In a world where women’s careers, relationships and life choices shift more rapidly than ever, a new startup called Podium is stepping in with a bold proposition: social health is as essential as physical or mental well-being. Founded by Singapore-based Mai Vo and Alka Gupta, Podium is a networking platform designed for women navigating pivotal life transitions.

At the heart of Podium is a precise diagnosis of a silent but widespread problem. As Vo and Gupta discovered in their research, nearly 70 per cent of ambitious women feel isolated during significant life transitions. The issue is not a lack of friends, but a lack of support systems designed for the realities modern women face: career pivots, fertility decisions, or leadership burnout.

“Traditional support systems weren’t built for what women are navigating today,” the founders explain. Their answer is Podium’s distinctive model, which blends AI-powered matching with curated, intimate gatherings that lead into structured programmes and retreats.

The goal, they say, is to build the global infrastructure for what they call social health. As Gupta puts it, “We’re building deeply human support that’s also globally scalable.”

Podium’s founding story is every bit as personal as the problem it seeks to solve. Vo, formerly at Google, and Gupta, who held leadership roles at Grab and BukuWarung, first connected while both were in the midst of significant life changes.

“We met while we were both in the thick of quitting our jobs and entering new life stages like getting married,” Vo recalls. “Our existing circles couldn’t meet us where we were, so we built the platform we needed; one that evolves with us as we grow.”

Also Read: Eluvo raises fresh capital to fix Philippines’s broken women’s healthcare system

The duo piloted more than 65 in-person events in 2024, refining Podium’s membership model with continuous feedback. Vo notes that the response reinforced their conviction. “We’re convinced Podium is becoming a must-have for working women,” she says.

Who joins Podium?

The typical Podium member is a woman in her late 20s to mid-40s, working at global companies such as Google, Amazon, Meta, BCG or Standard Chartered, or building early-stage startups across Asia. Many are in high-growth roles where career acceleration intersects with profound personal decisions.

Despite being bootstrapped for its first nine months, Podium amassed over 300 paying members and hundreds on the waitlist, fueled almost entirely by word-of-mouth referrals. To the founders, this organic growth is a powerful signal of product–market fit.

With new funding, the team plans to scale acquisition through incentivised referrals, product-led growth and partnerships. In a rare twist for an early-stage startup, Podium’s members are also its largest group of investors. What began as a casual announcement that the founders were preparing to raise funds quickly snowballed into an oversubscribed round, with more than 60 per cent of the capital contributed by Podium members, many of whom were first-time angel investors.

“Our investors aren’t just believers, but collaborators who have experienced the product from the inside,” Gupta says. “Our fundraise is proof of women’s economic power today — when something truly solves for our needs, we back it, we amplify it, and we help it scale.”

The founders say members will continue to enjoy first access to future rounds, turning Podium’s community into a strategic engine for its next phase of growth.

Also Read: Bridging healthcare and cybersecurity: How women are challenging stereotypes in tech

Podium’s business model is a tiered subscription offering that ranges from a base platform membership and peer discovery to curated salons and premium retreats. The structure, Vo explains, creates “a sustainable blend of accessibility and premium offerings.”

Unlike many networking apps that prioritise one-off encounters, Podium focuses on cultivating what the founders call “strong weak ties”: lightly held but high-quality relationships that evolve with its members. Their vision over the next 12 months includes expanding into new hubs such as Hong Kong and Dubai, cities where high-mobility lifestyles often leave women without stable support networks.

In the long term, the goal is ambitious: to make Podium the world’s leading platform for social health. The founders envision a global network where women can find references, role models, and support not only in their hometown but across every central hub.

With fresh capital and a loyal member base, Podium is preparing for its next chapter. The startup plans to double down on product innovation, strengthen its Singapore headquarters and build a top-tier team. International expansion remains firmly on the roadmap, but the founders emphasise that growth will be deliberate and mission-led.

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Images Credit: Podium

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Southeast Asia continues to prove why it is one of the world’s most dynamic regions for innovation, with its youthful population, deep digital adoption, and fast-evolving tech ecosystems. Insights from The Philippine Startup Ecosystem Report 2025 highlight how differently the ASEAN-6 markets are accelerating — each shaped by unique economic conditions, policy environments, and sector strengths.

Singapore remains the region’s anchor hub, combining capital depth, regulatory clarity, and world-class infrastructure. Its US$144B ecosystem value and dominant fintech and healthtech sectors show how strategic governance translates into global competitiveness.

Indonesia, meanwhile, leverages its massive population and rapid digital transformation to build scale. With strong services-sector growth and national AI programmes, it is positioning itself as a future-ready tech powerhouse.

Vietnam and Malaysia represent the region’s rising momentum. Vietnam’s impressive GDP growth and surging VC activity — up 17x since 2018 — underscore its shift into higher-value tech like AI and climate solutions. Malaysia’s maturing ecosystem and booming digital investments point to increasing investor confidence.

The Philippines, though trailing its peers in funding volume, shows remarkable resilience. Despite a 32% funding decline, its rapid digital economy growth and push into AI signal strong latent potential. What the Philippines lacks in institutional capital, it makes up for through founder grit — an asset that could define its next wave of innovation as domestic support structures catch up.

REGIONAL

Thai insurtech firm Roojai nets US$60M: Apis Partners and Asia Partners are lead investors. The company plans to use the new funds to expand in Thailand, accelerate its Indonesian operations, and pursue strategic acquisitions.

Cybercriminals launch 6.3M fake shopping scams; gaming platforms also under fire: Attackers increasingly follow users across online stores, gaming services, and streaming platforms, driving a massive 2025 rise in phishing and malware attempts.

ASEAN’s EV race: Indonesia rises 49% but lags behind Vietnam and Thailand: Strong incentives fuel Indonesia’s EV growth amid auto market contraction, yet limited charging infrastructure and consumer concerns pose major challenges ahead.

