Ben Lim co‑founded NEXEA in 2015 with the mission to build a hybrid venture fund and accelerator that prioritises founders’ success above all else. Drawing on six years of “ramen salary” perseverance, he channels his own entrepreneurial grit into empowering Southeast Asia’s next generation of tech champions. Under his stewardship, NEXEA has evolved from a pioneering angel-backed fund into one of Malaysia’s most respected early‑stage investors, screening over 2200 Startups annually and investing in only the top 0.25% of deals to ensure focus and quality mentorship.
NEXEA’s signature model pairs bespoke, per‑deal funding with hands‑on guidance from veteran mentors—many of whom were seasoned dot‑com entrepreneurs and C‑suite executives. Rather than relying on traditional pooled funds, NEXEA structures investments through nominee entities that align investor incentives with startup growth. This founder‑first approach has produced astounding outcomes: of the 50+ companies backed to date, 30% have delivered year‑over‑year returns up to 200%, while select portfolio champions—such as B2B marketplace Lapasar and P2P parking innovator Parkit—have scaled by 80x to over 600x since NEXEA’s involvement.
Beyond direct investments, NEXEA runs multiple accelerator programmes and peer advisory cohorts across Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand. Its Entrepreneurs Programme alone supports 100+ high‑growth ventures that collectively generate RM3.5 billion in annual revenue. Annual corporate accelerators, in partnership with industry giants like Allianz and AWS, inject RM50K–RM250K per startup (with follow‑on rounds up to RM1 million), and offer up to RM2 million in in‑kind benefits—from cloud credits to go‑to‑market support
Ben’s philosophy encapsulates his journey:
Building a startup is a marathon that demands relentless grit, shameless determination, and boundless energy. Master the fundamentals, achieve sustainable profitability, and the exponential growth will follow.
Today, he continues to champion a transparent, resilience‑driven culture at NEXEA—investing millions annually in educational platforms like DisruptInvest.org and Entrepreneurs-Summit.org—to ensure that every founder has the roadmap, resources, and community needed to transform bold ideas into lasting businesses.
