

Trusted partner to
Wavemakers driving positive
change
We are Southeast Asia’s leading VC group dedicated to building and investing in Enterprise, Deep Tech, and Sustainability startups. From inception to scale, we are present across the startup lifecycle.

Our unique Climatetech Venture-Build Fund partners with proven entrepreneurs to create companies aimed at reducing the global carbon budget by 10%.

A leader in Southeast Asia, our Early-Stage Fund backs startups in the Enterprise, Deep Tech, and Sustainability sectors.

Our Growth Fund capitalises on maturing opportunities in Enterprise, Deep Tech, and Sustainability, building on the foundation of our early-stage fund.



Our Founders are...
Authentic and Trustworthy
Bold and Impact-Driven
Ever-Curious and Insightful
Action-Oriented and Resilient
Authentic and Trustworthy
Bold and Impact-Driven
Ever-Curious and Insightful
Action-Oriented and Resilient
Wavemakers


Providing family-owned stores direct access to manufacturers
- Partnered in 2017 for their Seed round
- Secured US$110M total to date, the largest-ever funding for a B2B platform in the Philippines
- Awarded VC Deal of the Year by SVCA in 2021


Solving Southeast Asia's affordable housing shortage
- Partnered in 2022 for their Series A round
- Secured US$80M in latest round, with a notable 3:1 debt-to-equity ratio
- Awarded VC Deal of the Year by SVCA in 2024


Empowering underserved wholesale and retail SMEs in sales & supply chains management
- Partnered in 2012 for their Seed round
- TradeGecko was acquired by Intuit in 2020 for US$80M, considered one of the largest exits in Singapore since the COVID-19 pandemic
- Awarded VC Exit of the Year by SVCA in 2021


Pioneered a reputable beauty e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia
- Partnered in 2012 for their Seed round
- Luxola was acquired by LVMH in 2015 and rebranded as Sephora Digital, becoming the French luxury group's e-commerce arm for Southeast Asia
- Awarded VC Exit of the Year by SVCA in 2016


Powered hyper-personalised customer interactions for enterprises
- Partnered in 2015 for their Series A round
- Wavecell was acquired by US-based 8×8 for US$125M, making it one of the largest exits in Southeast Asia in 2019
- At the time of acquisition, Wavecell had 200 telecom partners and processed over 2 billion messages annually for 500+ enterprises


Defending against financial crimes before they happen
- Partnered in 2015 for their Seed round
- Secured US$40M in Series B funding in 2022, bringing their total funding to US$55M
- Works with some of the world's largest banks and insurance companies, including Standard Chartered and HSBC—customers turned investors


The world's first low-carbon, low-waste packaging system for premium spirits and wine
- Partnered in 2020 for their Seed round
- Closed US$10M in Series A funding in 2023
- Growing presence in 25 countries in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the US, with partnerships with major spirits players, including Pernod Ricard and Diageo


Transforming the long-stay co-living experience in Southeast Asia
- Partnered in 2018 for their Series A round
- Now the region's largest long-stay proptech with nearly 10K rooms
- Raised over US$8M pre-Series B in December 2023


Protecting enterprises against cyber attacks with world-class offensive security expertise
- Partnered in 2021 for their Seed round
- Raised over US$19M in Series A funding in 2024
- Partnered with leading cybersecurity providers in Europe and Asia-Pacific such as M.Tech, Ekco, and AZ


Pioneering solar mortgage to make Southeast Asia homes sustainable
- Wavemaker Impact venture build launched in 2023
- Partnered with the Philippines' biggest banks such as Bank of the Philippine Islands and Security Bank
- To date, has served more than 100 homeowners in the Philippines


Decarbonising rice cultivation while elevating farmers' well-being in Asia
- Wavemaker Impact joint venture launched with Bill Gates’ VC arm Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Temasek Holdings, and GenZero
- Raised US$14M in Series A funding in 2024
- Targeted to cover over 7,000 hectares of rice farming, supporting 20,000 farmers in Indonesia and Vietnam by the end-2024




