Startups

Japan's government sees homegrown technology as essential to national security.
Aerospace & Defense Industries

Robot suits, long-haul drones: Japan eyes defense tech startups

Government compiles list of 200 companies with national security potential

7 September 2023
Ride-hailing tech giant Gojek has paired up with electric vehicle startup Selex to expand the network of drivers sharing EV batteries at stations in Vietnam. (Photo by Lien Hoang)
Automobiles

Indonesia's Gojek ties up with Vietnam EV battery-swap startup

Delivery and ride-share platform joins electric motorbike maker Selex's network

6 September 2023
Hero MotoCorp, which already holds a 33.1% stake in Ather, is betting on rising consumer interest in electric two-wheelers. (NIKKEI montage/Screenshot from the Hero and Ather websites)
DealStreetAsia

India's Hero MotoCorp to add $66m more into EV maker Ather Energy

Investment comes as nation's interest in electric vehicles grows

6 September 2023
Launched in 2018, Staffinc has evolved into an end-to-end digital staffing company. (Screenshot from Staffinc's website)
DealStreetAsia

Indonesian job platform Staffinc's Series B-1 round hits $9.2m

Altara Ventures, Antler, Japan's Mynavi and others provide funding

5 September 2023
Antler launched in Singapore in 2017 and has branches across the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and North America. (Nikkei montage/Source photo by Reuters. Logo from Antler's website)
DealStreetAsia

Singapore's Antler aims to bring 'unique' value to Malaysia startups

VC company enters country via partnership with sovereign wealth fund

4 September 2023
Temasek CEO Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara says Southeast Asian countries should develop a "digital single market and a unified capital market" to boost technology company growth. (File photo by Reuters) 
Technology

ASEAN needs digital single market to spur decacorns: Temasek CEO

Tech companies to see 'clearer exit pathways' from macroeconomy headwinds

3 September 2023
Founded in 2018, Avatr Technology is backed by state-run automaker Chongqing Changan Automobile and EV battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology.
DealStreetAsia

Chinese EV maker Avatr raises $411m in Series B round

State-affiliated investors join in funding, pushing valuation to $2.7bn

1 September 2023
A molecular diagnostic laboratory in Singapore operated by Mirxes, a Singapore-headquartered company that has developed the world's first molecular blood test for the early detection of gastric cancer. Mitsui & Co. invested as a shareholder in the company's latest fundraising round. (Courtesy of Mirxes)
Pharmaceuticals

Mitsui to expand health startup investment with focus on ASEAN

Trading house plans fivefold funding rise, sees technology as solution

1 September 2023
A Neta V car on display at the Thailand Big Motor Sale 2023. Shanghai-based Hozon New Energy Automobile is making a big push in Southeast Asia.
DealStreetAsia

Chinese EV maker Hozon raises $960m in crossover financing

Funding comes as company doubles down on Southeast Asian drive

31 August 2023
ThinkZone is one of Vietnam's most active venture capital companies with 15 startups in its portfolio. (Nikkei montage/Source photo by Getty and logo from ThinkZone's website)
DealStreetAsia

Vietnam homegrown ThinkZone Ventures seeks to raise $50m

Venture capital's 3rd fund aimed at startups that want to expand globally

30 August 2023
Tam Hock Chuan, Vertex Growth's general partner, said Japan has "untapped" potential in the area of software-as-a-service. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Tsubasa Suruga and Vertex Growth Fund)
Startups

Singapore's Vertex Growth eyes Japan's cloud software sector

General partner sees future in country awash with 'legacy' systems

30 August 2023
Electric vehicle startup Charged Asia has its headquarters in Singapore and its main operations in Indonesia. (Nikkei montage/Source photo by screenshot from Charged Asia's website)
DealStreetAsia

Singapore-based EV startup Charged Asia brings in up to $40m

Funding from Geo Energy to be used to grow in Indonesia and Southeast Asia

29 August 2023
Zip Infrastructure is pitching a plan to solve traffic jams in Asia with new monorail technology. (Courtesy of Zip Infrastructure)
Startups

