The Entrepreneur‑in‑Residence (EiR) Programme, part of the Strengthen Entrepreneurship and Innovation Pillar under the Enhancing Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Investments (3Ei) initiative, connects regional and international practitioners with local ecosystem actors to deepen technical expertise and strengthen entrepreneurial capacity across Cambodia.
Mr. Wan Dazriq is an entrepreneurship ecosystem advocate and builder with experience across impact entrepreneurship, venture building, and innovation‑led transformation initiatives. His work spans startups, multinational organisations, and government‑linked companies, with a focus on aligning business performance, social impact, and long‑term value creation within emerging market contexts.
On 27 April 2026, Mr. Wan Dazriq’s EiR mission commenced with the full-day workshop on “Designing Ventures That Scale: From Problem Clarity to Exponential Model”, hosted by the Enhancing Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Investments (3Ei) initiative. The workshop supported founders in moving beyond idea-driven execution toward building customer-led, scalable ventures. Participants explored approaches to customer discovery, unit economics, system-led growth, and common scaling traps within ASEAN markets, drawing on structured business models and growth frameworks. The workshop was attended by 35 startups and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
On 28 April 2026, Mr. Wan Dazriq facilitated the half-day workshop on the topic “What Investors Actually Look for in Emerging Market Startups” at Smart Startup Space, in collaboration with 3Ei and Smart Axiata. The session focused on investor mindset in frontier and emerging markets, core criteria for investment readiness, and practical preparation for fundraising and due diligence. Participants examined how investors assess risk, scalability, and long-term potential when deploying capital in regional markets. The workshop was attended by eight startups and SMEs.
The afternoon continued with one-on-one mentoring sessions for startups and SMEs under Smart support programmes. These sessions provided a platform for focused discussion of individual business challenges in a group setting, reinforcing learning from the morning workshop. Two startups received one-on-one mentoring sessions.
On 29 April 2026, Mr. Wan Dazriq conducted one-to-one mentoring sessions with three selected startups and SMEs. These tailored engagements focused on venture design, investment readiness, and strategic prioritisation based on each venture’s growth stage and constraints. In the afternoon, he delivered the workshop about “Aligning Your Business Value Proposition: How to Stand Out in Competitive Markets” at Techo Startup Center (TSC), co-hosted by 3Ei and TSC. The workshop supported founders in clarifying target customers, defining differentiated value propositions, and communicating their value clearly to customers, partners, and investors. Interactive exercises enabled participants to practice articulating and pitching their value propositions in competitive market contexts. The workshop was attended by 30 startups and SMEs.
On 30 April 2026, Mr. Wan Dazriq facilitated the half-day workshop on “Go-to-Market Strategy for Early-Stage Startups” at the AUPP Technology Center (ATC), in collaboration with 3Ei and ATC. The workshop addressed common early-stage go-to-market challenges, including customer segmentation, value proposition alignment, and acquisition channel selection. Participants worked through practical tools to develop simple, actionable go-to-market plans suitable for early-stage execution. The workshop was attended by 17 startup participants.
The EiR mission concluded with continued one-to-one mentoring sessions on 1st May 2026, providing additional tailored support to startups under the ACT Smart Post Incubation Programme. These sessions focused on refining venture strategies, strengthening market positioning, and addressing specific operational and growth challenges. 6 startups participated in the final mentoring sessions.
Mr. Wan Dazriq’s EiR mission contributed practical frameworks across venture scalability, investor readiness, value proposition clarity, and go-to-market execution, delivered through structured workshops and mentoring engagements in collaboration with ecosystem partners. Post workshop survey feedback reinforces this impact, with participants highlighting the value of clearer customer and problem understanding, structured approaches to value proposition and go-to-market planning, and practical guidance on fundraising and investor readiness. Importantly, women entrepreneurs and representatives of women-led businesses reported increased confidence in making business and economic decisions following the sessions, indicating both strengthened capability and empowerment as a direct outcome of the EiR engagement.
The Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EiR) Programme is part of the Strengthen Entrepreneurship and Innovation initiative under the Enhancing Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Investments (3Ei) Project. It is funded by Khmer Enterprise (KE), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and co-implemented by Khmer Enterprise (KE) and Swisscontact.