Stay in your lane

Why hyperlocal VCs, a scrappy rocket maker, and AI wearables all prove the same point: There’s value in knowing your lane and staying in it.

Read from your browser Sunday Newsletter Welcome to Tech in Asia's Sunday newsletter, your weekend brief on the biggest moves in Asia's tech and startup world. Subscribe to this newsletter or send story tips to editors@techinasia.com. Ensure our articles appear in your Google searches: IN FOCUS Peter Cowan on why staying in your lane isn't bad Why hyperlocal VCs are thriving in Indonesia What Sea Group's earnings tell us about the state of Shopee Hello Betamax, Telling someone to stay in their lane is, on the face of it, considered pretty rude. But while the delivery of such a statement may leave a lot to be desired, it's actually pretty good advice. After all, you can't win a race by weaving from lane to lane, nor can you build a successful business without understanding what makes you unique. This week's featured stories all remind me of what a business can gain by understanding its lane, niche, unique selling point, or whatever term fits. And more than understanding, but staying with it. Take Jofie's story on a different type of VC that's currently thriving in Indonesia. Instead of seeking the next GoJek or Bukalapak to pump their money into, these smaller firms back the likes of palm oil traders, small manufacturers, and handicraft exporters with a different kind of financing. Whether these firms can actually be considered VCs or not is a fair question. But regardless, they've found their niche. We're also featuring Samreen's piece on Skyroot Aerospace, an Indian spacetech company that's not trying to copy SpaceX but is instead blazing its own trail to the stars. Dive in to see why Skyroot sees itself as a space cab to SpaceX's train. Finally, Melissa's article dives deep into AI wearables' search for a solid use case. It probably doesn't help that Meta's smart glasses have now become widely known as "pervert glasses." Three very different lanes, three reminders that sticking to the straight and narrow is key. Peter Cowan, engagement editor EDITOR'S PICKS 1️⃣ Far from Jakarta, a different kind of VC is thriving Foreign investors might have been scared off by a raft of scandals in Indonesian tech, but hyperlocal VC firms are enjoying success. Their deep local knowledge is an advantage in many regards, but their narrow focus does make them more exposed to market downturns. 2️⃣ Skyroot's frugal rocket formula and why it won't follow SpaceX This Q&A with Skyroot co-founder and CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana shines a spotlight on how the Indian spacetech unicorn built one of the world's cheapest orbital rockets and why he's betting solid propulsion, carbon composite, and 3D printing can out-hustle bigger-budget rivals. 3️⃣ AI wearables chase payments, pets, and the perfect use case Billions have already been pumped into this AI wearables race, from glasses to earbuds and even headsets. So why has nobody cracked the killer use case yet? Read on to find out. SHORT CUTS 1️⃣ Trouble in paradise? Another week, another senior OpenAI resignation. The ChatGPT-maker's chief revenue officer, Denise Holland Dresser, has announced that she would leave the company to pursue other opportunities. It's the latest high-profile resignation from the firm in recent weeks. Not great for IPO preparation. 2️⃣ Manus eyes a comeback The AI agent startup is preparing for its return as an independent company after Meta's acquisition of it was blocked by Chinese authorities. What comes next for Manus is anyone's guess. But if it stays headquartered in Singapore and builds its business there, the city-state's AI scene could stand to gain more than it did from the failed acquisition. 3️⃣ Shein loses its shine How the mighty fall. After hitting a peak private market valuation of US$100 billion in 2022, ultra-fast fashion giant Shein's long-awaited IPO appears to be coming in below expectations at US$22 billion to US$25 billion. The Hong Kong debut would mark an end to a long-running saga for the China-linked firm whose global ambitions have always sat uncomfortably with its roots. ONE VISUAL STORY YOU SHOULDN'T MISS Shipshape Shopee for Sea? Sea Group's Q2 results came out last week, with its headline figure marking a 48.1% year-on-year revenue bump to US$7.8 billion. Ecommerce arm Shopee led the way with US$5.6 billion of revenue, up 48.2%. When asked directly, Sea didn't say whether ASEAN ecommerce is profitable for the firm. It did confirm, however, that Shopee's core marketplace take rate has climbed from roughly 8.5% to 11.2% over the past year, and management is now committing publicly to a US$1 billion full-year adjusted EBITDA target for the segment. Whether Southeast Asia is doing the heavy lifting on that goal - or not - remains an open question. WEEKEND DEEP DIVE Mark Zuckerberg doesn't understand how to live In case you somehow missed it (and if you did, I'm jealous), we were treated to 6,500 words of Zuckerberg's thoughts on AI last week. Instead of giving it to you straight from the horse's mouth, I'm sharing this essay by Elizabeth Lopatto of The Verge, which does a good job dissecting the flaws in the Facebook founder's manifesto. As Lopatto boils it down, Zuckerberg makes the case for how AI will help us in our relationships, hobbies, expression, work, education, and even scientific advancements. Whether AI can really do all these things is a matter for debate, and it's telling that AI boosters still have to shrilly insist on the tech's power rather than point to its successes. But the more damning gap is that Zuckerberg never answers why anyone would want AI handling their relationships, hobbies, or education in the first place. As Lopatto argues, the joy is in doing it ourselves. SCALING AI FOR MILLIONS A deep dive with Grab's chief product officer Grab is more than just a super app. It uses AI to manage its vast network of users, drivers, and businesses. As chief product officer, Philipp Kandal leads the product and technical strategy behind the millions of daily transactions on the platform across Southeast Asia. Moving AI out of the lab and into a real-time consumer environment requires an infrastructure that cannot fail. This in-depth fireside chat pulls back the curtain on Grab's AI machinery, revealing hard-won lessons on making intelligence reliable at a regional scale. From supporting consumer-facing features to ensuring operational consistency, Philipp shares the roadmap for building AI that survives the pressure of a massive, high-velocity ecosystem. Catch this session only at Tech in Asia Conference, ticket prices start from US$31. EVENTS HAPPENING You can also check out our curated list of trending tech events and Tech in Asia's signature events. This is your last chance to be in the room Enterprise AI's next chapter gets decided at ignitePRO at BATIC on August 25 in BICC The Westin Resort, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia. Leaders from Meta, Microsoft, AWS, Nokia, Rakuten, Lazada, Telkom Indonesia, Telin, and more will set the direction of Asia's digital future. Seats are limited and registration closes soon. Sign up here. ADVERTISE | SUBSCRIBE | HIRE | FIND JOBS P.S. Don't miss out on the biggest tech news and analysis. Add newsletter@techinasia.com to your address book, contacts, or safe sender list. Or simply move us into your inbox. Tech in Asia thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Too many emails? Switch to a different frequency or get new content through our preference center, or unsubscribe. You can also remove yourself from all Tech in Asia emails over here. Copyright © 2026 Tech in Asia, All rights reserved. Tech in Asia (Podium Level 3), 1000 Toa Payoh North, News Centre, Singapore 318994