Startups

A Be Group driver takes a break in Ho Chi Minh City, where COVID and the Ukraine war have fueled a driver and gas shortage. (Photo by Lien Hoang)
Startups

Vietnam ride-hailer gets $60m Deutsche Bank loan to battle Grab

Be Group also competes with Gojek in food delivery and has digital bank

5 September 2022
Saudi Arabia plans to back later-stage startups in Indonesia through a proposed joint fund. (Source image by AP/Reuters)
DealStreetAsia

Saudi Arabia to back Indonesia startups through joint fund

Middle Eastern kingdom is pushing toward a post-oil economy

5 September 2022
With its top-notch schools and research institutions -- as well as a growing cluster of global tech giants -- Singapore is giving off a good impression and attracting talent from all over. 
Startups

Singapore wields its neutrality to attract Chinese talent

Expat entrepreneurs and engineers spark startup and fintech booms

2 September 2022
Founded in 1998, Navis manages approximately $5 billion in private equity capital and focuses on investments primarily in Southeast Asia and nearby economies. (Screenshot from Navis website)
DealStreetAsia

Private equity firm Navis exits Singapore manufacturer Adampak

A unit of Japan's Oji Holdings is buying stake from Navis for undisclosed sum

2 September 2022
A man walks by an electronic stock board in Tokyo. Global equities have declined amid rate hikes and the fallout from the Ukraine war.
Startups

70% of Japan VCs see funding slowdown in lean equity market

Late-stage startups face more difficult environment, survey shows

2 September 2022
Workers in a Lazada warehouse in Indonesia pack items for delivery.
DealStreetAsia

Alibaba invests another $912m in Singapore-based Lazada

E-commerce company Lazada faces stiff competition from local startups

1 September 2022
Grab-Singtel digital bank joint venture GXS promises consumers in Singapore the ability to "earn interest daily." (Photo by Tsubasa Suruga)
Finance

Grab-Singtel beats Sea to the punch with Singapore digital bank

Virtual lender GXS launches with 'earn interest daily' perk to lure consumers

31 August 2022
Horizons Ventures is spreading its wings to Singapore where the company has set up its first overseas office. (Courtesy of Horizons Ventures)
Interview

Fund backed by Li Ka-shing sees gold in Southeast Asia

Horizons Ventures' co-founder Chau also eyes Japan 'women-centric' startups

31 August 2022
Singapore-listed commodity trader Olam Group's food and agribusiness includes farming, processing and distribution operations.
DealStreetAsia

Unit of Singapore's Olam Group secures $1.98bn sustainability loan

19 banks are providing multitranche debt facility to Olam Food Ingredients

31 August 2022
iKala founder Sega Cheng with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in October 2021. iKala opened a unit in Japan last year. (Photo courtesy of iKala)
Startups

China's 'Great Firewall' pushes top Taiwan AI startups toward Japan

Internet restrictions hinder companies that mine social media posts

31 August 2022
Indonesian super app provider GoTo has recorded another net loss. (Source photos by courtesy of GoTo) 
Technology

Indonesia's GoTo racks up $955m loss in first half

Super app's revenue increases 32% even as profitability remains elusive

30 August 2022
Singaporean human resources startup Glints sees strong opportunities in the remote hiring of tech talent. (Photo courtesy of Glints)
Startups

Singapore's Glints gets $50m funding, to expand in Philippines

Japan's Persol-backed HR startup sees opportunities in remote hiring

30 August 2022
Indonesia's VKTR is gearing up to launch electric buses in 2023. (Source image from VKTR website)
30 August 2022
Heritas Capital has backed companies in the health care, food and education sectors across Asia. (Source photo from Heritas Capital website)
DealStreetAsia

Singapore-based Heritas Capital launches $50m impact fund

Company looking to finance 'social enterprises' in Asia

29 August 2022
A major project aims to turn Belawan into a major Southeast Asian transportation and maritime hub.
DealStreetAsia

Group backed by Indonesia wealth fund to invest in Belawan Port

Deal part of Sumatra infrastructure push to turn island into major maritime hub

26 August 2022
Launched in 2015, Servify operates in over 40 countries, including India, the U.S., U.K., Canada, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. (Source images from Servify website)
DealStreetAsia

Indian device management platform Servify raises $65m

Company provides extended warranties, other after-sales services for electronics

25 August 2022
A man walks as the Indonesian flag is projected during a light show to celebrate the country's Independence Day. The first Merah Putih fund is looking to start investing in the nation soon.
DealStreetAsia

Indonesia's Merah Putih fund set for $300m first close in Q1 of 2023

Government-backed investment seen focusing on food, agriculture and finance

24 August 2022
Vietnamese retail giant Masan Group is pushing to expand through coffee shops and other businesses. (Source images from Masan website)
23 August 2022
Ola boss Bhavish Aggarwa teased his company's plans for an electric car on Twitter. (Photo by Yuki Kohara) 
Automobiles

India's Ola plans massive EV push but obstacles await

Company aims to develop cells by 2023, launch electric car in 2024

19 August 2022
Viiyong has raised fresh funds as it expands its drive into the automotive sector. (Photo from Viiyong website)
DealStreetAsia

Chinese ceramic chip capacitor maker bags $295m

Viiyong's shareholders include smartphone brands Xiaomi and Oppo

19 August 2022
Indian education technology unicorn Byju has made big gains in its valuation, but it is an exception to the general trend. (Photo by Kosaku Mimura)
Startups

Tighter monetary conditions rein in Asian unicorns

New $1bn companies fall by half while valuations stagnate

19 August 2022
Major unicorn startups based in Singapore like the superapp developer Grab and the e-commerce and gaming giant Sea have looked past the city-state to the U.S. in becoming publicly listed companies.
Markets

SGX chases links to New York and India as earnings remain flat

Exchange reports 1% increase in full-year net profit amid uncertain market conditions

18 August 2022
Services such as DotPe and Thrive offer restaurants the chance to build a website, take online orders and deliver using staff sourced from third-party logistics companies. (Source photos from Thrive and DotPe websites)
Technology

India's restaurants look beyond Swiggy, Zomato for delivery options

Ballooning commissions stoke appetite for alternatives to big name apps

18 August 2022
A commitment of $100 million from the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) of the State of Illinois will be invested across Asia. (Source images by Getty Images and Teachers' Retirement System of the state of Illinois website)
DealStreetAsia

Illinois pension commits $100m to pan-Asia buyout fund

Hong Kong-based Baring PE Asia's latest fund looking to raise total of $8.5bn

17 August 2022
One of Japan's largest venture capital firms says the Murakami-linked funds have never held "substantive discussions" with it and that the information they provided is insufficient. (Source photos by Kaisuke Ota and screenshot from Jafco's website)
Markets

Japan's JAFCO battles takeover threat posed by activist Murakami

Venture capital firm adopts poison pill after funds buy major stake

16 August 2022