The Asiabits Podcast

"The AI revolution has almost definitionally not begun until we get physical AI." - Nils Pihl, Auki Labs Nils Pihl left Sweden for China to fix one missing piece of the internet, a spatial layer that gives robots, AR glasses, and AI agents a shared sense of where they actually are. His company Auki Labs just closed Sweden's largest retailer as its first big enterprise customer, is putting store-manager robots into shops in 2026, and is calling out Western VCs for being scared of breaking $10,000 of robot hands. In this episode: "AI hasn't begun until physical AI" — and 70% of the world economy still runs on atoms Why every robot wakes up convinced it's at coordinates 0, 0, 0 The pyramids' worth of human time lost in Beijing traffic every single week Naval Ravikant's missing fifth protocol and the sixth Nils added on top Three new internet dimensions: spaces, sensors, actuators The 43-gram Mentra glasses that finally make AR wearable all day Why drone delivery to apartment 30C still doesn't work Closing Sweden's largest retailer as Auki's first enterprise client Store-manager robots vs store-worker robots in 2026 $10,000 of Unitree robot hands shattering in seconds, and why he calls it cheap tuition "Be an agent of change or get replaced by people that already are" About Nils:Nils Pihl is the founder and CEO of Auki Labs, a spatial-computing startup based in Hong Kong building the real-world web, a protocol giving robots, drones, and AR glasses a shared map of physical space. Born in Sweden, seven years in Beijing, now in Hong Kong. Auki's products include Posemesh (decentralized spatial layer) and Cactus AI for Retail. Connect: aukilabs.com --- asiabits is on a mission to bridge the gap between East and West. We provide non-biased, on-the-ground insights into technology, innovation, and the future of business in Asia. Subscribe: asiabits.com Follow us on LinkedIn: Thomas Michael asiabits Watch on YouTube: youtu.be/QY1mAg4lL54

"I think I probably had 10k in the bank account. This thing doesn't work, then I'm screwed." - Oliver Masson, Blisstil Oliver built sleep headphones alone for six years, burned through $700,000 of his own and his family's money, and cried in a Shenzhen hotel on his first night in China. Then he set a $10,000 Kickstarter goal and raised over $1,000,000 in 30 days. In this episode: Crossing $1M alone: "you're never ecstatic, just more tired" 36 prototypes to make soft foam and hard electronics coexist First Shenzhen trip with $10K in the bank — crying in a cheap hotel Finding his Chinese business partner via Dragon Innovation Wanting to quit "at least once a day" for six years Amex capping his card at $38K and a friend lending him 150,000 EUR The Kickstarter algorithm: why 23% of pledges came free Spending $212,000 on ads to raise $1,000,000 Shipping 3,272 units in April and pricing against Bose "Fall in love with the problem, not the solution" About Oliver:Oliver Masson is the solo founder of Blisstil, maker of the Serenade — over-ear ANC sleep and travel headphones born from six years of R&D. Australian, based in Lisbon. UNSW Renewable Energy Engineering, Sunswift Solar Racing Team, ex-carpenter, ex-entrepreneurship lecturer. Connect: blisstil.com --- asiabits is on a mission to bridge the gap between East and West. We provide non-biased, on-the-ground insights into technology, innovation, and the future of business in Asia. Subscribe: asiabits.com Follow us on LinkedIn: Thomas Michael asiabits Watch on YouTube: youtu.be/0YoFuZwpiFU

