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Artwork for The Asiabits Podcast

The Asiabits Podcast

Thomas Derksen & Michael Broza
Shenzhen
China
Robotics
AI Technology
Entrepreneurship
Kickstarter
Indoor Grilling
Shenzhen, China
Hair Loss
Germany
Asia
Barbecue Culture
Pilates
Fitness Technology
Pettech
Innox
Open Source
Hardware Startup
Gamified Plant Sensor
Sleepmuffs

What happens in Asia increasingly shapes tomorrow's world. Yet people still underestimate the developments unfolding in China, South Korea, and Japan—the emerging technologies, shifting markets, and groundbreaking deals. We want to change that. We talk to entrepreneurs, founders, and other inspiring leaders about their journeys, businesses, and products.

About the hosts:

Thomas Derksen is an entre... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes17Founded5 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessEntrepreneurship

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Artwork for The Asiabits Podcast

Latest Episodes

"I did my best. Next, do the same in France." - Jules Thevenon, The Forge Humanoid Robotics

A French founder spent 10 years in China, built a humanoid robot, and couldn't raise a cent. His engineers left for Unitree and Agibot. So he closed his Shan... more

"If I help people in the West to make money in China through financial returns by investing in real China technology — maybe then they will believe it." - Rafael Ratzel, TH Capital

For years Rafael Ratzel went home to Europe trying to tell people wh... more

"I did a deck eight years ago around why this is the Asian century." - Tak Lo, Komputational Kulture

The US looked at AI and saw Armageddon. China looked at AI and said this is great, we should embrace it. Tak Lo bet on that gap eight years before C... more

"The AI revolution has almost definitionally not begun until we get physical AI." - Nils Pihl, Auki Labs

Nils Pihl left Sweden for China to fix one missing piece of the internet, a spatial layer that gives robots, AR glasses, and AI agents a shared ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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People also subscribe to these shows.

Made in China
Made in ChinaThomas Derksen & Damian Maib
Founder Mode
Founder ModeFeliks Eyser

Recent Guests

Rafael Ratzel
Founder/Managing partner at a China-focused venture fund
[Not explicitly stated]
Episode: Ep. 16: He Left Germany to Build a $100M USD China Fund
Ryan Du
Guest entrepreneur, hardware founder, later founder of Powerhouse/Motormaster
Powerhouse / Motormaster (Fractional hardware CTO services)
Episode: Ep. 11: He Lived in a Chinese Factory for 5 Months
Laurent Le Pen
Founder/CEO of Omate, hardware entrepreneur
Omate
Episode: Ep. 9: This Frenchman Built 3 Hardware Companies in China's Toughest City
Audrey Quan
Entrepreneur and co-founder of a tech startup focusing on AI-driven video and translation solutions.
Episode: Ep. 2: She Got Abu Dhabi Royals to Invest Millions

Hosts

Thomas Derksen
Host of The Asiabits Podcast
Michael Broza
Host of The Asiabits Podcast

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 3 ratings
  • My new favorite podcast channel

    Keep up the great work! Looking forward to more episodes :)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RIE🍎
    Japan5 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Insightful coverage of Asia's hardware and AI ecosystems.
Engaging guests who provide actionable takeaways for hardware startups.
Very practical, founder-focused advice with real-world examples.

Top Entrepreneurship Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ep. 11: He Lived in a Chinese Factory for 5 Months
Q: What was the turning point that made you commit to China-based hardware development?
A combination of Crowdfunding validation, the need for rapid iteration, and the realization that speed and proximity to suppliers in Shenzhen would dramatically accelerate development, prompting a move to China and hands-on management of suppliers.
Ep. 11: He Lived in a Chinese Factory for 5 Months
Q: How did you fund and validate the project in its early days?
They launched a DIY laptop via Kickstarter, raised around 200k, built community-driven momentum, and used EF connections to pursue a broader product vision, emphasizing the role of early crowdfunding as a stepping stone.
Ep. 11: He Lived in a Chinese Factory for 5 Months
Q: What sparked your move to Shenzhen and how did the early months unfold?
The guest describes arriving in Shenzhen, moving into the factory, and trying to push a product to market while the UK team managed sales, highlighting the intense startup grind and the personal cost of building hardware abroad.
Ep. 9: This Frenchman Built 3 Hardware Companies in China's Toughest City
Q: How important is crowdfunding to hardware startups in Shenzhen, and what should founders know about it?
Crowdfunding fast-tracks global visibility and validation; it's essential to launch globally, monitor where interest spikes, and then scale through distributors in those markets.
Ep. 9: This Frenchman Built 3 Hardware Companies in China's Toughest City
Q: What was the turning point for Omate in the smartwatch space, and how did you pivot afterwards?
Marketing intuition and the market's response to Apple's entry showed there was a need to pivot toward niche segments like kids' and elder-care smartwatches, which could be mass-produced and remain commercially viable.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Asiabits Podcast

What is The Asiabits Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A tech-forward interview show focused on Asia's hardware, AI, robotics, and cross-border entrepreneurship. Episodes frequently explore Shenzhen's manufacturing ecosystem, seed-to-scale startup journeys, and the interplay between Western capital and Eastern execution. Guests range from hardware founders and robotics experts to AI researchers and ecosystem builders, often sharing hands-on lessons from building in China, navigating manufacturing, fundraising, and global go-to-market strategies. The format tends to blend practical startup guidance with vivid on-the-ground anecdotes, making it a valuable listen for founders, investors, and practitioners eager to understand Asia's tech infrastructure and high-velocity product development. A notab... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Asiabits Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Asiabits Podcast:

1. Made in China
2. Founder Mode

How many episodes of The Asiabits Podcast are there?

The Asiabits Podcast launched 5 months ago and published 17 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 The Asiabits Podcast?

Recent guests on The Asiabits Podcast include:

1. Rafael Ratzel
2. Ryan Du
3. Laurent Le Pen
4. Audrey Quan

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