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In focus
- Uncovering the data behind SEA founders’ surge in the US
- A look into the end of VNG’s seven-quarter loss
- A glance at the world’s first brain-like computer
Hello reader,
Which consumer tech product from Southeast Asia has truly achieved global recognition? I struggle to find an answer to this question.
The region’s biggest tech firms, Grab and Sea Group, remain largely focused on local markets.
Southeast Asia has produced decacorns, companies valued at over US$10 billion, but it has yet to deliver a tech champion with a true global breakthrough.
This is why some of the founders I talked to for today’s Big Story have decided to move to the US – they aim to conquer the world’s biggest economy.
“If we can make it in the US, we can make it anywhere,” Kenneth Lou, co-founder and CEO of Mito Health, told me.
Meanwhile, the reverse doesn’t always hold true.
To clarify, relocating to the US isn’t for everyone. It is a strange, intensely competitive, and costlier market, which is no easy feat.
Still, I believe Southeast Asia holds immense untapped potential and solvable challenges – especially in the hands of bright tech talent.
We also chart the financial health of VNG, Vietnam’s first and largest unicorn, in five charts. Interestingly, the company posted its first profitable quarter since mid-2023.
Duc Tran, data journalist
The Big Story
‘Champions League’ mindset drives more SEA founders to US
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