Asia Tech Podcast

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast featuring Rob Bradley, Senior Vice President of Digital Revenue Strategy and Operations at CNN International Commercial, we explored the profound impact of technology on the media industry. Some of the topics that Rob discussed in detail included: The media industry has always been at the forefront of technological innovation. How programmatic advertising changed the game and made the sales role more complex and valuable. While technology enables scale and efficiency of ad placement, a human touch still drives storytelling and creativity. The necessity to be data-driven to build trust and maintain long-term client relationships. How the media industry’s evolution has been relentless, with new platforms, technologies, and consumer behaviors constantly reshaping the landscape.

"I want Woodstock to be a go to place for any investing so whether you're investing in as you know, stocks or bonds or crypto and FX, whatever that is. And our priorities will obviously change, and things would take a long time, but for sure, Woodstock could be a good, a good place where people trust and, you know, they if I go there, I can get valuable advice, advices, and not like, recommend, stock recommends, but like, as in, like, you know, just people just giving, you know, coaching, like, oh, you know, this is, this is a good book, or this is a, you know, how you should think, like, that kind of advice, right? So this is where people should come for the community. They're valuable community, and also for easy access to markets, and also easy access to a bunch of different financial products, but also just be a better, you know, financial literate. Just increase your literacy in the markets, and therefore just become a better professional." - Brian Yun The Asia Tech Podcast spoke with Brian Yun, a co-Founder and CEO of Woodstock, during which we explored key insights from his entrepreneurial journey. His experiences in engineering, trading, and tech, have equipped him with a unique skill set that he has leveraged to build Woodstock. Some of the topics that Brian discussed in detail: How patience and persistence are essential for sustaining a business through its formative years. How his engineering background helps him understand and build complex systems. The immense power of social media in building audience, community and engagement. Investing is as much about understanding human psychology as it is about financial acumen. The importance of improving financial literacy and empowering individuals to make informed investment decisions.

"...when you bring technology into those communities, you can see how the child mortality goes down. You can see how the GDP in the country goes up. You can see all these fantastic innovations coming out of these countries and the entrepreneurship it sparks. But to answer your original question, it's easier to fundraise from organizations and businesses, because they really get it. " - Mea Thompson The Asia Tech Podcast spoke to Mea Thompson, a co-founder and CCO of Unconnected.org. Mea shared some of her insights into the critical work of bridging the digital divide. Unconnected.org focuses on providing meaningful technology access to underserved communities worldwide, particularly emphasizing the importance of affordability and community-driven solutions. Some of the issues Mea discussed in detail: The digital divide is more than just a connectivity issues. Many communities simply cannot afford the hardware and maintenance costs. Community-driven initiatives are key to driving connectivity success. Local teachers actually play a pivotal role in the digital inclusion process. Empowering local entrepreneurs to run and manage the telecommunications infrastructure, Unconnected ensures that its initiatives continue to benefit the community long after the initial setup. The impact of providing internet access goes beyond mere connectivity. It can transform communities economically, socially, and culturally. The sheer joy of making a difference in the world and seeing real, tangible impact.

"I think one of my biggest values as a human being is curiosity. I do try to show up a lot every day with curiosity. And so I think that the difference then is that instead of approaching something with judgment, I often approach it from a place of curiosity. I'm like, okay, well, tell me more. I also have a master's degree in conflict resolution, which is a really interesting background for an investor." - Kalsoom Lakhani The Asia Tech Podcast was joined by Kalsoom Lakhani, a co-Founder and General Partner of I2I Ventures. As a daughter of a Bangladeshi mother and a Pakistani father, Kalsoom grew up with a rich tapestry of cultural experiences, which shaped her into a third culture kid adept at navigating diverse environments. This background fueled her curiosity and empathy, key traits that have significantly influenced her professional life and her approach to investing in Pakistan's nascent but growing startup landscape. Some of the topics Kalsoom covered in detail: The evolution of the Pakistani startup ecosystem, which was still nascent when I2I was started in 2011 The challenges of ecosystem building requires the convergence of multiple elements—entrepreneurs, investors, regulatory frameworks, and support systems. The resilience and ingenuity of Pakistani founders, who often operate with limited resources in challenging environments. The growing influence of artificial intelligence and the importance of addressing its ethical and societal implications. A recurring theme was the importance of embracing nuance and complexity. Whether in cultural identity, ecosystem building, or technology, Kalsoom advocates for a deeper, more empathetic understanding.

