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Aspex Management was founded in 2018 by Hermes Li Ho Kei who was previously the executive MD and Head of Asia Equities at Och-Ziff Capital Management, aka OZ Management. Prior to joining OZ in 2011 Li worked at Goldman, Sachs & Co in Hong Kong.The London School of Economics graduate is now the chief investment officer at Aspex. The Hong Kong firm focuses on equity investments in Pan-Asia, specializing in sectors with long-term market growth potential and companies undergoing structural changes.Aspex led the $64m funding round for South Korean fintech unicorn Toss in August 2019. The P2P money transfer service platform Toss is created by Viva Republica backed by PayPal. Other participants in the round included existing Toss investors Kleiner Perkins, Altos Ventures, Singapore's GIC, Sequoia Capital China, Goodwater Capital and Bessemer Venture Partners.In May 2020, Aspex also invested in another startup Market Kurly, a grocery-delivery service provider that became South Korea’s latest unicorn via the Series E funding round that secured $328m led by DST Global. In July, Aspex also joined the $900m Series C+ funding round of Xpeng Motors, Tesla’s EV rival in China.
Aspex Management was founded in 2018 by Hermes Li Ho Kei who was previously the executive MD and Head of Asia Equities at Och-Ziff Capital Management, aka OZ Management. Prior to joining OZ in 2011 Li worked at Goldman, Sachs & Co in Hong Kong.The London School of Economics graduate is now the chief investment officer at Aspex. The Hong Kong firm focuses on equity investments in Pan-Asia, specializing in sectors with long-term market growth potential and companies undergoing structural changes.Aspex led the $64m funding round for South Korean fintech unicorn Toss in August 2019. The P2P money transfer service platform Toss is created by Viva Republica backed by PayPal. Other participants in the round included existing Toss investors Kleiner Perkins, Altos Ventures, Singapore's GIC, Sequoia Capital China, Goodwater Capital and Bessemer Venture Partners.In May 2020, Aspex also invested in another startup Market Kurly, a grocery-delivery service provider that became South Korea’s latest unicorn via the Series E funding round that secured $328m led by DST Global. In July, Aspex also joined the $900m Series C+ funding round of Xpeng Motors, Tesla’s EV rival in China.
Born in 1961, Li Zexiang was an undergraduate at Central South Institute of Mining Metallurgy in 1978. From 1979 to 1992, he studied and worked in the US, earning a doctoral degree at the University of California, Berkeley in 1989. He worked as an AILab researcher at MIT in 1989. In 1990, he joined NYU's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences as an associate professor.In 1992, he returned to China and worked as a professor at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology ever since. In 1999, he founded motor control company Googol Tech. He is well-known for incubating DJI and became the chairman of Shenzhen-based drone and aerial photography systems company.
Born in 1961, Li Zexiang was an undergraduate at Central South Institute of Mining Metallurgy in 1978. From 1979 to 1992, he studied and worked in the US, earning a doctoral degree at the University of California, Berkeley in 1989. He worked as an AILab researcher at MIT in 1989. In 1990, he joined NYU's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences as an associate professor.In 1992, he returned to China and worked as a professor at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology ever since. In 1999, he founded motor control company Googol Tech. He is well-known for incubating DJI and became the chairman of Shenzhen-based drone and aerial photography systems company.
Co-CEO and co-founder of Pula
Kenyan-born Thomas Njeru co-founded insurtech Pula in 2015 and became its co-CEO in June 2017. Providing insurance to smallholder farmers was a key objective for Njeru, who grew up in a small farming community.After his education at Mangu High School, Njeru went on to graduate in actuarial science at the University of Nairobi in 2009. He became a fellow of the Institute of Actuaries in December 2011. He also completed a CFA financial analysis qualification in 2015 and MBA from Strathmore Business School in 2018.He worked at UAP Insurance for almost four years before joining Deloitte in South Africa in 2012 as a consulting actuary. In 2014, he was promoted to become director of actuarial and insurance advisory. He left in 2018 to focus on his work at Pula as co-CEO.
