Asia Tech Podcast

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Bhavik Vashi, Managing Director for APAC and the Middle East at Carta, shares valuable insights from his experience helping startups and investors navigate the complex world of cap table management and private financial markets. Some of the deeper topics that Bhavik covered in detail include: Managing a startup’s cap table is one of the most foundational yet complex tasks a founder can face...and founders should aim to keep their cap tables as simple as possible. Choosing the right investors is key—trust, mutual goals, and alignment matter far more than almost anything else. Singapore ranks highly on the global scale for startup innovation and continues to mature into a world-class ecosystem. A shared skepticism about the concept of stealth startups, notting that founders who hide their ideas might miss out on valuable feedback and iteration opportunities. Most importantly, how Carta is transforming into an operating system for private financial markets, serving not just startups but also the investors who fund them.

Karl Mohan, General Manager for APAC, Middle East, and Africa at Crypto.com, challenges the norms of traditional finance. He discusses how decentralized finance (DeFi) and traditional finance (TradFi) can effectively coexist, driving financial inclusion globally. Regulatory clarity is highlighted as vital for consumer trust and adoption of cryptocurrencies. Karl also shares Crypto.com's ambitious strategy to reach a billion users and emphasizes the critical need for financial literacy, especially in underserved communities.

In this episode, we spoke to Zohar Bronfman, the CEO of Pecan AI about how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we understand human behavior and make business decisions. Predictive AI focuses on analyzing historical data to forecast future events, while generative AI creates new content or insights based on its learned patterns. Their combination offers powerful tools for businesses, allowing them to anticipate customer behavior and engage in more effective decision-making processes by simulating possible outcomes. Some of the topics that Zohar covered in more detail: The idea that human behavior is largely predictable. A sophisticated AI could predict that you're going to pick up a glass of water moments before you even realize it yourself. Predictive AI and Generative AI are related, but serve different purposes and combining them could create revolutionary outcomes for businesses. AI is rapidly becoming as ubiquitous and essential as electricity and will soon be embedded in our everyday lives and business operations without most people realizing it. Human biases affect decision-making in ways we may not be aware of, but these biases can be corrected by AI. AI may never fully replicate the intentionality of human decision-making, but it can augment it in ways that allow us to make better, more informed choices.

Discover the best FinTech ideas that are reshaping Southeast Asia's financial landscape. The Asia Tech Podcast attended the Singapore FinTech Festival 2024 to learn more about the most innovative ideas in FinTech and Financial Services. We spoke to 19 of the most exciting FinTech innovations showcased at the SFF 2024. From revolutionary embedded finance and insurance solutions transforming our daily interactions to AI-driven tools poised to empower everyone, these innovations are setting the stage for a new era in financial services. Join us as we unpack the highlights of SFF 2024, the breakthrough ideas poised to reshape finance, empower consumers, and drive global financial inclusion. Get ready to be inspired by the future of FinTech and the incredible possibilities it holds for everyone!

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, we dive deep into the world of AI and data centers with Rich Farrell, APAC Director of Digitalization, Cybersecurity, and Data Centers at Eaton. Rich reveals how AI is one of the most transformative technologies of our time, but many businesses rushing to adopt it don't fully understand why. Some of the big topics Rich covered in more detail: We highlighted that AI could be the most significant technological transformation we’ve seen. AI is not just a topic for tech insiders anymore; it has entered public consciousness and is driving conversations at the highest levels of business and government. The fear of falling behind competitors and customer expectations often drives the decision to adopt AI. Yet, without a well-defined purpose, companies risk implementing AI without seeing tangible benefits. Despite AI’s growing importance, there’s a glaring gap in expertise. This talent shortage makes it difficult for companies to implement and manage AI solutions effectively. One of the biggest dilemmas is the tension between AI's growth and sustainability goals. When big tech companies committed to being carbon-neutral by 2030, AI wasn’t on the radar. Data centers, the backbone of the digital world, are undergoing a transformation to support AI’s energy demands. New designs are incorporating renewable energy sources like nuclear and grid-aware devices that can optimize power usage and even sell energy back to the grid.

In a compelling discussion, Peter Man, General Manager at Red Hat for Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau, dives into the geopolitical challenges facing Hong Kong and the transformative power of open source technology. He highlights how open source fosters transparency, eliminating the risks of vendor lock-in, and promotes collaborative innovation. Peter also discusses the potential for Hong Kong to tap into new markets through the Greater Bay Area, emphasizing a shift in corporate governance that leverages open source as a secure, resilient solution amidst instability.

