BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech: Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand & Malaysia Startups, Founders & Venture Capital VC (English)

JX Lye, Founder and CEO of Acme, joins Jeremy Au to unpack how execution compounds advantage in Southeast Asia fintech. They explore Acme’s journey from solving delayed bank reconciliation to becoming a core bank connectivity layer serving fintech platforms, direct debit infrastructure, and ERP systems across Singapore and the region. The conversation covers the hard realities of going from zero to one customer, the discipline required from one to five, and how scaling to 80 customers shifts growth toward retention and upsell. Joshua reflects on fintech’s COVID boom and 2023 reset, the Brex versus Ramp execution debate, and why Singapore rewards niche depth in financial services. He also shares how AI is shifting from model hype to vertical application, and why founder endurance, health, and signal reading matter more than chasing a visible summit. 03:12 Instant payments exposed a broken backend: FAST and PayNow moved money instantly, but apps waited days because reconciliation relied on end-of-day bank statements. 09:18 From one to five customers demands discipline: Founders must resist custom builds, stay product focused, and lead sales personally to avoid fragmentation. 13:08 Scaling to 80 customers shifts growth drivers: Upsells and retention begin compounding faster than new logo acquisition in Southeast Asia’s shallow markets. 17:24 Fintech’s COVID boom distorted reality: Easy capital and soaring markets fueled inflated valuations that later reset in 2023. 22:38 Execution beats first mover advantage: Ramp outcompounded Brex through speed, alignment, and focus rather than positioning alone. 25:42 Focus and alignment define execution quality: If teams describe different priorities, compounding slows and distraction spreads. 38:32 Founder stress never disappears, it evolves: Milestones do not remove pressure; resilience, health, and signal reading sustain long-term ambition. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/jx-lye-compounding-execution Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Vietnamese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts #Fintech #SoutheastAsiaTech #StartupExecution #FounderJourney #BankingInfrastructure #B2BGrowth #AIinBusiness #SingaporeStartups #VentureBuilding #BRAVEpodcast

Adriel Yong joins Jeremy Au to examine how AI is compressing organizations, thinning entry-level roles, and reshaping Singapore’s startup and capital ecosystem. They discuss the shift from pyramid to lean diamond teams, why CEOs increasingly use AI to bypass middle layers, and why Gen Z faces the sharpest labor reset. The conversation expands to SGX liquidity gaps, slowing seed funding, and structural flaws in angel investing incentives that threaten the startup pipeline. They also argue that AI literacy must become national infrastructure, not a short-term subsidy, if Singapore wants to keep pace with rapid technological change.  03:58 AI progress now feels pre crisis fast: New models self improve, agents coordinate, and experimentation mirrors the early pandemic moment when only a few sensed acceleration. 13:05 Companies are shifting from pyramid to diamond structures: Junior execution shrinks while experienced operators with taste and judgment gain leverage. 15:32 CEOs can bypass middle layers with AI: Strategic research, compliance planning, and structured analysis move directly to AI tools instead of finance managers or analysts. 20:42 Gen Z faces structural career compression: Entry roles thin out as AI replaces transcription, analysis, and support work that once trained fresh graduates. 33:15 Early stage capital is the real bottleneck: Growth financing rebounds, but seed funding weakens as angels feel burned and the startup funnel narrows. 41:05 Angel tax policy distorts participation: Large individual checks qualify for incentives while syndicates and smaller diversified investors receive weaker support. 47:12 AI literacy must become national infrastructure: Short term tool subsidies help, but broad ongoing access across NTUC, unions, and grassroots may matter more for long term workforce resilience. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/adriel-yong-automation-first-era Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Vietnamese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts #AIWorkforce #FutureOfWork #StartupEcosystem #SGXLiquidity #VentureCapital #AngelInvesting #SeedFunding #SingaporeTech #OrgDesign #BRAVEpodcast

