Jianggan Li: China Tech Giant Expansion, Entering Southeast Asia & Venture Building Lessons - E345

In this discussion, Jianggan Li, Founder & CEO of Momentum Works, and Jeremy Au delved into three key themes:

1. China Tech Giants: Jianggan authored “Seeing the Unseen: Behind Chinese Tech Giants' Global Venturing,” which sheds light on the strategies and struggles of Chinese tech giants in global markets. He discusses the tactical decisions and leadership styles of Chinese tech giants, as well as intense domestic competition coupled with limited domestic growth in China.

2. Entering Southeast Asia: Jianggan and Jeremy talked about the recent wave of Chinese tech companies expanding into Southeast Asia. Jianggan explained that earlier expansion efforts were more opportunistic, with major companies like Tencent, Baidu, and Alibaba making significant investments and acquisitions, contrasting with the current necessity-driven expansion due to policy shifts and geopolitical factors. He advises companies to prioritize understanding local market dynamics and building sustainable business models that integrate regionally and emphasizes the importance of leadership and dedicated resources in successful joint ventures and strategic expansion.

3. Venture Building Lessons: Jianggan narrated his diverse career path, beginning as a computer engineer, progressing through an INSEAD MBA, and then venturing into various entrepreneurial roles as Regional Managing Director at Easy Taxi, and co-founding multiple startups like HalalNode and PasarPinjam. He eventually transitioned to founding Momentum Works, a venture builder. He speaks candidly about the complexities and pressures of leading a startup, emphasizing the drastic shift in responsibilities of being at the helm. He learned during the time of the cutthroat ride-hailing market being dominated by network effects and a winner-takes-all mentality. His experience also highlighted the difference between managing an existing company and founding a new one, where personal stakes and responsibilities are significantly higher.

They also talked about navigating different market environments, the psychological challenges and emotional resilience required in entrepreneurship, and the strategic considerations involved in forming joint ventures.

Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/jianggan-li

Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com

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Learn more about Fluid! Get in touch with Trasy, Fluid’s cofounder at trasy@gofluid.io