Startups

Animoca's fourth deal since May in a young but rapidly growing industry that combines cryptocurrency and gaming. (Photo by Yuki Kohara) 
Cryptocurrencies

Hong Kong blockchain gaming startup hits $5bn valuation

Animoca Brands raises $359m as race to lead industry heats up

18 January 2022
Singapore label Love, Bonito intends to leverage artificial intelligence and other emerging tech to come up with fashions that better suit Asian women.
Interview

Singapore e-commerce fashion label races rivals in AI gambit

Love, Bonito eyes Hong Kong and Japan in $50m tech-fueled expansion

18 January 2022
Indian edtech company LEAD is trying to transform school education in India. (Screenshot from LEAD YouTube)
DealStreetAsia

Indian edtech startup LEAD becomes unicorn after raising $100m

Company to expand affordable education service making use of fresh money

14 January 2022
Shares of Grab, a Singapore-based superapp, have been falling after they plunged 21% in their Dec. 2 debut.
Markets

Indian and ASEAN tech stocks crater as U.S. rate hikes loom

Investors wake up to losses, likely dampening IPO boom

14 January 2022
With SPACs on the way, Singapore could draw the attention of investors looking for new opportunities in fast-growing Southeast Asia. (Photo by Akira Kodaka) 
IPO

Singapore poised to beat rival Hong Kong in listing first SPACs

Temasek-owned Vertex and Novo Tellus file for 'blank check' IPOs

13 January 2022
Starfield says it sells products across 14,000 stores In China through partnerships with over 100 brands. (Screenshot from Starfield website)
DealStreetAsia

Chinese plant-based meat startup Starfield raises $100m

Company wants to accelerate product development for Generation Z

12 January 2022
India is home to about 9,000 software-as-a-service companies, of which about 1,300 have raised funds from venture capital firms. (Source photos by AP) 
Technology

Indian SaaS startups emerge from shadows of consumer tech peers

Homegrown software makers could corner up to 9% of global market by 2025

11 January 2022
 The number of individual demat accounts rose to 77.2 million in November 2021, compared to just 4.5 million new accounts created for the whole of 2019.
Startups

Indian startups chase surge in retail investors

Pandemic-fueled stock rally brings business to online brokerages, advisers

10 January 2022
Robinhood is off to a strong start, garnering over 2.3 million users since its debut in Oct. 2020. (Photo courtesy of Siam Commercial Bank)
Food & Beverage

Thailand's Robinhood delivery service takes 2021 Nikkei award

Siam Commercial Bank unit aims for 'superapp' status with new add-ons

5 January 2022
Forrest Li, founder and CEO of Singapore's Sea, will have overwhelming voting power if a proposed share restructuring is approved that will reduce Chinese shareholder Tencent's voting rights. (Source photos by AP and Reuters) 
Startups

Singapore's Sea plans to reduce Tencent control as it goes global

Proposed share structure change would give CEO Li majority voting power

4 January 2022
Linklusion stocks about 300 products at warehouses in rural villages surrounding Yangon. (Photo by Yuichi Nitta)
Myanmar Crisis

'We won't give up': Japan entrepreneurs bet on Myanmar's future

Troubled country poses problems, but some business owners tough it out

2 January 2022
Digital images or videos purchased as NFTs have created a new barter market, similar to paper trading cards. (Source photos from Exciting Moments' website)
Media & Entertainment

Asia's sports industry races to join frenzied NFT market

Baseball, soccer teams seek new revenue after COVID shuts stadiums

31 December 2021
Cortical Labs is attempting to harness the power of human brain cells to make computer chips far more powerful and efficient. (Photos courtesy of Cortical Labs) 
Business Spotlight

Brains on a chip: Why startups are combining cells and silicon

Australia's Cortical Labs is working on 'holy grail' of AI: general intelligence

31 December 2021
Under Rachmat Kaimuddin's command, Bukalapak launched a successful initial public offering, and it listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in August. (Source photos by Reuters and Bukalapak) 
Startups

Indonesia's Bukalapak CEO to resign from post

Rachmat Kaimuddin will work for government, says leading e-commerce company

29 December 2021
The limited border crossings open for Hong Kongers to enter Shenzhen are quiet as most city residents are barred from making the trip due to COVID travel controls. 
Startups

Border controls crush 'Greater Bay' plans of Hong Kong startups

Promises of integrated cross-border economy prove false for startups amid COVID

27 December 2021
Foodpanda's hopes for the Japanese market were dashed by increasing competition and a shortage of drivers following a COVID-induced boom. (Photo by Takaki Kashiwabara)
Startups

Foodpanda's quick Japan exit highlights Asia's delivery wars

Operators rethink growth strategy after COVID-driven expansion boom

27 December 2021
With over 560 outlets across Indonesia, Kopi Kenangan now plans to expand to Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia. (Captured from Kopi Kenangan website)
DealStreetAsia

Indonesia coffee chain hits unicorn status with $96m pre-IPO round

Kopi Kenangan prepares to list as executives cash in millions worth of shares

27 December 2021
Coinbase listed on Nasdaq this year. Hedge fund Tiger Global backed the U.S. cryptocurrency exchange.
Finance

Tiger Global races ahead of SoftBank, Tencent in VC deals

Hedge funds overheat unlisted stocks like 'tourist investors,' market watchers say

25 December 2021
A Rivian R1T all-electric truck in Times Square in New York on Nov. 10, the automaker's first day of trading.
Startups

Sumitomo wins big with early bet on EV startup Rivian

Once-secretive automaker now worth almost 100 times its original value

24 December 2021
Chinese startup Haomo.AI will use the fresh capital to upgrade self-driving technology and build its talent pool. (Captured image from Haomo.AI website)
DealStreetAsia

Chinese self-driving startup hits $1bn valuation

Haomo.AI gets fresh money from Meituan and Qualcomm's VC arm

23 December 2021
A farmer loads onions in India. Apps like Ninjacart give growers another way to reach customers.
22 December 2021
Indian e-commerce startup Snapdeal operates an online shopping mall, earning a commission by facilitating transactions between merchants and consumers.
IPO

SoftBank-backed Snapdeal files for 2022 India IPO

E-commerce company seeks to raise $165m after COVID disruptions

21 December 2021
One of the cafes in Ho Chi Minh City that accept MoMo payments. (Photo by Lien Hoang)
Technology

Vietnam e-wallet MoMo gains unicorn status with $200m investment

Cash floods into heated payments contest against Grab's Moca and VNG's Zalo

21 December 2021
Razorpay's valuation has surged sevenfold to $7.5 billion in the space of a year. (Source photo by Reuters and Razorpay)
Startups

India's Razorpay hits valuation of $7.5bn

Fintech to build solutions for small businesses, expand into Southeast Asia

20 December 2021
China is slipping further behind the U.S. in the number of unicorns -- startups valued at more than $1 billion -- as ranked in a global survey. (Source image by AP)
Startups

China trails U.S. in creating unicorns, Hurun ranking shows

Two countries dominate, with nearly 75% of total; India in third place

20 December 2021