expara IDM Ventures became the first incubator in Southeast Asia to provide companies an incubation network spanning Singapore, Thailand and Europe. Expara is currently expanding its enterprise reach across the Southeast Asian region to include new verticals like social impact, bio-technology and renewable technology. Our existing partner network spans in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Czech Republic and Norway. Expara has close ties with two entities: Extream Ventures Pte Ltd, a S$20 million early-stage venture fund supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) under the Early Stage Venture Funding Scheme and Red Dot Ventures Pte Ltd, one of the appointed NRF-TIS incubators (Technology Incubation Scheme) in Singapore.

๐˜๐จ๐ฎโ€™๐ซ๐ž ๐ข๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐‡๐ˆ๐’๐“ ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ” ๐Š๐ข๐œ๐ค-๐จ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ ๐„๐ฏ๐ž๐ง๐ญ!The 4th Ho Chi Minh City Innovative Startups for Tourism Competition โ€“ HI...
28/09/2026

๐˜๐จ๐ฎโ€™๐ซ๐ž ๐ข๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐‡๐ˆ๐’๐“ ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ” ๐Š๐ข๐œ๐ค-๐จ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ ๐„๐ฏ๐ž๐ง๐ญ!

The 4th Ho Chi Minh City Innovative Startups for Tourism Competition โ€“ HIST 2026 carries the theme โ€œStart with Innovation. Scale Sustainably.โ€ The competition aims to encourage entrepreneurship in tourism and connect promising ideas, projects, and startups with real market needs.

HIST 2026 will explore opportunities across digital transformation and AI, cultural and creative tourism, green and sustainable tourism operations, and the night-time economy. It also seeks to bring research and innovation closer to practical applications in tourism.

Join us for the official launch, the announcement of the two competition tracks and competition registration portal, an inspirational talk show, and opportunities to connect with startups, businesses, investors, and ecosystem partners.

๐Ÿ“… ๐“๐ข๐ฆ๐ž: 8:15 - 11:30 AM, Wednesday, 30 September 2026
๐Ÿ“ ๐•๐ž๐ง๐ฎ๐ž: Hall A1.03, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) - 59๐ถ ๐‘๐‘”๐‘ข๐‘ฆ๐‘’๐‘› ๐ท๐‘–๐‘›โ„Ž ๐ถโ„Ž๐‘–๐‘’๐‘ข, ๐‘‹๐‘ข๐‘Ž๐‘› ๐ป๐‘œ๐‘Ž ๐‘Š๐‘Ž๐‘Ÿ๐‘‘, ๐ป๐‘œ ๐ถโ„Ž๐‘– ๐‘€๐‘–๐‘›โ„Ž ๐ถ๐‘–๐‘ก๐‘ฆ
๐Ÿ”— ๐‘๐ž๐ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐š๐ญ๐ญ๐ž๐ง๐: https://vist.ly/5k56t

We look forward to welcoming you to HIST 2026!

๐Ÿš€ ๐„๐—๐๐€๐‘๐€ ๐€๐๐๐Ž๐”๐๐‚๐„๐’ ๐’๐“๐‘๐€๐“๐„๐†๐ˆ๐‚ ๐Œ๐Ž๐” ๐’๐ˆ๐†๐๐ˆ๐๐†๐’ ๐–๐ˆ๐“๐‡ ๐‡๐”๐„๐‘๐ˆ๐“๐€๐†๐„ ๐€๐๐ƒ ๐‡๐”๐„๐Ÿ’๐” ๐Ÿš€This past September 18th, Expara had the honor of pa...
22/09/2026

๐Ÿš€ ๐„๐—๐๐€๐‘๐€ ๐€๐๐๐Ž๐”๐๐‚๐„๐’ ๐’๐“๐‘๐€๐“๐„๐†๐ˆ๐‚ ๐Œ๐Ž๐” ๐’๐ˆ๐†๐๐ˆ๐๐†๐’ ๐–๐ˆ๐“๐‡ ๐‡๐”๐„๐‘๐ˆ๐“๐€๐†๐„ ๐€๐๐ƒ ๐‡๐”๐„๐Ÿ’๐” ๐Ÿš€

This past September 18th, Expara had the honor of participating in the ๐ˆ๐ง๐ฏ๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐๐š๐ซ๐ญ๐ง๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐‚๐จ๐ง๐Ÿ๐ž๐ซ๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐’๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ข๐ง๐š๐›๐ฅ๐ž ๐‚๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐š๐ฅ ๐“๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‚๐ซ๐ž๐š๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž ๐ˆ๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐‡๐ฎ๐ž ๐‚๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ, hosted by the Mekong Institute.

