Daily Markup #894: Dagangan’s Ryan Manafe and Una Brands’ Kiren Tanna honored as Founders Forum’s Rising Stars for their world-changing potential

December 14, 2023 · 2 min read

A positive impact

Founders Forum’s (FF) Rising Stars of 2023 have been announced, and 2 of our founders were honored! The annual list is curated based on nominations from a global network of top founders and investors, and features early-stage startup founders whose ideas have world-changing potential. Congratulations Ryan and Kiren!
500-backed social commerce company Dagangan was established with the rural population of Indonesia in mind. Co-founder & CEO Ryan Manafe and his team built up a network of more than 40 micro hubs covering 17,000 villages across Indonesia to provide rural communities with easier access to daily necessities at a lower cost.
The objective? Equalize rural communities’ access to essential products and services, encourage rural entrepreneurs to grow their businesses, and empower local talent to be vocal contributors to their communities.
“Our long-term objective is to grow exponentially to distribute 10,000 products and to replicate our current business model throughout Indonesia to reach 75,000 villages across the country,” he shared.
The best advice he’s ever received: Always tell the truth, regardless of how difficult it may be. And the worst: Prioritize growth at all costs.
With 500-backed Una Brands, Co-founder & CEO Kiren Tanna is building the next Unilever for the online world by buying and growing brands across Asia-Pacific. To date, the company has acquired more than 20 online-only brands, helping grow many of them from US$1M to US$10M in revenue, supporting product launches as well as new country and channel expansions.
“We are building a generational company and our 10-year vision is to have THE go-to platform for innovating and bringing great products to life for consumers across the globe to make their lives easier and more fulfilling,” he shared.
In navigating the complex landscape of brand acquisition and transformation, he revealed that the team is actively seeking collaboration with experienced mentors, industry experts, and advisors who possess a deep understanding of both the APAC market and brand growth strategies.
The best advice he’s ever received: Embrace failure as a stepping stone to success. And the worst: The notion that success is guaranteed if you follow a certain formula.
Check out the full list here.