Episodes

  • China: Diaspora Waves, Bamboo Network Economic Interdependence & 996 MNC Culture with Jianggan Li - E425

    China: Diaspora Waves, Bamboo Network Economic Interdependence & 996 MNC Culture with Jianggan Li - E425
    May 26 2024
    Jianggan Li, Founder & CEO of Momentum Works, and Jeremy Au talked about three main themes: 1. China Diaspora Waves: Jeremy and Jianggan discussed the long-standing historical connections between China and Southeast Asia, dating back to the era of Admiral Zheng He's voyages during the Ming Dynasty. They touched on the various dialect groups Cantonese, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainanese & Peranakan and event drivers across trade, piracy, civil war, invasions and re-opening. 2. Bamboo Network Economic Interdependence: Jianggan highlighted how Southeast Asian companies benefited from China's manufacturing boom in the 1980s. They also touched on China's tax reforms in the 1990s, which spurred local governments to develop real estate and industrial parks, ultimately boosting China's manufacturing leadership. They cited billionaire Robert Kuok's Kerry Group, intertwining the stories of Fuzhou, Malaysia, Singapore and Hongkong. 3. 996 MNC Culture: Jeremy and Jianggan covered the intense work schedule advocated by Jack Ma of Alibaba, which involves working from 9am to 9pm, six days a week. This is driven by the intense competition and high productivity expectations within Chinese companies. They also discussed the differences in labor regulations and productivity across various countries where Chinese companies have set up operations, such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Turkey, and Mexico, and highlighted the motivation of migrant workers compared to local hires. Jeremy and Jianggan also talked about the below-the-radar influence on South American food culture, challenges for Chinese tech companies hiring in international markets and the resumption of Chinese emigration. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/china-migration-waves Nonton, dengar atau baca wawasan lengkapnya di https://www.bravesea.com/blog/china-migration-waves-id 观看、收听或阅读全文，请访问 https://www.bravesea.com/blog/china-migration-waves-cn Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CeL3ywi7yOWFd8HTo6yzde TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Join us at the startup conference Echelon X! We have 30 exclusive complimentary tickets for our podcast listeners. Sign up and use the promo codes BRAVEPOD or ECXJEREMY to claim your free tickets now!
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    29 mins
  • Digital Immortals: Fear of Death, Human Longevity & Homo Digitalis Species - E424

    Digital Immortals: Fear of Death, Human Longevity & Homo Digitalis Species - E424
    May 23 2024

    Jeremy Au reflects on the finite nature of life, creating the human desire to survive, build a family, or leave behind a legacy of accomplishments. He explores longevity and discusses life extension champion Bryan Johnson and his "don't die" slogan. He references Mark Manson's book "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck," which argues that confronting (instead of ignoring) mortality drives people to better appreciate life. He thus delves into digital immortality, where advanced AI technologies and extensive personal data can create high-fidelity digital replicas. He cites the story of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, who sought immortality but died in 210 BCE from consuming mercury, believing it would extend his life. Jeremy speculates on a future where humans thus create a digital afterlife, using continually-improving AI models, granting access to formerly-private data and structuring in economic shell-company rights. The species "Homo digitalis" thus emerges, with photo-realistic digital avatars carrying on individual human personalities and interacting with real-world humans.

    Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/digital-immortals

    Nonton, dengar atau baca wawasan lengkapnya di https://www.bravesea.com/blog/digital-immortals-id


    观看、收听或阅读全文，请访问 https://www.bravesea.com/blog/digital-immortals-cn

    Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com

    WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CeL3ywi7yOWFd8HTo6yzde

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea

    English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts

    Join us at the startup conference Echelon X! We have 30 exclusive complimentary tickets for our podcast listeners. Sign up and use the promo codes BRAVEPOD or ECXJEREMY to claim your free tickets now!
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    31 mins
  • Helen Wong: AC Ventures Managing Partner Leadership Journey, China VC Acceleration & Indonesia Growth Optimism - E423