Kenyan-born Thomas Njeru co-founded insurtech Pula in 2015 and became its co-CEO in June 2017. Providing insurance to smallholder farmers was a key objective for Njeru, who grew up in a small farming community.After his education at Mangu High School, Njeru went on to graduate in actuarial science at the University of Nairobi in 2009. He became a fellow of the Institute of Actuaries in December 2011. He also completed a CFA financial analysis qualification in 2015 and MBA from Strathmore Business School in 2018.He worked at UAP Insurance for almost four years before joining Deloitte in South Africa in 2012 as a consulting actuary. In 2014, he was promoted to become director of actuarial and insurance advisory. He left in 2018 to focus on his work at Pula as co-CEO.
Chairman and Founder of Xpeng Motors
He received his bachelor’s from the South China University of Technology in 1999. In 2004, he co-founded Chinese mobile internet software and services provider UCWeb. In 2014, He both founded and invested in Xpeng Motors (short for Xiaopeng Motors). After UCWeb was acquired by Alibaba in 2014, he served as president of UCWeb and of the Alibaba Mobile Business Group, chairman of Ali Games and president of Tudou successively. In August 2017, he left Alibaba to join Xpeng Motors full-time as chairman.
He received his bachelor’s from the South China University of Technology in 1999. In 2004, he co-founded Chinese mobile internet software and services provider UCWeb. In 2014, He both founded and invested in Xpeng Motors (short for Xiaopeng Motors). After UCWeb was acquired by Alibaba in 2014, he served as president of UCWeb and of the Alibaba Mobile Business Group, chairman of Ali Games and president of Tudou successively. In August 2017, he left Alibaba to join Xpeng Motors full-time as chairman.
Co-founder of Therapixal
Olivier Clatz is the French co-founder of AI medical diagnosis company Therapixel, creator of MammoScreen breast cancer screening and diagnosis tool. Prior to co-founding Therapixel, Clatz worked for six years as a research scientist at INRIA (National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology) based at the Sophia Antipolis technology park near Antibes, in the south of France. His later work with INRIA focused on exploiting machine learning algorithms for medical imaging processing. Prior to this, he was a research associate at Harvard Medical School, in the US. In 2006, he completed his PhD at INRIA on the concept of personalized medicine. Clatz also holds a PhD in philosophy from the Ecole des Mines de Paris, and a master's degree in applied mathematics from the Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay. Currently, he works at the French Government’s Commissariat Générale pour l’Investissement managing the national program AI For Diagnostics. He left Therapixel in 2019.
Olivier Clatz is the French co-founder of AI medical diagnosis company Therapixel, creator of MammoScreen breast cancer screening and diagnosis tool. Prior to co-founding Therapixel, Clatz worked for six years as a research scientist at INRIA (National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology) based at the Sophia Antipolis technology park near Antibes, in the south of France. His later work with INRIA focused on exploiting machine learning algorithms for medical imaging processing. Prior to this, he was a research associate at Harvard Medical School, in the US. In 2006, he completed his PhD at INRIA on the concept of personalized medicine. Clatz also holds a PhD in philosophy from the Ecole des Mines de Paris, and a master's degree in applied mathematics from the Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay. Currently, he works at the French Government’s Commissariat Générale pour l’Investissement managing the national program AI For Diagnostics. He left Therapixel in 2019.
Jungle Ventures was founded by serial entrepreneur Anurag Srivastava and business angel Amit Anand in Singapore. Anurag arrived in Singapore in 1993 and established interior design Space Matrix group in 2006. Amit was a vice chairman of Business Angels Network South East Asia (BANSEA). He is currently a member of the Advisory Council for Ethics in AI & Data in Singapore.The VC specializes in the finance, retail, software, media, travel and hospitality sectors. Investments include budget hotel network RedDoorz, microfinancing fintech Kredivo, photography services platform SweetEscape and digital logistics Waresix.
Jungle Ventures was founded by serial entrepreneur Anurag Srivastava and business angel Amit Anand in Singapore. Anurag arrived in Singapore in 1993 and established interior design Space Matrix group in 2006. Amit was a vice chairman of Business Angels Network South East Asia (BANSEA). He is currently a member of the Advisory Council for Ethics in AI & Data in Singapore.The VC specializes in the finance, retail, software, media, travel and hospitality sectors. Investments include budget hotel network RedDoorz, microfinancing fintech Kredivo, photography services platform SweetEscape and digital logistics Waresix.