Are you a founder?
SINGAPORE, 20 NOVEMBER 2024 – Oneteam, a Singapore-based startup dedicated to transforming succession at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through employee ownership, has successfully closed its SGD 3.5 million Seed round. The round was led by Wavemaker Ventures, the early-stage fund of Wavemaker Partners, Southeast Asia’s leading VC group investing in Enterprise, Deep Tech, and Sustainability startups.
Wavemaker Growth team, from left: Paul Santos – Founding Partner, Andrea Lim – Analyst, Xue Koh – Founding Partner, and Shiv Choudhury – Founding Partner
- Target size for Growth Opportunities Fund I is US$60M, with a hard cap of US$100M
Fund will invest primarily in growth rounds of existing Wavemaker portfolio companies - Together with Paul Santos, the founding partners of Wavemaker Growth include industry veterans Shiv Choudhury and Xue Koh, who bring decades of collective investment and operational experience
- With Wavemaker Growth, the firm will now be able to support entrepreneurs across multiple stages. Wavemaker Impact will continue to venture-build and co-found climate tech startups. The early-stage strategy will now be rebranded as Wavemaker Ventures, and Wavemaker Partners will now be the firm’s group name
SINGAPORE, 13 NOVEMBER 2024 — Wavemaker Partners, Southeast Asia’s leading venture capital firm, today announced the US$30 million first close of its inaugural Wavemaker Growth Opportunities Fund (“Wavemaker Growth”) raised from limited partners (LPs) such as QLA Investment and Cercano Management. The fund aims to support high-potential startups in the Enterprise, Deep Tech, and Sustainability sectors across Southeast Asia, focusing on Series B and beyond.
This announcement coincides with a strategic rebranding of the firm. Under the parent group, Wavemaker Partners, the organisation now encompasses three fund strategies: Wavemaker Ventures, Wavemaker Impact, and Wavemaker Growth. This unified structure enables the firm to provide comprehensive support to startups from co-founding to Series B and beyond, reinforcing its commitment to fostering innovation and growth in the region.
Bridging the Gap in Growth-Stage Funding
Leveraging the success of Wavemaker Ventures’ early-stage investments — which have seen around 20% of over 200 portfolio companies raise growth capital in the past five years — Wavemaker Growth seeks to bridge the operational and funding gaps startups encounter as they scale. Historically, many promising startups have struggled to secure Series B funding due to a lack of specialised support and capital in the region.
Paul Santos, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Wavemaker Partners and Founding Partner of Wavemaker Growth, said: “Our mission has always been to back exceptional founders from the start. With Wavemaker Growth, we’re extending that support to help them navigate the critical stages of scaling up. By unifying our efforts under Wavemaker Partners, we can provide comprehensive support to startups at every stage of their journey. We’re committed to our three core sectors — Enterprise, Deep Tech, and Sustainability — where we have deep expertise and can make the most impact.”
Investment Strategy and Initial Pipeline
Wavemaker Growth plans to invest in eight to 12 companies, with individual investments ranging from US$3 million to US$8 million as part of syndicate rounds in the region of US$20 million, which may include other equity and debt investors. The fund will primarily double down on the promising companies within the Wavemaker group’s portfolio.
Meet the Founding Partners
Joining Paul Santos as Founding Partners of Wavemaker Growth are industry veterans, Shiv Choudhury and Xue Koh, both bringing decades of collective investment and operational experience.
A Co-founder of Growsari, Choudhury previously served as Managing Director at The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) where he led its regional consumer and consumer tech practice and held multiple regional leadership roles at Procter & Gamble (P&G). He is an avid angel investor and is also a member of YPO and a 2X Endeavor Outlier.
Shiv Choudhury, Founding Partner of Wavemaker Growth, said, “I’m excited to join WMG and help fellow entrepreneurs make the jump from early stage to the next one. As a founder a lot changes in this phase – including your mindset, redesigning your GTM playbooks, how you build your team, and how you fundraise. We will leverage our experience to partner with them in this phase and help them be successful.”
