For Entrepreneurs, By Entrepreneurs: How Aspire Supports Antler Startups

Saving time for fast-growing teams like Brick

While building fintech products for the Southeast Asian Market, Brick CEO Gavin Tan witnessed firsthand the lack of high-quality infrastructure that is responsible for launching innovative fintech experiences. Seeing the need for a comprehensive API provider that allows users to connect their financial accounts and access various financial services, Brick was born. Brick was founded on the idea of powering the next generation of fintech startups with infrastructure that is easy, cost-effective, and inclusive. But they needed that extra push to catapult their business concept into a full-fledged service.

As a graduate of Batch SG5 of the Antler programme, they were able to bag seed funding to scale their platform and expand to markets within Southeast Asia. As much as funding is essential in starting any business, Gavin shared that being surrounded by a community of fellow founders has motivated them to continue the good work that they’re doing with Brick.

When we asked Gavin what he liked about the Aspire business account, he shared that:

“Aspire is easy to use and fuss-free, which is critical for fast-growing teams”.

Having been a former team member at Aspire prior to starting Brick, Gavin knew the ins and outs of the Aspire suite, making the search for a finance partner a no-brainer for him and his team.

“I was an early employee at Aspire building and launching the products that I now use and love.”

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Integrated convenience for Payd

Payd started as a solution to an underlying problem in Singapore and Malaysia, where there was a massive gap in the market providing low wage income earners with tools to improve their financial well-being, causing many to fall victim to the debt trap. Through Payd’s services, individuals can gain access to a faster, cheaper, and more sustainable method of financing themselves, in comparison to money lenders and bank loans. For instance, if they need $500 urgently for various reasons, they can simply withdraw that amount from their earned but unpaid salary for a transaction fee of $5 with no hidden costs.

Founder Justin Kong and his team have benefited greatly from their experience in the SG6 Antler cohort. In fact, they were the only company in their batch to receive early funding due to their traction. Through the funding and resources provided, it has allowed the team to validate and develop their idea much quicker than if they hadn’t come on board with Antler.

One of the main traits they were looking for in a finance partner was a business account with integrated digital solutions for a seamless experience. After being guided to Aspire by Antler, their decision was easy and quick from there. With easy and intuitive solutions just like the Xero integration and the expense management feature, expense tracking and categorisation has never been easier.

“As a startup, we were looking for a partner that would allow us to open a business account in a hassle-free manner. While we considered traditional banks initially, Aspire has become our primary business partner.

We really did have a great experience with Aspire. Being able to set up the account within 24 hours really made a difference to us. Banks required us to make an appointment, and it took 7 days after that before the account was ready.”  — Justin Kong, CEO and Co-Founder of Payd

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Fuelling growth for Alpha Impact

“Not only do they give you a platform, but they also maximise your chances of success by providing you with all the tools you need in your startup journey”. Alpha Impact Founder and SG6 Antler graduate, Austin Chaird, had nothing but high praises when asked about his Antler experience. Alpha Impact is a social trading network that allows crypto investors to harness advanced trading strategies using an exchange agnostic solution backed by transparent performance track records.

Despite the years of experience under his belt in technology investment banking, Austin was seeking a global network of like-minded people who are just as passionate about the crypto space as he was. Fortunately, he connected with his co-founder, Hayden at Antler with ease and found an excellent addition to his team.

One of their other immediate needs was getting access to business funds to push their growth even further and take advantage of market opportunities. Through the quick opening process of Aspire’s Business Account, the Alpha Impact team managed to direct their secured funding promptly to accelerate business operations.

“We wanted a digital finance experience from the get-go as onboarding with traditional banks is slow and painful. I have had prior positive experiences with Aspire and partnering again was an easy choice for our business account needs” — Austin Chaird, Founder of Alpha Impact

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