James Chai, Visiting Fellow at ISEAS and former policy advisor to Malaysia’s Ministry of Economy, joins Jeremy Au to unpack how Malaysia is repositioning itself in an era defined by AI, semiconductors, and geopolitical rivalry. They explore the country’s shift from oil, gas, and plantations toward advanced manufacturing, examine how decades of semiconductor clustering built a quiet but durable export engine, and discuss why Malaysia is now doubling down on data centers and rare earths. The conversation covers US China competition over chip supply chains, the strategic importance of fabrication and GPU ecosystems, and how rare earth processing may represent the most underappreciated leverage point in the global tech stack. James also explains why execution, not ambition, will determine whether Malaysia can capture long term value from these emerging industries. 02:30 Malaysia balances growth with redistribution: The strategy is to raise high value industries like semiconductors and rare earths while lifting the bottom 40 percent through social protection. 05:42 Semiconductor strength came from decades of compounding: Intel and other multinationals anchored early manufacturing, and local engineers accumulated expertise that later spun into globally competitive firms. 10:18 Clusters beat subsidies alone: Tight networks of engineers, spin offs, and long term continuity allowed Malaysia’s chip ecosystem to survive volatility and keep upgrading. 21:05 China uses constraint as strategy: By limiting access to high end Nvidia GPUs, Beijing forces domestic firms to innovate faster and close critical design gaps. 29:45 Chips are not oil: Frontier GPUs power model training, but most real world AI use relies on inference, meaning older chips retain value longer than markets assume. 37:22 Data centers create investment headlines but unclear spillovers: Billions flow into Malaysia, yet long term value depends on whether local firms capture supply chain and technology capabilities. 44:10 Rare earth processing is the real choke point: Deposits are global, but China controls the complex multi step processing chain, making chemistry and technology control more strategic than mining alone. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/james-chai-rare-earth-power Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Vietnamese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts #MalaysiaEconomy #Semiconductors #RareEarths #DataCenters #USChinaTech #Geopolitics #AIStrategy #SupplyChains #IndustrialPolicy #BRAVEpodcast

Ziv Ragowsky, Co-Founder of Wright Partners, joins Jeremy Au to unpack why corporate venture building remains one of Southeast Asia’s hardest but most misunderstood innovation strategies. They explore how large corporations chase growth under pressure, why many internal ventures fail before traction, and how misaligned incentives quietly destroy promising ideas. The conversation covers when companies should build instead of buy, how lean venture design keeps startups investable, and why founder equity must evolve as risk shifts over time. Ziv also shares how venture builders act as translators between corporate logic and startup execution, and why honest advice sometimes means telling a client not to build at all. 03:00 Early ventures look irrelevant inside giant corporates: Small pilot businesses struggle to survive because billion-dollar organizations cannot emotionally commit to tiny revenue bets. 03:55 Overpromising innovation creates failure incentives: Corporates exaggerate projections to justify programs, which pushes ventures into unhealthy growth behavior. 08:45 Build only when buying makes no strategic sense: Companies should create new ventures only when acquisition is overpriced or the problem is uniquely theirs to solve. 15:00 Lean venture budgets protect future funding: Startups that spend like corporates become uninvestable before reaching real traction. 18:10 Corporate-heavy cap tables scare investors: Excess ownership and control crush founder motivation and block external capital. 20:15 Founder-led governance attracts venture capital: Investors prefer startups structured for entrepreneurial control rather than corporate hierarchy. 22:10 Honest advice sometimes means refusing to build: Saying no to bad ventures preserves long-term outcomes even if it costs short-term business. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/ziv-ragowsky-corporate-innovation-trap Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Vietnamese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts #CorporateInnovation #VentureBuilding #StartupStrategy #SoutheastAsia #VentureCapital #FounderIncentives #CorporateGovernance #InnovationStrategy #VentureStudios #BRAVEpodcast

Hiroki Kato, Founder of Arches and Jeremy Au discuss how leaving a safe Japanese corporate career pushed Hiroki into Southeast Asia’s faster markets, where exposure to fraud, cultural contrast, and insider truth reshaped his view of risk and opportunity. They explore how Vietnam’s optimism expanded his ambition, why public data often hides reality, and how expert conversations became the foundation for building Arches. The discussion connects personal courage with business execution, showing how disciplined hiring, focused delivery, and human trust systems built a competitive expert network. 02:30 Leaving corporate Japan felt like social betrayal: Hiroki chose impact over security despite family pressure to stay inside an elite lifetime career track. 09:10 Vietnam rewired his ambition: A young, optimistic workforce expanded his belief in growth, risk, and personal upside compared to mature Japan. 12:45 Fake books exposed the limits of public data: Insider voices revealed hidden accounting manipulation and misuse of investor funds no spreadsheet showed. 15:05 Two expert conversations changed his life: Direct interviews overturned the company narrative and proved people beat reports in emerging markets. 18:10 Arches began as survival entrepreneurship: Freelance work funded the company while he built the expert network in parallel. 20:10 Overdelivery created early market wedge: Deep service to a few clients built trust and defensibility in a crowded expert industry. 26:00 Crisis permanently lowered fear of risk: Surviving near collapse reframed failure as damage, not death, unlocking bolder decisions.  Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Vietnamese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/hiroki-kato-inside-market-truth #SoutheastAsia #StartupJourney #FounderStory #EmergingMarkets #VietnamBusiness #ExpertNetworks #EntrepreneurMindset #CorporateToStartup #RiskAndGrowth #BRAVEpodcast

