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

Jeremy Au reflects on the finite nature of life, creating the human desire to survive, build a family, or leave behind a legacy of accomplishments. He explores longevity and discusses life extension champion Bryan Johnson and his "don't die" slogan. He references Mark Manson's book "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck," which argues that confronting (instead of ignoring) mortality drives people to better appreciate life. He thus delves into digital immortality, where advanced AI technologies and extensive personal data can create high-fidelity digital replicas. He cites the story of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, who sought immortality but died in 210 BCE from consuming mercury, believing it would extend his life. Jeremy speculates on a future where humans thus create a digital afterlife, using continually-improving AI models, granting access to formerly-private data and structuring in economic shell-company rights. The species "Homo digitalis" thus emerges, with photo-realistic digital avatars carrying on individual human personalities and interacting with real-world humans. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/digital-immortals Nonton, dengar atau baca wawasan lengkapnya di https://www.bravesea.com/blog/digital-immortals-id 观看、收听或阅读全文，请访问 https://www.bravesea.com/blog/digital-immortals-cn 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 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 Join us at the startup conference Echelon X! We have 30 exclusive complimentary tickets for our podcast listeners. Sign up and use the promo codes BRAVEPOD or ECXJEREMY to claim your free tickets now!

Helen Wong, Managing Partner of AC Ventures, and Jeremy Au talked about three main themes: 1. AC Ventures Managing Partner Leadership Journey: Helen shared her extensive journey from Oxford University to investment banking to GGV Capital to INSEAD MBA to Qiming Ventures to Managing Partner of AC Ventures. She highlighted her 20 years of investing experience across the booming Silicon Valley tech ecosystem to the early rapidly growing China tech scene of the early 2000s. The Asian Financial Crisis with Asia corporate over-leveraging debt and Alan Greenspan's interest rate hikes reshaped her understanding of risk and investment. She shared insights on investing in 4 unicorns, 3 M&A exits and 7 IPOs, e.g. Alibaba's growth from 1,000 to thousands of employees 2. China VC Acceleration: Helen discussed the early days of China's tech ecosystem, where returnees and local entrepreneurs started to build unicorns across the internet boom and the mobile internet era, despite the nascent talent pool and then-lack of exit opportunities. She noted the intense competition, global liquidity pools, rapid pace of deal-making, and the strategic focus shifts from consumer internet to deep tech and enterprise software due to government policies and market saturation. 3. Indonesia Growth Optimism: Helen highlighted the significant growth potential in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia, which she identified as a critical market due to its large 275 million population, rising middle class, and economic resilience. She drew parallels between the region's current tech landscape and China's early days, noting the opportunities for substantial returns. She also discussed Indonesia's favorable economic fundamentals, with Goldman Sachs projecting the country’s GDP to rank fourth globally by 2050, and the public and private debt levels being relatively low at about 40% of GDP, which indicates a healthier balance sheet compared to more leveraged economies. Jeremy and Helen also talked about the challenges of balancing career and family, strategic investments like Akulaku, reflections on missed investments, and her advice to her younger self. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/helen-wong Nonton, dengar atau baca wawasan lengkapnya di https://www.bravesea.com/blog/helen-wong-id 观看、收听或阅读全文，请访问 https://www.bravesea.com/blog/helen-wong-cn 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 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremya LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Join us at the startup conference Echelon X! We have 30 exclusive complimentary tickets for our podcast listeners. Sign up and use the promo codes BRAVEPOD or ECXJEREMY to claim your free tickets now!

