Southeast Asia’s tech startup ecosystem witnessed a slight uptick in funding activity in March 2025, with total funding reaching US$99.5 million across 22 rounds. This figure represents a notable 10.31 per cent increase compared to the previous month, February 2025. However, the total funding for March 2025 was a steep 82.1 per cent lower than […]
Singapore has overtaken San Francisco as the city with the highest concentration of rapidly expanding startups for the first time, according to the 2025 Hypergrowth Startup Index released today by HubSpot for Startups. The annual report, produced in partnership with PitchBook, analyses the top 100 fastest-growing companies and unicorns. The findings indicate a significant evolution […]
On April 4, 2025, the US stock market experienced its worst single-day performance in years, shedding approximately US$2.5 trillion in value as investors fled to safe-haven assets like US Treasuries and gold. The MSCI US index plummeted by 4.9 per cent, with particularly brutal declines in the energy sector, down 7.5 per cent, and information […]
Dear reader, As TikTok faces a looming April 5 deadline to divest from its Chinese parent company ByteDance or risk a ban in the US, a flurry of high-stakes bids is emerging. Amazon has reportedly submitted a last-minute offer to acquire the entirety of TikTok, according to The New York Times. However, insiders suggest the […]
Singapore, 27 November 2024 – Sophia, headquartered in Singapore, has released the results of its second annual survey conducted from June to September 2024. The survey engaged women globally to explore their attitudes towards financial education, as well as the challenges and opportunities they face in money management. Findings reveal shift towards long-term financial wellbeing […]
As businesses navigate an era shaped and influenced by rapid digital transformation and AI, public relations (PR) remains a vital tool for building corporate reputation and trust. This is especially true for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and scaling startups that are also looking to establish credibility and brand recognition, attract investors, and engage their […]
Malaysia’s digital economy is undergoing a remarkable transformation, with artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity emerging as central pillars of its economic growth and regional leadership. The nation’s strategic focus on these technologies is not only driving innovation but also positioning it as a key player in the global digital landscape. The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation […]
Time does fly when you’re watching the tech world evolve at lightning speed. But before we dive headfirst into the new year, let’s hit pause and take a moment to reflect on 2024—the trends, the lessons, and, of course, the jaw-dropping stats that shaped the software development landscape. AI — The Big Thing In 2024 […]
The purpose of this short article is to provide a common ground of notions and knowledge on SaaS metrics, based on the hundreds of SaaS companies we see and evaluate on a yearly basis at Qualgro. We hope that this will help everyone in the ecosystem (founders, advisors, VC friends) to speak the same language […]
The Southeast Asia (SEA) startup landscape has witnessed some successful initial public offerings (IPOs) in 2021, including the Indonesian e-commerce shopping platform Bukalapak, and the Vietnamese data-driven loyalty platform Society Pass. Some are also actively eyeing IPOs, including Traveloka, VNG, Tiki, aCommerce and more. Sizable mergers and acquisitions (M&A) also attract a lot of attention in […]
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Dear reader, As TikTok faces a looming April 5 deadline to divest from its Chinese parent company ByteDance or risk a ban in the US, a flurry of high-stakes bids is emerging. Amazon has reportedly submitted a last-minute offer to acquire the entirety of TikTok, according to The New York Times. However, insiders suggest the […]
In June, Japan-based digital marketing and measurement consulting agency Ayudante announced its acquisition of Sparkline, an independent digital marketing company headquartered in Singapore with an established presence in the Philippines. With this acquisition, Sparkline will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ayudante. Sparkline is known as one of the first certified partners and resellers of Google […]
The first time Amazon showed me the perfect book via its recommendation engine, I was truly amazed. The idea that a retailer could not only recognise me as a return visitor but also learn my interests and alter my experience accordingly felt like magic. The secret behind this seemingly magical shopping experience? Dynamic content, enabled […]
Dear reader, The Philippine startup ecosystem’s remarkable growth signals a maturing market increasingly attractive to global investors. The surge in deal flow, foreign direct investment, and digital innovation reflects a dynamic economy underpinned by strong fundamentals. With GDP growth surpassing regional peers and a burgeoning middle class driving consumer demand, the country presents a fertile […]
Having worked with small businesses for seven years, it’s clear something is different this year. AI is transforming how founders go digital. 91 per cent of those who integrated AI report experiencing growth. Founders are streamlining operations (82 per cent) and effectively controlling costs (69 per cent). While leaders in large corporations may emphasise similar […]
