Low Level Barbarians (LLB): Recent Episodes
lowlevelbarbarians
A podcast dedicated to discussions and debate about technology, business, startups, economics, society and more for the Asia region!
Y.K. Goon's Previous Episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3LOd7lkqNME5uIqKUQidh5?si=d1ebc504f5eb41dfNeed help with market expansion, product market fit, growth, or fundraising? Reach out! https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderle/Support the pod!https://buymeacoffee.com/lowlevelbarbariansConnect to Y.K.! https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykgoon/Another old episode from the catalogue. If you ever wondered how or why someone invest 100% of their net worth in crypto look no further. In this episode we explore how YK navigated the centralized exchange fiascos of 2023, the bottlenecks for mass adoption of crypto, some of YK's best investments and how YK avoids post exit investment regret. In part 2 we talk about the broad implications of VR and lastly we talk about how YK is using A.I. in his daily software engineering job as CTO of Kakitangan00:00 Intro01:24 Recap From Previous Episode02:22 Investing In Crypto03:50 YK's Workflow in Crypto06:40 On FTX Fiasco10:31 Luna Effect on YK's Portfolio14:39 Real Yield vs Scam Yield17:28 Old Fiat to New Fiat20:22 What Is the Bottleneck for Mass Adoption of Crypto24:26 Why 100% In Crypto27:11 Weakness of Crypto Currencies32:32 What Does Mass Adoption Mean36:58 Diversification Strategy38:33 Investing and Managing Risky Assets43:50 Successful Investments50:21 Did Livepeer Exceed Your Expectations52:09 Post Profit Regret54:14 Measuring Performance56:18 How Much Value Lost From the Peak58:41 Views On Institutional Money ON-Chain01:03:19 What's New In Crypto01:06:16 Thinking About Investing In Games01:19:22 NFT's built on Bitcoin01:22:18 Cryptocurrencies are like cities01:25:50 YK's Excitement on VR01:26:55 Playing VR Doom01:27:22 Tech, Media, Reality Thesis01:29:47 Why Is Mainstream Against the Idea of VR01:31:32 State of VR01:41:31 Is Our Generation More Pessimistic01:43:51 Media Consumption Horizon01:48:33 Today's Zeitgeist01:51:23 Prompot Engineering01:54:13 Using LLM's to Code Wwith Teams01:59:02 Does TEchnical Debt Reduce wwith AI02:06:55 Closing Thoughts on LLMs
Need help with market expansion, product market fit, growth, or fundraising? Reach out! https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderle/Support the pod!https://buymeacoffee.com/lowlevelbarbariansConnect to Max! https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-maze-8294366b/This was filmed back in mid-2023. Max is a film director and writer who also has the technical expertise to build neural networks and work in AI. He possesses a rare combination of technical and artistic abilities, which he's using to create the world's first AI movie director. Although this footage is over a year old, much of what Max discusses remains timeless and relevant today00:00 IntroductionTHOUGHTS FROM MAX02:09 Perfectionism & Capitalism08:03 Balancing Personal Brand vs Personal Expression14:36 Structures & Constraints On CreativityVSTORY15:52 VSTORY Elevator Pitch17:58 Inspiration For VSTORY25:43 Building An AI Director28:12 Stakeholders in Media Production - Problem Focus32:29 Tying the Thesis Together34:06 Benefit for Studios35:14 Market Sizing37:28 Quality vs Making Money43:41 VSTORY's Positioning46:44 Defensibility of VSTORY53:17 People Behind VSTORY01:00:34 Cap Table01:06:43 Tech vs Business Aspects01:10:00 VSTORY Traction & MVP01:19:06 What is VSTORY fundraising ForTHOUGHTS ON AI01:21:20 Thoughts around AI 01:25:10 Most Important Thing About AI Today01:35:24 Detour Ukraine and Ideas of Belief to Choose 01:40:04 Is The Future Dystopian or Utopian?01:44:32 Biggest Misunderstanding About AI
Need help with market expansion, product market fit, growth, or fundraising? Reach out!https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderle/Support the pod!https://buymeacoffee.com/lowlevelbarbariansLets Connect!* https://www.linkedin.com/in/norhakim-sanwan/Sitting down with Hakim, CEO and Co-founder of Mascon Technologies, to dive deep into the $14 trillion maritime industry and how digital transformation is revolutionizing maritime safety and seafarer operations.Hakim shares his journey from being a seafarer himself to solving real-world problems with cutting-edge tech, helping to increase safety, trust, and operational efficiency. Discover how the lack of verification in traditional methods has caused significant economic losses and why Mascon's solutions are poised to disrupt the space.Chapters: 00:00 Intro01:19 Elevator Pitch03:09 Value Aspect Of Safety Marine Economy06:31 Lack Of Safety Equals Huge Economic Loss09:11 Market Sizing of Maritime Industry10:49 Breaking Down The Value Chain18:47 Ship Man Power Organization21:41 Competition in Maritime Tech Space28:45 Best Innovations in the Maritime Industry32:27 Contrarian Views In Maritime Industry38:22 Views On Port Congestion44:45 Labor Shortages49:50 Tackling Certification51:34 Mascon Core Focus - Problem/Solution
