Bukalapak may tap local market IPO in Q3 2021, says DealStreetAsia; It has already filed the documents with the Indonesia Stock Exchange and is likely to offer at least 10-15% of shares worth around US$350mn; The marketplace is also weighing a US listing via SPAC route; According to Bloomberg, Bukalapak could be valued at US$4bn to US$5bn. More here
Indonesia’s last-mile delivery company SiCepat Ekspres raises US$170mn Series B; Investors include Temasek subsidiary Pavilion Capital, Falcon House Partners and MDI Ventures; The company claims it is profitable and fulfilled more than 1.4mn packages daily in 2020. More here
Here’s how SEA startups raised capital and resisted challenges in 2020; According to a 2021 report on VC trends in SEA, the total capital raised for privately-held companies was US$8.6bn; This is an impressive amount, given that it is not far from the amount global giant India raised, which was US$11.3bn for 2020. More here
Delivery by drones will become a reality as AirAsia Digital partners with MaGIC; The pilot project for the delivery of goods from AirAsia’s e-commerce platforms including AirAsia shop using automated drones is set to be carried out through a six-month phased approach at the third National Technology and Innovation Sandbox test site in Cyberjaya. More here
Canada’s WeCommerce to acquire Singapore’s SaaS startup ‘Stamped’ for up to US$110mn; Once the transaction closes, US$75mn will be payable with cash; Another US$25mn will be disbursed by Q1 2022 if revenue targets are met; Stamped lets online sellers implement loyalty programmes and manage customer reviews. More here
AirAsia recovering well through digital transformation, other opportunities, says CEO; Tony Fernandes says its digital platforms such as the super app, fintech and food business are going pretty well; On the efforts in diversification, the group plans to launch air taxi service in one and half years, apart from the e-hailing service in April. More here
Singapore’s Green Li-ion raises US$3.45mn; Investors include LiNiCo Corporation (US), TES, HAX SOSV, and Entrepreneur First; The startup has developed a multi-cathode processor that recycles all types of Li-ion batteries into 99.9% pure cathodes; It claims this speeds up current recycling processes by up to 10x and improves profits by 4x. More here
gojek-backed Bank Jago races to upend mobile banking in Indonesia; The lender will begin offering some banking services via mobile app this month before extending full-fledged products including loans, securing early-mover advantage in the country’s booming digital banking industry; The lender will then embed its services on gojek’s platform this year. More here
Trade-offs and challenges ahead as Singapore moves towards cleaner energy: Tan See Leng; Singapore is greening its energy sources by developing four ‘supply switches’ — a natural gas, solar energy, regional grids and low-carbon alternatives such as hydrogen, said the Second Minister for Trade and Industry. More here
Is ‘shadow charging’ the answer to the many challenges faced by existing EV charging stations?; Geoffrey Chan of HK-based Delight Innovative Technologies shares why existing charging stations are an interim but costly and wasteful solution. More here
Why building user communities is far better than paid advertising; What makes users stick to a brand or an app is the experience they get from patronising it; People today crave authentic experiences, believe in companies that support their causes, and rally behind brands that foster human connections. More here
Smart living management system Habitap accelerates growth with expansion into Philippines; This move is part of Habitap’s efforts to amplify the future of smart living and smart building management in the region; It’ll introduce its smart offering to other markets while improving the operational efficiency and competitiveness to advance the concept of smart living. More here
Meet Inavoice, your new go-to platform for voice-over talents and background musicians; From its base in Jogjakarta, the startup provides a B2B service in the form of an audio marketplace and a digital voice over agency; In addition to building a platform for voice-over talents which the startup began with, it has also expanded to include background music. More here
How Ender Jiang of Hiverlab went from busking to providing AR solutions with Google; The company’s StoryHive platform enables users to create immersive content in a no-code environment, while its RealityCast offering allows companies to create AR-powered presentations. More here
Spring Valley founder Jonathan De Luzuriaga encourages Filipinos to support local startups; For a massive scale incubation hub like Spring Valley, Philippine’s Silicon Valley counterpart, offering a place where innovators can create solutions and platforms in the new norm presents an opportunity for these startups to thrive and reach new heights. More here
Trio of 40-somethings lead Thai CP Group’s digital evolution; Last month, the group, an unwieldy conglomerate known for food and retail operations, tapped tech-savvy executives in their 40s to run its telecom arm; They will jointly be key drivers to transform the company with the endgame of turning True into “a complete tech company leader” in the digital era. More here
Malaysia’s leap into digital economy timely; The National Tech Association of Malaysia (Pikom) CEO Ong Kian Yew said that various grants and funds are being used by small businesses for marketing purposes, enabling them to reach a wider audience and leading to higher adoption of the PoS system. More here
The state of open banking in Thailand in 2021; Compared to the likes of Singapore and Malaysia, Thailand is lagging behind when it comes to open banking with neither the central bank nor regulator having yet released any framework or guidelines; Instead, there has been a broader ambition by the government to elevate Thailand in an increasingly advanced digital generation. More here
99.co appoints former PropertyGuru exec as deputy CEO for Indonesia; Wasudewan will lead the classified business in the country and directly report to Ming H Chong, 99.co’s Indonesia CEO; The archipelago is currently 99.co’s largest market, with 78% of the firm’s total traffic pouring in from the region. More here
Indonesia plans to regulate e-commerce to stop predatory pricing; President Joko Widodo urged consumers in SEA’s biggest market to shun imported products; There are concerns that Chinese manufacturers were copying products designed by local SMEs and selling them on foreign e-commerce platforms at a fraction of the price, crushing local producers. More here
Survey says ShopeePay usage continues to grow in Indonesia; ShopeePay was being used by 68% of the participants living across eight cities in Jabodetabek, Java non-Jabodetabek, and outside Java Island; It was followed by Ovo with a 62% usage rate, GoPay with 54%, Dana with 53%, and LinkAja with 23%. More here
Meet the 7 startups that graduated from MOX’s tenth cohort; Two each are from Pakistan, India and Singapore, and one from HK; Besides receiving mentoring support, each startup from MOX’s tenth cohort received up to US$150K in investment. More here
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Photo by Goh Rhy Yanon Unsplash
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