Running a tech startup is exciting, but you’ve got to be on your game every day, making smart decisions and leading your team through ups and downs. It’s a lot, and sometimes, you might wonder how you can keep up without burning out. What if the key to enhanced productivity isn’t working harder but understanding […]
In the dynamic world of startups and venture capital, understanding cap tables is crucial for both entrepreneurs and investors. A cap table, short for capitalisation table, serves as a comprehensive record of a company’s equity ownership structure. It details who owns shares in the company, the different types of shares issued, and the respective ownership […]
With the IMF recently forecasting the next decade to have the lowest global growth in 40 years, or major corporates cutting resources and stating the need for “a year of efficiency” (Facebook’s Zuckerberg for example) and venture capital drying up, its clearly a time when productivity and efficiency are at the top on the management […]
On the first day of Expand North Star event, part of the GITEX GLOBAL 2024 event in Dubai, SOSV Founder Sean O’Sullivan dubbed climate change as an “urgent existential crisis for humanity” and called for the tech investor community to “make it work” through investments in climate tech. He pointed out the increasing cases of […]
The Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI) is an international non-profit organisation with a mission to enable high-integrity voluntary carbon markets (VCMs). In case you are not familiar with it, VCM is a concept that allows carbon emitters to offset their emissions by purchasing carbon credits emitted by projects targeted at removing or reducing greenhouse […]
Echelon Startup Pitch The Echelon Philippines 2024 Startup Pitching Competition brought together 15 groundbreaking startups, each presenting innovative solutions to pressing challenges. This event not only highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit but also offered a platform for startups to gain feedback, connect with industry leaders, and explore investment opportunities. Among the standouts was BuildIt, which aims […]
Driving Innovation in Philippine Healthcare: Opportunities Beyond Telehealth At Echelon Philippines 2024, the panel ‘Driving Innovation in Philippine Healthcare: Opportunities Beyond Telehealth’ explored the evolving healthcare landscape, focusing on digital health platforms, medical devices, and personalised medicine. Moderated by Amanda Cua, Founder and CEO of BackScoop, the session featured insights from Hamilton Angluben, Founder and […]
Climate Tech: Seizing Opportunities in an Emerging Ecosystem At Echelon Philippines 2024, a panel discussion titled ‘Climate Tech: Seizing Opportunities in an Emerging Ecosystem’ brought together key voices in the climate tech space to explore innovations, funding opportunities, and strategies for navigating regulatory landscapes. Moderated by Katherine Khoo, Lead, Social Impact and Equity Action from […]
AI Leapfrog: Build an AI-first Tech Ecosystem for a Global Competitive Advantage At Echelon Philippines 2024, a panel discussion titled ‘AI Leapfrog: Build an AI-first Tech Ecosystem for a Global Competitive Advantage’ brought together experts from various industries to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence. Moderated by Bianca Cruz, Co-Founder of 10xme Academy and […]
Is the Philippines the Most Underrated Market in Southeast Asia? Storehub’s Bold Bet on Its Future At Echelon Philippines 2024, Wai Hong Fong, Chieftain and Co-Founder of StoreHub, joined Judge Calimbahin III of Endeavor Philippines for a fireside chat titled ‘Is the Philippines the Most Underrated Market in Southeast Asia? StoreHub’s Bold Bet on Its […]
From Digital to Traditional: Salmon Group’s Integration Strategy with Rural Banking to Enhance Financial Services At Echelon Philippines 2024, Pavel Fedorov, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Salmon (Fintech Holdings Ltd), joined Maansi Vohra of Monk’s Hill Ventures for a fireside chat titled ‘From Digital to Traditional: Salmon Group’s Integration Strategy with Rural Banking to Enhance […]
At Echelon Philippines 2024, Sabrina Tan, Co-Founder of Lhoopa, joined Adriel Yong of Ascend Network for an insightful fireside chat titled ‘Beyond Walls and Roofs: Lhoopa’s Journey of Empowering Individuals and Transforming Lives’. The session highlighted Lhoopa’s efforts to revolutionise homeownership in emerging markets. Lhoopa’s mission is to make affordable housing accessible while creating […]
Funding the Future: Navigating Emerging Sectors and Investment Opportunities Echelon Philippines 2024 hosted a panel discussion titled ‘Funding the Future: Navigating Emerging Sectors and Investment Opportunities’, shedding light on the growth potential of emerging sectors and strategies for startups to secure funding. The session brought together key investment leaders to discuss opportunities and challenges in […]
From Start-Up to Scale-Up: Building and Scaling for the Philippine Market The Echelon Philippines 2024 fireside chat titled ‘From Start-Up to Scale-Up: Building and Scaling for the Philippine Market’ explored key strategies and challenges for growing businesses in one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic markets. Moderated by Joan Yao, Vice President of Investments at Kickstart […]
