Julian Peh has spent over two decades building, scaling, and exiting technology companies across Asia and beyond. From surviving the dotcom crash to founding White Wave Media Group—which became Asia’s largest luxury adtech company before its acquisition by Singapore Press Holdings—Julian has developed a reputation for turning ambitious technical visions into industry-defining businesses. Today, as founder of Kipley and KIP Protocol, he’s working at the intersection of AI and Web3, building infrastructure that prioritizes human contribution and decentralized trust. In this conversation, Julian shares insights on resilience, integrity, and what it really takes to build companies that endure.
Q: Julian, you’ve been building in tech since the 90s. What first drew you into this world—and what’s kept you in it for over two decades?
A: I’ve always been fascinated by how technology amplifies human potential. In 1998, I co-founded one of Singapore’s earliest internet ventures, and while that startup didn’t survive the dotcom crash, the experience provided me with valuable lessons that I could not have learnt any other way.
I started a second company (an early web-hosting and services company) soon after the crash, and this one grew to take on major banks and enterprises as customers, and it was acquired three years later.
In the decades since, I’ve founded, scaled, and exited multiple companies in sectors from adtech to AI. I discovered that I loved the process of building something from zero-to-one, and over time, I developed skills and experience that made me better at developing technical concepts to commercial products and building teams to scale the business. What keeps me going is the satisfaction of building—and the conviction that well-applied tech can transform industries and lives.
Q: You’ve built and exited multiple businesses. Can you walk us through one of the most defining ones?
A: Certainly. One of the most defining was White Wave Media Group, which became Asia’s largest luxury adtech and digital media company. We owned digital platforms across luxury, yachting, and lifestyle.
It started with just a single portal website back in 2005, which was basically based on the belief that increasing broadband access would herald a sea-change in consumers’ expectations for content, driving a need for rich format ad-delivery and a greater need for more accurate targeting and customer service.
We grew this to become the largest digital media group in Asia, serving premium advertisers, with multiple awards won on technical achievements and market share (we were ranked no 1 over consecutive years).
This eventually culminated with a strategic acquisition by Singapore Press Holdings, one of the largest traditional media companies in Asia at the time. That experience taught me how to grow something from zero to industry-defining and how to manage complex cross-border M&A with a major public company.
Q: Integrity is a word often used loosely in business. What does it mean to you—and how has it shown up in your journey?
A: To me, integrity is consistency when no one is watching. I’ve had investors, partners, and employees who’ve stood with me for close to two decades—even following me from one venture to the next. I take that loyalty very seriously. Whether in how we treat partners, how we manage exits, or how we build technology, I’ve always chosen the long game over shortcuts.
Things very often don’t go the way we plan, but a focus on and commitment to the longer-term vision is what is necessary to see it through. Success sometimes comes just from fighting through the things that threaten you every day.
Q: You’ve worked with major institutions and governments. What does it take to gain trust at that level?
A: It takes more than just good ideas. It takes delivery—and resilience. Whether you’re dealing with regulators, sovereign entities, or listed companies, trust comes from showing up consistently, solving real problems, and navigating complexity with clarity.
I’ve led negotiations and partnerships in multi-jurisdictional deals, which require patience, cultural fluency, and a solid understanding of institutional dynamics.
Q: Tell us about your current venture, Kipley and KIP Protocol. What inspired this, and what’s the bigger picture?
A: KIP is born from a simple belief: AI should empower, not replace humans. After years in AI and Web3 investing—including backing Eigenform AI early on—I saw a missing piece: a framework that truly respects human involvement and contribution, knowledge ownership, and decentralized trust.
Kipley and KIP Protocol aim to unlock this, combining applied AI, user-owned knowledge, and tokenized incentives to create something both powerful and ethical.
Q: You’ve mentioned building teams that last. What’s the key to attracting and retaining top talent across such different industries?
A: You don’t just hire resumes—I look for grit and integrity. I’ve always tried to lead by example and ensure people know they’re part of a mission, not just a job.
I’ve had engineers, designers, and business leads follow me through multiple ventures. That’s only possible when people know you’ll fight for them, just as they fight for the work.
Q: What’s one moment in your journey that tested you the most?
A: When you’re working on the cutting edge of technology, almost every week brings a new challenge. Challenges fuel innovation.
But there are moments that test not just your skills, but your reputation and your character. That moment for me was when my company and I were pulled into a situation that generated a lot of noise and misunderstanding. It was a difficult period because these accusations flew in the face of an established reputation of decades of consistently delivering on commitments to my teams, partners, investors, and clients.
Adversity sharpens focus. It pushed us to refine our mission: empowering humanity through AI that expands access, drives inclusion, and helps developing economies leapfrog to prosperity. We’re doubling down on what’s always defined us—leading by example, building lasting partnerships, and delivering transparent, transformative technology.
When your work is rooted in trust, consistency, and a genuine desire to create long-term value, you can weather anything that comes your way.
Q: As a long-term investor in tech yourself, what advice would you give to partners and investors who are looking to back a long-term tech vision today?
A: To use a tried and true adage: we have to skate to where the puck will be, not where it is right now. We have to look well into the future and form opinions on where the future of the market will be. And then work backward to find the teams that show grit and pragmatism over the short term, which will help them survive over the long term.
The best investments are often the least obvious ones. Find founders who’ve been through cycles. Check if their people stick around. And most importantly, ask yourself: Does this founder build with purpose, or just chase headlines? Technology changes, but character endures.
The post Building with Purpose: Julian Peh on Two Decades of Tech Entrepreneurship appeared first on International Business Times.
