Asia Tech Podcast

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Michael Waitze is joined by René Papesch,  a co-Founder and CTO at Riskwolf, the platform that insures the digital economy. They provide a variety of integrated solutions from design to operating data-driven digital products, helping partners innovate, grow, and succeed. Read more about this episode at asiatechpodcast.com This podcast is powered by Podcast Network Asia. For more information on the shows and the network, visit Podcast Network Asia at their website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram. DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed by the podcast creators, hosts, and guests do not necessarily reflect the official policy and position of Podcast Network Asia. Any content provided by the people on the podcast are of their own opinion, and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything.

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Michael Waitze is joined by Nattariya Wittayatanaseth, an investment manager at Beacon Ventures, a Thai-based corporate venture capital fund of Kasikornbank, investing in technology startups. Read more about this episode at asiatechpodcast.com This podcast is powered by Podcast Network Asia. For more information on the shows and the network, visit Podcast Network Asia at their website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram. DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed by the podcast creators, hosts, and guests do not necessarily reflect the official policy and position of Podcast Network Asia. Any content provided by the people on the podcast are of their own opinion, and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything.

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Michael Waitze is joined by Vivian Ke Story, the Founder, and CEO of Soul Story Seoul, a skincare company that proudly offers high-quality products from ingredients sourced from Korea and Europe, with an emphasis on using the power of natural and healthy ingredients. They pride themselves on conducting no animal testing and having products that are one-hundred percent toxin-free and free from harsh or abrasive chemicals. Read more about this episode at asiatechpodcast.com  This podcast is powered by Podcast Network Asia. For more information on the shows and the network, visit Podcast Network Asia at their website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram. DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed by the podcast creators, hosts, and guests do not necessarily reflect the official policy and position of Podcast Network Asia. Any content provided by the people on the podcast are of their own opinion, and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything.

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Michael Waitze is joined by Rick Nahm, the COO, and Co-Founder of GTR Accelerator, an interactive accelerator program dedicated to supporting studios from all over the world.  The program aims to accelerate the development of early-stage game studios through assisting with building equity structures, improving game development, matching publishers and partners to studios, and more.  They discussed Rick’s past experience, his transition from strategy consulting to becoming an entrepreneur, as well as his insights on the growing gaming industry. Leaving Your Comfort Zone When it comes to your career, there is no success-guaranteed option waiting for you if you decide to leave. Jobs that once seemed stable and foolproof can often end up not existing at all due to factors such as economic crisis’ - or especially during a pandemic.  Leaving a job can be intimidating and at times scary due to the risks involved, but leaving a job you’re comfortable in adds another layer of stress and difficulty into the equation.  When Rick decided to leave his previous job to carve out his own path, he said that it was very hard to let go because he was in such a comfortable position. But, although his comfort zone was a beautiful place to stay, he knew that staying there wouldn’t produce any growth, and thus decided to finally let everything go.  Rick detailed the rollercoaster of emotions as he went back and forth between the options presented in front of him, and what finally gave him the motivation to start his own business.  Getting Your Head in the Game In the world of entrepreneurship and foundership, doing everything and anything at any given time, and being constantly overwhelmed and exhausted seemed to be a badge of honour. Rick had always wanted to “stick around for the execution” of anything he was working on, and even admitted that he thought “consulting is a scam because the consultants don’t stick around.” However, there is only so much someone can handle at one time and Rick understood that. He then went on to share some valuable insights about working in the fintech and gaming industry, how GTR Accelerator picked and chose studios from around the globe and how he defined success.  High Risks but Higher Rewards In life, uncertainty is certain, Rick contemplated. Although the gaming industry is hugely successful and rising in popularity each year, making it one of the most unique industries to work in, it is still one of the most uncertain.  They discussed the reasons why game studios find it so tough when trying to acquire investments and funding. Rick discussed how the traditional investment community is still unfamiliar with the gaming industry and what success could come out of it, thus they feel a reluctance to contribute to their growth.  He then went on to explain how GTR Accelerators try to solve this issue, and a myriad of other services they provide, including building equity structure, acquiring funding, creating business decks and pitches, as well as how to get publishers and partners.  To learn more about Rick Nahm and his transition from corporate to a smaller business, the rising gaming industry, and more, listen to this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast today.

