Author: Yimie Yong

AirAsia Parent Capital A unable to get $120M govt-guaranteed loan

Capital A is exploring other available debt financing alternatives with acceptable terms suitable to the operations and financing requirements of the company.

Malaysia’s RHL Ventures scouts opportunities in ESG, healthcare & financial sectors as it finalizes Hibiscus fund

“While these trends may not seem new, these themes have started gaining momentum in recent times,” the Malaysia-headquartered VC firm Co-founder and Co-Managing Partner Raja Hamzah Abidin told TechNode Global.

Sea Ltd’s Shopee exits France months after entering Europe – report

France was one of the most significant new markets for Sea, which has been embarking on an aggressive international push last year to drive growth beyond Southeast Asia.

Convergence between marketplaces & social media will continue in e-commerce, says Intrepid CEO Jasper Knoben [ORIGIN Innovation Awards Q&A]

In the interview, Knoben also shared what are the challenges faced by startups or innovators in this post-pandemic environment and Intrepid’s strategies to address these challenges.

Meatless food & plastic-free packaging trends driving innovations in APAC, says Mi Terro CEO Robert Luo [ORIGIN Innovation Awards Q&A]

Luo also shared what are the challenges faced by businesses in the context of sustainability and his firm's strategies to overcome these challenges.

Japan e-commerce giant Rakuten CEO Hiroshi Mikitani donates $8.7M to Ukraine for humanitarian assistance

The donation is intended for humanitarian activities to help people in the country who have become victims of the violence, he said.

VCs scout opportunities in MedTech despite higher valuation fueled by pandemic

A growing population of more than 600 million with a combined GDP of more than $3 trillion and a rapid growth of the middle class are expected to fuel strong demand in healthcare coverage in Southeast Asia.

Alibaba halts talks to raise $1B before Lazada IPO – report

It was reported that Alibaba had hoped to secure at least $1 billion but backed off after failing to secure its envisioned valuation.

Malaysia’s Penang state government launched fourth seed fund for tech startups

Priorities will be given to Internet of Things (IoT), Advanced Manufacturing, Consumer Digital, EdTech, Health Tech, Clean Tech companies.

Carsome plans to build more used car refurbishment centers in Malaysia, Indonesia & Thailand

Carsome has on Tuesday launched the so-called Carsome Certified Lab in Malaysia, which claimed to be Southeast Asia’s largest car refurbishment facility.