ASN Masterclass: Entrepreneurship through Acquisition
Heard about baby boomers selling their businesses and feel curious to find out more?
Know that you are meant for more?
Wish to run a business but don't think that building from scratch is really for you?
In this masterclass, discover how you can become a CEO or business owner in our Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) class. It offers a path to business ownership by acquiring and managing an existing company, rather than starting from scratch.
This will help you
understand how to seek potential companies to acquire, based on your goals, evaluate the prospective businesses and network with several successful entrepreneurs :) And potentially become the CEO you could be.
Plus we are excited to bring you this special panel of speakers, ranging from our participant who went on to acquire a SME business to the legal advisor behind the deal SGAG.
🚀 Ever read SGAG?
SGAG
Ever wondered how that acquisition actually got done?
Not the press release.
Not the celebratory LinkedIn post.
But the real negotiations, the structure, the risk allocation — and what happens after you sign.
At our upcoming Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) Masterclass, you’ll hear directly from the advisor behind one of Singapore’s most high-profile tech exits.
This isn’t just another course. It’s a comprehensive year long program designed to kickstart your personal journey, and get you started, together with like-minded others who are also beginning their startup journey.
News coverage
we are excited to share the following achievements/ features:
The Business Times - https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/singapore/smes/new-wave-sme-buyers-mining-diamonds-rough-singapore-asean
One of our participants have acquired a SME!
Search Fund News - https://searchfundsnews.com/interview-zachary-lee-eric-koh-founders-of-gen-capital-partners
Join us for our ASN Masterclass (ETA Edition), in collaboration with Gen Capital Partners, a search fund!
Program Highlights
Pre-masterclass learning: 6 days of Self-paced materials introducing essential startup concepts to fast-track your progress.
In-person masterclass on
March 6, 10am- 5pm
Here's what you’ll gain:
1. Engaging & Interactive masterclass experience taught by experts
2. Solid Conceptual Foundation and Practical Frameworks for SME Acquisition
✅ Our masterclass teaches how to identify, evaluate, and acquire small businesses using proven search frameworks.
✅ Covers everything from industry hunting grounds to seller psychology, with actionable tips.
3. Real-Life Application and Teamwork
✅ Participants work in groups to create acquisition strategies, identify targets, and pitch to facilitators.
✅ Facilitator feedback offers valuable real-time insights and coaching.
4. Tactical Execution Training
✅ Covers advanced topics like:
✅ Financial screening & business valuation
✅ Industry analysis & competitive positioning
✅ Seller readiness & trust-building
✅ Funding prep & investor communication
5. SEA-Relevant, Results-Oriented
✅ Tailored to Southeast Asia’s business landscape and acquisition opportunities.
✅ Equips professionals with practical, immediately applicable strategies to enter entrepreneurship through acquisition confidently.
✅ Post-masterclass support
Stay connected with a supportive network via groupchat, get tips and recommendations for services and products you need when starting your business (legal, incorporation etc)
Regular meet ups with like minded we make sure you keep going - organised specially for our participants to discuss challenges and small/big wins
Monthly events such as pitching events, panels and fireside chats with investors and entrepreneurs to continue learning and growing.
Personalised mentorship (Optional)
Investment in Your Future - choose from the following options:
Why Now?
Entrepreneurship doesn’t wait for the “perfect time.” If you’ve been searching for a sign, this is it. Gain clarity, confidence, and a concrete plan to turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality.
Spots are limited, so act fast! Sign up here and join a growing ecosystem of aspiring founders who are turning their ideas into thriving businesses.
Don’t let another year pass you by. Take charge, take action, and make 2026 the year you finally bring your dream business to life!
Our Speakers
Eric Koh | Co-Founder & CEO, Gen Cap
A seasoned operational leader with 10 years as COO across multiple high-growth startups in Web3, SaaS, adtech, and payment infrastructure. Eric's achievements include transforming a struggling business from -80% to +30% profit margins and successfully raising over US$10M in funding from Seed to Pre-Series B rounds.
At GenCap, Eric leverages his experience acquiring and operating Southeast Asian SMEs to preserve and scale lifelong business legacies. His versatility shines through his experience as a fractional COO across diverse sectors including corporate secretarial firms, AI-based startups, IT management ventures, angel syndicates, and biomedical device companies. Having led a startup to successful acquisition by a European multinational corporation, he has built and managed diverse teams of 50+ professionals spanning eight countries throughout Southeast Asia.
