Afleveringen
-
Jianggan Li, Founder of Momentum Works speaks with Jeremy Au to unpack how the US-China trade conflict is reshaping global manufacturing, trust in international trade, and Southeast Asia’s role in the crossfire. They explore why businesses are stuck in limbo, how Vietnam and Cambodia became unintended casualties, and what diversification looks like when no one trusts the rules anymore. The two dive into historical analogies, business strategy, and what Chinese multinationals might do next to weather the storm.
01:01 Tariffs surprised both sides and confused manufacturers: China and the US escalated their trade war with aggressive tariffs, leaving factories unsure whether to pause, relocate, or wait.
02:33 Vietnam and Cambodia were hit despite trying to stay neutral: US tariffs targeting Vietnam shocked businesses who had just begun shifting supply chains there, triggering rapid reassessments.
05:21 China prepared a response toolkit in advance: The central government had studied scenarios and released policies, stimulus packages, and papers to manage the impact without acting impulsively.
13:32 The bond market backlash exposed real risks: Rising interest rates from global uncertainty threaten America’s ability to maintain its debt-fueled spending, raising fears across both sides.
17:52 Diversification became a necessity, not a strategy: Both Chinese exporters and Southeast Asian governments are now exploring more trade partners, not relying solely on China or the US.
24:32 New markets are opening up for cross-border trade: With the US less predictable, Chinese firms are turning to Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia to grow exports and presence.
30:04 China’s domestic consumption still lags behind: Without boosting local confidence and spending, China’s manufacturing surplus will continue spilling into foreign markets and intensifying competition.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/jianggan-li-when-trade-trust-breaks
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
-
Jeremy Au unpacks how startup failure patterns often begin with charisma unchecked by execution. He explores how founders can avoid false starts, the real reason repeat founders succeed, and why the value of VCs and angels depends on founder maturity. The episode draws parallels between entrepreneurship and professional disciplines like medicine, stressing the need for coaching, humility, and peer learning to improve success odds.
00:54 The Yin-Yang of Founding Teams: Jeremy emphasizes that founding success hinges on pairing sales charisma with product execution, using Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak as archetypes.
04:14 Founder Failure Patterns: Founders fail early when they believe their own hype; trial-and-error has now been replaced by codified frameworks like Lean Startup and Zero to One.
10:13 Repeat Founder Advantage: Successful founders are more likely to succeed again due to better market timing and resource magnetism.
13:57 VC Value Hierarchy: Borrowing from Maslow, Jeremy outlines a VC value pyramid capital, reliability, reinvestment, governance, networks, and coaching.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/avoiding-founder-failure
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
-
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
-
Elena Chow, Founder of ConnectOne and Jeremy Au reconnect after three years to examine how Southeast Asia’s hiring landscape evolved from rapid expansion to cautious, AI-aware decision-making. They explore how employer expectations have become more structured, why talent strategies now vary across the region, and what individuals must do to stay employable in the decade ahead. Their discussion covers the rise of Malaysia as a hiring hub, Vietnam’s growing edge despite language challenges, and how automation is reshaping job functions. Elena also shares her “skills, markets, and industries of the future” framework, helping professionals make better career moves through strategic alignment.
02:00 Hiring shifted from urgency to intentionality: Employers now plan roles more carefully, focusing on outcomes and cost rather than headcount.
04:30 Fractional and contract talent went mainstream: On-demand expertise has become more accepted as startups look to stay lean and agile.
06:43 Malaysia emerged as a sweet spot for tech hiring: Its talent pool is multilingual, well-educated, and more cost-effective than Singapore’s.
08:54 Indonesia's talent bubble burst post-unicorn boom: Average workers were overpaid during the boom and are now facing tough salary corrections.
22:02 AI adoption is redefining job replacement logic: Firms are evaluating AI tools before rehiring, making automation the first line of action.
12:00 Vietnam’s talent quality rises despite English gap: With strong work ethic and improving tools, Vietnam’s engineers are becoming regionally competitive.
