In this week's edition of Meet The Team, we learn a little more about Juancho, our Senior Associate who sources for investment opportunities and oversees our portfolio companies in the Philippines. Read on to learn more about his love for food and his experience with the Openspace family.
What do you do here at Openspace?
I cover Philippine investments for Openspace. My key responsibility is to look for the best founders in the Philippines for Openspace to invest in and then support these founders in any way I can.
Why did you join Openspace?
As someone with little to no tech experience before Openspace, I never expected to join a VC after close to 5 years in investment banking. However joining the firm was a no-brainer when I met the team for the first time and immediately felt the shared belief that world class businesses can be founded and built in the Philippines (which has historically been overlooked by regional and global investors only until recently). This ambition was something I really wanted to contribute to.
What is one unexpected thing about you?
I’m a big foodie and have a personal food blog somewhere on the Internet - good luck finding it 🙂
Who's someone you’ve always wanted to meet?
Would’ve loved to meet the late great Kobe Bryant - one of the greatest athletes ever who brought his competitive drive into becoming a great investor after his sports career.
What's one thing you really like about working here?
The team. Everyone at Openspace embodies the “work hard play hard” mentality so much that it’s contagious. It’s also a blessing to be exposed to so many bright and determined founders on a day to day basis.
Do you have a particularly interesting or memorable highlight of working here?
My first in-person AGM last year. After working remotely for close to two years it was really great seeing the entire team come together to pull off a great event for our investors!
What's a really good piece of advice that you've received from someone in the office?
“To be a great VC sometimes you need to be a great private investigator, sometimes a great insurance salesman, and sometimes a great marriage counselor” (quote from one of the partners, guess who). Sounds like a joke but this is actually pretty accurate 😂
If you were to make an Openspace pizza, what's your chosen topping?
Fresh vegetables ordered from SariSuki. Paired with an iced Kape Kastila from Pickup Coffee, please! 😀
In this week's edition of Meet The Team, we learn a little more about Juancho, our Senior Associate who sources for investment opportunities and oversees our portfolio companies in the Philippines. Read on to learn more about his love for food and his experience with the Openspace family.
What do you do here at Openspace?
I cover Philippine investments for Openspace. My key responsibility is to look for the best founders in the Philippines for Openspace to invest in and then support these founders in any way I can.
Why did you join Openspace?
As someone with little to no tech experience before Openspace, I never expected to join a VC after close to 5 years in investment banking. However joining the firm was a no-brainer when I met the team for the first time and immediately felt the shared belief that world class businesses can be founded and built in the Philippines (which has historically been overlooked by regional and global investors only until recently). This ambition was something I really wanted to contribute to.
What is one unexpected thing about you?
I’m a big foodie and have a personal food blog somewhere on the Internet - good luck finding it 🙂
Who's someone you’ve always wanted to meet?
Would’ve loved to meet the late great Kobe Bryant - one of the greatest athletes ever who brought his competitive drive into becoming a great investor after his sports career.
What's one thing you really like about working here?
The team. Everyone at Openspace embodies the “work hard play hard” mentality so much that it’s contagious. It’s also a blessing to be exposed to so many bright and determined founders on a day to day basis.
Do you have a particularly interesting or memorable highlight of working here?
My first in-person AGM last year. After working remotely for close to two years it was really great seeing the entire team come together to pull off a great event for our investors!
What's a really good piece of advice that you've received from someone in the office?
“To be a great VC sometimes you need to be a great private investigator, sometimes a great insurance salesman, and sometimes a great marriage counselor” (quote from one of the partners, guess who). Sounds like a joke but this is actually pretty accurate 😂
If you were to make an Openspace pizza, what's your chosen topping?
Fresh vegetables ordered from SariSuki. Paired with an iced Kape Kastila from Pickup Coffee, please! 😀
