We speak to the financier about Jedi Masters, hapless hobbits and why youth is wasted on the young
I am Generation T is a series of quick-fire Q&As with some of the extraordinary individuals on the Gen.T List.
Kelvin Lee is all about inclusivity. His three-year-old finance firm, Fundnel, makes a point of engaging with everyday businesses that previously struggled to get investors.
The private investment platform leverages data, using an AI-driven deal screening process to curate opportunities in growth and pre-IPO companies for a global network of more than 10,000 investors. Put simply, it provides small companies that usually wouldn't be on the radar of investors with the opportunity to raise capital; for investors, it provides a suite of possible deals that might otherwise be missed. Since its launch in 2015, the company reports that the value of deals on its platform exceeds US$1.8 billion.
After supporting hundreds of small businesses, Fundnel was endorsed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and has also been embraced by government bodies in Australia, in the hope Fundnel will give small businesses a boost Down Under. Here, we talk to the finance guru about wizards, words of advice and how to weather the storms life throws at you.
What’s non-negotiable for you?
People who are motivated. There's nothing I dislike more than people who are too lazy to even try to do something new.
What was your biggest 'A-ha' moment in life?
Realising there was a missing generation of investors without stock trading accounts on the existing exchanges—and companies that prefer to stay private longer, if not forever.