Asia Tech Podcast

"Well, we think of this catalog as, ideally, a kind of cannon for progress, both in a very sort of explicit sense when it comes to, again, growing the GDP of the internet, making it much easier for people who have very ambitious ideas about a company they want to build to do that, and in an easier way than they might have to do if they were just trying to figure out everything themselves. You don't need to reinvent the wheel." - Tamara Winter In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Tamara Winter, the Commissioning Editor of Stripe Press, shares her insights on the unique mission and values guiding Stripe's publishing efforts. Stripe Press aims to disseminate practical and provocative content tailored to a specific audience of high-agency individuals such as founders, executives, and technologists. Some of the topics that Tamara covered in more detail: How the creation of Stripe Press was serendipitous, born during a conversation between Stripe’s co-founder John Collison and entrepreneur Elad Gil. How physical books offer a timeless and beautiful presentation for important ideas. The tactile experience of a book, from its cover design to the feel of the pages, adds a layer of significance to the content. A dedication to curating a catalog that serves as a canon for progress underscores Stripe Press’s commitment to providing essential knowledge to its audience. Stripe Press's philosophy is that "the way you do one thing is indicative of how you do everything". This ethos ensures that each book they publish is not only informative but also a work of art. How Tamara's own background, growing up in a culturally rich and diverse environment, shaped her understanding of the importance and the power of ideas.

Entrepreneur Meenah Tariq shares her journey from childhood ventures to CEO of Metric. She discusses the importance of adaptability in unfamiliar environments, democratizing financial intelligence, advocating for women entrepreneurs, and the resilience needed in the entrepreneurial journey.

"What we are saying is, hey, right now you have this unified infrastructure that allows you to do payment experimentation. And guess what, if you want to try and test different services, now you have access to an app store of services, you go in, in the Primer dashboard, they can just like toggle on and off, like the services you want to use. You can add test them, AB testing in the world of payments is simply impossible, right?" - Gabriel Le Roux Some of the topics that Gabriel highlighted in detail included: A pivotal shift towards modular payment systems, emphasizing flexibility and customization over the traditional one-size-fits-all solutions. The shift towards merchant-centric services, diverging from the historically provider-focused models, where businesses had to adapt to the limitations and structures of their payment service providers. The recent announcement by Stripe to open up its services aligns with a broader industry trend towards interoperability and flexibility. How Primer’s technology enables businesses to adapt their payment methods and procedures on a country-by-country basis seamlessly. The concept of "future-proofing" businesses through scalable payment infrastructures, allowing small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to implement a robust payment system early in their development phase, which can scale as they grow and expand.

"I think Hong Kong is a very special city. I think the spirit of the people, it's been a very entrepreneurial city over whatever, 100 plus years...Hong Kong, at the end day also has a good capital markets environment, for fundraising, especially for companies that have good traction and whatnot, I think it's a great place to track capital." - Christopher Yu The Asia Tech Podcast hosted Christopher Yu, the President and CFO at KPay Group. Chris shared his journey from investment banking to the entrepreneurial sector, highlighting his transition from a generalist in the corporate realm to embracing more entrepreneurial challenges. It was a really cool conversation. Some of the topics that Chris highlighted in detail included: The strength found in a longstanding partnership among KPay's founders, who have been together for over 15 years, proving that a cohesive team can significantly impact a business's resilience and adaptability. The importance of timing and self-awareness in corporate to entrepreneurial transitions, advocating for the entrepreneurial path as a platform for continued learning and growth. The necessity for building a deep understanding of the pain points faced by SMEs, emphasizing the importance of starting with a real, tangible problem and expanding solutions organically. Understanding local nuances while addressing universal pain points is crucial for successful market penetration and customer satisfaction. How KPay envisions a platform that is as seamless as upgrading from one smartphone model to another, emphasizing the importance of a synchronized, user-friendly experience that allows SMEs to focus on their core business.

