Universities are some of the most productive IP engines in the world. Researchers and students build new technology, file patents and often ship working prototypes. Then too much of it stalls. The people who invent are rarely the people who raise money, price a licence or find a first customer. Tech transfer offices work to academic timelines while capital works to market ones, so good IP sits on the shelf.

This panel asks two questions. First, what should universities change so their IP becomes investable: spin-out terms, founder support, equity and licensing models, and incentives for faculty? Second, should investors stop waiting for deals to show up and go into campuses to find them? We'll look at what each side gets wrong about the other, and what a working lab-to-market pipeline looks like.

Asia’s financial system is entering its next transformation. As AI, real-time payments and embedded finance reshape how money moves and financial services are delivered, the boundaries between banks, technology companies and platforms are rapidly dissolving. This session explores who will build, and control, the next generation of financial infrastructure. The conversation examines how technology and traditional finance will converge, where new sources of competitive advantage will emerge, and whether Asia will pioneer a fundamentally new model for intelligent, interconnected finance.

Digital infrastructure can lower barriers to financial services, markets and public support, but access alone does not guarantee participation or prosperity. The harder task is building the skills, institutions, trust and locally relevant services that let people and businesses turn connectivity into opportunity. Drawing on experience across policy, development and fintech, this session examines what helps digital systems reach underserved communities, support livelihoods and strengthen local economies, and where infrastructure-led strategies fall short. Attendees will leave with a clearer view of the capabilities required to make digital growth genuinely inclusive.