Startups

YouTrip is seeking to expand its footprint in Southeast Asia following a fresh $50 million in funding from investors. (Photo by Tsubasa Suruga)
Startups

Singapore's multicurrency wallet YouTrip to enter Malaysia, CEO says

Startup secures $50m in funding to tap regional travel and business demand

26 October 2023
Established in 2020 with branches in France and the U.S., Qosmosys seeks to make lunar access more accessible. (Screenshot from Qosmosys' website) 
DealStreetAsia

Singapore's Qosmosys announces $100m seed funding

Lunar tech startup developing moon transportation vehicle ZeusX

25 October 2023
A garbage truck ready to drop its contents at an Indonesian landfill. Reducing such waste is an aim of Bali Investment Club.
DealStreetAsia

Indonesia's Bali Investment Club to launch climate-focused fund

Angel investor network aiming for $25m venture capital vehicle early next year

24 October 2023
Online lending services like Akulaku are becoming a go-to source of credit for younger borrowers in Indonesia. (Photo by Tsubasa Suruga)
Finance

Southeast Asia's fintechs fill lending gap with data

Major banks join race to offer more consumer financing to underserved

24 October 2023
Bangkok hopes to encourage startups in areas such as energy, medicine and agriculture.
Startups

Thailand aims to boost innovation, foster 10,000 new startups

Country hopes to overcome conservative business image with four-year plan

24 October 2023
A view of Ho Chi Minh City: Sarit Chopra, a partner with Bain Capital's Special Situations business, calls Vietnam "one of the most exciting markets in Southeast Asia." 
DealStreetAsia

Vietnam draws fresh interest from Bain Capital after Masan deal

Enthusiasm comes as country takes No. 2 fundraising spot in Southeast Asia in Q2

23 October 2023
Canva staff at work in Sydney. The company has added a string of AI-powered functions to its design software.
Startups

Australia's Canva takes deep dive into AI to help regain valuation

Design software maker's co-founder says tech is key to avoid 'real opportunity cost'

23 October 2023
The Mumbai skyline. Economic uncertainties are weighing on startup funding in India.
DealStreetAsia

Investments in Indian startups hit a 13-quarter low

Total of $2.23bn in third quarter came amid a difficult fundraising environment

20 October 2023
East Ventures has so far invested in 30 health care companies from its other funds.
DealStreetAsia

Indonesia-focused East Ventures launches $30m health care fund

Vehicle plans to invest in early-stage local startups across the sector

19 October 2023
A startup event in Fukuoka, Japan. Japanese startups face tighter crowdfunding caps than peers in Western economies. (Photo by Toshiki Sasazu)
Startups

Japan eyes higher startup crowdfunding cap for retail investors

Kishida turns to household savings for fueling growth sector investments

18 October 2023
EHang has received certification from China's aviation authorities for its eVTOL aircraft, seen here at a May expo in Macao. (Photo by Takashi Kawakami)
Transportation

Flying taxi obtains 'world's first' type certification from China

EHang's fully autonomous craft approved after more than 40,000 test flights

17 October 2023
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has big ambitions for his country's startups.
DealStreetAsia

Malaysia seeks to put state-run VCs under sovereign wealth fund

Goal is to make country a top global startup ecosystem, Anwar Ibrahim says

16 October 2023
Haina Xiang, a Duolingo marketing director, says the company is studying the attributes of regional rivals, like Vietnamese app Elsa's strength in spoken language. (Photo by Lien Hoang)
Startups

Duolingo taps Blackpink, GPT in Southeast Asian edtech battle

World's most-used language app enjoys record growth in Vietnam, Indonesia

14 October 2023
Tel Aviv, on Israel's Mediterranean coast, has become a hub of tech startups and entrepreneurial activity in recent years. 
Middle East crisis

Over 500 VC firms voice support for Israeli startups amid war

U.S. and Asian investors have poured billions into Middle Eastern tech hub

14 October 2023
Ben Horowitz, co-founder and general partner at venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. (Photo courtesy of Andreessen Horowitz)
Startups

Japan needs to do more to boost entrepreneurship: Ben Horowitz

Co-founder of Silicon Valley venture fund says taxes and regulations must change

13 October 2023
Orion Capital Asia provides medium-term secured loans to midmarket businesses that have been underserved by traditional banking channels. (NIKKEI montage/Source photo by Reuters. Logo from Orion Capital Asia's website)
DealStreetAsia

Singapore's Orion Capital Asia raises $205m for latest fund

Company targets direct lending opportunities in Asia-Pacific region

11 October 2023
The Teacher Retirement System (TRS) of Texas is betting on TPG Capital's Asia-focused buyout fund TPG Asia VIII. (NIKKEI montage/Screenshot from the TRS and TPG Capital websites)
DealStreetAsia

U.S. pension fund TRS of Texas commits $125m to TPG Asia vehicle

Portfolio includes Asia-Pacific health care company iNova Pharmaceuticals

10 October 2023
ICICI Venture is in talks to invest in Indian traditional fashion company Libas, which is pushing to expand. (NIKKEI montage/Logos from ICICI Venture and Libas websites)
DealStreetAsia

India's ICICI Venture in talks to invest in fashion company Libas

Traditional clothing brand eyes expansion for South Asian nation's festive season

9 October 2023
A Pudu robo-waiter at one of Skylark Holdings' Gusto family restaurants in Japan.
China tech

Chinese startup's robo-waiters ready to take orders around the world

Shenzhen's Pudu will triple output capacity to meet booming global demand: CEO

7 October 2023
Technicians hold a pair of puppies cloned puppies at Sinogene's R&D center in August. (Photo by Yusuke Hinata)
Technology

Pet cloning multiplies profits for Chinese startup Sinogene

Want to replicate your dog? That will cost you $50,000

7 October 2023
The amount of space debris that is orbiting the earth has become a liability for satellites in operation.
Aerospace & Defense Industries

Japan-Australia team tapping lasers to find peanut-sized space debris

EX-Fusion and EOS to test tech that can detect objects as small as 3 cm

7 October 2023
Founded in 2019, Ula backed by prominent venture capital investors including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital India and B Capital Group. (Screenshot from Ula's website)
DealStreetAsia

Indonesian startup Ula pauses operations for several months

Business-to-business marketplace confirms fresh layoffs

5 October 2023
Two-wheelers are expected to lead the transition to battery-powered vehicles in India, the world's biggest market for scooters and motorcycles.
Startups

India EV scooter startups grapple with losses, uncertainty, rivals

Legacy manufacturers raise game in bid to catch up in green mobility sector

5 October 2023
Eureka Robotics aims to expand the staff at its Japanese office to around 30 or so over the next two years. (Photo by Tsubasa Suruga)
Startups

Singapore startup lends Japan's aging factory workers robot hand

University spinoff Eureka Robotics seeks to automate industrial production

5 October 2023
A woman sells clothing live on a social media platform inside her stall at a mall in Jakarta.
Politics

Indonesia's ban on social media e-commerce worries sellers

TikTok to halt transactions, potentially benefiting rivals Shopee, Tokopedia

4 October 2023