Rephonic
Artwork for SEA of Startups
Singapore
Southeast Asia
Artificial Intelligence
Malaysia
Agentic AI
Jakarta
Spacex
Saaspocalypse
ASEAN
Deel
Grab
Airalo
Arta Finance
Enterprise IT Buying
Jakarta, Indonesia
Openai
Pax Silica
Youdigital
Data Centers
Semicon Start Malaysia

Real, raw, relatable takes on Southeast Asian startups. One investor, the week's news, no script. seaofstartups.substack.com

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes84Founded4 years ago
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Artwork for SEA of Startups

Latest Episodes

On the twenty seventh of July, in a bank tower in Petaling Jaya, the Malaysian government announced more than five billion ringgit of financing for Malaysian startups.

It has been a week. I still cannot tell you who is giving it.

Not because it is ... more

For a decade, Indonesia was not a story about Southeast Asia. It was the story. Two hundred and eighty million people, most of them young, most of them coming online for the first time with a phone in their hand. Gojek, Tokopedia, a parade of unicorn... more

Over the past few weeks, three Malaysia stories hit the news that, on the surface, have nothing to do with each other. A government pension fund answered in Parliament for nearly RM200 million lost in a fish farming startup that turned out to be a fr... more

You have seen the number this week, probably five or six times, from five or six people who all copied it from the same report. Southeast Asian tech funding hit 7.4 billion dollars in the first half of 2026. More than double last year. Recovery is he... more

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Recent Guests

Tiwa York
One of the OGs of the Southeast Asia ecosystem, Bangkok-based entrepreneur, investor, and advisor
Independent investor/advisor in Southeast Asia
Episode: AI-First Starts Inside: What Tiwa York Actually Said (And Why It Should Worry You)
Chris Birrell
Investor/operator, guest in the hot seat
Episode: The SEA SaaSpocalypse & The Rise of the Space Lobsters
Ryan Ng
Regional Lead for APAC Expansion at Deel; founder of YouDigital
Deel; YouDigital
Episode: 🎙️ EP 13:The $12B Unicorn Teaching This Malaysian Founder How to Scale Without Losing His Soul
Pavel Veselovsky
Corporate venture strategist; former PwC innovator; accelerator director; advisor across Southeast Asia
LinkedIn (co-presenter); Southeast Asia and East Asia advisory
Episode: 🎙️ EP 11: The Trust Equation: Why Corporate VCs Aren't the Villain in Your Startup Story
Chi Chi Wong
Ecosystem builder, startup bridge maker
Huawei (APAC startup program)
Episode: The Ecosystem Builder Running APAC's Startup Bridge Solo: Chi Chi Wong's Cross-Cultural Playbook
Joseph De Leon
Founder/Partner at Gravitas Prime, founder of Bullet Day; investor and advisor with extensive M&A, VC, and accelerator experience
Gravitas Prime; Bullet Day; Manila Angel Investor Network
Episode: 🎙EP 5: Sleeping Giant: Why the Philippines Might Be Southeast Asia’s Next Startup Powerhouse

Hosts

Kevin Brockland
Host of SEA of Startups; frequent primary host with a focus on startup funding, margins, and regional dynamics.
Kim
Co-host and regular host; covers policy, markets, and regional startup activity.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 10 ratings
  • Amazing

    I was genuinely shocked when I fisted listened to this. This was amazing.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    WingsOfFire Rules!!!
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests and hosts are seen as knowledgeable and candid, offering practical narratives over hype.
Show is praised for tying policy shifts to real founder decisions and regional dynamics.
Listeners appreciate the blunt, data-driven take on SEA startups and exits.
Feedback highlights actionable insights for investors and operators navigating SEA markets.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

🎙️ EP 11: The Trust Equation: Why Corporate VCs Aren't the Villain in Your Startup Story
Q: What piece of advice for founders considering corporate money?
Find the right stakeholder and cultivate a trustworthy relationship with innovation managers and business unit leaders to navigate corporate processes and align on mutual value rather than seeing corporate funding as a threat.
🎙️ EP 11: The Trust Equation: Why Corporate VCs Aren't the Villain in Your Startup Story
Q: Could you please share maybe a little, maybe a question or a particular situation?
Pavel explains the practical differences between traditional VC decision making and corporate processes, highlighting how a single 'no' from a corporate function can stop a pilot, vs. a single 'yes' enabling a path forward, and outlines five elements (strategy, people, formal structure, operation, and matrix) that shape successful corporate innovation programs.
🎙️ EP 13:The $12B Unicorn Teaching This Malaysian Founder How to Scale Without Losing His Soul
Q: Why start YouDigital while working at Deel?
A pattern of visibility gaps among talented Southeast Asians motivated him to build a platform that helps people be seen and tell their stories, complementing Deel's HR tech work.
🎙️ EP 13:The $12B Unicorn Teaching This Malaysian Founder How to Scale Without Losing His Soul
Q: What does day-to-day look like for APAC expansion at Deel?
It's a mix of strategic regional planning, regulatory awareness, and coordinating with local teams to scale operations while ensuring compliance across diverse markets.
AI-First Starts Inside: What Tiwa York Actually Said (And Why It Should Worry You)
Q: Where are most companies failing in their AI journeys, and what should they do instead?
Many fail by trying to fit AI into existing processes without rethinking why those processes exist; the path forward is to start with what can be automated by reimagining workflows, then governance and continuous measurement to ensure real impact.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About SEA of Startups

What is SEA of Startups about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A sharp, founder-focused take on Southeast Asian startups, macro trends, and regional capital markets. Episodes converge on pragmatic questions like how profitability, cash flow, and unit economics trump headline funding totals, and how policy shifts, talent mobility, and regional listings shape strategy for founders and investors. Notable throughlines include the tension between home-market building and global exits, the influence of government incentives on sectors like EVs and data infrastructure, and a candid, data-driven approach to navigating Southeast Asia's evolving tech ecosystem. The show frequently intersects with policy, funding dynamics, and the region's unique geopolitical considerations, offering listeners practical perspecti... more

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Which podcasts are similar to SEA of Startups?

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1. Huberman Lab

How many episodes of SEA of Startups are there?

SEA of Startups launched 4 years ago and published 84 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on SEA of Startups?

Recent guests on SEA of Startups include:

1. Tiwa York
2. Chris Birrell
3. Ryan Ng
4. Pavel Veselovsky
5. Chi Chi Wong
6. Joseph De Leon

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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