Kubegrade

Kubegrade helps enterprises tame Kubernetes sprawl.
We automate upgrades, maintenance, and compliance across clusters, so platform teams stay in control while developers move faster.
Unlike dashboards that only observe issues, Kubegrade turns raw cluster data into actionable pull requests—reducing toil, cutting costs, and giving enterprises a safer, more scalable way to run Kubernetes.

Founder and CEO

Next Big Wave

A podcast for founders, by founders in Southeast Asia

Podcast Host

TendoPay

TendoPay is the leading employee benefits provider in the Philippines
I manage the growth teams including a digital marketing team for our B2C user base and a sales team for our B2B users.

Co-Founder / CCO [Acquired - Tonik Bank]

Buko Ventures

Value-add angel funding for Philippines startup founders.

Investor

DotYeti.com

Investor [Acquired]

Iterative

Venture Partner

500 Startups

I advise startups in SEA on their growth strategy with a focus on building and scaling their sales process ass well a hone in on their digital marketing strategy.

Mentor

Candy Banners

Acquired by Native Touch. 
Candy Banners is a digital production studio that builds awesome online ads.

Co-founder / CEO [Acquired - Native Touch]

Stinson Design

Acquired by Vimont Holdings.
Stinson Design is a presentation design agency that services clients around the world from startups to global brands.

Founder / CEO [Acquired]

Centre Financier International Montréal

Financial Analyst

3x Exit Founder • I help B2B founders in Southeast Asia • Book a free growth consultation with me • Grew last company to $5m+ ARR • 15+ years of growth leadership 🚀

Hey there! I’m a serial entrepreneur with 3 exits under my belt. 

I’m currently working on Kubegrade, a Kubernetes cluster upgrade tool.

Through all my ventures the key to success has always been to bring maximum value to my clients and building long lasting relationships. 

My passion for client success is equally matched with my love for travel and extreme sports. 

You can find me playing chess, riding motorcycles, diving or kitesurfing the beautiful beaches of Southeast Asia.

Tim Grassin

KubeCon ATL just wrapped, and my notebook is full.

Not from vendor pitches. From the conversations that restored my faith in this community.

After years of complexity complaints and burnout stories, something shifted at KubeCon 2025.

The energy was different. Electric, even.

What actually stood out:
The Agentic Revolution Nobody Saw Coming

Twelve months ago, we launched Kubegrade with AI agents managing clusters. People called us crazy. "You can't automate that level of decision-making."

This week? Every third conversation was about agentic workflows. Teams are finally realizing that senior engineers shouldn't be babysitting YAML files.

One platform lead from a Fortune 500: "We went from 3-week upgrade cycles to 3 hours with agents handling the grunt work."

Community Over Competition

Met a competitor's engineering team at the afterparty. Instead of awkward silence, we spent 2 hours sharing horror stories and solutions. Their lead engineer: "Rising tide lifts all boats, right?"

That's the Kubernetes community I fell in love with.

The Validation We Didn't Expect

Being first movers in agentic cluster management felt lonely. We questioned ourselves constantly. Were we too early? Too ambitious?

Walking the expo floor, I counted 12 companies now building agent-based solutions. Not copycats - genuine innovation from teams who get it.

One CTO pulled me aside: "You guys showed us this was possible. We're all following your lead."

That made me smile.

Real Engineers, Real Solutions

The best part? Engineers are done with bandaid fixes. They want fundamental change. Agentic workflows aren't just trendy - they're becoming the standard.

Teams are deploying agents for:
• Automated compatibility checking
• Intelligent resource optimization  
• Predictive failure prevention
• Self-healing clusters

This isn't AI hype. It's engineers taking their weekends back.

The Human Element Remains

Despite all the automation talk, the community spirit was stronger than ever. Late-night debugging sessions turned into impromptu meetups. Vendor booths became collaboration hubs.

Technology evolves, but the Kubernetes community's willingness to help each other? That's the real superpower.

My biggest takeaway:

We're not just building better tools. We're building a movement.

The shift to agentic workflows isn't about replacing engineers. It's about unleashing them to do what they do best - innovate.

Seeing the entire community embrace what we pioneered? That's worth more than any booth or keynote.

To everyone who stopped by to share their agentic journey - thank you. You reminded me why we started Kubegrade.

