BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech: Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand & Malaysia Startups, Founders & Venture Capit

BRAVE Southeast Asia
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Semiweekly

Learn from Southeast Asia's best tech leaders. Build the future, learn from our past & stay human in between. No B.S on success. Southeast Asia's #1 startup & venture capital podcast with 80,000+ listeners. Hosted by Jeremy Au. VC & serial founder. Harvard MBA & UC Berkeley. Sci-fi nerd & dad of two daughters. Growth and personal growth solves all problems. The best feeling is coaching good humans to be great leaders.  Published on Monday & Thursday. Weekly tech news debates, changemaker interviews & listener Q&As. Community of listeners and guests across Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia & the Philippines. Global top 10% podcast. "Learned a lot from the journeys. Must-listen for anyone seeking advice to be a leader" @lindatangxy "Refreshing to hear from distinguished founders what they learned, both the good & bad" @seanojw "Incredibly useful in kickstarting my thought process around customers as an entrepreneur" @klowetan "After tuning into a couple of episodes, this is now my weekly routine. Keep it up!!" @joshrodes8 Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.comWhatsApp Weekday Insight: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02eSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0TYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAuApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyauInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauzTwitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyauLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea

  1. The Science of Inspiration: Why Leaders Inspire or Infuriate | Adam Galinsky - E709

    1d ago

    The Science of Inspiration: Why Leaders Inspire or Infuriate | Adam Galinsky - E709

    What separates leaders who inspire from those who infuriate? Columbia Business School professor and bestselling author Adam Galinsky (Inspire, Friend & Foe) breaks down the science of inspiration: the Leader Amplification Effect, why every leader inevitably inspires or infuriates, and the three universal traits of inspiring people, being a Visionary, an Exemplar, and a Mentor. He also explains why AI is fundamentally sycophantic, how it can quietly erode learning and human connection, and why in-person relationships still win. Featuring the story of Southwest pilot Captain Tammie Jo Shults, the research on power and reflection, perspective taking, and the real difference between leadership and management. For founders, venture capitalists, and operators across Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia, this is a practical playbook for leading teams, raising capital, and building culture in Southeast Asia's fast moving tech ecosystem. Galinsky unpacks how inspiring leadership shifts across individualistic and collectivist cultures, why consistency and avoiding hypocrisy carry extra weight in Asia, and how simple repetition drives belief, investment, and trust. Get Adam's book, Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others: https://adamgalinsky.com Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/adam-galinsky-inspire  BRAVE is Southeast Asia's leading tech podcast, hosted by Jeremy Au. Honest conversations with the region's top founders, investors, and operators on building startups in Southeast Asia. New episodes every week. Subscribe so you never miss one. Listen & Subscribe YouTube (English), YouTube (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (English), Spotify (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (Chinese), Spotify (Vietnamese), Apple Podcasts Follow BRAVE LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp Follow Jeremy Au LinkedIn, X / Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, Twitch Resources Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com #Leadership #Inspiration #LeadershipPsychology #AI #SoutheastAsia #Startup #VentureCapital #TechPodcast #SelfImprovement 0:00 Cold Open: Inspire or Infuriate 0:28 Introduction: Meet Adam Galinsky 1:01 From Negotiations to Friend and Foe 3:30 The Low Power Double Bind 4:55 The Leader Amplification Effect 6:03 The Power of Reflection: State of Mind and Values 12:11 Inspiring Architects: Small Nudges, Big Change 15:37 Why AI Can't Replace Human Connection 17:16 Visionary, Exemplar, Mentor: The Three Traits 21:57 Short-Term vs Long-Term: Lessons from Parenting 23:28 Do You Need All Three? Jobs, Musk, and Trump 25:25 Southwest Flight 1380: Leadership Under Fire 28:02 Perspective Taking and the Bully Effect 32:12 Repetition, Truth, and Political Leadership 34:43 Leaders vs Managers: Obama and Romney 36:23 What Is Leadership? Teaching Future Leaders 37:51 East vs West: Universal Traits of Inspiring Leaders 39:48 A Personal Story of Being Brave 43:14 Three Key Takeaways

