Startups

Nine Hours, which runs "capsule hotels," offers a service that provides basic sleep data to guests at its Akasaka branch in central Tokyo.
Health Care

Japan Inc. bets on sleep tech to help reduce insomnia

Big names, startups race for ways to offer comfort, data and right mindset

1 May 2022
Hironobu Ueno, CEO of double jump.tokyo, says his company will work with major gaming companies to develop titles that incorporate cryptocurrency. (Photos courtesy of double jump.tokyo)
Cryptocurrencies

Japanese crypto gaming startup raises $24m

Investors finance double jump.tokyo's partnerships with major game developers

27 April 2022
Ruqi Mobility, also known as ride-sharing platform Ontime, has secured over 1 billion yuan in a Series A round.
DealStreetAsia

Tencent-backed Ruqi raises $153m for robo-taxi service

Chinese ride-sharing startup to build fleet of over 200 self-driving vehicles

27 April 2022
Helen Botanical Beauty has been exporting its organic exfoliating soap -- which has a wool felt wrapper enclosing a ball of soap made from sheep tail fat and other natural ingredients -- to Europe. (Photo by Uugansukh Byamba)
Startups

Mongolian entrepreneurs exploit cheap wool for new products

Sheep fleece turned into fertilizer and soap for export

25 April 2022
Stream article image
#techAsia

Shanghai's supply chains under strain

The inside story on the Asia tech trends that matter, from Nikkei Asia and the Financial Times

21 April 2022
Laiye says it counts Porsche, LVMH, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson Medical and Roche Pharmaceuticals among its global clients (Photo by Yuki Kohara) 
Startups

Chinese startup Laiye nears unicorn status with $160m fundraising

Intelligent automated products maker says capital earmarked for global expansion

19 April 2022
Southeast Asia has become a major market for blockchain gaming, as people are lured by the prospects of earning more by playing games than from their real-life income. (Source photos by AFP/Jiji, courtesy of Immutable and screenshot from Coinbase's website) 
Business Spotlight

Could a Philippines startup become gatekeeper to the metaverse?

Yield Guild Games defies crypto heists and volatility to back nascent blockchain gaming industry

15 April 2022
Stream article image
#techAsia

GoTo lists and China presses start on video games

The inside story on the Asia tech trends that matter, from Nikkei Asia and the Financial Times

14 April 2022
GoTo's debut on the Indonesia Stock Exchange has stoked pride in the Southeast Asian country. (Photo courtesy of GoTo)
Startups

Indonesia's GoTo faces critical challenges after landmark IPO

Enhancing competitiveness, turning profits among keys to expanding investor base

14 April 2022
Global remote sensing leader Aerodyne Group is drawing attention from investors. (Photo courtesy of Aerodyne Group)
Interview

Malaysia drone company Aerodyne raising funds with IPO on horizon

Global leader in remote sensing aims to go public within 3 years as demand grows

14 April 2022
After last year's major tech listings ran into headwinds, investors are less enthusiastic about pouring money into late-stage startups. (Source photo by AP)
Startups

Asia startup funding shifts to early stage deals amid market turbulence

Falling valuations of listed peers puts pressure on late-stage companies

13 April 2022
Voyager, the owner of Philippine e-wallet Paymaya, aims to expand into banking and cryptocurrency trading. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)
Technology

Philippine fintech Voyager raises $210m to claim unicorn status

Paymaya app owner to roll out cryptocurrency service and digital bank

12 April 2022
GoTo executives react after the Indonesian superapp began trading on the Indonesia Stock Exchange on April 11. (Photo courtesy of GoTo)
IPO

Indonesia's GoTo shares close up 13% in stock market debut

Superapp follows regional rivals in listing even as investor appetite has waned

11 April 2022
Mark Karpeles, former CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Mt. Gox, said crypto technology must advance in order to stymie hackers. (Source photos by Tsubasa Suruga and Reuters)
Cryptocurrencies

Collapsed crypto exchange CEO warns 'structural risks' remain

Karpeles readies market ratings venture as Mt. Gox saga nears end

7 April 2022
Sky Mavis, with the help of Binance and other investors, is taking steps to limit damage from a major cryotocurrency theft. (Source photos by Reuters and courtesy of Sky Mavis) 
Cryptocurrencies

Vietnam game developer hit by crypto heist raises $150m

Sky Mavis says resumption of withdrawals and deposits could take several weeks

6 April 2022
Indian cosmetics retail platform Nykaa features videos that teach people how to use cosmetics products. (Screenshot from Nykaa's website)
Startups

Indian startups drive expansion of cosmetics market

Nykaa rolls out social marketing as pandemic facilitates e-commerce penetration

6 April 2022
Byju's, the world's most valuable online education startup, last month became an official sponsor of the 2022 FIFA World Cup to be held in Qatar in November. (Source photos by Yuki Kohara and AFP/Jiji) 
Media & Entertainment

Indian startups splash cash on sports, celebrity endorsements

Byju's, others splurge on ads to grab customers after record fundraising

5 April 2022
LG Energy Solution drew interest from investors thanks to the growth potential of its batteries for electric vehicles.
IPO

Asia's IPO market bucks global slump thanks to megadeals

South Korea's LG Energy was largest Q1 debut but market volatility clouds outlook

4 April 2022
Medera plans to market miniature organs to drug companies for testing to generate sustainable cash flow.
Biotechnology

Hong Kong biotech startup Medera bets on 'heart in a jar'

Company aims to cut drug development time and costs by replacing animal testing

3 April 2022
An ad blitz in Ho Chi Minh City for Lazada's "11-11" sale is modeled on parent Alibaba's Singles' Day promo in China. (Photo by Lien Hoang)
Technology

Alibaba's Lazada criticizes 'walled gardens' in Vietnam e-commerce

Can the e-retailer retake crown from Shopee as tech interoperability grows?

1 April 2022
Gogoro, which counts Taiwanese chipmaker Foxconn among its backers, expects to receive $335 million in cash after its merger with SPAC Poema Global Holdings. (Photo courtesy of Gogoro)
IPO

Taiwan e-scooter king Gogoro set for April 5 Nasdaq listing

'Tesla of scooters' looks to raise $335mn from SPAC listing

1 April 2022
Axie Infinity has over 2 million daily players, who can breed digital creatures as pets and battle them to earn cryptocurrency. (Screenshot from Axie Infinity website)
Cryptocurrencies

Axie Infinity developer delays major upgrade after crypto heist

Company tries to reassure users as bid to attract casual gamers stalls

31 March 2022
Enesource provides real time carbon emissions management services. (Photo courtesy of the company)
36Kr/KrASIA

Chinese carbon management startup gets funding from Sequoia

Enesource's real-time tools help cut, control emissions

31 March 2022
Pine Labs' cloud-based platform enables it to offer a wide range of payment acceptance and merchant commerce solutions. (Screenshot from Pine Labs YouTube page)
DealStreetAsia

Indian merchant payment startup Pine Labs raises $50m

Company to expand global footprint while delaying IPO

31 March 2022
GoTo aims to raise about $1.1 billion in its initial public offering on the local stock exchange on April 11. (Photo courtesy of GoTo)
IPO

Indonesia's GoTo set for $1.1bn IPO on April 11

CEO says listing amid market downturn a 'testament' to its long-term potential

31 March 2022