Getting investors to meet and support tomorrow’s game changing startups – that’s what we are going to talk about today.

Founded in 2023, our guest A2D Ventures aims to be the region’s leading early stage startup investing platform and angel syndicate, expanding access to innovative companies and democratising venture capital. 

At the moment, the firm has a portfolio of 15 companies spread across a wide range of industries such as biotech, proptech, fintech, deeptech as well as aviation and electric vehicles.

Most recently, A2D Ventures had in June 2024 invested in Seaplane Asia, a company that offers air charter and seaplane services connecting islands and coastal areas, in a funding round led by venture capital firm TK & Partners. It had also in May 2024 invested in US sustainable mining startup BANIQL in a US$1.6 million seed round. 

But what is A2D Venture’s investment mandate to begin with? Who are the investors under its syndicate, and what is the return on investment they are aiming for? What is the total amount of capital deployed to startups under its portfolio for now?

Meanwhile, A2D Ventures had in January teamed up with InnoSpace Thailand, a public-private joint venture in the country, to come up with Thailand’s next big accelerator. 

But what should we know about the accelerator and what synergies will the accelerator bring to A2D Ventures as it sources for the next unicorn in the country?

On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Ankit Upadhyay, CEO, A2D Ventures.

Getting investors to meet and support tomorrow&rsquo;s game changing startups &ndash; that&rsquo;s what we are going to talk about today.
Founded in 2023, our guest A2D Ventures aims to be the region&rsquo;s leading early stage startup investing platform and angel syndicate, expanding access to innovative companies and democratising venture capital.&nbsp;
At the moment, the firm has a portfolio of 15 companies spread across a wide range of industries such as biotech, proptech, fintech, deeptech as well as aviation and electric vehicles.
Most recently, A2D Ventures had in June 2024 invested in Seaplane Asia, a company that offers air charter and seaplane services connecting islands and coastal areas, in a funding round led by venture capital firm TK &amp; Partners. It had also in May 2024 invested in US sustainable mining startup BANIQL in a US$1.6 million seed round.&nbsp;
But what is A2D Venture&rsquo;s investment mandate to begin with? Who are the investors under its syndicate, and what is the return on investment they are aiming for? What is the total amount of capital deployed to startups under its portfolio for now?
Meanwhile, A2D Ventures had in January teamed up with InnoSpace Thailand, a public-private joint venture in the country, to come up with Thailand&rsquo;s next big accelerator.&nbsp;
But what should we know about the accelerator and what synergies will the accelerator bring to A2D Ventures as it sources for the next unicorn in the country?
On Under the Radar, Money Matters&rsquo; finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Ankit Upadhyay, CEO, A2D Ventures.

We speak with businesses, industry leaders, venture capitalists and startups on their assessment of the business environment they're in, and what the future holds for them.

We speak with businesses, industry leaders, venture capitalists and startups on their assessment of the business environment they're in, and what the future holds for them.

Under The Radar

Money Matters is your guide to navigating the day's most important topics, from politics and current affairs to wealth management and trending issues. Every evening, the team delivers insightful discussions on business news, market movements, and the latest in alternative assets. Whether navigating the political landscape, understanding the economy, or uncovering emerging investment opportunities, Money Matters keeps you informed and ahead of the curve. Tune in daily to Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian from 4 pm to 7 pm on MONEY FM 89.3.

Money Matters is your guide to navigating the day's most important topics, from politics and current affairs to wealth management and trending issues. Every evening, the team delivers insightful discussions on business news, market movements, and the latest in alternative assets. Whether navigating the political landscape, understanding the economy, or uncovering emerging investment opportunities, Money Matters keeps you informed and ahead of the curve. Tune in daily to Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian from 4 pm to 7 pm on MONEY FM 89.3.

Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Under the Radar: How does early stage startup investing platform and angel syndicate A2D Ventures work exactly? 

Today we’re going to catch up with a global executive from one of the world’s top IT services companies. 

A part of India’s largest multinational business group, the Tata Group, Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organisation that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for over half a century. 

That is across a wide range of industries from banking to consumer packaged goods to communications and information services to energy and utilities, and more importantly manufacturing.

The company prides itself with its consulting-led, cognitive powered, portfolio of business, technology and engineering services and solutions, delivered through what it calls a unique Location Independent Agile delivery model. 

So far, the company has over 601,000 consultants spread across 55 countries, generating consolidated revenues of US$29 billion in the fiscal year ended March. 

Now why are we speaking to Tata Consultancy Services you might ask? Well, the firm is seeing a number of recent developments on the manufacturing front for 2025. 