Temasek-backed Seviora bolsters regional strategy with Pavilion Capital integration: Pavilion Capital joins Seviora to form a US$72B asset manager, expanding private-market capabilities and strengthening Asia’s investment ecosystem.

Cost pressures, global uncertainty weigh on 2026 outlook for businesses in Singapore, finds survey: SBF Chief Executive Kok Ping Soon said businesses remain cautious about the 2026 outlook, despite reduced concerns over US tariffs.

Eluvo raises fresh capital to fix Philippines’s broken women’s healthcare system: Foxmont Capital is the lead investor. Funding supports Eluvo’s expansion of premium, women-led healthcare services, enhancing fertility, hormonal, sexual, and reproductive care in the Philippines’s underserved market.

Higala closes US$4M round to bring real-time payments to rural banks in Philippines: The investors include Talino Venture Studios, Kadan Capital, and 1982 Ventures. Higala will use the capital to lower digital barriers for rural banks and empower underserved regions with real-time financial services.

Temasek appoints ex-DBS CEO as India chairman: Piyush Gupta will serve in a non-executive role, focusing on investment strategies with Temasek’s India team. Temasek is looking to boost its roughly US$50B India portfolio with larger, more selective bets.

REPORTS, FEATURES & INTERVIEWS

Against the odds: Why Philippines remains SEA’s most undervalued startup market: Amid declining capital and ecosystem gaps, the Philippines’s booming digital economy positions it as the region’s most overlooked growth opportunity.

Philippines enters ‘Intelligent Era’ as AI becomes startup growth engine: AI adoption accelerates in 2025, boosting Philippine e-commerce, logistics, and fintech as the country advances into a more data-driven, intelligent economy.

Foreign funding follows incorporation: Singapore-registered Filipino startups report 100% international backing: Singapore’s stability and investor trust draw Filipino startups to incorporate abroad, revealing persistent Philippine governance gaps affecting growth and international competitiveness.

Inside Funding Societies’s strategy to help SMEs grow through stronger institutional funding: Operating across five Southeast Asian countries, Funding Societies adapts its offerings to the unique needs of each country.

INTERNATIONAL

South Korea’s Upbit halts trading after US$37M crypto hack: An unauthorised transfer of around US$37M in digital assets to an external wallet was detected by the firm. The incident took place a day after Upbit’s parent Dumanu announced a US$10.3B merger with the fintech unit of Naver.

North Korea’s Lazarus suspected in S Korea’s Upbit crypto theft: The hacking group stole about US$30.6M in cryptocurrency from Upbit, South Korea’s largest crypto exchange. A government official said it is possible hackers compromised or posed as administrator accounts, instead of attacking servers directly.

BYD, Geely seen to lead automaker global top 10 by 2030: McKinsey: BYD and Geely were already among the top 10 by sales in 2024, with BYD delivering 4.3M vehicles and Geely selling 3.3M units. China now accounts for over 30% of global car production, and more than 60% of EVs sold worldwide go to Chinese buyers.

Chinese EV makers push overseas as local sales slow: Analysts expect China’s new energy vehicle growth to slow to 13% next year, down from 27% in 2025, partly due to expiring tax breaks. Manufacturers like BYD, Geely, and Leapmotor are seen as better positioned for the expected market downturn.

China warns of bubble risk in humanoid robotics market: According to the National Development and Reform Commission, over 150 humanoid robot makers operate in China. Officials cautioned that a surge of similar products could crowd the market and reduce space for R&D.

SEMICONDUCTOR

Taiwan probes ex-TSMC executive over alleged Intel secret leaks: Taiwanese authorities searched the homes of Lo Wen-jen, a former senior executive at TSMC after the semiconductor firm filed a lawsuit accusing him of passing sensitive information to his new US employer. Intel has denied the allegations.

China blocks ByteDance from Nvidia chips in data centres: The TikTok owner bought more Nvidia chips than any other Chinese company in 2025 to boost computing power. The ban highlights China’s efforts to reduce dependence on US tech amid tighter US export controls on advanced semiconductors.

Nvidia CEO says company leads AI chip market despite competition: Jensen Huang described the AI market as “extremely large” and noted that Google could become a rival if Meta buys billions of dollars in tensor processing units (TPUs) from Google.

AI

Why 2026 will be the year AI finally delivers on its promise for finance: Despite widespread AI adoption claims, few startups run truly AI-native finance. In 2026, disciplined, data-driven CFOs will win by building unified AI stacks, clean data foundations, and agentic workflows that drive capital-efficient growth.

Why the illusion of AI perfection is quietly killing team innovation: AI’s polish can suppress collaboration by making work seem finished. Real innovation comes from visible imperfection, shared experimentation, and human awareness — not blind automation — enabling teams to question, iterate, and think together.

Nataraj Sindam: Charting the intersection of AI, product strategy and early stage innovation: Sindam explores the intersection of cloud, startups and AI, sharing grounded lessons shaped by product work and founder conversations.

The missing rung of the ladder: How AI automation is quietly breaking the career pipeline: AI is eliminating unproductive roles and entry level paths, creating a need for new training ladders and apprenticeship models.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Why we changed our vision after 11 years: Building a unified Southeast Asia: e27 shifts from founder-focused support to unifying Southeast Asia’s tech ecosystem through regional connection and collaboration.

New year, new funding strategies: Powering up sustainability tech startups: Sustainable tech demand is rising, pushing startups to deliver impactful, scalable solutions. With tougher funding conditions, founders must prove resilience, clear impact, strong differentiation, and ecosystem collaboration to attract investors.

Fed rate cut odds hit 85%: Here’s how stocks, crypto, and gold are reacting: Markets rallied on rising expectations of a December Fed rate cut, with strong labour data reinforcing optimism. Equities, crypto, and Asian markets surged, while bonds, currencies, and commodities reflected cautious but improving sentiment.

