7.5 Degree, a Chinese media and corporate service platform focusing on the new economy in Southeast Asia, has raised $1.4 million in Pre-Series A funding.
Venture Capital firm East Ventures has participated in this funding round. The BridgeSEA Capital served as the exclusive financial advisor for this financing round. The new funds will be used for team upgrades, brand building, and business development, 7.5 Degree said in a statement on Tuesday.
Launched in 2017, the Singapore-based brand 7.5 Degree has been the first Chinese digital media that focus on Southeast Asia’s new economy.
Since then, 7.5 Degree has posted 8,000+ pieces of Southeast Asia start-up and VC news, connected 300+ start-ups, conducted exclusive interviews with 100+ entrepreneurs and investors, and organized 60+ webinars with topics around fintech, e-commerce, logistics, ed-tech, SaaS, and so on.
7.5 Degree was incubated by Y Incubator in 2017, establishing a strategic partnership with Caixin Global and Caixin Data in the same year, and invested by Avior Capital in 2018 and East Ventures in 2019. With five years of experience in cultivating the Southeast Asia venture capital market, 7.5 Degree has steadily enhanced its understanding of the local market through outputting information, creating communities, and building think tanks.
“The future of the media platform has unlimited possibilities. As an owner and communicator of information of different markets, the media platform can have a linkage effect with various industries. Especially as the development potential of TikTok is rapidly released in Southeast Asia, there will be a variety of service needs from the TikTok industry chain. In the next 5-10 years, TikTok will rapidly grow as a strong business ecosystem where the entrepreneurs and 7.5 Degree are able to have more entrepreneurial opportunities,” this round lead investor said.
Southeast Asia has always been the first market for many Chinese entrepreneurs going overseas. In recent years, the enthusiasm of Chinese entrepreneurs going overseas has been increasing year by year. The reason behind this is that COVID-19 has accelerated the digital economy transformation in Southeast Asia.
According to SEA e-Conomy 2022, Southeast Asia’s digital economy approaches $200 billion GMV in 2022 and is projected to exceed $300 billion by 2025. With such a positive market prospect, entrepreneurs from local and China have more business opportunities in Southeast Asia, and the corporate service market will experience rapid growth with more entrepreneurs in the market. However, the Southeast Asian and China markets have different development rhythms, creating an eternal information gap between the two markets.
Thus, it is necessary to have a Chinese media and corporate service platform to build a bridge for the players to communicate between the two markets.
Looking ahead, Southeast Asia and other emerging markets will develop vigorously. Despite the uncertain global economic conditions, the Southeast Asia startup ecosystem has improved, with higher internet, smartphone and e-commerce penetration rate. Meanwhile, local entrepreneurs in emerging markets are growing up as a strong army that can not be underestimated.
“As a participant in the Southeast Asia new economy ecosystem, we are very pleased to witness the Chinese companies go to Southeast Asia in the new era. In the future, 7.5 Degree will continue to deeply cultivate the Southeast Asia market, and further consolidate the understanding and cognition of the market. And at the same time, we will also focus on corporate service, helping great local and Chinese entrepreneurs and investors make success in the global market,” said Chen Xiangling, editor-in-chief of 7.5 Degree. “7.5 Degree is visionary to be the bridge for all the players to access the vigorous market without difficulties with the power of content, technologies, and services.”