29:34 Future-proof careers need 3-point alignment: Elena urges jobseekers to evaluate roles through the lens of future-ready skills, growth markets, and promising industries.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/elena-chow-hiring-vs-ai
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
-
David He, partner at Gunderson Dettmer sits down with Jeremy Au to dissect Southeast Asia’s shifting startup and legal terrain. From the fallout of the eFishery scandal to the rise of ESG compliance and convertible notes, they explore how investor behavior and founder strategies are evolving. The discussion highlights governance gaps, tougher diligence, and why regional funding optimism may have stalled again.
07:12 E-Fishery Scandal as a Southeast Asian Theranos: David compares eFishery’s collapse to Theranos—highlighting financial mismanagement, weak controls, and how one scandal can shake an entire region’s credibility.
10:25 Due Diligence Now Takes Months, Not Weeks: Term sheets are no longer quick investors stretch due diligence timelines, run legal and commercial checks in parallel, and uncover more issues late in the process.
12:38 Surge in Use of Convertible Notes: Investors increasingly prefer convertible notes for their downside protection and maturity leverage, especially during uncertain market conditions.
19:15 ESG & Compliance Burden Rising for Founders: Startups now face investor-mandated ESG, AML, and governance standards originally meant for large institutions—often without the internal capacity to manage them.
24:32 Tariffs Trigger Global Uncertainty, Slow Exits: Trump-era tariffs hit Indonesia and Vietnam, affecting investor confidence and delaying IPOs and M&A despite startups themselves not being directly impacted.
27:11 Philippines Up, Indonesia Down: The Philippines is gaining momentum with underexposure and English fluency, while Indonesia cools down from overinvestment and post-eFishery fallout.
30:05 Down Rounds Are Less Stigmatized: Founders and investors alike are more open to valuation markdowns, with flexible deal terms helping break the deadlock in difficult fundraising climates.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/david-he-scandal-shakes-trust
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
-
Jeremy Au breaks down why most startups fail and why it’s rarely just one thing. Backed by funnel data and battle-tested case studies, he reveals six patterns that repeatedly kill ventures, no matter how visionary the founders are. From premature scaling to bad macro timing, this talk shows how failure is often structural, not personal.
00:05 Startup Funnel Reality: Out of 1,100 seed-funded U.S. startups, only 12 reached unicorn status. Failure happens at seed, Series A, Series B and beyond.
01:26 Case Study: Jibo’s $73M Fall: The world’s first social robot died from engineering overruns, leadership disruption, and Amazon’s cheaper, voice-only Echo.
03:53 Defining Failure: A startup fails when early investors don’t get their money back regardless of user love, media buzz, or product quality.
08:00 Six Killer Patterns: Startups fail from co-founder misalignment, building without validation, misreading early traction, scaling too fast, bad timing, or relying on too many risky bets—all seen in cases like Quincy Apparel, Triangulate, Baroo, Fab.com, and Iridium.
22:40 Rebound & Revenge: Failed founders often bounce back—some become professors, others launch billion-dollar revenge startups like Rippling and Anduril.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/anatomy-of-startup-failure
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
-
Joanna Yeo, founder and CEO of Arukah and former institutional investor, speaks with Jeremy Au to explore how Southeast Asia’s agri-waste can be transformed into a global carbon credit engine. They unpack how her education at Harvard, Cambridge, and Stanford shaped a mission to connect vulnerable communities to opportunity, and how she learned from finance, blockchain, and rapid tech scaling to build a climate startup grounded in data, incentives, and farmer equity. Joanna shares why embedded finance failed to scale in agri, how she discovered the commercial viability of biochar and biogas, and why her company commits 50 percent of carbon revenue to participating farmers. The conversation highlights how Southeast Asia’s agriculture base, low-cost advantage, and digital infrastructure can lead the world in transparent, high-trust climate solutions if builders focus on real data, real problems, and real upside sharing.
05:05 The Impact of Education on Joanna's Career: Gratitude and exposure to global inequality led her to a clear goal to connect vulnerable people to markets at scale.
10:46 First Steps in Finance: Private Equity and Morgan Stanley: She learned how capital shapes the world, how sustainability can be measurable, and how investment logic is structured.
20:38 Reflecting on a Rapid Growth Journey: Joining a unicorn gave her a close look at how top tech firms manage speed, tracking, and execution discipline.
22:28 Addressing Poverty in Southeast Asia: Joanna links her mission back to the post-pandemic data showing up to 100 million people falling below $2/day.
