AI Gives Every Founder a Superpower

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Mohan Belani, co-founder and CEO of e27, joins The Generalists for Episode 85 to talk about Southeast Asia’s startup ecosystem, AI adoption, Singapore’s future, founder quality, venture capital, and why AI is becoming an existential challenge for companies and workers alike. 🎟️ Join us at Echelon :: June 3rd and 4th :: https://echelon.e27.co/ In this episode, Mohan reflects on nearly two decades helping shape Southeast Asia’s startup ecosystem through e27 and Echelon. The conversation explores how the region has evolved from the early startup wave into today’s AI-driven landscape, why Singapore remains one of the world’s best launchpads for founders, and why many ambitious AI-native builders still feel compelled to move to Silicon Valley. 🤝 Sponsored by https://TAP4SRV.com - Quickly find local Service Providers on WhatsApp! 🤝 🔔 Listen and Subscribe • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4 • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists ⏱️ YouTube Chapters 00:00 Why AI adoption is now existential 00:01 Mohan’s Yahoo and early Singapore startup days 02:01 How e27 and Echelon originally started 03:30 Why Southeast Asia became more fragmented over time 04:30 Singapore as a startup launchpad vs reality of the region 05:50 Singapore’s AI strategy and global positioning 06:50 Why AI adoption in Southeast Asia is still difficult 08:30 Fear and resistance toward AI inside enterprises 11:20 “AI will not replace you, someone using AI will” 12:00 Using AI as a thought partner and coach 14:20 How Singapore’s startup ecosystem has evolved 16:30 The new generation of Southeast Asian startups 18:45 Why fundraising today is more disciplined 20:50 Singapore’s role in global startup building 24:40 Why companies like nas.io should be celebrated 28:20 Singapore’s AI positioning and government strategy 29:35 Mohan’s cautious optimism about AI 31:20 Are founders getting better in the AI era? 33:10 Can Southeast Asia still build