When ONE Championship founder and CEO Chatri Sityodtong asked Patrick Grove if he would appear as a guest judge on his new reality TV show, the group CEO of Catcha Group immediately jumped on the chance. “It was a great experience to be invited by my long-time close friend, Chatri to be on a show that combines both entrepreneurial energy and MMA spirit. The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition encapsulates Chatri’s vision perfectly and reflects his grit, determination and quest to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary,” the energetic Grove shared.

We grab 10 minutes with him and pose some quick questions about his SPAC (special purpose acquisition company) that’s already listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the next wave.

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Patrick Grove and Chatri Sityodtong in episode 2 of The Apprentice: ONE Championship edition.
Patrick Grove and Chatri Sityodtong in episode 2 of The Apprentice: ONE Championship edition.

What was one thing that you learned from the filming experience that you’ve now applied to your life?

I would say the experience reinforces the notion of how we should always dream big and persevere even when the going gets tough. The contestants have been inspiring and meeting them reminds me of my own passion when I started my entrepreneur journey. I wish I could hire them, but it seems Chatri and ONE Championship get to instead!

Tell me more about the SPAC you recently created. How has the progress been in search for a tech company to take public?

We launched Catcha Investment Corp and listed on the NYSE in February after raising US$300m. Taking a company public is never easy, but for the right incredible company with incredible entrepreneurial leadership, we believe we are the right partner to help them get to the next stage. Ourselves, together with our SPAC investors are long table shareholders that believe in the region, the disruptive nature of the Internet and incredible talent.

I wanted to get your opinion on SPACs as a whole. Do you think the froth will settle? Or is this just a beginning of massive growth in this area?

I believe there is still massive growth to come in this area. Take Grab for example. They announced a record-breaking US$40 billion SPAC deal last week and made headlines all over the globe! With the accelerated growth that we’ve seen of late in South-east Asia, SPAC has become a means to an end, and functions as a launching pad for turning big ideas into reality. The next Grab is just around the corner!

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What do you predict to be the next wave in technology? Or the breakout tech-focused industry?

The next big breakout is the South-east Asia region. Our time has come! We have 700 million people online. That is more than America and Europe added up together!

What would you like your legacy to be?

That I was one of the better judges on The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition! And I helped incredible entrepreneurs build incredible disruptive companies that put South-east Asia on the map.