BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech: Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand & Malaysia Startups, Founders & Venture Capital VC (English)

Is AI actually making our kids smarter, or just better at cheating? In this episode of the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au sits down with Adam (Huh Dam), co-founder of Stick ‘Em, a Singapore-based startup bringing affordable STEAM education to the world. From being rejected by his primary school robotics club to winning a $1 million prize in London, Adam shares his "rebel" journey through the Singapore education system (ACS Independent) and his mission to bridge the digital divide. We dive deep into the "disastrous" impact of increased screen time, the ethics of AI in homework, and why learning how to think is more important than ever in the age of autonomous agents. Discover: Why traditional EdTech might be "useless" for actual learning outcomes. The $1M journey: How two student founders from Singapore beat the world’s best. How to scale a hardware-software startup across Southeast Asia. 00:00 – The Disaster of AI in Schools 01:32 – Meet Adam Huh Dam: The $1M Prize Winner 02:20 – Building a Mars Rover at Age 6 03:22 – Rejected! The Traumatic Entry into Robotics 04:31 – The "Rebel" Years: Finding Character in ACSI 05:40 – Student-Led Learning vs. Corporate Teaching 07:22 – Competing on the Global Stage (Vex Robotics) 08:51 – Meeting Co-founder Kai: The Creative & The Strategist 10:33 – Why EdTech? Choosing Impact Over Boston Dynamics 12:22 – The Reality of Building a Social Enterprise 14:18 – Scaling STEAM Education Across Borders 15:50 – Winning the $1M Prize: Authenticity Over Perfection 20:05 – Why Modern EdTech is Failing Students 23:33 – The "Brain Dead" Era: AI and the Death of Homework 27:39 – Will AI Replace Lawyers, Accountants, and Coders? 30:05 – Being Brave: The Lunch That Changed Everything 32:20 – Closing Thoughts: The Future is Human Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/adam-stickem-steam-education  Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at https://www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter X : https://x.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 #Singapore #EdTech #Startup #Podcast #southeastasia #techpodcast

Is the "Uber for Southeast Asia" era officially over? In this episode, Jeremy Au sits down with Wing Vasiksiri of Analog Ventures to analyze the massive shift in the regional venture landscape. As immigration to the US tightens, Singapore has emerged as the global magnet for top-tier engineering talent from China, India, and across ASEAN. They dive deep into why Wing transitioned from a Solo GP to joining Analog Ventures, the emergence of second-time technical founders, and the critical "funding gap" currently facing the region. The conversation also tackles the brewing energy crisis in Thailand and its second-order effects on data centers, agriculture, and the potential for a nuclear future in Southeast Asia. In this episode: 00:00 Intro: The struggle for local startups in 2026 02:04 Why Wing Vasiksiri joined Analog Ventures 04:00 The "lonely" reality of being a Solo GP 07:30 The missing product: Institutional Lead Seed Investors 09:40 The Southeast Asia funding gap (Seed to Growth) 11:50 Global-first: The new Singapore startup thesis 14:40 US Immigration: Why talent is choosing Singapore over SF 19:10 The rise of technical and "indigenous" founders 27:10 AI App Store moments and Deep Tech tailwinds 31:10 The 3 challenges of commercializing R&D in Singapore 36:30 Thailand’s Energy Crisis: 90% oil dependency 42:50 Second-order effects: Data centers and Biofuels Resources: Thailand’s Power Generation Mix December 2025 https://www.jewelarc.com/performance/ Global Energy Shock: Southeast Asia & China Effects & Countermeasures - BRAVE E679 https://youtu.be/bkA6VTDSBB0  Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/wing-vasiksiri-singapore-venture-capital Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at https://www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter X : https://x.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 #Singapore #Thailand #VentureCapital #Startup #Podcast #southeastasia #techpodcast