Robotics, space, sustainability: The forces shaping Asia’s next tech chapter: Southeast Asia’s robotics startups are going through a lean period as early-stage capital moves away from consumer-focused companies to deep tech, and the region’s startups and corporates need to adjust their thinking.

The role of edutech in an AI-ready workforce: Traditional training methods like long modules, static slide decks, and one-way seminars often fail to keep employees motivated. With edutech, trainers can design learning experiences that are interactive, using gamification and real-time feedback.

The rise of logistics startups in Southeast Asia: How AI powers supply-chain revolution: AI powered logistics is transforming Southeast Asia’s fragmented supply chains through smarter routing, forecasting and last mile automation.

Reinvention vs improvement: Are we changing the process or the product?: Innovation often boosts efficiency without changing purpose. True reinvention asks deeper questions, reimagining mobility, learning, and success. Education must shift from digitising old models to redefining what learning is for.

Gobi Partners’s expansion sets stage for increased Japan–SEA co-investments: Gobi Partners enters Japan via JR East’s LiSH hub, creating a cross-border venture bridge linking Japan’s innovation ecosystem with Southeast Asia’s growth markets.

The grant funding mindset: When non-dilutive capital becomes a mirror of founder readiness: Grant funding rewards disciplined systems and clean operations, not ideas, making readiness and consistency the true competitive edge.

Clean energy in Malaysia: Opportunity amidst uncertainty: Malaysia’s clean energy sector faces uncertainty as NEM2.0 ends and major players enter. Independent firms pivot to smart energy management, driving innovation despite COVID-19, while stakeholders await clarity on NEM3.0 and supportive policies.

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AI has transcended its status as a buzzword and is now essential for organisations determined to stay ahead in today’s competitive landscape. This reality is echoed across numerous technology events and research papers throughout 2025.

According to the Google Cloud research report on the 2025 State of AI infrastructure, 98 per cent of organisations are actively exploring its use, with 39 per cent already deploying it in production.

Here are three transformative AI trends that are shaping the future of innovation:

AI-powered personalisation

Personalisation fuelled by AI takes centre stage at technology discussions globally. Many innovators from startups to corporate leaders showcased how advanced data analytics combined with machine learning delivers hyper-personalised user experiences. From bespoke e-commerce recommendations to AI-generated visuals, this technology is helping brands deepen consumer engagement and brand awareness.

Take, for example, retail. The momentum behind AI-driven personalised shopping continues to accelerate rapidly. According to the McKinsey survey, “over 75 per cent of consumers are turned off by content that doesn’t feel relevant. The bar keeps rising, and AI makes it possible to meet that bar at scale.”

AI’s ability to personalise at scale is raising the bar in marketing and beyond.

Google’s Gemini personal AI assistant is an example of this move toward highly customised user experiences, bringing smart, responsive AI right to individuals’ fingertips. The development of such personal AI assistants marks a significant step toward creating seamless digital experiences, where technology not only responds to commands but proactively assists users in their daily lives. As AI continues to evolve, these assistants will become even more sophisticated, further blurring the lines between human and machine interactions and transforming how we access information and services.

Rise of agentic AI as autonomous collaborators

Agentic AI—intelligent systems capable of making independent decisions—is going to reshape how businesses operate. Moving beyond command-based tools, AI is expected to start acting as a proactive partner, autonomously interacting with customers and internal systems. This evolution fosters dynamic, adaptive business ecosystems where smart agents enhance responsiveness and efficiency across sectors.

Enterprises are fully embracing it. For example, Microsoft offers the opportunity to make an autonomous agent by using Microsoft Copilot Studio.

Also Read: When privacy becomes a privilege: Balancing user protection with fair access for innovators

At the industry and function level, agentic AI solutions in retail personalise shopping by autonomously recommending products and handling customer relationship management. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants learn from customer behaviour to deliver timely and relevant support for service inquiries. This leads to improved customer satisfaction and more efficient business operations.

AI is transforming process automation across functions

Automation powered by AI is redefining operational workflows. From healthcare to marketing, organisations deploy AI to manage complex tasks and generate actionable insights with minimal human oversight.

Speaking of the industry level, in healthcare, AI can expedite diagnostics and design personalised treatment by processing massive medical data swiftly.

Another illustration of this trend is on the function level in marketing: technology startups leverage AI-driven predictive analytics to optimise ad spend, boosting return on advertising investment.

AI automation is also transforming marketing content creation and data management. By automating tasks such as data entry, transcription, and basic customer interactions, businesses boost efficiency and significantly lower operational costs.

According to responses received by SurveyMonkey in their questionnaire, 54 per cent of marketing agencies and 51 per cent of small businesses directly utilise AI tools to enhance efficiency and competitiveness, with many planning to expand their AI investments.

AI’s strategic role in amplifying performance is unmistakably expanding. Key advantages of AI automation include scalability—enabled by cloud infrastructure and adaptive models that handle growing business demands without manual scaling—speed as AI systems process data and respond in real time, and accuracy by minimising human error through consistent data validation and quality control. AI’s ability to autonomously manage complex workflows beyond human monitoring capacity is increasingly vital in dynamic business environments.

As 2026 comes, these trends mark a promising path forward—where innovation and real-world impact converge to redefine the future of technology.

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e27 has launched the call for participants for the AI Workflow Competition: SME Digital Leap, a programme designed to bring together builders and small businesses around a shared goal of designing agentic AI workflows that solve real operational challenges. Rather than focusing on building new AI products or startups, the initiative centres on applying existing AI platforms and models to create practical automation for real world SME use cases.

The programme connects workflow creators directly with SMEs that are seeking automation solutions, accelerating the adoption of AI where it matters most in everyday business operations. Participants will work across key business functions including sales, marketing, operations, HR, and finance, contributing to solutions that can be tested and used in real environments.