Koh heads the investment team at Black Kite Capital, a Singapore-based single-family office. He honed his operational and investment acumen at Silver Lake, one of the largest technology-focused private equity firms, and at The Boston Consulting Group. With extensive experience investing in, and also operating, both early- and late-stage technology-focused companies, he brings valuable insights to help companies scale, strengthen corporate governance, and prepare for successful exits.
Xue Koh, Founding Partner of Wavemaker Growth, said, “Joining Wavemaker Growth presents a unique opportunity to leverage my experience in supporting high-growth companies. We aim to be more than investors; we want to be partners who contribute to the long-term success of startups in Southeast Asia’s dynamic tech ecosystem. By aligning closely with founders, we can provide the strategic support and network access they need to reach new heights.”
Rebranding and Unified Support Across All Stages
The rebranding under Wavemaker Partners brings together its various investment arms to create a cohesive platform that supports startups from pre-Seed to Series B and beyond.
- Wavemaker Ventures: Focuses on early-stage investments in Enterprise, Deep Tech, and Sustainability startups. Since 2012, it has backed more than 200 companies across the region, with over US$500 million in Assets Under Management (AUM) and exits generating over US$2 billion in enterprise value. Notable portfolio companies include Growsari, Lhoopa, and Silent Eight.
- Wavemaker Impact: Launched in October 2021, Wavemaker Impact is a first-of-its-kind climate tech venture builder in Southeast Asia. It partners with proven entrepreneurs to co-found startups aiming to reduce the global carbon budget by a combined 10% by 2035. In December 2023, Wavemaker Impact announced the final close of its debut fund at US$60 million hard cap, surpassing its initial target by 2.5 times. Portfolio companies include Agros, WasteX, Helios, Rize, Bumibaru, RegenX, Refy, Elevate Foods, MetroElectro, Octayne, Numat, and HiFeed.
- Wavemaker Growth: The newly launched growth fund aims to support startups in scaling from Series B onwards, providing both capital and strategic guidance to navigate operational challenges and prepare for successful exits.
SINGAPORE, 20 NOVEMBER 2024 – Oneteam, a Singapore-based startup dedicated to transforming succession at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through employee ownership, has successfully closed its SGD 3.5 million Seed round. The round was led by Wavemaker Ventures, the early-stage fund of Wavemaker Partners, Southeast Asia’s leading VC group investing in Enterprise, Deep Tech, and […]
Read moreWavemaker Growth team, from left: Paul Santos – Founding Partner, Andrea Lim – Analyst, Xue Koh – Founding Partner, and Shiv Choudhury – Founding Partner SINGAPORE, 13 NOVEMBER 2024 — Wavemaker Partners, Southeast Asia’s leading venture capital firm, today announced the US$30 million first close of its inaugural Wavemaker Growth Opportunities Fund (“Wavemaker Growth”) raised […]
Read moreMANILA, 5 NOVEMBER 2024 – Climate tech venture builder Wavemaker Impact has launched Numat, a new venture focused on transforming bamboo processing with sustainable practices. With a fresh investment of US$525,000, Numat is set to lead the way in the primary processing of bamboo, putting nature and community first. Read more: https://wavemakerimpact.com/wavemaker-impact-launches-numat-with-us525k-investment-to-drive-sustainable-bamboo-processing/
Read moreWavemaker Partners
Wavemaker Partners is Southeast Asia’s leading venture capital firm investing in and building solutions in Enterprise, Deep Tech, and Sustainability. Since 2012, it has backed over 200 companies across the region, with over US$600 million in assets under management (AUM) across multiple funds, including Wavemaker Impact, Wavemaker Ventures, and Wavemaker Growth. The firm has also generated over US$2 billion in enterprise value through successful exits. Its notable limited partners include Pavilion Capital, Temasek Holdings, the International Finance Corporation, DEG (investment arm of Germany’s state-owned development bank KfW), Cercano Management, the US International Development Finance Corporation, British International Investment, and Qarlbo Energy. Committed to trusted partnerships and sustainability, Wavemaker Partners empowers founders solving meaningful problems with unique, scalable, and defensible solutions. Today, 95% of the firm’s active portfolio startups in Southeast Asia contribute to at least one UN Sustainable Development Goal. For more information, visit wavemakerpartners.com.