For one thing, Tata Consultancy Services had in February announced a collaboration with Salesforce to help customers in the manufacturing and semiconductor industries drive value from artificial intelligence. But what was the rationale behind the move and how will AI reshape the firm’s growth trajectory?

Meanwhile, Tata Consultancy Services had in January 2025 inaugurated a new delivery centre in Toulouse, France. The center is said to harness next-generation technologies like artificial intelligence, generative AI, machine learning and data analytics to help customers in the aerospace and related industries such as manufacturing and defence. 

The question is – how far will the move position the firm for the future as countries in Europe, such as Germany, look to up their defense spending?

On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Anupam Singhal, Global President of Manufacturing at Tata Consultancy Services.

Today we&rsquo;re going to catch up with a global executive from one of the world&rsquo;s top IT services companies.&nbsp;
A part of India&rsquo;s largest multinational business group, the Tata Group, Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organisation that has been partnering with many of the world&rsquo;s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for over half a century.&nbsp;
That is across a wide range of industries from banking to consumer packaged goods to communications and information services to energy and utilities, and more importantly manufacturing.
The company prides itself with its consulting-led, cognitive powered, portfolio of business, technology and engineering services and solutions, delivered through what it calls a unique Location Independent Agile delivery model.&nbsp;
So far, the company has over 601,000 consultants spread across 55 countries, generating consolidated revenues of US$29 billion in the fiscal year ended March.&nbsp;
Now why are we speaking to Tata Consultancy Services you might ask? Well, the firm is seeing a number of recent developments on the manufacturing front for 2025.&nbsp;
For one thing, Tata Consultancy Services had in February announced a collaboration with Salesforce to help customers in the manufacturing and semiconductor industries drive value from artificial intelligence. But what was the rationale behind the move and how will AI reshape the firm&rsquo;s growth trajectory?
Meanwhile, Tata Consultancy Services had in January 2025 inaugurated a new delivery centre in Toulouse, France. The center is said to harness next-generation technologies like artificial intelligence, generative AI, machine learning and data analytics to help customers in the aerospace and related industries such as manufacturing and defence.&nbsp;
The question is &ndash; how far will the move position the firm for the future as countries in Europe, such as Germany, look to up their defense spending?
On Under the Radar, Money Matters&rsquo; finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Anupam Singhal, Global President of Manufacturing at Tata Consultancy Services.

Under the Radar: (SPECIALS) Tata Consultancy Services’s Global President of Manufacturing on recent collaboration with Salesforce, and new factory in Toulouse, France

It’s all about intellectual property today as we speak to the Asian subsidiary of Japan’s leading entertainment conglomerate Avex Group. 

If you’ve been a J-pop fan, you might recall Avex starting out as a wholesaler of imported music records in 1988. 

The company has now expanded into diverse business areas such as record labels, live music performances, animation and filmmaking. It also manages music artists such as pop icon Ayumi Hamazaki. 

Back to Avex Asia, the subsidiary specialises in brand licensing, artiste management, live events and concerts, anime production, content creation and digital streaming in the region. 

It represents some of the world’s top intellectual properties including Pokemon, Rilakkuma, Sumikko Gurashi, Sonic The Hedgehog, Hello Kitty, forming collaborations across broadcasting, consumer products, marketing promotions as well as location-based entertainment.

Now, Avex Asia’s licensing business is one that we want to focus on today, given how Asia is said to contribute over 30 per cent of all franchised businesses worldwide. 

But why is Asia a hotspot for franchised business, and what are the trends shaping the franchising and licensing landscape in the region? How is Avex Asia tapping into these trends, and what intellectual properties does Avex Asia want to procure to better serve consumers in the region? 

Speaking of acquiring IPs, Avex Asia recently expanded its portfolio to include sports licensing of Spanish Football giant, FC Barcelona for Southeast Asia and Japan. But why did the firm choose to enter into sports licensing and what are the opportunities it sees in sports licensing?

On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Edmund Low, General Manager, Avex Asia.

