Pico Group bets big on event tech start-ups

Pico Group and Founders Factory join forces in cultivating start-ups to advance event activation technologies.

The idea behind cultivating these tech start-ups is to drive more potential for the events industry.
The idea behind cultivating these tech start-ups is to drive more potential for the events industry. Photo Credit: Adobe/Costello77

Pico Group is partnering with Founders Factory, a start-up accelerator and venture studio, to launch a new venture-building initiative in Asia.

The two companies over the next three years will help to cultivate technology start-ups in areas including Web3, martech and event activation.

Two distinct types will be targeted:
1. Start-up accelerator: Assist pre-seed and seed stage start-ups to scale and expand
2. Venture studio: Identify and help jump-start new start-ups

Under this partnership, Pico aims to leverage the start-ups and their innovations to drive more potential for the events industry.

With 50 years of experience and innovation under its belt, Pico is leveraging on its position as a leading ‘Experience-Led, Digital-First’ brand activation company to power the venture.

Founders Factory comes in with its expertise in creating opportunities to build next generation technologies in the Asia market, bringing entrepreneurs access to investment, bespoke operational support and an robust industry network.

This collaboration also marks Founders Factory’s expansion into Asia. As of current, the company has created over 80 start-ups from scratch and invested in a further 220 via its accelerator model in Europe, North America and Africa.

“New technologies, techniques and behavioural trends since the pandemic have opened up whole new horizons for engagement with audiences and customers, giving rise to new start-up opportunities in event activation technologies, Web3, martech and other areas," said Jean Chia, group president, Pico. "We are thus delighted to collaborate with Founders Factory to nurture new technologies and build further on our audience engagement and experience leadership.”

Henry Lane Fox, Founders Factory CEO: “We’re excited to be partnering with Pico to invest in the fastest growing digital economy in the world. We believe our venture building model can allow the very best regional entrepreneurial talent to build breakthrough companies in the fastest and most capital efficient manner possible.”