The Venture

In this episode of The Venture, we share a conversation with Tirayu Songvetkasem, also known as Mac. He is the head of Maknet and chief digital officer of Siam Makro, the Thai branch of a multinational serving the hotel, restaurant, café and catering sector (HoReCa). Makro recently leveraged the mothership's market experience and network of partners to launch Maknet, an online marketplace that’s already Thailand’s leading B2B for food products and services. Songvetkasem sat down with McKinsey’s Tomas Laboutka to discuss Maknet’s mission to bridge the divide between start-ups and incumbents, its funnel-based approach to attracting talent, and the importance of always remaining agile and open to disruption.  Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode of The Venture, we share a conversation with Oi-Yee Choo, CEO of ADDX, a full-service capital markets platform based in Singapore. The fintech start-up uses blockchain and smart contract technology to provide access to a range of securities previously unavailable to mass affluent investors. And in less than three years, ADDX’s innovative approach has managed to attract funding from some high-profile regional financial institutions. Oi-Yee sat down with McKinsey’s Andrew Roth to discuss ADDX’s mission to democratize investing, create a performance-based culture, and recent efforts to expand their customer base to financial enterprises as well. At the close of the interview, McKinsey Partner, Anutosh Banerjee weighs in. Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode of The Venture, we share a conversation with Moritz Hartmann, global head of Roche Information Solutions for Roche Diagnostics, one of the Swiss multinational’s two divisions. Adapting to constant technological change and disrupting via science has fueled the 125-year-old company’s longevity, which now uses digital tools and data science to provide insights, drive outcomes, and deliver personalized healthcare. Hartmann sat down with McKinsey’s Anand Swaminathan to explain his mission to innovate the company’s diagnostic solutions through the adoption of new technology, giving product teams the freedom to operate without interference from above, and never forgetting to let patient needs guide the business. Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 33:25) >  In this episode of The Venture, Andrew Roth shares a conversation with Andre Menezes, cofounder and CEO of Next Gen Foods, a Singapore-based, food tech start-up. Its first product, TiNDLE, a plant-based chicken, is already making waves with chefs and diners in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Amsterdam. It recently debuted in the US, and helped Next Gen secure $100 million in funding. Andre talks about how Next Gen designed TiNDLE around three core elements, its decision to target restaurants before supermarkets, and why sustainability should be baked into a product, rather than the main selling point. Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 38:39) >  In this episode of The Venture, Andrew Roth shares a conversation with Samuel Rhee, Chairman, Chief Investment Officer, and cofounder of Endowus, a Singapore-based financial technology company that transformed the city-state’s cumbersome social security investment process into a fully digital experience. It’s now the only investment platform in Singapore approved for the investment of all funds, an eye-popping trillion-dollar wealth market. Samuel talks about Endowus’ mission to solve the retirement adequacy problem with financial literacy, expert advice, lower costs, elimination of hidden fees, and a corporate culture that puts the client first. Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 35:57) >  In this episode of The Venture, Andrew Roth shares a conversation with Josh Tetrick, CEO and cofounder of Eat Just, a California-based company that makes eggs from plants and produces meat from animal cells. The company was founded in 2011, and has sold the equivalent of more than 200 million eggs via JUST Egg, a plant- based egg made from mung beans. In 2017, the unicorn announced its intention to develop cultivated meat, and in 2020, Singapore became the first place to approve the sale of its chicken. Josh talks about his mission to change the nature of meat production, convincing consumers to accept unconventional meat, and the challenges of scaling a new industry. Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 38:18) >  In this episode of The Venture, Andrew Roth shares a conversation with Hugh Yao, CEO and founder of LingoAce, a Singapore-based online language learning service aimed at children. Hugh founded the company in 2017, and after a couple years of deliberately glacial growth, the business exploded during the pandemic, growing some 4,000 percent and attracting students in more than 100 countries. Hugh talk about the genesis of LingoAce, why he kept his foot on the brake for so long, and how the company is dealing with its rapid global expansion. Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 26:17) >  In this episode of The Venture, Andrew Roth shares a conversation with Edward Ying, former director of planning and transformation at Indonesian telco Telkomsel, and Trio Lumbantoruan, vice president of by.U, the carrier’s fully digital start-up. Telkomsel is Southeast Asia’s largest wireless provider, with more than 170 million subscribers and a 66 percent market share. In 2019, it launched by.U to win new customers in the Gen Z market and develop a brand with digital natives. Ying and Lumbantoruan talk about the thinking behind the start- up, the adoption of continuous innovation in the mothership, and the transformative impact the by.U team has had across its corporate parent. Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 39:31) >  In this episode of The Venture, Andrew Roth shares a conversation with Jakob Angele, CEO of Foodpanda APAC, part of Delivery Hero’s global network of food-delivery services. Angele talks about building a business based on delivering a restaurant meal to someone’s home, which at the time was something new to consumers and restaurants alike. Angele describes Foodpanda’s emphasis on speed, scale, and brand to build market share even as competitors entered the market. Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 39:08) >  In this episode of The Venture, Andrew Roth shares a conversation with Alvin Cai, vice president of New Ventures, the corporate business-building arm of Singapore’s Economic Development Board. Cai talks about his group’s new Corporate Venture Launchpad, a S$10 million pilot program designed to help corporates build Singapore- based start-ups by partnering with established venture studios, and why he believes success depends on agility and autonomy from the mothership. Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information