Wavemaker Growth
Wavemaker Growth, the growth fund of Wavemaker Partners, will primarily double down on the promising companies within the group’s Venture and Impact portfolios. With a mission to bridge the operational gaps that startups encounter as they scale, Wavemaker Growth provides funding from Series B and beyond. The fund recently raised US$30 million for its first close, with a target of US$60 million. With decades of collective investment and late-stage operational experience, the Wavemaker Growth team aligns closely with founders, offering strategic support and access to an extensive network of industry partners. For more information, visit wavemaker-growth.com.
Wavemaker Ventures
Wavemaker Ventures is Southeast Asia’s leading venture capital firm specialising in early-stage investments in Enterprise, Deep Tech, and Sustainability. Since 2012, Wavemaker Ventures has invested in over 200 companies across the region, expanding its presence into South Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. As the early-stage fund of Wavemaker Partners, it has successfully raised four funds, surpassing US$500 million in assets under management (AUM), with exits generating over US$2 billion in enterprise value. Notable limited partners include Pavilion Capital, Temasek Holdings, the International Finance Corporation, DEG (the investment arm of German’s state-owned development bank KfW), and Cercano Management. Notable portfolio companies include Growsari in the Philippines (B2B marketplace), Lhoopa in the Philippines (proptech for affordable housing), and Silent Eight in Singapore (AI for anti-money laundering). For more information, visit wavemaker.vc.
Wavemaker Impact
Wavemaker Impact is Southeast Asia’s leading climate-tech venture build fund, part of Wavemaker Partners. Launched in 2021, Wavemaker Impact co-founds sustainability startups with proven entrepreneurs, with the goal of building a portfolio of companies by 2035 that has the potential to reduce 10% of the global carbon budget. Every startup that Wavemaker Impact builds is a ‘100×100’ company — with the potential to abate 100 million metric tonnes of CO2e and generate US$100 million revenue per year. Wavemaker Impact focuses on building ventures that target the biggest drivers of emissions such as agriculture, energy, industrial processes, built environment, and transport. Its US$60 million debut fund focuses primarily on Southeast Asia and includes limited partners such as the United States International Development Finance Corporation, British International Investment, Triple Jump, JG Summit, and Qarlbo Energy. For more information, visit wavemakerimpact.com.
MANILA, 5 NOVEMBER 2024 – Climate tech venture builder Wavemaker Impact has launched Numat, a new venture focused on transforming bamboo processing with sustainable practices. With a fresh investment of US$525,000, Numat is set to lead the way in the primary processing of bamboo, putting nature and community first.
The company will use the funds to expand to US and Southeast Asia markets,
including the Philippines
SINGAPORE, 17 SEPTEMBER 2024 — Checkmate, the fast-growing provider of comprehensive pre-employment screening solutions, is thrilled to announce the successful completion of its Seed funding round, securing over US$1.6 million (NZD 2.7 million) from Wavemaker Partners, Southeast Asia’s leading early-stage VC investing in B2B, Deep Tech, and Sustainability startups. This investment marks a pivotal moment in Checkmate’s journey, enabling the company to expand into new markets and enhance its platform, delivering even greater value to its clients.
Founded in 2019, Checkmate tackles critical challenges in HR and recruitment, including lengthy and inefficient hiring processes, high-risk hiring decisions, and the complex compliance requirements of various legal standards.
The company has positioned itself as the first in the ANZ region to seamlessly aggregate all pre-employment background checks and reference verifications into a single, fast, and simple experience for all stakeholders.