Advancing AI adoption through practical innovation

As AI becomes an essential driver of SME competitiveness, the competition is designed to bridge the gap between conceptual AI knowledge and real deployment. Participants will work on challenge statements submitted by SMEs, ensuring that every solution is grounded in actual operational needs.

The multi-phase programme includes curated learning opportunities, guided workflow development, and close collaboration with SMEs. Participants will receive mentorship and support throughout the development journey, with top solutions showcased at Echelon Singapore 2026 to enable potential SME pilot opportunities. The emphasis is on hands on learning in workflow automation and agentic AI, using real business problems as the foundation for development.

Also read: Beyond the hype: Why Echelon is evolving to drive Southeast Asia’s AI future

Who should join AI Workflow Competition: SME Digital Leap

This call is open to builders who want to deepen their AI capabilities while creating real world impact for SMEs. While anyone interested may express their interest, participant selection will be based on current capabilities and relevant experience to ensure the best possible match for the program’s goals.

What this is not: This is not a hackathon focused on building new AI-driven products or startups. Instead, the competition centres on using existing AI platforms and models to design agentic workflows that directly address real SME use cases. Tools such as n8n and Make are well suited for this work, alongside prompt-based agentic platforms that enable practical, deployable automation.

All experience levels are welcome. Selection will be based on current knowledge and past experience to ensure participants are well matched to SME use cases and collaboration tracks.

Click here to fill out the form for participants.

Call for partners and support

We are also seeking partners and community stakeholders to help provide the resources needed to support this ecosystem, including access to platforms and usage credits, as we work together to accelerate AI-driven SME digitalisation.

Interested partners and sponsors can reach out via email at engage@e27.co.

Also read: Exhibit smart, spend lean: Your Start Up Booth at Echelon 2026

Driving real world AI adoption for SMEs

By focusing on the practical application of agentic AI workflows to real SME challenges, the AI Workflow Competition: SME Digital Leap signals a shift towards outcome-driven AI adoption in everyday business operations. Builders are invited to apply their skills to live use cases, work closely with SMEs, and develop deployable automation solutions with real commercial relevance. With selected solutions progressing towards a showcase at Echelon Singapore 2026 and potential pilot opportunities, the programme offers a structured pathway from experimentation to real world impact.

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After nearly a decade of building a digital-first insurance business, Thai insurtech firm Roojai has closed a US$60 million Series C round co-led by Apis Partners and Asia Partners.

Earlier investors, including HDI International, Primary Group, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), also co-invested.

The new capital boost is earmarked for deepening Roojai’s presence in Thailand, accelerating growth in its Indonesian business, and pursuing strategic M&A to expand both vertically and geographically. In Sepetember 2023, the insurtech firm acquired motor DirectAsia Group from US-based small business insurer Hiscox for an undisclosed sum.

Launched in 2016 by CEO Nicolas Faquet, Roojai sells motor, accident, and health insurance products on a direct-to-consumer model. It has operations in Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia. Since its founding,

Roojai has risen from a niche online motor-insurance provider to a multi-line digital insurer offering health, personal accident, travel, and motor coverage. Over its close to ten years’ of existence, Roojai has secured multiple round of funding, including US$42 million led by HDI International in 2023 and a US$20 million from Primary Group, besides a US$7 million Series A round from IFC.

Also Read: Thai insurtech firm Roojai bags US$42M in fresh funding

Why this deal matters

In Southeast Asia’s insurance industry, long dominated by brokers, intermediaries, and complex distribution channels, Roojai’s direct-to-consumer (D2C) model represents a paradigm shift. Rather than underwriting the vehicle, Roojai underwrites the customer, using risk-based segmentation to tailor premiums more fairly.

This customer-centric approach enables faster service, transparent pricing, and flexible instalment payments — features that resonate strongly in markets where consumers increasingly demand convenience and value.

The backing from Apis and Asia Partners, both firms with a track record of investing in high-growth fintech and financial-services tech platforms, signals growing investor confidence in Southeast Asian insurtech. Apis in particular highlights the value of financial inclusion and access, while Asia Partners emphasises Roojai’s ability to deliver “responsible and inclusive insurance ecosystems.”

Moreover, Roojai’s expansion into electric-vehicle (EV) insurance and its ongoing embrace of tools for embedded insurance — integrating insurance offers directly into payment/checkout flows — position it at the intersection of mobility, fintech, and digital distribution. These align with macro trends across the region: rising EV adoption, growing digital commerce, and increasing demand for seamless, tech-enabled financial services. Asia Business Outlook+2Tech in Asia+2

What’s next

With fresh capital in hand and a scalable, technology-driven platform, Roojai now appears set for aggressive regional scaling. Its roadmap includes:

• Expanding further into Indonesia, leveraging previous acquisitions such as the comparison site Lifepal to build distribution reach.
• Deploying its digital infrastructure and embedded insurance capabilities to enter new markets or verticals across Southeast Asia.
• Exploring strategic acquisitions to broaden its product suite and strengthen underwriting capacity.

Also Read: Thai insurtech company Roojai acquires DirectAsia from Hiscox

For observers of the region’s fintech and insurtech sectors, Roojai’s success offers a strong signal: Southeast Asia is entering a new chapter where digital insurers — built on tech, data, and direct consumer relationships — can disrupt a traditionally broker-driven market. With growing capital inflows, changing consumer behaviour and rising demand for flexible, transparent insurance, the stage is set for players like Roojai to define the future of insurance across the region.

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When I founded my first company, I thought the secret to success was simple: work harder, longer, and never stop.

I was putting in easily 14-16-hour a day (including weekends), surviving on coffee and quick snacks, and missing out on time with family and friends.

I believed that if I just pushed myself enough, I could build something great.

The big challenge: Chasing big dreams without losing yourself

Starting and growing a company is one of the most exciting and challenging things you can do. You have big goals, customers to win over, and a team that depends on you.

The pressure feels enormous. It often seems like you have to be “on” all the time, ready to solve problems, make decisions, and push forward. But the harsh truth is that many founders end up burning out.

