From Apps to Infrastructure: 3 Startup Shifts Rewiring Southeast Asia

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🎙️ EP 6: The Invisible Unicorns: Why Southeast Asia's Biggest Startup Stories Are Happening Behind Your Phone Screen

🛰 The next big story in Southeast Asia’s startup scene isn’t an app.It’s the infrastructure humming underneath.

In this jam-packed episode, Kim Yeoh and Kevin Brockland unpack the quiet pivot happening across the region — from flashy B2C apps to the invisible rails powering how we travel, invest, and build.

This isn’t a trend. It’s a tectonic shift.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

How Airalo became the world’s first eSIM unicorn—and why it’s not just a travel app, it’s global telco infrastructure.

Why Arta Finance is building the AWS of private wealth—and how Singapore fits into their playbook.

What Lovable’s “vibe coding” model tells us about the future of dev infra—and what it means for SEA founders.

🔎 Key Takeaways:

Infrastructure is the new battleground—and Southeast Asia is exporting it.

The best startups don’t just build apps. They build rails.

“Freemium” tools today could become tomorrow’s lock-in traps.

Smart founders build optionality into their stack: rent wisely, own strategically.

🧠 Sound Bites

“From SIM cards to APIs—Southeast Asia isn’t just using infrastructure. It’s building it.”

“If one platform powers every MVP, who’s really innovating?”

“Selective independence is the name of the game. Build what you must, rent what you can.”

“Infrastructure isn’t sexy—until it breaks. Then it’s everything.”

“The next breakout isn’t another super app. It’s the rails they all run on.”

“Don’t just scale fast. Scale smart. Own your margins.”

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Southeast Asia's Infrastructure Revolution

12:29 – AI and Wealth Management Innovations

23:13 – The Future of No-Code Development

27:01 – The Rise of Vibe Coding

29:23 – Democratizing Access to Technology

32:20 – The Future of AI and Market Dynamics

35:55 – Empowering the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

40:23 – Building for the Future: Infrastructure and Innovation

42:16 – Exploring Infrastructure Plays

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💬 Let’s Connect

🎙 Kim Yeoh →https://www.linkedin.com/in/weiisyuenyeohacmacgma/🎙 Kevin Brockland → https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbrockland/ 📬 Join 500+ founders & VCs reading our newsletter → https://seaofstartups.substack.com/

SEA of Startups is where the region’s real startup stories live.No puff pieces. No fluff. Just what’s actually happening under the surface.