23:16 Founding a Climate Tech and Agritech Startup: She founded Arukah to bring embedded financing and carbon monetization to underserved farming communities.
28:50 Building Sustainable Business Models: After embedded finance proved unreliable, she pivoted toward waste conversion with high verification standards.
36:49 Commitment to Farmers and Long-Term Vision: Bravery means holding the line on fairness Arukah gives farmers 50% of carbon revenue and builds with long-term trust.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/joanna-yeo-turning-farm-waste-to-wealth
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
-
Felix Collins, founder of Full Circle Biotech, speaks with Jeremy Au about how biology, not machines, is transforming the future of food. Felix shares how his company turns agricultural waste into affordable, high-quality protein using insects, fungi, and bacteria. They unpack why SEA farmers care more about savings than slogans, how superstition meets pragmatism on shrimp farms, and how skipping big feed mills unlocked faster scale. Felix also opens up about building alone in a basement with buckets of waste, and why cost, not carbon credits, is the real key to decarbonizing food systems. It's a candid look at resilience, innovation, and why Southeast Asia may lead the next global food revolution.
02:22 Insect Farming as a Protein Solution: Early efforts to teach contract farmers in Kenya failed; he shifted to centralized operations to reduce complexity and improve scale.
05:11 Farmers Adopt Cost-Saving Tools, Not New Habits: Felix found that Southeast Asian farmers don’t chase productivity—they adopt tools that reduce cost and keep daily routines intact.
13:20 Scaling Without Feed Mill Support: With no guaranteed offtake from large feed companies, Full Circle started producing and selling its own pellets to collect farmer data and grow sales.
24:35 Southeast Asia is Agritech’s Edge: Fragmented supply chains and extreme price sensitivity make the region ideal for fast adoption of low-carbon, affordable feed solutions.
29:00 Carbon Credits Are Unreliable: Felix explains that while carbon credits are theoretically valuable, their volatility and complexity make them less effective than carbon taxes or direct market incentives for driving real change in food systems.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/felix-collins-feed-from-waste
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
-
Jeremy Au pulls back the curtain on Southeast Asia’s high-stakes venture capital world where 5,000 startups fight through the jungle, but only 10 reach the expressway. It’s a ruthless game of asymmetric bets, power-law outcomes, and make-or-break timing. He reveals what really happens inside VC firms: how general partners juggle investor pressure with founder bets, why a single breakout startup matters more than dozens of average ones, and how the best founders move faster than anyone expects. You’ll hear about billion-dollar exits, internal prioritization dynamics, and why follow-on capital is often more political than rational.
01:11 GPs Must Master Dual Survival Skills: Jeremy explains that general partners in VC funds must do two high-cost, high-stakes things: invest in the right startups, and raise capital from limited partners like sovereign funds and endowments each with different return horizons and motivations.
03:57 Real Case Studies: 50x in 3 Years, 10x in 1: He shares two explosive examples: Sequoia’s $60M investment in WhatsApp returned $3B (a 50x return in 3 years), and a Danish startup acquired by Sonos returned 10x in one year without ever launching a product.
07:00 VC Funnel: Brutal Qualification from 5,000 to 10: A sample Southeast Asia VC sees ~5,000 startups a year. 3,500–4,000 are immediately disqualified. 300 are prioritized. 100 get diligence. 10 get funded. Most never get a meeting, let alone a check.
10:32 Exit Scenarios: Billion-Dollar Choices & Regret: Jeremy breaks down how VCs navigate exits via shutdowns, talent acquisitions, or full IPOs. He contrasts Instagram (sold early to Facebook) vs. Snapchat (held out), and shows how Sea Group, Goto, and Grab all exited differently.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/southeast-asias-startup-gauntlet
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
-
Jeremy Au speaks with Raagulan Pathy, founder and CEO of Cast and former APAC head at Circle, to break down the structural shift underway in global finance. They explore how stablecoins, particularly USD-backed ones like USDC, offer a new digital foundation for cross-border banking, especially in economies plagued by inflation, capital controls, and financial instability. The conversation unpacks why traditional banks are failing globally mobile users, how dollarization is accelerating through crypto rails, and why sovereign currencies in smaller nations may not survive the next wave of financial decentralization. They also debate the long-term tension between U.S. crypto regulation and dollar dominance, and why Southeast Asia must build self-sustaining economies instead of relying on exports. Raagulan shares his vision for a flatter financial world where anyone, anywhere, can participate in a global economy without being constrained by local systems.