Jeremy Au and Mike Mate connect personal career risk with the structural limits of the Philippine startup ecosystem. Mike explains how jumping from law into finance shaped his tolerance for uncertainty, why venture capital requires emotional endurance, and how AI mirrors past industrial shifts. They examine why Southeast Asia imports frontier technology, why Philippine consumer startups struggle to scale, and why grit remains the region’s unfair advantage. The discussion ties personal courage to ecosystem maturity, arguing that founders and investors both survive through disciplined risk. 05:10 Investment banking exposed the limits of deal work: Closing transactions felt empty because he never saw what happened to companies after. 10:00 Venture capital demands emotional endurance: Allocating high risk capital requires custody of LP money and deep founder trust. 12:20 AI mirrors the steam engine moment: Technology removes intellectual limits the way railroads removed physical limits. 14:50 AI growth is exponential not gradual: Decades of change now compress into a few years. 18:30 Consumer startups define the Philippine opportunity: Strong demographics exist but iconic exits remain missing. 21:20 The valley of death blocks late stage growth: Series C companies stall without foreign capital. 25:00 Filipino founders survive through grit: Cultural obligation to family and employees fuels persistence under pressure. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/engineering-soft-landings Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Vietnamese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts #VentureCapital #StartupEcosystem #PhilippinesStartups #FounderGrit #StartupFunding #SoutheastAsiaTech #AIandInnovation #StartupGrowth #InvestorMindset #BRAVEpodcast

Aik Chuan (A.C.) Goh, Founder of Singapore’s first traditional search fund, joins Jeremy Au to unpack how operators evolve from startup builders into long-term business stewards. They explore lessons from Uber’s Southeast Asia expansion, why localization determines platform winners, and how consulting shaped A.C.’s decision-making framework. The conversation covers the limits of venture capital in personalized industries like education, the hidden succession crisis inside Singapore SMEs, and how search funds bridge retiring founders with new leadership. Aik Chuan also shares why disciplined capital structures matter, how growth still exists in mature markets, and why conviction requires respecting experience without surrendering belief in your thesis. 07:00 Uber proved that small autonomous teams can build cities: Three strong generalists with a mission can launch operations faster than large centralized structures. 10:30 Uber lost Indonesia because localization came too late: Missing cash payments and motorcycles allowed competitors to lock in the market. 11:45 Regional winners depend on profit hub cities: Control of Singapore, KL, Bangkok, and Jakarta determines who funds expansion. 19:32 Consulting builds structured decision discipline: Senior leaders iterate assumptions just like junior consultants, only faster. 29:53 Venture capital struggles in personalized education: Edtech exposed the limits of scale when every student needs different content. 34:22 Search funds solve SME succession gaps: Retiring founders need both liquidity and leadership, which the model combines. 53:15 Conviction requires reframing criticism: Aik Chuan learns to respect experience while still backing his thesis. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/aik-chuan-goh-owning-the-future Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Vietnamese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts #CorporateInnovation #VentureBuilding #StartupStrategy #SoutheastAsia #VentureCapital #FounderIncentives #CorporateGovernance #InnovationStrategy #VentureStudios #BRAVEpodcast

Jeremy Au breaks down how venture capital really works after the check clears. He explains how VCs silently re-rank startups every year, why most companies get deprioritized, and how a tiny number of winners carry an entire fund. The discussion covers angel buyouts, secondaries, IPO strategy, and the tension between founders and boards during exits. It’s a candid look at portfolio math, hidden incentives, and the survival rules founders rarely hear out loud. 01:47 The Hidden VC Scoreboard: Investment does not end evaluation. Partners continuously judge companies and shift attention toward expected winners. 04:45 The Brutal Portfolio Math: Most companies fail, a few return small wins, and one or two generate the 50x outcomes that power the entire fund. 06:20 Every Round Is a New Test: Each funding round resets conviction as investors decide whether to double down or step back. 13:25 Founder Vision vs. Board Incentives: Acquisition decisions split control from economics  founders want long-term vision while boards optimize for return timing. Watch, listen or read the full insight at  https://www.bravesea.com/blog/vc-survival-game Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Vietnamese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts #venturecapital #startupstrategy #portfoliomanagement #founderjourney #startuptruths #unicornmath #exitsandipo #vcinsights #startupgrowth #BRAVEpodcast

