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Since its inception, Give a Day has emerged as a trusted platform for building trust, strengthening partnerships, and deepening collaboration among ecosystem actors. By 2025, the initiative had gathered over 1,576 participants across 34 events in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Battambang, with an overwhelming majority expressing strong intent to return. The 29th edition welcomed 45 participants, including 20 women from 38 organizations, who actively joined panel discussions and breakout sessions. organizations, who actively joined panel discussions and breakout sessions.
The discussion at Give a Day 29 addressed the persistent structural challenges Cambodian SMEs face in accessing investment. Insights from the 2024 Social Network Analysis revealed a critical mismatch between investor offerings and SME readiness—investors often provide ticket sizes beyond what early-stage startups can absorb, while these same businesses are too large for microfinance yet too small for commercial banks. This “missing middle” contributes to a $3.7 billion funding gap that impedes growth and innovation.
Participants examined this complex dynamic through a regional lens, focusing on successful investment models from the Mekong region and Myanmar. They also explored how global best practices could be adapted to Cambodia’s context. Key challenges raised included operational maturity, limited exit strategies, high ROI expectations, and a lack of tailored support for early-stage ventures.
The panel discussion, titled “Unlocking Cambodia’s Investment Potential: Regional Lessons for Local Growth,” featured insights from experienced investors and ecosystem leaders. The session was moderated by Mr. Kong Somphyvatanak, Senior Market and Funding Manager at Khmer Enterprise, and featured Ms. Sophorn Kith, Mekong Investment Manager at ADB Frontier, Mr. La Woon Yan, Program Manager at Cnai Accelerator and Investment Manager at Emerging Markets Entrepreneurs (EME) and Mr. Keo Sar, Entrepreneur-In-Residence, Mentor, Advisor, and Angel Investor.
Panelists emphasized the need for Cambodia to develop investment mechanisms tailored to the realities of its local ecosystem. These include blended finance models, catalytic capital, and flexible investment instruments that can bridge the gap between early-stage startups and large institutional funding. ADB Frontier mentioned that revenue-based financing, where repayments are linked to company revenue, offers a practical risk-sharing solution for SMEs that lack strong collateral but demonstrate growth potential. This model, already piloted in Cambodia and Laos, not only provides capital but also incorporates business coaching and follow-on support to help SMEs scale sustainably.
From Myanmar, CNAI Accelerator shared how the ISAFE (Impact–Simple Agreement for Future Equity) model was introduced to address the limitations of traditional equity investments in volatile markets. Mr. La Woon Yan explained that this model ties capital to impact outcomes—such as gender —offering flexibility for early-stage enterprises while ensuring accountability and alignment with investors.
Adding to the discussion, Mr. Keo Sar reflected on the limitations of transplanting Silicon Valley-style venture capital to emerging economies like Cambodia. He emphasized the importance of cultivating a strong local angel investor network, supported by tax incentives and investor education. According to him, early-stage investing in Cambodia requires close collaboration, trust-building, and a focus on team quality and market understanding rather than rigid financial metrics.
Give a Day 29 reaffirmed the platform’s commitment to catalyzing impactful dialogue and building bridges across sectors to unlock Cambodia’s full investment potential. Participants left with actionable insights to inform their work—from strategy and policy to hands-on entrepreneurship.
Give a Day is co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and Khmer Enterprise (KE), and co-implemented by Khmer Enterprise (KE) and Swisscontact through the Enhancing Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Investments (3Ei) initiative.