Studies show that over half of startup founders experience burnout every year, leading to poor decisions, lost productivity, and even the failure of their companies.

The challenge isn’t just about hitting milestones or raising money…it’s about figuring out how to keep going strong without running yourself or your team into the ground.

When founders burn out, it’s not just their own health that suffers; the entire company feels the impact. I realised that to build something truly lasting, I needed to find a better way.

What helped me turn things around

The biggest change came I started focusing on taking care of myself and my team.

Here are some of the key things I learned along the way:

• Talk and listen frequently and regularly

I made it a habit to check in with my team regularly—not just about work tasks but about how they were feeling. These conversations helped me spot when someone was overwhelmed before it became a crisis. It also built trust and showed my team that their well-being mattered. Sometimes, just knowing someone cares can make a huge difference.

• Set boundaries and encourage breaks

I started blocking out time for rest and encouraged my team to do the same. Taking breaks isn’t a sign of weakness…. it’s essential for recharging your energy and staying focused. We introduced “no meeting” times during a selected period of the week and encouraged people to take their full vacation days. These small changes helped everyone come back refreshed and ready to work smarter, not only harder.

Also Read: Employee burnout is real and why it needs to be taken seriously

• Trust and delegate to the right people

I realised I couldn’t do everything myself. Trying to micromanage every detail was exhausting and slowed us down. Instead, I learned to trust the right team members by clearly defining roles and giving them the authority to make decisions. Delegating tasks not only freed up my time but also empowered my team and helped them grow.

• Build support networks

Being a founder can be lonely. I joined groups of other founders where we could share struggles, advice, and encouragement. Having people who understand the unique challenges of startup life made a big difference in managing stress and staying motivated.

• Prioritise physical and mental health

Simple habits like getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and practicing mindfulness became part of my routine. These weren’t just “nice to haves” but essential tools to keep my mind sharp and my energy steady. I encouraged my team to do the same.

How to develop the “A team”

A company is only as strong as its people.

Over time, I learned that sustainable growth depends on creating a workplace where people feel valued, supported, and excited to contribute. Here are some strategies that helped us hire, grow, and retain great teams:

• Offer opportunities to learn and grow

People want to feel like they’re moving forward, not stuck in the same place. We invested time in doing continuous education and mentorship opportunities for people who wanted to build with us. We also made sure everyone had a clear mindset and constantly develop their skills to get to the next level. This is something that I can recommend founders to build as a culture in their own organisations.

• Create a culture of openness

We worked hard to build a culture where people felt motivated to share ideas, admit mistakes, and even appreciate other team members. This openness led to better collaboration and innovation. Tools like internal surveys helped us get honest feedback and address issues early.

• Make work meaningful

We made sure everyone understood how their work contributed to the company’s mission and impact. When people see the difference they’re making, they’re more engaged and willing to go the extra mile.

What I’m still figuring out

Even after all these changes, I’m still learning.

Balancing the urgency of startup life with the need for rest and reflection is an ongoing challenge. Sometimes I still feel the pull to hustle nonstop, but I remind myself that building a company is a marathon, not a sprint.

Also Read: How burnout changes founder’s ability for risk-taking

I’m also discovering the power of culture.

I’m working on embedding well-being into our company’s core values so it’s not just something I talk about but something everyone lives by.

A thought to leave you with

Here’s something to think about.

What if success wasn’t just about what you build, but how you build it?

Taking care of yourself and your team isn’t a distraction from your goals; it’s the key to reaching them and keeping them for the long haul.

When founders focus on well-being as much as growth, they create companies that don’t just survive, they thrive.

So, if you’re chasing big dreams, remember that you can build something that lasts by building yourself and your team up, not down. That’s the real win.

Additional reflections: Why this matters more than ever

In the startup world, the pressure to scale quickly and deliver results can be overwhelming.

According to Gallup, organisations with high employee engagement see 21 per cent higher profitability.

Up-skilling and continuous learning to the people who are willing to build and grow with you, are also critical.

The World Economic Forum reports that 50 per cent of all employees will need re-skilling by 2025 due to technological changes. Companies that foster a culture of learning not only retain talent but stay competitive.

Building a startup is a wild ride full of highs and lows.

By shifting how we think about work, leadership, and success, we can build companies that last—and lives that thrive.

That’s a journey worth taking.

If you want to chat more about bootstrapping or growing your business, just reach out.

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This might sound like a callout. But it’s really a call inward—to our team, and to any founder who’s ever needed to remind themselves what they’re fighting for.

For founders reading this, you know how important it is to align your team around a shared purpose. It’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture when caught in daily challenges. Regular reminders about our core mission and why we started in the first place keep us aligned, resilient, and motivated.

Because when the road gets rough—and it will—what gets us through won’t just be funding or features. It’ll be our reason for fighting on.

“The most important thing a man can take into combat is a reason why,” 12 Strong, starring Chris Hemsworth.

That’s why I often try to bring the mission closer to home. Just last month, I asked a colleague: ‘Have you ever been scammed or misled? If you had a chance to do something about it, would you?’ He shared a story from his college days—he was young, in a foreign country, and had rented a small room. When he left, he returned it spotless, but the landlord refused to return his deposit. There was nothing he could do. No recourse, no fairness.

That feeling—that kind of helplessness isn’t unique to young renters—it’s baked into many broken systems. I couldn’t go back in time and help him, nor do I know enough about real estate to start (yet) a real estate platform, but I used that moment to bring him into the mission—because while we’re not solving housing, we are tackling the same kind of imbalance.

We’ve seen the hype cycles—blockchain, AI, and before that, growth hacking. It’s tempting to follow momentum. But hype fades. When the noise dies down and pressure sets in, only teams grounded in purpose keep showing up. Only teams that remember why they started keep going.