With an Executive MBA from Quantic School of Business & Technology and a Bachelor of Engineering from the National University of Singapore (where he studied as an ASEAN Scholar), Eric combines practical operational expertise with strategic vision to help SMEs reach their full potential through acquisition and operational excellence.
His LinkedIn profile is accessible on https://sg.linkedin.com/in/koheric
Podcast episode on The Generalists:
Visit www.instagram.com/asiastartupnetwork for more.
Hao Nguyen
CEO, Winborne
Hao Nguyen is an investor-operator with a background spanning investment management, tech, and consulting across Asia. She is currently the CEO of Winborne, a well-established waterproofing services company in Singapore.
Prior to this, Hao was a Partner at Sea Capital, and Vice President at Composite Capital in Hong Kong where she invested in and worked closely with high-growth companies across emerging markets globally. Earlier in her career, she served as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Shopee and a Consultant at McKinsey in Southeast Asia.
Hao holds an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
After attending our ETA masterclass, Hao acquired Winborne.
Her Linkedin is accessible on https://www.linkedin.com/in/hao-nguyen-74877436/.
Nathanael Lim
Managing Partner, Paladyn-Group
Topic: Before You Sign: A Legal's Guide for First-Time Acquirers
Nathanael is a co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Avium, a venture capital-backed AI company, and partner at Paladyn Group, which has angel invested in and advised numerous tech startups on corporate governance, structuring, and Asia market entry. A former international law firm partner, he has advised venture capital funds and technology companies globally on M&A, fundraising, and digital asset raises totalling over US$1 billion — most notably advising on the landmark acquisition of Hepmil Media Group (parent company of SGAG) by global advertising giant Publicis Groupe in 2025, one of Singapore's most high-profile tech M&A exits.
With over a decade advising prominent companies including Meta, Razer, Airbus, Binance, and the Global Esports Federation, Nathanael is recognised for his expertise in helping businesses navigate complex deal structuring across technology, fintech, and Web3. He is also an early investor in Bitcoin and Ethereum, a limited partner in multiple venture capital funds, and a sought-after speaker at major international conferences.
Sherry Kwek
CEO, Polaris Schoolhouse
Topic: From Handshake to Handover
captures the journey from deal to actually running the business
Sherry Kwek is the CEO of Polaris, with the aim of consolidating Singapore's fragmented early childhood education market. She brings over a decade of experience in education, progressing from classroom teacher to curriculum head at a leading after-school care provider, where she designed and rolled out a 21st-century competency curriculum islandwide. She remained as a teacher until her first cohort graduated from Primary 6 before stepping into leadership — a commitment that defines her approach.
At Polaris, Sherry leads the buy-and-build strategy, acquiring established preschools and harmonising them under a unified premium brand while preserving what makes each centre work. Her background in centre management, staff retention, and curriculum development equips her for the operational complexity of scaling premium education without losing quality. She holds qualifications in psychology and childhood development.
Sam Lee
Cofounder of Paloe – Corporate Finance & Advisory
Since founding Paloe (formerly Excide) in 2015, Sam has been a trusted partner to early-stage companies navigating the complex journey from seed to Series A fundraising. With deep expertise in corporate finance and advisory, he has:
Acted as interim CFO for multiple high-growth tech startups during their fundraising phases.
Built financial models for 70+ companies, helping founders translate vision into numbers that investors can trust.
Guided startups such as PolicyPal, Moovaz, Geniebook, USEN, Rainmaker Labs, and Gobbler through financial storytelling and investment readiness.
Before Paloe, Sam was part of the pioneer M&A team at KPMG Myanmar, later moving to the Maersk Group as Investment Manager, where he explored infrastructure opportunities across Asia. He also served as Deputy Lead of the Digitalization Community of Practice at the Institute of Management Consultants Singapore.
As a certified Registered Management Consultant, Sam brings both credibility and hands-on experience to entrepreneurs who need clarity on valuations, growth capital, and sustainable expansion.
Elise Tan and Andrew Tan
Elise Tan and Andrew Tan are the co-founders of the Asia Startup Network (ASN), an active platform dedicated to accelerating the growth of early-stage tech startups in Asia.