The future of Kubernetes isn't just automated. It's collaborative, innovative, and more human than ever.

I also enjoyed being able to work and hang out with my co-founder Caleb Fornari whom I had not seen in person since we embarked on this Kubegrade journey!

#KubeCon #Kubernetes #CNCF

Kubernetes without the complexity. Developer visibility, platform guardrails. Works with EKS, AKS, GKS, Rancher and more.

Anyone heading to #KubeCon Atlanta this week?

Would love to grab coffee and chat Kubernetes horror stories (or success stories if you have those).

I'll be there Tuesday through Thursday, mostly hanging around in Building B.

Hit me up if you want to connect in person — always fun putting faces to LinkedIn profiles.

Who else is making the trip? 👇

KubeCon ATL update: Our sweaters are apparently too good.

Multiple people have stopped me asking where to get our Kubegrade swag. Problem is, we don't have a booth this year.

But I hate saying no to engineers who appreciate good merch.

So here's the deal:

Find me wandering around the exhibition center

OR

Comment "swag" below and connect with me here.

I'll ship you one of hoodies directly. No booth needed.

Yes, I'm literally taking swag requests on LinkedIn and shipping from our Singapore office. My co-founder thinks I'm insane.

But honestly? Meeting engineers who get excited about developer tools is worth the shipping costs.

Plus, our hoodies are ridiculously comfortable. Ask anyone who's grabbed one.

If you're at KubeCon, come say hi. I'm the guy frantically taking notes on every Kubernetes horror story I hear.

If you're not here, drop "swag" below. First 50 get priority shipping.

Who's ready for some actually comfortable conference merch? 👇

#kubecon

ConnectedLife Health

The Customer Success Lead is responsible for ensuring client satisfaction by guiding product adoption, addressing client needs, and fostering strong relationships. They collaborate with internal teams to optimize customer experiences, monitor client engagement metrics, and proactively address challenges to drive successful outcomes and retention.

Customer Success Lead

- Hands-on experience in implementing projects across the APAC region and Europe.
- Led joint product development with SoLongevity Pharmacy, Apollo Hospital, Edinburgh Napier University, Fitbit, and Google.
- Implemented customer service and operations processes and training for solution provisioning, installation, and management, streamlining operations and reducing downtime.
- Designed eCOA survey platform with clients, enhancing user engagement and satisfaction.
- Lead the deployment bug testing process by developing the testing SOP and testing processes.
- Maintained a backlog of features, bugs, and epics for tech products, ensuring that projects were delivered on time and to the
satisfaction of all stakeholders.
- Built and led an 8-member customer service team, responsible for overall customer service, managing inquiries, and providing excellent customer service to both external and internal customers, resulting in high customer satisfaction ratings

eCOA Project & Operations Manager

Turtle Venture Studio

Turtle Venture Studio is the first venture studio in Bangladesh, dedicated to systematically building and supporting new companies from inception. It combines the functions of incubators, accelerators, and venture capitalists to nurture early-stage startups and help them achieve global success. The studio is committed to fostering innovation by acting as a bridge between Singapore-based ecosystem builders and local Bangladeshi startups, providing them with essential support and capital to thrive.

Advisor and Venture Partner

Chhaya

Chhaya is a dynamic insure-tech company providing technology-driven solutions in health, life, education, and agriculture sectors. Their standout offering is affordable micro-insurances aimed at addressing the needs of the 99% uninsured population in Bangladesh. Chhaya's platform facilitates seamless, paperless interactions for insurance selection, registration, and claims, catering to a wide range of users from various demographic backgrounds.

Business Advisor

A2D Ventures

As a venture partner at A2D Ventures, my role is to:

- Identify and evaluate promising early-stage startups for potential investment.
- Provide strategic guidance and mentorship to portfolio companies to accelerate their growth.
- Actively participate in building innovative businesses and capitalizing on new market opportunities.
- Contribute to the mission of democratizing access to venture capital by supporting diverse founders and creating an inclusive ecosystem.
- Collaborate with the A2D Ventures team to make informed investment decisions and drive the overall success of the platform.