Gita Sjahrir, Head of Investment at BNI Ventures, and Jeremy Au, talked about three main themes: 1. Jakarta City Master Plan: Gita highlighted Jakarta's urgent urban planning needs to address rising sea levels, land subsidence, air pollution, traffic congestion, sanitation upgrades and education requirements. Miscommunications, fragmented stakeholders and the recurring blame game in political discourse have contributed to this impasse. They discussed the new Jakarta Agglomeration Area Council, led by Indonesia’s incoming Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka (Joko Widodo's son), which aims to coordinate two governors, four mayors and four regents to create a new master plan for 6,700-square-kilometers. 2. Prabowo on Western "Double Standards": Jeremy and Gita discussed Prabowo's strongly-worded The Economist op-ed which said that the West had "double standards" on Gaza and Eastern Europe and that valuing the lives of civilians in Palestine less than in Ukraine is morally indefensible. Prabowo has long advocated for cease-fires in both countries, signaling a more public foreign policy than the outgoing President Joko Widodo - while maintaining continuity on domestic and economic policy. Gita noted that Indonesia's population size and economic growth strengthen its voice in international affairs, vs. other ASEAN neighbors that have voted similarly for peace deals in both conflicts. 3. Microsoft $1.7B Investment: Jeremy and Gita discussed Microsoft's $1.7 billion investment to enhance Indonesia's digital infrastructure and workforce capabilities. This investment highlights Indonesia's potential to become a key player in the global tech market. They also addressed the challenges of brain drain and debated on dual citizenship as a solution to retain talent by allowing Indonesians to work abroad while maintaining ties to their home country, in contrast to Singapore's immigration policy. They emphasized the importance of upskilling and continuous education to keep the talent pool relevant and competitive, Jeremy and Gita also talked about the similarities in urban planning in Jakarta vs. San Francisco, the debate on national security concerns related to dual citizenship, and the impact of political stabilization and economic continuity post-election. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/western-double-standards Nonton, dengar atau baca wawasan lengkapnya di https://www.bravesea.com/blog/western-double-standards-id 观看、收听或阅读全文，请访问 https://www.bravesea.com/blog/western-double-standards-cn 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 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 Join us at the startup conference Echelon X! We have 30 exclusive complimentary tickets for our podcast listeners. Sign up and use the promo codes BRAVEPOD or ECXJEREMY to claim your free tickets now!

Jeremy Au explores "roboganda," the new wave of propaganda promoting the benefits of robots and AI. Roboganda playbook: 1. Emphasize transformation of industries with increased productivity, downplay short-term negative job displacement, reskilling and search costs for individuals. 2. Humanize AI to satisfy individual social needs (loneliness, validation & empathy) substituting for societal archetypes (colleague, mentor, lover, child) across media (product demos, game NPCs and Hollywood - The Creator, Her) 3. Increasingly use AI cloaked as humans to spread pro-robot narratives at effectively zero marginal cost (e.g. election bot farms, Reddit bots), instead of human creators (writers, artists and musicians) - disproportionately in favor of capital holders and disrupters over labor and incumbents. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/robot-propaganda Nonton, dengar atau baca wawasan lengkapnya di https://www.bravesea.com/blog/robot-propaganda-id 观看、收听或阅读全文，请访问 https://www.bravesea.com/blog/robot-propaganda-cn 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 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 Join us at the startup conference Echelon X! We have 30 exclusive complimentary tickets for our podcast listeners. Sign up and use the promo codes BRAVEPOD or ECXJEREMY to claim your free tickets now!

Jeremy and Chia discussed his experience changing careers from Southeast Asia VC Principal to US AI founder. He outlined the non-transferable nature of many VC skills when becoming a founder. While VC offers a high-level understanding of market and investment dynamics, it lacks the hands-on operational skills needed to build a startup from zero. They also compared the competitive, fast-paced U.S. startup environment to Southeast Asia's, highlighting differences in market depth, competitive intensity, and entrepreneurial opportunities. Chia emphasized why you must "reset your hunger" for success, advising on the need to reassess personal and professional goals when switching roles or geographical bases. Such shifts require not only skill adaptation but also a profound change in personal drive and resilience. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/reset-your-hunger Nonton, dengar atau baca wawasan lengkapnya di https://www.bravesea.com/blog/reset-your-hunger-id 观看、收听或阅读全文，请访问 https://www.bravesea.com/blog/reset-your-hunger-cn 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 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 Join us at the startup conference Echelon X! We have 30 exclusive complimentary tickets for our podcast listeners. Sign up and use the promo codes BRAVEPOD or ECXJEREMY to claim your free tickets now!