Need help with market expansion, product market fit, growth, or fundraising? Reach out!https://forms.gle/PkKjvfqCUjq4MgGk6Support the pod!https://buymeacoffee.com/lowlevelbarbariansLets Connect! https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderle/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-ng-ff/Vertical farming once promised to revolutionize agriculture, but with billions lost, can Future Farms revive the dream? In this video, we examine the rise and fall of vertical farming, its impact on the agriculture industry, and how Future Farms could drive the next wave of innovation. We dive deep into industry trends, lessons from past failures, and explore how investors and entrepreneurs can seize new opportunities in agriculture technology. Watch now to discover the future of farming and share your thoughts in the comments!Key Topics Covered:Vertical Farming Industry Overview (2000-2024): Understanding the rise, fall, and current state of vertical farming.Future Farms Thesis & Scalability: Can future farms scale effectively with significant investment?Product Innovation: What are the "better" products in agriculture, and how can they drive success?VC Learnings: Insights from VC-backed vertical farms that went bust and what can be learned from their mistakes.Positioning in Asia: How Future Farms is strategically positioned in Asia to leverage market opportunities.Business Strategy: Key strategies for scaling, market sizing, and optimizing resources like electricity and water.Government Mandates & Tech Innovation: The role of food security mandates and how technology innovation builds a competitive moat.Founder & Team Insights: Exploring the motivations, backgrounds, and challenges of the founding team.Chapters:00:00 After Billions Lost in Vertical Farming, Is Future Farms the Key to a Comeback? - E:4600:24 Future Farms Elevator Pitch01:23 Vertical Farming Industry Overview 2000-202406:53 Future Farms Thesis In Vertical Farming12:12 Can Future Farms Scale With Big Money?13:55 What Are "Better" Products in Agriculture?15:08 Learnings From VC Backed Farms17:27 How is Future Farms Positioned in Asia18:33 Low vs High Margin Strategy21:40 Future Farms Focus vs Traditional Agriculture23:05 Problem vs Solutions24:18 Busine ss Strategy & Scaling25:52 Market Sizing26:30 Should VC Dollars Look At This Space27:10 Future Farm Approach To Solutions30:41 Learning From Customers33:10 Plant Nutrients Focus37:23 Optimizing Electricity41:35 Optimizing On Water42:35 Tackling Scale47:38 Government Mandate in Food Security48:20 Tech Innovation Focus50:04 Developing a Moat52:02 Founder Grit & Motivations54:50 Team Background57:30 Founder Conflicts -Core Guiding Principles59:48 Growing The Team01:06:10 Fundraising01:09:39 Funding Allocations
Need help with market expansion, product market fit, growth, or fundraising? Reach out!https://forms.gle/PkKjvfqCUjq4MgGk6Support the pod!https://buymeacoffee.com/lowlevelbarbariansLets Connect! https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderle/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jianggan/* https://www.linkedin.com/in/cblakelarson/This a cross collaboration with Momentum Works Recorded in Singapore!In this episode, you’ll gain rare, cross-regional insights into venture scaling across Southeast Asia, China, and the US. Blake, Alex, and Jianggan—key players during the golden age of ridesharing—share their experiences from scaling Easy Taxi in Southeast Asia and beyond. Jianggan has since become a global expert on connecting China with the rest of the world, especially Southeast Asia. Alex, one of the earliest employees of Rocket Internet during their global expansion, offers first-hand knowledge from those high-growth days. It’s rare to find expertise that spans multiple regions with such depth, offering unique perspectives on navigating diverse markets and scaling ventures across continents. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to understand the complexities of global expansion and entrepreneurship.00:00 The Lonely Journey Of A Founder01:00 Self Reflection In Venture Scaling03:10 Challenges of Scaling and Personal Alignment07:54 Reflections Of Cour Career Progressions12:26 Entreprenerial Journey vs Corporate13:47 Strategy of No Strategy - Rocket Internet22:17 Positives of Rocket Internet25:51 Comparing Nascent China Tech Scene vs Rocket Global Expansion30:03 Insights from Scaling Lalamove31:13 More Insights From Chinese Perpsective on SEA ecosystem34:19 Challenges of Chinese International Expansion37:36 Adapting Business Models for Different Markets38:22 Strategic Global Expansion43:24 Using VC Dollars to Change Consumer Behavior45:31 Strapping Dumpsters to Rockets47:28 Reflections on Leadership and Management Across Asia & US54:35 Defining Values For Your Company57:32 Scaling in America - Cultural Differences In Industries01:00:55 Chinese Modern Business Culture01:02:22 Building Culture In A Venture01:09:01 Final Thoughts and Future Plans
Need help with market expansion, product market fit, growth, or fundraising? Reach out!https://forms.gle/PkKjvfqCUjq4MgGk6Support the pod!https://buymeacoffee.com/lowlevelbarbariansLets Connect! https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderle/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jianggan/* https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidqchang/In this episode, the hosts dive into a lively discussion covering a broad range of topics including the controversial comments made by Eric Schmidt on work-life balance and Google's competitive edge, the issue of leadership succession at major corporations, Kamala Harris's new price fixing policy, and the impact of work-from-home arrangements on Gen Z. Additionally, they explore the challenges and innovations in the Southeast Asian tech market, with a focus on companies like Shopee, Lazada, Grab, and Pinduoduo. 00:00 should you be working HARDER!? | E:4400:48 Eric Schmidt On People Not Working Hard Enough01:16 The Context Of Eric Schmidt Comments07:11 Work Life Balance = Failure?10:29 Issues of Handling Leadership Succession 16:35 Wworking Harder Is Not Controversial18:32 Why Work From Home is Bad for Gen Z22:20 Kamala Harris Price Fixing Policy26:36 The Algos Exagerate Things That Are Not Really Controversial27:53 Back to working harder or not30:43 Big Profit Machines Are Social Goods? Chinese Tech Productivity vs US Tech37:08 Which Southeast Asia Company Is the Most Innovative and Productive39:02 The Conumdrum of International Expansion45:33 Back to the most innovative company in SEA46:17 Looking At International Exapansion 49:25 Work Harder If It Makes Sense For Your Context55:38 Tangent on Pinduoduo Logistics 58:27 What Does Hard Work Mean?