AMSI (Asosiasi Muslim Startup Indonesia)

AMSI Creating a sharia-based business ecosystem, creating a network of Muslim business actors with integrity, advanced and modern, as well as creating and preparing a generation of Muslims who are economically strong and have noble characters.

Advisor and Mentor

 KX Knowledge Xchange

KX Knowledge Xchange supports the creation and development of business projects in the deep tech, creative economy & sciences through sharing knowledge between universities and the market. Their goal is to become a world class innovation ecosystem that contributes to the development of the new economic paradigm in Thailand which is more innovative, ethical and sustainable. KX has a Startup incubation program called TechBite.

Bangladesh Brand Forum

Contributor to Bangladesh Brand Forum Magazine (Offline and online both), and discussing issues related to entrepreneurship, startups, productivity, and career.

Contributing Writer

Athena Global

Athena connects you with top-notch mentors and on-demand experts who will empower you to achieve your breakthrough growth both personally and professionally.

iResearch, Inc - iResearch.com

iResearch empowers you to know why. Now you can quickly, easily, and affordably delve into the thoughts, feelings, and reactions of your customers, employees, or any audience you want. iResearch is easy to use and purpose-built to meet the demands of sound market research. With online focus groups, you can - 

- test advertising from print to animatic storyboards to final video;
- determine website friendliness and usability;
- get feedback on software or mobile apps;
- evaluate new packaging;
- get input and insights on a new product or service;
- learn more about your customers, employees, or members;
- design better surveys based on participant insights

Advisor

SAIJAI

- Conduct a review of current processes, collaborate to standardize procedures, leverage technology for efficiency, and analyze metrics for continuous improvement.
- Work with the team to develop a comprehensive strategy, conduct market research, guide messaging, and explore various marketing channels.
- Assess the platform's scalability potential, identify opportunities for growth, and collaborate on platform enhancements to support future expansion.

As a startup builder, I specialize in helping early-stage companies manage their operations and grow from the ground up. With over 10 years of experience working with startups at various stages of growth, I have a deep understanding of the challenges and obstacles startups face during the growth process. 

My expertise lies in marketing, go-to-market strategies, BOP marketing, last-mile distribution, last-mile retail, operations, product management, project management, innovation, consumer behavior, and digital transformation. I have hands-on experience implementing projects in various industries, including last-mile distribution, last-mile retail, FMCG data, telemedicine, health tech, and med tech. 

In addition to providing advisory services to startups, I am also available to consult or work actively as an employee. Let's connect and see how I can support your startup's growth journey.

Md. Rashedun Nabi

As a digital nomad since 2019, I’ve learned that my environment shapes the quality of my work. I often choose coffee shops for the energy, but I also need quiet spaces where I can think clearly, plan ahead, and switch between projects without distraction.

Today, I worked from ZenicHub, and it turned out to be exactly what I needed to plan for 2026 and also do some creative works.

Why it worked well for me:
1️⃣  Quiet and low-noise. Managing several projects requires constant context switching. A calm space helps me reset my focus faster.
2️⃣ Natural light and open views
The large windows help break mental fatigue. Looking outside gives a small reset before shifting to the next task.
3️⃣ Reliable Wi-Fi and easy access to power
Stability matters when moving between calls, documents, deep work, and planning. Everything worked smoothly.

Coffee shops give energy, but they also bring noise, crowding, and unstable internet. For work like planning a new year’s roadmap, a predictable environment makes a real difference.

ZenicHub gave me the clarity to move between thinking, planning, and execution without interruptions, something every digital nomad juggling multiple projects can appreciate.

Thanks to Alex Chatpaitoon for the day pass, it was a really productive day 😃

#DigitalNomad #CoWorkingSpace #ZenicHub #Productivity #WorkFromAnywhere

Entrepreneur-In-Residence | Innovation Strategist | Mentor and Advisor

No alternative text description for this image

It was a great evening at the WorkOptional.ai  meetup. Grateful for the engaged crowd and the sharp questions throughout the session.

Thanks to everyone who joined, shared insights, and contributed to a productive discussion. Looking forward to more conversations that move AI adoption from hype to practical value.

If you want to exchange ideas or collaborate around AI adoption in SEA, feel free to reach out.

