In this episode, we take a closer look at the fast-paced and competitive food delivery industry in Southeast Asia. ShopeeFood is gaining traction in Vietnam—but does this pose a real challenge to market leader Grab? Is TikTok considering a move into local services? And could drones become the new norm for food delivery?We’re joined by Weihan, our insights lead, to unpack these questions and more. From drone delivery trials in Dubai to the high costs of operations in Singapore, we explore the trends and challenges shaping the future of how we order and eat food.What does this mean for the industry—and for consumers? Tune in for a thoughtful discussion on the evolving world of food delivery.Chapters:00:04:00: Grab leads Southeast Asia’s food delivery again00:05:00: Is Shopee Food a threat to Grab?00:10:00: Indonesia’s intense food delivery battle00:14:00: TikTok’s secret expansion into local services?00:23:00: Drones are now delivering your food? Featured Materials:Food Delivery Platforms in Southeast Asia 5.0, Momentum Works Vietnam Ecommerce and Retail Immersion, Momentum WorksE108: From Dianping to RedNote: Shanghai’s role in breeding successful consumer apps, The Impulso Podcast

E95: How Meituan overtook FoodPanda in Hong Kong, and what’s next?

AI is taking over the world by storm, and AI generated humans are becoming more popular. What does this mean for the ecosystem?

In this episode of Impulso Podcast, we sit down with Jensen, co-founder and CEO of Topview.ai, an AI-powered video creation platform.

With over 13 years of experience at Taobao, Jensen has been at the forefront of AI applications, especially in e-commerce and digital media. As AI-generated video becomes more sophisticated, Jensen shares how the shift from small, targeted AI models to large, multimodal models has transformed the industry since 2022.

From completely AI generated videos, to AI humans in the videos - how will AI change the future of content creation? Or even the videos we see on a daily basis?

Chapters:

00:01:04 AI Evolution: Before & After 2022

00:03:29 AI Acceleration & Market Impact

00:05:00 AI generated videos and how it is used

00:10:21 Can AI be the future of the Metaverse?

00:14:07 AI in Business & Global Expansion – Hangzhou’s tech ecosystem and China’s AI influence.

00:21:10 Closing Remarks – AI’s future and an invitation to explore China’s tech scene.

Featured materials:

E46: SenseTime founder’s passing & AI companies’ challenges in China, The Impulso Podcast

Tabcut report, Momentum Works

BYD is now outselling automotive giants like Toyota and Volkswagen in China. But beyond the numbers, a bigger shift is happening—Chinese EV brands are moving away from traditional dealerships and into shopping malls.

In this episode, we explore China’s electric vehicle revolution, breaking down the numbers behind its EV boom and uncovering why mall showrooms are replacing dealerships, and the economics driving this shift.

From sleek in-mall showrooms to live-streamed car sales and in-store cafés, China’s EV industry is transforming not just how cars are made, but how they’re sold. The way we buy cars is changing—China is leading the charge, but will the rest of the world follow?

Featured materials:

E105: Collapse of a Chinese EV company, livestreamed, The Impulso Podcast

在本期节目中，我们与中国的电商资深专家凯飞一起探讨拼多多的成功故事。凯飞深入剖析了该公司独特的电商模式，并作为行业专家提供了独到见解。 从拼多多在中国低线城市的起源，到其通过Temu实现的全球野心，我们讨论了拼多多如何通过聚焦价格优势和效率重塑了消费者行为。我们还分析了该公司对成本效益的专注、与阿里巴巴和京东的激烈竞争，以及在维持低价的同时平衡供应商关系的挑战。 不仅如此，凯飞还分享了对电商未来的看法、创新的作用，以及在竞争激烈的全球市场中保持增长的挑战。 章节： 00:01:30：拼多多的崛起 00:05:20：Temu的颠覆性战略 00:19:15：为什么对价格的执着是Temu的秘密武器 00:30:25：增长与盈利之战 00:42:45：Temu的全球扩张冒险 精选材料: Who is Temu, 2024, Momentum Works: https://momentum.asia/product/temu-2-years-on/ Behind Pinduoduo’s ¥10 billion merchant subsidies | Impulso E102 https://youtu.be/FKENtoznAJk

