The ‘boring stuff’ is equally important (with video)

By Karamjit Singh June 18, 2012

MyEG makes fives investments thus far, more to come
Corporate angel TS Wong practises a light touch as an investor

AS a ‘corporate angel,' as he describes himself, TS Wong, managing director of MyEG Services Bhd, has come up with a unique and very public angle to filter through all the pitches angels would typically get.

He sponsored a pitching contest on ntv7 last year where entrepreneurs chasing their big idea have to compete with each other to win the hearts and wallets of the judges. Multimedia Development Corporation Sdn Bhd and Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd were co-sponsors of the show called Make The Pitch.

Season 2 airs from July 5 with Wong expressing the hope that the reality competition can help play its role in inspiring Malaysians to move away from being consumers of technology to creators of innovative products that can scale globally and move the country up the value chain.

MyEG has investments in five start-ups thus far and is keen on more. Digital News Asia asked Wong what he has learned from the experience so far.

According to him, being an angel has helped MyEG keep up with the pace of changing technology through the companies it has invested in. “Technology moves so fast,” he notes.

And while entrepreneurs may get the idea that it is all fun and cool, Wong brings his investees down with the advice that they have to work their asses off for at least two to three years before hoping to see the fruits of their labor.

And, that the boring stuff of building a company is equally if not more important to the ultimate success of a business than the razzmatazz.

His style as an angel is to practise what he calls “a light touch”. What does he mean by that? Watch these short videos.

Part I: TS Wong on being an angel investor