Talent Gaps, AI Adoption & Southeast Asia’s Startup Winter, China Subsidies & Sequoia’s Split - E626

Talent Gaps, AI Adoption & Southeast Asia’s Startup Winter, China Subsidies & Sequoia’s Split - E626

Author: Jeremy Au September 15, 2025 Duration: 19:03

Jeremy Au explored how talent, policy, and capital flows shape startup ecosystems across Southeast Asia, India, and China. The discussion covered talent strengths and weaknesses across countries, the role of industrial policy and government subsidies, the challenges of building large language models outside the US and China, and the impact of US China geopolitical tensions on venture capital flows.


01:18 Southeast Asia talent rankings: Jeremy explains Asia Partners’ view that Singapore and Indonesia rank higher in talent, while Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia sit in the middle, and Thailand lags.


04:01 Quick commerce lessons: He compares how India’s delivery startups slowed timelines to survive, showing why founders must adapt to market development levels.


05:10 TSMC and industrial policy: Jeremy highlights Taiwan’s deliberate investment in semiconductors as a case study of state-driven strategy creating global champions.


07:30 Policy shapes business: He outlines the chain: “Policy leads to law, law leads to business, and business leads to everything else.”


15:08 Sequoia’s split: Jeremy explains how US–China tensions and new rules like reverse CFIUS forced Sequoia to separate its US, China, and Southeast Asia/India arms.


Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/talent-gaps-rising


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


WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e


TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz


Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau


LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea


English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts


Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts


Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts


Vietnamese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts



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)
Podcast Episodes
VC Economics & Exit Strategies: Case Studies from Seed to IPO - E689 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:30
Ever wonder how venture capitalists actually judge your startup behind closed doors? In this episode of the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au breaks down the brutal reality of VC economics and the math that dr…
The Hidden Strategies of Venture Capital - E687 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:39
Ever wondered how venture capitalists actually pick winning startups? In this solo breakdown on the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au pulls back the curtain on the secretive world of venture capital. Whether y…
Eugene Cheah: Open-Source AI and the Future of Work - E686 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:24
Is open source the true future of Artificial Intelligence? In this episode of the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au sits down with Eugene Cheah, CEO and Co-Founder of Featherless AI. They dive deep into the ar…