We are thrilled to share that during this fantastic event, ๐„๐ฑ๐ฉ๐š๐ซ๐š ๐จ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐ข๐œ๐ข๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐ž๐ ๐Œ๐ž๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐š๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐”๐ง๐๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐  (๐Œ๐Ž๐”๐ฌ) with two promising local startups: ๐‡๐ฎ๐ž๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐š๐ ๐ž and ๐‡๐ฎ๐ž๐Ÿ’๐”!

This strategic collaboration marks a significant step in our ongoing commitment to empowering the creative economy, supporting sustainable tourism, and driving innovative investments in the Mekong region. We are looking forward to a fruitful journey ahead with our new partners as we work together to create lasting impacts.

๐Ÿš€ CHARTING A NEW COURSE IN INNOVATION: EXPARA X VIHRecently, on September 16th, we were thrilled to officially sign a St...
20/09/2026

๐Ÿš€ CHARTING A NEW COURSE IN INNOVATION: EXPARA X VIH

Recently, on September 16th, we were thrilled to officially sign a Strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Expara and VIH - Innovation Hub of Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City!

This milestone marks a significant step forward in our shared commitment to nurturing and expanding the local startup landscape. A huge congratulations to everyone involved in making this happen. We are incredibly excited about the synergies this collaboration will unlock and look forward to a deeply impactful partnership with VIH.

Alongside this momentous signing, our very own Mr. Khiem was honored to participate as a guest speaker in the roundtable panel discussion at VIHโ€™s event. The dialogue centered on a critical and inspiring mission: Building a thriving Innovation Ecosystem at Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM).

It was a privilege to exchange insights alongside other industry leaders on how we can better empower student founders, bridge the gap between academia and industry, and accelerate tech-driven entrepreneurship from the ground up.

Thank you to the VIH team for hosting such a fantastic and forward-thinking event. Here is to a fruitful partnership and our shared vision for the future of innovation!

Swipe through to see some highlight moments from the day!

๐Ÿš€ THATโ€™S A WRAP! THE GLOBAL INNOVATION TOURISM STARTUP INVESTMENT CONNECT DAY WAS A RESOUNDING SUCCESS!What an incredibl...
04/09/2026

๐Ÿš€ THATโ€™S A WRAP! THE GLOBAL INNOVATION TOURISM STARTUP INVESTMENT CONNECT DAY WAS A RESOUNDING SUCCESS!

What an incredible afternoon of cross-border collaboration and TravelTech innovation at ITE HCMC 2026! Expara Vietnam is thrilled to have co-organized this milestone event, bridging the startup ecosystems of Vietnam and South Korea to shape the future of the tourism industry.

A look back at the day's biggest highlights:
๐ŸŒŸ 18 Visionary Startups: Our showcase area was buzzing with energy as founders from Vietnam and Korea presented breakthrough tech solutions to digitalize and elevate the travel experience.
๐ŸŒŸ Deep Industry Insights: The panel discussion unpacked actionable strategies for cross-border collaboration, market integration, and the rising role of Venture Capital in accelerating TravelTech.
๐ŸŒŸ 14 High-Stakes Pitches: The stage witnessed intense competition as top innovators pitched live for the ultimate grand prize - a fast track to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in Silicon Valley and the COEX AW Exhibition.

A massive thank you to our esteemed co-organizers, HTPC, Startup World Cup Vietnam, CNTTECH, and KTO, for making this vision a reality. We also extend our deepest gratitude to our expert judges, panelists, and every attendee who joined us at SECC to support these rising entrepreneurs.

The journey to innovate global tourism doesn't stop here. Stay connected with Expara as we continue to back visionary founders and build a borderless startup ecosystem!

๐Ÿš€ [EVENT] UNLOCKING THE FUTURE OF TRAVELTECH: MEET OUR EXPERT PANELISTS AT ITE HCMC 2026!The tourism and technology land...
25/08/2026

๐Ÿš€ [EVENT] UNLOCKING THE FUTURE OF TRAVELTECH: MEET OUR EXPERT PANELISTS AT ITE HCMC 2026!

The tourism and technology landscapes are converging faster than ever. As part of the upcoming Global Innovation Tourism Startup Investment Connect Day, we are bringing together visionary leaders, investors, and ecosystem builders to dissect the massive shifts and cross-border collaboration potentials between Vietnam and South Korea.

We are honored to introduce our distinguished line-up of experts for the Panel Discussion on "Innovation in Tourism and Vietnam - Korea Collaboration Opportunities":
๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Panel Discussion Lineup:
- Moderator: Mr. Do Duc Minh โ€“ Guiding the strategic conversation and unearthing deep insights from our industry experts.
- Panelist: Mr. Tran Duy Khiem โ€“ General Partner at Expara SEA Ventures, bringing extensive venture capital and startup scaling expertise.
- Panelist: Mr. Truong Gia Khanh โ€“ Director at Vidogroup, sharing practical enterprise perspectives on market integration and tourism growth.
- Panelist: Ms. Silvie Eunsun Park โ€“ Director at Startup World Cup Vietnam, bridging global innovation pathways for high-potential startups.