Also Read: The long game: How trust-based marketing creates sustainable growth in education

Purpose is your mental armour. It’s what stays when metrics disappoint, when the team is stretched, when you’re debugging something at two am asking yourself, “Why am I doing this?”

And for us, that answer has always been clear: rebuild trust in a space broken by many brokers and ‘comparison’ platforms.

These players often present themselves as helpful guides, but what they really do is muddy the waters. We’ve heard stories of people leaving thousands of dollars on the table, thinking they had actually compared and found the best offer.

A 2021 report by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority highlighted concerns about certain price comparison websites showing sponsored listings more prominently than better-suited products—creating the illusion of impartiality while nudging users toward providers who paid for placement. In one case, Compare the Market was fined over £17 million for using contract clauses that prevented insurers from offering lower prices on rival platform.

Brokers selectively push lenders that give them higher commissions—even if those options are objectively worse for borrowers. In fact, a 2024 class-action lawsuit against United Wholesale Mortgage alleges this exact practice: borrowers were steered into higher-cost loans, allegedly to benefit brokers and lenders at the borrower’s expense. The case involves hundreds of thousands of mortgages—UWM issued over US$39 billion in loans over three years, almost entirely through brokers who referred nearly all their business to them.

The issue isn’t unique to loans. In real estate, agents who represent both the buyer and seller—known as dual agency—have long faced criticism for conflicts of interest. In Singapore, the regulators had the foresight to ban it to prevent abuse since 2010, even though decades of loan brokering regulation exist in the US and UK, the loan brokering industry remains unregulated here.

Also Read: Leading through transformation: How CMOs and CEOs must evolve in the AI era

In insurance, some brokers push policies that pay them better commissions rather than what fits the client.

Meanwhile, in the UK, the Supreme Court is weighing whether car buyers were misled by brokers who steered people into loans that paid them better, not ones that served the borrower best.

These are not just industry problems—they’re why we felt something needed to change.

When COVID-19 happened. Businesses rushed to seek financing. Homeowners looked to refinance. I saw peers cherry-picking clients, raising fees, prioritising those with bigger loan sizes. And I thought: Do I want to be deprioritised just because my loan is smaller? Should I pay a broker fee on top of all that—just to be seen?

That was the moment it became personal.

We started FindTheLoan because we saw too many SMEs and consumers misled, confused, or overwhelmed when they could least afford it. Our goal wasn’t just to digitise the process—it was to make it fairer.

This isn’t just about code or clean UI. It’s about restoring dignity in a system that forgot who it’s supposed to serve.

Every time we write a line of copy, push a product update, or debate a feature—we’re not just building a tool. We’re standing up for something.

That’s why this article exists. As a reminder to us and to other founders.

Because when you go into battle—features help, capital helps, but only your reason keeps you standing. And that reason, for us, is clear. If you’re building something today, ask yourself: do your team know why?

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In Southeast Asia, startup growth is often measured in headcount: “we scaled from 20 to 200 in a year”, “we’re now in five countries with 300 CX reps”.

These milestones are celebrated like revenue achievements. But in 2025, this definition of scale is evolving and in some cases, becoming increasingly irrelevant.

As AI becomes cheaper, faster, and more effective, the startups scaling through people instead of intelligence are locking themselves into an operational trap. Because the next wave of growth in SEA won’t be about headcount. It’ll be about agent-count.

The headcount illusion

To illustrate how efficiency can vary dramatically, some external analyses have used revenue per employee as a rough proxy for operational leverage. While it’s not a formal metric used by the companies themselves, it offers useful directional insight: 

• Grab reported US$291,718 in revenue per employee as of Q4 2023.
• Sea Ltd, the parent of Shopee and Garena, posted US$208,293 per employee on a trailing twelve-month basis.

At first glance, these are solid regional benchmarks. But contrast them with US-based peers:

• Asana, a mid-stage B2B SaaS platform, generates US$406,100 per employee.
• Uber, a direct business model peer to Grab, earns an astonishing US$1.46 million per employee.

While business models, market size, and stages of growth apply, the data does suggest a structural divergence between SEA and US companies. Many US tech companies are operating with far greater efficiency. Why? They are leaning into AI-first workflows and automation much earlier in their growth curve. From intelligent routing and dynamic pricing to AI-based sales enablement and customer support, their focus is not just on scaling teams but on scaling capabilities.

Also Read: Invest in women, accelerate progress: Why gender equality matters now more than ever

SEA, by contrast, still relies on the legacy playbook of “more markets = more hires”. It’s human-heavy, cost-inefficient, and quickly becoming obsolete. 

The cost no one talks about

Founders often justify team expansion with the phrase: “Talent is still cheap here.” That’s only half true. While wages in markets like the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia remain lower than the US or Europe, the hidden costs of labor such as onboarding, churn, supervision, miscommunication are adding up fast. This is especially true as inflation persists, and currency volatility affects purchasing power, and talent expectations continue to shift post-pandemic.

Many of these teams remain stuck doing routine, low-impact work.

According to Salesforce, the average sales rep spends just 28 per cent of their time actually selling. The rest? Updating CRMs, sending repetitive emails, data entry, chasing internal approvals. That’s nearly US$68K per rep annually wasted on tasks that could easily be automated.

The case for AI-first reams

At FlashIntel, we build AI agents that replace repetitive sales and CX workflows such as dialling, scheduling, qualifying, even holding full voice conversations with prospects.

In one deployment with a mid-sized SEA company, replacing part of their SDR function with AI agents led to:

• 3x more meetings booked
• 40 per cent reduction in OPEX
• Zero training time for new agents (they scale instantly)

And unlike humans, agents don’t take breaks, don’t churn, and work across time zones with perfect compliance.

This isn’t a hypothetical future. It’s already working across Japan, Singapore, and parts of the Philippines where we’re deploying multilingual agents that blend cultural nuance with automation scale.

