S5 Ep5: Engineering Impact: Akshay Sharma on Startups, Social Change & Career Courage

In this episode of the APCDA Career Journey podcast, co-hosts Felicity Brown and Samantha Ng speak with Akshay Sharma, an Indian-born entrepreneur and technologist who has spent the last 12 years building a life and career in Vietnam. From giving up a secure engineering job in India to co-founding a proptech startup and a social impact venture producing affordable prosthetics, Akshay shares the mindset behind his bold decisions, lessons from failure, and what drives him to keep learning and contributing. This is a candid conversation about risk, resilience, and redefining success across borders.



00:05 Introduction of the guest

01:10 Learnings by the hosts

03:05 About the guest - Who is Akshay

04:35 What problems is Akshay solving right now?

05:40 How did Akshay end up in Vietnam

14:15 What shapes you to who you are today

18:18 How to choose between being an employee and becoming an entrepreneur

21:45 Biggest career decision till date

24:45 Dealing with uncertainty 

27:45 Life is short

30:00 What's next

31:55 Best piece of career advice

35:20 What inspires Akshay