Daryl Chew

Nail Deck is an independent beauty brand with a focus on innovation, personalisation, and sustainability in the US$10B global nail care market. Over the past decade, Nail Deck has launched multiple in-house brands (Light Lacquer, Aquajellie, TwoNude, and Dani + Kiara) that are vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, and formulated for diverse Asian skin tones. Key Responsibilities: Brand & Product Development • Built and scaled Nail Deck from ground zero into a multi-brand beauty portfolio serving consumers across Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong • Translated consumer pain points into clear technical briefs and formulation guidelines, spearheading the R&D of science-backed, market-differentiating products (such as peelable gel nail polish, odourless formulas, and water-permeable Halal nail polish) that opened new product categories • Oversaw go-to-market strategy, brand positioning, and product launches across DTC and B2B channels Strategic Partnerships & Growth • Secured high-profile collaborations with Singapore Airlines, Shiseido, Topshop, Love, Bonito, and Spa Esprit • Negotiated licensing, OEM, and retail distribution deals with partners in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong • Expanded brand reach through both experiential retail concepts like the Lacquerland Glitter Buffet and online channels Operations & Commercial Execution • Managed full P&L and day-to-day operations including manufacturing, inventory, e-commerce, and fulfilment • Led international expansion roadmap targeting entry into the Middle East, Indonesia, and UK by 2026 • Raised capital through government grants and investor partnerships; also optimised unit economics for scale

Red Dot Ventures is one of Singapore’s pioneering seed-stage venture capital funds, investing across deep tech, fintech, IoT, and data analytics startups in Southeast Asia. Key Responsibilities: Investment Evaluation, Due Diligence & Financial Analysis • Screened and evaluated 100+ seed-stage startup deals, synthesising complex early-stage startup ideas into clear, structured investment theses and memos to support decision-making and investment committee processes • Conducted financial modelling, detailed market sizing, IP considerations, and competitor and founder benchmarking to assess investment potential • Contributed to investment theses, internal pitch decks, and pipeline prioritisation Portfolio Monitoring & Stakeholder Engagement • Managed post-investment support for portfolio companies, including performance tracking and strategic check-ins • Represented the fund in regular board meetings and portfolio reviews • Assisted founders in pitch preparation and investor communications for follow-on rounds Deal Support & Execution • Worked with legal counsel to support deal structuring, term sheet reviews, and cap table modelling • Coordinated internal IC workflows and investment documentation processess Cross-Functional Operations & Reporting • Provided quarterly portfolio reports and assisted the Managing Director in preparing LP updates • Worked with legal, technical and operations partners to support deal structuring, term sheet development and cap table modelling • Supported operational P&L and cost management of Red Dot’s co-working space, which achieved breakeven within 6 months from launch under my oversight Global Ecosystem Exposure • Attended and sourced deals through major regional startup events and demo days to identify innovative startups, while actively engaging with founders to explore and document their technologies and business models • Engaged with government-backed programs (e.g. NRF TIS) and regional VCs for syndication opportunities

Key Responsibilities: Dealflow & Research • Sourced early-stage companies across fintech, gaming, analytics, and SaaS • Prepared due diligence research and summarised competitive landscapes for investment team review Portfolio Support • Assigned to 4 portfolio companies; assisted in Series A fundraising and internal financial modelling • Took on interim operational support roles including product planning, and market entry validation Strategic Partnerships & Investor Education • Supported the launch of TIEN Academy, an edtech platform designed to train first-time entrepreneurs • Coordinated pilot innovation programs with A*STAR and StarHub under “Big Pack,” a data-focused startup initiative

The NUS Entrepreneurship Centre under NUS Enterprise supports venture creation, innovation, and commercialisation within the university ecosystem. Key Responsibilities: Startup Evaluation & Funding Support • Reviewed and assessed over 100 student startup applications under NUS’s venture funding schemes focusing on technical feasibility, team capability, and market potential • Evaluated team quality, problem-solution fit, scalability, and proposed use of funds • Provided recommendations to program managers for funding decisions and follow-up coaching needs Lean Launchpad Program (Tech Commercialization) • Supported the execution of a structured 10-week commercialisation program pairing Principal Investigators with Entrepreneurial Leads to validate NUS-owned technologies • Served as co-Entrepreneurial Lead on two deep-tech projects, assisting in structuring and documenting early-stage project concepts, translating ideas into clear, actionable commercialisation plans: 1) Enhanced Silk: Biomedical silk fibroin for wound healing 2) Jiku Live: Mobile livestreaming platform for performers and events • Conducted customer discovery interviews and market validation activities, synthesising findings into structured insights to support commercialisation decisions • Engaged with faculty researchers, innovation mentors, and startup coaches to shape early go-to-market plans Key Exposure: • Early hands-on experience in startup evaluation, funding decisions, and tech-to-market translation • Developed structured frameworks for assessing early-stage teams and technologies

NUS Overseas College - iLEAD Batch 8 1st runner-up in 3M Business Marketing Case Competition

NOC Singapore Batch 8