The asiabits Podcast

Thomas Derksen & Michael Broza
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What happens in Asia increasingly shapes tomorrow's world. Yet people still underestimate the developments unfolding in China, South Korea, and Japan—the emerging technologies, shifting markets, and groundbreaking deals. We want to change that. We talk to entrepreneurs, founders, and other inspiring leaders about their journeys, businesses, and products. About the hosts: Thomas Derksen is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, and content creator with over 10 million followers on social media. Recognized as one of the most influential Western voices on China, Thomas offers deep insights into the country's culture, society, and rapidly evolving digital economy.LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afuthomas/ Michael Broza is an entrepreneur with extensive experience in fintech and AI-powered M&A, connecting the M&A community throughout the German-speaking region. He now develops advanced AI-powered tools to enhance efficiency, primarily in the M&A sector. Based in Shanghai, Michael regularly provides insights into Asia's tech and venture ecosystems, builds strategic networks, and actively shares his knowledge through social media and direct community engagement. LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-broza/Be the first to know about the newest trends in and from Asia: asiabits.com/en

Episodes

  1. 1D AGO

    Ep. 4: Why Your $500/Month Pilates Studio Is A Scam

    "It's a rich people sport." Pilates sessions cost $100 each. Monthly memberships run $500. Eric, a designer from Shenzhen, said: "We could do better." He built a smart, foldable Pilates reformer in his apartment. 48 hours after launching on Kickstarter: $400,000 raised. In this episode, we discuss: • The "rich people sport" problem: Why Pilates costs $500/month and how Eric is changing that • From back pain to business: How chronic desk job pain led to a $400K Kickstarter • Shenzhen speed: 3D-printed prototype to CES 2026 in one year • The tech inside: Smart sensors, app integration, and gamification • $899 vs $3,000: Why traditional reformers are overpriced • Pilates was invented by a German?! The surprising history • Thomas' 140kg story: How sports changed everything About Eric & Tintin: Eric is a designer and co-founder of Pavo Fitness. After chronic back pain from desk work, he discovered Pilates but couldn't afford the sessions. Tintin is a Pilates instructor who left her 996 (actually "000007" - 24/7) tech job to pursue fitness full-time. --- asiabits is on a mission to bridge the gap between East and West. We provide non-biased, on-the-ground insights into technology, innovation, and the future of business in Asia. Pavo Fitness Kickstarter: kickstarter.com/projects/pavofitness Subscribe to the asiabits newsletter: asiabits.com Follow us on LinkedIn: Thomas Michael asiabits

    40 min

  2. JAN 28

    Ep. 3: He Built an AI Grill That Could Replace Your BBQ

    Sean is from Zibo, China's most famous barbecue city. At just 24, he co-founded Cozytime and built the Lumo, an AI-powered smart grill that brings real charcoal-style barbecue indoors with zero smoke. Supported by InnoX, the accelerator founded by DJI's creator, Sean and his team trained their AI on over 100kg of meat. The Lumo uses infrared technology instead of hot air, giving you that authentic smoky flavor right in your apartment. In this episode, we discuss: • From BBQ Capital to Tech Founder: How growing up in Zibo shaped Sean's vision for indoor grilling • The Infrared Breakthrough: Why 70% of charcoal heat comes from infrared, not hot air, and how Lumo uses this • AI-Powered Cooking: Cameras, sensors, and machine learning that know your meat's size, weight, and temperature • Three Modes, One Machine: Oven, grill, and open flat-top in a single device • InnoX Academy: How DJI's founder's accelerator helped Sean build his startup • Market Research at the Bar: Going to expat bars in Shenzhen to find first customers • Pitching with Meat: How cooking for Chinese investors got them to say "take my money" • The Tesla Strategy: Making it affordable to collect data and improve the AI • Social Recipes: Share your grilling results with friends through the Lumo app About Sean: Sean is a co-founder of Cozytime, based in Shenzhen. Originally from Zibo, Shandong Province, he studied engineering and joined InnoX, the innovation academy founded by DJI's creator. Together with his co-founders, he is building the Lumo smart grill, launching on Kickstarter in February 2026. --- asiabits is on a mission to bridge the gap between East and West. We provide non-biased, on-the-ground insights into technology, innovation, and the future of business in Asia. Pre-order the Lumo: prelaunch.com/lumo Subscribe to the asiabits newsletter: asiabits.com Follow us on LinkedIn: Thomas Michael asiabits Watch the video version on YouTube: youtu.be/kce77prgEFM

