“Building a startup doesn’t begin with money, but with belief, persistence, and learning from failures.”
This was the core message from Bitkub Meetup 2025, one of the largest gatherings of entrepreneurs, hosted under the theme “Rebuilding Thailand Startup Spirit.”
Organized by Bitkub Capital Group, the event brought together unicorn founders and emerging entrepreneurs to share insights, business journeys, and lessons learned along the way.
Attendees immersed themselves in discussions across multiple stages, from the Unicorn Stage, where Thailand’s leading unicorn founders revealed their journeys, to the Rising-Star Entrepreneurs & Startups Stage, which inspired the younger generation to dream big and take action.
Session 1: Rising-Star Entrepreneurs & Startups Stage
1. Oun, Diamond Grains: “We are the forest. We are the soil.”
When asked why she launched multiple brands, K.Oun explained: “Diversifying across industries reduces risks and it’s fun too.”
With the same team of 200 people, she successfully manages multiple brands. For her, business isn’t just about KPIs and numbers, but about creating a healthy ecosystem within the organization. She emphasized that employees must have good mental health, and that problems are not abnormalities but opportunities for growth.
Key principles:
“We don’t just hire talented people to use their skills. We help them grow further through our projects.”
Employees test every SKU at home before creating content.
“Life is not just about work. You have to wake up happy.”
“Problems are not abnormal — they’re the soil that helps us grow stronger.”
2. CK, Fastwork: “Dare to dream, don’t fear failure.”
K.CK stressed the importance of hiring the best talent possible and letting them experiment. Leadership, he said, is about setting a clear vision while being involved enough to uncover real problems.
Fastwork’s big ambition: to become indispensable to Thailand. Today, it’s already the #1 most-downloaded freelancing app in the country.
On finding product-market fit:
“Throwing money at ads can create fake growth. True growth happens when your product is genuinely good. A great product markets itself.”
3. Pao, iHAVECPU: “The value of a person lies in their work.”
From just 40,000 THB, Pao built a 3-billion-baht business empire. He credits his journey not to secrets, but to persistence and constant learning.
Lessons learned:
“Work follows money. Money follows work. If you outperform others, rewards will follow.”
Embrace employee diversity. A stable 9-to-5 isn’t bad — it provides income and knowledge.
Above all: “Be disciplined and honest with yourself.”
4. Pui, Gowabi: “Patience, explains it all.”
K.Pui hires people with passion, even if they lack experience, because passion fuels growth in ways money cannot buy.
On Gen Z employees:
“Money alone can’t attract them anymore. What matters is whether the role helps them grow.”
Her proudest achievement? Helping small beauty salons expand from a single eyelash bed into multiple thriving branches. For her, that impact means more than money.
Session 2: The Unbreakable Unicorns
1. Yod, LINE MAN Wongnai: “Madness and the hunger for wealth.”
K.Yod revealed his journey began with sheer “madness” and the desire to be rich. But that madness was backed by 15 years of persistence.
Growth strategy: When partnering with LINE MAN, he shared databases without upfront charges, instead opting for revenue-sharing in the future, a long-term win-win approach.
Hiring principle: “Choose people with the same ethics who are willing to work hard, not those who are in a rush to leave.”
2. Topp, Bitkub: “Believe, and then you will see.”
K.Topp shared how his understanding of financial history allowed him to “connect the dots” and identify opportunities others missed, helping him pioneer the crypto market in Thailand.
Hardest moment: going 10 months without paying himself a salary, with only two months of
funds left.
Key lessons:
Every business faces obstacles.
Rest and health are non-negotiable.
“Without trust, finance is nothing.”
3. Komsan, Flash Express: “We succeeded because we didn’t know.”
For K. Komsan, ignorance fueled boldness. Seeing China’s logistics boom, he adapted the model to Thailand even without knowing all the details.
His challenges:
“When you have no choice, you must go all in. That’s the only way forward.”
Final Takeaway
There is no single recipe for entrepreneurial success. What these founders proved is that success requires belief, persistence, adaptability, and above all, a long-term commitment to growth.
The “Rebuilding Thailand Startup Spirit” event reaffirmed that Thailand doesn’t lack ideas. What the ecosystem needs is more real-life stories and shared lessons to guide the next generation on this challenging but deeply rewarding path.
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