“At Checkmate, we’ve made it our mission to turn what is typically an unenjoyable and cumbersome task, such as police vetting, into a streamlined and efficient process,” said Scott Inglis, CEO and Founder of Checkmate. “Our solution significantly reduces the time-to-hire and enhances the candidate experience, ultimately helping businesses acquire top talent more effectively.”
Andy Hwang, General Partner at Wavemaker Partners, said: “Checkmate is advancing the HR industry with a platform that integrates pre-employment screening, compliance checks, onboarding, and AI-driven reference checking. This comprehensive solution accelerates hiring, reducing time-to-hire from weeks to a mere three days, while also enhancing compliance and fraud prevention. Additionally, by leveraging referral data for personalised onboarding, Checkmate improves the overall candidate experience–an often overlooked aspect of the process. With over 500 enterprise clients across nine countries, Checkmate enables HR teams to focus on strategic priorities. We are pleased to support the company as they continue to expand to more markets.”
SINGAPORE, 20 NOVEMBER 2024 – Oneteam, a Singapore-based startup dedicated to transforming succession at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through employee ownership, has successfully closed its SGD 3.5 million Seed round. The round was led by Wavemaker Ventures, the early-stage fund of Wavemaker Partners, Southeast Asia’s leading VC group investing in Enterprise, Deep Tech, and […]
Read moreWavemaker Growth team, from left: Paul Santos – Founding Partner, Andrea Lim – Analyst, Xue Koh – Founding Partner, and Shiv Choudhury – Founding Partner SINGAPORE, 13 NOVEMBER 2024 — Wavemaker Partners, Southeast Asia’s leading venture capital firm, today announced the US$30 million first close of its inaugural Wavemaker Growth Opportunities Fund (“Wavemaker Growth”) raised […]
Read moreMANILA, 5 NOVEMBER 2024 – Climate tech venture builder Wavemaker Impact has launched Numat, a new venture focused on transforming bamboo processing with sustainable practices. With a fresh investment of US$525,000, Numat is set to lead the way in the primary processing of bamboo, putting nature and community first. Read more: https://wavemakerimpact.com/wavemaker-impact-launches-numat-with-us525k-investment-to-drive-sustainable-bamboo-processing/
Read moreThe Seed funding will be used to fuel Checkmate’s expansion into existing and new markets, including Australia, as well as the US and Southeast Asia, specifically the Philippines. The funds will also support improvements in the company’s technological capabilities and user experience as more organisations seek reliable and efficient pre-employment screening.
“We are excited to have secured this funding from Wavemaker,” said Inglis. “They have been incredibly supportive of our vision, and this investment enables us to continue building a solution that our clients love. With Wavemaker’s backing, we are poised to scale our operations, deepen our impact, and continue innovating to meet the evolving needs of our customers.”
About Checkmate
Checkmate is a pioneering provider of comprehensive pre-employment screening solutions, dedicated to helping organisations minimise risk and maximise potential. By offering a seamless platform that integrates background checks, compliance processes, and AI-driven reference checking, Checkmate ensures the accuracy and reliability of employee backgrounds, fostering safe and productive work environments. Trusted by over 500 enterprises, Checkmate is transforming the way businesses manage talent acquisition across multiple industries. For more information, visit https://www.checkmate.tech/.
About Wavemaker Partners
Wavemaker Partners is Southeast Asia’s leading VC firm investing in early-stage Enterprise, Deep Tech, and Sustainability startups. Since 2012, it has backed more than 200 companies across the region, with over US$600 million in AUM and exits generating over US$1.8 billion in enterprise value. Today, 85% of Wavemaker’s active portfolio startups in Southeast Asia are contributing to at least one UN Sustainable Development Goal. In 2021, the firm launched Wavemaker Impact, the region’s first-of-its-kind venture builder that co-founds climate-tech startups with experienced entrepreneurs. For more information, visit www.wavemaker.vc or email orbit@wavemaker.vc.
SGX hosts Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and venture capital firms and their portfolio companies for a dialogue on revitalising local equities markets. Photo credit: SGX