    Helen Wong: AC Ventures Managing Partner Leadership Journey, China VC Acceleration & Indonesia Growth Optimism - E423
    May 21 2024
    Helen Wong, Managing Partner of AC Ventures, and Jeremy Au talked about three main themes: 1. AC Ventures Managing Partner Leadership Journey: Helen shared her extensive journey from Oxford University to investment banking to GGV Capital to INSEAD MBA to Qiming Ventures to Managing Partner of AC Ventures. She highlighted her 20 years of investing experience across the booming Silicon Valley tech ecosystem to the early rapidly growing China tech scene of the early 2000s. The Asian Financial Crisis with Asia corporate over-leveraging debt and Alan Greenspan's interest rate hikes reshaped her understanding of risk and investment. She shared insights on investing in 4 unicorns, 3 M&A exits and 7 IPOs, e.g. Alibaba's growth from 1,000 to thousands of employees 2. China VC Acceleration: Helen discussed the early days of China's tech ecosystem, where returnees and local entrepreneurs started to build unicorns across the internet boom and the mobile internet era, despite the nascent talent pool and then-lack of exit opportunities. She noted the intense competition, global liquidity pools, rapid pace of deal-making, and the strategic focus shifts from consumer internet to deep tech and enterprise software due to government policies and market saturation. 3. Indonesia Growth Optimism: Helen highlighted the significant growth potential in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia, which she identified as a critical market due to its large 275 million population, rising middle class, and economic resilience. She drew parallels between the region's current tech landscape and China's early days, noting the opportunities for substantial returns. She also discussed Indonesia's favorable economic fundamentals, with Goldman Sachs projecting the country’s GDP to rank fourth globally by 2050, and the public and private debt levels being relatively low at about 40% of GDP, which indicates a healthier balance sheet compared to more leveraged economies. Jeremy and Helen also talked about the challenges of balancing career and family, strategic investments like Akulaku, reflections on missed investments, and her advice to her younger self. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/helen-wong Nonton, dengar atau baca wawasan lengkapnya di https://www.bravesea.com/blog/helen-wong-id 观看、收听或阅读全文，请访问 https://www.bravesea.com/blog/helen-wong-cn Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CeL3ywi7yOWFd8HTo6yzde TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremya LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Join us at the startup conference Echelon X! We have 30 exclusive complimentary tickets for our podcast listeners. Sign up and use the promo codes BRAVEPOD or ECXJEREMY to claim your free tickets now!
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    34 mins
  • Indonesia: Prabowo on Western "Double Standards", Jakarta City Master Plan & Microsoft $1.7B Investment with Gita Sjahrir - E422

    Indonesia: Prabowo on Western "Double Standards", Jakarta City Master Plan & Microsoft $1.7B Investment with Gita Sjahrir - E422
    May 19 2024
    Gita Sjahrir, Head of Investment at BNI Ventures, and Jeremy Au, talked about three main themes: 1. Jakarta City Master Plan: Gita highlighted Jakarta's urgent urban planning needs to address rising sea levels, land subsidence, air pollution, traffic congestion, sanitation upgrades and education requirements. Miscommunications, fragmented stakeholders and the recurring blame game in political discourse have contributed to this impasse. They discussed the new Jakarta Agglomeration Area Council, led by Indonesia’s incoming Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka (Joko Widodo's son), which aims to coordinate two governors, four mayors and four regents to create a new master plan for 6,700-square-kilometers. 2. Prabowo on Western "Double Standards": Jeremy and Gita discussed Prabowo's strongly-worded The Economist op-ed which said that the West had "double standards" on Gaza and Eastern Europe and that valuing the lives of civilians in Palestine less than in Ukraine is morally indefensible. Prabowo has long advocated for cease-fires in both countries, signaling a more public foreign policy than the outgoing President Joko Widodo - while maintaining continuity on domestic and economic policy. Gita noted that Indonesia's population size and economic growth strengthen its voice in international affairs, vs. other ASEAN neighbors that have voted similarly for peace deals in both conflicts. 3. Microsoft $1.7B Investment: Jeremy and Gita discussed Microsoft's $1.7 billion investment to enhance Indonesia's digital infrastructure and workforce capabilities. This investment highlights Indonesia's potential to become a key player in the global tech market. They also addressed the challenges of brain drain and debated on dual citizenship as a solution to retain talent by allowing Indonesians to work abroad while maintaining ties to their home country, in contrast to Singapore's immigration policy. They emphasized the importance of upskilling and continuous education to keep the talent pool relevant and competitive, Jeremy and Gita also talked about the similarities in urban planning in Jakarta vs. San Francisco, the debate on national security concerns related to dual citizenship, and the impact of political stabilization and economic continuity post-election. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/western-double-standards Nonton, dengar atau baca wawasan lengkapnya di https://www.bravesea.com/blog/western-double-standards-id 观看、收听或阅读全文，请访问 https://www.bravesea.com/blog/western-double-standards-cn Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CeL3ywi7yOWFd8HTo6yzde TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Join us at the startup conference Echelon X! We have 30 exclusive complimentary tickets for our podcast listeners. Sign up and use the promo codes BRAVEPOD or ECXJEREMY to claim your free tickets now!
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    27 mins
  • Robot Propaganda So You Will Love AI and AI Loves You Too - E421