Leveraging Silicon Valley Networks: Zed’s Path to Growth and the Long Term Impact to Philippine Ecosystem As part of Echelon Philippines 2024, the fireside chat titled “Leveraging Silicon Valley Networks: Zed’s Path to Growth and the Long Term Impact to Philippine Ecosystem” examined how Zed has successfully navigated two ecosystems to drive innovation and growth. […]
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Southeast Asia’s tech startup ecosystem witnessed a slight uptick in funding activity in March 2025, with total funding reaching US$99.5 million across 22 rounds. This figure represents a notable 10.31 per cent increase compared to the previous month, February 2025. However, the total funding for March 2025 was a steep 82.1 per cent lower than […]
The Southeast Asia (SEA) startup landscape has witnessed some successful initial public offerings (IPOs) in 2021, including the Indonesian e-commerce shopping platform Bukalapak, and the Vietnamese data-driven loyalty platform Society Pass. Some are also actively eyeing IPOs, including Traveloka, VNG, Tiki, aCommerce and more. Sizable mergers and acquisitions (M&A) also attract a lot of attention in […]
Venture Capital (VC) firms are one of the key players in the global tech startup ecosystem. These institutions raise capital from limited partners –ranging from family offices to pension funds– to invest in tech startups in various stages and of various verticals. Made in exchange for equity or ownership in the startups, through these investments, […]
Having seen and heard over 2,000 pitches in the last year alone, we dare say that 90 per cent of startup founders struggle to clearly define their problem statement. Deceptively simple, a well-defined problem will not only capture an investor’s (limited) attention but keep it throughout your presentation. Fifty per cent of the success of […]
Once you decide to grow your company as a startup, the amount of money you need to support the scale-up often exceeds what your current business can afford. That is why financing from different types of investors serves as a short in the arm and may help your company take off not only through the […]
Many founders view the panacea to securing funding from VCs in the fundraising process as getting the first meeting; once they are in they will win! The reality in most scenarios is different, as what you do when you are in the room, and how you happened to get there –pitch deck– have already contributed […]
Aviation company PT Regio Aviasi Industri has recently broke a record for its project on Indonesian crowdfunding platform Kitabisa. The campaign aims to raise funding to help build the R80 airplane, designed by leading Indonesian engineer and former president B. J. Habibie. By Tuesday, the project has successfully secured IDR2.6 billion (US$192,000) from 7,115 donors, […]
Semiconductor giant Qualcomm has announced the strategic acquisition of MovianAI, a generative AI division of VinAI, part of Vietnam’s Vingroup. With this move, Qualcomm seeks to expand its research and development (R&D) efforts in the rapidly evolving field of AI. The integration of MovianAI’s expertise promises to accelerate the development of next-generation AI solutions for […]
Southeast Asia-focused climate tech venture builder Wavemaker Impact launched AI-driven climate tech startup Nūl Global Technologies with a pre-seed investment of US$500,000. Nūl will use the funding to enhance ongoing pilot projects in the region, expand partnerships, and facilitate the global commercialisation of its solution. The global fashion industry significantly contributes to global carbon emissions, […]
Granite Asia, a multi-asset tech investment platform based in Singpore, and Integral Corporation, Japan’s publicly listed private equity firm specialising in buyouts, have announced the formation of Granite-Integral. This joint venture (JV) aims to invest in high-growth companies with strong ties to Japan, supporting technology scale-ups looking to expand into the Japanese market and Japanese […]
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Climate change is no longer a distant threat. It is a present reality with direct and devastating consequences on global health. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and environmental degradation are accelerating the spread of infectious diseases, exacerbating respiratory conditions, and straining healthcare infrastructure. Vulnerable communities bear the brunt of these crises. They face limited access […]
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – 16 January 2025 – Over 400 business owners, marketers, and advertisers gathered at Hotel Maya in Kuala Lumpur for TikTok’s highly anticipated Ramadan Ready for SMBs: Elevate Your Brand’s Story on TikTok event. This exclusive event provided small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with the latest strategies and tools to maximize brand […]
The customer engagement landscape is rapidly evolving. AI-driven innovations, shifting consumer expectations, and a dynamic business environment are fundamentally changing how brands connect with their audiences. Businesses that fail to adapt risk falling behind—just as Kodak, Blockbuster, and Yahoo did when they ignored industry shifts. To stay competitive, organizations must embrace new strategies and technologies […]
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often lack access to the digital tools that larger companies use to transform their operations. With constrained budgets, they face challenges in acquiring, integrating, and managing new software, hardware, and technologies. Without the right tools, SMEs struggle to digitise workflows, collect and analyse customer data, and automate repetitive tasks. This […]
