Duc Tran · · 5 min readThe alumni networks shaping SEA’s AI
Welcome to Tech in Asia’s daily newsletter, your essential dose of Asia’s tech and startup buzz. Not yet a subscriber? Register here. Got a story tip? Send it to editors@techinasia.com.
In focus
- The talent factories producing SEA’s AI founders
- What’s hot and what’s not in regional climate tech
- Bangladesh tries to close its startup funding gap
Hello reader,
Naval Ravikant, co-founder of startup investment platform AngelList, once gave a practical piece of advice to young job seekers: to treat a company’s alumni network as the most important factor in choosing where to work.
That’s surprising, given that when weighing a job offer, most people, myself included, fixate on salary and company reputation. But it also makes a lot of sense, as the people you work with – and what they do next – might influence your future. Some incredible opportunities might come your way when your colleagues launch new ventures, or they might just bring you along.
That’s what today’s top story maps: the alumni networks behind Southeast Asia’s AI startups. Perhaps unsurprisingly, a handful of large companies like Microsoft, Alibaba, Grab, and Accenture are producing the most founders in the sector. You can search our data by company name to see if its alumni have become AI entrepreneurs.
Whether you’re eyeing an entrepreneurial path, planning your next career move, or looking for a warm intro, this map is worth exploring.
Also in this issue, my colleague Elyssa zooms in on the state of climate tech funding in Southeast Asia. The sector may have been hit hard by a funding slowdown, but reasons for optimism remain, including from a surprising place: AI data centers.
Duc Tran, data journalist
Top Stories
1️⃣ Tracking the alumni networks powering SEA’s AI startups
Image credit: Ulla
What companies have produced the next generation of AI founders in Southeast Asia? The answers fall into three groups: global tech giants (Microsoft and IBM); management consulting firms (Accenture, Bain, and McKinsey); and regional tech champions (Grab and GoTo).
Another noticeable pattern is the rising influence of Chinese tech companies like Alibaba, ByteDance, and Tencent – a trend we tracked in previous analyses.
2️⃣ SEA’s climate tech funding is freezing, but energy tech stays hot
Can SEA scale in the AI era?
Spotlight
A student-led VC just closed a deal with a Philippine startup
Stay updated on the go with our mobile app.
Get latest insights with smoother, more personalized experience through TIA mobile app.