"I've been moving by myself since I was 17... And each time I managed to pull myself up. And each time I managed to build a community around myself. And I think I was doing well in my own definition. So really, I believe any situation I can do well." - Jingjing Zhong In a revealing conversation on the Asia Tech Podcast, Jingjing Zhong, co-founder of Superbench, shared her entrepreneurial journey and the innovative work her company is doing in the home services industry. Some of the topics that Jingjing covered in detail included: Navigating cultural nuances can enhance business growth and communication The transition from corporate to entrepreneurship requires courage and the clarity of 'why' Emerging technological innovation can solve traditional business pain points Robust data management can lead to better decision-making and increased efficiency The importance of building a business model that scales by aligning closely with customer demands and industry dynamics Some other titles we considered for this episode: From Banking to AI: Revolutionizing Home Services The Future of Home Services: An AI-Driven Approach Empowering Small Businesses Through AI From Investment Banking to Tech Innovations: Revolutionizing Home Services with AI

"We are in a very interesting time where we will see the embrace of technology in a much more rapid rate…We want to be the first in the industry to be delivering a truly autonomous machine vision platform for manufacturing." - Dushyant Verma The Asia Tech Podcast engaged with Dushyant Verma, a co-Founder and the CEO at SmartViz to explore the intersection of AI and Manufacturing. Some of the topics that Dushyant covered in detail included: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into manufacturing processes represents a pivotal shift from manual inspections to automated, precise quality control. The exploration of how technology empowers manufacturers to evolve from being process-focused to data-centric entities. The often-underestimated significance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing ecosystem. The global nature of the opportunity for AI technology adoption in manufacturing. The transformative impact of modular technology on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Some other titles we considered for this episode: Revolutionizing Quality Control: The Future of Smart Manufacturing AI and Modular Tech: Transforming the Manufacturing Landscape From Manual to Autonomous: The Evolution of Manufacturing Processes Redefining Precision: AI's Role in Flawless Production The New Age of Manufacturing: Quality, Efficiency, and AI

"It was a bit of a blind bet... if something feels right, I don't really need a long time to make the decision... I was like, ‘You know what, what do I have to lose?’" The Asia Tech Podcast welcomed Sherry Jiang, a co-Founder and the CEO of Peek. Sherry is no ordinary entrepreneur. She is super bright and filled with an energy that has to be experienced to be believed. Our conversation was so awesome, covered a ton of ground and I had to put an end to it, so that it would not turn into a three-hour episode. Some of the topics that Sherry covered included: The importance of embracing change and taking calculated risks in both business and life The power of a clear and relatable vision (Marie Kondo of Finance) that also 'sparks joy' Embracing vulnerabilities and viewing setbacks as learning opportunities Creating a real emphasis on building a supportive community in the entrepreneurship ecosystem The necessity of balancing passion with practicality in the entrepreneurial journey Some other titles we considered for this episode: Clutter-Free Finance: The Marie Kondo of Finance Embracing the Unknown: From Silicon Valley to Southeast Asia Breaking the Mold and Betting on Change Angel Investing and Cultivating Community in the Startup Ecosystem I'm All About Abundance Mindset

The podcast featured Ritwik Ghosh and Sauvik Datta, co-founders of SeedFlex, discussing bridging market gaps for micro-entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia, the power of data in unlocking financial services, embracing tech innovation for seamless solutions, creating tailored financial products, and the importance of ecosystem partnerships.

In an enlightening episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Igor Vincetic, the General Manager, Singapore at Electrolux, shares transformative insights into the ever evolving home appliance industry. Some of the topics that Igor covered in detail included: The importance of innovation, customer-centricity, and sustainability innovative business models that focus on flexibility and convenience for consumers Creating holistic customer experiences, prioritizing service and relationship-building to enhance consumer satisfaction The necessity for companies to adapt continuously, keeping pace with changing consumer expectations and fostering a culture of agility and resilience Electrolux's dedication to leading the home appliance industry through innovative strategies, with a focus on sustainability and a customer-focused approach to business Some other titles we considered for this episode: Navigating Innovation and Sustainability The Evolution of Consumer Needs: A Commitment to Service The Future is Convenient Leading with Purpose

The Asia Tech Podcast was joined by Nathaniel Yim, the Founder of Nila Studios and a non-executive co-Founder of Janio Asia. When Nathaniel asserted during our recording, "You cannot sell what you don't understand.", it really resonated with me. When you understand your products and their impact on customers, your enthusiasm, confidence, and sincerity shine through naturally. Some of the other topics Nathaniel covered: Understanding your product's value proposition and the problems it solves for customers How customer empathy enables deep customer connections and fosters trust and credibility The critical role of content creation and leveraging networks in building brand visibility The importance of aligning marketing efforts with sales objectives The significant impact of personal branding and founder influence Some other titles we considered for this episode: Whatever You Publish, Make Sure It Is Really Good You Just Have to Rise to the Occasion Infantry Is Like Sales That Opened up My Eyes to the Possibilities of Entrepreneurship  You Have to Learn Everything and Do Everything