Startups

Landmark Family Office was incorporated in Hong Kong in 2022 to serve founding families and independent clients. 
DealStreetAsia

Landmark Family Office sets up global headquarters in Hong Kong

Move comes after local government rolls out incentives in March

15 August 2023
Funding activity in Indonesia has gradually declined in recent quarters.
DealStreetAsia

Southeast Asia worst hit as Q2 startup funding falls across Asia

India also sharply lower; Chinese investment fairly resilient, down 3.36%

14 August 2023
Tokyo's business district. The CEO and founding partner of a U.S.-based venture capital company likes what she sees in Japan's startup sector.
Startups

U.S. investor eyes Japan's 'stable' market amid funding chill

500 Global CEO is 'assessing' more startup acceleration programs in Tokyo

10 August 2023
The Indonesian real estate market is projected to achieve a compound annual growth rate of over 10% from 2022 to 2027, according to a report by Mordor Intelligence. (Source photo by Getty and logo from Lamudi's website)
DealStreetAsia

Real estate listing platform Lamudi Indonesia eyes acquisitions

CEO Mart Polman calls achieving scale 'critical' in property tech industry

8 August 2023
Publishing entrepreneur Brilliant Yotenega -- better known as Ega -- says digital books are the key to boosting interest in reading in Indonesia. (Photo by Randy Mulyanto)
Startups

Indonesia startup Storial works to shake up book publishing

Digitalization, selling IP rights part of strategy to spur reading, boost authors

7 August 2023
Elev8 Venture Partners is anchored by Venture Catalysts and South Korea's KB Investment. (Source photo by EPA/Jiji and logo from Elev8 Venture Partners website)
DealStreetAsia

India's Elev8 Venture Partners raises $67m for tech startups

Bangalore-based company targets consumer, fintech and other sectors

7 August 2023
Miyako Capital has invested in over 50 companies, including regenerative medicine startup StemRIM. (Photo courtesy of StemRIM)
Startups

Kyoto University's VC fund to invest $140m in AI and biotech

Miyako Capital to nurture Japan's nascent deep tech sector

5 August 2023
The second fund of pi Ventures was oversubscribed and exceeded its initial target of $68 million. (Source photo: screenshot from pi Ventures' website) 
DealStreetAsia

Indian early-stage investor pi Ventures raises $85m

Funds to be used for backing AI, deep tech startups

4 August 2023
A clothing retailer in Hulu Langat on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur engages with buyers on TikTok Shop. (Photo by Norman Goh)
Business Spotlight

TikTok takes on Shopee, Tokopedia in ASEAN e-commerce race

Buyers and sellers flock to shopping feature while authorities fret

4 August 2023
Mobile e-payment logos on display at a street stall in Vietnam. Fintech services are growing rapidly in Southeast Asia, where many people are underbanked.
Startups

Ex-Alibaba exec's fund bets big on 'golden era' of ASEAN fintech

01Fintech says ready to offer money, expertise to foster unicorns

31 July 2023
Venture capitalists have shifted focus to nurturing promising businesses rather than chasing opportunities for quick returns.
Datawatch

Unicorns see their green pastures dry up around the world

Number of new billion-dollar startups down 80% from 2021 peak

30 July 2023
Indonesia's vibrant economy and growing population have spurred numerous tech startups, but layoffs have now cast a shadow over the sector. (Photo by David Andreas)
Startups

Indonesia startups hit by layoffs but workers still harbor hopes

GoTo, other companies retrench as shine comes off tech sector amid global woes

28 July 2023
Tech investor Prosus owns about a 9% stake in Byju's.
Technology

Prosus alleges Indian edtech Byju's disregarded governance advice

Tech investor's charges come as company negotiates loan terms and seeks new cash

25 July 2023
A Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force UH-2 helicopter on display in March. The Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency will hold an exhibition in Osaka in October that will feature up to 40 startups. (Photo by Ryo Nemoto)
Defense

Japan to encourage 200 high-tech startups to join defense sector

Ministries to consult with companies on drones, cyberdefense and other topics

25 July 2023
An Iris Ohyama automated cleaning robot: The home products maker will buy Tokyo University startup Smile Robotics to beef up its technology, aiming for a bigger slice of the business market. 
Business deals

Japan's Iris to buy robot startup launched by University of Tokyo

Consumer goods maker to develop cleaning machines with Smile Robotics

24 July 2023
Entrepreneurship beckons young bureaucrats, with the number of job changes among those in their 30s rising sevenfold over the two years through fiscal 2022.
Datawatch

Japan's bureaucrats flock to startups to make social impact

Job changes from public sector to business ventures up 300% in two years

22 July 2023
Masayoshi Son and the SoftBank Vision Fund appear to be back on the offensive when it comes to investing in startups.
SoftBank

SoftBank Vision Fund invests in U.K. insurtech Tractable

Privately held company with proprietary AI reached unicorn status in 2021

18 July 2023
Vertex's master funds provide capital to its global network of more targeted funds that invest in specific regions or industries.
Startups

Temasek's VC arm Vertex raises $900m in first round of new fund

Development Bank of Japan and trading house Marubeni are among the investors

11 July 2023
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, a Japanese megabank, will work with venture capital specialist Global Brain to help late-stage startups in Japan grow into "unicorns" valued at $1 billion or more.
Finance

Japan's SMFG to start $210m venture fund to develop unicorns

Megabank to focus on 'later-stage' startups, team up with investor Global Brain

10 July 2023
First Move provides pre-seed funding of up to $100,000 and mentorship to early-stage startups seeking to introduce consumer-focused innovations in Southeast Asia. (Source photos by AP and Getty)
DealStreetAsia

Southeast Asian consumer startups focus of new fund First Move

Former executives of Malaysia-based Fave launch early-stage venture capital entity

5 July 2023
Deepmedia founder and CEO Rijul Gupta says the startup is in talks with "multiple Asian governments" regarding its deepfake-hunting technology. (Source photo by AP and logo from Deepmedia's website)
Technology

Deepfake-spotting startup eyes Asian government clients

Deepmedia CEO Rijul Gupta says concerns over fake online content are growing

4 July 2023
A woman walks in Jakarta's business district in 2021. The percentage of Southeast Asian investors with no women in decision-making roles stands at about 67%, according to DealStreetAsia's Data Vantage.
DealStreetAsia

Southeast Asia's venture investors short of female decision makers

Women represent 17.4% of such positions at firms headquartered in the region

4 July 2023
A low-power "zero G" tracking sensor from UnaBiz and co-CEO Henri Bong. The startup acquired its French parent Sigfox after the parent filed for bankruptcy in 2022. (Photos courtesy of UnaBiz)
Startups

Singapore's UnaBiz looks to raise $100m for tracking sensors

Startup targets Japan for expansion after success in other countries

30 June 2023
Syla Technologies decided to list on the Nasdaq instead of the Tokyo Stock Exchange after struggling to drum up interest among Japanese investors. (Photo courtesy of Syla Technologies)
Markets

Japan startups snub Tokyo exchange for Nasdaq IPOs

Cautious investors and brokerages hamper new domestic listings

28 June 2023
Concerns over a slowing business environment and climbing interest rates are impacting fundraising by Asian startups.
Finance

On topic: Can Asian startups get more funding?

A collection of stories to catch up on a recent hot topic

24 June 2023