Samsung Venture Investment, or Samsung Ventures, is the VC investment arm of South Korean diversified conglomerate Samsung Group. It is a separate entity from Samsung NEXT.Samsung Ventures primarily invests in semiconductors, telecommunications tech, software and internet companies, as well as biotechnology and medical companies. The VC is built to support new innovations that can lead to further improvements in Samsung’s existing businesses, which includes smartphones, home appliances, and components like OLED panels and Li-ion batteries.Samsung Ventures has invested in healthcare and wellness tech companies like Indonesia’s telehealth service Alodokter, posture correction device makers Posture360, and Noom, an app for dieting and exercise. In the sensors front, Samsung Ventures has invested in Sense Photonics, a startup creating 3D computer vision based on lidar for industrial and automotive (self-driving) purposes. Besides these companies, Samsung Ventures has also invested in insurtech companies and even gaming companies, such as Pokémon Go developer Niantic.
Samsung Venture Investment, or Samsung Ventures, is the VC investment arm of South Korean diversified conglomerate Samsung Group. It is a separate entity from Samsung NEXT.Samsung Ventures primarily invests in semiconductors, telecommunications tech, software and internet companies, as well as biotechnology and medical companies. The VC is built to support new innovations that can lead to further improvements in Samsung’s existing businesses, which includes smartphones, home appliances, and components like OLED panels and Li-ion batteries.Samsung Ventures has invested in healthcare and wellness tech companies like Indonesia’s telehealth service Alodokter, posture correction device makers Posture360, and Noom, an app for dieting and exercise. In the sensors front, Samsung Ventures has invested in Sense Photonics, a startup creating 3D computer vision based on lidar for industrial and automotive (self-driving) purposes. Besides these companies, Samsung Ventures has also invested in insurtech companies and even gaming companies, such as Pokémon Go developer Niantic.
Based in the Netherlands, Prosus is a global investor in consumer tech and Internet companies. It is a subsidiary of South African tech investment company Naspers. In August 2021 the two companies completed a cross-holding agreement in which Naspers owns 57% of Prosus while Prosus owns 49% of Naspers. The two companies share a single board.Prosus is the largest shareholder in Chinese tech giant Tencent and Russian tech platform Mail.ru. Meanwhile, its venture division invests in a variety of fintech, food delivery, and other consumer tech companies. In Indonesia, it has invested in Bibit, a stock and mutual funds investment platform, as well as fishery trading and community development startup Aruna. It has also invested in edtech platforms like Indian executive learning platform Eruditus, and US-based coding education company SoloLearn.
Based in the Netherlands, Prosus is a global investor in consumer tech and Internet companies. It is a subsidiary of South African tech investment company Naspers. In August 2021 the two companies completed a cross-holding agreement in which Naspers owns 57% of Prosus while Prosus owns 49% of Naspers. The two companies share a single board.Prosus is the largest shareholder in Chinese tech giant Tencent and Russian tech platform Mail.ru. Meanwhile, its venture division invests in a variety of fintech, food delivery, and other consumer tech companies. In Indonesia, it has invested in Bibit, a stock and mutual funds investment platform, as well as fishery trading and community development startup Aruna. It has also invested in edtech platforms like Indian executive learning platform Eruditus, and US-based coding education company SoloLearn.
Founded in 1994, London-based Hermes GPE is a subsidiary of NYSE-listed Federated Hermes Inc (FHI). The UK limited liability partnership (LLP) is one of the UK’s leading independent investors with $7bn pumped into 260 funds. With a network of over 300 general partners worldwide, the LLP also works with global LPs like BT Pension Scheme, Royal Bank of Scotland and Korea Teachers Credit Union.Hermes started investing in tech startups in 2002 and has provided over $3.7bn worth of co-funding to both tech and non-tech startups via 234 fundraising rounds. Managing assets worth $6bn and international offices in New York and Singapore, sustainability is at the core of its investing portfolio of over 113 startups worldwide. In 2021, recent investments include participation in the $54m Series B round of Austrian refurbished electronics goods marketplace Refurbed in August and May’s $125m Series B round of Paysend, the UK-based card-to-card pioneer and international payments platform.
Founded in 1994, London-based Hermes GPE is a subsidiary of NYSE-listed Federated Hermes Inc (FHI). The UK limited liability partnership (LLP) is one of the UK’s leading independent investors with $7bn pumped into 260 funds. With a network of over 300 general partners worldwide, the LLP also works with global LPs like BT Pension Scheme, Royal Bank of Scotland and Korea Teachers Credit Union.Hermes started investing in tech startups in 2002 and has provided over $3.7bn worth of co-funding to both tech and non-tech startups via 234 fundraising rounds. Managing assets worth $6bn and international offices in New York and Singapore, sustainability is at the core of its investing portfolio of over 113 startups worldwide. In 2021, recent investments include participation in the $54m Series B round of Austrian refurbished electronics goods marketplace Refurbed in August and May’s $125m Series B round of Paysend, the UK-based card-to-card pioneer and international payments platform.
