The Asiabits Podcast
What happens in Asia increasingly shapes tomorrow's world. Yet people still underestimate the developments unfolding in China, South Korea, and Japan—the emerging technologies, shifting markets, and groundbreaking deals. We want to change that. We talk to entrepreneurs, founders, and other inspiring leaders about their journeys, businesses, and products.
About the hosts:
Thomas Derksen is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, and content creator with over 10 million followers on social media. Recognized as one of the most influential Western voices on China, Thomas offers deep insights into the country's culture, society, and rapidly evolving digital economy.
LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afuthomas/
Michael Broza is an entrepreneur with extensive experience in fintech and AI-powered M&A, connecting the M&A community throughout the German-speaking region. He now develops advanced AI-powered tools to enhance efficiency, primarily in the M&A sector. Based in Shanghai, Michael regularly provides insights into Asia's tech and venture ecosystems, builds strategic networks, and actively shares his knowledge through social media and direct community engagement.
LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-broza/
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The Asiabits Podcast
Ep. 3: He Built an AI Grill That Could Replace Your BBQ
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Sean is from Zibo, China's most famous barbecue city. At just 24, he co-founded Cozytime and built the Lumo, an AI-powered smart grill that brings real charcoal-style barbecue indoors with zero smoke.
Supported by InnoX, the accelerator founded by DJI's creator, Sean and his team trained their AI on over 100kg of meat. The Lumo uses infrared technology instead of hot air, giving you that authentic smoky flavor right in your apartment.
In this episode, we discuss:
• From BBQ Capital to Tech Founder: How growing up in Zibo shaped Sean's vision for indoor grilling
• The Infrared Breakthrough: Why 70% of charcoal heat comes from infrared, not hot air, and how Lumo uses this
• AI-Powered Cooking: Cameras, sensors, and machine learning that know your meat's size, weight, and temperature
• Three Modes, One Machine: Oven, grill, and open flat-top in a single device
• InnoX Academy: How DJI's founder's accelerator helped Sean build his startup
• Market Research at the Bar: Going to expat bars in Shenzhen to find first customers
• Pitching with Meat: How cooking for Chinese investors got them to say "take my money"
• The Tesla Strategy: Making it affordable to collect data and improve the AI
• Social Recipes: Share your grilling results with friends through the Lumo app
About Sean:
Sean is a co-founder of Cozytime, based in Shenzhen. Originally from Zibo, Shandong Province, he studied engineering and joined InnoX, the innovation academy founded by DJI's creator. Together with his co-founders, he is building the Lumo smart grill, launching on Kickstarter in February 2026.
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asiabits is on a mission to bridge the gap between East and West. We provide non-biased, on-the-ground insights into technology, innovation, and the future of business in Asia.
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