Anggriawan Sugianto

Why .ID Domains Are Quietly Becoming Valuable (Case Study: Onboard.id Sold for $4,888) Just saw Dylan aka Fin.eth (https://lnkd.in/gwSpQZTP) share the sale of Onboard.id for $4,888 with a 1-year hold time—a solid return for a strategic domain. This isn’t just a one-off fluke. .ID domains are gaining momentum in tech, especially for: ✅ Digital Identity (Auth.id, Verify.id) ✅ HR/Onboarding SaaS (Like the sold Onboard.id) ✅ Web3 & Decentralized ID (Login.id, NFT.id) Why .ID? Dual Meaning: Works as "identity" (global use) and Indonesia’s ccTLD (massive market). Scarcity: 2-letter domains = inherently limited supply. VC Appeal: Startups want crisp domains that telegraph trust. Lesson: Niche ccTLDs with industry relevance can be hidden gems. #domains #ID #digitalasset #startup #AI #domainforsale #tech #identity

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I’ve watched dozens of scale-ups repeat the same pattern. - Dominate one market. - Assume the formula is repeatable. - Expand aggressively. - Burn cash before exiting quietly. I re-read Gojek’s withdrawal from Vietnam and revisited what co-founder Kevin Aluwi now says they got wrong. Gojek’s parent (GoTo) officially shuttered Vietnam operations on September 16, 2024, after ~6 years in the market; management said Vietnam contributed <1% of group transactions, so they refocused on stronger markets (Indonesia and Singapore). Here’s what every founder needs to know before scaling up: 1) “Win home, win region” is not a strategy. Kevin calls it a big mistake to assume Indonesia dominance would translate across Southeast Asia. He also pushes back on the old “SEA = the next China/India” narrative, saying that belief led founders (himself included) to make wrong decisions about where and how fast to expand. 2) Don’t underestimate “small” markets with big wallets - every market plays a role in SEA. Singapore has ~6M people (<1% of SEA’s population) but outsized purchasing power. Data shared alongside Kevin’s reflections shows Grab earned ~23% of its 2023 revenue from Singapore vs ~29% from Indonesia. A reminder that ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) can beat TAM (Total Addressable Market). If you had to choose one consumer market to win early, focus on one and re-define your success metrics 3) Timing matters more than size - are you leading or catching up? Kevin admitted Gojek waited about two years before expanding into Vietnam, Thailand, and Singapore. By the time they did, competitors had already taken the lead. When you’re late to the party, catching up costs much more and rarely pays off. 4) Southeast Asia is not one market. Jakarta ≠ Ho Chi Minh City ≠ Bangkok ≠ Singapore. Each city has different income levels, digital habits, and business realities. A single “one-size-fits-all” playbook just doesn’t work. --- Before expanding, ask a few honest questions: - Do we really understand the market we’re entering? - Are we chasing growth or building something that lasts? - What would make this move worth it a year from now? I’ve seen many leaders make the same mistakes: rushing into new countries before they’re ready. If you’re thinking about expanding across Asia, drop me a message. Happy to share what I’ve seen founders get right (and wrong).

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Most startups think GTM means big marketing budgets and fancy campaigns. That's how you burn money without getting customers. Especially in Indonesia, where relationship-driven sales last longer than the flashy extra discount campaign. Here's the lean approach that actually works: Start with direct customer conversations. Not focus groups - actual one-on-one discussions with people who have the problem you solve. Find your first 10 paying customers through personal networks. Friends, former colleagues, industry connections. These become your case studies and references. Document what convinced them to buy. Was it a specific benefit? A particular way you explained the solution? The person who introduced you? Create a repeatable process from those early wins. Same conversation flow, same materials, same follow-up sequence. Only then invest in broader outreach. This approach costs almost nothing upfront but gives you everything you need: → Proof your solution works → Clear value proposition → Customer success stories → Refined sales process → Market validation I've seen small business succeed with this method using nothing more than WhatsApp, Google Docs, and coffee meeting budgets. Meanwhile, competitors burn through funding on ads that sound impressive but don't convert. Your early customers don't care about your brand identity or marketing campaigns. They care about solving their problems. Focus on that first. Scale the marketing later. What's been your experience with budget-conscious GTM strategies? 📸 one of my early closing back then 🫶 #GTM #StartupStrategy #Budget #SoutheastAsia #Sales

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🚀 🌍 Indonesian startups chasing growth test waters in the Gulf ❄️ The funding winter has forced startups in Southeast Asia to rethink their expansion strategies. Instead of taking the usual route of entering India or China, many Indonesian startups are setting their sights on the Middle East, specifically the Gulf countries. 💰 Kata.ai secures higher contract values in Dubai, where it expanded in July 2025, than it does in Indonesia. This means the company’s clients in the Emirati city are 5x to 10x more profitable than those in its home market, according to co-founder and CEO Irzan Raditya. Dive into the playbook for securing Gulf capital—government grants, venture capital, and the local entity requirement that can make or break a deal. Premium read 👉 https://lnkd.in/g2xSNYMH

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