13 Years of Building in Cambodia: What Actually Worked

In 2011, I started SmallWorld with more enthusiasm than experience. Thirteen years later, we've built KOOMPI, launched Selendra, created VitaminAir, and helped over 50 startups. Here's what actually worked—and what didn't.

What I Got Wrong Early

In 2011-2013, I thought startups just needed money. We focused on connecting entrepreneurs with investors. Most failed anyway. Money without mentorship, market understanding, and execution discipline is just expensive education.

We tried importing accelerator models that worked in San Francisco. They flopped in Phnom Penh. Different infrastructure, different mindset, different timeline. What grows in California soil doesn't transplant well to Cambodian conditions.

The "move fast and break things" mentality broke more than it built. In Cambodia's relationship-based business culture, breaking trust is expensive. Patience isn't just a virtue—it's strategy.

What Actually Worked

SmallWorld the co-working space created more value than SmallWorld the VC fund. Entrepreneurs needed somewhere to work, connect, and feel part of something bigger. Infrastructure before investment.

KOOMPI started as a computer company but became an education mission. We've now set up 63 computer labs in schools. Turns out, training the next generation matters more than serving the current one.

Selendra works because it solves Cambodia-specific problems—land registration, loyalty programs, supply chain transparency. Building for local needs with global technology.

Plan for 5-10 years, execute in 90-day cycles. Cambodia's bureaucracy and infrastructure require patience, but opportunities move fast.

Three Hard Lessons

You can't force a startup scene into existence. But you can create conditions—spaces, events, connections—and wait for organic growth. What gets built shows quick results but rarely lasts. What grows takes time but endures.

Cambodian developers, designers, and entrepreneurs are capable of world-class work. The limitation isn't skill—it's confidence and access to markets. Our job is removing barriers, not importing solutions.

Silicon Valley optimizes for explosive growth and exits. In Cambodia, we optimize for sustainable businesses that employ people and solve real problems. Different success metrics, different strategies.

What's Next

After 13 years, I'm convinced Cambodia's tech future isn't about becoming the next Singapore or Vietnam. It's about becoming the first Cambodia—leveraging our unique strengths in tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing while building digital capabilities.

The kids in those 63 KOOMPI labs will build Cambodia's next generation of tech companies. Our job is giving them tools and getting out of their way.

Sometimes the best thing an entrepreneur can do is plant trees they'll never sit under. In Cambodia, we're still planting.