Why SEA is vulnerable but also poised to leapfrog

Here’s the paradox: SEA’s lower labor cost makes it tempting to delay AI adoption. Founders think, “Why automate when I can hire five more reps?”

But that’s a trap. Because while you’re adding headcount, global competitors are adding compute. And the next time you go head-to-head in a sales cycle or fundraising pitch, they’ll win on margins, not muscle.

Also Read:AI for the real world: SEA’s cost-efficient playbook is winning investors over

That said, SEA also has a unique opportunity to leapfrog.

• It’s home to high-context, high-friction customer environments, making it the perfect testbeds for AI agents that handle nuance.
• Governments like Singapore are actively supporting AI up-skilling, retraining, and digital transformation.
• And founders here are often more adaptable, operating in resource-constrained environments that reward creativity over brute force.

From vanity scale to smart scale

So what should SEA founders do?

• Audit your org: How much of your OPEX is tied up in repetitive human workflows?
• Run agent pilots: Test AI agents in low-risk areas like lead qualification or appointment setting.
• Reframe success: Stop measuring your growth in headcount. Start measuring it in output per human or output per agent.
• Retrain, don’t replace: Empower your existing team to supervise, manage, and enhance AI agent workflows.

The shift isn’t about firing people. It’s about replacing the parts of their job that are low-value so they can focus on what matters: closing deals, building relationships, and thinking strategically.

Final thought: 10 smart agents > 100 average hires

If your 2025 strategy still relies on building large teams, you’re building yesterday’s company.

The best SEA founders are rethinking scale—not by adding more people, but by multiplying their effectiveness. It’s not about working harder. It’s about building an AI-first team that scales smarter.

Because the next SEA unicorn won’t be the one with the biggest team. It’ll be the one with the smartest agents.

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The widespread adoption of generative AI is dramatically changing the software development landscape. Tools like GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT now assist developers in generating code, automating documentation, and reducing the time needed to test and deploy.

While this has sparked concern about the future of developer jobs, the reality is more nuanced. AI is not replacing developers; it is redefining what development looks like. And for CEOs and executive teams, this shift requires a proactive transformation in how organisations are structured, how products are built, and how leadership guides innovation.

AI accelerates execution, it doesn’t replace human judgment

Generative AI is exceptional at automating repetitive tasks. It can generate boilerplate code, run unit tests, and optimise snippets quickly. However, these outputs lack a deep understanding of product context or user intent. Software development is not only about writing clean code; it is about solving complex problems, designing scalable systems, and delivering value aligned with business goals.

Developers provide critical insights that AI cannot replicate, such as understanding customer needs, prioritising functionality based on product vision, and making architectural decisions that support long-term growth. Human judgment, creativity, and cross-functional collaboration remain irreplaceable in the software lifecycle.

Faster development requires operational realignment

AI tools are significantly accelerating development cycles, enabling teams to move from ideation to prototype in a fraction of the time. But this technical efficiency is only meaningful if the rest of the organisation can keep up. Many companies still operate under outdated delivery models—with slow stakeholder approvals, fixed sprint lengths, and rigid release plans.

Also Read: Vibe coding: Why Singapore needs more tech built for joy, not just utility

As coding becomes faster, decision-making must also speed up. CEOs must reexamine how teams are structured and how feedback flows across departments. Empowering product owners, reducing process friction, and adopting lightweight documentation are essential steps in matching the pace of AI-driven delivery.

Developer roles are evolving, and so must hiring strategies

AI is not eliminating developers; it’s changing the nature of their contributions. Entry-level engineers now have access to powerful copilots that help them deliver value earlier in their careers. Senior engineers are focusing more on architecture, AI supervision, and integrating components across systems.

In addition, new roles such as prompt engineers, AI quality reviewers, and AI workflow architects are emerging. These shifts require companies to rethink how they hire, train, and manage talent. Technical skills alone are no longer sufficient: critical thinking, product intuition, and AI fluency are now essential for modern development teams to thrive.

AI-driven development requires CEO-led strategic change

Successfully adopting AI is not just about tools or processes—it’s about leadership. CEOs must drive a company-wide mindset shift toward AI integration.

This includes investing in team education, updating key performance metrics, and embedding experimentation into the development process. Up-skilling is especially important—not only for developers, but also for designers, QA testers, and product managers.

Leadership must also define clear guidelines for ethical AI usage, data governance, and intellectual property protection. Without executive-level sponsorship, these changes risk being fragmented or misaligned. CEOs need to lead this transformation with clarity, speed, and a long-term vision.

Also Read: Decoding roles: A guide to the varied job titles within a VC firm

What CEOs risk by maintaining the status quo

Organisations that resist change or treat AI as an optional enhancement are at risk of falling behind. AI is levelling the playing field—startups and lean teams are now able to build and iterate at speeds previously reserved for enterprise-level companies.

If your team still relies on slow approval cycles, rigid silos, or outdated delivery frameworks, AI won’t be your competitive edge—it’ll be your competitors’. The threat isn’t that AI will replace your developers; it’s that teams who embrace AI will outperform yours in speed, experimentation, and market responsiveness.

Conclusion

AI is transforming software development at every level—from how code is written to how teams are structured and how products go to market. Developers remain essential, but the expectations placed on them are changing. CEOs must recognise that this is not a temporary trend—it’s a fundamental shift in how value is created through technology.

To stay ahead, leadership must guide this transformation actively, with a clear strategy for talent, process, and innovation. The companies that thrive will not be those with the most AI tools, but those with the strongest alignment between leadership vision, team agility, and technological integration.

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Southeast Asia’s startups are rewriting the playbook on team building. In 2025, remote-first work and AI tools are no longer just pandemic measures; they’re strategic game-changers. From Manila to Ho Chi Minh City, founders say the shift isn’t just about where people work, but how and why.

In this human-centric transformation, flexibility and empathy are as important as tech.

