Larry Susanto: From Berkeley to Jakarta, Climate Tech’s Next Frontier & Indonesia’s Green Opportunity – E642

Larry Susanto: From Berkeley to Jakarta, Climate Tech’s Next Frontier & Indonesia’s Green Opportunity – E642

Author: Jeremy Au November 10, 2025 Duration: 39:20

AVP of Investments at ACV Larry Susanto and Jeremy Au discuss Larry’s journey from a Berkeley-trained engineer to a climate-tech investor shaping Indonesia’s sustainability future. They trace how his career evolved across research, product management, and consulting, and how Southeast Asia’s climate ecosystem compares to Silicon Valley’s innovation-driven model. Their conversation explores Indonesia’s renewable potential, capital gaps, and the role of government policy in turning natural resources into long-term value creation. Larry also shares how courage, learning agility, and purpose guided each of his career leaps across industries and continents.

00:00 From lab to venture capital: Larry shares how curiosity for chemistry and sustainability led him from UC Berkeley to the Bay Area’s solar startup scene.

05:32 Choosing home over the U.S.: Larry reflects on returning to Indonesia to give back despite visa hurdles and more advanced R&D ecosystems abroad.

10:42 Strategy at Bain: Larry deepened his business acumen, joining sustainability projects such as EV strategy, plastic recycling, and Bain’s Green Economy Report.

15:12 Climate tech in context: He contrasts the West’s deep-tech innovation with Southeast Asia’s business-model adaptation and localization approach.

19:36 ACV’s five climate pillars: Renewable energy, electric mobility, energy efficiency, climate-smart agriculture, and waste circularity form their investment focus.

25:22 Indonesia’s EV and mineral opportunity: Despite abundant nickel and raw materials, the nation must improve downstream capacity to capture more value.

30:22 Untapped green potential: With 500 gigawatts of solar capacity and 120 million motorbikes ripe for electrification, Indonesia holds a massive opportunity.

Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/larry-susanto-indonesia-green-leap

Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com


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#ClimateTech #Sustainability #GreenEnergy #IndonesiaStartups #RenewableFuture #ElectricMobility #VentureCapital #CleanInnovation #SoutheastAsiaTech #BRAVEpodcast




There’s a unique energy building across Southeast Asia, a sense of possibility that’s palpable from Singapore’s skyscrapers to the bustling streets of Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, Manila, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur. BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech captures that momentum by going beyond the headlines and funding announcements. Host Jeremy Au, a venture capitalist and serial founder with a background from Harvard and Berkeley, steers these conversations with a distinct perspective-one that balances the hard metrics of growth with the very human elements of leadership and personal development. Each episode feels like a candid, in-depth dialogue, whether he’s speaking with a first-time founder navigating early traction or a seasoned investor mapping regional trends. You’ll hear genuine stories about building companies, the tough lessons learned from failures, and the often-overlooked journey of staying grounded while scaling rapidly. This isn’t about presenting a polished facade of success; it’s about the real work of creating something meaningful. With over eighty thousand regular listeners, this podcast has become a key resource for anyone invested in the region’s tech ecosystem. Jeremy brings his own experiences as a sci-fi enthusiast and a father into the mix, often exploring how broader perspectives on the future and empathy shape better leaders. Tune in for practical insights on venture capital, entrepreneurship, and management, all framed within the vibrant and complex tapestry of Southeast Asia. New conversations arrive every Monday, offering a thoughtful pause to reflect on how we build what’s next.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech: Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand & Malaysia Startups, Founders & Venture Capital VC (English)
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