๐Ÿ“… Event Agenda Overview:
+ 14:30 โ€“ 15:00: Reception & Startups Showcase (Exhibiting 18 cutting-edge TravelTech startups from Vietnam and Korea).
+ 15:00 โ€“ 15:40: Panel Discussion with our esteemed speakers.
+ 15:40 โ€“ 18:00: Startup Pitching Session & Awards (Featuring 14 pitching startups vying for the Silicon Valley ticket and global exposure).
+ 18:00: Event Closure.

๐Ÿ“ Venue: Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), District 7, Ho Chi Minh City
โฐ Time: 14:30 | Friday, August 28, 2026

Join us to gain firsthand industry insights, explore cross-border tech solutions, and network with top-tier players in the travel ecosystem: https://vist.ly/5f2ht

๐Ÿ† UNVEILING THE INCREDIBLE PRIZES FOR THE TOURISM INNOVATION PITCHING COMPETITION! ๐Ÿ†Are you ready to take your TravelTec...
22/08/2026

๐Ÿ† UNVEILING THE INCREDIBLE PRIZES FOR THE TOURISM INNOVATION PITCHING COMPETITION! ๐Ÿ†

Are you ready to take your TravelTech startup to the global stage? The stakes have never been higher at the upcoming Global Innovation Tourism Startup Investment Connect Day!

We are thrilled to announce the official prize structure for the top-performing startups in our Pitching Session. Take a look at what our top innovators will take home:
๐Ÿฅ‡ TOP 1 - The Grand Prize Winner:
Global Access to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in Silicon Valley!
FREE Booth at the COEX AW Exhibition Pitching
$1,000 USD Cash Prize
Official Certificate of Recognition
๐Ÿฅˆ TOP 2 - First Runner-Up:
FREE Booth at the COEX AW Exhibition Pitching
$300 USD Cash Prize
Official Certificate of Recognition
๐Ÿฅ‰ TOP 3 - Second Runner-Up:
FREE Booth at the COEX AW Exhibition Pitching
Official Certificate of Recognition

๐ŸŒŸ Exclusive Exposure Perk: For startups hungry for maximum visibility, these top placements include a Fast Track to the COEX AW Exhibition Pitching, an incredible opportunity to showcase your solutions directly to an international audience and top-tier investors!

Who will claim the golden ticket to Silicon Valley? Join us on August 28th at SECC to witness the future of tourism technology unfold!

Registration Link: https://vist.ly/5frxa

๐Ÿš€ [EVENT] RIDING THE WAVE OF TOURISM INNOVATION WITH EXPARA AT ITE HCMC 2026!The tourism industry is undergoing a major ...
21/08/2026

๐Ÿš€ [EVENT] RIDING THE WAVE OF TOURISM INNOVATION WITH EXPARA AT ITE HCMC 2026!

The tourism industry is undergoing a major transformation driven by technology and innovation. To foster the TravelTech ecosystem and unlock new opportunities for cross-border collaboration, Expara Vietnam is proud to co-organize the ๐ŸŒŸ Global Innovation Tourism Startup Investment Connect Day ๐ŸŒŸ as part of ITE HCMC 2026, alongside the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Promotion Center (HTPC), Startup World Cup Vietnam (SWC), CNTTECH and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).

The event will serve as a strategic platform connecting the Vietnamese and Korean startup ecosystems, bringing together 14 startups - 06 from Vietnam and 08 from Korea - alongside investors, industry experts, businesses and ecosystem partners.

What to expect at the event:
- Startup & Innovation Showcase: Explore innovative tourism products, technologies and solutions from 06 Vietnamese and 08 Korean startups, and connect directly with founders from both ecosystems.
- Panel Discussion: Hear perspectives from tourism, technology, startup and investment leaders on โ€œInnovation in Tourism and Vietnam - Korea Collaboration Opportunities.โ€
- Startup World Cup Vietnam 2026 Final - Startup Spotlight / Pitching Session: Watch 14 Vietnamese and Korean startups take the stage and pitch directly to the Expert Panel.

We are especially thrilled to share that Mr. Tran Duy Khiem, Director of Expara SEA Ventures, will join the event as a Panelist in the Panel Discussion and a member of the Expert Panel for the Startup World Cup Vietnam 2026 Final, where he will evaluate the participating startups and share insights from an investorโ€™s perspective.

๐Ÿ“… EVENT DETAILS:
- Date: Friday, August 28, 2026
- Guest Reception & Startup Showcase: From 13:30
- Main Program: 14:00 - 17:00
- Venue: Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City
- Register here: https://vist.ly/5fkeh

Join us at ITE HCMC 2026 to discover emerging innovations, meet promising founders from Vietnam and Korea, and explore new opportunities for investment and cross-border collaboration in tourism and technology.