    46 min
  2. Nickel, Chinese EVs and a Senate Chase in the Philippines | Franco Varona - E708

    4d ago

    Nickel, Chinese EVs and a Senate Chase in the Philippines | Franco Varona - E708

    When the oil crisis hit, Southeast Asia changed overnight. In this episode, recorded in Manila, Foxmont Capital's Franco Varona joins Jeremy Au to unpack how the energy shock supercharged the electric vehicle boom across the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. They break down BYD's stunning climb to become the Philippines' third best-selling car brand in roughly three years, why Filipino consumers now name a Chinese EV as their dream car, and how solar panels are turning electricity bills to zero. The conversation also goes deep on the region's bigger game: Malaysia's fuel subsidy trap, the brownouts and record heatwaves that exposed the Philippine grid, and the high-stakes economics of Pax Silica, the US-led semiconductor and critical minerals pact that the Philippines joined in April 2026. Plus the wild Senate drama that gripped Manila, from gunshots on the floor to a senator's chase. Essential listening for founders, investors and operators building in Southeast Asia. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/nickel-chinese-evs-philippines  BRAVE is Southeast Asia's leading tech podcast, hosted by Jeremy Au. Honest conversations with the region's top founders, investors, and operators on building startups in Southeast Asia. New episodes every week. Subscribe so you never miss one. Listen & Subscribe YouTube (English), YouTube (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (English), Spotify (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (Chinese), Spotify (Vietnamese), Apple Podcasts Follow BRAVE LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp Follow Jeremy Au LinkedIn, X / Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, Twitch Resources Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com #Philippines #ElectricVehicles #Semiconductors #VentureCapital #Startup #Podcast #southeastasia #techpodcast 00:00 Intro 00:36 The new Manila airport 03:16 The oil crisis that shook Southeast Asia 05:09 EV sales jumped 300% in 3 weeks 06:00 How BYD became the Philippines' #3 car brand 12:40 Malaysia's costly fuel subsidy trap 16:15 55°C heat and the Makati brownouts 19:16 The solar boom and $0 electricity bills 20:48 Gunshots and chaos in the Senate 27:10 Pax Silica: chips, nickel and the US deal 34:18 Final takeaways

    36 min
  3. Stablecoins And The Agent Economy Will Rewire How Money Moves | Dušan Stojanović - E707

    Jun 24

    Stablecoins And The Agent Economy Will Rewire How Money Moves | Dušan Stojanović - E707

    Dušan Stojanović, founding partner of True Global Ventures, joins Jeremy Au to map where money is heading as stablecoins and AI agents collide. He traces his path from building one of the first internet banks in France to becoming Europe's Angel of the Year, then breaks down the news that matters now: the Hong Kong stablecoin license won by Anchorpoint, the Standard Chartered, HKT, and Animoca Brands venture. The conversation goes deep on why payments are the first real use case for the agentic AI economy, why a human still needs to stay in the loop, and his bet that agent-to-agent transactions could outgrow the human economy far sooner than most expect. He also explains why he believes money itself becomes a commodity within a decade, and how that forces venture capital to compete on network and AI support rather than capital alone. For founders, VCs, and operators across Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia, this is a practical look at the rails the region's next wave of fintech and cross-border trade will run on. Singapore and Hong Kong sit at the center of the regulated stablecoin story, and the trade-finance flows Dušan describes are exactly the corridors Southeast Asian businesses depend on. If you are building in payments, crypto, or AI, or deciding how to fund and scale in an agent-driven market, this episode is for you. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/ai-and-stablecoins  BRAVE is Southeast Asia's leading tech podcast, hosted by Jeremy Au. Honest conversations with the region's top founders, investors, and operators on building startups in Southeast Asia. New episodes every week. Subscribe so you never miss one. Listen & Subscribe YouTube (English), YouTube (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (English), Spotify (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (Chinese), Spotify (Vietnamese), Apple Podcasts Follow BRAVE LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp Follow Jeremy Au LinkedIn, X / Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, Twitch Resources Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com #Singapore #HongKong #Crypto #Stablecoins #AIAgents #AgenticAI #VentureCapital #Fintech #SoutheastAsiaTech #StartupFunding #AIpayments #Podcast 00:00 - In 10 years, money becomes a commodity 01:38 - From internet banking to angel investing 05:18 - Where great VCs actually add value 09:37 - Saving struggling startups with no team 13:06 - Inside Animoca's Hong Kong stablecoin license 16:48 - Why payments lead the agentic AI economy 22:19 - Will agents transact more than humans? 24:14 - AI coding, OpenClaw, and the productivity shift 27:46 - How venture capital must change 34:13 - Vision vs execution, a brave story

