Asia Tech Podcast

By Michael Waitze Media

All Things Asia, All Things Tech... more

· Technology

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FAQs about Asia Tech Podcast:

How many episodes does Asia Tech Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 379 episodes available.

Asia Tech Podcast episodes:

January 14, 2025EP 352 - Is DeFi Changing Global Finance? - Paul Quickenden - Easy Crypto
The world of cryptocurrency is rapidly evolving, driven by a generational shift in how people approach wealth and investment. Traditional paths like real estate and stock markets are becoming less accessible, especially for younger generations, who are increasingly turning to alternative assets such as cryptocurrency, whiskey, and wine. Therefore, understanding the ongoing evolution of the crypto space in Asia is no longer optional—it’s essential.
In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Paul Quickenden, Chief Commercial Officer of Easy Crypto, shares key insights into the evolving world of cryptocurrency.
Some of the topics that Paul covered in detail include:
There is a significant shift in how younger generations think about wealth and investment.

The importance of the core innovation of blockchain technology - decentralization.

The potential weakening of the U.S. dollar's dominance as the global reserve currency and its impact on international trade.

Fractionalization of assets and if it is really a thing.

Despite the growing interest in crypto, the user experience remains a significant hurdle for new investors.
...more
35min
January 01, 2025EP 351 - Can AI Finally Help Us Have a Better Travel Experience? - Adrienne Enggist - Booking.com
Is artificial intelligence about to transform how we experience travel, from planning a trip to dealing with unexpected issues along the way? Does AI have the potential to make travel planning seamless by turning stressful, complex decisions into smooth, intuitive processes?
In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, we spoke with Adrienne Enggist, Senior Director of Product at Booking.com, to explore how AI is set to revolutionize travel.
Some of the topics that Adrienne discussed include:
How AI can structure unstructured data to create a more agentic relationship, where it anticipates a traveler’s needs without the traveler having to micromanage every detail.

The idea that customer reviews can be gamified or manipulated, leading to mismatched expectations. Adrienne pointed out that AI can help tackle this issue by filtering out misleading or irrelevant information from reviews.

The subtle difference between 'personalization' and 'relevance'. It’s not about knowing every detail of a traveler’s life; it’s about showing them the most relevant options for their trip based on context and past behavior.

Importantly, Adrienne doesn’t believe the human touch in travel will disappear. Instead, AI will help scale human interactions, allowing customer service agents to focus on complex issues while AI handles the more mundane tasks.

The importance for large platforms, including Booking, to use and manage all of the data they gather with care and ensure at all levels that data is protected and privacy is paramount.
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42min
December 24, 2024EP 350 - Buying a Ticket Online: A New Era for Events and Organizers? - Nicolas Deppenweiler - tessera
The event ticketing industry has apparently remained quite stagnant despite advancements in technology. Most ticketing platforms create frustrating experiences for both consumers and organizer with cumbersome processes and unnecessarily long waits to complete transactions.
In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, we speak with Nicolas Deppenweiler, co-founder and CEO of tessera, a company laser focused on revolutionizing the outdated event ticketing industry.
Some of the topics Nicolas covered in detail included:
Tessera was born out of a realization that ticketing, an industry generating billions in annual revenue, is unnecessarily complicated, clunky, and ripe for innovation.

In today's world, where convenience reigns supreme, people expect to accomplish tasks in seconds. Yet, buying event tickets remains a tedious experience that often deters potential attendees.

Big, incumbent ticketing platforms generally hold onto the revenue from ticket sales until after an event takes place, leaving organizers in difficult cash flow positions.

Legacy platforms have become too big to adapt to modern tech stacks, opening the space for startups like tessera to modernize and innovate.

The secondary market for tickets is also broken and can and should be integrated into one, seamless ecosystem.