Is farming in a skyscraper-filled city a genius move or a foolish one? In this episode of the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au talks with Ryan Ong, the founder of Fogo Fungi. Ryan moved from a comfortable path in his family’s hospitality business to the "dark, cool, and laborious" world of indoor mushroom farming. Ryan pulls back the curtain on the Singapore agritech scene, explaining why vertical farms are struggling and how he found a "sweet spot" growing gourmet Pink Oyster and Lion’s Mane mushrooms for Michelin-starred chefs. We discuss: The "Accidental" Founder: How a random YouTube video led a 26-year-old to start a bootstrap startup. The Cold Chain Advantage: Why local mushrooms beat imports on shelf-life and "Day Zero" freshness. The 1% Land Problem: A realistic look at Singapore’s food security goals and the high cost of energy and rent. Gourmet vs. Commodity: Why $50/kg mushrooms are a viable business model when button mushrooms are not. Leading "Unorthodox" Teams: How to hire and manage talent in an industry that AI cannot replace. 00:00 – Why "weirdos" are attracted to the mushroom industry 02:23 – Introduction to Fogo Fungi and Singapore indoor farming 04:18 – The career pivot: From hospitality to agriculture 08:47 – The YouTube video that sparked a mushroom startup 11:48 – Debunking common myths: Do mushrooms grow in the dark? 15:32 – Button vs. Gourmet: The unit economics of $50/kg crops 20:52 – Singapore’s "30-by-30" goal and the 1% land challenge 28:37 – How to gain experience: From bedroom kits to commercial farms Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/ryan-ong-fogo-fungi-mushroom-farming  Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at https://www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter X : https://x.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 #Singapore #Startup #Podcast #southeastasia #techpodcast

Is the era of cheap energy over for Southeast Asia? In this special three-person debate, Jeremy Au, Jianggan Li, and Valerie Vu break down the reality of the current energy crisis and its disproportionate impact on Vietnam, China, and Singapore. As oil prices spike by 30-50% in some markets, the team explores the second and third-order consequences that most businesses are missing. From the sudden reduction of traffic in Ho Chi Minh City to China’s multi-decade "Coal and Renewables" diversification strategy, this episode is a deep dive into geopolitical resilience. Key insights include: The Vietnam Vulnerability: Why 90% reliance on a single oil source (Kuwait) has left the Vietnamese stock market in shock. China's Energy Fortress: How the "big cousin" uses a mix of 60% coal and 10% renewables to insulate itself from Middle Eastern conflict. The "Hormuz" Dilemma: A look at how the Straits of Malacca and Hormuz remain the ultimate chokepoints for Asian growth. Industry Winners & Losers: Why the crisis is accelerating EV adoption and Nuclear research while crushing the textile and garment sectors. The Wealth Migration: Tracking the movement of capital and family offices between Dubai and Singapore as global instability rises. 00:00 – Real-world impact of the energy crisis in Vietnam 02:38 – Analyzing the 50% fuel price spike in Southeast Asia 07:13 – AI simulations of the US-Israel-Iran geopolitical conflict 12:43 – China’s energy strategy: Balancing coal, gas, and renewables 17:50 – How energy costs drive regional food inflation and logistics 23:30 – Net exporters vs. importers: Economic winners and losers 26:50 – Impact on aviation and the Southeast Asian tourism outlook 32:18 – Environmental trade-offs: Rising coal usage and air quality Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/global-energy-shock Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at https://www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter X : https://x.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 #Vietnam #China #Malaysia #Singapore #Thailand #Philippines #Indonesia #IranWar #News

How do you scale a FinTech company across 5 countries while navigating global pandemics and regulatory shifts? In this episode of the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au sits down with Kelvin Teo, Co-founder of Funding Societies | Modalku. Kelvin shares his incredible journey from being a "naive" Harvard MBA student to managing a platform that has disbursed over $5 Billion USD in SME financing. In this episode: The "First Principles" of Credit: Why traditional banking models fail SMEs and how Funding Societies rewrote the rules for Southeast Asia. The McKinsey & Harvard DNA: How elite professional training helped (and hindered) the founding of a startup. Mastering Regional Scale: The strategic logic behind expanding into Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Crisis Leadership: Facing social media backlash during layoffs and the "brave" decisions required to survive the FinTech winter. M&A Strategy: Why Funding Societies acquired CardUp and the secret to integrating mindset over org structure. Whether you are a founder, a VC, or an aspiring entrepreneur in the SEA ecosystem, Kelvin’s insights on concentration risk, counterparty trust, and regional diversification are essential listening. 00:00 - Facing Joblessness at Harvard 02:02 - Introduction to Funding Societies 05:15 - Why Choose HBS Over Private Equity? 10:52 - Finding the Right Co-founder (Reynold Wijaya) 21:50 - The Regional Strategy: Singapore vs. Indonesia 31:10 - Learning from Defaults and Concentration Risk 40:35 - Acquiring CardUp & The Future of Payments 41:28 - Being Brave: Regulatory Hurdles & Layoffs Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/kelvin-teo-built-sme-fintech-empire-funding-societies Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at https://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 #Singapore #Indonesia #Startup #Podcast #southeastasia #techpodcast

