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Regional News & Deep Dives
- Shiyan Koh, Managing Partner of Hustle Fund, discussed the privatization of NTUC Income Insurance via Allianz majority-stake acquisition, Singapore's "123" nuclear deal with America, and good vs. bad startup ideas.
- Jianggan Li, CEO of Momentum Works, shared about China's societal 'involution' (内卷) and how domestic perfect competition storm is leading to Indonesia and American tariffs.
- Adriel Yong, Head of Investments at Ascend Angels, listed the founder mistakes, accounting tricks and frauds that regional VCs and employees should be vigilant about.
- Gita Sjahrir, Head of Investment at BNI Ventures, explained Prabowo's decision to increase Indonesia's debt-to-GDP ratio from 39% to 50% for programs like free school lunches for children.
- Jeremy Au reflected on his personal motivation for joining Lucence, a startup focused on early cancer detection and "algostorms" - unpredictable social media “weather systems” driven by algorithms that prioritize engagement over truth.
Popular Interviews
- Htay Aung: Anywheel Founder Struggles, Winning The Bike-sharing War & Rejecting VC & Acquisition Offers: Htay as a Burmese immigrant student bootstrapped bike-sharing Anywheel into Singapore’s market leader, and outcompeted multiple local and China VC-backed startups through capital efficiency, regulatory compliance and IoT investment foresight.
- Huiting Koh: Solo General Partner (GP) Experience, Gen Z vs. Generation Alpha & Blueprint's Distinctive Strategy: Huiting tackled the challenges of founding Blueprint Ventures, an early-stage consumer focused VC fund. She analyzed the evolving consumer behaviors across the region and why both startups and VCs need to understand what makes a solution “sticky.”
- Jeremy Tan: Cambridge Engineer & Harvard MBA, Founding Tin Men Capital & Fatherhood Insights: A playful student evolved into an aspiring refinery chemical engineer and eventually successful VC general partner. He shares his reflections as a father of teenagers and how it translates to startups.
- Jingjing Zhong: UC Berkeley to Investment Banking, General Manager Firefighting & Superbench Services AI Founder: Jingjing learned to say no to a prestigious investment banking job (and her cultural training for financial security) to pursue her passion for fast-paced startup general management and eventually founding her own company.
- DJ Tan: Prince of Fermentation, Coffee Without Beans & Government Food Scientist: DJ made kimchi as part of his A*STAR day job, and eventually became a fermentation specialist for Singapore’s nightlife. His foodtech startup is now replicating the taste, aroma and brewing process for coffee using fermentation of bread and soy.
- Patrick Linden: Dealguru $34M Acquisition, Southeast Asia Roll-Up Strategy & Match.asia M&A Marketplace: Patrick launched Dealguru, one of the region’s first Groupon-like ecommerce sites, which executed the regional roll-up strategy. He also discussed how his new marketplace will ease the process for mid-market merger and acquisition transactions.
Community News
We’d like to congratulate Robert Huynh and Reforged Labs for securing a $3.9M seed round led by global venture capital firm DCM. Check out his episode on product-market fit reiteration and his transition from a finance and strategy role at Microsoft and Google to founding a startup in Vietnam.
Sherry Jiang, cofounder of Bluejay Finance, was featured by Business Insider for her impressive seven-figure net worth and her investment strategy, including her "10x in 10 years" bets, with a recent focus on Palantir amid the AI boom. Read about her insights on the collapse of FTX balancing strategic planning with rapid execution in the crypto space.
Bhavik Vashi was highlighted in an HRM Asia article for his insights on innovative approaches to talent management and compensation in response to economic shift. Discover more about his perspective on the nuances of building B2B SaaS products in Asia and the ethical considerations of AI in businesses.
Notable Press & Listener Feedback
- "Great insights from an exceptional podcast featuring Sean Ellis and Jeremy Au. Your ability to facilitate these discussions is truly commendable." - Roshan Raj
- "Thank you Jeremy! I've resonated with this a lot. It's really important to know what brings joy and excitement in your life." - Grace Gumula
- “I like the fact that it centers around Southeast Asia. There hasn't been many and this really filled that gap for me. I haven't been in the space for long so the regionalized insights and learnings shared in each episode really do help shape my thoughts and perspectives. I appreciate episodes that discuss recent developments in the region (Flash's exit from Singapore, Tiktok ban in Indonesia, etc.). The conversations touch upon market behavior at large and I find the different perspectives valuable.” - Jeslyn Lim
Best Read
Julie Poole's 'Tired of Losing' discussed the complex relationship between Americans and the booming self-storage industry: hoarding both material possessions and emotional baggage. Beyond wondering whether/ how/ when the self-storage industry would work in Southeast Asia, I was also reflecting on Marie Kondo's decluttering philosophy by only retaining items that “spark joy.” Being kind and verbalizing thanks to personal items is key to letting go and having a fresh start. Applies to memories and bad experiences as well.
Quote
“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.” - Haruki Murakami
Reflection
“I find it very therapeutic and helpful to write about myself. The more you write honestly about who you really are, the more you realize whether you find the right people in your life.” - Sao Lonsdale
Growing up in a military compound in Vietnam, Sao Lonsdale's life was far from the entrepreneurial world she would later thrive in. Enclosed within the regimented lifestyle of a military family, Sao yearned for a sense of belonging and a place where her dreams could soar beyond the confines of her immediate surroundings. Her journey to the United States marked a transformative chapter where she truly felt like a "fish in the water," basking in the opportunities and freedoms that were once beyond her reach. This was not just a change of scenery, but a profound awakening of her aspirations. This paved the way for her bold venture into entrepreneurship with LIXIBOX, transforming Vietnam’s beauty industry. Sao’s story is a testament to the power of embracing change, even when they lead to unfamiliar territories.
Which environments make you feel like a "fish in the water," where you thrive and feel most aligned with your potential? Reflect on transitions in your life that have felt particularly transformative or liberating.
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Stay Brave!
Jeremy Au