Thailand
What’s driving the global surge in retail media spending?
To understand why retailers will capture more ad spend, it’s important to evaluate what modern marketing has become. Is it bus stop advertisements? Bidding on Google keywords or a Clubhouse…
Indonesia-based grocery app HappyFresh reaps $65M led by Naver Financial and Gafina
HappyFresh, the on-demand grocery app based in Indonesia, announced today it has raised a $65 million Series D. The round was led by Naver Financial Corporation and Gafina B.V., with…
Automotive marketplace Carro hits unicorn status with $360M Series C led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2
Carro, one of the largest automotive marketplaces in Southeast Asia, announced it has hit unicorn valuation after raising a $360 million Series C led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2. Other…
Singapore-based M Capital Management closes $30.85M debut fund to invest in Southeast Asian startups
M Capital Management, a Singapore-based venture capital firm, announced today it has closed its debut fund, M Venture Partners (MVP), totaling $30.85 million USD. It plans to invest in 40…
Zipmex, which aspires to build the Asia Pacific region’s largest digital assets exchange, raises $6 million led by Jump Capital
Zipmex, a digital assets exchange headquartered in Singapore, announced today it has raised $6 million in funding led by Jump Capital. The startup, which plans to become a digital assets…
Known for 5G mmWave testing solutions, Taiwan’s TMYTEK sets its sights on base stations
TMYTEK recently raised a Series A+ round of about $10 million for products that make it easier to test 5G millimeter wave equipment. So far, the company’s clients include KDDI,…
Used car marketplace Carsome gets $30 million Series D for its Southeast Asia growth plans
Carsome, which bills itself as Southeast Asia’s largest e-commerce platform for used cars, announced it has closed a $30 million Series D. The funding was led by Asia Partners, with…
Bridgefy launches end-to-end encrypted messaging for the app used during protests and disasters
Offline-messaging app Bridgefy — which innovatively uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi — became known as the go-to app by thousands of protesters around the world to keep communications going even when…
Thailand’s logistics startup Flash Express raises $200 million
Flash Express, a two-year-old logistics startup that works with e-commerce firms in Thailand, said on Monday it has raised $200 million in a new financing round as it looks to…
Freshket lands $3 million Series A led by Openspace to streamline Thailand’s food supply chain
Based in Bangkok, Freshket simplifies the process of getting fresh produce from farms to tables. Launched in 2017, the startup has now raised a $3 million Series A, led by…
Indonesian insurtech startup PasarPolis gets $54 million Series B from investors including LeapFrog and SBI
PasarPolis, the Indonesian-based startup focused on making insurance policies more accessible in Southeast Asia, has closed a Series B round totaling $54 million. Investors include LeapFrog Investments and SBI Investment,…
After restricting a group critical of Thailand’s monarchy, Facebook says it will take legal action against the government
After restricting access to a popular group with posts critical of Thailand’s monarchy, Facebook is planning legal action against the Thai government, which the social media giant says forced it…
Indonesia-based online travel portal, Traveloka, has picked up $250M in fresh funding to beef up its coronavirus-battered balance sheet. The travel aggregator dubs the capital injection a “strong vote of…
China’s gay dating app Blued eyes Nasdaq IPO to expand overseas
It was around 20 years ago when Baoli Ma hid in his bedroom feeling helpless and lonely for being a gay man in China. Life has changed dramatically for Ma…
Thailand’s largest cell network AIS has pulled a database offline that was spilling billions of real-time internet records on millions of Thai internet users. Security researcher Justin Paine said in…
Igloo raises $8.2M to bring insurance to more people in Southeast Asia
Singapore-based Igloo, formerly known as Axinan, has raised $8.2 million as the insurance-tech startup looks to broaden its foothold in half a dozen Southeast Asian markets and Australia. InVent, a…
Twitch’s loss of top streamers impacts hours watched and streamed in Q4 2019, report says
The loss of several big-name streamers is finally taking its toll on Twitch, according to a new report from StreamLabs and Newzoo out today. In August 2019, top streamer Tyler…
Backed by Will Smith and FabFitFun, Our Place brings cookware and dinnerware direct to consumers
The husband and wife co-founders behind the direct-to-consumer cookware and dinnerware startup retailer Our Place are big believers in the notion that the doorway to inclusive communities opens through the kitchen. …
Gojek founder and CEO Nadiem Makarim resigns to join Indonesian cabinet; Soelistyo and Aluwi to be new co-CEOs
Nadiem Makarim, founder and CEO of Gojek, said on Monday he has stepped down from his role at the ride-hailing startup to join Indonesia president Joko Widodo’s cabinet. The announcement,…
Voter manipulation on social media now a global problem, report finds
New research by the Oxford Internet Institute has found that social media manipulation is getting worse, with rising numbers of governments and political parties making cynical use of social media…
Aspire raises $32.5M to help SMEs secure fast finance in Southeast Asia
Aspire, a Singapore-based startup that helps SMEs secure working capital, has raised $32.5 million in a new financing round to expand its presence in several Southeast Asian markets. The Series…
Doctours offers packaged medical tourism for US customers
Doctours, a Los Angeles-based online platform for booking trips and treatments for medical and dental care around the world, is expanding its services to 35 countries. Founded by serial travel…
Pavegen, which harvests energy and data from footsteps, secures crowd and Hinduja Group funding
Pavegen, a UK startup which harvests energy from people’s footsteps and also tracks that data, has raised £2.6m on its crowdfunding push having doubled its initial £950k target. The campaign…
Southeast Asia’s highest-capitalized startup is sitting on even more money from investors today after ride-hailing Grab announced it has raised $300 million from Invesco. The deal takes Singapore-based Grab $7.5…
Messaging app Line has partnered with Visa to bring traditional financial clout to its mobile payment service. The deal will see Line Pay become compatible with Visa’s 54 million merchant…
Sleek lets companies incorporate and operate in Singapore — without the pain of paperwork
Singapore is keen to exert itself as an epicenter for startups and tech worldwide. But beyond the government-backed startup programs, which include grants, investment checks and more, a key point…
Food delivery startup Dahmakan eats up $5M for expansion in Southeast Asia
It’s harvest season for Southeast Asia’s full-stack food delivery startups. Following on from Singapore’s Grain raising $10 million, so Malaysia-based Dahmakan today announced a $5 million financing round of its…
Chat app Line is adding Snap-style disappearing stories
Facebook cloning Snap to death may be old news, but others are only just following suit. Line, the Japanese messaging app that’s popular in Asia, just became the latest to clone…
Singapore’s Grain, a profitable food delivery startup, pulls in $10M for expansion
Cloud kitchens are the big thing in food delivery, with ex-Uber CEO Travis Kalanick’s new business one contender in that space, with Asia, and particularly Southeast Asia, a major focus.…
Singapore passes controversial ‘fake news’ law which critics fear will stifle free speech
Singapore has passed a controversial bill that could equip the government with extensive powers to police online media and free speech. The bill was first drafted last month and, as…