    38 min
  4. Turn Limiting Beliefs Into Liberating Beliefs | Nir Eyal - E706

    Jun 21

    Turn Limiting Beliefs Into Liberating Beliefs | Nir Eyal - E706

    Behavioral designer Nir Eyal sits down with Jeremy Au to unpack the ideas behind his New York Times bestseller Beyond Belief. He explains why information alone never changes behavior, why your limiting beliefs stay hidden like your own face, and how the motivation triangle of behavior, benefit, and belief decides whether you actually follow through. Nir breaks down the research showing why manifesting and vision boarding can backfire, what athletes do instead with mental contrasting, the crucial difference between pain and suffering, and the four-question turnaround he used to repair his relationship with his mother. The episode closes with a live coaching session where Jeremy rewrites his own beliefs about exercise. For founders, operators, and investors across Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia, this is a practical playbook for the inner game of building. Burnout, self-doubt, and stalled goals are common across Southeast Asia's startup ecosystem, and Nir's framework offers a science-backed way to spot the beliefs quietly capping your potential and swap them for ones that serve you. Grab Nir Eyal's new book Beyond Belief, plus Hooked and Indistractable, at https://www.nirandfar.com Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/nir-eyal-beyond-belief BRAVE is Southeast Asia's leading tech podcast, hosted by Jeremy Au. Honest conversations with the region's top founders, investors, and operators on building startups in Southeast Asia. New episodes every week. Subscribe so you never miss one. Listen & Subscribe YouTube (English), YouTube (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (English), Spotify (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (Chinese), Spotify (Vietnamese), Apple Podcasts Follow BRAVE LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp Follow Jeremy Au LinkedIn, X / Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, Twitch Resources Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com #BeyondBelief #LimitingBeliefs #Mindset #SoutheastAsia #StartupFounders #Productivity #BehaviorChange #SelfImprovement  00:00 From Hooked to Beyond Belief 03:08 Why He Writes and the Birth of Hooked 05:36 The Phone, His Daughter, and Indistractable 08:28 Why Knowing Isn't Doing: The Motivation Triangle 11:26 Beliefs vs Facts vs Faith 12:55 Why Manifesting Backfires 16:56 Pain Is Not Suffering 21:04 Updating the Beliefs We Inherit 28:25 The Flowers, His Mother, and the Turnaround 31:31 Live Coaching: The Real Reason Exercise Feels Hard 41:25 The Four-Question Turnaround on Exercise 48:21 Exercise for Its Own Sake 52:00 Takeaways: Beliefs Are Lenses, Not Laws

    54 min
  5. Singapore Works Too Well To Be A Great Startup Hub? | Adriel Yong - E705

