Where the Smartest AI Investors Are Putting Their Money

As this year sets a $200B record for AI funding, Esther Wong and Antoine Blondeau debate over the future of AI investing at Hong Kong FinTech Week x StartmeupHK Festival 2025.Wong is a former SenseTime executive and one of Asia’s leading AI infrastructure investors, and Blondeau is an early OpenAI investor and a pioneer behind the foundational technology that became Siri.The two investors sit down with Anthony Sar and tackle the biggest question shaping AI investing today: will the real returns come from AI infrastructure or AI applications?It’s a rare, unfiltered look at how the smartest people in AI are thinking today.Connect with us here: Esther Wong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esther-wong-76a6a410a/Antoine Blondeau: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoineblondeau/Anthony Sar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonysar/Finoverse: https://www.linkedin.com/company/finnovasia/Timestamps00:00 Trailer00:55 Introduction02:14 Current State of AI Investment04:19 Infrastructure vs. Application Layer06:38 Future of AI and Investment Strategies19:03 Advice for New AI Investors24:13 Final Thoughts and Advice for Founders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Jamie Dimon and Larry Fink to even President Trump, everyone is moving toward crypto.In this conversation, Richard Teng, CEO of Binance, one of the world’s largest digital asset ecosystems with 300 million users, explains why this shift is happening now.Recorded live at Hong Kong FinTech Week, Richard shares what he is seeing behind the scenes as crypto begins to outpace traditional finance and as governments around the world approach him to rethink their digital asset strategies.Connect with us here:Richard Teng: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-teng-3497b527/ Binance: https://www.linkedin.com/company/binance/ Anthony Sar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonysar/ Finoverse: https://www.linkedin.com/company/finnovasia/ 00:00 Trailer00:59 Transformation in the Financial Sector02:11 Institutional Adoption and Market Maturity08:28 Compliance and Regulatory Challenges12:22 Global Crypto Adoption and Strategic Moves20:09 AI and Blockchain Convergence23:01 Personal Insights and Advice for the Future Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Edith Yeung is an early-stage investor, General Partner at Race Capital, and was among the first investors in Solana, a public blockchain platform celebrated as one of the “best venture investments of all time.”Born and raised in Hong Kong, Edith connects founders with capital and mentorship across Hong Kong and San Francisco through initiatives like FoundersHK, and regularly writes and speaks on venture capital and women in leadership.Join Anthony Sar, CEO and Co-Founder of Finoverse, for a conversation with Edith Yeung on the common pitfalls international founders face when raising in the US, and how to strategically grow and validate markets before entering Silicon Valley.Connect with us here:1. Edith Yeung- https://www.linkedin.com/in/edithyeung/2. Anthony Sar- https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonysar/3. Finoverse- https://www.linkedin.com/company/finnovasia/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philip Johnston is shaping the next frontier of digital infrastructure with Starcloud, building space-based data centers to meet AI’s surging energy needs. The company raised $21M in seed funding before launching a single satellite, a “record number,” according to Philip, and has been recognized as a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer.Before Starcloud, Philip founded Opontia, raising over $50M to acquire and grow digital-first brands. Earlier, he worked at McKinsey & Company on projects with national space agencies, and he holds an MPA from Harvard amongst many more degrees.Join Anthony Sar, CEO and Co-Founder of Finoverse, for a conversation with Philip Johnston on the race to build orbital data centers, why AI’s growth threatens to overheat the planet, and why space may be the only place left to grow.Connect with us here:1. Philip Johnston- https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipjohnst0n/2. Anthony Sar- https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonysar/3. Finoverse- https://www.linkedin.com/company/finnovasia/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Hon Weng Chong is the CEO and Founder of Cortical Labs, the company pioneering computers powered by living neurons. A physician turned technologist, Dr. Hon’s path began with projects like bringing Xbox consoles to children’s hospitals and creating diagnostic tools for childhood pneumonia.Today, Cortical Labs has raised over $10M to build the CL1, a bio-computer powered by 200,000 human brain cells that can learn to play Pong in minutes. Researchers can rent access for about $300 a week, a glimpse into a future where biological machines may outlearn silicon by adapting in real time with far less data.Join Anthony Sar, CEO and Co-Founder of Finoverse, for a conversation with Dr. Hon Weng Chong on the science, ethics, and implications of building neuron-powered machines, and why the next frontier of AI might not be silicon at all.Connect with us here:1. Dr. Hon Weng Chong- https://www.linkedin.com/in/hochong/2. Anthony Sar- https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonysar/3. Finoverse- https://www.linkedin.com/company/finnovasia/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve Monaghan, a pioneering leader in digital transformation and AI innovation in financial services, shares his