Kamil Pabis, a longevity researcher based in Singapore, joins Jeremy Au to unpack why extending a healthy lifespan needs systems thinking, not quick hacks. They define longevity as targeting aging itself, explain why academia both enables and constrains progress, and show how Singapore’s policy choices support longer lives. They also discuss the biohacker pipeline, the promise of drugs like rapamycin, and why regulation and trial design slow real proof in humans. 06:40 Longevity targets the underlying aging process: Kamil explains that doctors treat a disease, but longevity research aims at the shared driver behind many age-related diseases. 09:26 Academia runs on idealists, then burns them out: Kamil describes low pay, long hours, and boss dependence as structural issues that push researchers into burnout cycles. 16:08 Singapore extends lifespan through policy and environment: They link higher life expectancy to prevention, vice taxes, and public health rules, not just individual discipline. 21:42 Lifestyle upgrades hit a biological ceiling: Kamil argues that once basics are covered, health gains flatten and average lifespan still converges near the low 90s without slowing aging. 32:02 Biohacker communities create a flywheel for early tools: Kamil explains how Singapore meetups mix researchers, healthcare professionals, and biohackers, creating demand for imperfect but improving products. 46:34 Ethics and bureaucracy slow trials more than science: Kamil argues medical systems focus on risk avoidance and move slower than places like China, even when volunteers exist. 50:12 Personal longevity means basics first, then selective layering: Kamil advises covering sleep, exercise, nutrition, and medical basics first, then adding a small number of targeted interventions before diminishing returns set in.  Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/kamil-pabis-extending-human-life Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Vietnamese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts #Longevity #AgingScience #Healthspan #Biohacking #Rapamycin #PublicHealth #AcademicResearch #SingaporeTech #FutureOfHealth #BRAVEpodcast

Jeremy Au discusses how value is created, preserved, and lost in Southeast Asian startups, focusing on governance, control rights, and exit risk. The conversation looks at real founder–investor breakdowns, regulatory shocks, and why weak structure often shows up only when things go wrong. It explains why growth alone is not enough, and how control, trust, and exit planning shape outcomes in emerging markets. 00:14 Investor Regret on Control Rights: Investors reflect on the downside of weak protections and wish they had negotiated stronger control measures earlier. 01:18 Exit Management Is a VC Skill: The discussion shifts to exits, emphasizing that building value and realizing value require different skills and planning. 06:09 Light-Touch Governance and Fraud Risk: How US-style light governance in Indonesia contributed to aggressive growth, weak oversight, and fraud issues. 09:07 Growth Pressure and Revenue Fraud: A direct link is drawn between growth-at-all-costs behavior and manipulation of revenue numbers in emerging markets. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/exit-risk-exposed Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Vietnamese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts #VentureCapital #StartupGovernance #FounderInvestor #EmergingMarkets #SoutheastAsia #StartupRisk #ExitStrategy #VCInsights #StartupLessons #BRAVEpodcast

Jeremy Au breaks down why most startups fail even after raising capital and why failure is often misunderstood by founders, investors, and the media. Drawing from venture data and real startup case studies, the discussion unpacks common failure patterns, the role of timing and macro forces, and why economic failure does not always mean bad judgment. The episode reframes failure as part of innovation, while staying honest about incentives, power laws, and investor reality. 01:40 The Brutal Math of Venture Capital: Jeremy explains why only about 1% of startups become unicorns, with high death rates at every funding stage. 03:55 Are Failed Startups Really Failures?: The discussion reframes failure, asking whether founders are failures or pioneers who were simply too early. 06:10 Jibo and Being Too Early: Jeremy shares how a social robot startup failed due to high hardware costs and missing infrastructure years before AI and sensors were ready. 12:30 Six Common Startup Failure Patterns: Jeremy outlines repeatable failure modes, including bad teams, false starts, speed traps, and bad macro luck. 20:10 Bad Macro Luck and Market Cycles: The episode explains how funding winters and external shocks can kill startups that were otherwise doing fine. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/why-startups-fail-power Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Vietnamese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts #startupfailure #venturecapital #founderlessons #powerlaw #startuplife #VCinsights #techstartups #buildinpublic #learningfromfailure #BRAVEpodcast