Data is the future of event management.
...more
42min
December 17, 2024EP 349 - Is the Retail Industry Ready for the Digital Revolution? - Daniel Lim - Pi-xcels
In today's fast-paced tech world, the notion of "disruption" is often glorified, but a more strategic approach is proving to be a game-changer for Pi-xcels: embedding innovative solutions into existing payment systems. Integrating new technology seamlessly into established retail infrastructure allows for faster adoption and global scalability.
In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Daniel Lim, founder and CEO of Pi-xcels, shares how his company is reshaping the payment industry by partnering with global device manufacturers and payment service providers to scale globally.
Some of the topics that Daniel covered in detail included:
Embedding technology into existing systems is a better strategy than outright industry disruption

Global scalability is easier with real strategic partnerships.

Matching the speed of Pi-xcels growth trajectory with that of its global partners made global expansion that much easier

The first partnership Pi-xcels signed might have been the hardest...but FOMO can move competing device makers to adopt the new technology so they are not left out.

Venture-funding allowed Pi-xcels to grow without the pressure to rush into markets that weren’t ready, but it also required careful communication with investors about the realities of working with multinational corporations.
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44min
December 10, 2024EP 348 - What if Your Amazing Startup Idea Isn’t as Amazing as You Think? - Oliver Palmer - DQ Ventures
In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, we explore a refreshing approach to entrepreneurship with Oliver Palmer, co-founder of DQ Ventures. Instead of encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs to quit their jobs and dive headfirst into a startup, Oliver advocates for a more measured strategy.
Some of the topics Oliver covered in detail included:
Why DQ Ventures focuses on working with slightly more mature founders—individuals who have been in the workforce for 10 to 20 years. These founders often have significant experience and insights into their industry, making them well-suited to identify and solve real problems.

One of the most powerful insights from Oliver was the idea of making "little bets"---testing ideas in small, manageable ways before committing to a full-scale launch.

The importance of investing in people, not simply in ideas., leading to the importance of finding co-founders who are not only passionate but also compatible.

One of the key milestones DQ Ventures looks for before advising founders to quit their jobs is external validation.

Entrepreneurial journeys do not have to be a high-wire acts. By taking a measured approach, making small bets, and validating ideas before fully committing, aspiring entrepreneurs can significantly increase their chances of success while minimizing risk.
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48min
December 04, 2024EP 347 - Some Investors Are Toxic, Can Startups Avoid Them Before It’s Too Late? - Bhavik Vashi - Carta
In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Bhavik Vashi, Managing Director for APAC and the Middle East at Carta, shares valuable insights from his experience helping startups and investors navigate the complex world of cap table management and private financial markets.
Some of the deeper topics that Bhavik covered in detail include:
Managing a startup’s cap table is one of the most foundational yet complex tasks a founder can face...and founders should aim to keep their cap tables as simple as possible.

Choosing the right investors is key—trust, mutual goals, and alignment matter far more than almost anything else.

Singapore ranks highly on the global scale for startup innovation and continues to mature into a world-class ecosystem.

A shared skepticism about the concept of stealth startups, notting that founders who hide their ideas might miss out on valuable feedback and iteration opportunities.

Most importantly, how Carta is transforming into an operating system for private financial markets, serving not just startups but also the investors who fund them.
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39min
November 26, 2024EP 346 - Are We About to See the Next Big Crypto Breakthrough? - Karl Mohan - Crypto.com
The financial landscape is undergoing a significant transformation as traditional finance and decentralized finance (DeFi) begin to converge. Rather than competing, these two systems are evolving to complement one another, creating a more efficient and inclusive global financial system. This shift is being driven by innovations in blockchain technology, making financial services more accessible and user-friendly.
In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Karl Mohan, General Manager for APAC, Middle East, and Africa, and Global Head of Banking Partnerships at Crypto.com, challenges everything you think you know about money. Karl argues that the future of finance lies not in the rigid systems of traditional banks but in the innovative world of decentralized finance (DeFi).
Some of the topics Karl covered in detail include:
Karl sees DeFi and TradFi as two sides of the same coin. This hybrid model will power the future of finance, blending the robustness and reach of TradFi with the innovative, decentralized capabilities of DeFi.

