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Vietnam’s Vinfast integrates Amazon Alexa Voice AI into electric vehicles
VinFast, the electric vehicle manufacturer of Vietnam-based Vingroup, on Thursday announced plans to integrate the Amazon Alexa voice experience into its vehicles beginning in 2022. The collaboration with Amazon, announced at the 2022 New York International Auto Show, will integrate Alexa services into the VF 8 and VF 9 all-electric sport utility vehicles…
Singaporean ride-hailing app Ryde to launch community NFT project
Singaporean ride-hailing app Ryde said Friday it will be launching the non-fungible token (NFT) project as part of its efforts to grow and strengthen its community of users. The company will also expand the range of crypto payment options for its users to top up their in-app Ryde wallets.
Hong Kong’s Animoca Brands to acquire French blockchain game developer Darewise
Animoca Brands, the company Hong Kong-based firm advancing digital property rights for gaming and the metaverse, announced Wednesday it will acquire Darewise Entertainment, a France-based game developer founded by veterans of the AAA games industry that is currently developing the high-quality blockchain MMO Life Beyond. The collaboration will facilitate…
Japan e-scooter sharing operator Luup raises $8M through debt and asset financing
Luup, Inc, a Japan-based sharing service of electric micromobility including e-scooters and e-bikes, said Wednesday it has raised a total of 1 billion yen ($7.97 million) through debt and asset financing. This is the first time in Japan that an e-scooter sharing service operator has raised funds through asset financing, and this financing brings Luup’s…
Japan messaging app LINE launches NFT marketplace in Japan
LVC Corporation, operator of Japan-based LINE's crypto asset and blockchain businesses, on Wednesday launched LINE NFT, a non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace available only in Japan.
Singapore medtech firm Us2.ai raises $15M Series A funding led by IHH Healthcare and Heal Partners
Us2.ai, a Singapore-based medtech developer, announced Thursday it has raised $15 million in a series A round led by IHH Healthcare and Heal Partners, with participation from Pappas Capital and existing investors including Sequoia India, EDBI and Partech Ventures. The new funds will be used to drive Us2.ai’s ambitious growth targets for clinical…
EY: Global IPO market sees significant slowdown in Q1; Malaysia’s exchanges lead by proceeds in Asean
During this quarter, Indonesia’s IDX was most active by deal numbers (12 IPOs raising $219 million), while Malaysia’s exchanges led by proceeds ($362 million via 5 IPOs). In other Asean exchanges, Thailand’s exchanges saw 5 IPOs raising $228 million, the Philippines Stock Exchange had 4 IPOs raising $201 million while Singapore’s Catalist welcomed 3 IPOs…
India’s Pine Labs makes significant investment in Mosambee, boosting latter’s valuation to $100M
India-based merchant commerce platform Pine Labs announced Wednesday that it has made a significant majority investment into Mosambee, a end-to-end payment solution provider in India. This investment will now value Mosambee at upwards of $100 million.
Malaysia marketing tech firm Involve Asia expands to Vietnam
Vietnam is an important market for Involve Asia as it is one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia with a vibrant and technologically savvy population, Involve Asia Chief Executive Officer and Founder Jimmy How said.
DBS/POSB partners Singaporean government to offer digital payment in schools
Singapore financial services group DBS/POSB and the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Singapore announced Wednesday a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to widen the access to contactless and digital payments, in all junior colleges/Millennia Institute, secondary and primary schools in Singapore. The three-year MOU will expand the POSB Smart Buddy…
