It was a night the A-Star team will not forget. As 2025 came to a close, the whole family came together to celebrate. But this was more than a party. It was a moment to look back, say thank you, and look ahead with purpose. On stage, CEO Thang Nguyen shared an honest and inspiring talk. He covered A-Star's full journey - where we came from, what we built in 2025, and exactly where we are heading in 2026. [caption id="attachment_158" align="aligncenter" width="2048"]

A-Star Group Year End Party 2025[/caption]

From Research Group to Web3 Venture Studio: How A-Star Got Here

One of the most exciting parts of Mr. Thang's talk was the origin story of A-Star Group. Not many people know how it really started. So, hearing it directly from the CEO made it feel personal and real. A-Star did not begin as a polished company. Instead, it started as a small research group. Back then, the team was simply curious. They studied blockchain technology, explored new networks, and asked one big question: "What can we actually build that people truly need?" That early habit of asking hard questions became A-Star Group's greatest strength. Over time, the company grew step by step. First, it became a technology consultancy. Then, it kept growing. Today, A-Star is a full Web3 Venture Studio - a company that doesn't just give advice but actually builds and launches products in the Web3 space. "We didn't set out to be a venture studio. We set out to understand what was real in this space and then we built accordingly. That discipline is still our biggest advantage." - Mr. Thang Nguyen, CEO Today, A-Star is part operator, part investor, and part builder. In short, the company does it all. It thinks carefully, then executes boldly. That combination is what makes A-Star stand out. [caption id="attachment_157" align="aligncenter" width="2048"]

CEO Thang Nguyen giving speech about the history of A-Star Group[/caption]

The Contribution Funnel: How A-Star Turns Ideas into Real Products

Next, Mr. Thang walked the team through something very practical. He called it the "Contribution Funnel". In simple terms, it is a step-by-step system. It takes a raw idea and guides it all the way to a finished product that is ready for the market.

Stage 1 - Finding the right projects

First, the A-Star team actively looks for strong opportunities in the Web3 world. This is not passive. Instead, the team does deep research and asks tough questions. We look at the technology, the team behind the project, the market timing, and the overall design. Only the best ideas move forward.

Stage 2 - Building and Testing

Once a project is selected, it enters A-Star's support system. At this stage, the team gets guidance, technical help, and a clear go-to-market plan. In addition, they gain access to A-Star's wider network of partners and experts. As a result, ideas are shaped, tested, and refined until they are truly ready for users.

Stage 3 - Going to Market

After that comes the launch phase. A-Star's go-to-market team handles community building, marketing, and partnerships. Furthermore, they manage developer relations to make sure each launch lands well. Mr. Thang highlighted three strong examples from 2025:

TraceHub - An multichain On-chain Analytics for DeFi investors and enterprises, proud to be part of VBSN, contributing to the shared mission of building a transparent, secure, and trustworthy data infrastructure for Vietnam in the Web3 era.
Hedos - A project incubated by A-Star Group, bringing pioneering Delta Hedging Strategy on Aptos
Solana Startup Village - Several A-Star-backed projects joined this top global startup program. In fact, getting accepted is very competitive. So, this was a clear sign of how strong the A-Star pipeline has become.

Together, these wins were not just lucky. Rather, they proved that A-Star has a system that works again and again.

Stage 4 - Growth and Exit

Finally, A-Star helps each project grow and reach a clear end goal. This could be a token launch, a strategic partnership, or an acquisition. Either way, the goal is always the same: a finished product with a clear exit. A-Star never leaves a project half-done.

The Startup Incubation Programme: Building What Comes Next

One of the biggest announcements of the night was the A-Star Startup Idea and Incubation Programme. This is a formal programme designed to find, develop, and launch the next generation of great Web3 products. The programme runs on two tracks:

Internal Track: Team members at A-Star can pitch their own startup ideas. If selected, they get real resources, mentorship from senior leaders, and a clear path from concept to launch. This is not a side project. It is a serious commitment from the company.
External Track: Founders from outside A-Star can also apply. If accepted, they gain access to A-Star's tools, network, and expertise. The bar is high, but the support is also very strong.

Mr. Thang was clear about the goal. A-Star is not looking for people who copy trends. Instead, the programme is built for founders who have found a real, unsolved problem and have the skills to fix it. Importantly, this programme is already producing results. In fact, several 2025 projects that have since launched publicly began inside this programme. That is strong proof that the system works.

Moments of 2025: A Year That Made Us Stronger

Before looking ahead, Mr. Thang paused to honour what the team went through. 2025 was not always easy. There were market shifts, hard decisions, and real pressure. Yet as the CEO walked through the key moments of the year, the mood in the room shifted. It moved from nostalgia to pride. A-Star entered 2025 with big goals. The team worked on tough technical builds. They also dealt with the ups and downs of the crypto market. Even so, they kept pushing forward. The key wins, like TraceHub's launch and the Solana Startup Village projects, stood as the headline results. But beyond those, there were quieter wins too. There were team members who stepped up when things got hard. There were groups that stayed together under pressure. Above all, there was the shared resilience that kept A-Star moving forward even on the difficult days.

The Big Message for 2026: Go Lean, Go Far

Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for. With the history told and the 2025 wins celebrated, Mr. Thang delivered the main message for A-Star's 2026: Going for the Lean Startup vision. So what does "The Lean Startup" actually mean? In short, it is a simple three-step loop: Build, Measure, and Learn. Instead of spending months building in secret, teams launch a simple version early. They then collect real feedback from real users. After that, they improve quickly based on what they learn. This creates faster progress and less wasted effort. For A-Star, this shift in 2026 means four key changes:

Leaner teams: Smaller groups with clear ownership. Less time in meetings, more time building.
Faster feedback: Products go live earlier. Real users give real input. Improvements happen fast.
Sharper focus: A-Star will put its energy into fewer, stronger bets. In other words, depth over breadth.
Long-term value: Every project is judged not just on speed, but on the real value it creates for users and for A-Star's future.

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A-Star Group 2026 vision: "The Lean Startup"[/caption] Importantly, this is not about rushing or cutting corners. On the contrary, it is about being more intentional. It means saying no to distractions. It means fully committing to the things that matter most. More details at: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/a-star-group-foundation_astargroup-yearendparty-theleanstartup-activity-7418189900794998784-GBj9?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=member_desktop_web&rcm=ACoAAFC8_ZoBBIErXM23vBjbE8dH2aUJA4UPh3c Watch the full Year-End Party highlight video to relive every moment of the night.

A New Year, A New Chapter - Be Part of It

The A-Star Year-End Party 2025 was more than just a celebration. In fact, it was a statement of intent. Thanks to the leadership of CEO Thang Nguyen, the company now moves into 2026 with a clear plan. There is a proven funnel, a growing incubation program, and a lean operating mindset ready to go. To every A-Star team member: the work you did in 2025 matters. Your resilience, your creativity, and your commitment brought us here. Moreover, it will carry us forward. To our partners and clients: thank you for your trust. We are excited to work even more closely with you in the year ahead. And to those watching from the outside: there has never been a better time to join. We are building something real, with a team that cares deeply about doing it right. Ready to build the future with us? 👉 Discover Our Company Culture: A-Star Group: Overview | LinkedIn