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  • Rohit Jha on Space, Startups, and Building the Future of Global Connectivity

    Rohit Jha on Space, Startups, and Building the Future of Global Connectivity

    Intro

    Rohit Jha is the co-founder and CEO of Transcelestial, a Singapore-based startup using laser technology to deliver ultra-fast internet from Earth to space. What began as an idea over two beers became one of Asia’s most ambitious deep-tech ventures, backed by global investors and already operating in markets across the US and Asia.

    In this episode, we talk about Rohit’s journey from a small industrial town in India to leading a company that’s literally beaming data through light. He shares the lessons he’s learned about ambition, failure, and building a company that could transform how the world connects — from neighborhoods without broadband to orbital networks circling the planet.

    Story Highlights

    • How growing up in a steel town shaped his fascination with technology and space
    • What inspired Transcelestial’s mission to build “a ring around the planet”
    • Turning science-fiction dreams into engineering reality
    • The challenges of fundraising and scaling deep-tech from Asia
    • Why storytelling is one of a founder’s most important skills

    Quote

    “The principles and the frameworks and the policies of the world that we live in are made by people like you and me. So that means people like you and me should be able to change it as well.”

    About Rohit Jha

    Rohit Jha is the co-founder and CEO of Transcelestial, a deep-tech startup developing laser-based wireless communication systems that aim to replace fiber optics with “wireless fiber.” The company has been recognized as one of Asia’s most promising space-tech ventures, building technology to expand global internet access and, eventually, enable interplanetary communication. Before Transcelestial, Rohit worked in high-frequency trading and holds a degree in Engineering from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore.

    Why This Conversation Matters

    Rohit’s story blends vision and pragmatism. His journey from finance to space technology shows how ambition, curiosity, and persistence can drive innovation even in unlikely places. It’s a reminder that big ideas don’t start in Silicon Valley — they can start anywhere someone dares to ask “why not?”

    Turning Points

    After years in the finance world, Rohit realized that chasing money no longer fulfilled him. Inspired by SpaceX’s early successes, he quit his job and took a year off to travel and reflect. Searching for “where Paris is today” — the modern center of creativity and innovation — he found his answer in Singapore, where he launched Transcelestial in 2016. What began as an idea about “space lasers” is now a company installing high-speed laser links across Asia and testing systems for orbital communication.

    Key Lessons

    • Vision needs grounding. Big ideas must solve real problems today.
    • Storytelling is leadership. Founders have to inspire investors, employees, and the public.
    • Failure teaches direction. Mistakes are data for the next iteration.
    • Innovation isn’t location-bound. Great ideas can start anywhere with the right ecosystem.
    • Think in decades. Work backward from the future you want to create.

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  • Jingjin Liu on Leadership, Womanhood, and Redefining Power

    Jingjin Liu on Leadership, Womanhood, and Redefining Power

    Intro

    Jingjin Liu is an entrepreneur, investor, and women’s empowerment advocate who has spent her career building companies and communities that help women rise. She’s the co-founder of ZaZaZu, Asia’s first sexual wellness company for women, and now leads Elevate, a platform supporting professional growth and leadership among women across industries.

    In this conversation, Jingjin shares her journey from growing up in Beijing to moving to Germany as a teenager, to finding her voice as a founder in Singapore. We talk about entrepreneurship, parenting, gender expectations, and what she’s learned from helping women navigate ambition, confidence, and change.

    Story Highlights

    • Moving from Beijing to Germany at sixteen and learning individuality
    • Starting her first company while working full-time
    • Why she believes women struggle to self-advocate in corporate environments
    • How ZaZaZu broke taboos by centering women’s sexual wellbeing
    • The realities of balancing motherhood, business, and identity

    Quote

    “If women would have wives, they will be so much more successful than men. The reason that the men are there, where they are, is because someone else took care of everything else.”

    About Jingjin Liu

    Jingjin Liu is the founder of Elevate Group, a platform helping women grow through coaching, courses, and community. Previously, she co-founded ZaZaZu, Asia’s first sexual wellness company for women, and has been recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice and angel investor. Originally from Beijing, Jingjin has lived and worked across Germany, Singapore, and Australia, blending East and West perspectives in her leadership approach.

    Why This Conversation Matters

    Jingjin’s story is one of contrast — between cultures, expectations, and identities. From being a rebellious student in Beijing to leading empowerment programs across Asia, she embodies what it means to evolve while staying grounded in purpose. Her insights challenge traditional notions of success and remind us that leadership is deeply personal.

    Turning Points

    Jingjin’s path from China to Germany reshaped her understanding of individuality. What once made her an outsider became her strength — curiosity, boldness, and authenticity. Her decision to leave corporate life and start ZaZaZu was less about risk and more about necessity: creating what didn’t exist. Through building, failing, and reinventing, she learned that power doesn’t mean control — it means alignment. Today, through Elevate, she’s helping women define success on their own terms while advocating for systemic change in how organizations view gender and flexibility.

    Key Lessons

    • We make our own luck. Serendipity matters, but effort makes it real.
    • Empowerment starts within. Confidence comes from understanding yourself, not external validation.
    • Flexibility is strength. Both small businesses and families thrive when people can adapt.
    • Redefine success. The goal isn’t perfection — it’s alignment with your values.
    • Collective growth matters. Progress happens when women support one another.

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