Need help with market expansion, product market fit, growth, or fundraising? Reach out!https://forms.gle/PkKjvfqCUjq4MgGk6Support the pod!https://buymeacoffee.com/lowlevelbarbariansLets Connect! https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderle/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jianggan/* https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidqchang/In this episode, we dive into why Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) strategies often fail at scale, with examples from major brands like Nike and insights on the importance of omni-channel approaches. We also discuss recent developments in Indonesia's consumer market and the challenges of balancing online and offline business models. Bonus discussion at the end on US election updates. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 why D2C FAILS at scale & learnings from Indonesia | E:4300:29 D2C Failures At Scale - Importance of Omni-Channel08:14 Dave's D2C Experience with Althea09:36 Wastage in E-commerce Marketing18:00 Are You A Brand Play or Optimization Play?21:32 Does E-commerce At Scale Lead you Back to Offline (F&B - CPG innovation?)25:05 Jianggan's Biggest Take Away From His Indonesia Update30:42 High Speed Rail in Indonesia34:56 Dave's Updates From US (US Politics)41:58 Jianggan On US Immigration Issues50:37 Dave's Update On His US Industrial Real Estate Fund
The LLBs delve into a wide range of topics including carbon capture technology, tech investment trends in Southeast Asia, updates from the Tech In Asia Malaysia 2024 event, the innovative business model of Temu, and insights on the upcoming US elections. Our hosts Dave, Jianggan, and Alexander share their thoughts and engage in lively discussions about the latest developments and future prospects. Don't miss out on this informative and engaging episode!00:00 Intro00:30 Joon's Biochar Start-up01:11 Challenges in Biofuel and Biochar Businesses02:42 Pitching and Investment Insights04:43 Tech In Asia - Malaysia - 2024 - VC Trends In SEA08:53 F&B - Consumer Facing Brands (Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore)12:57 Malaysia Only Mandated VC Funds15:29 Indonesia Update (New Gov't, Cross Border Trade, Consumer Businesses)20:17 Temu's Business Model and Market Impact32:45 Global Manufacturing Shifts33:46 China's Dominance in Clean Energy35:25 Subsidies and Economic Policies37:36 Operational Insights on Temu41:12 US Political Landscape and Elections57:05 Concluding Thoughts and Personal Anecdotes57:23 Pre-Show Talk
Mak Choong Moon is an expert business coach who coaches over 40 CEOs a month as a Vistage chair here in Malaysia. His career spans IT services, manufacturing, insurance, gaming, and property development. His family has a long rich history of doing business in Malaysia since post World War II. In this episode we cover his main job these days in coaching, and later on talk about some of his career and how it unfolded and some of his family history. This episode is from the last EOA episode. Officially all EOA type videos will be put under LLB. There will be a few throwbacks and short videos from the old content library from time to time, with more planned episodes like this.Timetamps:0:00 Mastering Leadership: Key Coaching Insights from 40+ CEOs & Entrepreneurs Monthly | E:4100:31 Why Do You Need A Coach?01:38 What is Vistage?02:19 What is a Vistage Chair? 03:52 How To Coach 40 People A Month 05:13 What Qualifies One To Coach?06:25 Important Ratio of Listening vs Speaking07:55 Systems and Frameworks For Coaching11:00 Establish A Foundation and then...?11:43 Coach and Coachee Compatibility12:44 How to Tell If One Is Coachable Or Not - Manufacturing Trust Through Vulnerability16:04 Coaching Before Vistage vs After Vistage18:09 Developing A Coachable Mindset21:06 Coaching Gen X vs Gen Y 22:20 Unexpected Lessons in Coaching23:56 Tracking Coaching Performance26:31 Worse Experience Coaching?28:11 The Ultimate Ends Of Coaching?32:02 Most Important Lessoned Learned From Coaching32:46 Convincing Young People Without Money To Enjoy Life33:43 The Most Common Problem Across All Clients? Ideas & Diversification35:09 CEO major concerns for 202336:42 Mak's Critical Path in 202339:02 Wealth Preservation or Wealth Generation39:41 Property Development in 202344:30 Investment Thesis for Property Development50:05 Angel Investing In Property Development53:29 Why is PropertyTech not Bigger in SEA58:47 Mak's Early Career Property Development and Cowboy Private Equity01:02:26 The Rise Of Makok 01:08:40 Masebe Group International01:11:01 Leaving the Family Business Again - The Role of COOs01:14:15 Lack of Talent and Professionalization of Family Business01:19:30 The Isola @ KLLCC A Business Case01:26:50 Malaysia In The Next 10 Years01:29:55 Mak's Greatest Superpower?01:31:49 Selling your Superpowers
This week's podcast was a bit of an unplanned episode. Alex and Jianggan catch up and discuss the many nuances and blurred lines of a countries economic power/growth and how soft power relates. Updates not included; Dave make's his annual migration to US for a longer period of time so we are missing him and Joon has joined the Antler program in search of a new idea. Timestamps:0:00 Exploring Asia's Economic & Cultural Power | E:4001:53 Chinese Tech Stocks Recovering + Property Restrictions Lifted05:29 Will Growth Come From Planning & Infrastructure Development?08:22 Does Culture Liberalize With More Interational Connections And Trade09:08 Gov't + Strong Entrepreneurship Needed (Tesla China Example)11:47 Does Future China Policy Continue Like EV Policy18:44 Do Algorithms Flaten Culture? 22:53 Shaxian Government Sponsored Food Expansion24:01 Where Is Singaporean Culture Now24:56 National Identities27:49 Nation State Policy Based On Empire Asset Inheirtance35:30 Baidu PR Head Gets Canceled Using Shorts38:08 Personal Update For Alex
Jianggan's finished his immersion tripe to Shenzhen and is now back in Beijing again! Alex is just back from his US trip. In this episode we explore the value of Cross-border learning between China and Southeast Asia. Jianggan shares insights in the difference of business cultures between SEA and China. What do Chinese companies want to learn from Southeast Asian companies? What to Southeast Asian companies want to learn from China. What does the cross-border business landscape look like in 10-15 years. Tune in to find out!Raw Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/3pUj2Q8mHxK00:00 Intro01:27 Live - Immersion Trips to China02:38 Chinese Business Culture07:04 What are MCN's07:45 What Is the Value For Doing Immersion Trips10:37 How to Improve Cross Boarder Collaboration 12:00 Diversity of Business Cultures Within China And Outside China 15:45 Who is Competing With Who in Latin America18:08 Building Cross Boarder Trust19:45 What Does Cross-border Business Look Like in 10-15 years from now 27:33 Geo-politics of starting a new tech company today31:27 Looking Ahead
