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The Generalists

The Generalists

Written by: Raz Kotler and Michael Smith Jr.
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 The hosts Raz Kotler & Michael Smith Jr., interview people around how they arrived in Singapore, their careers, their personal journeys and how the concept of being a Generalist influences their life and career. All episodes currently filmed F2F in the Poddster Singapore studios.Raz Kotler and Michael Smith Jr. Careers Economics Personal Success
Episodes
  • The Future of Protein Tests (ep 69)

    The Future of Protein Tests (ep 69)
    Feb 17 2026
    Shavit Clein, CEO of Thrixen, breaks down what it takes to build deep tech healthcare diagnostics from Singapore. Learn how a generalist founder can navigate regulated healthcare, raise cross-border capital, and turn complex science into products people can actually use.Shavit explains why healthcare is a "level-by-level" industry, where regulation, buyer complexity, and long commercialization cycles make execution very different from traditional software startups. He shares how he transitioned from Trax into diagnostics, built domain fluency without formal medical training, and learned to translate technical depth into investor-ready narratives.The episode goes deep on fundraising after the COVID diagnostics bubble, platform versus single-application strategy, and why US investors often evaluate medtech differently from local markets. It also covers antimicrobial resistance, product usability for minimally trained operators, and Singapore's role as an infrastructure and talent hub for globally oriented deep tech.📖 What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy healthcare feels "laddered" and harder to navigate than typical tech marketsHow Shavit built credibility in diagnostics without a medical degreeHow Thrixen's protein-focused platform differs from PCR-first narrativesWhy platform positioning mattered for valuation and venture-scale outcomesHow COVID-era market dynamics changed diagnostics fundraisingWhy US investors often prefer platform technology over single applicationsHow to pitch deep technical products to non-technical investorsWhy bacterial vs viral testing matters for antibiotic stewardshipHow SMART, NRF, and local ecosystem support helped Thrixen scaleWhat founders should prioritize when building long-cycle deep tech companies🔔 Listen and SubscribeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcastSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists🔥 Watch Our Other Videos:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW2bxHjUl-Yhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyxPGyIQPUEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sikOVWtFedIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H24ck-is5Yhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2VHfhKCfn0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6URrTXBwPGk🎙️ HostsMichael Smith Jr.: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/⁠Raz Kotler: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/⁠👤👤 GuestsShavit Clein: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shavitclein/🔗 Resources and Links Mentioned🏢 Companies and OrganizationsThrixen: https://www.thrixen.com/Trax: https://www.traxretail.com/SMART (Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology): https://smart.mit.edu/National Research Foundation Singapore (NRF): https://www.nrf.gov.sg/SGInnovate: https://www.sginnovate.com/Enterprise Singapore: https://www.enterprisesg.gov.sg/EDB Singapore: https://www.edb.gov.sg/A*STAR: https://www.a-star.edu.sg/📚 Concepts and FrameworksImmunoassay: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ImmunoassayC-reactive protein (CRP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-reactive_proteinPolymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymerase_chain_reactionBiomarker: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomarker_(medicine)Antimicrobial resistance: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimicrobial_resistanceFDA (US Food and Drug Administration): https://www.fda.gov/👥 People and ProfilesRhonda Patrick: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/Siddhartha Mukherjee: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_Mukherjee📖 BooksThe Emperor of All Maladies: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Emperor-of-All-Maladies/Siddhartha-Mukherjee/9781439170915The Gene: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Gene/Siddhartha-Mukherjee/9781476733524The Song of the Cell: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Song-of-the-Cell/Siddhartha-Mukherjee/9781982117368#medtechfundraising #singaporedeeptech#antimicrobialresistance
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    57 mins
  • Don't Start a Business, Buy One (ep 68)

