TechBurstAsia podcast

In the dynamic realm of technology, buzzwords such as IoT, Smart Cities, PropTech, 5G, and AI hold promise for transformative change, yet why do they often fall short of expectations? Introducing the TechBurst Asia podcast—a beacon of pragmatism in an industry often swayed by complacent optimism. Join us as we engage with global industry leaders to delve into the latest buzzwords, discerning between hype and reality.

052: THE MIDDLE EAST STARTUP ECOSYSTEM: The money is there, now what? 10/17/2023

052: THE MIDDLE EAST STARTUP ECOSYSTEM: The money is there, now what? If you keep up to date with the latest technology news, you know that the momentum and investment has shifted from Asia to the Middle East. But gone are the days where countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE just import technology and talent - the new trend across the Middle East is how to create a home-grown technology startup ecosystem - and this is what we are going to cover in today’s podcast. Let’s face it - money is not going to be an issue - but as we have seen from other countries, just throwing money at the startup ecosystem is no guarantee that it will be successful. To help us go through this topic, we are joined by the Partner & Co-Founder of SparkLabs Group, Bernard Moon. SparkLabs has made a name for itself by launching accelerators and VC funds in Asia, Australia and the US, but now they are entering the Middle East market, so let’s see what has drawn SparkLabs to that region - and what Bernard thinks will be the critical success factors to making sure they get a return on their investments. Show Notes: 00:00 Intro to Bernard Moon and SparkLabs Group 02:30 SparkLabs new accelerator programs in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi 06:00 How does SparkLabs plan to find the “best of the best” startups in the Middle East 08:45 Do you see any similarities between the Middle East markets and other countries where you have had success with your accelerators (e.g. Korea, Taiwan)? And are there any specific opportunities and / or risks compared to the other markets you operate in? 14:30 What are the critical success factors for the Middle East markets to develop a home grown startup ecosystem? And what is the role of academia in creating this? 20:30 What does SparkLabs look for in startups that they want to invest in? And are there any red flags that you watch out for? 24:00 What will it take for SparkLabs to view their entry into the Middle East accelerator market a success? 26:00 What can countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE learn from other markets, like Singapore, that haven’t made the most of their investment / funding of their local startup ecosystem? 30:00 Why are startups keen to be involved with SparkLabs versus the many other accelerator programs in the market? 33:00 Last week, (Special Purpose Acquisition Company) on Nasdaq. Can you give us an overview of how this came about and what your strategy for the SPAC is? More information on SparkLabs can be found here: Contact Bernard directly: /episode/index/show/techburstasia/id/28337918

051: AI, CHATGPT & FLYING TAXIS: How Government-led initiatives drive the Middle East's Innovation Ecosystem 05/28/2023

050: RECESSION? WHAT RECESSION? How the Middle East is driving technology innovation and spend 05/23/2023

049: PROPTECH 2023: Moving Beyond the Buzzwords 02/13/2023

048: Why RETURN TO THE OFFICE Strategies FAIL (Hint: FREE BEER is not enough) 10/24/2022

047: Driving INNOVATION and SUSTAINABILITY in the F&B Industry 09/27/2022

046: 2022 GADGET FIX: How APPLE's new SMARTPHONES & SMARTWATCH will impact the industry 09/18/2022

045: Beyond ESG: Why IMPACT INVESTING needs to be the NEXT BIG THING 07/11/2022

044: AR/VR and the METAVERSE: What's REAL and What's HYPE? 05/03/2022

044: AR/VR and the METAVERSE: What's REAL and What's HYPE? After a decade of struggling to live up to the hype, augmented reality and virtual reality are finally gaining traction in the B2C and B2B spaces. Today, we will sit down with Auggd’s Matthias Krampe to discuss the 3 main reasons for this. First, the technologies and ecosystems that support AR & VR have evolved considerably. Second, B2B customers are starting to understand how these technologies can be leveraged to deliver tangible business value through a variety of use cases. And third, they are intrinsically linked to the Metaverse, which has to be approaching the top of the hype curve. Whether you agree with Zuckerberg - and believe that we will all live and work in the metaverse - or whether you agree with NYU marketing professor Scott Galloway that the metaverse is “a giant flaming bag of sh*t”, one thing is for sure, the hype around the metaverse is driving the AR & VR industries But the question is, can this new found interest help AR & VR reach mass adoption? 01:30 Intro to Matthias and his augmented reality firm, Auggd 05:30 What types of AR industry solutions (e.g. construction) does Auggd create? 07:00 Glimpse Group - the AR / VR collective - acquired Auggd in 2021 08:00 Augmented reality has struggled for adoption. What has held it back from reaching its potential? 12:30 What are the key trends (industry trends, hardware and evolution, 5G, etc) driving the AR industry? And is the talent shortage holding the industry back? 16:30 What industries (construction, retail, training) are driving AR adoption? 18:45 How is the virtual reality industry progressing - and what trends are driving it? 21:30 How long will it be before we are having meetings in the metaverse? 30:30 On a scale from 1 to 10, how overhyped is the metaverse? 35:30 You have looked at hundreds of AR and VR solutions, what are some of the best - and worst - solutions you have seen? Auggd: The Glimpse Group: /episode/index/show/techburstasia/id/22985543