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

Jeremy Au
  • 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. Invent the Category - E703

    22h ago

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

    3d ago

    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
  3. Southeast Asia is in its Golden Age - E701

    Jun 4

    Southeast Asia is in its Golden Age - E701

    Is Southeast Asia entering a golden age of technology? In this episode of the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au explores the booming venture capital landscape and what it actually takes to build a unicorn in highly fragmented markets like Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Dive deep into The Technology Stack & Leapfrogging, explaining why fundamental infrastructure, like widespread internet and mobile adoption, must precede advanced tech, using Grab's expansion into the Philippines as a prime example. Break down the three main Southeast Asia Market Archetypes that dictate how startups scale across borders, from single-market giants to regional logistics champions. Wrap up by Assessing Talent and Capital in the Region, analyzing why various countries have different competitive advantages, the importance of government support, and why the entire region is currently struggling to compete with the US and China in the global AI race. Tune in to understand the "Time Machine Thesis" and the macro trends shaping the next decade of Asian venture capital! Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/southeast-asia-golden-age  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 #VentureCapital #Business #Startup #Podcast #southeastasia #techpodcast 00:00 - Welcome & The Global Unicorn Landscape 01:13 - Is Southeast Asia Entering a Tech Golden Age? 02:46 - The Technology Stack & Leapfrogging 04:42 - Grab's Expansion & De-risking Ride-Hailing 06:21 - The "Time Machine" Thesis: Cloning Success 10:28 - Navigating Market Fragmentation in SEA 12:38 - Southeast Asia Market Archetypes 16:23 - Assessing Talent and Capital in the Region 18:44 - Silicon Shields & Government Support 23:59 - Why Southeast Asia is Lagging in AI

    27 min
  4. Become Incorruptible - The Truth Behind Successful Businesses | Eric Ries - E700

    May 31

    Become Incorruptible - The Truth Behind Successful Businesses | Eric Ries - E700

    Join Jeremy Au on the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast for an exclusive masterclass with Eric Ries, legendary author of 'The Lean Startup' and the new book ‘Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad... and How Great Companies Stay Great’. They dive deep into the future of company building, how the AI boom is dramatically accelerating startup velocity, and why the standard venture capital playbook is often fundamentally broken. Eric reveals insights from his new research on corporate governance, explaining why ruthless business practices actually destroy long-term value and how true trustworthiness is a company's greatest asset. Essential listening for founders, operators, and VCs across Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia who are looking to scale resilient, high-integrity startups. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/become-incorruptible-eric-ries 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 #US #Startup #Founder #Author #startupbook #Podcast #southeastasia #techpodcast 00:00 - Introduction & The Myth of Ruthless Business 01:21 - The Origin Story of "The Lean Startup" 04:24 - Achieving Product-Market Fit During a Recession 07:19 - Eric's Identity Shift: From Engineer to Global Author 09:23 - How "Lean Startup" Principles Apply to the AI Boom 12:00 - The New Book: Protecting Your Company's Mission 18:35 - Why "Good Governance" Can Actually Destroy Value 23:55 - Overcoming the Pressure to Exploit Customers (The Costco Example) 32:21 - Founder Transitions & The Story of Novo Nordisk 38:28 - AI Agents vs. Human Creativity: Eric's Contrarian Take 41:00 - AI Fact-Checks Eric Ries Live 43:04 - Key Takeaways & Conclusion

    45 min
  5. Choosing Your Career Path and the Tradeoffs You Must Be Aware Of - E699

