Welcome Back to SEA of Startups — Where the Game Gets Real 🌊
Hi friends,
If you caught our first episode — Why We’re Back and Why This Podcast Had to Happen — you’ll know we’ve set a bold standard:
🛑 No pitch decks.
🛑 No puff pieces.
✅ Just raw, honest stories from the trenches of Southeast Asia’s startup ecosystem.
We weren’t here to play it safe — and with Episode 2, we’re doubling down.
🎙️ EPISODE 2: The Road Less Funded – Seed-Strapping in SEA
Now streaming on Spotify, Substack, and everywhere you get your podcasts.
In this episode, we break down:
What exactly is seed-strapping (and no, it’s not quite bootstrapping)
Why it’s not about raising less money — it’s about raising smarter
Why Southeast Asia founders may need this mindset more than ever
How to stay default alive, avoid dumb money, and build with intent
💡 Kevin Brockland (Indelible Ventures) shares his unfiltered views on founder optionality, capital efficiency, and why the best funding may just be revenue itself.
This conversation expands on ideas from his recent Tech in Asia article, where he makes the case for seed-strapping as a viable, strategic alternative for founders in emerging markets.
⚡️ A few takeaways we unpack in this episode:
“You should raise to grow, not to survive.”
“Too many startups die of indigestion, not starvation.”
“Default alive is the new badge of honour.”
“Say no to dumb money — even when it’s easy.”
👀 What’s Next (Ep3 Teaser)
Next week, we switch gears: Chris Birrell joins us to unpack Agentic AI.
Think: AI that works with you, not just for you — autonomy, agency, and startup strategy in the age of GenAI.
If you’ve been wondering what “agentic” even means, or how to separate real tools from the hype… this one's for you.
📩 Subscribe. Share. Text that founder who still thinks VC is the only way forward.
This is SEA of Startups — where Southeast Asia’s startup game gets real.
Let’s build smart and intentionally.
— Kim & Kevin
