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

Episode

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  AI: State of Industry and Investment | Aravind Kandiah, Jun Wakabayashi, John Homer Alvero - E717 29.07.2026 29mnt

  Everyone has the same access to the same frontier models. So what's actually left to compete on? Jeremy Au moderates a panel at the Crosscurrents Summit in Parañaque on where enterprise AI adoption really stands. Aravind Kandiah is CTO and Co-founder of Bifrost, a robotics infrastructure company that simulates the world to evaluate robots. Its simulations power some of the largest robotics companies, from Mars exploration with NASA to high-risk industrial work. Bifrost is backed by Sequoia Capital, Lux Capital and Airbus Ventures. On the panel he splits enterprises into those running pilots to hit an R&D spend target and those facing a real forcing function, like Korea's birth rate leaving factories unstaffed. Only the second group ships. Jun Wakabayashi is a Venture Principal at AppWorks, one of Asia's leading accelerators and VC firms. He rose from Analyst in 2017 to Principal by 2023 and leads its Beacon Funds arm, a fund-of-funds backing emerging venture managers across Southeast Asia and web3. He holds a B.S. in Finance from NYU Stern and previously worked at PwC. He puts engineering at 60 to 80% of enterprise token spend and tracks teams accidentally burning $5 million a month. John Homer Alvero is Head of AI Engineering at Converge ICT, one of the Philippines' largest fiber broadband and digital infrastructure providers. An AWS architect across fintech, telco and gaming, he was previously Cloud Solutions Architect at SM Investments. His blocker isn't the technology: governance and cybersecurity teams can't write credible guardrails until they're AI-literate themselves. Where they split: Aravind says the moat is everything except the model. Jun says it's distribution, the one thing the labs lack. Crosscurrents Summit, presented by Clouted Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/enterprise-ai  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 #EnterpriseAI #AIStrategy #AIAdoption #BuildVsBuy #AIROI #PhysicalAI #Robotics #SoutheastAsia #TechPodcast 00:00 Introduction 00:40 Meet the panel 03:02 Is enterprise AI adoption actually real? 05:34 Engineers have stopped typing code 08:21 What's really holding enterprises back 10:30 How to measure ROI and cap token spend 15:32 Where the returns show up internally 18:36 Build or buy, and why services came back 23:23 Advice to a three-years-younger self 26:02 Model, brand, or distribution?
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  Building the World's Most-used Medical AI | Dr. Thomas Kelly of Heidi - E716 27.07.2026 46mnt

  Dr. Thomas Kelly was a vascular surgery trainee in Melbourne before he walked away from medicine to fix the problem he hated most: paperwork stealing time from patients. Today he is co-founder and CEO of Heidi Health, an AI medical scribe and "care partner" used by clinicians in more than 100 countries, valued at US$465M after its 2025 Series B led by Point72. In this episode, Jeremy Au and Dr. Tom break down how GPT-4 nearly destroyed the company, forcing a brutal pivot from an AI model company into a product company, and how that near-death moment led to becoming one of the world's most-used healthcare AI tools. They dig into why great AI scribing is far harder than a demo, how Heidi is expanding into clinical decision support and medical-device territory, why he isn't scared of OpenAI in healthcare, and why Singapore, Japan, and the rest of Asia are core to the roadmap. A must-watch for founders, venture capitalists, and operators building AI, health tech, and vertical software across Southeast Asia. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/heidi-health-tom-kelly  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 #HealthcareAI #AIScribe #FounderStory #AIinHealthcare #StartupPivot #SoutheastAsia #VentureCapital 00:00 – From vascular surgery to AI: meet Dr. Tom Kelly 01:38 – Why he became a doctor: the "platonic ideal" GP 02:55 – Maths, machine learning, and the pre-med detour 04:22 – GAMSAT YouTube videos to his first business 07:06 – Building Oscer, an early AI clinical tutor 08:58 – Why doctor paperwork is a capacity crisis 13:05 – Is an AI scribe easy or hard to build? 17:35 – From scribe to full AI care partner 18:28 – Clinical AI and medical device regulation 21:32 – Roadmap: tasks, primitives, and on-prem hardware 26:24 – Going global: Singapore, Japan, and Asia 28:50 – Localizing for Malay, Hokkien, and Singlish 32:52 – Why clinicians drive the innovation 34:21 – The GPT-4 pivot that nearly ended Heidi 37:20 – Competing with OpenAI and how to run a pivot
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  Spent $1.5m On One Sperm Race and It Went Viral | Eric Zhu - E715 22.07.2026 32mnt