📦 Kong Lum Hon Vijayesh (VJ) Sainju Lisa Lama Masako Heng Peter Phelan Md.Tanzirul Basher Injynn Nge San Eng Siriwat Vorachan

#AI #SoutheastAsia #Innovation #WorkOptional #MeetupEvents

Thank you Rony Md. Rashedun Nabi for an amazing evening and for sharing real, actionable insights on AI adoption in Southeast Asia! 🚀

A quote that really landed:
 “Developers in Southeast Asia should focus on solving very boring problems, not exciting ones because boring problems create immediate impact and drive real business value.” 💡

Solving boring problems like automating forms or checking bills delivers instant time and cost savings, making adoption easy and benefits obvious.

Three key highlights of the event:
SEA is catching up fast: 62% of businesses now use AI in multiple ways, with fintech leading ROI. 📈
Vietnam’s SMEs shine with bold AI investment and adoption. 🇻🇳
The biggest hurdles? Infrastructure cost, fragmented regulations, and getting data ready for AI. ⚡

Thanks to everyone who joined, shared questions, and made the discussion so thought-provoking. Let’s keep building the future, one boring business problem at a time! 🤖✨ #AI #SoutheastAsia #Innovation #WorkOptional #MeetupEvents

If you're in Bangkok on this Wednesday, join me in this session!

The key takeaway from this session will be - 
🔑 Inside stories from innovation programs in Southeast Asia—how startups and SMEs are turning AI pilots into scalable solutions
🔑 Real adoption data behind AI’s impact in marketing, healthtech, edtech, agritech, and fintech in Southeast Asia
🔑 A clear framework to move from “we use AI” to “we create measurable value with AI”, giving you immediate strategies you can implement

Happy to connect with anyone working in this space. 

👉 Registration Link - https://lnkd.in/gY_RxMZk

#AI #SoutheastAsia #DigitalTransformation #Innovation #GrowthStrategy #FutureOfWork

We had a full house last night with over 20+ SME leaders joining our AI workshop: Simple, Profitable Methods to Grow Your Business.

The event, organized by Bangkok Entrepreneurs and facilitated by Danson Solutions and PSP Solutions, focused on simple and practical ways SMEs can use AI to improve marketing and sales.

The energy in the room and the level of engagement showed how ready #ThaiSMEs are to adopt practical AI tools.

AI adoption is no longer optional for SMEs in Thailand. Businesses that embrace AI for content creation, customer engagement, and operations will move faster and stay competitive.

Thank you to all participants for the energy and insights.

In 2026, we’ll bring more workshops to help SMEs adopt AI with confidence and clarity.

#AIforSMEs #Thailand #ThailandBusiness #SMEThailand #AIAdoption #DigitalTransformation #BangkokEntrepreneurs #FutureOfWork #AIEducation #BusinessGrowth #SMELeaders

Bob Sachdev 🚀Jean-Sébastien Pruvost-Larive - Helping Business/Startup in Thailand Vijayesh (VJ) Sainju Bishal Chhetri (Dan) Aayesha Nakarmi Lisa Lama

If you look closely at Thailand’s AI roadmap, one pattern becomes clear: the country is optimizing for long-term competitiveness, not headlines.

People, ethics, compute, the foundations are being built now.

👉 Full breakdown in the comments.

#AI #Thailand #AIMasterPlan #DigitalEconomy #StartupEcosystem #Innovation #SEAtech #RashedunNabi

Without commitment, you’ll never start.
Without consistency, you’ll never finish.

Innovation is never a single moment of genius. It’s a series of small, unglamorous decisions: showing up, testing ideas, learning, adjusting, and repeating.

Commitment gets you moving.
Consistency gets you results.
Together, they turn a spark into a system.

If you’re sitting on an idea, a project, or a small habit you’ve been putting off, start today.

Not with a big plan.
Just with one step you’re willing to repeat tomorrow.

Because innovation is less about disruption
and more about disciplined evolution. 🚀

#Innovation #StartupMindset #BuildInPublic #Execution #GrowthMindset

👉 Open to equity raise, partial founder liquidity, or acquisition 📈 🚀 

A Netherlands-based financial advisory firm operating from Southeast Asia is actively looking for startups in healthcare, fintech, and consumer/ecommerce sectors.