Elise Tan brings over a decade of experience in running accelerators and assisting early founders in scaling their businesses. Prior to ASN, she served as the Director of Communications and Community at Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India, where she developed thought leadership content and launched the "Hard Truths by Vertex" podcast, which became a top 10 entrepreneurship podcast in Singapore.
Her LinkedIn profile is accessible on www.linkedin.com/in/elisetanyl.
Andrew Tan has more than 10 years of leadership experience, including founding his own social enterprise, building startups, and managing scale-ups. As the Country Manager at Wantedly, he oversees international business operations outside of Japan, leading teams across Business Development, Marketing, and Client Success. His prior roles include growing a travel technology startup, BeMyGuest, into a Series B company valued at $30 million, and establishing One Belt One Road Venture Capital, securing partnerships such as the Tencent Open Platform to invest in SINO-ASEAN startups.
Together, Elise and Andrew have cultivated ASN into a community of over 4,000 founders, investors, and partners, fostering collaboration and providing vital resources to the startup ecosystem in Southeast Asia.
His LinkedIn profile is accessible on www.linkedin.com/in/andrew10.
What our past participants said
Average Rating: 5.0/5.0 on Luma
Chris: "1. Better clarity on deal lifecycle - from sourcing to closing. The most important aspect for me was the deal structuring part as the ETA model is fairly unique. For instance, I want to know how much equity is a searcher entitled to and how it evolves over time with vesting
2. Search criteria - how to identify a high quality business and how much to acquire them for"
Natalie: "the masterclass felt welcoming and I was blessed to connect with 2 lovely ladies who shared similar interests with me. And got to know everyone with their self introduction was likeable, friendly, willing to learn despite being in various backgrounds regardless from finances, tech, VC investments and startup scenes. I was in awe that everyone was very experienced and had individual learning objectives."
Sign up now
Join ASN ETA masterclass as an individual but expect to graduate into a large vibrant and supportive startup ecosystem and mentorship support.
Interested to take it to the next step? Simply sign up on Lu.ma!
If you're ready to embark on this transformative journey or have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to [email protected]. Let's unlock your full potential together. Visit www.asiastartupnetwork.com/accelerate for more details.
Photos from our past programs
Catch up sessions for alumni
Why The Pre-Founder Catalyst Masterclases?
Our curriculum stands out for its blend of Eastern and Western philosophies, offering a comprehensive approach that extends beyond technical skills. Led by a team of seasoned operators and investors, we prioritize not only business acumen but also personal development, helping you uncover your passions and craft a sustainable business idea aligned with your life goals.
About Asia Startup Network
ASN didn’t start as an educational institute or training centre. ASN is a living, thriving startup ecosystem. Their founders have spent more than one decade coaching and supporting entrepreneurs and created one of the largest communities of > 3,000 startup founders, operators, investors and partners in Southeast Asia to collaborate and support each other’s growth. Since 2020, ASN has been organising 100s of startup workshops, events and programs to help entrepreneurs leapfrog their growth and raise funding. Join ASN for the knowledge, but stay because of the network. These are the reasons why taking a course at ASN and quickly plugging into the community would move the needle more than you expect.
ASN is founded by Elise Tan and Andrew Tan. Elise has experience designing programs and personally coaching hundreds of founders at incubators and accelerators for over 10 years. She assisted more than 40 companies in raising more than US$1 million each. Andrew has more than 10 years of leadership experience founding his own social enterprise, building start ups and managing scale ups, as well as running ground up initiatives and communities, Andrew has a proven track record of driving growth and success and this will be transferred directly to this accelerator and its startups.
ASN began firstly with Mentor For Hope in 2020, an impactful mentoring initiative initially supported by the Temasek Foundation under the OSCAR grant. The initiative facilitated 525 mentoring hours for 300 founders adversely affected by the COVID crisis, connecting them with invaluable insights from 250 investors, partners, and experts.
In 2021, Elise and Andrew organised Makan For Hope Festival (with zero budget), a series of 30 virtual roundtables featuring VC managing partners and founders from notable startups like PropertyGuru, Shopback, and Carousell. The festival drew participation from 500 attendees, raising $123,000 in charity donations.
Sign up at now on Lu.ma here!