  An 18-year-old got kicked out of high school, built a data startup from a bathroom stall, and now raises millions to race human sperm on live television. In this episode of the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au sits down with Eric Zhu, founder of Aviato and Sperm Racing, to unpack one of the strangest venture-backed stories in tech. Eric explains how he ran founder calls from an Indiana high school bathroom using a green screen and hall passes bought from drug dealers, why a billionaire dared him to turn sperm speed into a spectator sport, and how the first race cost $1.5 million and went viral overnight. He also breaks down the real business behind the memes: biomarker sports, rolling up e-commerce and software brands, and running them with AI agents. Along the way he shares why he bets on young, hungry, underpriced talent, why he thinks founders are "degenerate gamblers" chasing asymmetric upside, and why AI may be the biggest inflection point since the early internet. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/eric-zhu-sperm-racing  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 #SpermRacing #Startup #VentureCapital #TechPodcast 00:00  The High School Bathroom Startup 03:02 - Moving to San Francisco 04:20 - Building a Data Engine 08:14 - Lessons in Leadership 09:13 - The Genesis of Sperm Racing 10:09 - Production Chaos in LA 14:02 - The Business of Biomarker Sports 21:35 - Hiring Gen Z Talent 23:44 - The Reality of Silicon Valley 26:39 - AI and The Future of Work
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  Zombie Unicorns: Southeast Asia's Structural VC Problem | Kristie Neo - E714 20.07.2026 58mnt

  Southeast Asia's venture market is not in a downturn. It is in a structural winter, and mid-2026 is when that distinction stopped being academic. Kristie Neo returns to break down what is actually happening across the region: Singapore's IPO revival is real but is being carried by data centres and REITs rather than homegrown tech; allocators now rank Southeast Asia at the bottom of Asia behind China, India, Japan, Korea and ANZ; and a generation of growth-stage companies is being kept alive past the point where a merger or a wind-down would have served everyone better. Jeremy Au and Kristie also work through what could actually restart the funding ladder, from encouraging tech M&A and fixing university IP commercialisation, to tax incentives for angels and support for syndicate leads who can assemble the $1 million to $5 million rounds that Singapore currently cannot fill. If you are a founder raising in Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand or Malaysia, or an LP trying to work out where capital goes next in Asia, this is the honest state of the market. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/kristie-neo-southeast-asia-zombie-unicorns  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 #SoutheastAsia #VentureCapital #SingaporeIPO 00:00 Intro 01:00 Singapore's IPO revival and what is really lifting SGX 06:30 Safe haven status and the Indonesia allocation problem 09:34 Why Southeast Asia sits at the bottom of the allocator stack 14:58 A generation of zombie companies 18:07 The case for mergers, folds and consolidation 21:50 Fixing the funding ladder: who writes the first check 23:55 The IP commercialisation gap and university tech licensing 35:15 Rethinking how governments seed VC funds 41:24 Where can an LP put money today 45:00 Incentivising angels, syndicates and family offices 52:43 The information gap and parting thoughts
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  Climbing the Wrong Mountain: Why I Walked Away from Big Law and PE | Daniel Suh - E713 16.07.2026 42mnt

