TechBurst Talks

If you keep up to date with the latest technology news, you know that the momentum and investment has shifted from Asia to the Middle East. But gone are the days where countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE just import technology and talent - the new trend across the Middle East is how to create a home-grown technology startup ecosystem - and this is what we are going to cover in today's podcast.

Let's face it - money is not going to be an issue - but as we have seen from other countries, just throwing money at the startup ecosystem is no guarantee that it will be successful.

To help us go through this topic, we are joined by the Partner & Co-Founder of SparkLabs Group, Bernard Moon. SparkLabs has made a name for itself by launching accelerators and VC funds in Asia, Australia and the US, but now they are entering the Middle East market, so let's see what has drawn SparkLabs to that region - and what Bernard thinks will be the critical success factors to making sure they get a return on their investments.

Show Notes:

00:00 Intro to Bernard Moon and SparkLabs Group

02:30 SparkLabs new accelerator programs in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi

06:00 How does SparkLabs plan to find the "best of the best" startups in the Middle East

08:45 Do you see any similarities between the Middle East markets and other countries where you have had success with your accelerators (e.g. Korea, Taiwan)? And are there any specific opportunities and / or risks compared to the other markets you operate in?

14:30 What are the critical success factors for the Middle East markets to develop a home grown startup ecosystem? And what is the role of academia in creating this?

20:30 What does SparkLabs look for in startups that they want to invest in? And are there any red flags that you watch out for?

24:00 What will it take for SparkLabs to view their entry into the Middle East accelerator market a success?

26:00 What can countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE learn from other markets, like Singapore, that haven't made the most of their investment / funding of their local startup ecosystem?

30:00 Why are startups keen to be involved with SparkLabs versus the many other accelerator programs in the market?

33:00 Last week, SparkLabs listed it's USD 100m SPAC (Special Purpose Acquisition Company) on Nasdaq. Can you give us an overview of how this came about and what your strategy for the SPAC is?

More information on SparkLabs can be found here:

Contact Bernard directly: [email protected]

SparkLabs Saudi Arabia

SparkLabs Korea

SparkLabs Taiwan

SparkLabs Cultiv8

SparkLabs Group

In Part II of our Middle East Deep Dive, we talk with Carrington Malin to find out how the government's in the Middle East are driving unprecedented growth and innovation.

But it's more than just the tech, they are up-skilling their workforces and training students on how to leverage emerging technologies to transform the traditional industries that support their economies - and develop new ones. Exciting times to say the least...

Show Notes:

1:00 Intro to Carrington Malin and the various roles he has played in the Middle East's technology ecosystem for the past 30 years.

5:00 How Middle East governments are driving innovation that leverages emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence by dedicating funds to support their initiatives and creating detailed action plans and deliverables to ensure they go beyond the hype.

11:00 The region's plans to build "home-grown" taken to support it's tech and innovation initiatives

16:00 The growth in large language models (e.g. Abu Dhabi's Technology Innovation Institutes Falcom LLM that rivals ChatGPT and OpenAI)

23:00 How government policies and regulations will ensure the countries like Dubai will lead the way globally around autonomous vehicles - and not just self-driving taxis, they are getting ready for flying taxis

30:00 How government-led initiatives is transforming the region's talent pool

This is the first in a series on Technology and Innovation trends in the Middle East. Things have gone quiet in Asia post-pandemic - and the global recession has not helped.

However, the Middle East is thriving.

Hardly a week goes by where there isn't another jaw-dropping announcement related to emerging technologies like AI, autonomous vehicles and the Metaverse in the Middle East - or the massive investment in initiatives like Saudi Arabia's NEOM.

To help us delve deeper into the Middle East's technology innovation landscape, I'm joined by Danial Mausoof. He's based in Abu Dhabi, but covers the Middle East and Africa as part of his job, so we are lucky to have him with us to share his unique insights and perspectives.

Show Notes:

02:45 Key market trends in the Middle East

06:30 The Talent Issue: How the Middle East is starting to build a local talent pool to drive and support innovation

08:30 Overview of the three key markets: Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Abu Dhabi

13:00 Why the recession has not derailed tech spend in the Middle East.

16:45 The state of 5G in the Middle East - and why they could lead in 5G monetisation

23:00 Artificial Intelligence: How the combination of investment, education and regulation is making the Middle East a leader in AI

28:00 Smart Cities: How the greenfield Smart Cities like NEOM will drive global innovation

33:00 Autonomous Vehicles: How the Middle East's progressive regulatory environments have ensured they will lead in self-driving taxis and, believe it or not, flying taxis

40:00 Our future forecasts - when will we go beyond the hype on….

• 5G
• 5G monetisation
• Artificial Intelligence
• Large Language Models (e.g. ChatGPT)
• Metaverse
• Smart Cities
• Autonomous Vehicles

In this episode, we are joined by Jordan Kostelac, co-founder of Deploy Capital, to discuss the current state - and what the future holds - for PropTech in Asia Pacific. 

Show Notes:

02:50 What the hell is PropTech and is it still a buzzword?

