How eFishery Fooled Investors, Informal Business Practices, Agritech Future – E536

Adriel Yong, Orvel Venture Partner, and Jeremy Au discussed:

How eFishery Fooled Investors: They examined the elaborate scheme that allowed eFishery to inflate revenue and mislead major investors. They broke down the warning signs, such as financial irregularities, CFO departure (similar to Zilingo failure signal) and too-good-to-be-true business model that were ignored until it was too late.

Informal Business Practices: They discussed how informal business practices in Indonesia contribute to the perpetuation of fraud by senior executives. Adriel shared stories of where kickbacks, inflated supplier numbers, and fraudulent financial reporting were common. They noted that many investors struggle with due diligence in Southeast Asia because operational transparency is often low, and cash-based businesses make fraud harder to detect. They contrasted the startup environment with family-owned businesses, where profitability and dividend payouts serve as stronger incentives for financial discipline. Jeremy explored why foreign founders often exit Indonesia due to ethical dilemmas.

Agritech Future: With eFishery’s implosion leaving a gap in the market, they analyzed whether competitors will rise or if investor confidence in the sector has been permanently damaged. They debated whether eFishery can stage a recovery similar to Luckin Coffee in China, or whether the board will write off the investment. They acknowledged the chilling effect the scandal has already had on future investments in Indonesia, agritech and Southeast Asia.

Jeremy and Adriel also discussed prior fraud cases, ethical business executives and board governance.

Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/efishery-agritech-implosion

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