    Jun 17

    Singapore Works Too Well To Be A Great Startup Hub? | Adriel Yong - E705

    Is Singapore too efficient to ever become a great startup hub? After a single shower-thought tweet went viral and sparked a tech Twitter debate, Adriel Yong joins Jeremy Au to unpack the uncomfortable idea that Singapore works so well it dulls the hunger founders need to build. The conversation digs into whether a 5 million person market really caps your upside, why Grab out-earned Gojek despite a smaller home market, and how Israel and Estonia prove small countries can still punch above their weight. They also break down Temasek and the missing business dynasties, zero capital gains tax, the GovTech effect on edtech, and the pay-to-play US college admissions machine. For founders, investors and operators across Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia, this is a candid look at the tradeoff between comfort and ambition in Southeast Asia's startup ecosystem. Adriel and Jeremy argue the real opportunity is not breaking what works but sending the next generation abroad to feel real friction, build cross-border relationships, and carry that grit home. If you care about how the region produces world-class founders in the age of AI, this one is for you. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/adriel-yong-viral-tweet BRAVE is Southeast Asia's leading tech podcast, hosted by Jeremy Au. Honest conversations with the region's top founders, investors, and operators on building startups in Southeast Asia. New episodes every week. Subscribe so you never miss one. Listen & Subscribe YouTube (English), YouTube (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (English), Spotify (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (Chinese), Spotify (Vietnamese), Apple Podcasts Follow BRAVE LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp Follow Jeremy Au LinkedIn, X / Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, Twitch Resources Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com #Singapore #Startups #SoutheastAsia #VentureCapital #TechPodcast #Founders #Entrepreneurship  00:00 "Singapore would never be a great startup hub" 00:42 The Tweet That Sparked a Tech Twitter Flame War 03:30 Does a 5 Million Market Cap Your Upside? 07:20 How Comfort Dulls the Founder Mindset 08:45 Edtech, Schools and Why Disruption Is Hard Here 13:55 Temasek, Family Wealth and the Equity Culture Gap 17:55 Why Founders Get Rich Abroad and Settle Here 20:55 The Fix: Send Every Student Overseas 27:00 Boring Politics, High Trust and the US-Singapore Flow 33:21 Final Takeaways for Founders

    36 min
  6. Singaporeans are willing to give you a chance if you have "The Focus" | Jeremy Tan - E704

    Jun 14

    Singaporeans are willing to give you a chance if you have "The Focus" | Jeremy Tan - E704

    Jeremy Tan, independent candidate for Mountbatten SMC in Singapore's GE2025, joins Jeremy Au and Shiyan Koh to unpack why he ran, why he lost, and what he learned about Singapore's political meta. He explains why public scrutiny and small-town dynamics deter Singaporeans from entering politics, why negative campaigning backfires with voters, and why opposition parties should focus resources on winning single member constituencies. The conversation digs into Singapore's fertility crisis, with Jeremy arguing that housing affordability, not incentives, is the real bottleneck, alongside his policy ideas: ending primary school affiliation, building cheaper HDB flats, and compounding baby equity accounts tied to the STI. For founders, investors, and operators across Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia, this episode offers a candid look at how AI driven layoffs, capital concentration, and rising costs are reshaping Southeast Asia's most developed economy, and what it takes to challenge an incumbent system from the outside. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/jeremy-tan-singapore-politics  BRAVE is Southeast Asia's leading tech podcast, hosted by Jeremy Au. Honest conversations with the region's top founders, investors, and operators on building startups in Southeast Asia. New episodes every week. Subscribe so you never miss one. Listen & Subscribe YouTube (English), YouTube (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (English), Spotify (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (Chinese), Spotify (Vietnamese), Apple Podcasts Follow BRAVE LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp Follow Jeremy Au LinkedIn, X / Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, Twitch Resources Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com #Singapore #SingaporePolitics #GE2025 #HousingCrisis #FertilityRate #HDB #SoutheastAsia #TechPodcast #VentureCapital #AI 00:00 Highlights and introduction 01:24 Why Jeremy Tan ran as an independent in Mountbatten 04:20 Why Singaporeans don't run for office 07:40 AI, layoffs, and the decision to enter politics 11:49 The new political meta in Singapore 14:30 Criticism, pet policies, and running against a newcomer 17:40 Election night: predicting his own loss 25:50 What opposition parties got wrong in GE2025 29:21 Singapore's fertility crisis starts with housing 34:35 Primary school affiliation and education inequality 44:55 Three policy ideas: housing, schools, baby equity accounts 49:59 Capital, the sandwich generation, and what comes next 54:25 Closing reflections