  Daniel Suh spent a decade optimizing for prestige. Korean immigrant parents who left careers behind to start a small business in the US, a childhood spent moving apartments through bankruptcy, UCSD, five years in consulting to put his brother and mother through school, then an accelerated JD-MBA at Northwestern. He landed the big law summer and a private equity offer, the American dream on paper. He was elated for about ten minutes. "It felt like climbing a mountain for ten years. You get to the summit, and then you realize you climbed the wrong mountain the whole time." Today he is General Partner at Gold House Ventures, the cultural capital fund backing founders at the intersection of AI and creativity.  In this conversation with Jeremy Au, Daniel breaks down the second-generation guilt that pushes immigrant kids into careers they never chose, the high school demand letter that won back his family's security deposit in 24 hours, and why Gold House evolved from an Asian founder fund into something broader. He gets specific about what "cultural capital" actually buys a founder that money and introductions cannot, and why the backlash against AI is a narrative problem rather than a technology one. If nobody trusts the model, adoption stalls no matter how good the model is. Culture, not capability, is what moves people. A conversation for founders, VCs and operators across Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia who are quietly wondering whether they are climbing someone else's mountain. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/daniel-suh-gold-house   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 #VentureCapital #StartupPodcast #GoldHouse #SoutheastAsia  00:00 - From San Francisco to Manila 01:31 - Korean immigrant parents, bankruptcy and growing up in poverty 03:56 - Three prisms: parent expectations, family money and your own dreams 07:38 - Five years in consulting to put the family through school 09:45 - The Northwestern JD-MBA: decent at law, miserable doing it 13:39 - The big law and private equity offer and climbing the wrong mountain 17:04 - Finding Gold House on LinkedIn and getting emotional over a website 19:46 - The security deposit fight that made empowerment personal 24:42 - Building the "Asian YC" and the fund thesis 27:26 - The Fund II rebrand: cultural capital 32:12 - The AI backlash: jobs, deepfakes and paying creators 34:45 - Bravery, optionality and choosing yourself by telling the truth 39:22 - "A winner is a loser who tried one more time"
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  The Career Advice Harvard Never Taught: Burnout, Fear & Flow | Pooja Venkatraman - E712 13.07.2026 47mnt

  Executive coach Pooja Venkatraman (Harvard College, Harvard MBA, ex-BCG, ex-Capital One) explains why burnout has almost nothing to do with how many hours you work, and everything to do with the mental soundtrack running while you work. She breaks down the two flavors of burnout high achievers miss, why "just quit" is bad advice, and the framework she uses to help Ivy League grads and operators get unstuck. For founders, VCs, and operators across Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia, this is a candid look at building a career that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside: navigating career pivots, imposter syndrome, and high-pressure decisions without burning out. Pooja also shares her non-linear path from aspiring screenwriter to coach, and why every move was a hypothesis worth testing. Learn more about Pooja: https://poojavcoaching.com/ Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/pooja-venkatraman-burnout-fear-flow  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 #Burnout #CareerCoaching #ExecutiveCoaching #SoutheastAsia #Podcast #TechCareers #Leadership #Founders #HighAchievers #CareerChange #MentalHealth 00:00 The biggest misconception about burnout 00:39 Intro: from HBS classmates to executive coach 03:35 The writer years: Harry Potter to Harvardwood 08:22 Pivot to business: Capital One and the secret writing job 10:28 HBS, BCG, and the hypothesis that broke 13:12 The Clay Christensen fellowship and the shelved book 17:44 Back to Capital One: "You're not being brave" 23:44 The circular career and the wrapping paper trap 28:56 Hiring a coach, then becoming one 35:17 Burnout is not about the hours 38:44 Why not just quit? The internal tug of war 42:05 Being brave, advice to her younger self, and takeaways
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  AI, Zeitgeist and Algorithmic Warfare | Justin Banusing - E711 09.07.2026 42mnt

