America's VC Wall, Singapore’s Job Crunch & How AI Is Rewiring Relationships with Adriel Yong – E600
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Show Notes
Adriel Yong, Orvel Venture Partner, joins Jeremy Au to reflect on five years of career transitions from investing to building startups across Southeast Asia and the US. They unpack how American venture capital has turned inward, the unintended consequences of remote work, and why AI is upending both work and relationships. Through candid stories from fundraising dinners in San Francisco to AI-generated breakup scripts they explore how technology is transforming how we build companies, make decisions, and stay human.
03:12 American and Asian startup growth models differ: In San Francisco, startups often grow fast by selling to other startups and riding internal network effects, while Southeast Asian startups focus on capturing value chains and relationship-based sales.
06:05 Revenue in SF isn’t always real: Founders in SF can reach $10 million ARR by selling to friendly peers, but in LA or Southeast Asia, sales are slower and relationship-driven, especially in industries like entertainment.
08:53 US venture capital is becoming protectionist: Where American VCs once backed global founders, they now prioritize companies based in or from the US, making it harder for Southeast Asian startups to access funding.
11:49 AI is replacing VC advisory work: Founders now use large language models to flag red flags in term sheets before reaching out to VCs, shifting the VC’s role from explainer to final verifier and negotiation coach.
14:59 AI is eroding help-based relationships: As people ask ChatGPT instead of friends for advice, the everyday opportunities for give-and-take shrink, which could weaken social bonds especially in task-focused societies like Singapore.
18:13 Generative AI amplifies Western perspectives: Tools like ChatGPT default to American individualist values unless prompted otherwise, meaning users across Asia may unconsciously adopt Americanized ways of thinking and problem-solving.
20:53 Graduate employment in Singapore is dropping: Unemployment dipped below 80 percent as MNCs cut back due to trade wars and AI displaces entry-level roles. Many graduates prefer brand-name firms, leaving SME jobs overlooked despite being the bulk of local employment.
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