    Robot Propaganda So You Will Love AI and AI Loves You Too - E421
    May 16 2024

    Jeremy Au explores "roboganda," the new wave of propaganda promoting the benefits of robots and AI. Roboganda playbook: 1. Emphasize transformation of industries with increased productivity, downplay short-term negative job displacement, reskilling and search costs for individuals. 2. Humanize AI to satisfy individual social needs (loneliness, validation & empathy) substituting for societal archetypes (colleague, mentor, lover, child) across media (product demos, game NPCs and Hollywood - The Creator, Her) 3. Increasingly use AI cloaked as humans to spread pro-robot narratives at effectively zero marginal cost (e.g. election bot farms, Reddit bots), instead of human creators (writers, artists and musicians) - disproportionately in favor of capital holders and disrupters over labor and incumbents.

    Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/robot-propaganda

    Nonton, dengar atau baca wawasan lengkapnya di https://www.bravesea.com/blog/robot-propaganda-id

    观看、收听或阅读全文，请访问 https://www.bravesea.com/blog/robot-propaganda-cn

    Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com

    WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CeL3ywi7yOWFd8HTo6yzde

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea

    English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts

    Join us at the startup conference Echelon X! We have 30 exclusive complimentary tickets for our podcast listeners. Sign up and use the promo codes BRAVEPOD or ECXJEREMY to claim your free tickets now!
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    20 mins
  • Chia Jeng Yang: Reset Your Hunger, VC to Founder Transferable Skills & USA vs. SE Asia Startup Ecosystems - E420

    Chia Jeng Yang: Reset Your Hunger, VC to Founder Transferable Skills & USA vs. SE Asia Startup Ecosystems - E420
    May 14 2024

    Jeremy and Chia discussed his experience changing careers from Southeast Asia VC Principal to US AI founder. He outlined the non-transferable nature of many VC skills when becoming a founder. While VC offers a high-level understanding of market and investment dynamics, it lacks the hands-on operational skills needed to build a startup from zero. They also compared the competitive, fast-paced U.S. startup environment to Southeast Asia's, highlighting differences in market depth, competitive intensity, and entrepreneurial opportunities. Chia emphasized why you must "reset your hunger" for success, advising on the need to reassess personal and professional goals when switching roles or geographical bases. Such shifts require not only skill adaptation but also a profound change in personal drive and resilience.

    Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/reset-your-hunger

    Nonton, dengar atau baca wawasan lengkapnya di https://www.bravesea.com/blog/reset-your-hunger-id

    观看、收听或阅读全文，请访问 https://www.bravesea.com/blog/reset-your-hunger-cn

    Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com

    WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CeL3ywi7yOWFd8HTo6yzde

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea

    English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts

    Join us at the startup conference Echelon X! We have 30 exclusive complimentary tickets for our podcast listeners. Sign up and use the promo codes BRAVEPOD or ECXJEREMY to claim your free tickets now!
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    25 mins
  • Singapore: New Prime Minister Transition, Immigration Assimilation & Schools and CTO & Engineering Pass with. Shiyan Koh- E419