Taylor Swift Eras tour finally winds down. Jianggan and Alex discuss the Swifty movement. Is it a cult or the greatest business empire ever? Is Taylor Swift the ultimate manifestation of capitalism or is her character genuinely representative for millions around the world? Stay tuned towards the end for business ecosystem updates from Jianggan's trip to Cambodia and Alex's vacation in Vietnam. raw transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/BqmL4KNsODO0:00 Taylor Swift Super Stonks Singapore's GDP | E:3800:26 Taylor Swift Concert In Singapore05:06 Emotional Connection To Artist06:18 Swifty Movement, Business Cult, Or Empire?19:22 Taylor Swifts Character or Business Acumen20:20 Singapore Bribed Taylor Swift21:43 1975 Debacle - East vs West Culture Clash?23:08 Censorship for Peace? = Big Appeal for Business? 28:31 Cambodia and Vietnam Updates37:45 Jim Rogers On Cambodia 40:45 Quick Vietnam Update
This episode is a cut from E:31 pre-show talk. Are you curious about licensing I.P. from a big name like Hasbro? Look no further Joon dives into of aspect of the family business that focuses on building an events business while licensing big names like My Little Pony, Transformers, Monopoly, and much more. Take a peek of what it is like building an events based I.P. business in Southeast Asia. 00:00 Hasbro Licensing Events Based Business01:06 Learnings From Running I.P. Driven Events01:36 How Do You Work With Hasbro?02:57 Do I.P. Branded Hotels Sell or Add Value?05:58 Working With Hasbro + Events + IP Business Model08:00 Process Of Running Events09:43 Offline vs Online Businesses10:21 Technology In Events11:50 Marketing Strategies For Events12:05 Social media + Events Trend Changes14:25 How To Iterate Events To Improve 14:53 Shorts Is The Way Forward15:27 Which Hasbro IP To Choose?17:56 Convenience Is King
In this episode, we catch up with Jianggan during his Chinese New Year celebrations in Jiangsu, China. Offering a personal and reflective update, he shares insights from his recent travels and conversations with friends involved in the Chinese business landscape. From observing the impact of e-commerce on local retail to discussing the anxieties surrounding the property market and the global expansion of Chinese businesses, Jianggan provides a nuanced look at the current economic and social climate. While this episode serves as a gentle introduction to the complexities of life and business in China, it hints at the broader challenges facing the Chinese economy. This light, anecdotal approach sets the stage for a future, more in-depth discussion on these critical issues. Join us for this soft update that explores the festive spirit and resilience in China, teasing the groundwork for a deeper dive into the economic hurdles ahead.raw transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/HNp7QBmVQGM00:00 Intro00:31 Chinese New Year Quick Update - Jiangsu02:39 Coldest Recorded Temperatures Around Shanghai03:27 Decline of Physical Retail Rise of Services04:59 Looming Concerns: Property Market, Macro Economy,05:53 Global Expansion Of Chinese Businesses08:58 Nature of Chinese Businesses Abroad10:45 Mixed Business Sentiment or Life As Usual12:34 Heavy F&B Ad's on China's Tiktok (Douyin)14:07 Live Selling Around Jiangsu? 16:00 Momentum Works Live Streaming Immersion Event18:52 Final Thoughts
Will SORA kill your AI startup ambitions? Are we on the cusp of AGI? We discuss these topics and much more. Along with updates on SORA and Gemini 1.5, we'll explore which types of companies and industries are vulnerable and which are more defensible. Our second major topic revolves around Temu and their Super Bowl ads. We'll take a deeper look at their business model and compare them to Walmart, the dollar store, and Costco.*Note: Jianggan's cat ripped out his lan cable half way through so we are stuck with the low quality recording :(raw transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/KkjFpJ7iGNQsubstack: https://llbpod.substack.com/p/e35-sora-temu00:00 Intro00:21 Brief Update On Jianggan's Chinese New Year's Trip to China02:33 The Setup For Sora (Startup Killer and AGI)05:08 Speed of AI Development Is Undeniable07:27 Navigating the AI Space As A Startup10:38 Porn Industry Is Defensibility vs A.I?11:21 Content Generation & Content Platforms In An AI World16:45 Which Startups Will Sora / OpenAi Kill Now19:05 What Will It Take To Survive As An AI Startup 21:48 Do You Need Deep Technical Knowledge To Build An A.I. Startup?24:49 Do You Need To Be An AI Visionary?28:50 Biggest Winners of AI Thus Far30:55 AI Will Create New Realities34:46 Artificial Starch37:48 Temu Superbowl Ads38:29 Does Temu Deserve Hate?41:46 How Does Temu Work? Online Dollar Store or Online More Efficient Walmart?52:01 What Is Costco's Magic Formula?01:01:36 The Indonesian Elections01:03:09 Why Should We Care?01:03:39 Rise of Austronesian Dominance?
All things come back to land. What are the fundamental underpinnings of what is driving land value in the US? How does the evolution of e-commerce affect land. US commercial real estate land fundamentals vs Southeast Asia land fundamentals. Other interesting topics include, the right way to Live Sell, Myth of Palm Oil margins, effects of climate change on land value, the A.I. Sex Robots are taking over, and Grab's new advertising model. All content is for informational purposes of a general nature only, and does not address any circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Do not construe any such information or material as legal, tax, investment, financial, professional or any other advice.Raw Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/myS0NhrpM9ucHosts: Alex Le (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderle/),Dave Chang (https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidqchang/)Andrew G ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewgntm/)Joon Chan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joonchan/)00:00 Intro 01:49 Is Land The Best Thing You Can Invest In?04:46 Unpacking Dave's Thesis Around "Land" (Industrial Real Estate - MidWest USA)07:15 Fundamental Underpinnings To Dave's Thesis11:04 The Macro Of US Industrial Real Estate14:13 The Big Vision19:58 Industrial Distribution Real-Estate Thesis in SEA20:53 E-commerce/Live Selling Fundamental Drivers to Industrial Real Estate28:44 Fundamental Underpinnings For SEA31:00 The Right Way To Live Sell34:11 China Influencers vs SEA Influences38:53 How To Approach Live Selling Today44:32 Myth Of Palm Oil Margins46:56 Effects Of Climate Change On Land and Immigration56:29 The Pragmatic Case Of Illegal Immigrants01:07:23 Apple Vision Pro01:08:05 A.I. Sex Robots Are The Future01:11:50 Societal pain point of A.I. Sex Robots01:14:15 Land or Sex Robots?01:22:15 Co-Pilot and LLMs01:26:57 Grab's New Advertising Model 01:34:02 Outro