Join Exparaโ€™s Growing Team!Expara, a leading early-stage VC firm in Southeast Asia, is expanding! We are looking for hig...
19/08/2026

Join Exparaโ€™s Growing Team!

Expara, a leading early-stage VC firm in Southeast Asia, is expanding! We are looking for highly motivated final-year students and fresh graduates to join us in shaping the regional startup ecosystem. We are currently hiring for two key roles:

๐Ÿ“ˆ Sales Executive: Drive our top-of-funnel growth. You will prospect qualified leads, manage customer support, and help expand our Venture Accelerator Program.
Job description - Sales Executive: https://vist.ly/5fbvj

๐Ÿ“ฑ Communications & Media Executive: Elevate our brand. You will manage media planning, create bilingual content, and coordinate impactful client-facing events.
Job description - Media & Coms Executive: https://vist.ly/5fbvi

Application Deadline: August 24th, 2026
How to Apply: Send your resume (plus a portfolio/writing sample for the Comms role) to [email protected].

Only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted within two (2) working weeks to attend evaluation rounds.

Youโ€™ve built the product. Now, how do you build the company?At some point, every founder faces the same questions:Are we...
19/08/2026

Youโ€™ve built the product. Now, how do you build the company?

At some point, every founder faces the same questions:
Are we focusing on the right market?
Is our growth strategy strong enough?
What are we missing?
And if we meet an investor tomorrow - are we actually ready?

That is exactly where the Expara Accelerator Partner Program (EAP) comes in.

EAP gives startup founders, SMEs, and innovation-driven teams access to practical, hands-on support from Expara:
๐Ÿ”น 1-on-1 Diagnostic Session - identify the real gaps and opportunities in your business
๐Ÿ”น Mentor Network - learn from experienced founders, operators, investors, and industry experts
๐Ÿ”น Growth Strategy - sharpen your priorities and build a clearer path forward
๐Ÿ”น Investor Readiness - prepare your company to communicate and engage with investors more effectively

No generic startup theory.

The goal is simple: help promising teams see their business more clearly, make better decisions, and become better prepared for their next stage of growth.

If you are building a startup and feel that your next breakthrough may require more than just working harder, EAP is an opportunity to bring the right perspectives into the room.

๐Ÿš€ Applications are now open. JOIN US at: https://vist.ly/5fbqd

๐Ÿ“ Expara Vietnam
Room S4.08, Floor 4
123 Trฦฐฦกng ฤแป‹nh, Xuรขn Hรฒa Ward, Ho Chi Minh City

๐Ÿ‘‰ Scan the QR code and apply now.

As the vibrant energy of Innovation Happy Hour 2026: "Kแบฟt nแป‘i Cรดng nghแป‡ - Kiแบฟn tแบกo Tฦฐฦกng lai" settles, the lingering ins...
17/08/2026

As the vibrant energy of Innovation Happy Hour 2026: "Kแบฟt nแป‘i Cรดng nghแป‡ - Kiแบฟn tแบกo Tฦฐฦกng lai" settles, the lingering inspiration from our open dialogues and genuine connections remains deeply felt within our new space.

Reflecting on the 10-year journey of the accelerator landscape (2016 vs 2026), while core values endure, the way we approach and apply technology has remarkably transformed. This gathering was more than just a celebration of our new office and the strategic partnership between Expara and SHTP-IC; it was a true melting pot of bold ideas. From rethinking the innovations in HealthTech to practical AI adoption in Manufacturing, every breakout session opened up fresh and profound perspectives on the future.

This new beginning would not have been complete without the presence and support of our esteemed partners and like-minded friends. A heartfelt appreciation goes to our guest speakers who shared their authentic stories and passionate insights:
โœจ Mr. Nguyen Thanh Thuy - Vice President of Medical 3D Technology Association, Chairman of Thinksmart Group.
โœจ Mr. Diep Gia Bao - CEO & Co-founder, hello sunrise pty, Sydney, Australia.
โœจ Mr. Nguyen Van Hung - CEO & Founder, GOADS MEDIA TECHNOLOGY JSC.

To keep this momentum of innovation alive and spreading, we are delighted to share the full presentation decks from our speakers. Revisit the most valuable takeaways from the event here:
๐Ÿ”— Slides from Speakers: https://vist.ly/5f47s

Once again, thank you for being a part of this memorable milestone. Stay tuned for our upcoming monthly activities as we continue to shape the future together!

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Blk 71 Ayer Rajah Crescent #02-10/11
Singapore River
139951

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 17:30
Tuesday 09:00 - 17:30
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:30
Thursday 09:00 - 17:30
Friday 09:00 - 17:30

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