TechNode Global Staff

Indonesia-based, early-stage venture capital firm AC Ventures (ACV) announced Wednesday the launch of its education platform for tech entrepreneurs in emerging markets called ACV Academy. The free-to-access, ongoing, training sequence is designed to take the early-stage tech ecosystem in Southeast Asia to a new level of know-how.

Australian venture capital firm Blackbird said Wednesday it has raised Australia’s largest venture capital fund at just over AUD$1 billion ($640 million) in committed capital. The fund, consisting of a AUD$284 million ($180.77 million) core fund, AUD$668 million ($425.2 million) follow-on fund and NZ$75 million ($43.76 million) dedicated New Zealand fund.

Petronas, Accenture and Amazon Web Services (AWS) are collaborating to evaluate commercialisation opportunities globally for the cloud-based logistics solution and services platform STEAR.

Singapore-based insurtech Igloo, in partnership with PVI Insurance, Vietnam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration (VNMHA) and international reinsurer SCOR, on Tuesday announced the launch of the country’s first weather index insurance - a blockchain-based parametric index insurance product that automates insurance claims of rice farmers.

Singaporean bank DBS has become one of the first banks globally to test the trading of foreign exchange (FX) and government securities using permissioned DeFi liquidity pools on public blockchain through Project Guardian.

Wise, the United Kingdom-based payment firm, announced Wednesday that it has received a capital markets services licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), which will enable the firm to bring its new investment product, Assets, to Singapore in the coming quarters.

Weavr, a United Kingdom-headquartered technology provider that empowers businesses with plug-and-play embedded finance solutions, has set up in Singapore as part of its mission to make embedded financial services available to any digital business.

Circle Internet Financial, a global digital financial technology firm and the issuer of USD Coin (USDC) and Euro Coin (EUROC), has received in-principle approval as a major payments institution license holder from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) is exploring the possibility of working with MetaVerse Green Exchange (MVGX), a digital green exchange licensed and regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), to develop Indonesia’s carbon exchange system.

South Korean travel tech startup Globaleur has raised $2.5 million in their pre-series A round and recently completed setting up an office in Singapore as part of their expansion plans for South East Asia.