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With Siem Reap’s economy largely driven by tourism, food and beverage, retail, and services, many SMEs struggle to scale due to limited understanding and preparation for engaging with investors. The Give a Day platform, created to promote collaboration across Cambodia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, responded by organizing a tailored workshop focused on investment readiness, equipping local businesses with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to pursue funding opportunities.
Leading the workshop was Keo Sar, a Cambodian-American entrepreneur, angel investor, and startup advisor with over 12 years of experience in the U.S. startup scene, including at two unicorns and one acquired company. Drawing from his global mentorship work and investment activity in emerging markets, Mr. Keo brought real-world insight to the Siem Reap audience, emphasizing the importance of both mindset and financial preparation.
The workshop walked participants through key sessions on understanding investment readiness, navigating Cambodia’s financing landscape, and demystifying investor expectations. The topics covered investment readiness, clarified common misconceptions and key terms, explored types of investors, shared insights on the local financing landscape, and highlighted the key criteria investors consider when evaluating SMEs.
Participants were introduced to an "Investment Readiness Toolkit" that included a funder-focused SME assessment scorecard, a 90-day action plan, and a Cambodia-specific resource directory. Results from the "Business Health Check Assessment" showed most SMEs were in the early “building phase” or had made a “good start,” highlighting the need for structured support over the next 60–90 days. Financial management was a key area for improvement, while product and service quality stood out as a strength—exemplified by This Life Cambodia’s handmade product prototypes. The discussion explored funding options and investor types, sparking interest in the Angel Investor model, particularly their goal of earning 3–10 times their investment and role in business growth. This momentum continued into the "Business Matching Scenario" activity, where participants confidently shared funding choices based on real-life Cambodian experiences.
Mr. Keo also addressed questions ranging from expected returns and investment processes to real-life case studies and market-specific examples. One highlight included an insightful exchange about the relevance of impact investors for social enterprises, stemming from a participant’s experience with European funders and inquiries into “revenue per employee” and pricing strategies based on space utilization.
The “Business Matching Scenario” activity further encouraged participants to contextualize their funding choices, drawing on Cambodian business realities. Practical questions also surfaced around tools like Google Workspace and best practices for financial tracking, reinforcing the importance of accessible, everyday solutions for SME operations.
Post-event survey results showed overwhelmingly positive feedback. Participants rated their learning experience highly across key areas, especially in understanding what investment readiness entails, knowing what investors look for, and grasping available investment types in Cambodia.
A total of 17 participants (12 females) participants joined the session, reflecting growing interest among Siem Reap’s entrepreneurs to move beyond survival and toward sustainable growth.
As Give a Day continues to evolve as a collaborative platform, the June edition affirmed the value of localized engagement and responsive programming. Looking ahead, Give a Day will remain committed to unlocking entrepreneurial potential in the provinces by bridging knowledge gaps, fostering meaningful dialogue, and promoting inclusive support systems across Cambodia’s business ecosystem.
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.