Thai vs Foreign Startup Investors: Risk, Vision, and What Really Sets Them Apart

From pitching investment rounds
The character of
“Thai vs Foreign Startup Investors”
Differs significantly
.
And these differences
Are not just about capital
Or where the money comes from
But about the “perspective on risk – vision – and understanding of the word Scale”
That are completely different
.
🇹🇭 Thai investors: cautious, quick to judge, prefer certainty
1️⃣ Focus on fast profits – dislike burning money
✅ Most Thai investors believe “business must be profitable” within the first year or no more than 2 years. If a startup is still losing money, it's seen as “not ready” or “not working”
✅ Prefer to invest in revenue-generating businesses, avoiding models that “burn money before growth”
.
2️⃣ Believe more in connections than risk-taking
✅ The phrase “who you know” is very important in investment decisions—not just a good idea
✅ Founders with notable backgrounds—such as students of famous professors or backed by powerful figures—often get more chances than those without connections
.
3️⃣ Conservative vs Visionary
✅ Thai investors usually want a clear, precise roadmap and dislike surprises
✅ If the pitch says, “no revenue yet but we’ll disrupt the market,” it may be seen as “daydreaming”
.
4️⃣ Heavy background checks on founders
✅ It’s not just Product-Market Fit, but Founder-Market Fit must also show strong ethics and a clean history
.
5️⃣ Prefer minimal involvement
✅ Many Thai investors are passive—providing funds but little mentorship
✅ If they are active, they tend to “control” rather than “support”
.

.
🌍 Foreign investors: willing to take risks if there's long-term potential
1️⃣ Focus on scale before profit
✅ Investors from Silicon Valley, Japan, Singapore, etc., understand that some models need to lose money to expand customer base (e.g., Uber, Grab)
✅ What matters is not “profit today” but “potential market dominance”
.
2️⃣ Value vision and team
✅ If a founder understands the market, has execution power, and a big enough vision, foreign investors are willing to give the first check—even without revenue
✅ They believe the “right team” matters more than early numbers
.
3️⃣ Understand failure is part of the game
✅ Foreign investors view Fail Fast as a strategy, not a disgrace
✅ Founders who’ve failed may even receive more support if they learned from it
.
4️⃣ Mentorship / Network / Partnership
✅ Foreign investors don’t stop at funding. They bring international market networks, co-investors, experts, and guidance
✅ They build ecosystem value, not just ROI
.
5️⃣ Not bound by Thai-style structures
✅ Open to founders holding large equity stakes early on, not forcing dilution in the first round
✅ Prefer term sheets that encourage growth, not control-heavy structures
.
Character alone is not enough
We must also consider each investor’s business expertise
Some specialize in tech, some in construction
Some like fast turns, others prefer slow but stable gains
.
Even if our project doesn’t suit them now
Don’t forget to maintain the connection
Because in the future, who knows—
That investor we pitched to
Might introduce us to a fellow investor
Who becomes the one truly interested in our project later on
.

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