    1h 2m

  3. JAN 22

    Ep. 2: She Got Abu Dhabi Royals to Invest Millions

    Audrey Quan went from college student to founder with investments from Abu Dhabi's royal family. At just 20-something, she built an AI company that impressed some of the wealthiest investors in the Middle East. In this episode, Audrey shares her journey from studying mass communication in China to creating AI digital humans and translation devices that caught the attention of investors in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. In this episode, we discuss: • The Royal Investment Story: How Audrey attracted backing from Middle East investors for her AI startup • AI Digital Humans: The technology behind creating digital avatars that can replace yourself • Building Innoaio: Her real-time translation device that breaks down language barriers • From Animation to AI Hardware: How she pivoted from creating animation videos to building AI products • The "Shenzhen Speed" Advantage: How Chinese founders develop and pivot ideas faster than anywhere else • Challenges in the Middle East Market: Why UAE reminded her of "China 10 years ago" • Advice for Hardware Founders: Navigating China's manufacturing ecosystem and scaling production About Audrey Quan: Audrey is a young founder from Henan Province, China, now based in Shenzhen. She started her company while still in college, initially creating animation videos for oil and financial industries. Today, she builds AI-powered products including digital humans and the Innoaio real-time translation device, with backing from investors across Asia and the Middle East. --- asiabits is on a mission to bridge the gap between East and West. We provide non-biased, on-the-ground insights into technology, innovation, and the future of business in Asia. Subscribe to the asiabits newsletter: asiabits.com Follow us on LinkedIn: Thomas Michael asiabits Watch the video version on YouTube: youtu.be/CR-0d7ZJYkw

    1h 15m

  4. JAN 12

    Ep. 1: He Quit His Job in Germany and Moved to China

    "I quit my job in Germany and moved to China without knowing what I wanted to do here. For a lot of people, it's crazy. For me, it makes no sense to stay in Europe." In the premiere episode of The asiabits Podcast, Michael (Co-founder of Asiabits) shares the unfiltered story of why he traded the German countryside for the high-speed chaos of Shanghai and Shenzhen. We dive deep into why Europe is "ignoring" the Asian Century, the reality of the AI race (DeepSeek, South Korea's battle plan, and beyond), and why the "China Experts" you see on LinkedIn are often getting it completely wrong. In this episode, we discuss: • The "Suicide" of Ignorance: Why European businesses are at risk by ignoring Asian innovation • Life on the Ground: The truth about safety, convenience, and the "American Dream" currently happening in China • The Elevator Pitch: How a chance meeting in an elevator led to the birth of the asiabits newsletter and podcast • Germany vs. China: A look at the massive gap in AI investment and entrepreneurial speed • The "Gym" Mentality: Why building a startup is exactly like losing 60kg, it's about showing up when you don't want to --- asiabits is on a mission to bridge the gap between East and West. We provide non-biased, on-the-ground insights into technology, innovation, and the future of business in Asia. Subscribe to the asiabits newsletter: asiabits.com Follow us on LinkedIn: Thomas Michael asiabits Watch the video version on YouTube: youtu.be/HICvIhapv_k If you enjoyed this episode, please give us a like and subscribe. It helps us bring more authentic stories from the ground in Asia to the rest of the world.

    52 min
  • 4 Episodes

About

What happens in Asia increasingly shapes tomorrow's world. Yet people still underestimate the developments unfolding in China, South Korea, and Japan—the emerging technologies, shifting markets, and groundbreaking deals. We want to change that. We talk to entrepreneurs, founders, and other inspiring leaders about their journeys, businesses, and products. About the hosts: Thomas Derksen is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, and content creator with over 10 million followers on social media. Recognized as one of the most influential Western voices on China, Thomas offers deep insights into the country's culture, society, and rapidly evolving digital economy.LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afuthomas/ Michael Broza is an entrepreneur with extensive experience in fintech and AI-powered M&A, connecting the M&A community throughout the German-speaking region. He now develops advanced AI-powered tools to enhance efficiency, primarily in the M&A sector. Based in Shanghai, Michael regularly provides insights into Asia's tech and venture ecosystems, builds strategic networks, and actively shares his knowledge through social media and direct community engagement. LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-broza/Be the first to know about the newest trends in and from Asia: asiabits.com/en

Information

  • Creator
    Thomas Derksen & Michael Broza
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    4
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The asiabits Podcast
  • Show Website
    The asiabits Podcast