• BRAVE10: The Singapore Edition

    This book anthology showcases the top 10 journeys of Singapore's technology leaders. Inspire the next generation of leaders to tackle our region's challenges. Profits from book sales are donated to The Codette Project, which helps minority women break into tech and improve the diversity of our startup ecosystem.

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  • “Courage is what we all need now to remake a better society and economy post-pandemic. A timely read about leaders who have stewarded their time, talent and teams to create a city of good. I also salute the BRAVE team for donating the profits to support a more inclusive digital ecosystem.”

    Melissa Kwee, CEO at National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre

    "A must-read for those wanting a behind-the-scenes view of tough personal and professional decisions. Learning the reality prepares aspiring leaders for the difficult yet rewarding journey ahead."

    Mohan Belani, Founder & CEO at e27

    "BRAVE makes a compelling case that beyond capital, purpose is the true scarce resource. These pioneers are thus driven to live on the edge with grit and perseverance. You will finish the book and ask yourself, "What is my why?"​

    Carmen Yuen, Partner at Vertex Ventures

    "This anthology of diverse voices represents the vibrancy of Singapore's tech landscape. Reading this book will excite you about what the future holds for the whole community." ​

    Juliana Chan, Founder & CEO at Wildtype Media

    “Startups involve many tough choices and I’m glad more Southeast Asians are taking risks and starting companies. This BRAVE Singapore Edition will inspire the next generation to transform millions of lives for the better with technology.”

    Peng T. Ong, Founding Partner at Monk's Hill Ventures

  • Book Launch

    We were happy to launch with the BRAVE community on August 26, 2022 with the help of the following speakers:
    1. Alvin Tan, Minister of State for Ministry of Trade and Industry & Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. Board Member, Monetary Authority of Singapore

    2. Koh Shiyan, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Hustle Fund
    3. Sandhya Sriram, Co-Founder & CEO at Shiok Meats

    4. Nurul Jihadah Hussain, Founder of The Codette Project

    5. Goh Yiping, Partner at Quest Ventures

    6. Mohan Belani, Co-Founder & CEO at e27

    7. John Tan, Founder & CEO of Doyobi and Saturday Kids

    Building Diversity & Inclusion in Southeast Asia’s Technology Ecosystem

    Talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not. How do we ensure that the future of the technology ecosystem is more diverse and inclusive than what it is today? What is the responsibility of startup founders and their investors in this journey? How can tech media shine a light on underrepresented voices?

     

    Southeast Asia VC Outlook Over The Next Decade

    Rising interest rates, the Ukraine war, startups winding down. Some people view that Southeast Asia’s VC landscape went from boom to gloom over the last 12 months. How are VCs thinking about the current funding reset? Where are the bright spots across geographies, sectors and business models? How should founders and operators adapt to these trends?

     

    Founder Mission, Values and Gritty Realities

    With the success of homegrown startups over the past decade, the desire to be a founder has never been stronger. What does it mean to be a founder to you? What drives you and the values you espouse in your startups? How do you and the team keep going when the going gets tough? Finally, beyond the glitz and glamor, what are the gritty realities that others do not see in your lives as founders?

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  • FOREWORD

    Startups are key engines of innovation. They help create new products and services to address unmet market needs, transform existing industries, create new ones, and accelerate the shift towards an innovation-driven economy. Tech startups, in particular, have catalysed the move towards digitalisation.

    Working in the tech space is fun, fresh and exciting, but it also requires grit, tenacity, hard work and an entrepreneurial spirit. Things are never static. They change rapidly and you need to adjust, pre-empt and act. I’ve experienced this first hand working at companies like Facebook (now Meta) and LinkedIn (Microsoft) before I joined the government. You have to always be on your toes.

    Jeremy’s BRAVE10 Inaugural Anthology features 10 tech leaders from Singapore, all of whom were on Jeremy’s renowned BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast. I’ve met some of the names on the list, and have learned from their own tech startup journey.

    A key theme in the anthology that stood out for me is the importance of building a strong mentoring culture. I’m happy to know that several of the featured tech leaders like Yiping were beneficiaries of mentorship, and are now paying it forward to help other younger leaders in the tech space. This spirit of paying it forward will help our startup ecosystem to continue to flourish. Having been a beneficiary of mentoring myself, I know what a difference mentors can make.

    Another important theme that the anthology highlighted is the need for greater diversity and inclusion in the tech sector. I believe our tech landscape will only become more vibrant and exciting if we are able to encourage people of diverse backgrounds, cultures and experiences to contribute and share their ideas. I was personally inspired by the journey taken by some of the tech leaders like Sandhya, Nurul and Jonathan who had to overcome various obstacles on their journey to where they are today. Their backgrounds and experiences inspire.

    Thank you Jeremy and Adriel for taking time to painstakingly document the stories of these outstanding and intrepid tech leaders. These stories have and will inspire generations of tech leaders to come, and serve as a repository of knowledge for those who follow. I cannot wait to see how these stories inspire innovation and enterprise!

    Sincerely,

    Alvin Tan

  • PREFACE

    Jeremy Au

    Back in 1996, my childhood dream was to be a medical researcher. I was a young boy amazed by Dr. David Ho, TIME’s “Person of the Year.” I loved his courage in helping people survive the HIV & AIDS epidemic through contrarian problem-solving and pushing the boundaries of science. As I grew older, this hero underpinned my professional career in bettering lives through the spirit of entrepreneurship.

    In retrospect, I now realize why I had been so thrilled seeing him on the front cover of this red-bordered American magazine. Dr. David Ho showed me that Asians could be successful on the global stage. Unknowingly, this youth had found a life-long role model thanks to the editors’ intentional choice from their office across the world.


    Representation matters. Over the years, I had increasingly craved to hear from Southeast Asia about mission, humanity, adversity, failure and redemption, no matter the final outcome. That’s why I started the BRAVE podcast - to find and hear these tales for myself.

    Imagine my surprise to find that this passion project resonated with so many people across the region and beyond. We were thankful to gain the support from tens of thousands of followers, ranked in the top 10% of podcasts globally and received weekly listener testimonials about personal moments of authenticity that they had appreciated.

    For this anthology, the BRAVE team has curated the top 10 stories that shine a light on real leadership journeys within Singapore. We’ve dedicated the profits from this book towards The Codette Project, a local nonprofit improving minority women representation in technology. In time to come, we will expand this series to spotlight more amazing adventures in Indonesia, Vietnam and more.

    We hope that you draw inspiration from the reflections shared within these pages, just like a young boy did in 1996. The highs, lows and every moment in between.

    Stay brave!

    Sincerely,
    Jeremy

Jeremy Au © 2023

 

I’m responsible for what I say. All analysis, humor, interpretations, errors and swear words are my own personal responsibility. These are my own thoughts, generated by me, representing me. Of course, you should not rely on anything in the blog as legal, financial, accounting, investment, tax, or any other kind of regulated advice. I’m a dad who enjoys working with startups and sharing with the world uncommon insights and reflections.

 

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