"I think what I've learned is, if I can do it this way, then anyone can. And the qualification is by doing it. It is always daunting, I think, and it was more of an internal struggle for me to make that first investment, to write that first check...I'm just more accepting of the fact that I'm not going to be great at something the first time, and that's okay, but the only way I'm going to become great is by doing it more times and getting better..." - Elena Kersey In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast Elena Kersey, the Community and Partnerships Lead at Epic Angels, shared key insights into angel investing. She emphasized that individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those without finance or tech experience, can succeed in angel investing with a willingness to learn and a passion for innovation. Some of the topics that Elena covered in detail: The importance of the support system provided by a group of female investors, many of whom are also new to startup investing. Seeking out founders with a deep commitment to solving a problem, often based on personal experiences. Another critical lesson is the importance of investment and sector diversification. Elena stressed that one qualification for being an angel investor is by doing it. The experience of making that first investment, even if small, is invaluable. Angel investing is not a get-rich-quick scheme and a long-term perspective is essential.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of AI and filmmaking, the intersection of creativity and technology is producing groundbreaking results. I had the pleasure of speaking with Jud Willmont, the owner and Producer / Director at Willmountain Films, and Jacky Lin, a founding partner at Creative Fitting, to delve into their recent collaboration on an AI-generated film for the Shanghai Film Festival entitled M.A.D. Some of the topics they covered in detail included: The importance of a hybrid approach in filmmaking. While AI can handle the heavy lifting of creating visual content, the essence of storytelling still relies on human creativity. The suggestion that AI should be treated as an artist rather than just a tool. The astonishing speed at which AI technology is advancing. They noted that the AI models they were using evolved even during the short three-week competition period. The significant challenges in using AI for film production is maintaining consistency, especially with character movements and expressions. As AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, the unique perspectives and creative inputs from humans will continue to be what sets truly exceptional work apart. And... On Friday June 14th, the Global AI Film Marathon held the award ceremony in Shanghai Film Art Center. Jud and Jacky's film, M.A.D, won the Audience Award! This is the official announcement of the winning teams in Chinese:  https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/N1IUAhtK6z4WQPYwEP_McQ

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Ryan Manafe, co-founder and CEO of Dagangan, shared his insights on revolutionizing rural distribution in Indonesia. Drawing from his personal experiences in Central Java, Manafe identified the significant challenges faced by rural communities in accessing daily necessities. Some of the topics that Ryan covered in detail: In Indonesia, 80% of the population lives outside major cities like Jakarta. These areas represent a substantial market with unique needs, often neglected by large corporations. The importance of building a hub-and-spoke distribution network with micro-warehouses in villages. How local community leaders and religious figures play a vital role in educating villagers about new services. Facilitating access to the most remote markets for big brands like Coca-Cola and promoting local brands as well. How Dagangan isn't just about distributing goods; it's also about improving lives. For example, Dagangan partnered with a local milk company to address the issue of stunted growth in children by promoting affordable, nutritious milk in school canteens.

