How Zed aims to set itself apart in the Philippines with its credit-led neobank
e27 | Connecting you to Asia's Startup Ecosystem
by Anisa Menur
9h ago
Zed, which describes itself as a credit-led neobank, has unveiled the Philippines’ inaugural credit card devoid of foreign transaction fees, interest charges, and annual fees. The announcement has been accompanied by the initiation of an early access programme through a waitlist, which has already garnered over 20,000 sign-ups within just two weeks. Spearheaded by Danielle Cojuangco Abraham and Steve Abraham, alumni of Y Combinator and engineers hailing from Stanford, Zed aims to tackle the problem of credit product access for Filipino Gen Zs. A recent study conducted by TransUnion Philippine ..read more
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How Skor empowers Indonesians to take control of their financial well-being
e27 | Connecting you to Asia's Startup Ecosystem
by Manisha Maity
12h ago
(L-R) Skor co-founders Ongki Kurniawan (CEO) and Karan Khetan (COO) In today’s economic climate, a strong financial reputation is essential. This reputation, built on creditworthiness and responsible financial management, significantly impacts access to loans, interest rates, and overall financial opportunities. It can ultimately shape the course of an individual’s financial journey and future prospects. That’s where Skor steps in. This Indonesian startup empowers people to take control of their financial well-being by improving and managing their credit health. It leverages analytics to enh ..read more
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Startup investments in Vietnam see 39% drop in Q1: Report
e27 | Connecting you to Asia's Startup Ecosystem
by Sainul
12h ago
Startups in Vietnam secured a total of US$35.7 million in funding in Q1 2024 (till March 15, 2024), a 39 per cent decline from US$58.6 million raised in the same period in Q1 2023, according to a report. However, this is a 467 per cent surge compared to the US$6.3 million raised in Q4 2023. Also Read: Sharp decline in late-stage deals hits Q1 funding in SEA: Report The Tracxn Geo quarterly report found that early-stage investments in Q1 2024 stood at US$31.2 million, 47 per cent lower than the US$58.6 million raised in Q1 2023. There were no early-stage rounds recorded in Q4 2023. Seed-stage ..read more
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Nagoya University: Asia’s extensive network of innovation, research, and education
e27 | Connecting you to Asia's Startup Ecosystem
by Alfie
14h ago
Asia’s core strengths in innovation stem from its rich tapestry of diverse cultures, vast human capital, and rapidly advancing technological landscapes. With countries and regions like China, India, and Japan, leading the charge in various fields such as technology, manufacturing, and life science, Asia has proven to be a powerhouse of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit. For any leader in education, research, and innovation, fostering broad and deep coverage across Asia is imperative. By tapping into the collective knowledge, resources, and expertise of different Asian nations ..read more
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AI is not almighty: Why the ‘magic tool’ still needs human help
e27 | Connecting you to Asia's Startup Ecosystem
by Artem Moskalev
14h ago
Artificial intelligence is bucking all trends right now. People think of it as a universal tool for solving all sorts of tasks — but this is far from true. Let’s look at why we shouldn’t expect AI to turn our world upside down (at least for a couple of years).  Why the world is going crazy on AI  When AI was first introduced, it really did seem like magic — you write a query, and they do the task for you. AI is improving and getting smarter. Now, it can even make colourful video ads for you or generate high-quality content for social media. But it’s still not enough — and AI cannot ..read more
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Wavemaker Impact backs Elevate Foods that combats food loss and waste
e27 | Connecting you to Asia's Startup Ecosystem
by Sainul
14h ago
Elevate Foods founder Gayatri Bhatia and her team with representatives from BVG Group’s Satara Food Processing Unit Elevate Foods, a platform for small- and medium-sized farm-gate processors, has closed a US$525,000 pre-seed funding led by Wavemaker Impact (WMi). Elevate Foods (owned by Singapore-based GBN Food Solutions) will use the capital to establish a network for processed agri-produce. It will also assemble a specialised team focused on sustainable food systems and enhanced quality management tools while building its footprint across the Gulf and Southeast Asian markets. Also Read: A ..read more
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Securing Singapore’s leadership in AI Innovation
e27 | Connecting you to Asia's Startup Ecosystem
by Matt Johnson
16h ago
Singapore’s 2024 budget has reinforced our dedication to becoming a global leader in Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation, with an investment of an additional SG$1 billion (US$740 million) into the National AI Strategy (NAIS 2.0) over the next five years. This investment is directed towards enhancing AI computing, talent development, and industry growth, underpinning NAIS 2.0 as a cornerstone of Singapore’s digital economy and economic expansion. The strategy emphasises the importance of upskilling and reskilling in keeping Singapore competitive amidst rapid technological advancements. Par ..read more
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Sharp decline in late-stage deals hits Q1 funding in SEA: Report
e27 | Connecting you to Asia's Startup Ecosystem
by Sainul
1d ago
Startups in the Southeast Asian region secured US$816 million in funding in Q1 2024 (till March 15), a 40 per cent decline cent from the previous quarter’s US$1.36 billion and a 13 per cent drop from the US$935 million raised in Q1 2023. The drop is primarily attributed to an 80 per cent decline in late-stage deals, which stood at US$175 million compared to US$860 million in Q4 2023, reveals a report by startup data research platform Tracxn. Also Read: Funding into SEA’s female-led startups falls 42% to US$480.8M in 2023 The region’s ecosystem received its highest quarterly funding in Q4 2021 ..read more
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How Everywhere aims to support content creators in Indonesia through “creator-sharing” concept
e27 | Connecting you to Asia's Startup Ecosystem
by Anisa Menur
1d ago
Edy Sulistyo, Chief Everywhere Officer of Everywhere Previously known as GoPlay, a livestreaming platform owned by Indonesian tech giant Gojek, Everywhere introduced its new identity in September 2023 with the launch of its new O2O live streaming platform, Play Everywhere. “It is quite rare to have the opportunity to purchase a company that is doing very well from a much bigger group, so we are grateful for that,” explains Edy Sulistyo, Chief Everywhere Officer of Everywhere, at an interview with e27 in Singapore recently. “There is no doubt about the benefits of being part of a larger ecosy ..read more
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NativeX wants to become the ‘Airbnb of education’ in Vietnam
e27 | Connecting you to Asia's Startup Ecosystem
by Sainul
1d ago
(L-R) NativeX co-founders Trang Ly and Ai Chau NativeX Edtech, an English learning app in Vietnam, recently announced that it secured US$4 million in total funding from investors, including Ansible Ventures, Blueprint Ventures, Northstar Ventures and angels. The edutech startup plans to use the capital to help the 10 million working professionals in the country learn English before moving to other Southeast Asian markets. In this interview, co-founders Trang Ly (Head of Growth & Engagement) and Ai Chau (Head of Academic), discuss the motivation to start NativeX, the initial challenges th ..read more
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