Contra VC

I sat down with Nathaniel, Principal at Betatron Venture Group — a VC operating out of Hong Kong & Singapore that's been backing Asia's most promising B2B tech companies since 2016.Nathaniel has been with Betatron since its days as an accelerator and has evaluated over 4,000 deals. He knows what separates the real from the noise.We talked about:→ His journey and the ups and downs of company building→ What it takes to build a VC from the ground up in Asia→ Why fundamentals trump hype when capital isn't free-flowing→ What Betatron actually looks for in foundersAsia operates differently to the West, and this episode breaks the cultural nuances down to its realities.Enjoy!

I sat down with Gursimran, co-founder of Minus Zero—one of India's most ambitious deep tech startups building autonomous driving models.Their goal isn't just to launch a flashy driverless car. It's bigger:They want to make Indian roads safer.We went deep on:🧠 What it really takes to build deeptech in India (not for the faint-hearted)💰 How to prioritize when every resource counts🤝 Solving data training challenges through smart partnerships🛠️ Attracting top-tier talent 🚦 Navigating India's regulatory maze for autonomous vehiclesIf you are:→ An investor tracking India's deeptech evolution→ A founder thinking about entering the space→ Or just someone who drives on Indian roads and wonders how this could ever workThis episode is for you.

Nuha Hashem grew up in the Middle East. Was doing her PhD in the US. Had it all figured out.Then she dropped it all to build AI employees.Her company, Cozmo AI, has already done 1 million minutes of calls—and their agents don't just execute tasks, they handle nuance. Like the time one discovered a customer had passed away and offered condolences instead of pushing a sale.In this episode, we discuss their pivot from neobank to AI employees, the technical challenges of building emotionally intelligent agents, and where the future of work is actually headed.

How do you break into the world of high-growth international startups?Many wonder but hit a wall.I started my career in a back office in India, facing that same barrier. My guest, Faiyaz, found a way in—without a conventional pedigree.In this personal conversation, he shares his actionable playbook for building that career leap yourself. He also pulls back the curtain on driving growth at the world's fastest-growing legal tech startup.Tune in to learn how to build your own bridge into the global ecosystem.Reference Materials:Find the best startup jobs and remote jobs curated by Y Combinator. | Y CombinatorPaul Graham's Essay: Startup = GrowthCareers | Legora