    May 27

    Choosing Your Career Path and the Tradeoffs You Must Be Aware Of - E699

    Most career advice is a lie. In this raw solo episode of the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au breaks down why self-help advice from successful business leaders is often self-serving, and what young founders, operators, and professionals across Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia should actually pay attention to. Jeremy shares the hard-won lessons that schools and LinkedIn influencers will not teach you: the brutal tradeoffs hidden behind every "I wake up at 5am" story, why you must own your power without shame, and the dangerous trap of choosing your career outside-in instead of inside-out. He opens up about why he walked away from Bain & Company after two years and felt like a loser, only to learn a decade later that even the partners who "made it" wished they had taken the exit. You will also hear why being a small fish in a big pond is not a failure (and being a big fish in a small pond is not the goal), why sacrificing your health for your career is the dumbest tradeoff a young professional can make, and how choosing your own pain is the secret to a sustainable career. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/choosing-your-career-path 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  #SoutheastAsia #VentureCapital #Podcast #CareerAdvice #StartupFounders #SingaporeStartups #SEATech 00:00 The Illusion of Self-Help and Success 00:52 Own Your Power (And Your Quirks) 02:13 Big Fish vs Small Fish in the Pond 03:56 Outside-In vs Inside-Out Motivations 05:05 Why I Left Bain & Company 06:44 Never Sacrifice Health for Wealth 07:39 Protect Your Relationships 08:01 Choose Your Pain 08:34 Outro

    9 min
  6. How Lasers Could Replace Undersea Cables & Reshape Global Internet | Rohit Jha - E698

    May 24

    How Lasers Could Replace Undersea Cables & Reshape Global Internet | Rohit Jha - E698

    Rohit Jha, Co-founder and CEO of Transcelestial, joins Jeremy Au to explain how his Singapore-based startup is using laser communications to transmit internet at speeds far beyond what Starlink currently offers, and why that matters for Southeast Asia, global telcos, and the future of deep space. Rohit breaks down how Transcelestial went from building ground-to-ground laser links for 5G towers, with clients like Globe Telecom, Telkomsel, T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, and NTT Group, to now building an orbital ring of 40 satellites designed to replace undersea cables and host orbital data centres capable of running AI workloads in space. Topics covered include the Transcelestial vs. SpaceX and Starlink distinction, why telcos are a national security asset that will never be sold to a foreign operator, how AI is driving an explosion in internet bandwidth demand, and how a laser link restored connectivity to 50 villages in Taiwan after a typhoon destroyed a fibre-carrying bridge in under two hours. Rohit also shares what it means to be brave, from fighting off knife-wielding robbers in Munich on Christmas Eve to secretly redirecting company capital into a space programme without telling the board. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/rohit-jha-global-internet-lasers 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 #Technology #SpaceTech #Podcast #US #Taiwan #Philippines #Indonesia #Malaysia #Vietnam #southeastasia #techpodcast 00:00 Anyone Who Is Not SpaceX Is Signing Us Up 00:30 Welcome to BRAVE and Rohit Jha Introduction 01:30 What Is Transcelestial? Laser Internet and the Orbital Ring Explained 02:01 From Entrepreneur First to a Deep Space Vision 03:40 From NTU Engineering to Investment Banking and the Internet Revelation 05:25 Product Market Fit: Solving Today's Problems to Fund the Future 06:00 Telco Partnerships: Globe Telecom, Telkomsel, T-Mobile, AT&T and NTT Group 07:20 Transcelestial vs. SpaceX and Starlink: Competitive or Synergistic? 09:55 The Orbital Ring: 40 Satellites Replacing Undersea Cables 10:20 Orbital Data Centres and Running AI Workloads in Space 14:55 Will Starlink Kill the Traditional Telco? 17:18 AI Latency: Why Routing via Low-Earth Orbit Beats Undersea Cables 19:45 Geopolitical Neutrality and the Multi-Vendor Imperative 23:25 Typhoon in Taiwan: Laser Link Restores Internet to 50 Villages in Two Hours 26:15 Personal Bravery: Armed Robbery in Munich on Christmas Eve 27:35 Business Bravery: Secretly Funding the Space Division Without Board Approval 29:57 Purpose and Why Having a Mission Changes the Risks You Take 30:37 Key Takeaways and Closing

    32 min
  7. Trump Xi Summit Decoded: Thucydides Trap, Boeing Deal & China AI Chip Strategy - E697