This episode covers three main topics. Trump, The Future of Vietnam and The Food Delivery Ecosystem in Southeast Asia 2024. E:33 a comprehensive discussion revolving around Donald Trump's possible re-election and what it may mean for Vietnam. The results of the upcoming U.S. election could affect various aspects of the global economy, specifically focusing on countries in Southeast Asia. The Barbies also discuss the influence of respective political systems, economic policies, and geopolitical factors of countries, as they explore the dynamics of global trade relations, sovereign wealth funds, and investment climates. The second topic, "The Future of Vietnam" discusses the growth prospects and challenges of Vietnam, spurred by shifts in manufacturing sectors and influenced by China's economic policies. The hosts also touch on various other subjects including the U.S. Presidential election process, political communications, and media consumption.Host:s Lê Th Minh, Tăng Khánh Tuấn, Lý Giang Can, Trương Kỳ ;-)Raw Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/9L45dPNZNBhArticles Mentioned: https://llbpod.substack.com/p/topics-for-week-5-2024Substack: https://llbpod.substack.com/p/e33-trump-future-of-vietnamChapters:00:00 Intro01:15 You Should Care About Trump08:38 Does The Environment Make The Man Or The Man Make The Environment 16:31 The Hysteria Around Trump20:51 Can you Separate The Man From The Politician? 23:48 The Most Morally Wrong Thing A President Can Do24:58 Can you Attack Trump's Character?29:50 The Mess Of The Democrats38:42 The Impact of Trump's Second Term43:42 If Jianggan & Joon Were American Who Would They Vote For?45:42 The Future of Vietnam49:07 China + 1 Thesis51:25 Corruption As A Tax vs A Benefit52:28 Political Continuity & Succession 54:44 Energy Security + High Income Potential57:54 The South "China" Sea01:05:47 Food Delivery Ecosystem 202401:07:24 Who is Buying Food Panda01:15:16 Pre-Show Talk - SPACs 01:16:15 Help Dave Get A Job
E:32 takes a deep dive into the dynamic world of venture capital in Southeast Asia, examining the future of billion-dollar industries including digital banking and the rapidly growing electric vehicle market. We also explore the intricacies of the US industrial real estate sector and speculate on where the next 100 billion dollars will be invested in Asia. We then delve into an in-depth analysis of China's economic landscape, as we debate the bull and bear cases, shedding light on market growth, technological advancements, and geopolitical nuances. Additionally, we unpack the complex philosophy of monopolies and their global impact. Finally, join us for a critical discussion on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), as we dissect the balance between equal opportunities and outcomes. Understand the multifaceted implications of DEI in both Western and Asian contexts and how it shapes business, societal norms, and diversity efforts across industriesRaw Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/0ovafvRPYDFSubstack: https://llbpod.substack.com/p/e32Timestamps:0:00 E:32 VC Dynamics | SEA Billion-$ Trends | China: Bull vs Bear | Monopoly Philosophy & DEI Debate01:22 Dave's Perspective From Raising Money From Family Offices And LPs08:26 The Change From VC Momentum Trading to Investing13:15 DPI for Southeast Asia15:34 Identifying Southeast Asia's Next $10 Billion Business Opportunities17:53 Who Is The Leader In Digital Banking24:12 Forecasting the $100 Billion Surge in Electric Vehicle Market24:49 Bull Vs Bear Case For China32:46 Philosophy Of Monopolies - West Vs East51:47 DEI (Equal Opportunities vs Equal Outcomes) 58:45 Momentum Works Is 85% Female01:01:36 Implications of DEI01:03:14 How Did We Get Here With DEI?01:07:55 Equal Opportunity vs Equal Outcome - Malaysia vs Singapore01:11:43 Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect01:13:25 Modern Critical Thinking & Journalism01:20:48 Practice DEI Pragmatically01:22:33 Pre-Show Talk
LLB this week discusses diverse topics surrounding key global issues. Starting off with sweeping views on China market trends and the population decline, Alex, Jianggan and Joon provide a comprehensive discussion on the potential implication. They also explore the controversial topic of a possible China war over Taiwan. The conversation further digs deep into the challenges with parenting and decisions around having more children in today’s world. Adding to the mix is a thought-provoking discourse on education policy internationally, standardized testing, and what 'equal opportunities' vs 'equal outcomes' might mean for future societies. Whether you're interested in geopolitics, education policy, or societal trends, this episode has something for you.substack: https://llbpod.substack.com/p/e31 China Market Outlook 2024 Global Population Decline Considering a War over Taiwan? Choosing to Have Children Education policy in Focus Equal Opportunities vs Equal Outcomes00:00 Intro01:52 China Outlook 202405:04 Ronnie Chieng Distraction 06:36 Strong Domestic Consumption & Tourism09:59 Joon's Personal View on China Growth11:15 Chinese Business Owner Perspective13:45 Global Population Decline21:30 Immigration As A Balance To Population Decline24:05 Can Technology Fix Population Decline26:59 What Would It Take For YOU To Have More Kids32:32 Can Population Growth Be Forced?34:13 Education System China Vs US44:01 Is Customized Education Scalable46:29 European Vs American Education System Styles52:20 The Case A China Taiwan War01:08:22 Is Liberalism Leading to Socialism01:12:55 Equal opportunity vs Equal Outcome
Bestie Barby, Joon Chan Join E:30 this week. The future of e-commerce and global politics. The discussions navigate through live selling on platforms like TikTok, exploring the revolution it brings to user shopping experience and the opportunities it presents to entrepreneurs. It delves into the political dynamics between China, Taiwan, and the U.S, with insights into the recent Taiwan elections and foreign relations. In addition, it debates the effects of electoral changes on global relations, Chinese tourism policy, and the surge of younger leaders worldwide. All aboard the choo-choo trains. High-speed railway in Southeast Asia is growing. The effects are profound on real estate, transport and business, and how infrastructure can foster peace amid global conflicts. Apologies for the low quality, Joon's mic got cut half way through but luckily the cloud recording saved the content. Next week we aim for high quality!SubStack: https://llbpod.substack.com/p/e300:00 E:30 - TikTok Live Selling Deep Dive, Taiwan Elections Implications, Forgotten Ukraine & More01:58 Government Controls vs. Personal Freedom - Vaping in Singapore/Vaping in China05:56 Personal Up & Work Update for 2024 From Jianggan & Joon08:57 TikTok Shop & Live Selling - Evolution of E-commerce25:04 New Music Paradigm of Distribution30:05 New Paradigm for Scaling Startups via Content30:55 Shoppe, Lazada, and Live Selling41:26 Is TikTok Leap Frogging Business Models Like Home Depot For Asia44:30 Taiwan Election - What is Going On? What Are The Implications?56:21 Implications of Taiwan Election - China response, US response 01:04:44 Chinese Tourism Loosens. Who Benefits?01:07:55 France Paves Way For Next Generation Po liticans01:12:36 Where is the Ukaine War Heading01:19:11 High Speed Choo Choo Trains Coming to Southeast Asia 01:32:12 Pre-Show Talk Continued - Joon's First Child01:34:11 Pizza in KL