"I don't think that Shenzhen's manufacturing ecosystem will be replaced in the next decade. I don't think it's possible." - Joshua Woodard, The Sparrows Josh grew up on the south side of Chicago, studied mechanical engineering at MIT, completed a Schwarzman Scholarship at Tsinghua, and spent four years at Apple managing iPhone and Mac camera production in Shenzhen. In April 2025 he quit to start The Sparrows, a manufacturing consultancy helping Western companies navigate China's supply chain. In this episode: Growing up on the south side of Chicago with a "black tiger mom" Googling "best engineering school" at 12 and ending up at MIT Schwarzman Scholars at Tsinghua: understanding Chinese history and business 4 years at Apple China: Foxconn factories, iPhone cameras, millions of units Leaving Apple and getting validated by the Gates Foundation Business culture: stamps vs. signatures, relationships vs. lawsuits Why Shenzhen's manufacturing won't be replaced in 10 years America's 500,000 unfilled manufacturing jobs "We're too fat to assemble iPhones" About Joshua: Joshua Woodard is Co-Founder of The Sparrows, a Shenzhen-based manufacturing consultancy. MIT mechanical engineering, Schwarzman Scholar (Tsinghua), ex-Apple Camera R&D. From the south side of Chicago. Connect: thesparrows.co --- asiabits is on a mission to bridge the gap between East and West. We provide non-biased, on-the-ground insights into technology, innovation, and the future of business in Asia. Subscribe: asiabits.com Follow us on LinkedIn: Thomas Michael asiabits Watch on YouTube: youtu.be/Ib26-JHlCb4

"The speed at which you solve problems on the factory floor is the speed at which your product ships." - Ryan Dunwoody Ryan was 24 when he flew to Shenzhen with a suitcase and a crowdfunding campaign to deliver. No Mandarin. No manufacturing experience. The factory gave him a bunk bed in the workers' dormitory. He took it. Five months later, the first production run shipped. Ten years later, he's still there. In this episode: Entrepreneurial beginnings: sex toys at 14, megaphone marketing at 17 Flying to Shenzhen at 24 with nothing and sleeping in a factory dormitory How the factory boss named him 杜无敌 (Du the Invincible) Pi-top: $35M raised, 10,000 laptops shipped, Guinness World Record Why remote hardware development kills startups The scooter man: Huaqiangbei delivers ICs to your window in 30 minutes Powerhouse's rule: every engineer must assemble what they design Hiring in 996 culture (3 months for one mechanical engineer) What Westerners get wrong about Chinese manufacturing Why your factory isn't the problem -- you are Connect with Ryan: LinkedIn | powerhouse.engineering About Asiabits: Weekly insider stories from Asia's tech & startup ecosystem. Subscribe: asiabits.com

"I lost everything up there when I was hiking. The monk said: Congratulations." - Denise Wu, rootiqueDenise started at Ogilvy in Hong Kong, launched Foodpanda as the first employee, scaled a bike-sharing startup to the US in three months, and then quit everything to build a hardware device for hair loss treatment. Alone. No co-founder, no R&D background. She spent 300,000 RMB of her own money on the first mold and flew from New York to Shenzhen to scream at a factory boss before Chinese New Year.In this episode:The photo in Annecy, France that made her stop taking picturesFrom Ogilvy to Foodpanda to bike-sharing to hair loss hardwareWhy 90% of people quit hair treatment before seeing resultsBuilding the world's first micro-misting scalp device (15 seconds, 3.5x absorption)300,000 RMB for the first mold, no investors, just her savingsA marketing expert learning hardware R&D from scratch in ShenzhenWhy Chinese factories copy but refuse to innovateFlying from NYC to storm into the factory boss's officeInnoX: Shenzhen's best hardware incubator (DJI, Huawei, Anker mentors)Hitchhiking to Tibet, a car accident, and a monk's life lessonAbout Denise:Denise Wu is the Founder & CEO of rootique, a Shenzhen-based scalp care tech company. Before rootique, she launched Foodpanda HK, scaled bluegogo's US operations, and worked at Ogilvy. Her product, rootique DUO, is the world's first one-handed micro-misting scalp care device.Connect with Denise:LinkedIn | rootique.co---asiabits is on a mission to bridge the gap between East and West. We provide non-biased, on-the-ground insights into technology, innovation, and the future of business in Asia.Subscribe to the asiabits newsletter: asiabits.comFollow us on LinkedIn:ThomasMichaelasiabitsWatch the video version on YouTube: youtu.be/sM6PQxss89M