insights on the evolving role of technology in banking. With a background spanning aviation, banking, and entrepreneurship, Steve has developed groundbreaking solutions, including the world’s first AI underwriting platform for life and health insurance. A former senior executive at AIA and DBS, he has been at the forefront of leveraging technology to drive growth and redefine industries.Join Steve and Anthony Sar, CEO and Co-Founder of Finoverse, as they discuss the challenges and opportunities of adopting AI in large institutions, the role of startups in driving innovation, and how to build trust and foster a culture of curiosity in the age of advanced technologies.00:00 Setting Realistic AI Expectations in Banking05:35 Balancing Risk Management and Innovation10:34 Building Trust in FinTech and AI23:08 The Future of Trust in Technology33:53 Embracing AI to Amplify Human Potential43:59 The CEO’s Role in Driving Innovation50:55 Overcoming Fear and Balancing Expertise01:00:25 Newton’s Laws of Organizational Change01:03:58 Building a Rebel Alliance for Change01:16:38 Curiosity and Continuous Learning in Innovation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Esther Wong, the CEO and Co-Founder of 3C AGI Partners, one of the leading AI venture funds out of Hong Kong. A former founding leader at SenseTime, she steered strategic investments and raised over $5 billion to fuel Asia’s AI powerhouse. With 20+ years in high-level roles at institutions like J.P. Morgan, Barclays, and CICC, Esther blends financial acumen with tech insight.Join Esther Wong and Anthony Sar, CEO and Co-Founder of Finoverse, for an engaging discussion on the future of AI. 00:00 Introduction and Esther Wong’s Expertise04:25 Innovation in AI Infrastructure vs. Applications06:10 Commoditization of LLMs and the Evolution of AI Giants10:55 Risks and Biases with Intelligence Technologies15:37 The Future of AGI and Society23:08 Bioengineering and Neurocomputing30:30 Metaverse and Augmented Reality44:07  Esther’s Investment Philosophy and Predictions58:07 Space Technology and AI Development1:03:53 Challenges in AI Applications and Infrastructure Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Antoine Blondeau, a 25-year veteran entrepreneur, investor, and AI pioneer who developed technologies behind Apple’s Siri and predictive text systems used worldwide.As Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Alpha Intelligence Capital he is managing a $500M fund that backs breakthrough AI startups globally.Antoine Blondeau joins Anthony Sar, CEO and Co-Founder of Finoverse, to share rare insights on building scalable AI businesses that matter.00:00 - Lessons Learned from 25 Years in AI04:06 - Common Mistakes in Startups09:59 - Promising Areas for Productivity, Healthcare, and More11:30 - AI’s Role in the Future of Entertainment12:52 - Transforming Healthcare with Technology16:49 - Personalizing Education and Lifelong Learning20:08 - Trust and Adoption of AI Systems23:37 - Intelligent Technology’s Impact on Jobs and Workforce Evolution38:16 - Nvidia and the Future of Computing Infrastructure44:57 - AI Meets Crypto: Opportunities and Challenges Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join the extraordinary Karen Hao, an award-winning journalist and investigative reporter, and Anthony Sar, Co-Founder and CEO of Finoverse, as they explore the intersection of cutting-edge technology and journalism.Karen, the acclaimed author of Empire of AI—winner of the Best Technology Book of the Year Award and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Nonfiction—shares her journey from traditional journalism to becoming a leading voice in artificial intelligence reporting. Anthony, as host, brings his expertise in technology and innovation to guide this captivating conversation.This episode dives into Karen’s in-depth research on OpenAI, covering critical topics like:00:00 From Engineering to Investigative Journalism03:59 The Disconnect at OpenAI07:11 Cognitive Dissonance in Silicon Valley9:58 The Pursuit of Artificial Intelligence12:22 The Dark Side of AI Measurement14:52 The Ethics of Recreating Human Intelligence18:11 The Impact of AI on Employment22:23 Effective Altruism and AI30:27 The Secrecy of OpenAI32:40 The Coup at OpenAI41:55 The Role of Family and Personal Allegations47:01 Anthropic vs. OpenAI52:23 The Environmental Impact of AI55:29 The Future of AI Development1:02:08 A Call to Action for Ethical AIPrepare to confront the ethical dilemmas at the heart of AI development in this thought-provoking discussion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, we’re joined by Samantha Yap, Founder and CEO of YAP Global. Samantha and her team aim to share the stories of crypto companies and projects that are bringing true value to the world.We discuss:- The challenges for PR in the crypto industry.- Why finding quality crypto PR talent is difficult.- The common misconceptions about crypto in the media.- The most relevant marketing channels for crypto companies.- Common mistakes traditional media companies make when entering the crypto space.- Why crypto domains and wallets need to serve a real function.- What success looks like for crypto PR campaigns.- The importance of having a crisis communication plan in place.- Advice for newcomers looking to enter the crypto PR space.Thanks for listening to Waves in the Finoverse, brought to you by Finoverse. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review to help get the word out about the show. And be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation.Resources: - https://yapglobal.com/#Fintech #Crypto #Web3 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.