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Michael Waitze is joined by Mathew Badalucco, the Co-founder and CFO of Milu Labs, a diagnostic platform used to detect major health conditions. Committed to meeting the clinical health needs of women’s health, Milu Labs is dedicated to increasing the quality of women’s health worldwide. They discussed Mathew’s background and how that led him to the genesis of Milu, the crucial lessons he’s learnt, and his investment experience in corporate versus biotech. Genesis of Milu Labs Before getting into the biotech industry, Mathew’s experience was in institutional finance. He had spent time in investment banking then private equity before moving to South East Asia to explore early-stage venture capital. He explained that he reconnected with Dr. Daniel Chai, who was doing healthcare investing when Mathew met him during his grad school days. Mathew explained how although Dr. Chai was interested and loved working through the secondary markets and longshore equity, he wanted to make an impact. They both decided to create a startup in the healthcare industry and the biotech industry, but before that, they conducted immense research. Mathew explained what he learned and uncovered during his research, and how they used an exosome-based approach in creating a diagnostic platform. Selling Investment Through Storytelling It appears that storytelling and the use of narrative techniques have increasingly become an essential tool in every industry, whether it’s tech, e-commerce, or finance. Mathew discussed the important lessons he’s learnt from his experience of working in both Catcha and Citadel. He highlighted the importance of storytelling in both crafting a strategy, painting a vision, and unifying them. The use of storytelling is one of the greatest ways to communicate an authentic and consistent message. He shared tips and tricks into the most effective ways to articulate a vision, and how to make investors believe in what you were going to build before it was even built. Corporate vs Clinic They then discussed the nuances or special aspects and dynamics of investing in healthcare, as opposed to e-commerce. Mathew shared his experience in switching from two very different industries, and the similarities and differences between them that he had uncovered. He revealed how although the theoretical underplan was the same, as they manifested in the real world they start to look very different. To learn more about Mathew Badalucco and how he emerged and succeeded in the world of biotechnology and healthcare, listen to this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast today.  Subscribe and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts. The audio on this episode was expertly edited and produced by the talented Alanis Braun.  You can see her portfolio here and her LinkedIn profile here.

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Michael Waitze is joined by Stephanie Chai, the CEO and founder of The Luxe Nomad, Asia Pacific’s leading luxury booking platform with an exclusive collection of over 85 villas in both Thailand and Indonesia. They discussed Stephanie’s interest in travel and how that led her down the path of foundership, her experience of being a sole founder of a company, and the impact of COVID-19 on the travel industry. From the Screen to Foundership Almost a decade ago when she founded the Luxe Nomad, Stephanie was still a TV presenter in Malaysia and Singapore, doing shoots for TV commercials as well as modeling. She explained that she always had an interest in drama and theatre during her time at school, so becoming a TV presenter seemed to come naturally to her. But there was something else brewing. As both a model and TV presenter, Stephanie traveled a lot. At the time, flash sales and last-minute deals were rising in popularity, but she noticed that the travel industry wasn’t interested in integrating it into their business. After realizing there was a gap in the market, with her love for traveling and luxury always packed and ready to go, she decided she was just going to do it. Stephanie went on to explain the various learning curves she had on her journey, how she expanded into villa management, along with integrating international villas, too. Founder vs Co-Founder “It’s better to do it yourself than to wait around for the right person,” said Stephanie. During the early days of foundership, the weight on your shoulders can often get tiring, and it may be harder to grow because it feels as though you’re trying to do everything at once – and that’s when having a co-founder could be helpful. Similarly to Michael, Stephanie had seen and searched through every department to find the right co-founder, but sometimes, you just don’t find them. They discussed the highs and lows that come with foundership along with Stephanie’s own personal experience. Despite knowing that having a co-founder may make some aspects of running a business easier, they both agreed it’s better to work alone than to settle with someone who doesn’t match your drive, passion, and expertise. Future of the Travel Industry As with a lot of industries, the future of the travel industry – especially in Thailand – still remains uncertain.   Stephanie discussed the impacts that the recent pandemic has had over her business, as well as the travel and tourism industry, and how where the future of The Luxe Nomad lies. She said that despite all the uncertainty in the world, she is dedicated to making The Luxe Nomad an agile and adaptive business and won’t sacrifice service in doing so. To learn more about Stephanie Chai and her experience in becoming a founder and the inspiration and work that went into her business, listen to this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast today. The audio on this episode was expertly edited and produced by the talented Alanis Braun.  You can see her portfolio here and her LinkedIn profile here.

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Michael Waitze is joined by Changseong Ho, the former Co-Founder, and Partner of Viki, a premier destination providing multicultural entertainment to millions of viewers on a variety of TV series, movies and more. They discussed the creation and conception of Viki, Changseong’s English phobia, and the secret to building a sustainable community. The Phobia of English Being born and raised in South Korea meant that the language Changseong Ho and his wife and co-Founder JiWon Moon predominantly spoke wasn’t English. So when it came to moving abroad to study for their Masters degrees in the United States, Changseong and jiWon struggled to feel comfortable and confident enough in their ability to speak and understand English like their peers. That’s when the concept and creation of ViKi began. This fear and anxiety that they experienced sparked JiWon’s inspiration to make a product that would help ease people into learning a different language while enjoying video content they loved. Changseong talked about the insight he gained on his journey to finding the best way to learn English, and it turns out that it was through watching movies and TV shows with English subtitles. The Creation and Concept of ViKi Just like Netflix and Hulu, the concept of ViKi was to stream premium licensed content, with the main difference being that the subtitles could be added by community volunteers similarly to YouTube. Changseong explained the way they have employed gamification within their product, providing credits to those who contribute to providing translated content. They discuss the advantages of having a software that inserts translated subtitles to videos in real-time, and how giving users the ability to collaborate created a successfully integrated platform that was community-based. Building a Sustainable Community Changseong then went on to explain in further detail how the process of gamifying the product or service could eventually lead to building incentive systems that yield monetary benefits. They discussed the endless possibilities or the potential of using cryptocurrency and micropayments and the secret to building a community that is not only strong, diverse, and engaged, but also sustainable. To learn more about Changseong Ho and how he overcame his phobia of English, and instead, conquered it whilst also building a community, listen to this episode of the Asia Tech podcast today. The audio on this episode was expertly edited and produced by the talented Alanis Braun.  You can see her portfolio here and her LinkedIn profile here.