"Don't be afraid to pivot." - Laurent Le PenLaurent moved to Shenzhen in 2007 when nobody knew the city. He watched the iPhone launch live from a Philips Mobile office, built the first million-dollar Kickstarter smartwatch out of Shenzhen, pivoted when Apple entered the market, co-founded an oral care brand that became #1 in Poland, and just launched an AI productivity device in Japan. 18 years, three companies, one city.In this episode:His grandfather was a French soldier in China during WWIIMoving to Shenzhen in 2007: one metro line, the iPhone had just launchedWorking at Philips Mobile when smartphones killed the feature phone industryVisiting BYD when they only made batteriesLaunching Omate TrueSmart on Kickstarter: $1M raised, first from ShenzhenHow Apple Watch forced him to pivot to smartwatches for seniors and kidsCo-founding Oclean: now a top oral care brand in Eastern EuropeOxtak "Moneypenny": AI recorder with live translation, launching in JapanHardware masterclass: how to build a product in Shenzhen as a foreignerAbout Laurent:Laurent Le Pen is a French serial entrepreneur based in Shenzhen since 2007. Founded Omate (smartwatches), co-founded Oclean (smart oral care, 30+ awards, 300+ patents), and recently launched Oxtak, an AI productivity platform. 500Global alum and board member of La French Tech Hong Kong Shenzhen.Connect with Laurent:LinkedIn | oxtak.com | omate.com | oclean.com---asiabits is on a mission to bridge the gap between East and West. We provide non-biased, on-the-ground insights into technology, innovation, and the future of business in Asia.Subscribe to the asiabits newsletter: asiabits.comFollow us on LinkedIn:ThomasMichaelasiabitsWatch the video version on YouTube: youtu.be/akaiqz3lX4k

"Guess how many companies in the US make actuators for robots? Zero." - Tuo Liu, RobotuoTuo grew up in Shenzhen, spent a decade in the US designing robotics labs for MIT and Harvard, and moved back to build the largest open-source robotics community connecting global founders with Shenzhen's hardware ecosystem. His maps of 150+ humanoid companies in China went viral. His verdict: the next decade of robotics will be built in the Greater Bay Area.In this episode:"Raise in SF, spend in Shenzhen, sell to the world" - the pattern behind every hardware startupDesigning robotics labs for MIT, Harvard, and Apple - then realizing all the parts came from ChinaZero actuator manufacturers in the US vs. 50+ in ShenzhenBuilding a community of 270+ global robotics foundersWhy China dominates open source AI (DeepSeek, Qwen)150+ humanoid companies in China - how many will survive?Unitree's $20K humanoid vs. $200K competitorsCES = "Chinese Electronics Show"Free prototypes in one week from Shenzhen factories#1 advice: make friends, set up a local teamConnect with Tuo:X/Twitter: @Robo_TuoLinkedInrobotuo.comAbout Asiabits: Weekly insider stories from Asia's tech & startup ecosystem. Subscribe: asiabits.com

"I believe I will do it." - Irving Gao, Sweekar200 people received Irving's first AI robot. One month later, only 1 was still using it. He crashed, pivoted, took out ¥2,000,000 (~$300,000) in personal loans, and built Sweekar – the world's first physically growing AI pocket pet. CES media called it "breaking news."In this episode:How he gave up a PhD at USTC to take out a $300K loan and start a companyWorking at Unitree Robotics, SenseTime & Shanghai AI Lab before going soloThe first product that completely failed: 200 units shipped, 1 user after 30 daysThe gamification design course that changed everythingWhy he's building the "Nintendo of AI" – not the iPhone of AIHow Sweekar physically grows: Egg → Baby → Teen → Adult (MBTI personality)CES 2026: media calling it "breaking news"Why USA before China – the DJI & Anker playbookKickstarter: May 2026, $100–150About Irving Gao (高鸿志):Founder & CEO of Takway AI, Shenzhen. Ex-Unitree Robotics, SenseTime, Shanghai AI Lab. Dropped his guaranteed PhD at USTC to build emotionally intelligent AI companions.Follow Sweekar:Instagram: @sweekar_pocket_petWebsite: takway.aiLinks:Watch on YouTube: youtu.be/Afwd6TGXQr4Newsletter (free, daily): asiabits.comThomas on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/afuthomasMichael on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-broza

