500 Southeast Asia

Didn't expect Jensen Huang to serve me hot green tea. (No, the video isn’t AI-generated). He spoke about SF, AI, Trump. I asked him about venture capital. But there is more to the story than what he said. Why he said it, who was there, and what happened during the opera: Embedded in the subtext is a masterful move. First, the facts: 1. 🐵 He brought his tech superpower friends to see Monkey King - casual! 2. ❤️ He and Lori donate $5M/year to the SF Opera - lovely! 3. 👯 He underscored the role of the arts in the age of AI - important! 4. 🤖 He said “SF is back!” “An AI City” attracting global talent - evident! 5. 🤔 He was one of two people who rang up Trump urging against sending the National Guard into SF —and Trump listened - baller! 6. 🧧 I asked if NVIDIA is going deeper into VC; he gave three reasons (in the video). And then the subtext: As I took my seat, I saw Tier 1 VC partners, big-tech CEOs (@sundarpichai included), and decacorn founders do the same. The way everyone settled in felt like a quiet rehearsal for a larger play. Think about it. He chose the guests. He chose the opera to back. We weren’t watching “Hangover Part III” :P - We were watcing Monkey King in opera. Then the curtains parted. A timeless story about POWER unraveled: The quest for absolute power. To subjugate others or uplift others. To hoard or share power. And most of all, how to use the power you have. Diane Paulus directed the opera. But Jensen directed the narrative: As AI accelerates in power, tech titans secure NVIDIA chips to forge AI power -> Venture capital funds AI applications for the masses -> Government leaders battle to secure intelligence as utility for citizens. Jensen just sat their butts down for a 2.5 hour lecture in full vibrato and monkey makeup - an instruction manual how to use their power like an enlightened being would. Jensen’s made his message is clear. Those who continue to accumulate power must remember to empower others with it. If only more of the leaders he rang up could have joined the night. ( Thanks @chipro @DalianaLiu @nvidia for the invite, and @YengT9 for the inspo)

From their first EBITDA profitable year in 2024 to record-breaking highs in 2025: 500-backed @carsomemy hit its most profitable quarter in Q2’25, and continues to scale up its AI-driven services: bit.ly/4mWRBv3 Photo: CARSOME

From farms to factories to families, @Farmart_’s AI is transforming how food moves. Their new AI assistant gives farmers and buyers real-time insights on prices, shipments, and leads — powering smarter decisions without middlemen or delays: bit.ly/4fLkYOu Photo: FarMart

With a US$14M Series B closed, 500-backed digital health company Naluri is teaming up with TELUS Health to roll out Employee Assistance Programs across 8 Asian markets — scaling their mission to transform employee wellbeing: bit.ly/4mXltaU Photo: Naluri

“It is a blueprint for inclusive, accessible, high-performance work environments that sit where people already live, reducing commute times, bridging urban gaps, and reimagining how and where work happens.” — Co-founder & CEO Stephanie Ping: bit.ly/4m0IOrV Photo: WORQ

StoreHub Co-founder & CEO Wai Hong Fong is building an AI-native company from the inside out, empowering his team to move faster, think bigger, and do what once seemed impossible: bit.ly/41qQwTX Photo: StoreHub

“In the digital world, we don’t really have privacy.” — Gary (@garyliu), Co-founder & CEO of 500-backed @terminal3io. That truth sparked a privacy-first revolution so we can prove who we are, without oversharing: bit.ly/41rMafc Photo: AsiaTechDaily

500-backed Prefer’s flavors help partners cut costs, strengthen supply chains, and reduce environmental impact. They’re inviting coffee and cocoa companies to connect and try it out via their website: bit.ly/4mpoeBC Photo: Prefer

By partnering with SKB, a key player in Poland’s industrial sector, 500-backed XING Mobility is taking a step toward making next-gen batteries more accessible and locally adapted for the European market: bit.ly/4lY4l4u Photo: XING Mobility

“Critical infrastructures urgently require smarter, more sustainable water and energy management. Hydroleap delivers solutions that drive both financial efficiency and environmental impact.” — Founder & CEO Moh Sherafatmand: bit.ly/40K6gBh Photo: Hydroleap / SGInnovate

With their unique collective ‘no claim, no fee’ model, 500-backed @LakaHQ is changing how insurance works for e-bikes, e-scooters, and other green mobility rides across the UK and 9 EU markets: bit.ly/450ESBB Photo: Laka

500-backed @GilmourSpace secured a AUD$5M grant. Funding will accelerate the development of Gilmour’s next-gen liquid rocket engine, a key component of their Eris rocket: bit.ly/40IO0by Photo: Gilmour Space

The milestone comes as 500-backed sustainability platform abillion celebrates their 8th anniversary, and the momentum isn’t slowing down for the company. Congratulations to the team! bit.ly/4mkyGtR Photo: abillion

The milestone comes as 500-backed sustainability platform abillion celebrates their 8th anniversary, and the momentum isn’t slowing down for the company. Congratulations to the team! bit.ly/4mkyGtR Photo: abillion

500-backed @qarbotech wins the Startup World Cup in Kuala Lumpur and is headed to Silicon Valley for a shot at US$1M in funding. Their nanotech boosts plant growth by up to 60%, and is already being used by 2,500 farmers: bit.ly/3GZWVi2 Photo: Business Today / Qarbotech

500-backed Chickin joins forces with LINKTA Technologies and Rainmakers Ventures to pilot a tech-powered facility for egg-laying hens in Central Java, with aims for the technology and financial model to be replicated at scale: bit.ly/4o6qEGD Photo: Chickin

Going AIrborne in Borneo with @pandaiofficial - teachers got hands-on experience with the AI-powered Pandai Teacher app, while students explored ways to elevate their education through personalized learning: bit.ly/454ckWH Photo: Pandai

New parents have 99 problems, but diapers ain’t one of them with Applecrumby. Chlorine-free, lab-certified, and baby-friendly: bit.ly/3Uo3zS4 Photo: Malaysiakini / Jesmine Tan

500-backed Prefer is expanding from cup to cone with Melvados’ new Coconut Latte ice cream, which blends Prefer’s beanless coffee creation with coconut milk for a dairy-free, planet-friendly dessert: bit.ly/46MhicP Photo: Prefer

Co-founded by Mahmoud Felfel and Hammad Syed, 500-backed PlayAI is a platform for creating and deploying natural-sounding AI voices everywhere — on the web, phones, apps, and beyond: bloom.bg/457Q0MP Photo: PlayAI