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Michael Waitze is joined by Jayden Kang, the Chief Operating Officer, ASEAN at Kakao Page, a global content business company from South Korea. Dedicated to providing innovative content for consumption across various forms of media, leading in globalising South Korean content. They discussed how Jayden journeyed from management consulting to working with Line Thailand, the digital marketplace, and factors driving OTT growth in Southeast Asia. To Create and Grow Together The digital marketplace has changed the way content is delivered over the internet and other application platforms – and Kakao has been no stranger to that. Both Kakao and Line were once just instant messaging applications, providing connectivity through communication on mobile devices. Today, Kakao and Line consider themselves as a mobile social platform, creating and growing with their users. In this episode, Jayden gives Michael an insight into the world of OOT, the digital marketplace, and how Kakao and Line have leveraged their brand to gain immense success. Rise of Gamification in Communication In this age of digital transformation, the use of technology via smartphones are integrated into our daily lives, and they are redefining the way we communicate with one another. There has been a steady increase in games being integrated into mobile communication, from design elements to implementing a reward system for users to unlock various things, such as stickers, videos, and more. Jayden details the different methods of gamification designs within applications, and the various types of charging models they have implemented within Kakao’s application in areas such as their video streaming. Factors Pushing the Growth of OTTs in Asia Michael and Jayden then go on to discuss the different factors that are pushing the growth of OTTs in Asia. They both highlighted the immense value and advantages of creating your own original content, such as how it cannot be suddenly stripped away. Jayden then mentioned examples of businesses creating original content such as Netflix, who have found significant success and growth through it. Jayden highlights how the way people consume digital services are changing, and to leverage your brand, you need to do a combination of two things: firstly, to recognise and seek out high-tech talent, and secondly, to ensure collaborations with startups. To learn more about media creation in the digital marketplace and unique insights into the OTT world, listen to this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast today. The audio on this episode was expertly edited and produced by the talented Alanis Braun.

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Michael Waitze is joined by Krystal Choo, Executive Director and Founder of Thrive Hours – a professional training and coaching company dedicated to driving success by leveraging well-being. Michael and Krystal dug deeper into the psyche of a startup founder and discussed the impacts of loneliness and isolation, the reasons contributing to that feeling, and different ways to mitigate that. Connecting In a Disconnected World In a world where we are more connected than we’ve ever been, so many are still struggling with what is considered the next big public health crisis – loneliness and isolation. Krystal Choo, an expert in applied neuropsychology, reflected on this issue of loneliness and isolation, saying that these experiences aren’t unique and that there’s a lot more “suffering and pain in foundership” than we may think. This struggle isn’t uncommon and it certainly isn’t rare in the world of founders. The combination of working in a high-intensity and fast-paced environment, and keeping up the happy-go-lucky facade, can often be tough. Loneliness and isolation have evidently become a global phenomenon, affecting people of all backgrounds and ages. Krystal shared how feeling lonely, unsupported, and isolated can affect your performance and highlighted the importance of creating reciprocal relationships. Warning Signals of  Isolation People were not made to be solitary creatures, so the absence of social interactions and meaningful relationships ultimately leads us down an avalanche of mental health issues. From impaired physical immunity, impaired executive functions, and an accelerated cognitive decline, Krystal discussed how isolation and loneliness can heighten a variety of health risks as much as smoking does, and can even increase premature death. Krystal then shared her struggle during her deteriorating mental, emotional and physical health, and the consequences of trying to ‘biohack’ your way to success with drugs. The Emotional Traffic Lights In this fast-paced world, people can be scared to slow down because they fear they’ll get left behind in the dust. But just like a car, without proper repairs and maintenance, you’ll eventually have to pay the consequences. While risk assessments are important in any project, being self-aware of your mental health is just as significant. Krystal introduced the Traffic Light framework to monitor emotions, and explains how this traffic light framework can provide insights to the different stages of your emotions; like what do you do when you’re happy or when you’re sad. This plan helps you focus on how to move forward from the traffic light color you are on. To learn more about the importance of feeling understood and heard in the isolating world of startup founders, as well as the different methods of regulating your emotions for your well-being, listen to this episode of the Asia Tech podcast today.

Quote: “If we’re really going to make this move from finance into tech, we should really be doing what we think has the most net present value opportunity.” In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Michael Waitze is joined by Kevin Lepsoe, Founder and CEO of Chinafy, a service dedicated to optimising a website’s speed and display in China and accelerating success for businesses. They discussed Kevin’s transition from the financial world to the tech industry, working in a pressure cooker environment and navigating The Great Firewall. To learn more about how to optimise your website’s performance and how Chinafy is eliminating barriers for foreign businesses, check out this episode of the Asia Tech podcast today.