"Look for a really honest team that is iterating fast. A lot of demos are fake." - Francesco CrivelliFrancesco (23) grew up between Switzerland and Chile, had 30% school attendance, slept in immigrant housing as a teenager - and ended up at UC Berkeley building robots. In 2 months in China, he visited over 500 robotics companies and now builds a platform to deploy robots in the real world.What we cover:Why every hardware founder needs to come to ShenzhenThe real cost of deploying a robot (hint: the hardware is only 1/5)What happened when their robot destroyed a restaurantHow he ordered 16 motors in 2 hours (try that in the US)Why most robotics demos are fake - and what investors should look forAbout Francesco Crivelli:Swiss-Chilean robotics founder, UC Berkeley (EECS), Columbia Engineering. Building a robot deployment platform bridging Silicon Valley software with Shenzhen hardware.Francesco's company - Intuition Core:Website: intuition.devLinkedIn: Intuition CoreX/Twitter: @intuitioncoreLinks:Newsletter (free, daily): asiabits.comYouTube: Watch the video versionThomas on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/afuthomasMichael on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-broza

"My dog is so lonely at home. I want to fix that." Jacky is 24. He scraped 1 million social media comments, fed them to ChatGPT, and built a smart remote-control ball for dogs in Shenzhen.Featured at CES 2026 and covered by CNET, PePeHola lets you play with your dog from anywhere in the world. Kickstarter launches February 26.In this episode, we discuss:• AI-powered market research: How ChatGPT analyzed 1 million comments to find the real problem• The InnoX Academy: Backed by DJI's co-founder, only founders under 30 can join• Shenzhen speed: From 3D-printed prototype to CES in under two years• Smart design: Why 90% of pet camera owners still can't interact with their pets• The bone controller: Play with your dog from another country via WiFi• Next product: A smart collar that detects your dog's emotions and stressAbout Jacky & Jay:Jacky (24) is the co-founder of PePeHola, a smart pet tech startup from Shenzhen's InnoX Academy. Jay handles product discovery for the US market and moved from Korea to join the team.---asiabits is on a mission to bridge the gap between East and West. We provide non-biased, on-the-ground insights into technology, innovation, and the future of business in Asia.Subscribe to the asiabits newsletter: asiabits.comFollow us on LinkedIn:ThomasMichaelasiabitsWatch the video version on YouTube: youtu.be/0s3nQ50ZWiY

"It's a rich people sport." Pilates sessions cost $100 each. Monthly memberships run $500. Eric, a designer from Shenzhen, said: "We could do better."He built a smart, foldable Pilates reformer in his apartment. 48 hours after launching on Kickstarter: $400,000 raised.In this episode, we discuss:• The "rich people sport" problem: Why Pilates costs $500/month and how Eric is changing that• From back pain to business: How chronic desk job pain led to a $400K Kickstarter• Shenzhen speed: 3D-printed prototype to CES 2026 in one year• The tech inside: Smart sensors, app integration, and gamification• $899 vs $3,000: Why traditional reformers are overpriced• Pilates was invented by a German?! The surprising history• Thomas' 140kg story: How sports changed everythingAbout Eric & Tintin:Eric is a designer and co-founder of Pavo Fitness. After chronic back pain from desk work, he discovered Pilates but couldn't afford the sessions. Tintin is a Pilates instructor who left her 996 (actually "000007" - 24/7) tech job to pursue fitness full-time.---asiabits is on a mission to bridge the gap between East and West. We provide non-biased, on-the-ground insights into technology, innovation, and the future of business in Asia.Pavo Fitness Kickstarter: kickstarter.com/projects/pavofitnessSubscribe to the asiabits newsletter: asiabits.comFollow us on LinkedIn:ThomasMichaelasiabits

