A Journey of Innovation and Challenges with Galvin Widjaja

My guest today is Galvin Widjaja, founder and CEO of Lauretta.io ….

In this episode he talks about:

• Origin story: Galvin Widjaja shares his origin story, including his background and how he got associated with the AI industry .
• Entrepreneurial Journey: Galvin discusses his transition from a quant finance background to becoming an entrepreneur in the AI space .
• AI and Computer Vision: Insights into Galvin's work in AI and computer vision, particularly in security applications .
• Business Challenges: Galvin talks about the challenges faced in running a restaurant chain and the importance of automation and domain expertise .
• Consulting Experience: Reflections on Galvin's consulting experience and the lessons learned in communication and stakeholder management .
• Regulation Tech Project: Details about a regulation tech project Galvin proposed and executed at DBS Bank .
• Family Influence: The impact of Galvin's family background on his entrepreneurial journey, including his father's and grandfather's businesses .
• Pivot to AI: The shift from business processing to AI and the founding of an AI security company .
• Technological Innovations: Discussion on technological innovations in Indonesia and the contributions of Indonesian software engineers



CEO & Co-Founder, Lauretta.io

Galvin Widjaja is the founder and CEO of Lauretta AI, a privacy-first computer vision company that helps organizations understand human behavior in physical spaces without relying on identity or biometrics. Under his leadership, Lauretta has become a trusted partner to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, TSA, U.S. Air Force, and major airport and defense agencies across Asia and North America. The company’s AI platform is designed to predict intent, enable preemptive alerts, and provide real-time situational awareness — all while preserving individual privacy.

Galvin’s unconventional journey into AI began not in a lab, but behind the counter of a quick-service restaurant he once ran for his father in Singapore. After early career stints in consulting, banking, and tech, a pivotal decision to reconnect with his estranged father led him to manage three migrant-serving restaurants. There, he learned that systems are only as good as the people they serve. That insight shaped his approach to AI — one built not just on precision and scale, but on empathy, equity, and lived experience.

Born in Singapore and raised partly in Indonesia, Galvin grew up in entrepreneurial households that saw both massive growth and total collapse. Those early lessons in volatility, resilience, and human complexity now inform his mission to build AI that doesn’t just react — it understands. His work focuses on helping organizations move from static surveillance to dynamic understanding, and from reactive alerts to proactive decision-making — all while respecting the humanity of the people being observed.

Galvin may be reached at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/galvinw/