Raising capital is one of the biggest hurdles for startups. With fewer than one per cent of startups securing venture capital, most turn to angel investors. However, founders often struggle with finding relevant investors in their industry and geography, preparing professional investor-ready documents such as pitch decks and business plans, and effectively reaching out and […]
Omnichat, the leading all-in-one omnichannel customer experience platform in the Asia-Pacific region, announced its AI-powered conversational suite driven by Agentic AI for 2025. Notably, it is backed by prominent investors such as AppWorks, 91APP, Palm Drive Capital, Cornerstone Ventures and AVA Angels. Omnichat has achieved significant growth with an eightfold revenue increase over the past […]
SINGAPORE — e27 announced a new integration with Meta’s Llama Incubator Programme. This initiative is designed to accelerate AI adoption among startups and SMEs in Singapore. It features two specialized tracks: the Startup Track and the SME Track. Both tracks will equip participants with the necessary tools and expertise to integrate AI solutions effectively into […]
The wait is over! Applications for the SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards 2025 are now officially open. This global platform is dedicated to recognizing and supporting innovative technologies that address the challenges posed by natural disasters. With a strong focus on solutions that save lives before, during, and after disasters, the Awards have become a cornerstone […]
Imagine pouring your heart and resources into building a brand and product you’re proud of, only to see a knock-off benefitting from your hard work and chipping away at your market share. For many businesses, this is an all too familiar reality. Copycats can take a real toll on your business. Counterfeit products might confuse […]
The National University of Singapore (NUS) is expanding its footprint in Japan by launching its second BLOCK71 office in Tokyo to propel deeptech innovation. This follows the inauguration of its first Japanese location in Nagoya in November 2024. NUS Enterprise, the entrepreneurial arm of NUS, collaborates with key partners Central Japan Innovation Capital (CJIC), Kyoto […]
On 30 October, SWITCH of TAIWAN: Networking Night with Taiwanese Startups took place in collaboration with StartUP@Taipei, the Taipei Government’s program supporting Taiwanese entrepreneurs. This dynamic event gathered a diverse group of entrepreneurs, investors, and corporate representatives. As a result, the event created a vibrant platform for cross-border collaboration between Taiwan, Singapore, and Japan. Powered […]
BANGKOK, THAILAND – November 11, 2024 – SCB 10X, the disruptive technology investment and innovation arm of SCBX Group, in collaboration with SCB, Innovest X, Fireblocks, Elliptic, Circle and Base, announced the launch of Rubie Wallet. This digital wallet showcases how purpose-bound money (PBM) can facilitate a seamless closed-loop QR payments experience. These secure transactions […]
In today’s digital world, online gaming has become more than just a pastime—it’s a global community where players can access unique items, level up their skills, and enhance their gaming experiences. However, gamers face significant risks when trading or purchasing accounts and items online. In addition to challenges of time, expense, and fragmented access to […]
As Korean content continues to captivate global audiences, the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) is broadening its international footprint with the opening of a new office in Singapore. This expansion positions KOCCA at the centre of Southeast Asia’s financial and innovation hub. As a result, this will provide unparalleled opportunities for investors, startups and businesses […]
The Siam Commercial Bank (SCB), in partnership with SCB 10X, is pleased to announce its collaboration with Lightnet to enhance cross-border payments and remittances by using stablecoin for settlement on the public blockchain network. This groundbreaking project marks Thailand’s first use case of stablecoin for cross-border payments and remittances. As a result, this sets a […]
In the dynamic world of construction, BuildHub stands out as a modern and innovative online marketplace. Our mission is to streamline connections between hardware stores and construction suppliers across the Philippines, making it easier for them to thrive and focus on their core strength — delivering high-quality materials and solutions for successful building projects. Transforming […]
Manila, Philippines — Smile API, a provider of real-time, verified employment data across Asia, is aiming to redefine how HR and Fintech business operations work when accessing and utilising critical employment information. By empowering business operations through transparency and the use of user-consented data, Smile API plans to make waves by offering reliable solutions to […]
The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) by the National Innovation Agency (Public Organisation) or NIA is hosting “STARTUP THAILAND x INNOVATION THAILAND EXPO 2024” or SITE 2024 under the concept of “Innovation for Growth and Sustainability” to accelerate the creation of sustainability for Thai businesses and start-ups in all dimensions. There […]
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