Shaping lives through learning innovation
Adam Khoo Learning Technologies Group CEO Patrick Cheo has made an impact on over a million students through digital and in-person education
PATRICK Cheo’s entrepreneurial journey has been defined by grit, foresight and a deep belief in the power of education to transform lives.
As chief executive officer of Adam Khoo Learning Technologies Group (AKLTG), he has spent more than two decades scaling a business that makes an impact on learners in more than 160 countries today.
While his co-founder, Adam Khoo, is AKLTG’s face due to his profession as a trainer, Cheo is the engine behind the operations, driving business strategy, finance, marketing, human resources and international growth.
In recognition of his vision and resilience, Cheo received the 2025 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award for education services.
“When we founded AKLTG in 2002, our vision was simple yet bold: to transform lives through education,” he says. “We wanted to raise the standards of the training industry and deliver actionable skills that spark real change, whether in school, at work or in life.”
That vision has endured and evolved.
From in-person seminars to digital learning platforms, AKLTG now reaches over a million learners annually through its three main divisions: Aktivate, which focuses on youth education; Piranha Profits, which offers financial education; and Growth Catalyst, which provides business coaching.
Humble beginnings
Cheo’s entrepreneurial spirit took root while he was an undergraduate at the National University of Singapore. Alongside Khoo and two other friends, he dabbled in small ventures, including a mobile disco business and, later, an event management company.
But the potential of education as a scalable and impactful industry inspired Cheo to take the plunge. With just S$8,000 in seed capital, he and Khoo started AKLTG in a small office with a single administrator and no training centre.
Cheo recalls the initial struggles: “In our early years, resources were scarce, so we had to be nimble, innovative and disciplined. As the business expanded, expenses mounted and cash flow was always tight.
“We made tough calls, from moving out of our first office to cutting less profitable ventures. Scaling was never easy, but those struggles taught us perseverance and focus.”
By the company’s 10th anniversary, revenues had crossed S$15 million. But growth came with hard lessons.
Cheo faced cash-flow challenges so acute that he refinanced his home and took on personal credit lines to sustain the business.
“Throughout the hardship, we stayed committed to delivering quality training. We believed that when you take care of your customers and your staff, the results will follow,” he says.
Today, AKLTG is a S$25 million enterprise, with about half of its business coming from outside Singapore.
Pivoting in crisis
One of Cheo’s defining moments as a leader came during the Covid-19 pandemic, when safe distancing restrictions halted AKLTG’s in-person seminar business. Rather than retreat, he led a rapid switch into digital learning.
“The pandemic shut down our seminar business overnight, but within two weeks we pivoted our flagship investing masterclass online,” he says.
Agility helped AKLTG survive, and accelerated its international growth.
“Crisis taught me that entrepreneurship means adapting swiftly in adversity and being bold to change your methods,” says Cheo. “We focused on new ways to keep serving our learners, and going digital became the path that carried us forward.”
The financial education arm, Piranha Profits, now accounts for over 80 per cent of the group’s revenue, with learners across more than 100 countries.
Values-driven leadership
Cheo remains ambitious about AKLTG’s future, viewing technology and artificial intelligence (AI) as critical levers to extend its global footprint. “Our growth priorities are to widen our reach and deliver better learning through innovative technologies,” he explains.
Among the group’s new initiatives are StockOracle, an AI-powered stock intelligence tool under Piranha Profits, and digital programmes under Aktivate, designed to prepare youth for the future.
Cheo continues to stress values-driven leadership. His advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: “Take calculated risks and anchor them in purpose.”
He adds: “Every entrepreneur faces moments of uncertainty; it’s your values that guide the tough decisions. Sustainability comes from staying true to your mission while adapting with agility.”
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