Shiyan Koh, Managing Partner of Hustle Fund, and Jeremy Au discussed Singapore's new Prime Minister transition, immigration assimilation challenges, and the need for a CTO pass for technical founders. They explored potential policy shifts under the new leadership and the impact of the drop in Total Fertility Rate on the population. They highlighted the barbell immigration strategy, the gaps in mid-skill talent for startups, and the challenges faced in hiring talent. The conversation also touched on the importance of diversity, access to job opportunities, and mentorship in the tech industry.

Jeremy Au as a science-fiction and history nerd reviewed the 3 complex themes of Liu Cixin's "Three-Body Problem" series. Spoilers ahead: 1. Social Darwinism: "Dog eat dog" foundational psychological core of human society due to the survival instincts of individual humans, in stark contrast to Western fiction like social utopian “Star Wars,” moral clarity of "Star Trek," inspirational "Lord of the Rings," and political sacrifices of "Game of Thrones". In a dark real-life parallel, the show's TV producer and billionaire Lin Qi was poisoned to death by his business partner due to jealousy and anger. 2. Technology Competition & Blockades: The best way for societies to compete is through technology advancement, e.g. Guns over swords, nuclear missiles over artillery bombs. The Qing dynasty’s (1644-1912) self-imposed isolation and technology stagnation led to the "Century of Humiliation" where China repeatedly lost to more advanced foreign powers like the United Kingdom with the Opium Wars, France, Russia, Germany and Japan. China readers currently perceive a similar dynamic in the "USA-China chip war" due to US government bans on advanced semiconductors, tech export controls and competitive R&D industrial policy. 3. Community Over Individual: Collective survival strategies are driven by individual desires to survive, but superior to individualistic decision-making. The series portrays societal responses to external threats and internal divisions, drawing on China's history of mass movements and dynasty vs. warlord eras. This leads to classic human morality being outcompeted by the realpolitik game theory of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), preemptive strike incentives, and "Dark Forest" as a solution to the Fermi Paradox. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/three-body-problem Nonton, dengar atau baca wawasan lengkapnya di https://www.bravesea.com/blog/three-body-problem-in 观看、收听或阅读全文，请访问 https://www.bravesea.com/blog/three-body-problem-cn 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 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 Join us at the startup conference Echelon X! We have 30 exclusive complimentary tickets for our podcast listeners. Sign up and use the promo codes BRAVEPOD or ECXJEREMY to claim your free tickets now!

Jason Edwards, CEO & Founder of Alternatives.pe, and Jeremy Au talked about three main themes: 1. Lawyer to Founder & VC: Jason recounted his legal career at Baker & McKenzie in Australia and Hong Kong. Due to the Asian Financial Crisis, he focused on financial restructuring for distressed firms (many of whom had borrowed heavily in US dollars) across Bangkok, Singapore and Asia. He later moved into private equity with Clearwater Capital Partners ($1.2B AUM) and venture capital by co-founding Qualgro VC. He later founded alternatives.pe - an accurate data and insights platform for private capital market professionals looking for best-in-class coverage across Southeast Asia and Australia. The platform is now used by the majority of Asian funds including Square Peg, 500, Temasek, Sequoia, Tiger Global, Warburg Pincus, KKR, Vertex, GIC and Softbank. 2. Alternatives.pe Regional Capital Insights: Jason discussed the current shift of VC attention from consumer-focused (B2C) to business-focused (B2B) models, due to a faster route to profitability across diverse linguistic and cultural markets. He observed strengthening investment discipline focused on capital efficiency and strategic scalability. Jason also elaborated on the complex dynamics of negotiation and asset recovery in the region. He pointed out that Asian businesses usually hold most of their value intrinsically, which complicates asset recovery efforts when entrepreneurs have been at the helm for extensive periods, sometimes spanning decades or generations. He emphasized that a successful recovery strategy involves not just enforcing rights as per the norm in Western jurisdictions, but also cooperating with the original business operators to maximize value extraction. This nuanced approach highlights the importance of balancing 'stick' enforcement strategies with engagement and collaboration, underscoring that aggressive takeover tactics are seldom the best route to preserving or enhancing a business's value in Asia. 3. January Capital Venture Debt Strategy: Jason explained the rationale and timing for launching January Capital’s venture debt services to fill the regional market gap. He detailed the methodical structure of their venture debt deals, typically around $15 million, targeted at growth-stage companies that find traditional venture capital or equity financing too dilutive or misaligned with their financial strategies. He elaborated on how this approach is particularly opportune given the current high-interest rate environment and lower valuations, which would allow venture debt to provide capital without excessive equity sacrifices. Jeremy and Jason also talked about his personal experience of the Asian Financial Crisis and ensuing layoffs, the importance of accurate and timely data for VC dealmaking, and personal reflections on entrepreneurial risk-taking. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/jason-edwards Nonton, dengar atau baca wawasan lengkapnya di https://www.bravesea.com/blog/jason-edwards-in 观看、收听或阅读全文，请访问 https://www.bravesea.com/blog/jason-edwards-cn 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 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 Learn more about Grain here: https://www.grain.com.sg

