SINGAPORE, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Not-for-profit grassroots organisation, Fintech Nation, along with its venture capital arm, Fintech Nation Fund (FNF), is featuring as a guest venture capital investor on Mediacorp’s new business reality show on CNA, The Big Spark, on the 15th and 22nd March 2024.

In collaboration with esteemed venture capital firms, including Venture Catalysts++, Hatcher+, Antler, and Tin Men Capital, FNF will evaluate and potentially fund an outstanding startup from a pool of 24 contenders namely in Fintech, ESG, Edutech, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Software as a Service (SaaS), and health & wellness.

The aim is to allocate a collective S$1 million seed funding, showcasing a united endeavour to nurture and bolster innovation within the region.

This involvement underscores Fintech Nation’s unwavering commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship across fintech and various industry sectors.

Fintech Nation has been fostering the startup ecosystem, working in close collaboration with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) & Elevandi to introduce initiatives that effectively bring together capital and startups.

The organisation has played a crucial role in events such as the Fintech Festival Investor Summit and Singapore Fintech Festival (SFF) Investor Hours, which facilitated connections between 600+ investors and 1000+ startups, significantly contributing to the vibrancy and dynamism of the fintech and broader startup ecosystem across Southeast Asia.

The Big Spark seeks to reinforce Singapore’s role as an innovation hub by fostering connections among key ecosystem stakeholders to support emerging ventures.

Co-founder of Fintech Nation Fund, Vanessa Ho will appear on the show on 15th and 22nd March, offering insights into FNF’s investment ethos, focusing on sustainable business models, founder synergy, and strategic industry alignment.

Vanessa Ho, Co-founder of Fintech Nation: “The Big Spark is an exceptional initiative because it provides a unique platform for startups to connect with seasoned industry leaders, gain invaluable insights, and access resources that are crucial for scaling their solutions in today’s competitive landscape.

“Our participation reflects our continuous commitment to support startups and founders. This platform enables us to showcase our approach to nurturing startups that are positioned to make a significant impact on their industries and the broader ecosystem.”

Varun Mittal, Co-founder of Fintech Nation: “We assess business models with the potential to develop into sustainable franchises, focusing on revenue models, customer acquisition, founder ownership, unit economics, contribution margins, and the founders’ backgrounds. We aim to identify startups led by individuals best suited to solve their target problems, ensuring long-term success.”

“Our objective is to support teams capable of adapting to the startup environment’s inherent instabilities, fostering sustainable growth. Initiatives like The Big Spark are merely the initial steps in community engagement. We look forward to our participation in Season 2 and offering unwavering support to founders, extending well past the show’s conclusion.”

For more information about the Fintech Nation Fund, visit Fintech Nation’s website.

Fintech Nation™ (www.fintechnation.io) is a not-for-profit grassroots platform founded by Varun Mittal to bring together the fintech community, regulators, investors, startups and corporates together. Started in 2020 with the development of the Fintech Nation book, it currently supports access and scaling talent, capital, policy and venture development in Singapore. It has recognized over 250 individuals through the Fintech 65 platform and invested in multiple startups through Fintech Nation Fund.