Lawyer-turned-entrepreneur Anastasios Papadopoulos has been quietly changing the odds of success for Hong Kong entrepreneurs looking to build tech start-ups
After attending law school and earning a master’s degree in business management at HEC Paris, Anastasios Papadopoulos began his career at the Paris branch of New York law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates. While working on some of the decade’s biggest tech deals he realised the significant opportunities that the industry had to offer, and so seven years ago, he left law to launch his first company in Hong Kong: IMS, a top-tier digital agency that specialises in building Silicon Valley-level enterprise solutions.
It quickly became the largest independent digital agency in Hong Kong, serving some of the biggest private equity and corporate projects, and rivalling established players. Papadopoulos recognised that the tech solutions his agency was delivering could also be used to level the playing field for start-ups, so he pivoted the agency and its battle-tested army of engineers into venture building. His mission: to turn the odds in favour of entrepreneurs aspiring to launch tech companies while ensuring higher returns for investors.
IMS Digital Ventures now has a portfolio valued at over US$250 million and currently supports ten ventures with its all-star team of almost 300 software engineers, growth marketers and analysts.
Tatler speaks to Papadopoulos about his secrets to start-up success.
