"One thing I often say to founders who ask, ‘Is this a good idea?’ is to reflect the question back to themselves, because ultimately, they are the ones investing their time into it. They are the ones facing the opportunity costs of nurturing this idea. Is this something they want to commit to for five, maybe ten years of their lives? There are several aspects to consider here: Do they possess a genuine personal interest in the idea, enough to sustain them through the grueling parts of building a company—through mornings filled with dread like, ‘Oh, I have to serve these people again? I can't stand it,’ or will they wake up thinking, ‘I am still really interested in solving this problem. This problem matters to me, and these customers matter to me. I want to do this.’ Essentially, is there a founder-problem fit at the core?" - Shiyan Koh
"I often think about history and sci-fi because I love both of these topics. They're both stories of the same thing, which is the arc of human history. History is full of ideas of simultaneous innovation. On the other end of the scale, science fiction invites writers to dream about the future, pondering what, based on our current understanding of human life, we might desire instantly. There’s a narrative arc inherent in these ideas. I believe that founders are essentially advancing ideas from the next decade into the present, a process that promises to be quite fascinating. Ideas become not merely spontaneous creations but reflect what society seeks to address, what's feasible, and what funding is available to support them. This nexus is intriguing—it's not just about whether an idea is good in our eyes, but whether it’s an idea that civilization is ready to bring to life. In this scenario, founders act like midwives, helping to deliver these ideas into reality." - Jeremy Au
"There is this recurring question of opportunity cost: is the opportunity big enough? Is the potential payoff worth the time you're investing? There are several ways to consider this. Then, the question arises: is this idea good, and is it suitable for venture capital backing? Many ideas form perfectly viable businesses but aren't necessarily attractive to venture capitalists. This isn't a negative; different business models have different return profiles—some fit venture capital, others do not. You need to carefully consider what you ultimately want if all goes well. If your goal is to solve a problem you deeply care about and establish a sustainable business, many scenarios can fulfill this however, if you're aiming for a venture-scale outcome, that narrows your options to a specific type of problem." - Shiyan Koh
In this episode, Jeremy Au speaks on Disney+ arbitration PR crisis, good versus bad startup sci-fi ideas, and defence tech rise with Shiyan Koh.
Keywords: Disney+ Arbitration PR Crisis, Good vs Bad Startup Sci-Fi Ideas, Defence Tech Rise, Shiyan Koh, Singapore, VC, Startup, Artificial Intelligence, Thought Leadership