Jeremy Au breaks down how venture capital deals really close, why many fail after the term sheet, and how financial and control rights shape outcomes for founders and investors over a 10-year relationship. Drawing from real cases across Southeast Asia, he explains the hidden trade-offs behind valuation, governance, and trust, and why “good economics” can still destroy long-term value if handled poorly. 01:00 Due Diligence and Deal Risk: How reference checks, audits, and legal reviews can still miss fraud and derail trust. 03:30 Trust as a 10-Year Decision: Why fundraising is not just about price, but about choosing a long-term partner. 04:45 Valuation Disputes and Ego: How founders and VCs clash over worth, and why bad negotiations quietly kill companies. 09:00 Valuation vs. Hidden Clauses: How high headline valuations are offset by liquidation preferences and anti-dilution terms. 15:30 Exploding Term Sheets and Founder Regret: A case where aggressive terms improved investor economics but destroyed founder trust. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/power-plays-in-fundraising WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea Spotify English: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T Bahasa Indonesia: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Vs8t6qPo0eFb4o6zOmiVZ Chinese: https://open.spotify.com/show/20AGbzHhzFDWyRTbHTVDJR Vietnamese: https://open.spotify.com/show/0yqd3Jj0I19NhN0h8lWrK1 YouTube English: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu?sub_confirmation=1 Apple Podcast English: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464 #VentureCapital #TermSheets #StartupFunding #FounderVC #Valuation #Governance #StartupDeals #ControlRights #Fundraising #BRAVEpodcast

Beatrice Lion, General Partner and CEO of True Global Ventures, joins Jeremy Au to unpack how early conviction, long cycles, and hands-on learning shaped her path from finance student to venture capital leader. They explore why blockchain and AI only look obvious in hindsight, how decentralization solves real risks created by centralized platforms, and why hype often masks weak demand rather than weak technology. The conversation covers building a venture fund from self-funded roots to institutional scale, navigating fundraising and regulation, and what it takes to grow as an investor across multiple market cycles. Beatrice also shares how staying in one firm for years can still mean many different careers, and why resilience and judgment matter more than timing. 02:52 A no-pay internship reshaped career direction: Shadowing a GP showed how small actions, like one introduction, could determine a startup’s survival. 04:11 Venture capital felt more meaningful than banking: Direct impact on founders and companies mattered more than prestige or salary. 13:20 Decentralization drove blockchain conviction: Seeing Animoca lose its business overnight to a centralized platform clarified the risk of single gatekeepers. 16:33 Technology does not create demand: Tokenization only works when real markets already exist, not when assets lack buyers. 22:22 Market crashes build resilient founders: Repeated crypto downturns filtered out weak actors and strengthened surviving teams. 29:00 Eight years in one fund meant many roles: Beatrice moved across portfolio support, fundraising, regulation, and investment decisions without stagnation. 41:20 Leadership required personal courage under scrutiny: As a young CEO, Beatrice led a long MAS licensing process while managing deep self-doubt. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/beatrice-lion-application-layer-advantage WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea Spotify English: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T Bahasa Indonesia: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Vs8t6qPo0eFb4o6zOmiVZ Chinese: https://open.spotify.com/show/20AGbzHhzFDWyRTbHTVDJR Vietnamese: https://open.spotify.com/show/0yqd3Jj0I19NhN0h8lWrK1 YouTube English: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu?sub_confirmation=1 Apple Podcast English: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464 #VentureCapital #AIApplications #BlockchainInvesting #TechCycles #EmergingManagers #FundraisingJourney #InvestorConviction #StartupEcosystem #RegulatedInnovation #BRAVEpodcast

Rocky Yu, Founder and CEO of AGI House, joins Jeremy Au to unpack how early curiosity in computer graphics led him from engineering and startups to building one of the world’s most influential AI communities. They explore why talent density matters more than scale, how AGI House emerged during the pandemic as a mission-first experiment, and what it takes to turn deep technical conversations into real companies. The conversation covers Rocky’s journey from academia to entrepreneurship, how dinners and hackathons sparked breakout AI startups, and why AGI should be understood as a system of applied intelligence rather than a single god-like model. Rocky also shares his views on resilience, uncertainty, and how young people and parents should think about work, purpose, and opportunity in an AI-shaped future. 02:00 Early fascination with computer graphics shaped Rocky’s path: Curiosity about how computers generate realistic images pulled him into computer science long before AI was mainstream. 06:06 The pandemic triggered a mission reset: Isolation and deep conversations about purpose and intelligence sparked the idea that later became AGI House. 08:12 Talent density became the core design choice: AGI House prioritized curating elite researchers and founders over scaling a broad, open community. 12:32 Invite-only dinners and open hackathons worked together: Private discussions built depth while hackathons surfaced raw, unproven talent who later broke out. 15:29 Resilience comes from knowing why you build: Rocky explains that founders who love status quit early, while those driven by curiosity endure hardship. 17:21 AGI is a system, not a single god model: Intelligence emerges from many specialized agents improving through real-world deployment. 29:02 Learning to live with uncertainty builds founders: Traveling the world with no money trained the mindset Rocky later relied on as an entrepreneur. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/rocky-yu-building-agi-together WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea Spotify English: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T Bahasa Indonesia: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Vs8t6qPo0eFb4o6zOmiVZ Chinese: https://open.spotify.com/show/20AGbzHhzFDWyRTbHTVDJR Vietnamese: https://open.spotify.com/show/0yqd3Jj0I19NhN0h8lWrK1 YouTube English: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu?sub_confirmation=1 Apple Podcast English: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464 #ArtificialIntelligence #AGI #AICommunity #TechFounders #StartupEcosystem #FutureOfWork #FounderMindset #TalentDensity #HumanPotential #BRAVEpodcast