CEO and co-founder of Xendit
Moses Lo comes from an entrepreneurial family, his father acquired a failing business in Australia and turned it into a successful company. The family business inspired Lo to start his own fashion business in Australia after graduating in finance and commerce at the University of New South Wales in 2010.Lo initially gained work experience as an analyst in 2008 as part of his undergraduate finance and commerce programs in Australia. In 2011, he became an associate at the Boston Consulting Group in Australia. After two years, he was promoted to senior associate but left BCG in 2013 to focus on his menswear ventures until 2014.Lo decided to get first-hand tech startup experience in the Silicon Valley, working at Amazon while completing an MBA program at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2015, he decided to established a P2P payments platform Xendit in Indonesia. The platform has since pivoted into a payment gateway service and became a unicorn in 2021, with Lo as CEO based in California and Jakarta. He was also featured in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for Asian figures in finance and venture capital in 2016.
Moses Lo comes from an entrepreneurial family, his father acquired a failing business in Australia and turned it into a successful company. The family business inspired Lo to start his own fashion business in Australia after graduating in finance and commerce at the University of New South Wales in 2010.Lo initially gained work experience as an analyst in 2008 as part of his undergraduate finance and commerce programs in Australia. In 2011, he became an associate at the Boston Consulting Group in Australia. After two years, he was promoted to senior associate but left BCG in 2013 to focus on his menswear ventures until 2014.Lo decided to get first-hand tech startup experience in the Silicon Valley, working at Amazon while completing an MBA program at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2015, he decided to established a P2P payments platform Xendit in Indonesia. The platform has since pivoted into a payment gateway service and became a unicorn in 2021, with Lo as CEO based in California and Jakarta. He was also featured in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for Asian figures in finance and venture capital in 2016.
Founded and headed by Susan Choe in 2018, Katalyst Ventures is based in San Francisco with a debut fund of $34m raised in 2018. Choe is also a partner at another Zipline investor Visionnaire Ventures (VV) also based in Silicon Valley. Katalyst invests in seed and early-stage tech startups with human-centric solutions. About 45% of the VC funds are invested in startups with women as CEO or CTO. By February 2020, the Kalatyst portfolio included 22 enterprises and three exits.The founder of Outspark was removed as CEO by the board of directors due to disagreements over the sale of Outspark. She had used her own money in 2006 to create Outspark, a data-driven publishing platform for game developers. Outspark was eventually sold to Axel Springer and Choe went left the company to join Taizo Son’s venture capital group. In 2013, VV was set up to support tech startups in the US. Choe had worked for Yahoo! and also was the COO of the public-listed holding company of South Korean search and media company NHN.
Founded and headed by Susan Choe in 2018, Katalyst Ventures is based in San Francisco with a debut fund of $34m raised in 2018. Choe is also a partner at another Zipline investor Visionnaire Ventures (VV) also based in Silicon Valley. Katalyst invests in seed and early-stage tech startups with human-centric solutions. About 45% of the VC funds are invested in startups with women as CEO or CTO. By February 2020, the Kalatyst portfolio included 22 enterprises and three exits.The founder of Outspark was removed as CEO by the board of directors due to disagreements over the sale of Outspark. She had used her own money in 2006 to create Outspark, a data-driven publishing platform for game developers. Outspark was eventually sold to Axel Springer and Choe went left the company to join Taizo Son’s venture capital group. In 2013, VV was set up to support tech startups in the US. Choe had worked for Yahoo! and also was the COO of the public-listed holding company of South Korean search and media company NHN.