Jeremy Au explains the intense friction between startup growth and legal boundaries. He describes how founders and VCs negotiate high-stakes IPO prices while navigating the "Goliath" power of industry incumbents. The talk explores how startups use customer bases as political shields and why late-stage investors rely on liquidity preferences to survive messy market exits. 01:00 The IPO Pricing Tug-of-War: Jeremy details the messy negotiations between founders, boards, and banks when setting public share prices. 06:44 The Liquidity Waterfall: Understanding why late-stage investors often take all the money during an "underwater" IPO. 08:58 Regulatory Capture and Lobbying: How incumbents like Verizon or Comcast use the law to crush startup competition. 11:10 Permission vs. Forgiveness: Comparing Uber’s aggressive expansion against regulators with Didi’s experience in China. 18:38 The Hidden Hand of Think Tanks: Jeremy reveals how tech companies fund the research that shapes future AI and privacy laws. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/ipo-regulatory-giants 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 #IPO #VentureCapital #Startups #TechRegulation #Monopoly #Lobbying #Fintech #FounderAdvice #Economics #BRAVEpodcast

Anthony Chow, Co-founder and CEO of Igloo, joins Jeremy Au to discuss how a side hustle managing Airbnb properties turned into a global proptech company. Anthony explains how operational pain points like guest check-ins led him to build smart lock technology designed for short-term rentals. They explore how early hardware failures forced product redesign, why focusing on a narrow customer segment helped the company stand out, and how a partnership with Airbnb accelerated global growth. Anthony also shares how Igloo expanded from vacation rentals into the broader rental and asset sharing economy, how COVID nearly collapsed the company, and how relocating to the United States helped reboot the business. Finally, he reflects on the leadership shifts required to scale a company across cultures, teams, and global markets. 02:15 Airbnb hosting exposed the real problem: Managing multiple Airbnb units while working full-time made guest check-ins and key handovers painful, which pushed Anthony to build a remote smart lock solution. 03:54 Singapore’s Airbnb ban forced a startup pivot: When short-term rentals became illegal in Singapore, the Airbnb business shut down and the founders turned their internal tool into a product for global hosts. 11:40 Offline smart lock technology unlocked product market fit: Igloo redesigned the product to generate time-based access codes that worked without WiFi, solving reliability problems for remote properties. 12:31 Airbnb partnership accelerated global adoption: Airbnb promoted Igloo to hosts worldwide, helping the company gain distribution partners and manufacturing scale. 18:45 COVID destroyed the core market but revealed a new one: Global lockdowns collapsed vacation rentals while demand from US long-term rental operators started rising. 19:26 The founding team moved to Texas to save the company: Anthony and his partners bought one-way tickets to the United States during COVID to rebuild the business around rental housing. 28:21 Leadership evolved as the company scaled globally: Anthony shifted from working with friends to building a structured organization and managing teams across Asia and the United States. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/anthony-chow-rental-tech-shift 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 #Igloo #PropTech #Entrepreneurship #SmartHome #Airbnb #StartupJourney #Innovation #HardwareStartups #RentalEconomy #BRAVEpodcast

Jeremy Au explains how startups interact with regulation as they grow. He discusses how strong startups escape competition and gain monopoly-like advantages, which later trigger regulatory scrutiny. The conversation shows how incumbents shape regulation, how startups choose favorable jurisdictions, and why founders must decide whether to ask permission or ask for forgiveness. Examples from Uber, Airbnb, TikTok Shop, and DraftKings illustrate how regulation, politics, and customer mobilization shape startup outcomes. 02:07 Regulatory Capture: Jeremy explains how regulation often benefits incumbents, as large industries lobby governments to create rules that protect their position. 06:34 Regulatory Inaction as Opportunity: Many technologies expand faster than governments can regulate them, creating temporary windows for startups to grow. 07:32 Policy Testbeds: Startups often push for favorable regulation in startup-friendly jurisdictions first, then use those precedents to expand into other markets. 10:13 Uber’s Regulatory Playbook: Uber challenged taxi regulations by continuing operations, using the press, and mobilizing public opinion. 14:20 When Customers Cannot Vote: Platforms like Airbnb face political limits because their main users, tourists, cannot vote in local elections. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/regulation-capture 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 #Startups #VentureCapital #TechPolicy #Regulation #StartupStrategy #MonopolyPower #RegulatoryCapture #InnovationEconomy #TechIndustry #BRAVEpodcast

