From Startups to Exits: Money Conversations Between Founders & Investors That Make Or Break Companies
[Guest List Curated · Limited to 50 Participants]
What really happens behind the scenes when founders and investors sit across the table, balancing vision, cash flow, and conviction to decide a company’s future?
Join us for an intimate evening as we trace the journey of a Singapore-founded game development and culturalisation company through its M&A with a publicly listed Australian group. The story began at the Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Game Lab and went on to bridge Japan, China, and Southeast Asia — crossing markets, cultures, and expectations.
This was the team behind a hit game in China, with over five million players, before setting out to bridge global markets through culturalisation. Backed by Incubate Fund, one of Japan’s most successful early-stage venture firms, and later joined by Baidu as a strategic investor, the company set out to navigate shifting user demands, cross-border politics, and cash constraints on its path toward alignment and eventual M&A with a publicly listed Australian group.
Together, they navigated tough decisions — when to push, when to pivot, when to combine forces. It's a story that reveals what it takes to build clarity, structure, and trust when stakes are high — creating space for honest consultation, deciding together, and carrying the transition through. It shows how alignment, courage, and follow-through create the conditions for value to be realised and built upon.
Participant Resource
All confirmed participants will receive a Mini M&A Reflection Toolkit, a concise resource designed to support post-session reflection.
Panelists
Masahiko Homma, Co-Founder & GP, Incubate Fund – Former Inzen Board Member
John Sharp, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Hatcher+ - Former Inzen Board Member
Gerald Tock, Co-Founder & CEO Kommunity Ventures / Head Strategy @ PlayMoolah, - Former Inzen CEO
Why This Matters Now
Momentum happens when leaders have the courage to surface tough conversations, decide and follow through together.
In today's tight funding climate, clarity on expectations, priorities, and outcomes can make the difference between shutting down, staying the course, scaling up, or combining forces through M&A.
This session is for
Founders, investors, and ecosystem partners navigating high-stakes decisions — whether it’s a fundraise, M&A, or internal restructuring.
It’s for those who believe that how we have money conversations matters as much as the financial outcomes themselves.
If you’re building, backing, or guiding ventures — and want to learn how alignment and emotional clarity can turn difficult moments into defining ones — this space is for you.
What You’ll Learn
Decision architecture: How to build structures that help leaders decide — gathering the right intel, framing honest feedback, and making informed calls together.
Aligned execution: How boards and CEOs support each other to balance shareholder needs with leadership capacity, creating clarity on roles, requirements, and outcomes.
Leadership rhythm: How to create space and time for engagement, deliberation, decision, and execution — using each person’s strengths to move forward with courage and trust.
Meet the Panellists
Masahiko Homma – Co-Founder & General Partner, Incubate Fund
Co-founded one of Japan’s most successful early-stage venture firms
Former investor in MonotaRO, scaling from startup to IPO under Mitsubishi Corporation’s Works Capital
Leads Incubate Fund’s overseas investments across Southeast Asia, India, and the US
John Sharp – Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Hatcher+
Partner at a Top-20 data-driven venture firm with 100+ investments and 6+ exits
Serial founder, investor, and board member across AI, fintech, and decarbonisation ventures
Gerald Tock – Co-Founder & CEO, Kommunity Ventures / Head of Strategy, PlayMoolah
Co-founder-operator who led the M&A of his game studio to an ASX-listed group
Builds systems that align capital, people, and purpose across Southeast Asia and Japan
Advises founders and ecosystems on commercialisation, stakeholder alignment, and clarity under pressure
Agenda (7:00 – 9:00 PM)
7:00 – 7:10 PM · Opening Remarks
With Audrey Tan, Co-Founder of PlayMoolah and the Wealth Resilience Institute
On the importance of the ability to have critical money conversations towards decision-making resilience
7:10 – 7:55 PM · Unfiltered Conversations Behind the M&A
With Gerald Tock, Masahiko Homma, and John Sharp.
A behind-the-scenes look at how leaders structure, surface, and navigate high-stakes decisions under pressure, how they engage in healthy conflict and collaborate to create shared value.
7:55 – 8:25 PM · Audience Q&A
Panellists will respond to pre-submitted and live questions from participants.
8:25 – 9:00 PM · Networking & Conversations
Light food and drinks will be served.
Conversation prompts will be provided to guide follow-up reflections and help participants translate insights into action.
Supported by
Simmons & Simmons is an international law firm with deep expertise in venture capital, technology, and innovation. In Singapore and across Asia, the firm partners with founders, investors, and growth-stage companies to navigate complex fundraising, M&A, and governance matters, enabling businesses to scale confidently across borders.
About the Organisers and Collaborators
Founded in 2010, PlayMoolah transforms how people relate to money through its Financial Emotional Resilience® (FER) framework — integrating behavioural finance, developmental psychology, and transformational learning. Its programs, certifications, and community experiences help individuals, educators, and organisations build lasting financial and emotional wellbeing.
The Wealth Resilience Institute (WRI) convenes experts to advance wealth resiliency, futures thinking, and adaptive leadership — equipping people to make wise, values-aligned financial decisions that sustain self, community, and planet.
Also, if you haven't, join us for the full calendar of online & offline satellite events: HERE.