What makes Pinduoduo one of the most disruptive forces in e-commerce? In this episode, we explore the success story of Pinduoduo with Kaifei, a seasoned expert in China’s e-commerce. Kaifei provides a deep dive into the company’s unique approach to e-commerce and offers insights as an industry expert. From its origin in China's lower-tier cities to its global ambitions with Temu, we discuss how Pinduoduo’s focus on affordability and efficiency has reshaped consumer behavior. We also break down the company’s focus on cost-effectiveness, its intense competition with Alibaba and JD.com, and the challenges of maintaining low prices while balancing supplier relationships. Not only that, Kaifei also offers thoughts on the future of e-commerce, the role of innovation, and the challenges of maintaining growth in a competitive global market. Chapters: 00:01:30: The Rise of Pinduoduo 00:05:20: Temu’s Disruptive Strategy 00:19:15: Why price obsession is Temu’s secret weapon 00:30:25: Growth vs. Profit Battle 00:42:45: Temu’s Global Expansion Gamble Featured materials: Who is Temu, 2024, Momentum Works: https://momentum.asia/product/temu-2-years-on/ Behind Pinduoduo’s ¥10 billion merchant subsidies | Impulso E102 https://youtu.be/FKENtoznAJk

The United States was TikTok Shop’s biggest market in 2024 - with a GMV of US$9 billion!

In this episode, we unpack how the 400k stores and 11 million influencers are driving TikTok Shop (and video commerce – contributing to 58% of GMV) in the U.S., featuring insights from our “TikTok Shop in the U.S. 2024” report.

Tune in as we explore why beauty products dominate video commerce sales (not just in the U.S. but globally), the cultural and logistical hurdles why live commerce thrives in China but struggles in the US, and what TikTok’s uncertain future could mean for the development of live commerce in the US.

Chapters:

00:05:16: Unpacking TikTok Shop's Revenue Streams

00:10:00: Influencers as The Powerhouse Behind TikTok Sales

00:15:00: The Potential of Live Commerce in the U.S.?

00:17:21: Beauty as the Top Category of TikTok Shop

00:21:13: TikTok Shop's Potential Impact on U.S. Live Commerce

Featured materials:

TikTok Shop in the U.S. 2024, Momentum Works

In this episode, we’re joined by Freeman Ding, a pioneer of China’s consumer internet boom who worked in Chinese tech giants like Baidu, and even Dianping during the $9.5B Meituan-Dianping merger.

Tune in as Freeman dives into why China’s tech ecosystem remains unmatched and Shanghai’s crucial role in the development of consumer tech. He also breaks down the key drivers behind Meituan’s food delivery dominance, and the need for local services platform to balance between low frequency and high frequency use cases.

Freeman also challenges the buzz around “super apps,” arguing that only WeChat truly fits the label. Finally, we explore the global ambitions of Chinese tech giants — TikTok, SHEIN and Meituan — can they replicate China’s playbook? Or will regulatory and cultural barriers prevail?

Chapters:

00:01:14 Life in Shanghai vs. Singapore:

00:06:49 Why Shanghai breeds consumer tech unicorns

00:13:05 Rise of Meituan, from group-buying wars to food delivery dominance

00:39:44 The “Yelp” of China?

00:48:46 WeChat is China’s only superapp

00:56:20 Can Meituan/TikTok conquer global markets?

Featured materials:

E42: Why were 2011~16 golden years of Chinese tech?, The Impulso Podcast

E95:How Meituan overtook FoodPanda in Hong Kong, and what’s next?, The Impulso Podcast

[Case Study] meituan’s business clarity, Momentum Works

So, TikTok went dark after the US ban, for about 14 hours. Then, it was back online, with a message crediting its return to “President Trump’s efforts.”

TikTok, with over 170 million users in the US, is one of the biggest platforms in the U.S. with a huge ecosystem of creators, merchants, and consumers. Its brief shutdown caused a stir, even prompting some users to flock to Xiaohongshu with the trending hashtag #TikTokRefugees.

TikTok’s return came after President Trump specifically confirmed there will be no liability for any company that helped TikTok from going dark before an executive order to be issued on day 1 to keep TikTok running.

How would things evolve from here? Will TikTok survive in the medium and long term in the US?

Tune in to find out more!

Chapters:

00:00:15: The Dynamics of the TikTok Ban 00:01:16: Trump's Role in TikTok's Temporary Shutdown 00:14:02: TikTok's CEO 00:18:33: Users Seeking Refuge in Xiao Hong Shu?

Featured materials:

How will TikTok’s fortunes in the US evolve from here?, TheLowDown

E66: TikTok has no good options, The Impulso Podcast