Eldred Wee, Founder of Edenity, joins Jeremy Au to unpack why corporate services and accounting firms sit at the center of Southeast Asia’s next wave of SME acquisitions. They explore how Eldred’s early career in Big Four audit shaped his ability to spot incentives, fraud, and double or triple books, and why these realities define investing in the region. The conversation covers the rise of roll-ups in accounting and corporate services, why organic growth is hard for B2B services in Southeast Asia, and how aging founders and low digitization are creating a narrow transition window for buyers. Eldred also shares why price arbitrage alone rarely works, how culture and trust determine post-deal success, and why relationship-driven execution matters more than capital in small business M&A. 04:33 Big Four audit trained judgment, not just rules: Eldred learned how incentives, weak controls, and human behavior enable fraud to persist over years. 09:21 Double and triple books are a regional reality: Separate records exist for tax, management, and true economics, shaping how investors must assess risk. 11:58 Accounting is at a transition point: AI and digitization are advancing fast while many traditional firms remain underprepared. 12:38 SMEs form the backbone of Singapore’s economy: Small firms drive close to half of GDP and most employment, making corporate services critical infrastructure. 14:20 Inorganic growth beats organic growth for B2B services: Fragmentation and regulation push buyers to acquire existing firms rather than scale from scratch. 18:47 Culture outweighs financials in small acquisitions: Employee loyalty and founder habits often determine post-deal success or failure. 29:12 Personal history shapes leadership and dealmaking: Eldred’s early life experiences reinforce his focus on trust, relationships, and long-term legacy. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/eldred-wee-inside-sme-deals WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea Spotify English: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T Bahasa Indonesia: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Vs8t6qPo0eFb4o6zOmiVZ Chinese: https://open.spotify.com/show/20AGbzHhzFDWyRTbHTVDJR Vietnamese: https://open.spotify.com/show/0yqd3Jj0I19NhN0h8lWrK1 YouTube English: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu?sub_confirmation=1 Apple Podcast English: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464 #SMEacquisitions #SearchFunds #SoutheastAsiaBusiness #MergersAndAcquisitions #CorporateServices #AccountingAndFinance #RollUpStrategy #FounderTransitions #TrustInBusiness #BRAVEpodcast

Florian Hoppe, Partner at Bain, joins Jeremy Au to unpack insights from the Bain Southeast Asia Digital Economy Report 2025 and explain why the region’s digital economy keeps growing despite global uncertainty and negative headlines. They explore the long-term forces behind this resilience, including consumer adoption, payments and logistics infrastructure, and sustained middle-class demand. The conversation covers the expansion from ASEAN six to ASEAN ten, how regional scale really works for founders, and why competition from China and global players continues to fuel innovation. Florian also explains why AI and data centers should be seen as foundational utilities, how local AI solutions create real value in healthcare and education, and what investors, policymakers, and parents should focus on as Southeast Asia enters its next digital decade. 03:03 Adoption drives resilience: Smartphone penetration, payments, logistics, and trust infrastructure enabled durable digital behavior over time. 05:52 ASEAN expanded from six to ten countries: New markets added population and long-term upside, even with limited short-term GMV impact. 08:51 Regional strategy depends on product depth: High-end offerings cluster in major cities, while mass-market products still scale across ASEAN. 14:18 AI growth starts with infrastructure: Data centers and talent form the base layer before real business value emerges. 15:52 AI in Southeast Asia prioritizes quality and access: Lower labor costs shift focus from cost cutting to better healthcare and education outcomes. 22:17 Digital economy reached policy relevance: It now represents a meaningful share of GDP and employs tens of millions across the region.  29:50 Preparing the next generation for an AI economy: Florian argues parents should train curiosity, abstract thinking, and learning ability, rather than over-optimizing for specific technical skills too early. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/florian-hoppe-compounding-southeast-asia WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea Spotify English: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T Bahasa Indonesia: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Vs8t6qPo0eFb4o6zOmiVZ Chinese: https://open.spotify.com/show/20AGbzHhzFDWyRTbHTVDJR Vietnamese: https://open.spotify.com/show/0yqd3Jj0I19NhN0h8lWrK1 YouTube English: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu?sub_confirmation=1 Apple Podcast English: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464 #SoutheastAsiaTech #DigitalEconomy #AIinAsia #StartupEcosystem #VentureCapital #ASEAN #FutureOfWork #DataCenters #TechTrends #BRAVEpodcast