In a dynamic conversation with Jayne Chan, Head of Startups at Invest Hong Kong, I had the privilege of exploring the intricacies of Hong Kong's startup landscape. Our discussion touched on the city's role as a financial hub, the impact of global talent, and the evolving tech environment that continues to shape its entrepreneurial ecosystem. Some of the topics that Jayne covered in detail: Hong Kong's startup ecosystem is international and diverse. 27% of Hong Kong’s startup founders hail from outside the city, representing a rich blend of ideas and innovations from places like Mainland China, the UK, the US, France, and Australia. Hong Kong's status as one of the world’s leading financial centers provides a natural foundation for a thriving fintech sector. Ranked third globally, just behind New York and London, the city attracts financial professionals who often pivot into FinTech entrepreneurship. While FinTech dominates, Hong Kong’s startup ecosystem is increasingly diversifying into deep tech, biotech, and green tech...standing as the second-largest fundraising hub for biotech globally. Hong Kong’s unique geographical and economic positioning as a conduit to Mainland China could be a distinct advantage for startups. With a population of 86 million and a combined GDP of $2 trillion, the GBA offers immense market potential for both B2B and B2C startups. Invest Hong Kong doesn’t just promote Hong Kong as a destination for startups—it plays an active role in helping startups scale. Invest HK's connection initiatives act as a marketplace where startups can showcase their solutions and find the resources they need to grow.

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast featuring Jon Stona, Vice President of Global Marketing at Airwallex, we explored how the company has revolutionized global payments by addressing real business pain points. Some of the topics Jon covered in detail: How the company founders, who were running a cafe in Melbourne, were constantly frustrated by the complexity and cost of paying international suppliers. Airwallex's global reach has been built on the foundation of deep local knowledge, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. While tech is essential, real transformation happens when technology is combined with human relationships. How Airwallex is creating a modular financial operating system that is built for scale. Building a challenger brand requires trust, credibility, and cultural connection.

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, we dive into the rapidly evolving world of AI-generated avatars. We discuss how hyper-realistic avatars are transforming marketing, sales, and customer service by mimicking human interaction in ways that feel almost real. We spoke with Igor Hofman from D-ID and he covered: How humans are wired to interact with other humans. This interaction, however, does not always have to involve a real person. If avatars are highly realistic and mimic human behavior closely enough, they can satisfy the brain’s need for human interaction. The pace of technological development in the avatar space is nothing short of astonishing. The advancements are moving so fast that it’s plausible to imagine a future where interacting with avatars could become indistinguishable from real human interaction. How avatars are already transforming marketing and sales. Avatars are increasingly being used to create personalized marketing content, enabling companies to target their audiences with extreme precision. One of the most promising applications of avatars is in customer service. Some companies are now using avatars to enhance or even replace traditional chatbots. Avatars bring a more personal and engaging touch. Igor sees the future in natural user interfaces (NUIs), where users interact with AI and digital systems as if they were speaking to another person. NUIs could revolutionize the way we engage with digital content.

As we move further into the digital age, the lines between our physical and virtual lives are becoming increasingly blurred. We already spend a significant portion of our lives in front of screens, and this digital immersion is only growing deeper. The future of the internet lies not just in new technologies but in how those technologies empower users to own and control their data, identities, and content. In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, we dive deep into the future of the internet with Aaron McDonald, Founder and CEO of Futureverse. Some of the topics Aaron covered in detail include: He has a nuanced view of the metaverse, one that challenges the notion that it’s a future concept. He explained that the metaverse is already part of our lives. The digital world and the physical world are tightly intertwined, and the future of the internet is about enhancing this immersion and fostering user ownership of data and content. The concept of self-sovereign identity, where we control our personal data and only share what is necessary, when it is necessary. Making technology feel like magic and creating products that hide the complexity and provide seamless user experiences. How interoperability, particularly in gaming and digital assets, is one of the hardest challenges the metaverse faces. The ability to use digital items across different platforms and experiences is key to making the metaverse a reality. The belief that we’re at a critical juncture where the physical and digital worlds are merging, and the decisions we make now will influence how seamlessly (and safely) they do so.