This is the last recorded episode of 2023. A retrospective as we move forward into 2024. Jianggan was late to the party so Dave generously updated us on the state of commercial and industrial real estate in the US. It was clear that there was lots of risk off in 2023 and raising capital was much harder to raise. Jianggan joins the conversations about US debt, along with a take on Modern Monetary Theory. Hind sight 20/20 Dave made a fantastic call to hold onto Nvida stock from May last year. Lastly Dave and Alex hash out the state of China. Apologies for the quality, @Descript editing kept corrupting the high quality files unfortunately. Accompanying Substack: https://llbpod.substack.com/p/e29-last-ep-of-202300:00 Dave's Personal Update - Commercial and Industrial Real Estate In The US09:16 Regional US Bank Collapse of 202315:36 Intro18:22 US Debt 202321:52 Modern Monetary Theory24:18 MMT and China27:32 Inflation 202333:16 Japan & Debt Historically41:27 Succession Finale43:26 Hollywood Writers Strike45:30 Racoon Cat46:42 Nvida Stock50:04 Update on Alex and Andrew53:07 Thoughts on the state of China01:07:34 The Rest of Dave's US Trip
First episode of 2024. After a long hiatus Alex and Jianggan catch up. We have a short personal updated followed by the state of Chinese Tourism, the general economic outlook for 2024 and the nature of looming uncertainties. Towards the end we dig deep into the state of E-commerce and what is going on behind the Lazada layoffs. Tune in to hear it all!Accompanying SubStack - https://bit.ly/LLBE28SubStackTimestamps:0:00 E27: Personal Updates, Outlook for 2024, Lazada Layoffs, State of E-commerce, Long Term Thinking & Clarity00:24 Personal Update Reflections 202305:08 Chinese Tourism Into 2024 10:38 Outlook for 202416:05 Second Order Effects of Uncertainty17:38 Hidden Global Risk in Asia For 202421:14 Where Are We Business-wise For 202427:25 State Of E-commerce & Lazada Layoffs33:45 Lazada Layoffs Growing Pains? Or Failed Chinese Expansion?38:29 Super Apps, still super? 41:44 Temu Outlook 202451:35 Innovation Outlook for E-commerce 52:01 Live Shopping53:49 Long Term Thinking & Clarity
E27: A rare appearance from the Master Debater himself. This episode is cut from a longer episode posted from EOA (to be released soon). Andrew is deeply concerned about where AI is heading. Andrew covers some broad topics of where we are in AI from the development of transformer architecture, the development of neural networks and the implications on how the technology unfolds. It took me a while to understand Andrew’s main point as we were talking parallel about different issues. Understanding the negative implications of AGI vs already inherent existing dangers of the current technologies regardless of AGI. Ultimately we need to have a more clear and concise episode which will hopefully come in the near future. Timestamps:00:00 Introduction 02:16 High Level Update Of Where We Are with AI29:23 Brief On Unsupervised Reinforcement Learning33:21 The Inherent Dangerous Without AI Alignment
E26: Another test run for the new studio. Joon Chan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joonchan/), has been living a quieter life since his venture building days. He stopped by the studio and shared his thoughts on Geopolitics in the context of countries aligning East vs West and the impacts on Southeast Asia. Joon also briefly gives some insights into Gdex’s diversification plans, the latest happenings in the Palm Oil Industry in 2023, if it's possible to make money crypto trading, and his thoughts on how useful AI can or cannot be.
00:00 Intro
00:27 Against the Mainstream Geopolitics
02:56 Nord Stream
14:47 Nature of Malaysian/SEA geopolitics.
16:13 Building Business and Investing Along Geopolitics
22:19 Southeast Asia Beneficiary of Volatility
24:50 Gdex Moving Beyond Logistics
26:44 Palm Oil Industry 2023 and Innovations
32:51 Crypto Trading
36:55 What To Do With AI
Chong Siong, Principal, from Team Rocket Research happened to be in my neck of the woods. I used him as a guinea pig for testing the new studio equipment. This episode was completely unscripted and off the cuff. It was a good learning experience to improve the format in the future. Team Rocket Research (TRR) is a research outfit specializing in DeFi and GameFi, that also actively does angel investing in the space. In this episode we touch upon the global macro environment and its effect on risk capital. We briefly discuss how AI has taken over the current investing and building narratives. More importantly, we talk about Team Rocket Research’s main focus on creating research around GameFi and Social Fi and some thought processes around early stage investing in this space. Towards the end we discuss where the VCs have gone and when they will come back and where Crypto Regulation is headed.
Last Episode with TRR:
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/hZrdP6IDVFE
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5uX3fK6Wiy1XwZYDvqsKJU?si=734ef988caa24bc8
Referenced Material:
- TRR 2023 Report - Digital Assets Report 2023 by TRR.pdf
- https://teamrocket.substack.com/
Intro - 00:00:00
Macro Environment - 00:01:16
AI Brief - 00:03:07
GameFi in 2023 - 00:09:02
Investing in GameFi Fundamentals - 00:11:33
GameFi vs Trad Gaming - 00:17:22
DaPPs - 00:22:19
State of NFTs - 00:25:21
SocialFi - 00:26:28
2022 to 2023 in Crypto (CEX, Governance, Centralization) - 00:30:21
Where are the VCs: 00:33:58
State of Crypto Regulation: 00:36:42
Last episode of 2022. In this episode we review all the predictions we made in 2022 and review the topics we discussed. We covered a lot of ground from the Grocery sector, 15 minute delivery, Macroeconomic conditions, Food Tech, Payments in SEA, Quality of VC in SEA, where the money and talent is heading, and the trends of ChatGPT-3. We close out with some loose personal updates. Tune to get updated!
Recorded Nov 30th; late due to end year obligations. A very interesting episode that focuses on a thesis that says Malaysia is the best country to invest in SEA. Along with this sentiment, Jianggan and Alex discuss the big opportunities to build or invest in Southeast Asia that are not related to tech. Did the foodtech platforms have the right investment and execution thesis? Jianggan provides great insights and nuance to the China Covid situation you usually won’t hear from anywhere else.
Intro (00:00:00)
Malaysia vs Singapore - Most Investable Country Malaysia (00:01:25)
Non-Tech Investment Opportunities (00:07:36)
Bubble Tea & Beverages (00:10:54)
Backend Supply Chain Innovation (00:13:27)
Front End F&B Innovation (00:21:30)
FoodTech Platforms (Grab, GoTo, FoodPanda, DeliveryHero) (00:25:37)
Poland vs Indonesia (00:34:05)
Truly Regional Businesses (00:38:46)
China CCP Covid Situation (00:40:44)
Justin Ahn, Co-Founder of Quid.li, is building a startup that sits in a very similar space to FTX. Quidli enables crypto as micro-rewards with top collaborators and community members through Web 2.0 tools such as browsers, email, Slack and Discord. In this episode we cover two important aspects missing from current coverage of the FTX fallout. 1.) We have all heard from experts, but what are the users of crypto concerned about, and what are they asking? 2.) More importantly, can we make the case of “Trust Me Bro!”? In this episode we also cover the silver lining of the FTX fallout, the harsh realities of the current risks to crypto, how Quidli is bridging new users to DeFi, the best use cases of crypto today, what is severely missing in the ecosystem, envisioning decentralized work, the nature of trust, and Quidli raising funds. Tune in to get the details!