    May 21

    Trump Xi Summit Decoded: Thucydides Trap, Boeing Deal & China AI Chip Strategy - E697

    Jianggan Li, Founder of Momentum Works, joins Jeremy Au to unpack the Trump Xi Beijing summit, the first US presidential visit to China since 2017. They decode the optics of Zhongnanhai Garden and the Temple of Heaven, Xi Jinping's Thucydides Trap reference, the 200 plane Boeing deal, and why the absence of major deliverables is itself a strategic win. The conversation dives deep into the AI chip war, why NVIDIA's market share in China collapsed from 95% to under 10%, how the US export ban accelerated Chinese semiconductor self-reliance, and DeepSeek's reported 50 billion RMB funding round with the founder personally contributing 20 billion. They examine why Jensen Huang was added to Trump's delegation last minute, Elon Musk's unique position with Tesla in China, how Chinese state subsidies flow through local governments, and why founders like the Manus team made costly domicile mistakes. For Southeast Asia founders, VCs, and operators in Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia, this episode reveals why both superpowers settled into managed competition rather than decisive split, and what it means for global supply chains, AI models, and capital flows in 2026. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/trump-xi-summit 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 00:00 Introduction 01:23 Why the Trump Xi summit was a strategic win 03:25 Key players and how China renamed Rubio 06:26 Xi's Thucydides Trap and the Athens Sparta lesson 09:11 Chinese self-media versus official narratives 12:10 Zhongnanhai Garden and Temple of Heaven optics 15:15 El Niño, food security and global risk 16:36 Boeing deal, Elon Musk and Tesla in China 19:04 Jensen Huang added last minute to the delegation 21:16 Why Chinese founders still domicile in Singapore 23:08 DeepSeek's 50 billion RMB funding anomaly 24:00 NVIDIA's China collapse and the backfired chip ban 26:32 DeepSeek and ByteDance: founder driven AI 29:34 How Chinese state subsidies actually work 32:17 DeepSeek's cost efficiency strategy 33:04 Future outlook: Xi's US visit and Taiwan

    35 min
  8. Wen-Szu Lin: Lessons learnt from Franchise Failure to Scaling Uber in Asia - E696

    May 17

    Wen-Szu Lin: Lessons learnt from Franchise Failure to Scaling Uber in Asia - E696

    In this episode of the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au is joined by Wen-Szu Lin who opens up about the brutal reality of entrepreneurship, from securing the master franchise for Auntie Anne's in China just before the 2008 Olympics, to navigating massive business failure, and eventually scaling Uber's Community Operations across Asia. Wen-Szu shares the untaught lessons that propelled his corporate success after his startup collapsed. Discover the hidden challenges of operating a foreign food brand in Beijing, how strict local regulations stifled growth, and why a "growth mindset" is the ultimate tool for tech leaders and founders. Whether you are building a startup in Southeast Asia, exploring venture capital, or looking to growth hack your career, this candid conversation about bouncing back from a failed venture is essential listening. Check out Wen-Szu Lin’s books The China Twist and Deliver: The untaught lessons to growth hack your career at www.wenszulin.com  00:00 - Introduction  01:46 - Wen-Szu Lin's Background & Journey to China 04:55 - Securing the Auntie Anne's Master Franchise 07:23 - The Reality of Doing Business in Beijing (2008 Olympics) 11:42 - Why the Pretzels Failed: Malls, Regulations & Foot Traffic 16:19 - Knowing When to Fold & Moving to the Philippines 20:41 - Overcoming the Stigma of Failure: Writing "The China Twist" 24:42 - Scaling Uber's Community Operations in Asia 27:53 - Untaught Lessons: Writing "Deliver" 30:28 - Following Curiosity Over Bravery 31:54 - Three Key Mindsets for Success & Conclusion Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/wen-szu-lin-deliver 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 #Philippines #China #Franchise #Business #Podcast #southeastasia #techpodcast

    34 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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