JX Lye, Founder and CEO of Acme, joins Jeremy Au to unpack how execution compounds advantage in Southeast Asia fintech. They explore Acme’s journey from solving delayed bank reconciliation to becoming a core bank connectivity layer serving fintech platforms, direct debit infrastructure, and ERP systems across Singapore and the region. The conversation covers the hard realities of going from zero to one customer, the discipline required from one to five, and how scaling to 80 customers shifts growth toward retention and upsell. Joshua reflects on fintech’s COVID boom and 2023 reset, the Brex versus Ramp execution debate, and why Singapore rewards niche depth in financial services. He also shares how AI is shifting from model hype to vertical application, and why founder endurance, health, and signal reading matter more than chasing a visible summit. 03:12 Instant payments exposed a broken backend: FAST and PayNow moved money instantly, but apps waited days because reconciliation relied on end-of-day bank statements. 09:18 From one to five customers demands discipline: Founders must resist custom builds, stay product focused, and lead sales personally to avoid fragmentation. 13:08 Scaling to 80 customers shifts growth drivers: Upsells and retention begin compounding faster than new logo acquisition in Southeast Asia’s shallow markets. 17:24 Fintech’s COVID boom distorted reality: Easy capital and soaring markets fueled inflated valuations that later reset in 2023. 22:38 Execution beats first mover advantage: Ramp outcompounded Brex through speed, alignment, and focus rather than positioning alone. 25:42 Focus and alignment define execution quality: If teams describe different priorities, compounding slows and distraction spreads. 38:32 Founder stress never disappears, it evolves: Milestones do not remove pressure; resilience, health, and signal reading sustain long-term ambition. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/jx-lye-compounding-execution 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 #Fintech #SoutheastAsiaTech #StartupExecution #FounderJourney #BankingInfrastructure #B2BGrowth #AIinBusiness #SingaporeStartups #VentureBuilding #BRAVEpodcast

Adriel Yong joins Jeremy Au to examine how AI is compressing organizations, thinning entry-level roles, and reshaping Singapore’s startup and capital ecosystem. They discuss the shift from pyramid to lean diamond teams, why CEOs increasingly use AI to bypass middle layers, and why Gen Z faces the sharpest labor reset. The conversation expands to SGX liquidity gaps, slowing seed funding, and structural flaws in angel investing incentives that threaten the startup pipeline. They also argue that AI literacy must become national infrastructure, not a short-term subsidy, if Singapore wants to keep pace with rapid technological change.  03:58 AI progress now feels pre crisis fast: New models self improve, agents coordinate, and experimentation mirrors the early pandemic moment when only a few sensed acceleration. 13:05 Companies are shifting from pyramid to diamond structures: Junior execution shrinks while experienced operators with taste and judgment gain leverage. 15:32 CEOs can bypass middle layers with AI: Strategic research, compliance planning, and structured analysis move directly to AI tools instead of finance managers or analysts. 20:42 Gen Z faces structural career compression: Entry roles thin out as AI replaces transcription, analysis, and support work that once trained fresh graduates. 33:15 Early stage capital is the real bottleneck: Growth financing rebounds, but seed funding weakens as angels feel burned and the startup funnel narrows. 41:05 Angel tax policy distorts participation: Large individual checks qualify for incentives while syndicates and smaller diversified investors receive weaker support. 47:12 AI literacy must become national infrastructure: Short term tool subsidies help, but broad ongoing access across NTUC, unions, and grassroots may matter more for long term workforce resilience. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/adriel-yong-automation-first-era 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 #AIWorkforce #FutureOfWork #StartupEcosystem #SGXLiquidity #VentureCapital #AngelInvesting #SeedFunding #SingaporeTech #OrgDesign #BRAVEpodcast