05:32 Stablecoins Enable Global Financial Access: Stablecoins like USDC give users a secure, borderless way to hold and move dollars especially valuable in countries facing inflation, devaluation, or banking instability.
11:41 Global Dollarization Is Accelerating: Raagulan forecasts that stablecoin-driven dollarization will peak around 2040 as smaller national currencies struggle to compete with the liquidity and reach of the U.S. dollar.
10:00 Traditional Banks Struggle with Global Customers: Even in advanced economies, traditional banks are ill-equipped to handle globally mobile users, leading to compliance headaches and service breakdowns.
25:05 Crypto Rails Will Power the Future of Finance: The conversation separates the role of crypto as currency from crypto as infrastructure, emphasizing that universal crypto rails will underpin all global financial transactions.
20:35 U.S. Crypto Policy Is Conflicted, but Will Evolve: The U.S. government's stance on crypto has swung between crackdown and support, but Raagulan sees a middle-ground policy emerging that balances innovation and control.
38:30 Southeast Asia Must Shift from Export-Led Growth: Countries like Vietnam and Indonesia can’t rely solely on exports to the U.S.; they must modernize governance, stimulate local demand, and grow service industries.
27:00 A Freer Financial World Is the Endgame: Raagulan envisions a financial system where opportunity isn’t tied to birthplace. Crypto and stablecoins could flatten the playing field for billions globally.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/stablecoins-vs-broken-banking
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
-
Jeremy Au and Gita discussed the challenges of doing business in Indonesia, particularly the issue of "preman" (gangster) culture, its effects on businesses, and potential ways to mitigate this issue. They also addressed systemic corruption, the importance of legal reforms, and how emerging markets can better integrate informal sectors.
02:55 Understanding Preman Culture: Gita explains the origins and persistence of "preman" (gangster) culture in Indonesia, which has been affecting businesses since the colonial era.
06:25 Challenges in Emerging Markets: The conversation delves into the systemic challenges businesses face in emerging markets, focusing on rent-seeking behavior and law enforcement inefficiencies.
13:53 Public Sector and Corruption: Gita discusses the impact of low wages in Indonesia's public sector, which fosters rent-seeking behavior and creates a corrupt environment, affecting businesses of all sizes.
16:27 Taxation and Revenue Challenges: The difficulties of implementing effective tax systems in Indonesia are explored, highlighting inefficiencies in tracking citizens and businesses, further complicating the economic landscape.
18:50 Empowering Local Leaders: Gita proposes a solution to collaborate with local citizenry groups by offering them formal roles and contracts to integrate them into the formal economy.
20:29 Fragmented Organizations and Turf Wars: Gita explains how Indonesia's informal preman groups are fragmented, with turf wars between different factions and some being backed by political entities, making it hard to address the issue centrally.
24:13 Fraud Confession and Its Implications: The discussion touches on the eFishery founder's fraud confession and its wider implications for the Indonesian startup ecosystem, where systemic issues of dishonesty and lack of legal consequences persist.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/indonesia-gangsters-vs-byd-vinfast
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
-
Jeremy Au breaks down how Limited Partners shape the Southeast Asia venture capital landscape and why founders should care. He explores the hidden motivations of sovereign wealth funds, endowments, corporations, and family offices, and how they quietly influence funding decisions. Jeremy reveals how startups move through brutal funding stages, why VCs compete fiercely at the same stage yet collaborate across them, and how different VC fund strategies from index portfolios to venture builders change founder outcomes. Finally, he dives into the race for proprietary information, sharing how top VCs win deals before competitors even know they exist. This conversation is essential for founders navigating opaque markets and VCs fighting to stay sharp in a crowded field.
00:00 LP Motives Shape VC Bets: Jeremy reveals how sovereign funds, endowments, and corporates invest with different goals that impact founders' funding journeys.
