Best Vertex Ventures SEA Podcasts (2025)

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S3E5 | We Don’t Build Restaurants, We Buy Them | DailyCo’s 100 K 37:21

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14d ago37:21

37:21

What happens when a founder thinks long-term in a trend-chasing industry? I sat down with Kelvin Subowo, the founder and CEO of DailyCo—Indonesia’s fastest-growing multi-brand F&B company. We talked about his journey from launching a single rice box brand to building a business that serves millions of meals every month. He shared how acquisitions, …

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S3E4 | How This Indian Startup Made $6M+ Selling AI to US Car Dealers (Without a US Team) 33:08

2M ago33:08

33:08

How is an Indian business dominating the U.S. market without a single person on the ground there? Today on "Hard Truths by Vertex," I'm sitting down with Sanjay, the innovative co-founder and CEO at Spyne, who's going to share just how they pulled it off. Spyne isn't just another software company; it's revolutionizing how car dealerships use AI to …

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S3E3 | Lessons from Indonesia’s Startup Crash and the Road to a Stronger Future 30:42

2M ago30:42

30:42

In this episode of Hard Truths by Vertex, Gary Khoeng, partner at Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India, joins host Rahul Thayyalamkandy to explore the Indonesian startup ecosystem. They discuss the recent decline in capital flows, attributing it to global macroeconomic conditions, underperforming IPOs, and election uncertainties. Gary also addr…

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S3E2 | Burnout, Feedback, and the Making of a Leader: PatSnap CEO’s Story 36:24

6M ago36:24

36:24

Ever been told you’re not fit for the job? That’s exactly what happened to Jeffrey during a pivotal moment early in his journey as the CEO of PatSnap. In this episode, I sit down with Jeffrey to explore how he turned tough feedback into fuel for growth. From starting PatSnap right out of university to leading a global tech company, he shares candid…

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S3E1 | Will India hit its EV Targets? | Akshay Shekhar from Kazam 46:19

6M ago46:19

46:19

Are you ready for a future where electric vehicles are the norm? In this episode, we chat with Akshay, co-founder of Kazam, who’s on a mission to revolutionize how we think about EVs and energy. From leasing EVs to building cutting-edge charging infrastructure, Akshay shares his journey of tackling India’s EV challenges and scaling solutions global…

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S2E9 | She dropped out of Harvard to change the lives of 600M women in India — Achitha Jacob 40:29

1+ y ago40:29

40:29

What motivated Achitha Jacob to shift her focus from a career in a Fortune 500 healthcare company to founding Proactive for Her, and how does she envision the impact of her work on women's health in India? Join us as we delve into the journey of Achitha Jacob, the founder of Proactive for Her. Discover how Achitha's passion for women's health led h…

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S2E8 | How Guan Dian built a Tech Unicorn from Ground up to address the Trillion-dollar R&D market 44:28

1+ y ago44:28

44:28

Imagine building a global tech powerhouse from scratch. That's the story of Guan Dian, cofounder, CMO and APAC GM of Patsnap, a pioneer in AI-powered patent search and analytics. From humble beginnings in China to leading a global tech team, Guan Dian's story is one of resilience, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of service excellence. Tune in …

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S2E7 | How Roshni went from babysitting to owning SEA's largest parenting empire 42:06

1+ y ago42:06

42:06

What does it take to go from an idea to owning the Southeast Asia Parenting space? In this episode, we have a conversation with Roshni Mahtani Cheung, the founder and CEO of The Parentinc, a pioneering parent-tech leader renowned for owning the largest content-community-commerce online platform for parents in the region. The Parentinc recently made…

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S2E6 | PayPal Mafia Insider on Winning In a Tough Market | Jack Selby 24:50

1+ y ago24:50

24:50

Join host Elise Tan in this special episode of the Hard Truths by Vertex podcast, as she sits down with member of the PayPal mafia, Jack Selby, venture investor and independent film director. Discover the untold stories of PayPal's early days, including the merger with X.com and the birth of the pioneering digital payment giant. Jack shares valuabl…

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S2E5 | Unlocking the trillion dollar Indian startup ecosystem with Nikhil Marwaha 33:51

1+ y ago33:51

33:51

In this episode, Nikhil Marwaha, Senior Executive Director, shares his extensive investment journey spanning early and later-stage companies in sectors like consumer, B2B enterprise, and healthcare. Learn about his experiences with growth equity funds, insights into venture investing, and the exciting trends in the Indian startup ecosystem. Based i…

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S2E4 | Unlocking the Trillion dollar SEA Startup Ecosystem - the Malaysia's context with Chan Yip Pang 27:21

1+ y ago27:21

27:21

In this episode of Hard Truths by Vertex podcast, Chan Yip Pang, Executive Director at Vertex Ventures SEA & India, explores the Malaysian startup ecosystem, delving into his journey and the three phases of Malaysian tech development. The conversation covers notable investments, the strengths of the Malaysian ecosystem, and Vertex's investment thes…

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S2E3 | Unlocking the Trillion dollar SEA Startup Ecosystem - the Indonesia's context with Gary Khoeng 32:50

1+ y ago32:50

32:50

Indonesia is the largest market in Southeast Asia but with a nascent startup ecosystem, how can entrepreneurs navigate rapid growth while ensuring bottom-line profitability? In this episode, Gary Khoeng shares insights on Indonesia's startup landscape. Covering topics across profitability, unit economics, and internal governance, Gary provides a pr…

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S2E2 | Hard Truths About Minting the Next Indian Unicorn w/ Piyush Kharbanda 41:21

1+ y ago41:21

41:21

How do Indian startups navigate constraints and build innovative businesses? In this episode of Hard Truths by Vertex podcast, Elise Tan and Piyush Kharbanda discuss the challenges and opportunities in the Indian startup ecosystem, drawing insights from successful ventures like KukuFM and Kissht. Explore the unique dynamics of the Indian ecosystem …

