How to build a startup in Southeast Asia

Building a startup is hard.

That’s why the Tech in Asia Live team, led by Ting, has been doing research and speaking to users to identify areas that founders want to dive deeper into. And what we’ve come up with is a carefully designed series of workshops for our subscribers who are either aspiring founders or are already building products in Southeast Asia.

Below is a list of our subscribers’ favorite workshops:

1. Startup valuation: A VC’s perspective

In this interactive classroom, we analyze and critique the use of appropriate valuation models.

Get advice on:

• How to set valuations and raise funds from a VC’s perspective
• What first-time founders should be aware of
• What level of dilution is acceptable

2. Cap table management

Whether you’re new to this topic or in need a refresher, this workshop helps you navigate the complex world of equity and common cap table struggles.

What you’ll learn:

• How founders should be thinking about cap tables in today’s climate
• What information to include on a cap table, and what’s best left out
• The most common cap table mistakes, their effects, and how to avoid them

3. Decoding ESOPs in SEA

If you are one of those struggling to make sense of ESOPs, how to structure one, and its implications on shareholder equity, this virtual workshop will come in handy for you.

You’ll be updated on:

• The state of ESOP culture in Southeast Asia
• How to explore different types of ESOP models and select the right one for your Southeast Asian startup
• How to address the challenges of implementing an ESOP in the cap table

4. A framework to finding SEA’s next big idea

Get exclusive insights on how to identify opportunities in the region, plus a framework for evaluating that multi-million dollar business idea.

Through this workshop, you’ll discover:

• The playbook on identifying the challenges/opportunities/gaps facing the SEA market
• How to leverage global ideas and adaptable technology to create a hyperlocal strategy in SEA
• Resources you can leverage to evaluate your startup idea for the SEA market

5. How to scale your product and operations to win in Southeast Asia

We all know hyperlocalisation is key to scaling effectively in the fragmented Southeast Asian market, but the bigger question is: How?

Through this workshop, learn these takeaways:

• How to operate on a regional level from day 1
• How to build your product, team, and operations structure to adapt and cater to different markets
• Key factors that determine a company’s ability to operate across multiple countries in Southeast Asia concurrently

6. How to drive growth using data

In this session, Crystal shares the strategy for driving growth with the help of data, including:

• How a company’s data strategy affects its progress
• How to create a data strategy that can support product growth
• The role that data strategy plays in different stages of a company’s growth, from startup to enterprise

7. Scaling a product team for growth

In this session, Marcus shares how he scaled Carousell’s product team to achieve growth. He will also be discussing:

• The best time to scale a product team
• The structures and processes that must be in place first to facilitate this
• The measures he uses to keep Carousell’s product strategy aligned and its product managers on the same page as the company grows

8. Designing products for SEA region

As the lead designer of the popular Grab app that now serves million of users across Southeast Asia, Jay shares in his session:

• What’s happening in the region and why its tech scene is on the rise, especially amid the pandemic
• How Grab has done research, strategized, and designed the Grab experience to better serve developing markets in Southeast Asia – and the outcomes of these measures
• How Grab was able to create a consistent interface that fits in with its design system but is also flexible enough to accommodate multiple localizations
• Learnings and tips for other Southeast Asian startups to take forward when it comes to product design

9. Hooked: How to build habit-forming products

In this session, Nir, the author of best-selling book Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products, shares:

• An overview of what strategic product-building looks like
• The best practices and tips in building great products
• Case studies of product-building strategies that have found success in the region
• Case studies of product-building strategies that have found success in the region

10. The roadmap to exit

This masterclass delves into how a startup can prepare for an exit, how to understand the different exit paths, and how mergers and acquisitions actually work.

During this workshop, you’ll learn about:

• Startup exit strategies from top M&A advisors
• The different exit paths available
• The key metrics to pay attention to

11. Decoding term sheets with a VC

Term sheets can be daunting, but in this workshop, our VC speaker breaks down their nuances so you can get things right from the start.

Key takeaways from the workshop include:

• How to negotiate term sheets, from a VC’s perspective
• How to break down the complicated legal structure of a term sheet
• Common pitfalls founders must avoid

12. How to conduct interviews

Perfect to view over lunch, this quick workshop will help you upgrade your interview skills in just 30 minutes. Points discussed include:

• How to conduct an effective and objective interview while ensuring positive candidate experience
• How to ask questions that can help you determine whether a candidate is the right fit for a company and a specific role
• How to develop your own structure for conducting interviews and receiving feedback

13. Pitching to VCs in a virtual world

More meetings, events, and even VC pitches are moving online. How do you nail that pitch when you’re actually talking to a screen? In this workshop, you’ll learn about:

• The art of pitching in a digital world
• A holistic approach and guide to VC financing for all funding stages
• How to move a deal forward and assess your next steps

For just US$0.16 per day, you get unlimited digital access to all of our workshops and annual signature conferences. That means you’re not only paying for a subscription – your support also enables us to keep creating quality content for you and the community.