In proof that investors can come in all shapes and sizes, a billionaire seaweed snack mogul in Thailand has invested in one of the country’s up-and-coming startups.

Ittipat “Tob” Peeradechapan, who owns Tao Kae Noi — a company that sells fried seaweed snacks across Asia and raised $53 million in an IPO last year — is one existing backer of Event Pop, an event management and ticketing startup in Bangkok which just raised a $500,000 seed round.

Peeradechapan, who is 31-years-old and not known for being a tech investor, didn’t participate in this new round, but this is the first time that Event Pop — which was founded in 2015 — has disclosed his financial involvement, which we understand to be upwards of $500,000.

“Tob really took part in accelerating our growth,” Event Pop CEO and co-founder Pattaraporn “Max” Bodhisuwan told TechCrunch.

“With his input and mentorship, he has helped us to grow from zero to where we are today. If we didn’t have him, it would have taken a lot longer.”

Peeradechapan, who was a billionaire at the age of 23 and had his early life made into a film, has provided Event Pop’s funding thus far, but Singapore-based KK Fund led this seed round, which includes participation from OPT SEA — the VC arm attached to Japanese marketing firm OPT — and M&S Partners’ Hirokazu Mashita.

Source: Billionaire Seaweed Snack Mogul Backs Thailand-Based Events And Ticketing Startup