Our Guardian Angels are angel investors of AI, and are an extension of our team. They collaborate, back and help pioneer Angels Of Impact with us.
Mamoru Taniya
Mr. Mamoru Taniya is Chairman and CEO of Asuka Holdings Inc., he has broad range of investment experiences covering from fixed-income derivatives to private equities. His early career is illustrated by his successful years at Salomon Brothers he joined in 1987 where he became the youngest managing director in Asia and led the proprietary trading division for Japan and Asia as one of the pioneers in financial arbitrage trading in the region.
He then joined Tudor Capital (Japan) as one of the founding partners, and led an MBO to found Asuka Asset Management where he is CEO to date and has made it a leading independent hedge fund in Japan.
As a venture capitalist, he initiated the launch of Lifenet Insurance Company, the first online insurance company, and invested in the development of “studio yoggy,” a pioneering yoga studio, which contributed to popularize Yoga widely in Japan. He started another venture company, Campus for H Inc., a health care company that develops and markets innovative corporate wellness programs, and promotes well-being including mindfulness, as well as Money Design Inc. which is the first Robo Advisor company as a founder. Also he and his team set up the corporate venture capital together with IDEO which is famous for Design thinking.
As a NGO/NPO,he also serves as Representative founder of International School of Asia, Karuizawa (ISAK), the first international boarding school in Japan, since its establishment. In addition he is Vice Chair Person of Human Rights Watch which is one of the world’s leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights,and Director of Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation .
Mr. Taniya received his B.A. in law from the University of Tokyo in 1987.
He then joined Tudor Capital (Japan) as one of the founding partners, and led an MBO to found Asuka Asset Management where he is CEO to date and has made it a leading independent hedge fund in Japan.
As a venture capitalist, he initiated the launch of Lifenet Insurance Company, the first online insurance company, and invested in the development of “studio yoggy,” a pioneering yoga studio, which contributed to popularize Yoga widely in Japan. He started another venture company, Campus for H Inc., a health care company that develops and markets innovative corporate wellness programs, and promotes well-being including mindfulness, as well as Money Design Inc. which is the first Robo Advisor company as a founder. Also he and his team set up the corporate venture capital together with IDEO which is famous for Design thinking.
As a NGO/NPO,he also serves as Representative founder of International School of Asia, Karuizawa (ISAK), the first international boarding school in Japan, since its establishment. In addition he is Vice Chair Person of Human Rights Watch which is one of the world’s leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights,and Director of Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation .
Mr. Taniya received his B.A. in law from the University of Tokyo in 1987.
Professor Wong Poh Kam
Poh Kam WONG (pohkam@nus.edu.sg) is Professor at the NUS Business School and Director of the NUS Entrepreneurship Centre. He obtained two BSc.’s, an MSc. and a Ph.D. from MIT. He has published extensively in leading international refereed journals on entrepreneurship and innovation and has consulted widely for international agencies such as the World Bank, OECD and ADB, various government agencies in Singapore, and many private corporations in Asia.
An active angel investor with investment in over a dozen high tech start-ups in Singapore, Silicon Valley, China and India, he was the founding chairman of Business Angel Network (Southeast Asia) and Asia Business Angels Forum, and is an advisor for a number of venture capital funds. He initiated the annual DBS-NUS Social Venture Challenge Asia in 2014. He received the Public Administration Medal (Silver) Award from the Singapore Government in 2013 for his contribution to education in Singapore, and the “Entrepreneur for the World” Award (Education Category) from the World Entrepreneurship Forum in 2015. He is currently a member of the Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS).
An active angel investor with investment in over a dozen high tech start-ups in Singapore, Silicon Valley, China and India, he was the founding chairman of Business Angel Network (Southeast Asia) and Asia Business Angels Forum, and is an advisor for a number of venture capital funds. He initiated the annual DBS-NUS Social Venture Challenge Asia in 2014. He received the Public Administration Medal (Silver) Award from the Singapore Government in 2013 for his contribution to education in Singapore, and the “Entrepreneur for the World” Award (Education Category) from the World Entrepreneurship Forum in 2015. He is currently a member of the Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS).
Patricia Lim
Patricia Lim is a business advisor to various regional internet start up companies. She has assisted in formulating business, sales and marketing plan including reviewing business model, budget P&L and the execution of the business plan.
She has also invested in various start up company (SEA region).
Patricia was also ex- Asia Pacific Cash Product and client services Head of RBS Markets and International Banking. She had worked in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Bangkok and China prior - managing a cross team of different regions in Asia Pacific (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, China, India and Hong Kong). She has won key regional deals from various industries, and restructured the team by making personnel changes and coaching and mentoring key staffs.
She has also invested in various start up company (SEA region).
Patricia was also ex- Asia Pacific Cash Product and client services Head of RBS Markets and International Banking. She had worked in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Bangkok and China prior - managing a cross team of different regions in Asia Pacific (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, China, India and Hong Kong). She has won key regional deals from various industries, and restructured the team by making personnel changes and coaching and mentoring key staffs.