"So an event mesh is a data movement fabric, okay, yep, so the network, but it's the layer between the network and the applications. So if we explain it a little bit further, event broker is this technology that allows you to move data in a one to many manner, in a publish to subscribe manner. So for example, if an order is created, and we say that order event is published to the event broker, that order may have to go to the order management system. It may also go to the digital receipt system. It may also go to the loyalty system. So the same order has to go to multiple systems. And this pattern is called publish, subscribe, which is done by an event broker." - Sumeet Puri In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Sumeet Puri, Chief Technology Solutions Officer at Solace, shared deep insights on the transformative power of real-time data and event-driven architecture. He explained how advancements in network and computing capabilities have enabled industries to transition from traditional data handling to real-time data processing.  Some of the topics that Sumeet covered in detail: The evolution from traditional data handling to real-time data processing. Real-time data is no longer a luxury reserved for high-frequency trading desks. It has permeated various industries, enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency.  The importance of event-driven architecture in facilitating real-time data movement. This architecture operates on the principle of event meshes, which are networks of event brokers that handle data in a publish-subscribe model.  Real-time data processing democratizes access to information and services. Puri highlights initiatives like Singapore's SGQR and India's UPI as examples where real-time data movement has enabled even the smallest merchants to participate in the digital economy. The concept of 'Event Storming' workshops is an innovative approach to identifying and leveraging real-time data opportunities. By breaking down business processes into individual events, companies can uncover previously hidden efficiencies and opportunities.

"Resistance training is, you know, they can take away everything in terms of like, your comfort, your warmth, your food, you know, etc, make you disoriented, but they can't take away your will to resist, right? And they can't take away your mind, right? That's the thing that you can always control in terms of resistance. And so I emphasized that to her what they taught us over and over, which was, never forget who the enemy is." - Gene Yu In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, featuring Gene Yu, a Founder and CEO of Blackpanda, we explored innovative approaches to cybersecurity and the vital role of crisis response. Gene’s unique background as a West Point graduate and a former Green Beret significantly shaped BlackPanda's approach. Some of the topics Gene covered in more detail included: By wrapping their cybersecurity emergency response services in an insurance-like product and a SaaS platform, BlackPanda has made high-quality cybersecurity accessible to a broader market at a significantly reduced cost. Given the sensitive nature of cybersecurity, the background of the founders and the reputation of the company play a crucial role in gaining clients' trust. One of the most profound insights Gene shared was about transferring skills and methodologies across different domains. He spoke about his transition from physical security and crisis response in the military to the digital realm of cybersecurity. This shift was facilitated by his ability to apply strategic and tactical principles from his military experience to cybersecurity challenges. BlackPanda’s focus on emergency response and crisis management in cybersecurity has allowed them to carve out a distinct identity in a new and growing market. Most importantly, Gene shared a gripping, true story about rescuing a family friend that had been kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf, an experience that profoundly impacted his life. This mission highlighted the importance of resilience, adaptability, and human connection in crisis situations. Amazon commissioned Gene to write a book about the incident that will be released on October 1, 2024 and you can find it here.

So it's actually very interesting how technology is taking a lot of the grunt work out of investment banking, which allows the real investment bankers to focus on the important stuff, which is, you know, the negotiations and the closing of the deals and more personal stuff. There is a good company in Japan, which has a good precedent called M&A Research Institute, which is a listed. And within it's a listed company, it's a similar business, and we're following basically the same path as they have. And they closed 150 deals last year. And they made $60 million of revenue. And it's a very profitable business model. - Marcus Yeung The journey of entrepreneurship is often fraught with challenges, triumphs, and valuable lessons. Asia Tech Podcast had the pleasure of conversing with Marcus Yeung, a seasoned entrepreneur and investment banker. Marcus is the co-Founder and Managing Partner at Match.Asia and the Founder of Seabridge Partners. Our discussion provided important insights into the world of entrepreneurship, particularly within the context of the evolving landscape of technology and investment banking. Some of the topics Marcus covered in detail: Embracing failure and the important learnings that result from it The power of long-term relationships The role of technology in scaling businesses The importance of integrity, humility, and gratitude A future where investment banking is significantly disrupted by technology The importance of long-term relationships and career evolution