    Singapore: New Prime Minister Transition, Immigration Assimilation & Schools and CTO & Engineering Pass with. Shiyan Koh- E419
    May 12 2024
    Shiyan Koh, Managing Partner of Hustle Fund, and ​​Jeremy Au talked about three main themes: 1. New Prime Minister Transition: Jeremy and Shiyan discussed the transition of Prime Minister leadership from Lee Hsien Loong to Lawrence Wong. They discussed the potential challenges that the new Prime Minister would face such as addressing wealth inequality and evaluating the efficacy of current social programs. They also speculated on potential policy shifts that might occur under the new leadership including those related to property taxes, GDP growth focus, and social welfare enhancements. They empathized with local negative/ positive sentiments regarding the future and the dropping Total Fertility Rate (0.97 in 2024) which eventually leads to a shrinking population. 2. Immigration Assimilation & Schools: Jeremy and Shiyan discussed Singapore's distinctive "barbell" immigration strategy, which primarily attracts either high-skill individuals through initiatives like the Tech Pass and Global Investor Program or blue-collar workers, leaving a notable gap at the mid-skill level where many startups find their needs. They highlighted that startups often employ young, promising talents compensated more heavily with stock options, which are not adequately recognized in Employment Pass criteria, and lack eligibility for EDB support typically reserved for MNCs. This situation compels local founders to opt for remote hiring and training, nurturing the next wave of startup leadership in the region instead of inside Singapore. They suggested that the government should broaden and increase the ASEAN scholars program. 3. CTO & Engineering Pass: They proposed the introduction of a "CTO/ Head of Engineering Pass" to attract highly skilled technical rising stars (rather than Tech.pass which is for senior, mature executives). These individuals are more plugged into the next generation of tech needs (e.g. AI, biotech), hungrier to lean in and build, and leverage "robots" that can upgrade the productivity of their startups, clients and the broader SME sector - thus increasing the Total Factor Productivity of Singapore’s economy, boosting GDP and thus tax revenues for social welfare programs. In contrast, Malaysia has launched a new open-door tech talent policy to attract and poach startup founders and highly productive immigrants who cannot get to work in Singapore. Jeremy and Shiyan also shared how they hadn't foreseen that USA legislation could be structured into a "collective deadline/ ticking time bomb" phasing - law to be established in principle and win political points - but 1. implemented far out enough to mitigate political repercussions for the US elections 2. give a longer preparation/ migration period for affected advertisers and consumers, 3. structure in discretionary extension periods for more negotiating power 4. given enough space for legal battles over whether it can actually be implemented. They compared this approach to Singapore's swift and China’s retroactive law enforcement for passed legislation. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/singapore-new-prime-minister Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CeL3ywi7yOWFd8HTo6yzde TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Join us at the startup conference Echelon X! We have 30 exclusive complimentary tickets for our podcast listeners. Sign up and use the promo codes BRAVEPOD or ECXJEREMY to claim your free tickets now!
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    24 mins
  • 3-Body Problem: Social Darwinism, Technology Blockades & Community Over Individuals by Liu Cixin - E418

    3-Body Problem: Social Darwinism, Technology Blockades & Community Over Individuals by Liu Cixin - E418
    May 9 2024
    Jeremy Au as a science-fiction and history nerd reviewed the 3 complex themes of Liu Cixin's "Three-Body Problem" series. Spoilers ahead: 1. Social Darwinism: "Dog eat dog" foundational psychological core of human society due to the survival instincts of individual humans, in stark contrast to Western fiction like social utopian “Star Wars,” moral clarity of "Star Trek," inspirational "Lord of the Rings," and political sacrifices of "Game of Thrones". In a dark real-life parallel, the show's TV producer and billionaire Lin Qi was poisoned to death by his business partner due to jealousy and anger. 2. Technology Competition & Blockades: The best way for societies to compete is through technology advancement, e.g. Guns over swords, nuclear missiles over artillery bombs. The Qing dynasty’s (1644-1912) self-imposed isolation and technology stagnation led to the "Century of Humiliation" where China repeatedly lost to more advanced foreign powers like the United Kingdom with the Opium Wars, France, Russia, Germany and Japan. China readers currently perceive a similar dynamic in the "USA-China chip war" due to US government bans on advanced semiconductors, tech export controls and competitive R&D industrial policy. 3. Community Over Individual: Collective survival strategies are driven by individual desires to survive, but superior to individualistic decision-making. The series portrays societal responses to external threats and internal divisions, drawing on China's history of mass movements and dynasty vs. warlord eras. This leads to classic human morality being outcompeted by the realpolitik game theory of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), preemptive strike incentives, and "Dark Forest" as a solution to the Fermi Paradox. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/three-body-problem Nonton, dengar atau baca wawasan lengkapnya di https://www.bravesea.com/blog/three-body-problem-in 观看、收听或阅读全文，请访问 https://www.bravesea.com/blog/three-body-problem-cn Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CeL3ywi7yOWFd8HTo6yzde TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Join us at the startup conference Echelon X! We have 30 exclusive complimentary tickets for our podcast listeners. Sign up and use the promo codes BRAVEPOD or ECXJEREMY to claim your free tickets now!
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    32 mins