J. Angelo Racoma

FinTech democratizes access to investments as capital shifts toward private markets, says Oi Yee Choo of ADDX [Q&A]

The shift toward private capital is driving innovation in many ways – in technology, in business processes, and in the way the markets are regulated. The rise of platforms like ADDX that expand access to private investments such as VC funds, pre-IPO equity, hedge funds, wholesale bonds, and private real estate, is an example of that innovation.

Service-as-a-solution applications enhance collaboration, productivity, and go-to-market agility, says Cloud4C Founder Sridhar Pinnapureddy [Q&A]

Service-as-a-solution applications, such as video conferencing tools, are becoming more popular because they can enhance collaboration and productivity. Digitalization is nearly synonymous with business survival and the commoditization of services and technologies can help enterprises address significant challenges.

Singapore B2B transactions platform Tinvio secures $12M Series A to launch new financial services

With its Series A fund, the startup that began with giving B2B users a streamlined platform to communicate and consolidate orders will now delve further into fintech and plans to launch additional financial services, such as financing and credit card issuing.

Philippines VC Gentree Fund allocates $40M for SEA startups looking to expand in the country

Gentree Fund, a Philippines-based sector-agnostic fund that focuses on investments into early-stage B2C and B2B companies, has just announced that it has earmarked an initial $40 million to invest in early and growth-stage Southeast Asian startups with plans of expanding into the Filipino market.

Private exchanges give investors a choice on product fit, investment goals, and risk tolerance, says Willie Chang of HGX [Q&A]

With this RMO license, HGX can now fully operate as Asia’s first member-driven private exchange to support the issuance and trading of both digital and non-digital capital market products.

Warung Pintar

Digital transformation has accelerated the warung ecosystem in Indonesia, says Warung Pintar’s Agung Bezharie Hadinegoro [Q&A]

Agung discusses how the pandemic accelerated digital transformation in Indonesia, and how MSMEs–or warungs in particular–are able to benefit with the aim to “accelerate Indonesia’s growth in the midst of a post-pandemic economic boom by empowering micro-retail businesses.”

Mom-focused e-commerce platform Edamama raises $5M pre-Series A for automation, logistics & product development

The company was established amid the pandemic by its founder Bela Gupta D’Souza, who saw the pain points of mothers as consumers when purchasing online. She said that it is common for mothers to spend many hours in search of the best products for their children only to end up with inferior quality products from untrusted sources.

Robo-advisor & wealth management platform Syfe raises $30M Series B for product development & Asia expansion

The funds raised will be used to expand into new markets in Asia, invest in top talent and develop more high-quality investment products and services. Syfe has also pledged that everyone in the firm will become a shareholder, allowing all employees to benefit from future growth in the company.

Without legacy infrastructure, cloud-native digital banks are faster & more innovative than traditional banks, says UNObank CEO Manish Bhai [Q&A]

Singapore-based FinTech UNObank was granted the first new digital banking license under the Digital Banking License framework of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Manish Bhai shares insights on how digital-native banks can provide faster and more innovative services to address the needs of the underbanked and unbanked.

Singapore BioTech startup Allozymes secures $5M Seed fund led by deeptech VC investor Xora Innovation

Allozymes plans to use its seed fund to establish its roots in Singapore and establish its manufacturing and business infrastructure in order to meet its projected demand in the APAC region.