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S2E1 | Unlocking the Trillion-Dollar SEA Startup Ecosystem - The Singapore Context w/ Carmen Yuen 27:05

1+ y ago27:05

27:05

What are the evolving trends in the Southeast Asia startup ecosystem? In this episode of Hard Truths by Vertex podcast, Carmen Yuen, General Partner at Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India, shares her journey from government-backed initiatives to becoming a key player and rare woman partner in the startup landscape. Get into the mind of a promi…

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S1E11 | Truths about Automating and Growing F&B and Retail businesses in Southeast Asia | Fong Wai Hong 35:27

2y ago35:27

35:27

How do you build a business servicing a client base that operates on a fine line between survival and failure? And how do you ensure your business is not just client-churn proof but also emerges resilient towards funding challenges? Find out from Wai Hong, founder of StoreHub. In This Episode (00:55) How StoreHub got started (04:25) Hard Truths abo…

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S1E10 | Truths About Modernising the $15B Ayurvedic Wellness Market | Ameve Sharma, Kapiva 31:52

2y ago31:52

31:52

How do you get millennials to buy something usually recommended by their grandparents? And how do you keep their attention when the product you sell takes months to show results? How do you know when you’ve achieved product-market fit? In This Episode (01:02) Ameve’s story and the inception of Kapiva (05:38) How Kapiva Retains Customers (07:22) Ver…

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S1E9 | Truths About Empowering SEA’s 71M MSMEs Through Financial Inclusion | Nikhilesh Goel, Validus Capital 32:49

2y ago32:49

32:49

How do you convince billion-dollar institutional investors to trust a relative upstart with their funds in a market with so much financial turmoil? And how do you plan expansions into multiple countries, all of which have entirely different regulations around your business? Where do you even begin building out such a financial portfolio? In This Ep…

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S1E8 | Truths About Building a Billion Dollar, Profitable Content Business | Joseph Phua, 17LIVE 28:54

2y ago28:54

28:54

We often think about startups as a 0 to 1 game with a team of founders working and pivoting around one theme in the hope of finding success. But that is a highly risky way to try and build VC-scale businesses. In this episode we learn of a different model, one that has led to the creation of a billion-dollar, profitable business in the highly compe…

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S1E7 | Truths About Helping Influencers Make a Living in the $68B SE Asian Creator Economy | Paulina Purnomowati, CMO TipTip 36:21

2y ago36:21

36:21

Indonesians are voracious consumers of social media, and the creator economy is set to grow massively in the coming years. As the industry grows, unmet needs in engaging and monetizing their content arise. How does TipTip as a platform better serve their needs? And what are some of the tips and best practices for creators to make money on the platf…

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S1E6 | Truths About Being a Female Leader in the Trillion Dollar Climate Tech Market | Natalia Rialucky, Fairatmos 39:14

2y ago39:14

39:14

What are the hard truths about building a climate tech market in a country and region where the awareness, tech and regulations are yet to mature? And how do you make massive change happen while also handling the demands of being a new mother? Hear from Ria and Puiyen as they discuss the challenges, pitfalls and the immense impact of category creat…

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S1E5 | Truths about Lighting Up One’s Own Path and That of 60M Workers in Indonesia | Nelly Nurmalasari, Pintarnya 39:16

2y ago39:16

39:16

It’s hard to translate vision into reality - and especially so when you are trying to help workers build a better life. But when you see it happening, the moment is magical! Listen to Nelly and Jessica discuss the highs and lows of building Pintarnya, the huge potential it has to transform blue-collar workers' lives as well as Nelly’s take on how w…

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S1E4 | Truths about Disrupting India's Age-Old Manufacturing Industry | Sonam Motwani, Karkhana 32:31

2+ y ago32:31

32:31

What are the hard truths about being a startup builder in manufacturing, and what was Vertex Ventures’ thesis for investing in such a tradition-bound and notoriously difficult space? And how does it feel to be a female only founder-investor pair in such a male-dominated world? In This Episode (01:10) Vertex and Karkhana; Meeting, first impressions …

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S1E3 | Opportunities in SE Asia and India | Ben Mathias 38:08

2+ y ago38:08

38:08

Vertex Ventures has been investing in South East Asia and India long before it became fashionable (!) so we know a thing or two about which sectors are on the rise. Tune in to learn how we view the key sectors of Supply Chain, Consumer and Fintech. Our Guest Ben Mathias is Managing Partner at Vertex Ventures South East Asia and India. Prior to join…

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S1E2 | Building Nium Into a Unicorn | Pratik Gandhi, COO, Nium 39:40

2+ y ago39:40

39:40

Starting with a little office in a dilapidated old building to joining the rarefied ranks of unicorns in Southeast Asia, Nium has come a long way. But what did it take to keep it going even when the chips were down and fresh funding was hard to come by? What set them apart from their competition and what were some of the bets they had to make? And …

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S1E1 | Building an Enduring VC w/ Kee Lock Chua, CEO Vertex Holdings 29:43

2+ y ago29:43

29:43

You might know of Vertex Ventures as a successful VC in South East Asia and India. But did you know that it had a troubled start? So how did we then go on to becoming one of the top VCs in the region with investments in Grab, Nium and PatSnap and what is our secret recipe for identifying the kinds of founders that build unicorns? What are the hard …

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Hard Truths By Vertex: Trailer 1:36

2+ y ago1:36

1:36

Hard Truths gives you a behind the scenes view of the most exciting startups and investment opportunities in SE Asia and India. It's brought to you by Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India, an early-stage investor in the region's most promising startups and one of Southeast Asia’s oldest VC funds. If you're a startup founder, entrepreneur or start…