It&rsquo;s all about intellectual property today as we speak to the Asian subsidiary of Japan&rsquo;s leading entertainment conglomerate Avex Group.&nbsp;
If you&rsquo;ve been a J-pop fan, you might recall Avex starting out as a wholesaler of imported music records in 1988.&nbsp;
The company has now expanded into diverse business areas such as record labels, live music performances, animation and filmmaking. It also manages music artists such as pop icon Ayumi Hamazaki.&nbsp;
Back to Avex Asia, the subsidiary specialises in brand licensing, artiste management, live events and concerts, anime production, content creation and digital streaming in the region.&nbsp;
It represents some of the world&rsquo;s top intellectual properties including Pokemon, Rilakkuma, Sumikko Gurashi, Sonic The Hedgehog, Hello Kitty, forming collaborations across broadcasting, consumer products, marketing promotions as well as location-based entertainment.
Now, Avex Asia&rsquo;s licensing business is one that we want to focus on today, given how Asia is said to contribute over 30 per cent of all franchised businesses worldwide.&nbsp;
But why is Asia a hotspot for franchised business, and what are the trends shaping the franchising and licensing landscape in the region? How is Avex Asia tapping into these trends, and what intellectual properties does Avex Asia want to procure to better serve consumers in the region?&nbsp;
Speaking of acquiring IPs, Avex Asia recently expanded its portfolio to include sports licensing of Spanish Football giant, FC Barcelona for Southeast Asia and Japan. But why did the firm choose to enter into sports licensing and what are the opportunities it sees in sports licensing?
On Under the Radar, Money Matters&rsquo; finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Edmund Low, General Manager, Avex Asia.

Under the Radar: Avex Asia on representing IPs such as Pokemon, Rilakkuma and Sonic The Hedgehog, and tapping into trends shaping the brand licensing industry

In today’s session, we speak with a trailblazer in the Asian electric vehicle industry to find out all about the new venture he is involved in. 

Joining us all the way from Taipei, Jack Cheng is Co-Founder of electric vehicle maker NIO and was formerly the Chairman of Fiat (China) Automobiles, and is now the chairman of a company called M Mobility. 

M Mobility is a startup that aims to commercialise ideas formed within a Foxconn-led consortium called MIH platform. 

For context, MIH, or Mobility in Harmony Consortium, is an organisation initiated by Foxconn to create an open EV ecosystem that promotes collaboration in the mobility industry. 

The consortium realises key technologies, develop reference designs and standards, while bridging the gap between members in the ecosystem to lower barriers to entry, accelerate innovation, and shorten development cycles. 

The goal is to bring strategic partners together to build the next generation of EV, autonomous driving and mobility service applications.  

So back to M Mobility, the startup crafts EV solutions tailored for mobility service providers and fleet operators. It aims to connect innovative EV designs with the global supply chain. But what does the firm mean exactly by that and what is its value proposition exactly? 

Meanwhile, M Mobility had in October 2023 became the first open EV platform licensee of the MIH Consortium. But how has it made use of MIH Consortium’s platform thus far? 

What is also worthy of note is that the firm is said to be backed by Indian information technology services and consulting firm Tech Mahindra, and is working with Sumitomo Corporation EV services arm Hakobune to change the way people view mobility. But where do the different players come in to support M Mobility’s growth?

On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Jack Cheng, Chairman, M Mobility.

In today&rsquo;s session, we speak with a trailblazer in the Asian electric vehicle industry to find out all about the new venture he is involved in.&nbsp;
Joining us all the way from Taipei, Jack Cheng is Co-Founder of electric vehicle maker NIO and was formerly the Chairman of Fiat (China) Automobiles, and is now the chairman of a company called M Mobility.&nbsp;
M Mobility is a startup that aims to commercialise ideas formed within a Foxconn-led consortium called MIH platform.&nbsp;
For context, MIH, or Mobility in Harmony Consortium, is an organisation initiated by Foxconn to create an open EV ecosystem that promotes collaboration in the mobility industry.&nbsp;
The consortium realises key technologies, develop reference designs and standards, while bridging the gap between members in the ecosystem to lower barriers to entry, accelerate innovation, and shorten development cycles.&nbsp;
The goal is to bring strategic partners together to build the next generation of EV, autonomous driving and mobility service applications. &nbsp;
So back to M Mobility, the startup crafts EV solutions tailored for mobility service providers and fleet operators. It aims to connect innovative EV designs with the global supply chain. But what does the firm mean exactly by that and what is its value proposition exactly?&nbsp;
Meanwhile, M Mobility had in October 2023 became the first open EV platform licensee of the MIH Consortium. But how has it made use of MIH Consortium&rsquo;s platform thus far?&nbsp;
What is also worthy of note is that the firm is said to be backed by Indian information technology services and consulting firm Tech Mahindra, and is working with Sumitomo Corporation EV services arm Hakobune to change the way people view mobility. But where do the different players come in to support M Mobility&rsquo;s growth?
On Under the Radar, Money Matters&rsquo; finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Jack Cheng, Chairman, M Mobility.

Under the Radar: How does early stage startup investing platform and angel syndicate A2D Ventures work exactly?

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