They are interested in companies that meet these criteria:

• Based in Southeast Asia
• USD 10M+ annual revenue or USD 1–2M EBITDA
• Series A and above, or seed with strong revenue
• Looking to raise capital or explore strategic exits

If you’re interested, comment “Interested”. I will DM you the process. Thanks.

#SoutheastAsia #Fundraising #StartupGrowth #MergersAndAcquisitions #VentureCapital #PrivateEquity

Did you notice that B2B customers increasingly behave like B2C consumers?

Most buyers don’t want to talk to sales until the very end.

What they do want is a consumer-grade digital experience across every touchpoint.

Today’s B2B buyer completes 57% of the journey before speaking to a rep—and they eliminate vendors simply because the website wasn’t helpful enough.

Here’s the real shift:

B2B accounts may be complex, but the expectations are simple:
1️⃣ Immediate value
2️⃣ Clear guidance
3️⃣ Personalized support
4️⃣ Seamless digital journeys

If we don’t deliver this, someone else will.

The companies winning today aren’t just selling products—they’re personalizing experiences at every step: content, recommendations, onboarding, support, even troubleshooting.

Because when personalization ties your success to the customer’s success, you stop being a vendor…
and start becoming a partner.

What changes are you seeing in how B2B buyers behave?

#B2BMarketing #CustomerExperience #Personalization #SalesStrategy #DigitalTransformation #B2B #GoToMarket #AIinBusiness

MOATs are disappearing.


AI gives every company access to the same models, tools, and capabilities, so the gaps that once existed between teams are shrinking fast.

This forces us to rethink where real defensibility comes from. Instead of asking “What tech advantage do we have?” the better question is “How fast can we learn, adapt, and serve customers better than anyone else?”

When technology is commoditized, the differentiators shift to things competitors cannot copy quickly: customer intimacy, disciplined execution, tight feedback loops, and the ability to turn insights into shipped improvements.

If the playing field is now level, what truly creates defensibility? 

My view is simple: customer obsession plus relentless execution. What’s yours?

#AI #Startups #Innovation #Execution #Strategy #AIFuture #TechTrends #Leadership

In Business Development, nothing lands in your inbox by accident.
Every deal, partnership, and breakthrough is engineered through intent, consistency, and proactive outreach.

Business Development is not about waiting for the right lead.
But the real game is creating momentum long before a conversation starts.

I’ve seen brilliant teams stall because they expect opportunities to appear on their own.

I’ve also seen small, scrappy teams win simply because they out-reached, out-followed-up, and out-learned everyone else.

After years of BD across markets, one lesson keeps repeating:
Your pipeline reflects your habits, not your luck.
If you aren’t consistently creating touch points, nurturing relationships, and showing value, you’re invisible.

Here’s the shift that changed my results:
I stopped “waiting for interest” and started “designing interest.”
That meant intentional outreach, tailored value, fast iteration, and closing feedback loops faster than others could respond.

Opportunities don’t come to business development leaders.
We build them, one message, one meeting, one follow-up, one experiment at a time.

If you want a stronger pipeline in 2026, don’t wait. Create! 

#BusinessDevelopment #B2B #Leadership #OpportunityMindset #GrowthStrategy

I always hear this frustration from founders: “The VC went silent after a couple of intro meetings.”

But silence isn’t rejection, it’s feedback without words.

Most of the time, it means “Show me progress.”

Founders take silence personally. You replay the meeting. You question your pitch.

But in reality, VCs are overloaded. They don’t chase—you have to show momentum.

Silence usually means one thing: “Come back with results.” Here’s what reopens VC interest:

1️⃣ Show progress (customers, pilots, partnerships, usage).
2️⃣ Share learnings (what you tested, what changed).
3️⃣ Send consistent, concise updates.
Execution > enthusiasm.

Founders who share real traction updates stand out instantly.
VCs re-engage. Intros are revived. Doors reopen, not because of the pitch, but because of progress.

When a VC goes quiet, don’t wait.
Execute → Update → Repeat.
That’s how you turn silence into momentum.

taplio

The Battle

Tim Grassin

Md. Rashedun Nabi

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreTim Grassin's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMd. Rashedun Nabi's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Tim Grassin

Md. Rashedun Nabi

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Tim Grassin's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMd. Rashedun Nabi's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreTim Grassin's LinkedIn Performance