EP 335 - Why Southeast Asia’s Startup Ecosystem is Thriving - Fannie Soubiele - Google Cloud

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, we explore the rapidly evolving startup ecosystem in Southeast Asia with Fannie Soubiele, Head of Venture Capital Business Development Southeast Asia at Google Cloud. Fannie shares her journey from working at some of the region's earliest venture capital firms to her current role at Google Cloud and her involvement with Epic Angels, a female-led angel investment network.

Some of the topics that Fannie covered included:

• Resilience as a fundamental trait for any successful entrepreneur. Maintaining the determination to keep moving forward, learning from failures, and staying committed to the vision despite setbacks.
• The evolution of Southeast Asia'a startup ecosystem. It is not just about the number of startups but also about the increasing sophistication of the support networks, including accelerators, VCs, and government initiatives.
• How visionary leaders are crucial for setting the direction of a startup and rallying their team around a common goal. Their ability to see beyond the immediate challenges and focus on long-term objectives make the difference between success and failure.
• A thriving startup ecosystem has far-reaching impacts beyond just economic growth. It can drive social change by providing new ways to address societal challenges and by fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.
• The potential for angel investing to democratize wealth creation. Through platforms like Epic Angels, experienced professionals from diverse backgrounds can contribute to and benefit from the startup ecosystem.