    Don't Start a Business, Buy One (ep 68)
    Feb 11 2026
    GenCap Partners breaks down how entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA) and search-fund style investing are creating a practical path to buy and grow small businesses in Singapore and Malaysia.Instead of starting from zero, Zachary Lee and Eric Koh explain how operators can acquire existing cash-flowing SMEs, professionalize management, and scale with clearer downside protection than many early-stage startup bets. They cover how GenCap matches operators to assets, how SPV-based deal structures change incentives, and why seller motivation often determines whether a deal closes.📖 What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeHow ETA and search-fund models differ from traditional VC fundsWhy GenCap targets consistency over power-law outcomesHow risk, return, and loss ratios compare across VC, PE, and SME dealsThe four core underwriting lenses: asset quality, valuation, team, and structureWhy seller motivation is a first-meeting diligence priorityCommon SME red flags: key-man risk, customer concentration, and weak controlsHow SPV structures reduce forced deployment and forced exitsHow succession trends and demographics are shaping SME opportunitiesWhere AI and tech modernization can improve post-acquisition operations🎧 Listen and SubscribeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcastSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists🎙️ HostsMichael Smith Jr.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/Raz Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/👤👤 GuestsZachary Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehuisiang/Eric Koh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/koheric/🔗 Resources and Links Mentioned🏢 Companies and ProductsGenCap Partners: https://www.gencap.asia/Dorje AI: https://dorje.ai/Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com/NVIDIA: https://www.nvidia.com/SGX (Singapore Exchange): https://www.sgx.com/Bursa Malaysia: https://www.bursamalaysia.com/📚 Concepts and FrameworksSearch Fund: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_fundEntrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA): https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/case-studies/case-search-fund-entrepreneurship-through-acquisitionSpecial Purpose Vehicle (SPV): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special-purpose_entity👥 People and ProfilesCodie Sanchez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/codiesanchez🎙️Podcasts and MediaThe Diary Of A CEO: https://www.thediaryofaceo.com/The Game Of Impossible: https://open.spotify.com/show/2pZcmJ2r4v98VqywQCFeXk📖 BooksDie With Zero (Bill Perkins): https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/bill-perkins/die-with-zero/9780358567097/
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    58 mins
  • Meta Bought a Singapore Startup for Billions (ep 67)

    Meta Bought a Singapore Startup for Billions (ep 67)
    Feb 3 2026
    A high-signal, no-filter roundtable with Hian Goh (OpenSpace Capital), Alex Dwek (COO, Nas.io), Michael Smith Jr. (The Generalists), and Raz Kotler (The Generalists).The Manus AI acquisition by Meta just became the biggest tech acquisition of a Singapore-based entity and the table breaks down the geopolitics, the deal mechanics, and what it really means for the ecosystem. From there, the conversation moves to Level3AI's funding and why usage-based pricing is eating SaaS, Singapore's S$1 billion AI commitment, the fundraising journey of a Singapore Series A startup, why US investors are finally writing checks into Singapore, and what Wikipedia vs. Grokpedia tells us about truth infrastructure. This is the full uncut Round 3 — sharp takes, inside baseball, founder lessons, and real talk about what's working.📖 What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy Meta acquiring Manus AI is a landmark validation for Singapore regardless of how the company got thereWhat China might (or might not) do about the deal, and the inside baseball on why the money may not get distributedThe "Singapore-first vs. flip" distinction and why it matters for the next wave of Chinese foundersLevel3AI's raise and why pay-per-outcome pricing is replacing SaaS seatsSingapore's S$1 billion AI budget: where it goes and why S$250M/year is meaningful for a small countryNas.io's fundraising journey: 9-day term sheet in 2021, 50+ pitches in 2025 and what changedWhy US funds are finally comfortable investing in Singapore (the "exclusion list" shift)Hian's FOMO vs. "Screw It" framework for how venture deals actually get doneWikipedia vs. Grokpedia: locked articles, editor cartels, and the future of truth infrastructureClaude Code, Cowork, and building a full-stack app without writing a single line of code🔔 Listen and SubscribeYouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast⁠Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4⁠Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️ The TableHian Goh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiangoh/Alex Dwek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexdwek/Michael Smith Jr.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/Raz Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/🔗 Links & MentionsManus AI: https://manus.imMeta: https://about.meta.comLevel3AI: https://www.level3.aiNas.io: https://nas.ioNas Daily: https://www.youtube.com/@nasdailyOpenSpace Capital: https://www.openspace.vcIntercom: https://www.intercom.comSierra AI: https://sierra.aiAirwallex: https://www.airwallex.comBenchmark Capital: https://www.benchmark.comTiger Global: https://www.tigerglobal.comByteDance / TikTok: https://www.bytedance.comClaude Code / Cowork (Anthropic): https://www.anthropic.comMarvell Technology: https://www.marvell.comCelestial AI: https://www.celestial.aiNvidia: https://www.nvidia.comMicrosoft: https://www.microsoft.comGrokpedia (xAI): https://grokpedia.comWikipedia: https://www.wikipedia.orgCarousell: https://www.carousell.comSGX (Singapore Exchange): https://www.sgx.comA*STAR: https://www.a-star.edu.sg
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    1 hr
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