In the latest episode of Gen.T’s podcast Crazy Smart Asia, Danny Yeung, co-founder of Prenetics, talks pivots, passion and being a hands-on CEO
In 2020, serial entrepreneur Danny Yeung was hitting his stride with his startup Prenetics, seeing success with its consumer-facing genetic testing brand, Circle DNA. And then Covid hit.
Realising he had the labs, the talent and the tenacity to help, Danny quickly pivoted the business. To date, Prenetics has conducted more than six million Covid-19 tests globally, helping to curb the spread of the virus and keep the world running during the pandemic.
The company’s successful pivot led to breakneck growth and a surging valuation. In September this year, Prenetics announced it would become the first unicorn company from Hong Kong to publicly list, via a SPAC merger that will put the company on the Nasdaq at a valuation of US$1.7 billion.
So how did Danny go from trailblazing entrepreneur to Hong Kong’s hero of the pandemic? How did he manage the rapid growth, and what were the key decisions that led to his success?
In this episode, we discuss the answers to these questions and more. Here are a few excerpts from the conversation. Click the audio player below to listen to the episode or subscribe via Apple, Spotify, Google or wherever you get your podcasts.
HIS INITIAL DRIVING FORCE
“I wanted to be successful. I wanted to have financial freedom for myself and for my family. I knew the only way I could do that was through work and, eventually, through entrepreneurship.”