LeapFrog Investments is an impact-focused investor, managing over $1.6bn in assets mainly investing in Africa and Asia. Its “profit with purpose” has led to investments in startups that provide healthcare, financial services and insurance for low-income consumers. Since it was founded in 2007, LeapFrog has attracted funds from Prudential, AXA, Swiss Re and Omidyar Network, becoming the first impact investor in the world to reach the $1bn milestone. It’s headquartered in South Africa and Singapore.LeapFrog is best known for its investments in the insurance sector. One of the most prominent companies in its portfolio is BIMA, the mobile-based insurance provider that has provided coverage in Ghana, Bangladesh, Cambodia and many other countries. In 2020, LeapFrog invested in Indonesian startup PasarPolis, which is a broker for a wide range of microinsurance products. In the healthcare and biotechnology sectors, LeapFrog has funded Indian genetic diagnostics company MedGenome, as well as Goodlife Pharmacy, a Kenyan company providing access to affordable medicine in the East African country.
LeapFrog Investments is an impact-focused investor, managing over $1.6bn in assets mainly investing in Africa and Asia. Its “profit with purpose” has led to investments in startups that provide healthcare, financial services and insurance for low-income consumers. Since it was founded in 2007, LeapFrog has attracted funds from Prudential, AXA, Swiss Re and Omidyar Network, becoming the first impact investor in the world to reach the $1bn milestone. It’s headquartered in South Africa and Singapore.LeapFrog is best known for its investments in the insurance sector. One of the most prominent companies in its portfolio is BIMA, the mobile-based insurance provider that has provided coverage in Ghana, Bangladesh, Cambodia and many other countries. In 2020, LeapFrog invested in Indonesian startup PasarPolis, which is a broker for a wide range of microinsurance products. In the healthcare and biotechnology sectors, LeapFrog has funded Indian genetic diagnostics company MedGenome, as well as Goodlife Pharmacy, a Kenyan company providing access to affordable medicine in the East African country.
TheVentures founders launch Singapore VC to drive deals in Southeast Asia
The Korean Viki co-founders return to Singapore as venture builders and investors, offering South Korean partnerships and “CTO-as-a-service” in Southeast Asia
New Food Invest: Challenges of growing an alt-protein startup
Founders of three alt-protein startups in the US share what motivated them to start, their personal experiences growing the businesses, getting funding and finding strategic partners
Future Food Asia 2021 announces finalists for $100,000 prize
Ten startups from agrifood tech and cleantech sectors will pitch during the five-day conference, are also eligible for two more prizes from sponsors Cargill and Thai Wah
SWITCH Singapore: Investors highlight Vietnam startup ecosystem's potential and resilience
The quality of Vietnam’s local talent remains one of its biggest strengths, but foreign investors also need to be patient and be familiar with the local regulatory landscape
Taronga Ventures takes RealTechX to Singapore; plans Japan, US growth
The Australian proptech investor to focus on ESG in its acceleration program, including women under-representation and site safety
HighPitch 2020: Waste management play Octopus, digital concierge service Izy win Makassar battle
Both startups have scored strong traction despite the weight of Covid-19; they are also expanding and keen to explore new opportunities
Bound4Blue taps aeronautical technology for sustainable shipping solutions
Bound4Blue's wind-assisted vessel propulsion saves 40% on fuel costs in a €200bn market; eyes European, Asian expansion
Plug-it and Drive-it with Wallbox’s EV quick chargers
Created by an ex-Tesla engineer, these generic chargers are fast and easy to use – just like recharging mobile phones
Spanish VR edtech Play2Speak targets China's K-12 market
Keen on the multibillion-dollar tutoring market in Asia, Play2Speak creates VR immersive learning to help kids overcome the fear of learning a new language
Raising $50m second fund, Indogen Capital seeks more international partners and exits
Cooperation is key to Indogen's investment thesis, as it looks to help more foreign VCs and their portfolio startups find success in Southeast Asia's biggest market
YITU takes smart healthcare to the next level
AI programs developed by this Chinese medtech startup provide more accurate diagnoses by reading medical images in conjunction with patients’ medical records
Zymvol Biomodeling: In the footsteps of Chemistry Nobel Prize winner Frances H. Arnold
Startup founded by scientists helps industries discover and develop enzymes cheaply through computer-driven innovation
This e-retailer uses influencers to sell niche brand cosmetics in high-growth markets
Huajuan Mall is a popular makeup e-mall for young women in smaller Chinese cities, turning little-known local brands into big hits
"Spot" your friends, live chat and share music with this social mapping app
Spot, a new challenger to China's WeChat, is using pop-up song lyrics to entice youths to live chat and play games
ZendMoney: Putting cash back into the pockets of Indonesian migrant workers
ZendMoney's unique remittance concept has already helped 90,000 migrant workers send money back home
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