Asia: a new business, a new breath
Scouting the next venture, several time zones east.
A working trip across Asia to meet makers, suppliers, founders and partners — and to find the next business after a decade of building from Tunis.
The idea
After ten years of building businesses from Tunis — and seven years working remotely for a Japanese company — I'm going to Asia in person. Not as a holiday: as a working scouting trip to find the next business and to reset how I see markets.
I wrote about the reasoning in the journal: why Asia, and why now.
What the trip is for
- Supply and manufacturing — meet the makers and suppliers behind products like those of Stronger Gym and SOS Auto Parts, face to face.
- The next software product — find a real problem worth building for, with a small team.
- Partners and founders — people already working across borders.
- A new breath — time away from one market to see it clearly again.
How the route will be chosen
The countries are not fixed yet. They'll be chosen by four criteria:
- Where the manufacturing and supplier networks are.
- Where software and startup communities are active and welcoming.
- Where remote work is practical — visas, connectivity and cost of living, checked with NomadOS.
- Where I can meet people, not just pass through.
The plan, in phases
- Prepare — shortlist countries and cities, line up meetings and visits, sort visas.
- Travel and meet — supplier and factory visits, founder meet-ups, coworking spaces, and as many conversations as possible.
- Work on the move — keep shipping remotely the whole time; the trip has to prove the setup works.
- Decide — come back with a short list of opportunities and an honest write-up of each.
What you'll see
- A journal entry from every stop
- Write-ups of the suppliers, founders and ideas I meet — including the ones that don't work out
- The final shortlist of opportunities and what I decide to build
How you can help
- Introductions — if you know makers, suppliers or founders in Asia worth meeting, I want to hear from you.
- Hosting — coworking spaces and communities who'd welcome a visiting founder.
- Follow along — subscribe to the newsletter in the footer and read the journal.
FAQ
When does it start? Dates will be announced here and in the journal once the first meetings are set.
Is this a holiday? No — it's a working trip with a clear output: the next business.
Can I suggest a country or a person to meet? Please do, through the contact page.