02:45 Intro to Jordan Kostelac, Asia’s PropTech Provocateur

06:45 Jordan’s experience working with PropTech startups with the JLL & Lendlease “Propell Asia” accelerator programme.

08:05 Examples of PropTech startups in Asia that are delivering value

13:45 How will PropTech in Asia evolve in the future?

22:15 AI & PropTech: so many opportunities, but what about the security and data privacy risks?

34:20 How will the next wave of emerging technologies, including web3, the metaverse and ChatGPT, impact PropTech.

39:45 Jordan’s new venture, Deploy Capital, that combines blockchain, PropTech & venture capital. 

43:45 Look to the future - if PropTech succeeds, what did we do right? And if it fails, what did we screw up?

45:45 Tell us something about yourself that will surprise us? 

Stay in touch with Jordan

Twitter: @scopelessness 

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jkostelac/

www.jordankostelac.net

Stay in touch with Deploy Capital

Twitter: @deplo0x 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deploycapital-online/ 

deploycapital.online

We need to face the facts - our Return to the Office strategies are failing. Giving away free beer once a week is not enough to make our employees WANT to come back to the office. So what will make them? That's what we are going to discuss today.

I'm joined by Helen Snowball, JLL's Global Head of People Solutions and Experience, to discuss how showing empathy, creating purpose and delivering enhanced employee experiences are the keys to attracting and retaining talent in the post pandemic world.

Show notes:

00:30 Intro to Helen Snowball, Global Head of People Solutions and Experience, JLL

03:30 How delivering enhanced employee experiences can help attract and retain the best talent

07:55 How JLL has managed the transition back to the office for its 100,000+ workforce by implementing the hybrid model that employees want

12:30 How upskilling middle management to manage hybrid work environments is vital to make your return to the office successful

14:30 Why ignoring the human impact of the pandemic - and a lack of empathy - has led to the failure of most our return to the office strategies

18:30 The importance of trust when implementing a hybrid work strategy - and why hybrid should be viewed as an opportunity, not a threat

23:30 What can companies do (spoiler alert: focus on purpose) to attract and retain the best talent and mitigate the risk of the Great Resignation?

31:30 What mistakes do companies make with their return to the office strategies and initiatives?

34:30 What advice do you have for people trying to redesign their organisations for the Future of Work?

37:30 What do you do to keep yourself motivated, energised and inspired?

One of the challenges with Sustainability is that while people like talking about it, it can be hard to find people driving real impact. But luckily for you, today's guest is one that it driving impact. In this episode of the TechBurst Asia podcast, we will speak to Adrien Desbaillets, the CEO and Co-Founder of Salad Stop, about the growth of his business - and how they were able to deliver SouthEast Asia's first Net Zero F and B outlet.

00:30 Intro to Adrien & SaladStop!

05:00 How technology and a drive to innovate has contributed to their expansion to 65 stores in 8 markets across Asia

07:15 How SaladStop! Incorporates sustainability into its strategy and operations, including launching Southeast Asia's first Net Zero F&B outlet

09:40 The challenges SaladStop! overcame to launch a Net Zero store - and what challenges they will have to overcome to have all their stores achieve Net Zero by 2030.

13:15 How SaladStop! Educates its customers on their sustainability journey

14:55 What does the future hold for SaladStop!?

16:15 What advice do you have for someone who is interested in starting a F&B business, raising Venture Capital funding and creating a Net Zero store?

19:45 Adrien's passion for wearable technology

22:15 If you had to start a new business that couldn't be in the F&B industry, what would it be and why?

Apple recently announced it's latest smartphones and smartwatch, so it's time to bring Asia's top device analyst - IDC's Bryan Ma - back onto the TechBurst Asia podcast to discuss what these launches mean to the industry.

00:45 Overview of the Apple Launch Event

02:00 Apple goes after the competitive athlete market with the Apple Watch Ultra - what does it mean for vendors like Garmin and Suunto? Or the other leader smartwatch - the Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro.?

08:00 Bryan's view of the new Apple iPhone 14

• Satellite communications
• eSIMs

09:30 Why does the new iPhone 14 have a satellite connection?

12:00 Apple goes eSIM! Why they made the shift and what it means to the mobile operators.

15:15 Huawei's launch of its Mate 50 flagship smartphone - nice device, but it's still 4G only

17:45 When is keeping Apple from launching a foldable smartphone? And when can we expect it? And could there be a foldable iPad?

19:00 Comparing Samsung's S22 to the latest iPhones

20:00 If you had to pick one device from the iPhone 14, Samsung S22, Samsung Flip and the Huawei Mate 50, which one would you pick and why?

21:00 The device manufacturer's dilemma - how to differentiate in a mature market?

22:30 What's the latest on the Chinese & Indian device markets - and has the pandemic slowed demand?

26:00 Is the chipset shortage finally sorted?

27:10 How do you see the market for smartphones and smartwatches developing - and how can the device manufacturers differentiate?

28:15 The latest on the PC market (pandemic driving growth) and AR/VR - and when can we expect an Apple VR headset?

