Successfully raising $500m in a complex IPO
Hyzon Motors, a pioneer in hydrogen fuel cell-powered commercial vehicles, completed a landmark SPAC merger with Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corporation in July 2021, raising approximately $570 million in PIPE and SPAC Trust and achieving a $2.1 billion enterprise valuation while listing on Nasdaq under HYZN.
Incepto advised Hyzon on refining its investor narrative to emphasize groundbreaking hydrogen technology innovations, enhancing its marketing and positioning to benchmark effectively against emerging clean energy peers and secure investor buy-in for scalable commercialization.
IPOing a French company owned by Chinese in US
Lanvin Group, a leading global luxury fashion conglomerate owned by China's Fosun International, completed its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange on December 15, 2022 raising approximately $150 million in cash proceeds at a $1.31 billion valuation.
Through Incepto's innovative approach, David advised Lanvin on introducing a fresh narrative centered on revitalizing heritage brands for modern sustainability, sharpening its marketing and positioning to benchmark effectively against peers like LVMH and Kering in the evolving luxury market.
The IPO focused on fueling portfolio expansion across iconic houses such as Lanvin, Wolford, and Sergio Rossi, enabling accelerated store openings, strategic acquisitions, and investments in digital innovation to capture growing demand for timeless yet forward-thinking luxury.
Middle East Funding for Singapore Company
Incepto worked with Group ONE Holdings, the parent company of ONE Championship, to reshape its global fundraising narrative during a pivotal period in 2022. Drawing on deep experience from Wall Street and global investor communications, Incepto helped pivot ONE’s positioning from that of a fast-growing sports media property to a digital-first, premium content platform—one poised to define Asia’s next global entertainment brand.
Through a restructured marketing and investor engagement strategy, Incepto refined the storytelling around ONE’s audience scale, monetization potential, and strategic alignment with sovereign wealth capital mandates. This reframe played a crucial role in securing a significant US$150 million investment from a consortium of investors including the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), enabling ONE to expand into new markets, build its global media presence, and accelerate platform innovation.
Launching a new $100bn Company for Saudi Arabia’s PIF
ALAT, a strategic industrial investment company wholly owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), was launched on February 1, 2024, by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to position the Kingdom as a global hub for sustainable technology manufacturing in electronics and advanced industrials, targeting the creation of 39,000 direct jobs and with a budget of US$100 billion.
Incepto /David was Senior Advisor to the CEO and was mandated to advise ALAT on its go-to-market strtegy in China, Taiwan and Korea. In May 2024, ALAT announced a US$2 billion investment in Lenovo.
Bringing Singapore tech to Saudi
Vizzio Technologies, a Singapore-based leader in AI-powered 3D geospatial mapping, marked its strategic entry into the Saudi Arabian market in February 2025 through a landmark partnership with Saudi Telecom Company (STC) and iotSQUARED, focusing on deploying city-scale digital twin solutions and AI 360° camera technologies to advance smart city initiatives across the Kingdom.
Incepto provided an innovative storytelling framework, advised Vizzio on introducing a pioneering narrative around seamless cross-border tech integration for sustainable urban development, refining its marketing and positioning to benchmark effectively against regional peers in the rapidly expanding Middle East digital infrastructure landscape.
Negotiating a 25% Premium Through Deal Innovation
David Wu was head of Capital Markets at InterOil when it achieved a landmark outcome in its acquisition by ExxonMobil, raising the initial US$2 billion public offer to more than US$2.5 billion in a revised bid through expert narrative framing and negotiation strategy. The final deal included both a 25% uplift in valuation and a rare contingent payment structure—tied to the success of ExxonMobil’s future drilling and development work in Papua New Guinea. This performance-linked mechanism was virtually unprecedented in major M&A transactions, redefining how contingent value could be built into an energy-sector buyout.
Explaining a change in company strategy
Ascent Funds, a U.S.-based investment firm originally mandated to focus on upstream energy, recognized the need to evolve its strategy toward energy technology and supply chain resilience. Working with Incepto, Ascent refined its positioning and built an Industry 5.0 narrative—shifting from traditional oil and gas assets to a technology-driven portfolio centered on advanced batteries, modular renewables, and the infrastructure powering the global energy transition.
Helping Wall Street investors understand complex technology
Forge Nano, a leading nano coating and equipment manufacturer, successfully pivoted its overly technical positioning in early 2023 by launching the accessible "Atomic Armor" brand for its proprietary atomic layer deposition technology, strategically aligning with pressing global needs like sustainable supply chains, battery resilience, and semiconductor chip resilience to broaden market appeal.
Incepto advised ForgeNano on creating an innovative and street-friendly narrative that transformed complex science into compelling, relatable value propositions, refining its marketing and positioning to benchmark effectively against other supply-chain comparables.
Opening new markets for H2 Grand Prix
The H2 Grand Prix (H2GP) is an innovative STEAM education program that empowers students worldwide to design, build, and race hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles, fostering hands-on learning in renewable energy and engineering fundamentals. At its core, the Hydrogen Grand Prix challenges young innovators to engineer high-performance RC cars or 1:10 scale models in competitive formats like SPRINT and PRO, culminating in global events such as the World Finals where teams from over 14 countries showcase their creations.
David was appointed Singapore Ambassador to the H2GP in 2023 and successfully brought Singapore to the World Finals.