Topics: Pre-Show Talk (00:00:00) | Intro (00:05:01) | Crypto User Concerns (00:08:43) | The Case For CEX (00:15:03) | Harsh Reality Risks (00:23:43) | Silver Lining (00:34:25) | Bridging DeFi (00:35:27) | Crypto Use Cases (00:39:13) | Decentralized Work (00:53:24) | “Trust Me Bro” (00:57:23) | Quidli Value (01:11:47) | Quidli Fundraising (01:15:39) | Outro (01:20:38)
Description: FTX doom and gloom seems never ending, however Don Phan, crypto researcher, indicates that price action around bitcoin and ethereum possibly signal that fallout and contagion seems contained for now. Realistically, we are all waiting to see what happens. What are the results of the possible contagion, where exactly does the crypto frontier regulation need to be, are some of the topics we explore. The most interesting discussions happen around how ICO’s still hold the promise of the future, and how to think about, build, or invest in the GameFi space.
The FTX drama ensues. In this episode Patrick Ambrus helps break down the Alameda Research and FTT structure and explains why it was wrong. He gives a very clear and succinct timeline of how the crash happened with new and unique insights. I have known Pat since 2006, and he is one of the best critical thinkers I know. His applied work, research, and insights in the crypto space are definitely worth paying attention to if you are interested in this space. Some big insights revolved around the nature of Alameda and FTX and why this was allowed, where we are realistically in crypto currency adoption, what is needed to build the future of crypto, and the possibilities of cohesion vs bifurcation. Overall, despite the doom and gloom, Pat paints a very optimistic future. Tune in to hear it!
Topics: Pre-Show (00:00:00) | Show Intro (00:01:13) | Patrick Ambrus (00:02:32) | What Happened With FTX (00:05:40) | Alameda Structure (00:14:55) | The Biggest Problem With FTX Structure (00:18:09) | CEX Bankruns vs Real DeFi (00:21:45) | Coinbase vs FTX structure (00:27:33) | Technologist (00:29:40) | TradFi/Crypto Intersect (00:32:17) | Crypto Infra/App Layers (00:40:24) | Talent/Dear Leaders/Bridging Worlds (00:50:37) | Crypto Fracturing & The Future (00:57:19) | Human Nature/Maximalism Explored (01:05:21)
If you have been lost on the FTX story this podcast is for you. If you want to know more about the background of FTX, what caused the collapse, and the long term consequences tune in.
Follow Team Rocket Research:
- https://twitter.com/rocketresearchx
- https://teamrocket.substack.com/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/chongsiong/
Topics Covered: Intro (00:00:34) | Main Topic - FTX (00:05:35) | Before the Fall - Luna/Celsius (00:06:50) | Systemic Contagion (00:12:29) | On-Chain Fiat? Impact of Retail/Institutional $ (00:15:29) | Why No Bank Run Infrastructure (00:19:02) | Alameda Research Scandal (00:23:03) | Beginning of FTX Fall (00:24:22) | Why Is There Lack of Clarity (00:26:02) | The Crash of FTX (00:27:33) | Crypto Corporate Governance (00:35:52) | Binance Pull Out (00:38:11) | Broad Implications From Fallout (00:51:09) | Generational Appeal to Crypto (00:59:15) | The Future of Crypto into 2023 (01:04:45) | On White Papers (01:08:03) | Regulation & Crypto Winter Coming (01:16:24) | Crypto Regulation/Crypto Fracturing (01:18:18) | Long Term Impacts - Crypto Winter (01:23:55)
This episode is a high level dive into the world of AI, featuring a close LLB friend, Ken (Noppadon Kamolvilassatian), an AI practitioner. Part of the episode broadly covers AI so feel free to skip around to what interests you. We also cover how the AI field is developing, recent developments in the hardware and software powering modern AI, the evolution of Large Language Models (LLMs), and even some fun speculation on AGI unfolding. Overall, if you are unfamiliar with AI, this is a great episode to dip your toes in the water and get some exposure.
Intro (00:01:04) | Introducing AI (00:5:16) | Modern AI (00:09:37) | Symbolic Logic with Neural Networks (00:13:41) | AI Development (00:18:21) | AI vs ML vs NN vs DL (00:23:49) | AI Hardware/Software (00:25:25) | Large Language Models (00:27:33) | AGI Concern (00:30:11) | Data Hardware Limits on AI (00:39:04) | On OpenAI & GPT (00:42:17) | Speculations on AGI (00:47:41) | Closing Thoughts (00:54:19) | Pre-Show Talk (01:05:17)
Time Stamps Below of Each Section. Feel free to skip the short banter section.
This episode starts up with Dave and Alex catching up on Dave’s latest project in Industrial Real Estate in the US (00:00:00) and comparing the space to Asia (00:08:25). When Jianggan finally joins the session, we kick of the episode by discussing the CCP elections (00:22:12) and its 2nd and 3rd order effects (00:25:59) on how they affect founders building in the region and how capital allocators are diversifying beyond Chinese borders. This also leads to a very fruitful discussion on the real nature of how technology companies navigate building and growing their businesses in a CCP dominated world (00:54:17). We end the session with some insights on whether is possible to really learn from other founder stories (1:00:54).
While Dave and Andrew are off hiking in a mountain in Bulgaria together, Jianggan and Alex discuss the Great Singaporean Migration. Will this big talent shift to Singapore be permanent this time? They also discuss some of the changes in the SEA tech landscape, especially in fintech. Jianggan shares some context to the Shopee layoffs and an interesting dynamic of excess funding liquidity relative to the founder talent that can get funded. Lastly Jianggan finally introduces his magnum opus of a book he just released; Seeing The Unseen (Behind Chinese Tech Giants)
LLB is back. It was a long hiatus and we appreciate feedback from those who encouraged us to continue. Episode 15 starts off with everyone's personal updates for the past quarter discussing early stage investing, building profitable companies with optionality, and overcoming personal struggles. The second half tackles our old friend's SEA Group's 2nd Quarterly result of 2022. Glad to have everyone back!
What is going on with Goto’s stock price? Why hasn’t GoTo’s stock dropped further? Will Goto’s stock price sustain? What-in-the-what is Zilingo and what happened with their CEO Ankiti Bose? Netflix has lost subscribers for the first time, what is the fate of Netflix’s future? Elon Musk finally pulled it off and owns Twitter. Is Twitter big in Asia? What should the future of Twitter look like? Tune in to find out!