Sean is from Zibo, China's most famous barbecue city. At just 24, he co-founded Cozytime and built the Lumo, an AI-powered smart grill that brings real charcoal-style barbecue indoors with zero smoke.Supported by InnoX, the accelerator founded by DJI's creator, Sean and his team trained their AI on over 100kg of meat. The Lumo uses infrared technology instead of hot air, giving you that authentic smoky flavor right in your apartment.In this episode, we discuss:• From BBQ Capital to Tech Founder: How growing up in Zibo shaped Sean's vision for indoor grilling• The Infrared Breakthrough: Why 70% of charcoal heat comes from infrared, not hot air, and how Lumo uses this• AI-Powered Cooking: Cameras, sensors, and machine learning that know your meat's size, weight, and temperature• Three Modes, One Machine: Oven, grill, and open flat-top in a single device• InnoX Academy: How DJI's founder's accelerator helped Sean build his startup• Market Research at the Bar: Going to expat bars in Shenzhen to find first customers• Pitching with Meat: How cooking for Chinese investors got them to say "take my money"• The Tesla Strategy: Making it affordable to collect data and improve the AI• Social Recipes: Share your grilling results with friends through the Lumo appAbout Sean:Sean is a co-founder of Cozytime, based in Shenzhen. Originally from Zibo, Shandong Province, he studied engineering and joined InnoX, the innovation academy founded by DJI's creator. Together with his co-founders, he is building the Lumo smart grill, launching on Kickstarter in February 2026.---asiabits is on a mission to bridge the gap between East and West. We provide non-biased, on-the-ground insights into technology, innovation, and the future of business in Asia.Pre-order the Lumo: prelaunch.com/lumoSubscribe to the asiabits newsletter: asiabits.comFollow us on LinkedIn:ThomasMichaelasiabitsWatch the video version on YouTube: youtu.be/kce77prgEFM

Audrey Quan went from college student to founder with investments from Abu Dhabi's royal family. At just 20-something, she built an AI company that impressed some of the wealthiest investors in the Middle East.In this episode, Audrey shares her journey from studying mass communication in China to creating AI digital humans and translation devices that caught the attention of investors in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi.In this episode, we discuss:• The Royal Investment Story: How Audrey attracted backing from Middle East investors for her AI startup• AI Digital Humans: The technology behind creating digital avatars that can replace yourself• Building Innoaio: Her real-time translation device that breaks down language barriers• From Animation to AI Hardware: How she pivoted from creating animation videos to building AI products• The "Shenzhen Speed" Advantage: How Chinese founders develop and pivot ideas faster than anywhere else• Challenges in the Middle East Market: Why UAE reminded her of "China 10 years ago"• Advice for Hardware Founders: Navigating China's manufacturing ecosystem and scaling productionAbout Audrey Quan:Audrey is a young founder from Henan Province, China, now based in Shenzhen. She started her company while still in college, initially creating animation videos for oil and financial industries. Today, she builds AI-powered products including digital humans and the Innoaio real-time translation device, with backing from investors across Asia and the Middle East.---asiabits is on a mission to bridge the gap between East and West. We provide non-biased, on-the-ground insights into technology, innovation, and the future of business in Asia.Subscribe to the asiabits newsletter: asiabits.comFollow us on LinkedIn:ThomasMichaelasiabitsWatch the video version on YouTube: youtu.be/CR-0d7ZJYkw

"I quit my job in Germany and moved to China without knowing what I wanted to do here. For a lot of people, it's crazy. For me, it makes no sense to stay in Europe."In the premiere episode of The asiabits Podcast, Michael (Co-founder of Asiabits) shares the unfiltered story of why he traded the German countryside for the high-speed chaos of Shanghai and Shenzhen.We dive deep into why Europe is "ignoring" the Asian Century, the reality of the AI race (DeepSeek, South Korea's battle plan, and beyond), and why the "China Experts" you see on LinkedIn are often getting it completely wrong.In this episode, we discuss:• The "Suicide" of Ignorance: Why European businesses are at risk by ignoring Asian innovation• Life on the Ground: The truth about safety, convenience, and the "American Dream" currently happening in China• The Elevator Pitch: How a chance meeting in an elevator led to the birth of the asiabits newsletter and podcast• Germany vs. China: A look at the massive gap in AI investment and entrepreneurial speed• The "Gym" Mentality: Why building a startup is exactly like losing 60kg, it's about showing up when you don't want to---asiabits is on a mission to bridge the gap between East and West. We provide non-biased, on-the-ground insights into technology, innovation, and the future of business in Asia.Subscribe to the asiabits newsletter: asiabits.comFollow us on LinkedIn:ThomasMichaelasiabitsWatch the video version on YouTube: youtu.be/HICvIhapv_kIf you enjoyed this episode, please give us a like and subscribe. It helps us bring more authentic stories from the ground in Asia to the rest of the world.