Asia

GAMEE, a Web3 and mobile gaming platform and subsidiary of Animoca Brands, has announced it has received an investment from TON Ventures, the first venture fund of The Open Network (TON).

Rebellions Inc., a South Korean artificial intelligence (AI) chip startup and SAPEON Korea, an artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor company established by SK Telecom, have announced that they have signed a definitive merger agreement.

Alibaba Cloud said Monday its proprietary large language model Qwen has been deployed to the applicationof Shiseido’s Drunk Elephant’s new DRUNKGPT technology for enhanced customer interaction in China, responding to customer inquiries from product recommendations to skincare tips with more nuanced and personalized responses.

Japanese e-scooter operator Luup has on Thursday announced that it has entered into a capital and business alliance agreement with Blue Incubation, a consolidated subsidiary of Seibu Group, and conglomerate Tokyu.

ECloudvalley Digital Technology, a Taiwan-based cloud solutions provider, has on Thursday announced the appointment of Sandy Woo as Country Director for its Malaysia operations.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has on Tuesday announced the launch of “Generative Artificial Intelligence Sandbox” (GenAI Sandbox) in collaboration with digital community Cyberport, aiming at promoting digital transformation and innovation in the financial industry and establishing risk management mechanisms.

ZetaChain, a universal blockchain, has announced that Animoca Brands, a Hong Kong-based gaming firm, has become a validator on ZetaChain. This collaboration brings the industry closer in realizing the long-term vision of achieving seamless multi-chain connectivity and widespread adoption of digital assets.

Mushroom Material, a New Zealand-based start-up replacing styrofoam pelletized fungi packaging, has secured over $5 million in seed funding. Wavemaker Partners, one of Southeast Asia’s leading VC firms, and Singapore’s SEEDS Capital have led the investment along with Icehouse Ventures, K1W1, and Black Kite Capital.

Officiated by Chang Lih Kang, Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI), the event underscores Malaysia's commitment to advancing technopreneurship. It brought together technopreneurs, academics, tech industry experts, government officials, and other professionals from across the Asia-Pacific region.

Khushhali Microfinance Bank Limited (KMBL), Pakistan’s specialized microfinance bank, has recently partnered with oladoc, a digital healthcare platform, to promote healthcare services for their customers.