When things aren’t working as well as we’d like, we typically have three choices: criticise and complain, accept it and live with it, or try to do something about it.
This time, I’ve chosen to go with the third. I’m privileged to be part of the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s (MAS) Enterprise and Markets Workstream, where we aim to catalyse meaningful changes for Singapore’s equities market.
It’s not the first time people have asked, “How can we fix the Singapore Exchange?” or “What can we do to make the SGX better?” While these are valid questions, I believe they may only lead to incremental improvements. If we truly want a breakthrough, we may need to reframe the question.
What if we asked, “What can the Singapore equities market become the best in the world at?” Answering this requires us to be bolder, and I believe boldness is exactly what we need to make a real difference.
We can take some inspiration from NASDAQ, which stands for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations. Launched in 1971 as the world’s first electronic stock market, it is now the world’s second-largest exchange by market capitalisation, right behind the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). It achieved this by becoming the go-to exchange of high-growth technology companies. While this seems obvious today (hindsight tends to be 20/20), back then, it wasn’t.
High-growth tech stocks were deemed riskier than the more established, stable companies on the NYSE. This was especially evident when the dotcom bubble burst, with the NASDAQ index falling 77% from 5,048 to 1,139 between March 2000 and October 2022.
Yet NASDAQ survived and thrived. Why? Because ultimately, the sector and the companies came through. Today, it is home to the five most valuable companies in the world–Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Alphabet, and Amazon. It’s the dream listing venue of every startup. Unfortunately, it can’t accommodate every successful startup. When you have trillion-dollar companies on your exchange, how much attention do companies with US$3 billion or less market caps really get? When there’s strong market consensus on what the best high-growth tech companies should look like, how open and curious will investors be about companies that don’t quite fit the mold?
So what can the Singapore equities market be the best in the world at? This is anyone’s guess, but here’s mine: Singapore could lead the world in being the best equities market for companies in Emerging Market Innovation and Sustainability (EMIS).
Let me break this down:
- Emerging Markets – Singapore is ideally placed, with easy access to the young, growing, upwardly mobile populations of 2.7B in South and Southeast Asia. These markets still present countless problems to solve, which translates into opportunities to build unique and interesting companies. Apart from India, local exchanges are small with limited liquidity, and they likely aren’t geared to value and support unique, fast-growing companies. So even if any of these companies grow into market leaders, where can they really list?
- Innovation – I purposely didn’t use the word “technology” because that’s probably more relevant for developed markets. In emerging markets, you will typically need innovation which often means a combination of people, process, and technology. It may not be the most cutting-edge, but it’s about integrating hardware and/or offline components in ways that work for these markets. Silicon Valley might look down at this approach, but I believe it’s the right one for emerging markets. Developing unique combinations, techniques, and models can be the hallmark of emerging market innovation. This isn’t too different from how China created its own brand of innovation, distinct from the US, leading to its own models of success.
- Sustainability – And I don’t just mean climate. I’m talking about all the UN Sustainable Development Goals, “a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.” Emerging markets have important problems to solve and these problems offer tremendous opportunities to create new businesses. These companies won’t look like companies from developed markets–but that’s exactly why they are exciting.
Emerging Market Innovation and Sustainability – I want to emphasise the conjunction “and.” The companies we will promote will be at the intersection of all three areas.

