Jasper Jia on YC, solo entrepreneurship, and finding his pace in Tokyo (II)

When it comes to startups, many young founders dream of getting into Y Combinator (YC), raising funding in San Francisco, and scaling globally. But what happens after that?

This is the second part of the interview with Jasper Jia, a designer turned founder who has lived in Melbourne, London, San Francisco, and now Tokyo -- to talk about his journey from corporate life to YC startup, and now, to becoming an indie hacker.

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In this Episode...

When Jasper told me “Node UI is not for everyone,” it made me rethink how creators will work with generative AI. With models like NanoBanana and Seedream baking complexity into the model itself, simple UIs might actually unlock more creativity. Now he is a solo founder building "Mixbash.com", in his words it's the "ultimate creative tool for generative media."

🎙️ Innovator Stories

Welcome to Innovator Stories, a weekly podcast from Tokyo exploring the people and ideas shaping the future of innovation.

Hosted by a serial entrepreneur based in Tokyo, each episode features candid conversations with startup founders, accelerator leaders, ecosystem organizers, venture capital investors, designers, developers, and students who are redefining what it means to create and build.

From early-stage struggles to breakthrough moments, we uncover the lessons, insights, and inspirations behind every entrepreneurial journey. Whether you’re a startup founder, a creative professional, or simply curious about innovation in Japan and beyond, you’ll find stories that spark new ideas and connect you to a global community of changemakers.

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