    53 min
  7. Invent the Category - E703

    Jun 10

    Invent the Category - E703

    How do startups actually beat established incumbents? In this episode of the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au reframes the classic David vs Goliath story to explain why startups are not underdogs. They are operators who choose the right weapon, then go for the kill shot of category creation. Break down the David vs Goliath Reframe, where the slingshot was equivalent to a pistol and David won not by luck but by choosing speed over armor. Walk through Startup Case Studies including Oatly building a billion-dollar oat milk category from nothing in 1994, and Hon Lik inventing the vape in Shenzhen for himself, as examples of how startups experiment where incumbents cannot. Wrap up with Jeffrey Bussgang's Jungle, Dirt Road, Highway framework, using Jeff Bezos's transition from finance to Amazon as the canonical startup lifecycle example. Tune in to find out why category creation comes from experimentation, not optimization, and why startups should invent rather than compete. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/invent-the-category  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

    12 min
  8. Ori Sasson: AI Job Replacement & The Future of Work - E702

    Jun 7

    Ori Sasson: AI Job Replacement & The Future of Work - E702

    Are AI agents and LLMs coming for your job? In this episode of the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au sits down with Ori Sasson to uncover the harsh realities of AI job replacement, the "Hollywoodization" of the workforce, and the explosion of 10x productivity in startups. Discover how employers in Singapore and across Southeast Asia are redesigning roles, navigating "shadow AI", and leveraging government policies to stay competitive. Whether you are a tech founder, venture capitalist, or operator in Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, or Malaysia, this conversation is your blueprint for surviving and thriving in the new AI economy. We break down the differences between traditional workflow outputs and AI native systems, explore why the product manager is becoming an "LLM wrapper", and discuss what policymakers are doing to bridge the skills gap. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/ori-sasson-ai-work 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 #AItech #Podcast #southeastasia #techpodcast 00:00 - The "Hollywoodization" of the Workplace 01:39 - Meet Ori Sasson: The Employer's Perspective on AI 02:22 - Blue Collar vs. White Collar: Which Jobs Are Disappearing? 05:40 - Meta Layoffs, Motivation, and the "10x" Employee 08:50 - Overcoming the AI "Verification Tax" in Coding 11:15 - The "LLM Wrapper": Redesigning the Product Manager Role 15:40 - The "Hollywoodization" of Work Explained 19:05 - "Shadow AI" & Distributing Massive Productivity Gains 24:40 - Automated Side Hustles & The Junior Talent Crisis 29:10 - Y Combinator, AI-Native Law Firms, & Services Disruption 34:15 - Singapore's AI Policy, Budgets, and Global Comparisons 39:10 - A Crazy Idea: Free National AI Subscriptions? 43:50 - Conclusion & Key Takeaways

    45 min
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About

Learn from Southeast Asia's best tech leaders. Build the future, learn from our past & stay human in between. No B.S on success. Southeast Asia's #1 startup & venture capital podcast with 80,000+ listeners. Hosted by Jeremy Au. VC & serial founder. Harvard MBA & UC Berkeley. Sci-fi nerd & dad of two daughters. Growth and personal growth solves all problems. The best feeling is coaching good humans to be great leaders.  Published on Monday & Thursday. Weekly tech news debates, changemaker interviews & listener Q&As. Community of listeners and guests across Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia & the Philippines. Global top 10% podcast. "Learned a lot from the journeys. Must-listen for anyone seeking advice to be a leader" @lindatangxy "Refreshing to hear from distinguished founders what they learned, both the good & bad" @seanojw "Incredibly useful in kickstarting my thought process around customers as an entrepreneur" @klowetan "After tuning into a couple of episodes, this is now my weekly routine. Keep it up!!" @joshrodes8 Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.comWhatsApp Weekday Insight: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02eSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0TYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAuApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyauInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauzTwitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyauLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea

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