About Contributor

Anh-Minh Do

Minh juggles keeping his pulse on Vietnam’s start-up, social media and technology scenes while keeping his eye on the budding Southeast Asian web-influenced cultures. His main areas of research include social media, apps, start-up, online marketing, web culture and events. He’s currently based in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. If you have any tips, questions or feedback, contact him via Email, Facebook, Twitter.
Why do you guys think that community is important to producing great startups? On that theme, have you read Brad Feld's book on Startup Communities and the Rainforest? Two great books on building startup communities. Not related to online communities, but more related to building up ecosystems.

Commented 20 hours ago on

Why Tech in Asia’s community is important
I want to see a Dungeons and Dragons type game with a randomized adventurous RPG narrator that takes you through either fantastical or science fiction landscapes as a group.

Commented 2 days ago on

Bringing apps and technology into board games
Hey guys, Why do you think your job is important to the ecosystem? How do you see your impact and what is the future of that impact going to be? Will it stay the same or evolve?

Commented 3 weeks ago on

We’re the Tech in Asia editorial team. Ask us anything!
True. That's more plausible. Has he shown interest in startups though?

Commented 3 weeks ago on

Tencent’s CEO just sold $400M in stock
Probably to buy a new yacht.

Commented 3 weeks ago on

Tencent’s CEO just sold $400M in stock
Hi Jeremy, in terms of social media, how do you think it has changed in the last 5 years since you've been in China? Do you think Sina Weibo and WeChat are essentially competitors for the same market or are they different?

Commented 3 weeks ago on

For 5 years, I’ve helped businesses do social media in China, ask me anything!
This is why it is my theory that founders should look to pull older and more experienced folks in. 

Commented 4 weeks ago on

Silicon Valley spends money on people, Asia spends it on marketing
My guess is it's multiple factors: lack of HR, new markets, company budgets, cultural hierarchies, and marketing strategy.

Commented 4 weeks ago on

Silicon Valley spends money on people, Asia spends it on marketing
hehe, too true.

Commented 4 weeks ago on

Silicon Valley spends money on people, Asia spends it on marketing
I guess China gives us a template for how things will grow on their own terms, but my sense is that Southeast Asia can't afford to wait. Mainly because the conglomerates are accelerating into the region faster than startups can hire the best.

Commented 4 weeks ago on

Silicon Valley spends money on people, Asia spends it on marketing
I think another thing is that there is a bigger population of early adopters who are willing to try new things. This makes marketing cheaper. People flock to sites like producthunt just so they can try out the next best thing.

Commented 4 weeks ago on

Silicon Valley spends money on people, Asia spends it on marketing
Agreed. Although it's my sense that Asians can use their older money (and valuations) to entice some Valley and European folks to come into Asia to get the ball rolling faster.

Commented 4 weeks ago on

Silicon Valley spends money on people, Asia spends it on marketing
It seems there are a few companies who are indeed doing that though. Rocket Internet's companies have set this precedence, and have subsequently given birth to a generation of people who are also keen on starting up.

Commented 4 weeks ago on

Silicon Valley spends money on people, Asia spends it on marketing
I agree that it's harder for Asians to uproot and try something more risky, especially the older ones. But I think it works both ways, the founders can entice them with big salaries and equity, but I'm not sure if they are ready to do that quite yet.

Commented 4 weeks ago on

Silicon Valley spends money on people, Asia spends it on marketing
My sense is that Asia is still not convinced that startups lead to wealth. The only big bull case we have for big winners in Asia are Jack Ma....and maybe more of Jack Ma...and maybe a spattering of Masayoshi Son, the Tencent guys and the Baidu guys. So basically, it's mostly China and Japan. We don't have any mystical stories of prowess like Zuck, Gates, and Jobs, and the rest of the gang.

Commented 4 weeks ago on

Silicon Valley spends money on people, Asia spends it on marketing
That makes sense. Japan has an older generation of folks that made things happen and also a lower supply of younger folks who want to do startup.

Commented 4 weeks ago on

Silicon Valley spends money on people, Asia spends it on marketing
Of course, there's always going to be systems and processes to hire new people that fit for your company or not. But people who are more experienced bring something more mature to companies. Obviously, you have to hire the best of that group.

Commented 4 weeks ago on

Silicon Valley spends money on people, Asia spends it on marketing
What do you think are the worst and best aspects of Vietnam's startup scene?

Commented 4 weeks ago on

We’re Binh and Eddie, Venture Partners of 500 Startups. Ask us Anything!
Hi guys! We know that 500 Startups has already invested in a few Vietnamese startups. Can you tell us more about them and why you think they're special?

Commented 4 weeks ago on

We’re Binh and Eddie, Venture Partners of 500 Startups. Ask us Anything!
My pleasure. It's online!

Commented 1 month ago on

The 30 best iOS apps for Singapore residents