Edtech's Real Buyers, Startup Law Traps and Why Founders Need Better Equity Deals - E593

“So the first agreement that I have to talk about is what I call the founder's agreement, and this is quite key because founders often have a very messy birth process or conception process for what the startup looks like. So what I mean by that is that founders are often meeting new founders, they're hiring new employees, they're attracting customers—they are often doing this without a company. So there's no legal company, there's no legal agreement technically, so it may be two people working in a room and they're just saying ‘I want to work with you.’ And sometimes those teams break up, and then a new founder comes in or a new employee comes in. So what often happens is that the founder's agreement is quite key.” - Jeremy Au, Host of BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast

Jeremy Au breaks down the hidden risks in Southeast Asia’s edtech sector and early-stage startup law. He explains why edtech often fails to scale, how founder disputes emerge without early agreements, and why choosing the right jurisdiction like Singapore matters for survival. From investor alignment to taxation nightmares, this episode guides founders through the hard truths of building legally sound and scalable ventures.