UP AND AWAY 🪂

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Greetings 👋 

Hi, how was your weekend?

The Japanese proverb “Nana korobi ya oki,” which means “fall seven times, stand up eight,” reminds us that failure and setbacks are part of the journey, but rising again is what leads us forward.

As the new week begins, remember that sometimes progress is simply choosing to stand back up and keep going.

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National ACE is partnering with Walmart for the Road to Open Call Pitch Day, giving entrepreneurs the chance to present U.S.-made, shelf-ready products directly to a Walmart sourcing representative.

Thirty selected businesses will present in Los Angeles on April 9, 2026, receive expert coaching, and gain insights on scaling for national retail. Top products may also receive a Fast Pass to the Walmart Open Call.

📅 Event Details

• Who: Entrepreneurs, small businesses, and manufacturers with shelf-ready products that are made, grown or assembled in the U.S.

• What: One-on-one meetings with a Walmart sourcing representative and expert coaching

• Where: Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator

• When: April 9, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Application Deadline: March 20, 2026

THIS WEEK: E-COMMERCE BRANDS

Are you an AAPI founder ready to elevate your brand alongside trailblazers like these? Join the AHN Directory today to increase visibility, connect with partners and customers, and get featured in AHN spotlights and community events.

Netflix has confirmed that KPop Demon Hunters 2 is officially in development, giving fans the sequel they’ve been waiting for. The streaming platform has also signed directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans to a multi-year animation deal, with the sequel set as their first project.

The next chapter is expected to continue the story where the first film ended, bringing new music, deeper character arcs, and even bigger battles. While no release date has been announced yet, the creators say the world of HUNTR/X is only getting started.

Read the full article here.

Chinese bubble tea giant Mixue is planning to build a theme park at its headquarters in Zhengzhou, Henan province, turning its popular Snow King mascot into the center of a new attraction. Known for its ultra-cheap ice cream and drinks, the fast-growing chain now operates more stores than McDonald’s and continues to expand rapidly outside China.

The planned park will feature multiple indoor themed zones inspired by Snow King, the brand’s singing snowman mascot that has become a recognizable retail icon in China. Visitors can expect immersive experiences that mix shopping, live performances, and interactive attractions.

Read the full article here.

Daniel Chong, the creator of We Bare Bears, made his Pixar feature directing debut with Hoppers, which hit theaters on March 6. The film follows Mabel, a young animal lover who uses new technology to transfer her consciousness into a robotic beaver so she can live among the animals and protect their habitat.

While shaping the film’s playful and heartfelt tone, Chong drew inspiration from classics like Gremlins and Beetlejuice. As the son of Singaporean immigrants, he shared how his experience growing up between cultures influenced the themes of identity and belonging that often define his storytelling.

Read the full article here.

At just 20 years old, Filipina tennis player Alex Eala is quickly becoming one of the sport’s most exciting rising stars. Her recent wins over some of the biggest names in women’s tennis have captured global attention.

Her breakthrough came at the 2025 Miami Open, where she entered the tournament as a wildcard and stunned the field with a series of major upsets. Eala defeated Grand Slam champions Iga Świątek, Madison Keys, Jeļena Ostapenko, and Coco Gauff on her way to the semifinals.

The impressive run pushed her into the WTA Top 100 and helped build momentum for the rest of the season. By the end of the year, she climbed into the WTA Top 50, becoming the first Filipina to reach the milestone and inspiring young athletes across Asia.

Read the full article here.

🚀 Jakkrit Klinsmith, CEO of Arise by INFINITAS, was honored as the Thailand Innovator of the Year at the Asian Management Excellence Awards. He was recognized for transforming the Paotang app into a national digital gateway for over 40 million people and launching a Generative AI framework that has streamlined digital operations across Thailand.

🚀 Frederic C. DyBuncio, President and CEO of SM Investments Corp, received the Best CEO in Asia award at the Asian Excellence Awards. The recognition highlights his success in driving a multi-billion dollar national rollout for experience-led retail and his commitment to integrating sustainable practices across one of the region's largest conglomerates.

🚀 Joseph Valdez, Founder of Klimatech Innovative Solutions, was selected as a finalist for the Fair Future Accelerator by Villgro Philippines. This follows a streak of regional wins, including the Thang Long Industrial Park Challenge, as he scales his climate-tech ventures to address critical sustainability gaps in the Southeast Asian industrial sector.

🚀 John Andrew Mañacop, Founder of Makarius Smart Learning, was named a recipient of the LIF Global 2026 cohort by the Royal Academy of Engineering. His work in developing AI-driven educational tools has gained international backing, helping bridge the learning gap for students in underserved communities through personalized digital platforms.

Unity Tax is the tax advisory arm of Unity Investments, built for founders and business owners navigating complex, real-world decisions.

They align tax planning with how you actually run your business by integrating cash flow planning and capital decisions to optimize after-tax outcomes, not just compliance. Designed for founders and growth-stage companies, they bring institutional-grade tax expertise with the high-touch judgment of a trusted operator.

Backed by capital partners and experienced tax professionals, they provide hands-on guidance, proactive planning, and strategic advisory services. They help you reduce friction during the U.S. tax season while positioning your business for smarter growth, liquidity events, and long-term wealth creation.

Tax season is coming. Work with a team that thinks like an owner.

Managing payroll, HR, and tax compliance requires time, accuracy, and constant attention to changing regulations. For many small and mid-sized businesses, these responsibilities can take focus away from strategic growth.

Through our partnership with ADP, SMB leaders gain access to reliable, cloud-based payroll and human capital management solutions designed to simplify operations while maximizing cash flow. 

How ADP supports your growth:

• AI-Enhanced Payroll: Reduce errors and late penalties with automated filings and AI-powered error detection that flags discrepancies before you pay.

• Maximum Tax Credit Recovery: ADP’s specialists use your payroll data to uncover valuable incentives—including R&D credits (now with expanded eligibility) and Work Opportunity Tax Credits (WOTC).

• Built-In Compliance: Stay ahead of 2026 regulatory shifts, including new retirement plan mandates and updated wage bases, with automated system updates.

• Scalable HR Infrastructure: From your first hire to your 500th, access integrated tools for recruitment, benefits administration, and 24/7 HR advisory support.

Strategic payroll management is a reinvestment in your business. Fill out our form to connect with an ADP specialist for a personalized review of your current payroll process or review of potential payroll tax savings.

Here’s how I use Attio to run my day.

Attio is the AI CRM with conversational AI built directly into your workspace. Every morning, Ask Attio handles my prep:

• Surfaces insights from calls and conversations across my entire CRM

• Update records and create tasks without manual entry

• Answers questions about deals, accounts, and customer signals that used to take hours to find

All in seconds. No searching, no switching tabs, no manual updates.

Ready to scale faster?

Start now →

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