Valerie Vu, Founding Partner of Ansible Ventures, and Jeremy Au discussed three main points: 1. Vietnam $24B Bank Bailout & Legislature Chairman Resignation: Jeremy and Valerie discussed the $12B fraud at Saigon Bank, the death penalty verdict, the appeals process and the closure of 50+ bank branches. The Vietnamese central bank injected $24B of "special loans" to prevent a banking crisis, which reduced the liquidity of their foreign exchange by one quarter. They touched on new political resignations due to the "blazing furnace" anti-corruption campaign, including the Chairman of the National Assembly - one of the country's top 4 leadership positions. 2. Apple Investment & China High-Speed Rail: International investors continue to move capital into the country despite these political shifts, exemplified by Apple's $16B of spending through the local supply chain since 2019, 200,000+ jobs created and increasing their CSR commitments. China is collaborating on cross-border high-speed railways, connecting Vietnam's port cities of Haiphong and Quang Ninh through Hanoi to Lao Cai province, which borders China's Yunnan province, and from Hanoi to Lang Son province, bordering China's Guangxi region. 3. FPT $6B Tech Conglomerate Growth: FPT was founded in 1988 as "Food Processing Technology" and has now become the country's leading software tech conglomerate valued at $6.4B on the Vietnam stock exchange with $1.7B+ of annual revenue operating across 50+ countries. FPT announced its strategic partnership with Nvidia to build a $200M AI R&D factory leveraging multiple Nvidia chips and technology frameworks. Jeremy and Valerie also talked about why people haven't heard of FPT, why companies actually invest in corporate social responsibility (CSR), and whether they would take the local train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/vietnam-banking-bailout Nonton, dengar atau baca wawasan lengkapnya di https://www.bravesea.com/blog/vietnam-banking-bailout-in 观看、收听或阅读全文，请访问 https://www.bravesea.com/blog/vietnam-banking-bailout-cn 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 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 Learn more about Grain here: https://www.grain.com.sg  

Jeremy Au partnered with Huawei to share his observations of their 2024 APAC Congress in Bangkok, which highlighted their latest advancements in AI, hardware, and infrastructure. He analyzed Huawei’s R&D investment commitments, vertical integration, manufacturing scale, globalizing workforce and local partnerships - positioning them as a formidable force in shaping the global tech landscape as well as Southeast Asia. Huawei was the world's #1 patent filer at the World Intellectual Property Organization for the past six years, with nearly 8,000 patent applications in 2022 alone. Jeremy witnessed Huawei leaders' expert-oriented presentations and their intentional engagement with regional leaders, SMEs and media. He noted their Southeast Asia partnerships, featuring prominent regional speakers like Mr. Nararya S. Soeprapto (ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General), Mardiana Azura Mahidin (Malaysia Airports), Mr. Prasert Jantararuantong (Thailand Minister for Digital Economy), Dr. Piti Srisangnam (ASEAN Foundation), and Akina Ho. The speakers all underscored the importance of localization and genuine discussions for true long-term win-win partnerships.  Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/huawei-rnd-leadership Nonton, dengar atau baca wawasan lengkapnya di https://www.bravesea.com/blog/huawei-rnd-leadership-in 观看、收听或阅读全文，请访问 https://www.bravesea.com/blog/huawei-rnd-leadership-cn 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 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