Michael de Waal-Montgomery
Truelight Capital, a Singapore-based investment firm, today announced the launch of its new angel fund, dedicated to investing in early-stage media and media-tech companies poised to redefine the industry.
The firm is backed by a British businessman and media veteran, Michael de Waal-Montgomery, who will serve as its founder and Managing Partner.
The launch arrives at a pivotal moment for the media sector, which is undergoing significant changes driven by the decline of traditional business models and the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence (AI).
Also Read: Thriving in the age of AI: What the media industry must do next
Truelight Capital’s investment thesis is founded on the belief that this disruption provides fertile ground for developing entirely new models for content creation, distribution, and monetisation.
A new playbook for media investment
Michael de Waal-Montgomery said: “We are on the cusp of a paradigm shift where AI, decentralisation, and the creator economy aren’t just buzzwords—they are the foundational building blocks of the next generation of media enterprises.”
“Our mission is to find and empower the most ambitious founders who are building those new models. We believe the most successful media companies of the next decade will look nothing like those of the last,” he added.
Truelight Capital aims to provide patient, long-term capital, with an investment horizon typically spanning five to ten years. The firm will write cheques at the angel, pre-seed, and seed stages, offering capital, deep industry expertise, and strategic counsel to its portfolio companies.
Founder-first philosophy and strategic insight
A central tenet of Truelight Capital’s philosophy is a founder-first approach. Waal-Montgomery stated, “A brilliant concept can still fail under the wrong leadership. We are investing in people first and foremost.”
He further elaborated, “We’re looking for resilient, visionary founders who possess an unshakeable belief in their mission and the grit to execute on it. Our role is to be their trusted first partner on that journey.”
Waal-Montgomery brings extensive hands-on industry experience to the firm. He is a co-owner of Ellerton & Co. Public Relations, a Singapore-headquartered agency, a role he will continue to hold.
Also Read: The news wars: Will tech giants soon be coughing up big bucks for media content?
His investment philosophy has also been shaped by direct experience, including a family investment in Scoutbots, a Hong Kong-based ocean-cleaning hardware startup in 2015. Although that venture ultimately did not succeed, it provided a formative lesson. “That experience instilled in me a deep appreciation for business models that have a clear and rapid path to generating revenue and and positive cash flow,” he reflected.
Truelight Capital is actively seeking to connect with founders who are building the future of media.
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Disclaimer: De Waal-Montgomery is a former employee of e27.
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