Ashwin Chockalingam is the founder and investment director of Winacore Capital, an early-stage venture capital fund and debt fund. The primary mandate of the fund is to invest in and support Malaysia-based startups.

Before Winacore Capital, he spent almost ten years in London (UK), graduating from the London School of Economics and working in finance.

👋🏼 How would you explain your job to someone outside tech?

I invest in and support entrepreneurs with the potential to build the best creative skills, fantastic ideas for revolutionary services and, above all — a vision that sets them apart.

🧐 What's something about you or your job that would surprise us?

After spending almost ten years in London, I returned to Malaysia in mid-2021.

Most people thought I was crazy to give up a fairly lucrative job in Private Equity on that side of the world to raise a Venture Capital fund in Malaysia (where the startup ecosystem is in its infancy).

Still, I firmly believe that there is so much untapped potential here (and the rest of Southeast Asia) — so there is no better place to be!

🏆 What has been the biggest highlight of your career so far?

Although there is hopefully much more to come — raising the Venture Capital fund has certainly been a highlight. The Venture Capital fund was actually previously set up as a family office investment vehicle, but when friends and former colleagues from the UK heard about what I was going to be doing next (after leaving the UK), they decided to back me with some capital.

This has given me the springboard to build a market presence, especially in Malaysia.

🔍 What's a startup trend or space you're watching this year?‍

With venture funding seizing up due to global economic conditions, equity downrounds were inevitable, as venture capital firms with dry powder are currently only willing to deploy at more "realistic" valuations.

However, startups/businesses unwilling to swallow lower valuations have an alternative option — venture debt. Venture debt is something I find very interesting, with many different flexible structures, and there is a clear gap in the market that Winacore Capital is trying to fill to some extent.

💼 What advice would you give someone starting out in your industry?

Figure out a way to stand out — a good combination of better and different.

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🗣 What's one thing you can keep talking about for hours?

Sports, particularly Football and Formula 1. It's usually shared frustration with fellow fans that really gets me going — I support Arsenal and Ferrari unfortunately. Sigh (although both have been doing considerably better lately).

🎥 What's your favorite movie/TV show?

The first thing that comes to mind is Friends. I tend to have it on in the background when dealing with admin tasks, and the humor never fails to put a smile on my face.  

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🍨 What's your go-to ice cream flavor?‍

Good old chocolate. No question!