Founder F*ck Up Night: F*ckups and Success Stories You Won’t Forget

Building a business is messy—let’s talk about the mess.

Join us for an evening of unfiltered stories from founders who have been through the wringer, made epic mistakes, and still came out on top. This isn’t your typical business event. It’s raw, real, and packed with lessons you won’t get from a textbook.

Expect an electric mix of honest conversations, unexpected turns, and a few hilarious “what was I thinking?” moments. You’ll hear from a panel of speakers who won’t sugarcoat their journeys – they’ll lay it all out. From bold risks gone sideways to cringe-worthy decisions, you’ll hear how they navigated the chaos, learned from their failures, and found success in ways they never expected.

But this night isn’t just about the stories. It’s about connecting, and as with every Launchpad event, you will be in a room full of like-minded entrepreneurs, ready to learn, laugh, and share a drink or two. Whether you want to find inspiration, build your network, or just have a damn good time, this event is a don’t – f**king – miss.

So grab your ticket*, bring your questions, and get ready for an evening that’s as entertaining as it is insightful. After all, who says you can’t learn from a little chaos?

* Ticket includes non-alcoholic drinks, canapes, and a light dinner.

About the experts

Emma Pike

After leaving school at 15 to start her first company and selling it at the age of 22, Emma’s always had a passion for seeking new opportunities in the market. Her aim in all of her businesses is to be transparent, open and honest, allowing each business the best chance to be successful. She ensures that her customers understand how their products and services are sourced, and always provides details to her customers, gaining their confidence in each of her adventures.

Knowledge is power and she is always delighted to be invited to speak at various events about being an entrepreneur, mentoring and coaching people, details about different industries, marketing, customer service, and more. Alongside her business commitments, she is also a keen sportsperson, supports several charities, and is a big fan of supporting fellow entrepreneurs.

Joy Wang

Having dabbled in startups since University, Joy is no stranger to grinding out in the weeds with every business she touches. From insurance, car sharing, agency life to series A and B startups in fashion tech and fintech, Joy is no stranger to testing, failing, and iterating. She’s now operating her own DTC wedding gowns and accessories brand Bone and Grey Bridal. Boneandgrey.com focuses on bringing more minimalist, quality, and affordable wedding dresses to modern brides worldwide.

Joy believes in understanding a business from all angles and getting your hands dirty to truly grow and scale one. She loves learning from seasoned entrepreneurs and business leaders, as well as passing on her knowledge to young, aspiring entrepreneurs. In order to stay sane outside of work, Joy enjoys being a freelance actress (she’s in the latest The Apprentice: One Championship Edition!), relishes in being way too competitive in pickleball, cuddling with her fur babies, and exploring the world with her husband. She’s always open to collaborating and partnering with like-minded people, hit her up for a chat!

Vikas Garg

Vikas Garg is the founder of abillion, a company with a mission to help a billion people go vegan. The company has created an award winning platform, the abillion app and website, which has grown to 15 million users in over a 100 countries. The app and website help people find better options, whether that’s healthier plant-based options at restaurants, or more sustainable lifestyle products across over 200 categories. The user experience is unique in offering it’s community a stake in how abillion invests it’s money, giving users equity in the business when they make better choices and the ability to choose where abillion donates it’s money. Since 2018, the company has donated over S$4 million to non-profits worldwide.

Originally from India, Vikas grew up in New York City, where he began interning on Wall Street at the age of 14. His first business venture was an online marketplace he started as a teenager selling camping gear and designer clothing. Vikas left a career in finance behind to fulfill a burning desire to create a business that brought his values closer to his work. He launched abillion in 2017 with the vision of helping a billion people create a much better planet for everyone.

Zal Dastur

Zal Dastur is a seasoned entrepreneur with a dual passion for business and sustainability. For over 15 years, he’s built and scaled a successful B2B enterprise software company.
Driven by a desire to empower the fight against climate change, he transitioned his expertise to mentoring and coaching climate-focused businesses through Grange Management. He leverages his real-world business experience to help these ventures become potent storytellers and effective pitchers, propelling their growth and impact.

Zal’s dedication extends beyond coaching. He hosts a popular podcast, Impact at Scale (listened to in more than 100 countries), fostering connections with founders, investors, and community builders within the sustainability space. His passion and knowledge have earned him recognition as a leading voice in the Southeast Asian sustainability landscape.