Jeremy Au breaks down how venture capitalists actually think about startups, founder selection, and long-term value creation. Drawing from real VC decisions, classroom debates, and emerging technologies, he explains why learning speed beats polish, why most “obvious” winners only look obvious in hindsight, and how founders navigate pivots, problem selection, and 10× breakthroughs. The conversation also explores how strange technologies move from science fiction to commercialization, and how VCs evaluate scale, network effects, and unit economics in practice. 01:19 Founder potential vs. founder today: The gap between who a founder is now and who they must become over ten years, shaped by grit, learning, timing, and luck. 04:38 Learning speed as a competitive advantage: Jeremy explains why the fastest learners outcompete both startups and incumbents. 07:00 From non-problems to startups: How ideas like AI companions turn situational pain into viable businesses. 09:13 Commercializing breakthrough science: How founders think about customer personas, regulation, and product-market fit for radical technologies. 12:21 Product stays, customer changes: How commercialization often means reframing who the technology is really for. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/how-vcs-pick-winners WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea Spotify English: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T Bahasa Indonesia: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Vs8t6qPo0eFb4o6zOmiVZ Chinese: https://open.spotify.com/show/20AGbzHhzFDWyRTbHTVDJR Vietnamese: https://open.spotify.com/show/0yqd3Jj0I19NhN0h8lWrK1 YouTube  English: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu?sub_confirmation=1 Apple Podcast  English: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464 #VentureCapital #StartupLife #FounderMindset #UnicornBuilding #LearningFast #TechInnovation #ProductMarketFit #ScaleAndGrowth #SoutheastAsiaTech #BRAVEpodcast

Kelvin Chan, an AI researcher at Google, joins Jeremy Au to unpack his unconventional path from mathematics in Hong Kong to applied AI research across Singapore and the United States. They explore how AI research differs from traditional academic work, why iteration and results often matter more than theory, and how scale has transformed research culture from small experiments to highly collaborative, compute-heavy systems. The conversation covers the rapid evolution of image and video models including Google’s Nano Banana model, the push toward world modeling and embodied AI, and how AI tools are reshaping daily productivity for engineers. Kelvin also reflects on choosing AI in 2018 before it was mainstream, and why he believes the long-term future lies in AI as a trusted partner that augments human work rather than replaces it. 03:18 Image processing redirected Kelvin away from finance: Hands-on work with visual data revealed a stronger pull toward applied problem solving than abstract financial paths. 06:00 AI research prioritizes iteration over proofs: Progress comes from training models, debugging failures, and refining results rather than deriving formal guarantees. 09:16 Nano Banana reflects Google’s applied AI approach: Large-scale models are used to speed up coding, debugging, documentation, and internal productivity. 11:00 Results matter more than explanations in applied AI: Kelvin focuses on whether models work in practice, not on fully understanding internal neural mechanisms. 16:12 Scaling models reshaped research culture: Moving from millions to billions of parameters forced deeper collaboration and reduced solo experimentation. 20:05 World modeling targets physical understanding: Researchers aim to teach AI how gravity, motion, and real-world constraints actually behave. 26:25 Choosing AI before it was mainstream required risk: Kelvin’s decision to pursue AI in 2018 became the most defining and courageous move of his career. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/kelvin-chan-inside-google-ai WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea Spotify English: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T Bahasa Indonesia: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Vs8t6qPo0eFb4o6zOmiVZ Chinese: https://open.spotify.com/show/20AGbzHhzFDWyRTbHTVDJR Vietnamese: https://open.spotify.com/show/0yqd3Jj0I19NhN0h8lWrK1 YouTube  English: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu?sub_confirmation=1 Apple Podcast  English: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464 #GoogleAI #ArtificialIntelligence #AIResearch #FutureOfAI #TechCareers #MachineLearning #DeepLearning #AITrends #AIatScale #BRAVEpodcast

