Check in from Singapore (Part 2)

Delivered May 23, 2025 @ 8:10pm ET

Weather in Singapore - Cloudy, 27⁰ C / 81⁰ F

Table of Contents

• Doriot® product innovations

• Check in from Singapore (Part 2)

My name is Gerry Hays, and for lack of a better description, I’m the custodian and convener of Doriot® (pronounced “Doe-ree-oh”), a movement to break open the gates of venture and expand innovation and wealth beyond an elite few.

Democratize Venture is my platform to explore the venture markets and share the insights, strategies, and frameworks I bring into the classroom. It’s where education meets execution—for anyone ready to play the startup game.

Doriot® product innovations

VentureStaking™ - a zero-to-one innovation in venture investing — designed to put the smallest investors on the same playing field as the largest. More people are VentureStaking™ every day!

FantasyStartup® - #1 global startup investing simulation with more than 14,000 downloads worldwide. Learn how the power law of venture works.

QAI - Qualified Accredited Investor™ - An exam and certification program for anyone serious about launching a venture-backed company or investing in high-growth startups. QAI teaches you what top VCs know about how the game is played — from term sheets to founder psychology. Since launching in 2023, more than 350 individuals have been certified worldwide.

Check in from Singapore (Part 2)

As mentioned in last week’s post, I’ve spent the past two weeks in Singapore with 26 Indiana University business students, diving deep into Asia’s innovation and capital markets. We've met with a wide range of professionals—from investment bankers and entrepreneurs to venture capitalists, art logistics leaders, and government officials.

Here are a few takeaways from this incredible experience, along with some powerful validation we received about VentureStaking™ and our plan to launch a VentureStaking™ Arena in Singapore alongside our U.S. rollout:

1. Asia is not one market.
You can't approach Asia with a one-size-fits-all mindset. Every country has its own customs, business etiquette, and consumer behavior. Repackaging U.S. products with “Asian faces” in the marketing is a mistake that keeps getting repeated. Success here starts with cultural fluency, not superficial localization.

2. Trust is everything.
In Asia, deals don’t start in boardrooms—they begin over meals and late-night conversations. Consistency is key. I’ve been coming to Singapore for four straight years, and it’s that long-term presence that has started to unlock meaningful opportunities.

3. Stay open.
Opportunities are everywhere—but so are "nos." The key is not taking rejection as final. A no today often just means, not yet. Patience and open-mindedness go a long way here.

4. Focus wins.
This holds true in the U.S. and Asia alike. Clarity and consistency in your message and value proposition make all the difference. Founders who are “all over the board” tend to lose credibility fast. Those who refine and repeat their core idea build momentum.

Now, on to VentureStaking™: I had multiple conversations this week with potential partners about launching our s VentureStaking™ Arena in Singapore in parallel with a US launch. The response was incredibly positive. Singapore has a government-backed “Regulatory Sandbox” that supports innovation by allowing new financial technologies to be tested in the real market. It's a perfect fit for our model, and we’re already exploring next steps with several family offices here, in partnership with the Government.

There’s still work to be done, but the path ahead is real—and exciting.

That’s it for this week. Back to regularly scheduled programming next Friday.
Have a fantastic Memorial Day weekend.

– Gerry

Wishing you a focused and fulfilling weekend,
– Gerry ([email protected])