01:54 Hidden Pressures Behind LP Capital: LP expectations for returns, diversification, and learning create invisible forces that shape VC-founding dynamics.
04:11 Brutal Startup Journey & Death Valleys: From FFF to IPO, Jeremy explains why early-stage founders face tough gaps and why VCs step in selectively.
08:41 Four VC Fund Playbooks Explained: Jeremy breaks down index portfolios, concentrated bets, multistage giants, and venture builders and what each means for startups.
14:23 Winning in the Sourcing Race: Why speed, proprietary information, and reference checks separate top VCs from the rest in Southeast Asia's fast-moving markets.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/ventures-invisible-war
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
-
Jeremy Au reconnects with Maria Li to explore how Tech in Asia is navigating Southeast Asia’s startup winter, generative AI disruption, and corporate acquisition pressures while maintaining community-first values. Together, they discuss AI experimentation, acquisition integration, leadership dynamics, and balancing the demands of modern media and parenthood. The discussion highlights lessons in adapting to rapid change, staying transparent, and making intentional choices in business and life.
01:36 Tech Winter and Paywall Strategy: Maria explains how Southeast Asia’s startup slowdown pushed Tech in Asia to loosen its paywall, balancing revenue with keeping the community informed during tougher times.
03:51 Navigating AI and Market Changes: AI disrupted the media landscape. Maria shares how they are experimenting with AI-generated content and new product ideas to stay relevant and useful for their audience.
05:20 The SPH Acquisition Experience: The acquisition brought benefits but also slower corporate processes. Maria highlights protecting startup culture by selectively opting into SPH’s systems while keeping focus on core operations.
10:15 Reflections on the COO Role: Maria describes how market pressures shifted her COO role towards sales, HR, and nimble operations, emphasizing clear communication and alignment with CEO Willis.
19:01 AI’s Impact on Media and Proprietary Data: With AI commoditizing general news, Maria sees proprietary startup data and scoops as key advantages that keep Tech in Asia essential and differentiated.
27:54 The Role of Media in Information Distribution: Media reduces opacity in Southeast Asia’s tech scene. Maria cites Glass Wall as a tool that surfaced hidden industry knowledge, helping founders avoid bad actors.
40:27 Parenting in the Digital Age: Maria shares her parenting approach limiting social media, allowing moderated screen time, and using AI for productive learning while delaying harmful exposure.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/maria-li-parenting-publishing-and-ai-panic
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
-
Jeremy Au and Shiyan discuss Singapore’s election outcomes, unpacking voter behavior, opposition growth, independent candidates, and future policy challenges. They reflect on global trends, local issues like housing and education, and how politics, tech, and business intersect in a rapidly changing world.
01:27 Surprising Election Results: PAP exceeded expectations, rising above 66% vote share. Workers' Party retained voter support in key wards. Analysts underestimated incumbency and voter desire for stability.
06:10 PAP's Communication Strategy: Lawrence Wong and other leaders used podcasts and longer formats effectively. Jeremy highlights how this humanized the PAP and resonated with younger, thoughtful voters.
15:50 Independent Candidate Jeremy Tan: Jeremy Tan stood out with tech-forward and well-researched policies. His CPF Bitcoin idea drew mixed reactions but sparked debate. Other proposals, like scam prevention, were seen as creative.
22:15 Future Challenges and Hopes: Jeremy and Shiyan express concerns about AI, education readiness, and global trade risks. Singapore faces the challenge of adapting its economy if East-West trade tensions become permanent.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/incumbents-hold-strong
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
-
Jeremy Au shares how venture capital evaluates startups, using examples from crypto confusion, post-WWII VC history, and power law returns. He explains why founders often misunderstand their market type, how tech repeats old cycles, and how VCs structure investments. Speaking practically, he highlights why founders must communicate clearly and how VC math rewards big winners and tolerates many losses.
1. Founders often believe in Blue Ocean, but many are in Red Oceans. Almost all founders think their idea is unique, but many just add features.
2. Red Ocean founders should expect slower, efficient growth. VCs advise Red Ocean founders to grow carefully, accept slower returns.