  Host Jeremy Au sits down with two-time founder Justin Banusing, who returns to BRAVE to explain why he shut down a startup that was already working, near $1M ARR and freshly funded, and what that call taught him about building across Southeast Asia and the US. Together they unpack the value-chain trap Justin calls "sharecropping on someone else's land," why college gaming and esports could not become venture-scale businesses, and how the cultural shift from campus gaming to music festivals reshaped his entire thesis on where to build. From AcadArena, the Philippines' first Series A gaming startup, through the AI-companion era of Clout Kitchen, to Clouted, the a16z Speedrun-backed AI virality engine he runs today, Justin traces the difference between revenge founders and missionary founders, why he chose to build again instead of moving into venture capital, and how he thinks about winning what he calls "algorithmic warfare." Jeremy draws out the emotional side of pulling the plug and the discipline behind it. For founders, operators, and investors in Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia, this is a candid look at product-market fit, distribution, and knowing when to reset. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/justin-banusing-clouted-ai-virality  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 #StartupFounder #VentureCapital #ArtificialIntelligence #SoutheastAsiaStartups #CreatorEconomy #GoingViral #TechPodcast #Philippines 00:00 Introducing Justin & Clouted 2:31 What Makes Justin a Founder 4:14 The Rise and Fall of College Gaming 6:51 Why Esports Doesn't Scale 10:44 The Messy Exit and a Deliberate Sabbatical 13:16 Founder, Not Investor 17:54 Revenge Startup vs. Missionary Founder 19:51 Building Backseat, the AI Gaming Companion 24:53 Knowing When to Pull the Plug 27:03 Falling for Music and Finding the Real Problem 33:34 Algorithmic Warfare: Why Virality Is Now Engineered 36:57 Inside Clouted: The AI Media Buyer 39:14 The Brave Question and Takeaways
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  The End of Peak SaaS & How to Build Outcome-Based Software | Andres Klaric - E710 06.07.2026 42mnt

  Is SaaS dying? Andres Klaric, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Fuse, joins Jeremy Au to explain why he believes we have reached "peak SaaS" and why AI agents are forcing software companies to charge for outcomes instead of seats. Andres shares how he spent a decade on Wall Street to build a war chest, launched during the 2020 pandemic, and pivoted from automotive refinancing to an AI-native loan origination system now used by more than 100 lenders. He breaks down the $25 million Series A, the $5 million "rescue fund" that frees credit unions from legacy contracts, and why context-rich teams, not newcomers, win the AI race. For founders, venture capitalists, and operators across Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia, this is a playbook on disciplined pivots, outcome-based pricing, and building durable B2B software in a highly regulated industry. Whether you are raising a Series A, rethinking your SaaS pricing model, or navigating enterprise sales, Andres offers a candid look at accountability, agentic AI, and the immigrant grit behind the journey from Bolivia to a fast-scaling fintech. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/saas-outcome-pricing  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 #VentureCapital #Startup #SaaS #AI #Fintech #LoanOrigination #Founders #SoutheastAsia #Podcast #Business 00:00 Harvard reunion and the cookie-cutter finance path 03:25 Building a war chest and the pandemic catalyst 06:15 From auto refinancing to the B2B pivot 10:25 How to run a disciplined pivot 13:24 Why legacy loan origination software is broken 19:37 Peak SaaS: charging for outcomes, not seats 26:02 The $5M rescue fund explained 28:53 Selling to banks and credit unions 31:39 Why humans still close deals in the AI era 34:15 Bravery, Bolivia, and his parents' migration 38:27 Founder, father, and finite time 40:57 Key takeaways
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  The Science of Inspiration: Why Leaders Inspire or Infuriate | Adam Galinsky - E709 02.07.2026 45mnt

  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
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  Nickel, Chinese EVs and a Senate Chase in the Philippines | Franco Varona - E708 28.06.2026 35mnt

  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
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  Stablecoins And The Agent Economy Will Rewire How Money Moves | Dušan Stojanović - E707 24.06.2026 37mnt

  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
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  Turn Limiting Beliefs Into Liberating Beliefs | Nir Eyal - E706 21.06.2026 54mnt

  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
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  Singapore Works Too Well To Be A Great Startup Hub? | Adriel Yong - E705 17.06.2026 35mnt

  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
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  Singaporeans are willing to give you a chance if you have "The Focus" | Jeremy Tan - E704 14.06.2026 53mnt

  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
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  Invent the Category - E703 10.06.2026 12mnt

  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
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  Ori Sasson: AI Job Replacement & The Future of Work - E702 07.06.2026 45mnt

  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
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  Southeast Asia is in its Golden Age - E701 04.06.2026 27mnt

  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
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  Become Incorruptible - The Truth Behind Successful Businesses | Eric Ries - E700 31.05.2026 44mnt

  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
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  Choosing Your Career Path and the Tradeoffs You Must Be Aware Of - E699 27.05.2026 9mnt

  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
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  How Lasers Could Replace Undersea Cables & Reshape Global Internet | Rohit Jha - E698 24.05.2026 32mnt

  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