Just 10 years ago, today's guest (Rafael Aldon) worked in telecoms in the UK. But over the past decade, he moved to Singapore as he first transitioned to Private Equity, then early stage Venture Capital, and finally into Impact Investing. It's been quite a journey! He's also the co-host of 2 podcasts (Investing for Impact and Disruptors for Good) on Cause Artist, which is a discovery hub for conscious consumers, social entrepreneurs and impact investors.

If you don't know what impact investing is, you'll love this episode because it will give you a solid understanding not only of what it is, but why it is so desperately needed. And if you already do know about it, you'll still enjoy hearing about his amazing journey.

Show Notes:

01:30 Rafael's journey from Telecoms to Private Equity to Early Stage VC to Impact Investing

10:00 What led you to narrow your investment focus to Impact Investing?

12:00 Difference between ESG Investing & Impact Investing

15:00 Raf's focus on regenerative businesses - and what does regenerative mean?

18:00 What is Regenr8?

22:00 The value you get from angel investing

24:00 What is the current state of Impact Investing in Asia & globally? Is it still niche?

26:30 What needs to be done to drive more Impact investing

29:00 Can we get enough momentum going to help us address the global climate challenges before it's too late?

31:00 What are the biggest risks we face that will prevent us from making progress towards addressing those issues?

33:30 What advice do you have for start-ups that are playing in the Impact space?

37:30 You can do your career all over again. What would you rather be - an Impact Investor or a Rockstar?

After a decade of struggling to live up to the hype, augmented reality and virtual reality are finally gaining traction in the B2C and B2B spaces. Today, we will sit down with Auggd's Matthias Krampe to discuss the 3 main reasons for this. First, the technologies and ecosystems that support AR & VR have evolved considerably.

Second, B2B customers are starting to understand how these technologies can be leveraged to deliver tangible business value through a variety of use cases.

And third, they are intrinsically linked to the Metaverse, which has to be approaching the top of the hype curve.

Whether you agree with Zuckerberg - and believe that we will all live and work in the metaverse - or whether you agree with NYU marketing professor Scott Galloway that the metaverse is "a giant flaming bag of sh*t", one thing is for sure, the hype around the metaverse is driving the AR & VR industries

But the question is, can this new found interest help AR & VR reach mass adoption?

01:30 Intro to Matthias and his augmented reality firm, Auggd

05:30 What types of AR industry solutions (e.g. construction) does Auggd create?

07:00 Glimpse Group - the AR / VR collective - acquired Auggd in 2021

08:00 Augmented reality has struggled for adoption. What has held it back from reaching its potential?

12:30 What are the key trends (industry trends, hardware and evolution, 5G, etc) driving the AR industry? And is the talent shortage holding the industry back?

16:30 What industries (construction, retail, training) are driving AR adoption?

18:45 How is the virtual reality industry progressing - and what trends are driving it?

21:30 How long will it be before we are having meetings in the metaverse?

30:30 On a scale from 1 to 10, how overhyped is the metaverse?

35:30 You have looked at hundreds of AR and VR solutions, what are some of the best - and worst - solutions you have seen?

Auggd: www.auggd.com

The Glimpse Group: www.theglimpsegroup.com

As we approach the end of 2021, we enter into one of the tech industry's favourite seasons - 2022 Predictions. While all the industry evangelists will be predicting what mega-trends are going to transform our cities next year, I'm going to take a different approach. I'm going to focus on the mega-blockers that we need to overcome in order to live up to the industry hype.

And to do this, I am joined by 3 guests who sit in different areas of the Smart Cities ecosystem.

- Josh Sattler, A/CEO - General Manager Innovation, Growth and Development Services at City of Darwin in Australia

- Tim Kobe, Founder & CEO of the global strategic design firm Eight Inc.

- Zachary Wang, the Founder & CEO of Neuron Mobility, a leading rental e-scooter company and micro-mobility technology developer operating in cities across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, South Korea and Canada.

For simplicity's sake, view it this way. Zach represents the tech innovator's supplying Smart City solutions, Josh represents the market demand, and Tim the planning and design side that has to liaise between the supply and demand side.

Show Notes:

01:20 Guest Intros

03:40 Smart Cities have not lived up to the hype. What types of challenges have you encountered that are holding back innovation?

07:35 Mega-blockers for the adoption of AI / Facial Recognition: how to overcome citizen's concerns over data privacy

15:00 Mega-blockers for the adoption of Urban Mobility: eScooters, eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft - aka Flying Taxis), etc.

20:50 Mega-blockers for the adoption of Sustainability solutions: balancing ROI and social impact

27:40 We have the technology to deliver transformative solutions, but sometimes people and processes hold us back. What do we need to do as humans to become Smart City enablers instead of blockers?

34:00 Rapid Fire round

Do we need more government regulation to drive innovation?

What is the one thing that needs to happen to the Smart Cities ecosystem to drive more innovation?

What's the biggest risk that Smart Cities face in 2022?

What's your personal wish list?

- Tim - name one client you would like to work with

- Josh - if you could lead any city's Smart City initiatives, which would it be?

- Zach - if Neuron could "win" one new city in 2022, which city would it be?

Let's close on a positive - tell me something that you are proud of that happened during the pandemic.