3. Blue Ocean founders must clearly explain their differentiation. VCs become jaded and need clear explanations to believe in new categories.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/vc-judgement-patterns
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
-
Jeremy Au chats with Jed Ng, founder of AngelSchool.vc, about why he chose angel syndicates over VC funds as a faster, more flexible path to financial freedom. They discuss the current venture downturn as a rare opportunity, the gaps in angel education, and how Jed scaled his 1,400-member syndicate globally. Jed also shares how he evaluates founders and the hard truths of building solo in Southeast Asia’s venture scene.
1. Syndicate over fund by design: Jed explains why syndicates offer faster execution, greater flexibility, and more personal freedom compared to the 10-year commitment of VC funds.
2. Angel investing as a freedom strategy: He views angel investing not just as a financial play, but as a path to independence through systematic access to outsized returns.
3. Downturns are entry points: Jed frames the current venture slowdown as a rare opportunity—where long-term investors can “buy the dip” and build for the next upcycle.
4. Angel education is broken: While founders and VCs have support systems, angels don’t. Jed built Angel School to give new investors real tools—not just theory—to operate effectively.
5. Built global from day one: His syndicate scaled to 1,400 LPs across 14 countries using digital tools and inbound growth, proving that solo-led syndicates can operate at global scale.
6. Diligence isn’t just data: Jed looks beyond pitch decks to assess founder-market fit, sweat equity, and grit—focusing on long-term behavior over short-term polish.
7. Founder romanticism is risky: Not everyone should raise venture. Jed calls for filtering out hobbyist founders and backing only those who demonstrate true commitment and resilience.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/syndicates-over-funds
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
-
Jeremy Au and Rachel Wong unpack eFishery's founder’s public confession to systematic fraud. They dive into how cultural pressures, ecosystem gaps, and misplaced investor trust contributed to the fallout. They discuss the challenges of cross-border enforcement, the limits of traditional due diligence, and the real-world consequences for Southeast Asia’s startup reputation. Together, they reflect on how founders, investors, and regulators must learn from these failures to rebuild trust and resilience in the next cycle.
1. Founder confessed openly: The eFishery CEO admitted in a Bloomberg interview to falsifying numbers, directly exposing himself to criminal and civil legal risks.
2. Cross-border enforcement is weak: Rachel explains that without strong local enforcement or overseas assets, penalties against founders in emerging markets are hard to execute.
3. Culture of normalized fraud: The founder justified faking numbers by claiming it was common practice among Indonesian startups, though Jeremy and Rachel reject this excuse.
4. Investors and auditors missed the fraud: Despite hiring PwC and visiting farmers, due diligence failed because the founder orchestrated systematic deception through subsidiaries and coached farmers.
5. Utilitarian morality used to rationalize: The founder defended his actions by claiming the fraud helped fishermen and employees, which Rachel critiques as dangerous self-gaslighting.
6. Civil lawsuits unlikely: They points out that expensive litigation, low recovery odds, and coordination problems among investors make civil action improbable.
7.Southeast Asia’s startup credibility at risk: Both argue that if regulators fail to act on this clear case, it will cause long-term damage to trust and investment in the region.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/efishery-fraud-founder-confession
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
-
Jeremy Au shares insights into how venture capitalists evaluate early-stage startups in Southeast Asia. Speaking directly to aspiring founders, he breaks down how investors assess potential through three core lenses: exponential growth, clarity of thinking, and personal trust. Drawing on personal stories, failed bets, and breakout wins, he explains that execution matters more than the idea itself, and that successful fundraising often comes down to preparation, communication, and timing. He also demystifies how power shifts when founders build momentum moving from pitching for approval to choosing among term sheets. The conversation is a practical roadmap for anyone serious about turning a startup into a venture-backable business.
1. VCs bet on growth and execution: Investors look for startups that can grow 4–9x in two years, led by 10x teams solving painful problems with strong economics. Execution beats ideas.
2. Pitching is a clarity test: A good pitch clearly shows the problem, market, and revenue model. Demos work better than words. VC money is high-risk, high-reward—founders must know the trade-offs.
3. Trust drives fundraising leverage: Founders earn trust through credibility and results. When momentum builds, investors compete—like Rewind AI’s 170 term sheets via Google Doc.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/outperform-or-fade
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
-
Jeremy Au reconnects with Milan Reinartz to explore how angel investing evolved into a community-led platform, why Southeast Asia’s VC math doesn’t work, and how late-stage private markets offer new opportunities for retail millionaires. They talk through founder quality, opaque incentives, and the need for real diligence in a fragmented region. It’s a grounded take on what needs to change in early-stage investing and what’s already shifting.