Japan startup aims to tackle Asia's traffic jams with EV sky trams

Zip Infrastructure seeks 2029 global entry, eyes Philippines' urban rail limitations

29 August 2023
Japanese startups might be able to attract the freelance talent they need to succeed by promising to share their potential stock market gains with such workers.
Startups

Japan to ease stock-option tax rules to help startups gain talent

Freelance coders and other specialists likely to be eligible for tax breaks

28 August 2023
Woori Venture Partners currently manages $1 billion worth of assets across multiple funds and is present in countries such as China, the U.S. and South Korea. (Nikkei montage/Source photo by Reuters and logo from Woori Venture Partners' website)
DealStreetAsia

South Korea's Woori Venture Partners sets foot in Southeast Asia

Country's first venture capital firm eyes sectors including finance, health care

28 August 2023
The AI platform from KoBold Metals is expected to streamline the exploration of critical minerals, such as copper ore.
Startups

Finding minerals faster with AI: Investors flock to U.S. startup

KoBold Metals raises funds from BHP, Mitsubishi, Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos

27 August 2023
Qashier has evolved into a full-fledged commerce platform with services  including inventory and staff  management as well as contactless QR ordering. (Nikkei montage/Source photo from Reuters and logo from Qashier's website)
DealStreetAsia

Singapore-based point-of-sale system startup Qashier nets $10m

Series A funding round co-anchored by IFP Securities and Delivery Hero Ventures

25 August 2023
At least eight ESR funds are active, including those for Japan, Australia, South Korea, China and Singapore. (NIKKEI montage/Source photo by Getty and logo from ESR's website)
DealStreetAsia

Hong Kong-listed real estate manager ESR raises $2bn

Company to pour 80% into new economy sector despite weak global fundraising

25 August 2023
VNG debuted a cloud and data center business in December as part of the gaming-to-messaging startup's bid to find new profit engines. (Photo by Lien Hoang)
IPO

Vietnam unicorn VNG files for Nasdaq IPO after EV maker VinFast

App from loss-making startup is more popular at home than Facebook

24 August 2023
Rising tensions between Washington and Beijing have raised new hurdles for Chinese and Chinese American founders in the U.S. at a time when funding is already becoming harder to come by.
US-China tensions

China ties become a fundraising hurdle for startups in the U.S.

Washington's scrutiny of investments into China creates chilling effect at home

22 August 2023
Singapore's state investor GIC is betting on Carrefour Brazil Group, the largest food retail group in Brazil.
DealStreetAsia

Singapore's GIC acquires nine Carrefour assets in Brazil

City state's state investor and Barzel Properties team up in $241m purchase

21 August 2023
Mumbai's Churchgate Station. Tightfisted investors are taking longer to close deals in India and displaying caution in leading investment rounds.
DealStreetAsia

India unicorn fundraising dropped 76% in January-June 2023

Total of $1.86bn was amassed from private equity and venture capital investors

18 August 2023
Growtheum Capital Partners has bet on a range of promising startups in Southeast Asia and India. (Source photo by AP and logo from Growtheum Capital Partners' website)
DealStreetAsia

Singapore's Growtheum Capital closes debut fund at $567m

Amount comes in tad below target in trying time for global fund managers

17 August 2023
Courting big brands has helped Indian e-commerce startup Meesho turn profitable sooner than expected, says Chief Financial Officer Dhiresh Bansal.
Startups

India e-commerce startup Meesho eyes possible IPO next year

Chief financial officer says company turned profitable sooner than expected

17 August 2023
East Ventures announced the raising of $250 million in the first and final close of its latest fund, Growth Plus, in May this year. (Source photo by Reuters and logo from East Ventures' website)
DealStreetAsia

Indonesia's East Ventures said to be raising sustainability fund

Venture capital firm has secured over $30m of worth of commitments, sources say

16 August 2023