Tiang Lim Foo: Start-Up Governance, VC Math Reality & How AI Is Rewiring SEA Startups – E610

"Ultimately optimistic about the long-term viability of Southeast Asia as an ecosystem. I do think innovation and the pace of technology doesn't change; it will still be a positive force for the region. There's a lot of work to be done collectively as an ecosystem, whether it's founders, investors, you and I, and the wider capital markets. I'm still pretty optimistic." - Tiang Lim Foo, General Partner at Forge Ventures  

Tiang Lim Foo, General Partner at Forge Ventures, and Jeremy Au discussed how Southeast Asia’s tech and venture capital landscape is evolving through cycles of hype, correction, and AI-driven transformation. They unpack the eFishery scandal as a clearing event, reframe expectations around exits, and debate whether venture capital remains viable in a region where only one unicorn appears every four years. They explore the split between local and global-first startups, how AI is reviving SaaS through productivity gains, and why only a few VC funds will likely outperform. Tiang also shares how fatherhood shaped his leadership style and how delayed gratification builds better founders and better kids.