Remember those what-if moments in your life? What if you take a leap of faith to try and build your success? Our co-founders, Kelvin and Don, began their journey in 2016 and turned that spark of an idea into reality.

 

There is obviously no set-in-stone instruction for becoming successful, but our team has sat down with our co-founders to talk about their entrepreneurial journey and some advice for the younger generation. 

 

Here are the key takeaways:

 

• Lessons learnt from entrepreneurship: Challenges are the best motivators

• What to look for when putting together a team

• Advice for younglings: Enjoy the ride and learn from your mistakes

• Future plans for AQUMON

 

Q1 What were the most challenging moments that you’ve faced during your entrepreneurship? What did you learn from them? 

 

 

Don: I came from a research background, with little to no experience in business management -- so I only started to develop my business acumen when Kelvin and I founded AQUMON. Team building, funding, business operations… All of these were an uncharted territory to me and never had I thought I’d learn or even need these skills. 

 

Kelvin: To be honest, the first few years were challenging: we had difficulties with funding, and I wasn’t paid for two years when I had to rely on my family for financial support. It was hard to recruit a team and new clients with limited resources -- we even had to convince clients to use our products. That said, we turned these challenges into motivation and we’re able to grow organically from only the two of us to a team of 120 people. We’ve also closed a USD 30M Pre-B funding in 2020. 

 

Q2 What qualities do you admire most in your team? 

 

Don: Starting a business from scratch is never easy, and you encounter countless obstacles along the way. Our team is always prepared to solve problems, try new things, and pioneer new territories. To us, the sky's the limit and we’ll always work hard to deliver the best experience to our customers.

 

Kelvin: I really admire our team’s ‘do more’ attitude. We often get told that we can’t do things because we’re a startup. But I think otherwise: we can do it because we are a startup. We have the ambition and we never stop pushing ourselves. Our entrepreneurial and innovative spirit is at the core of our teammates. We’ve expanded our business lines and product offerings over the years and I couldn’t be more proud of our team.

 

 

Q3 What advice would you give to fresh graduates/ people in their early career?

 

Don: Three things: 1) Dream big and take risks; 2) Work in an industry that you are passionate about, and 3) Choose a company with a strong R&D atmosphere.

 

Kelvin: The most important thing to keep in mind is that you work for yourself and the experience, not the money. You can’t control the work environment you’re in, but you most certainly can be accountable to yourself and take control of your future.

 

Q4 If you could give your 2016 selves one piece of advice, what would it be?

 

Don: I’d tell my younger self to see any detour or obstacles as opportunities to learn and grow. In my opinion, these experiences help me gain new perspectives on things. I think all the obstacles we’ve encountered are necessary and indispensable as they help us grow. Stay calm, fix it, and be better next time -- the key here is to learn from your mistakes.

 

Kelvin: For me, I’d tell the 2016 Kelvin to live in the moment and enjoy it. I vividly remember staying up with Don and two ‘IT Masters’ till 3 or 4 in the morning to track US stocks -- all the blood, sweat, and tears for launching our algorithm models. We were so motivated because we felt like we were creating something new, something better for the people. With so much happening in Hong Kong recently, I do reminisce about the good times we share. So seize the moment and make it count!

 

 

Q5 What is AQUMON’s goal for the coming five years?

 

Don: We’ve built a solid business foundation over the years where our three business lines  (2B, 2C, overseas) all have performed well and contributed significant revenue. We hope to continue to expand these business lines in the future.

 

Kelvin: We are determined to achieve more milestones in the coming years and revolutionise Asia’s wealth management ecosystem. The pandemic has drastically changed people’s relationship with money; I believe the digitalisation trend will continue to grow rapidly. We aim to increase brand awareness and be able to serve the general public.

 

 

*Quotes have been translated and edited for clarity and grammar 

 

 

 

 

About us

As a leading startup in the FinTech space, AQUMON aims to make sophisticated investment advice cost-effective, transparent and accessible to both institutional and retail markets, via the adoptions of scalable technology platforms and automated investment algorithms.

AQUMON’s parent company Magnum Research Limited is licensed with Type 1, 4 and 9 under the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong. In 2017, AQUMON became the first independent Robo Advisor to be accredited by the SFC.

AQUMON’s major investors include the HKUST, Cyberport, Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund and the Bank of China International's affiliate.

 

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