New in Asia – XinHui Tan, a seasoned investor and a key figure at Paragon Capital Management, has been at the forefront of early-stage startup investing for the past three years. Paragon Capital Management is a boutique asset management firm with AUM in excess of SGD 1 billion, and its Paragon Alpha VCC runs three open-ended public market funds and two close-ended private market funds, which includes Paragon Ventures I, an early-stage, sector and geography-agnostic venture capital fund.

Based in Singapore, the fund has a keen focus on tech-enabled and deep-tech companies, addressing environmental sustainability and fostering impactful solutions.

In this interview, XinHui shares her approach to identifying promising innovators, collaboration with industry partners, and strategies to mitigate the risks of investing in early-stage companies.

Here are the key highlights:

• Master Your Technology: Investors look for founders with a deep understanding of their product. Know your tech inside and out.
• Show Resilience: Persistence and the ability to navigate challenges are key traits that investors value.
• Demonstrate Vision: Have a clear growth strategy and be willing to expand your team with the right expertise.
• Prioritize Financial Discipline: Good financial governance and accountability are crucial. Show that you manage resources wisely.
• Be Open to Collaboration: Investors appreciate founders who leverage industry partnerships and are eager to learn.
• Build Trust: Transparency and integrity are essential. Strong relationships with investors are built on trust.

Click here to find out more.

Credit: New in Asia (By Devia Anggraini)