Karl’s passion for financial inclusion, particularly in underserved markets. He believes that crypto has the power to level the playing field.

Karl highlighted that regulatory clarity is crucial to driving consumer adoption. The more clearly defined the rules and safeguards around crypto, the more likely people are to trust and use these services.

Crypto.com's three-pronged strategy to reach 1 billion users.

Karl emphasized that financial literacy is a key part of driving crypto adoption and Crypto.com University is an important part of this goal.
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37min
November 19, 2024EP 345 - Predictive AI: Does AI Know What You Will Do Before You Do It? - Zohar Bronfman - CEO of Pecan
In this episode, we spoke to Zohar Bronfman, the CEO of Pecan AI about how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we understand human behavior and make business decisions. Predictive AI focuses on analyzing historical data to forecast future events, while generative AI creates new content or insights based on its learned patterns. Their combination offers powerful tools for businesses, allowing them to anticipate customer behavior and engage in more effective decision-making processes by simulating possible outcomes.
Some of the topics that Zohar covered in more detail:
The idea that human behavior is largely predictable. A sophisticated AI could predict that you're going to pick up a glass of water moments before you even realize it yourself.

Predictive AI and Generative AI are related, but serve different purposes and combining them could create revolutionary outcomes for businesses.

AI is rapidly becoming as ubiquitous and essential as electricity and will soon be embedded in our everyday lives and business operations without most people realizing it.

Human biases affect decision-making in ways we may not be aware of, but these biases can be corrected by AI.

AI may never fully replicate the intentionality of human decision-making, but it can augment it in ways that allow us to make better, more informed choices.
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43min
November 13, 2024 The 19 FinTech Innovations You Need to Know - Singapore Fintech Festival 2024 Highlights
Discover the best FinTech ideas that are reshaping Southeast Asia's financial landscape.
The Asia Tech Podcast attended the Singapore FinTech Festival 2024 to learn more about the most innovative ideas in FinTech and Financial Services.
We spoke to 19 of the most exciting FinTech innovations showcased at the SFF 2024.
From revolutionary embedded finance and insurance solutions transforming our daily interactions to AI-driven tools poised to empower everyone, these innovations are setting the stage for a new era in financial services.
Join us as we unpack the highlights of SFF 2024, the breakthrough ideas poised to reshape finance, empower consumers, and drive global financial inclusion.
Get ready to be inspired by the future of FinTech and the incredible possibilities it holds for everyone!
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23min
November 10, 2024EP 344 - Is AI Killing Our Push to a Sustainable Future? - Richard Farrell - Eaton
In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, we dive deep into the world of AI and data centers with Rich Farrell, APAC Director of Digitalization, Cybersecurity, and Data Centers at Eaton. Rich reveals how AI is one of the most transformative technologies of our time, but many businesses rushing to adopt it don't fully understand why.
Some of the big topics Rich covered in more detail:
We highlighted that AI could be the most significant technological transformation we’ve seen. AI is not just a topic for tech insiders anymore; it has entered public consciousness and is driving conversations at the highest levels of business and government.

The fear of falling behind competitors and customer expectations often drives the decision to adopt AI. Yet, without a well-defined purpose, companies risk implementing AI without seeing tangible benefits.

Despite AI’s growing importance, there’s a glaring gap in expertise. This talent shortage makes it difficult for companies to implement and manage AI solutions effectively.

One of the biggest dilemmas is the tension between AI's growth and sustainability goals. When big tech companies committed to being carbon-neutral by 2030, AI wasn’t on the radar.

Data centers, the backbone of the digital world, are undergoing a transformation to support AI’s energy demands. New designs are incorporating renewable energy sources like nuclear and grid-aware devices that can optimize power usage and even sell energy back to the grid.
...more
29min

FAQs about Asia Tech Podcast:

How many episodes does Asia Tech Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 379 episodes available.