What can Singapore offer to earn a leadership role and win in this space?
- Access – Singapore is already the corporate headquarters of many potential EMIS startups in South and Southeast Asia. If we work to truly own this market position, it’s not hard to imagine the best startups from other emerging regions like Africa, Eastern Europe, and South America showing up here. It’s similar to how tech startups worldwide seek to list on NASDAQ.
- Governance – Singapore’s reputation for governance is well-established and this is where we can easily create significant value. Simply put, if we can ensure these emerging market-focused startups meet Singapore’s world-class governance standards, we can create a trust premium.
- Insight – This area will likely require the most work, but it absolutely falls into Singapore’s wheelhouse. We have enough intellectual horsepower here. Our students are known to ace global tests, and our universities and research institutes rank among the world’s best. Alongside our local population, we’ve attracted global talent who have chosen Singapore as their home. The key is to focus some of this talent on EMIS and build stronger bridges into emerging markets, creating new knowledge, insights, and understanding. This could become a whole new industry, enabling us to create alpha by investing in undervalued, underappreciated companies. Ultimately, we can be rewarded for bringing them into the spotlight and helping them succeed.
SINGAPORE, 20 NOVEMBER 2024 – Oneteam, a Singapore-based startup dedicated to transforming succession at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through employee ownership, has successfully closed its SGD 3.5 million Seed round. The round was led by Wavemaker Ventures, the early-stage fund of Wavemaker Partners, Southeast Asia’s leading VC group investing in Enterprise, Deep Tech, and […]
Read moreWavemaker Growth team, from left: Paul Santos – Founding Partner, Andrea Lim – Analyst, Xue Koh – Founding Partner, and Shiv Choudhury – Founding Partner SINGAPORE, 13 NOVEMBER 2024 — Wavemaker Partners, Southeast Asia’s leading venture capital firm, today announced the US$30 million first close of its inaugural Wavemaker Growth Opportunities Fund (“Wavemaker Growth”) raised […]
Read moreMANILA, 5 NOVEMBER 2024 – Climate tech venture builder Wavemaker Impact has launched Numat, a new venture focused on transforming bamboo processing with sustainable practices. With a fresh investment of US$525,000, Numat is set to lead the way in the primary processing of bamboo, putting nature and community first. Read more: https://wavemakerimpact.com/wavemaker-impact-launches-numat-with-us525k-investment-to-drive-sustainable-bamboo-processing/
Read moreWhere do we begin?
- We change our mindset. This will be the first step toward boldness. We must accept that the days of believing it’s easy to make big money are over. It’s time to let go of the notion that simply copying “proven success models” from more developed markets and burning cash to grow at all costs is the only way to attain venture-grade returns. Rising interest rates have forced a reality check. The opportunity now is to explore opportunities with openness and curiosity, to have the courage to think for ourselves and to act on our own conviction, and to be savvy enough to get it right enough of the time. We must also be ready to accept that just like Singapore, small can be beautiful and building anything of significant long-term value will be difficult. If we embrace this, we stand a chance.
- We commit. Singapore already boasts the third-highest GDP per capita in the world, but we must avoid complacency. EMIS could serve as the next major growth engine for Singapore, presenting a unique window of opportunity. We can’t afford to overanalyse or hesitate. If we don’t seize the “best at EMIS” position now, another market will. Moreover, if our current crop of startups fails to achieve successful exits, it will undermine the ability of venture capital firms to raise new funds, potentially stalling the vibrant ecosystem we’ve worked hard to build. Committing to EMIS will require substantial investment, patience, and perseverance. But as I often say, never bet against Singapore once it sets its sights on a goal. With the right focus and determination, I’m confident Singapore can lead in this space, just as it has in so many others.
- We succeed. Every journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. In this case, I imagine it may take four to five successful EMIS IPOs to get started. These will likely be differentiated, perhaps even first-of-its-kind EMIS startups, with defensible business models and solid unit economics. They will have scaled enough to be profitable or close to it. Their market caps could range from US$300 million to US$3 billion, but they’ll be priced sensibly so there’s still upside for IPO investors. Their growth prospects will need to be strong enough to attract long-term investors. If the first few listings succeed, the virtuous cycle can begin.
While I have my conviction in Emerging Market Innovation and Sustainability, I recognise that there are many paths forward, each with its own risk/reward balance. There are no silver bullets. However, I also understand that if you try to be everything to everyone, you end up serving no one.
I leave you with the same question: What could Singapore’s equities market be the best in the world at? And if you care enough to do something about it, please do. If we work together to find the right answer, it could have a profoundly positive impact on our country’s future.
Lead image by Mike Enerio/Unsplash