Transforming Access to Credit: A Conversation with Kristy Kim, Founder & CEO of TomoCredit
In this month’s edition of the Awaken* Newsletter, we speak with Kristy Kim, Founder and CEO of TomoCredit, a fintech startup focused on improving access to credit for underserved consumers. By using AI to evaluate real-time cash flow data rather than traditional credit scores, TomoCredit connects consumers with lenders. Kristy discusses her journey as an […]
Modernizing the Financial Stack for Couples: A Conversation with Plenty CEO Emily Luk
In the half-year I’ve been writing this newsletter I have only interviewed established founders. This article is my first deviation from the pattern and I couldn’t have asked for a better guest. Emily Luk–though a first-time founder–is not new to startups, having joined Stripe as a founding member of their growth team back when the […]
This Founder Raised More Than $115 Million to Make Fertility Care Accessible
Fifty thousand dollars. That’s the average cost of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment in the US. Although the number of employers covering fertility treatment has risen significantly over the past few years, the percentage of employers that provide fertility benefits is still around 40%. This has left many hopeful parents stranded, unable to afford the hefty […]
From Founder to Founder with Kun Gao, Former CEO and Co-founder of Crunchyroll: 7 Hidden Ways for Startups to SucceedÂ
This article was co-written by Edwin Ong from the AHN Ventures team and Lennie Zhu, who is the Founder of 01 Labs, a product studio that builds products with early-stage software companies serving creators (media, entertainment, social), small businesses and independents. She has worked with startups such as HIFI (acquired by Block), F*** You Pay […]
From Gamer to AI Unicorn Co-founder: A Conversation with Cohere’s Ivan Zhang
If you have followed the news in any capacity over the last few years, you have undoubtedly heard about LLMs, and the companies building these models. Though the consumer-facing models from companies such as Open AI have captured the hearts and minds of the public, enterprises have different concerns–things such as data privacy, and model […]
From Dreams to Reality: Wendy Wen on Founding Senreve and Building Antelope
Wendy Wen, founder and CEO of pet CPG platform Antelope and co-founder of luxury handbag brand Senreve, shares insights on the early days of building the Senreve brand with her co-founder Coral Chung, creating their first iconic Maestra bag, and overcoming the challenges of scaling a startup. She reflects on the importance of focusing on […]
Navigating Pivots and Perseverance: Wei’s Journey with Clipboard Health
Wei Deng is the Co-Founder and CEO of Clipboard Health, a company that connects healthcare facilities with local professionals who can work unfilled shifts. Since Clipboard’s inception in 2016, Clipboard Health has filled millions of shifts for thousands of facilities nationwide, putting millions of dollars in the pockets of healthcare professionals. Throughout her journey, Wei […]
From Hong Kong to Silicon Valley: Unspun’s Journey to Revolutionize Sustainable Fashion
In this interview, we delve into the inspiring journey of Walden Lam, the co-founder of Unspun, a company on a mission to revolutionize the fashion industry through sustainable practices and innovative technology. Walden shares his story, from his early exposure to manufacturing in Hong Kong to the challenges of raising capital for a deep-tech venture […]
Transforming the Future of Work: An Insightful Conversation with JJ on Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Personal Growth
In this candid conversation, JJ reflects on his remarkable journey, from gaining admission to Stanford GSB to founding Onloop. He discusses his proudest achievements, the challenges of building a pioneering company, and the invaluable lessons learned along the way. JJ also shares his vision for Onloop in the evolving landscape of remote work and generative […]
From Bytes to Bites, A Conversation with Snackpass Co-founder and CEO Kevin Tan
If you’ve ever ordered boba, you’ve probably used Snackpass before. Snackpass is a fast-growing startup that operates a social food-ordering app alongside a suite of software and hardware solutions for restaurant operations. Boasting a $400 million valuation, Snackpass is backed by a slew of the best investors around, including Craft Ventures, a16z, General Catalyst, First […]