1. From solo investing to a platform: Milan started out deploying his own capital but realized he needed to pool investors to access better rounds.
2. Backing experienced founders only: He avoided pre-revenue startups and focused on tier-one operators with track records and strong fund backing.
3. Bundling small checks to access big rounds: The club combined smaller investments into a single vehicle to meet the $100K+ minimums of top-tier deals.
4. Vetting with the right experts: The community cross-checks deals with vertical operators like SaaS leaders or commodities experts to assess traction and founder integrity.
5. Southeast Asia’s exit math problem: Milan explains how capital raised outpaces available exit value, making traditional VC returns nearly impossible at scale.
6. Filtering out bad faith actors: Milan and Jeremy discuss how investors can use networks and peer validation to spot red flags early.
7. Giving accredited investors better access: Milan’s platform opens up late-stage private tech companies like SpaceX and OpenAI to “retail millionaires” without large ticket sizes.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.braves ea.com/blog/rebuilding-venture-capital
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
-
Jeremy Au reconnects with Anthea Ong for a candid conversation on what it means to lead with integrity, empathy, and independence. They trace her journey from corporate leadership into the social sector and eventually into Parliament as a Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP). Anthea shares how she first declined the NMP role, then later accepted it after realizing that structural change especially around mental health and vulnerable communities required policy influence. She recounts her unconventional first speech in Parliament, starting with three collective breaths to bring mindfulness into the chamber. They discuss how debate still matters in a supermajority system, why recent mid-term resignations have damaged the credibility of the NMP scheme, and the need to rethink Singapore’s political structures in light of global democratic shifts. Anthea also talks about her current work leading WorkWell Leaders, a nonprofit that helps CEOs prioritize employee wellbeing and lead more sustainably.
1. Anthea declined the NMP role in 2011 but said yes in 2018 after realizing that structural change, not just grassroots work, was needed to support mental health and social equity.
2. Her nomination came through the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre, and she was selected despite thinking she had performed poorly in the final interview.
3. She made history by starting her first Parliament speech with a short breathing exercise to center presence bringing mindfulness into a space built for debate.
4. She used her platform to speak against discriminatory hiring practices, particularly those that asked job applicants to disclose mental health history.
5. She argued that even in a supermajority Parliament, debate still matters because it influences implementation, sets public tone, and archives dissent for future accountability.
6. She criticized the recent mid-term resignations of two NMPs who joined political parties, warning that it erodes public trust and turns the scheme into a talent pipeline.
7. Today, she leads WorkWell Leaders, where she works with over 80 companies to show how a CEO’s personal wellbeing is directly linked to employee health and business performance.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.braves ea.com/blog/human-centered-governance
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
-
Jeremy Au speaks with Valerie Vu about Vietnam’s sudden shock from the 46% US tariff under Trump. What started as optimism turned into panic factories collapsed, partners pulled out, and even personal tragedies occurred. The government acted fast, but trust with the US was damaged. Vietnam is now shifting toward multipolar trade, owning more of its value chain, and exploring new diplomatic lanes with countries like China, Singapore, and the UAE. They also explore how digital platforms like TikTok are emerging as tools of modern diplomacy.
Vietnam was blindsided by the 46% tariff, causing financial losses, factory shutdowns, and even suicides from sudden business collapse.The government responded immediately with emergency meetings and a direct call from the General Secretary to Trump.The US refused to reverse tariffs without demanding currency reform, trade surplus reduction, and blocking Chinese transshipment.Vietnam expanded trade talks with China, UAE, Australia, and others, while strengthening regional ties with Singapore and Indonesia.Factory owners are now investing in branding, design, and IP to move up the value chain and reduce reliance on OEM contracts.Cambodia and Malaysia are also recalibrating as China freezes infrastructure investments and US tariffs shake regional trade flows.Singapore’s PM Lawrence Wong went viral in Vietnam through TikTok, showing how soft power now runs through short-form media. - Laat meer zien