China analyst and Momentum Works founder Jianggan joins Jeremy Au to break down how US–China tensions evolved through a year of tariffs, rare earth leverage, supply chain shocks, and fast-moving geopolitical swings. They examine why both sides misread each other, how Chinese companies adapted faster than expected, and why the global system settled into a tactical pause instead of a decisive split. Their discussion shows how on-the-ground China differs from Western narratives, how product iteration and factory conditions changed under competitive pressure, and why neither side can force a quick victory. Jianggan also shares insights from thirteen trips across China as he tracks e-commerce exporters, shifting macro sentiment, and the emerging negotiation patterns that shape 2026. 02:28 US tariffs aimed to hurt China but failed to break its exporters: Chinese firms diversified markets, adjusted production, and kept shipping strong volumes even as analysts expected collapse. 03:08 China deployed rare earths and soybeans as leverage: Beijing used export controls, licensing rules, and supply pivots to respond in structured tit for tat moves that surprised US policymakers. 07:04 A tactical pause replaced escalation: Both sides realized they could not win quickly, creating a fragile equilibrium shaped by low trust but stable expectations. 10:06 Factory floors tell a different story: Air-conditioned warehouses, livestreamed food production, one dollar meals, and rising worker savings show a more complex China than what headlines describe. 21:12 Chinese product cycles sped up dramatically: Exporters improved quality within a year, added more features, and stayed cheaper, putting global incumbents under real pressure. 26:26 Narratives on both sides miss the nuance: Sensational media framing and echo chambers make Americans underestimate China and make Chinese underestimate America. 29:06 TikTok deal shows coexistence is possible: Restructuring turned adversaries into stakeholders and created a template for how cross-border platforms can operate under political pressure. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/jianggan-li-chinas-counterplay Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/engineering-soft-landings WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea Spotify English: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T Bahasa Indonesia: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Vs8t6qPo0eFb4o6zOmiVZ Chinese: https://open.spotify.com/show/20AGbzHhzFDWyRTbHTVDJR Vietnamese: https://open.spotify.com/show/0yqd3Jj0I19NhN0h8lWrK1 YouTube  English: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu?sub_confirmation=1 Apple Podcast  English: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464 #USChinaRelations #Geopolitics #ChinaEconomy #TradeWar #RareEarths #GlobalSupplyChains #SoutheastAsiaTech #TariffTalks #MarketDynamics #BRAVEpodcast

Lance Katigbak, Principal at BCG Manila, joins Jeremy Au to break down why Filipino households, not individuals, are the true drivers of economic decisions in the Philippines. Drawing from BCG’s large scale research on the Filipino family, they explore how family structures shape spending, saving, and borrowing behavior, and why health risk sits at the center of financial anxiety. The conversation covers multi earner and extended households, the role of informal lending, and how overseas Filipino workers remain deeply involved in family decisions from abroad. Lance also explains why most products miss the market by designing for individuals, and how companies can unlock real opportunity by building for the household instead. 03:25 Filipino families fall into six major structures: Nuclear families make up less than half of households, with one earner, dual earner, and multi earner families each representing about a third of the population. 09:07 Informal lenders understand households better than banks: Five six lenders assess family level ability to repay, unlike formal finance that underwrites individuals. 13:01 Debt is driven by medical necessity: Paying off debt is the top priority for the poorest families, with health emergencies as the main trigger for borrowing. 18:35 Overseas Filipino workers anchor household budgets: OFWs send home most of their income and remain actively involved in family decisions through constant communication. 23:17 The Filipino dream centers on family security: Top goals are financial protection against health shocks and starting small stable businesses. 29:16 Spending roles differ by gender: Women often manage savings and budgets while men more often handle investments and hardware purchases. 32:04 Families seek modest upgrades, not luxury: Aspirations focus on stress free groceries, affordable dining out, and daily stability rather than status. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/lance-katigbak-filipino-money-decisions WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea Spotify English: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T Bahasa Indonesia: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Vs8t6qPo0eFb4o6zOmiVZ Chinese: https://open.spotify.com/show/20AGbzHhzFDWyRTbHTVDJR Vietnamese: https://open.spotify.com/show/0yqd3Jj0I19NhN0h8lWrK1 YouTube  English: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu?sub_confirmation=1 Apple Podcast  English: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464 #PhilippineEconomy #FilipinoFamilies #HouseholdDecisions #HealthRisk #OFWLife #FinancialBehavior #EmergingMarkets #FamilyFirst #SEATech #BRAVEpodcast