Driven by cutting costs and winning talent, many SEA startups now view remote-first as a deliberate growth strategy. A recent analysis finds that 74 per cent of CFOs worldwide plan to permanently move at least five per cent of their workforce to remote roles, and SEA companies report 15–30 per cent savings in rent and overhead when they scrap the office.

One founder observes that without an HQ to maintain, “remote-first can free up budget for product, hiring, and growth”. These savings are often reinvested in people and tech: better hiring tools, stronger pipelines, and up-skilling with AI.

Key benefits of remote-first:

Wider talent access across SEA, big cost cuts, and more flexible schedules. For example, Rainforest, a Singapore-based e-commerce platform, has built distributed teams in Malaysia, China, Taiwan, the Philippines and beyond. As CEO, JJ Chai notes, being “remote-first” lets Rainforest tap diverse skills and local market insight while staying lean and agile.

Opportunities:

Remote-first means hiring beyond borders, remote-friendly hubs like Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia now top global nomad charts. Your new engineer or marketer could be anywhere in SEA (or the world), fluent in asynchronous tools and eager for flexible work.

Pitfalls:

Time zone gaps and isolation can loom. Burnout is real, one study found 76 per cent of employees feel job burnout at least sometimes, and 63 per cent of SEA workers report chronic stress. Without care, “always-on” expectations may creep into a remote culture.

Building trust and clarity

A true remote-first culture isn’t just working from home (WFH); it’s a mindset. Teams replace oversight with autonomy and outcomes.

For instance, one SEA fintech ditched endless Zoom calls in favour of a simple daily Slack check-in: “What did I do yesterday? What’s today’s focus? Any blockers?” This ritual cuts meeting fatigue and lets staff focus on results.

Across startups, the secret is documentation and asynchronous collaboration. Notes, shared task boards, and backlog docs become the single source of truth. As a tech leader put it, remote work requires new accountability: instead of tracking hours, we measure outcomes.

“Did you hit your milestones? Did you document your process? These became our metrics for success,” says Nicola Sahar, former CEO of a remote healthcare startup. He stresses that remote hires must be “adults”, i.e. experienced, proactive people who own their work. He shares that his own output jumped 30–50 per cent working from home, thanks to fewer interruptions. But he warns that remote work needs “clear, documented guidelines” for process and decision-making.

Also Read: How to retain local talent as global demand for remote tech workers surges

In practice, successful teams lean on tools (Slack, Notion, Jira, Miro, etc.) not just for chat, but to record plans, decisions, and feedback asynchronously. This way, everyone – across cities or time zones – is aligned on goals and feels supported.

Talent without borders

Remote-first lets SEA startups think regional (or global) from day one. Without an office constraint, a Jakarta startup can recruit a Bangkok engineer, and a Singapore fintech can hire a Manila designer. This vastly expands the talent pool and brings in varied perspectives.

It also changes hiring priorities: many companies now screen for communication skills and self-motivation, not just tech chops. For example, Rainforest notes that recruiting across Asia yielded employees who “understand Western consumer trends” and local supply chains, a combination that its old, more local hiring couldn’t match.

Governments are even catching up. Malaysia and Singapore now mandate formal requests for flexible work, and co-working chains like Malaysia’s WORQ make it easy to plug in near home or transit hubs. These trends signal that SEA is embracing new work styles.

Digital nomad visas and hot-desking communities across Malaysia and Indonesia also help – they keep remote workers connected to real communities rather than isolated at home. This bridge between online and offline can be vital: even the most committed remote company admits some things need face time. High Five’s founder still schedules occasional in-person retreats for brainstorming and bonding, which is indeed the biggest challenge to replicate online.

Balancing tech and wellbeing

Even as they adopt AI and remote tools, SEA founders still talk a lot about people. Many leaders are conscious of the fact that there’s a major report of mental health struggles, like anxiety or burnout. They understand that entrepreneurship’s pressure can be soul-crushing without support.

This is why empathy is a byword in hiring and management. Teams often build in flexibility (no-strike zone at night, no-email weekends) and share EAP resources or peer-support groups. The goal is to empower, not exhaust, the team.

Also Read: How to manage your remote team?

Remote work can improve well-being, giving people more time with family, room to exercise, and freedom from long commutes. Every team member now enjoys “more time for what matters most” (home-cooked meals, gym sessions, family time) thanks to remote hours. But the responsibility should also be noted: without central oversight, managers must be intentional about connection.

Weekly one-on-ones, social chats on Slack, and transparent feedback keep remote staff feeling seen. Coworking events or occasional hackathons (even virtually) are used to nurture a sense of belonging. In other words, leaders steer remote cultures with human care, recognising burnout signals and ensuring people get breaks and social support.

Key risks to address:

Isolation, “always-on” fatigue, and loneliness. A Slack or WhatsApp culture can blur work boundaries, so smart teams enforce unplugged hours. They also remember: async work doesn’t mean “no check-ins.” Regular video calls or team huddles (even brief) help employees decompress and feel valued. Flexible policies, such as no-questions day offs or mental health days, are now common at progressive SEA startups.

A tech-enabled, human-led future

AI and remote work tools are transforming how SEA startups operate, but the winning edge still comes from people. As JJ Chai of Rainforest explains, they’ve used AI to boost output without cutting headcount, doing “a lot more with the same team size and less investment”.

He expects basic AI skills (like using ChatGPT) will become as universal as Excel proficiency. Yet the “human layer of judgment” remains irreplaceable: founders know that machines can help draft content or answer customers, but a team’s creativity, empathy and trust can’t be automated away.

In Southeast Asia’s fast-evolving startup scene, then, remote-first is a means, not an end. By combining smart tools with intentional culture, founders are rethinking leadership for the AI era: inclusive hiring, clear communication, and an uncompromising focus on well-being.

The region’s entrepreneurs seem to agree that ambition and balance must go hand in hand. With that people-first philosophy steering their remote-first experiments, SEA startups are well-positioned to thrive in the age of AI, together.

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