Southeast Asia is open! Come and travel one and all! In this episode the Master Debater gives us a rundown of where acquisition marketing is headed and where we are now. Is quick commerce headed to a demise or is this just the beginning of a new wave of consumer behaviors that last past the pandemic? If you missed the latest on the Axie Infinity Ronin hack, tune in to episode 13 to find out what's going on!
The Master Debater's Corner. If you haven't noticed our usual cheery co-host Andrew G has been missing from the past few podcasts. In this episode we get to catch up with him to hear about what he has been working on, his views on Russia & Ukraine, insider insights on the Lazada stalled IPO, and a more bullish view on Goto and Grab.
Low Level Barbarian Special! Barbarian Bestie, Dimitry Levit, from Cento Ventures, joins us to discuss a highly delicate topic, as a Russian National, the war in Ukraine with Russia. Dmitry shares insider views around how the war has been viewed in Russia, the nature of the Russian social contract, information warfare, media bias and propaganda. How is propaganda leaking into Southeast Asia? How bad will economic sanctions get, and what will it look like in the coming year? Tune in to find out!
Links Mentioned:
- https://carnegiemoscow.org/2020/05/07/putin-regime-cracks-pub-81726
The war in Ukraine and Russia continues. The barbs discuss the potential ramifications and effects seen globally and Southeast Asia. Don't look at your stock portfolio any time soon! This episode covers the drop of KWEB index and the Didi debacle along with events that caused its recent massive drop in stock price. Lastly, its a hard topic to avoid, but we rehash and add some new perspectives to the ongoing Grab and SEA saga along with GoTo's recent IPO announcement.
Why does the world care about Ukraine? Lazada stalls an IPO spinout. What are the implications for Alibaba, the future of Lazada, and competition in the e-commerce space here in Southeast Asia? Shopee is exiting France before barely settling in, and lastly Siam Commercial Bank is creating waves in the Fintech ecosystem with their latest investment in Akulaku. Tune in for episode 11 with the Low Level Barbarians!
The fintech space is heating up again. Malaysian startup Curlec, a direct debit fintech company, was acquired by India’s Razorpay. In this episode we discuss the unique founding partnership Zac has with his co-founder Steve, how Zac managed to avoid founder conflicts all the way through an acquisition, the fintech landscape, and why Zac decided to sell now vs later.
Is covid over and should it be considered over? Have you avoided the cancel culture brouhaha? Where are we with Crypto? If you have been missing out on any of these topics the first half is here to get you caught up. In the second half the Low Level Barbarians discuss SEA’s rapidly dropping stock price due to India banning Free Free on national security concerns. Lastly we end on a brief overview of the food landscape here in SEA and what the Delivery Hero results mean.
The first episode of 2022. What lies ahead for the Low Level Barbarians. Jianggan, Alex, Dave, and Andrew discuss what they are planning for the new year personally and professionally. They also cover some predictions and the outlook for the new year. Tune in to hear about remote work, the macroeconomic environment, and changes to the investment industry.
The last episode of 2021. The gang had a long break from holiday travels and celebrations but came together for one last episode. The final episode of 2021 discusses Grab's IPO and its performance, the idea of shallow unicorns; raising too much money and the effects of firing employee's en masse, and lastly what the metaverse is and its future potential.
Shopee is going global and has hit a 200B market cap making it one top 20 largest tech companies in the world. What has contributed to Shopee's global domination and can they hold up to any potential competition? The discussion naturally moved to the evolution of gaming companies into platform players. We dig further and explore 2 of Vietnam’s latest unicorns Sky Mavis with their current hit Axie Infinity, and Amanotes with Magic Tile 3. Tune in to learn how SEA unicorns will continue to pop up and thrive in the region.
In this episode the LLB gang sets the foundation for a future episode around media and the metaverse by discussing the recent launch of Diablo 2 Resurrected, and its business model. The main topics for this week's episode discusses the viability of a local hero company, One Championship. Can One Championship find its footing to become a media giant or will it flounder? Secondly, the group discusses what it takes to successfully build an insurtech company in SEA along with the pain points and opportunities at hand. Lastly, the group outlines “how buy now pay” will unfold for the Southeast Asian region. Tune in to hear the details!
For this special and entertaining episode, barbarian Dave calls in from his motel in Wisconsin. The gang arrives on time to discuss Grab Q2 results, the global expansion of SEA group, the rise of Tik Tok E-commerce, and Carousell's most recent raise, which makes them a Unicorn. Are there any surprises for Grab? Will raising USD6.5B hurt or help SEA group in the long run, and do they have what it takes to win? What makes the Tik Tok e-commerce experience special? Can Carousell prove the haters wrong and justify its unicorn valuation? Tune in to find out!
Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and South Africa central banks are banning together to develop an interbank system that removes intermediaries by using digital currencies. The LLB gang discusses the nature of digital currencies along with the context for blockchain ledger technologies. The second topic covers what the future of saas in Southeast Asia looks like. Will sass in SEA be home grown emerging markets focused, or can Southeast Asia produce global dominant saas companies that compete with the best. Lastly, the barbarians discuss what the role of governments should be for fostering innovation. What are the ingredients that allow governments to harness innovation? Tune in to find out.
Can AirAsia build a superapp? We dig deep into the ambitions of AirAsia and look at their core business and see if they have what it takes to compete in superapp space. Man of the high ground, Dave Chang, gives a great presentation on the state of VC and we discuss the driving trends we see in the Southeast VC/Angel scene. Lastly we touch upon the tip of the food iceberg with the Zomato IPO.
With Grab’s release of Q1 results the LLB gang couldn't resist from following up from episode 1 in discussing the performance and health of Grab. This discussion however goes much deeper into the ecosystem and the broad ranging effects from the type of labor developing, and how substantial the results were. With China continuing crackdowns from education, gaming, and music we get to hear more nuanced views on why this is happening and compare systems from the East to the West. Lastly, we briefly discuss two new exciting business models that have been exploding in growth towards the end, BukuKas and BukuWarung.
The maiden voyage of the LLB podcast. Alex Le, Dave Chang, Andrew Gnananantham, and Jianggan Li band together to launch the Low Level Barbarians podcast. A podcast dedicated to discussions and debate about technology, business, startups, economics, society and more! In this episode the barbarians in arms discuss the Grab Spac IPO, Antitrust in China, and the Covid Situation in Southeast Asia.