Asia
SoftBank Ventures Asia changes name to SBVA after closing $150M fund
SoftBank Ventures Asia is officially changing its company name to SBVA after closing $150 million fund. SBVA, through this fund, aims to actively discover early to mid-stage startups that capitalize on technological innovations in ICT, such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and computing, and create new business opportunities.
APAC businesses expected to nearly triple spending on generative AI to $3.4B in 2024: Infosys Research
Companies across Asia-Pacific (APAC) are quickly ramping up investments in generative AI (GenAI) and entering a higher stage of maturity, according to Infosys. The research forecasts a bigger increase than in any other region – 140 percent in the next year. This translates to an estimated $3.4 billion to be invested across Australia, New Zealand, China,…
South Korea’s Elice raises $14.9M in Series C round led by Vertex Growth
Elice Inc. (Elice), South Korea’s upcoming artificial intelligence (AI)-powered educational platform company, has raised a KRW 20 billion ($14.9 million) Series C round. The new funding is led by Vertex Growth, a growth-stage venture capital fund anchored by Vertex Holdings, a subsidiary of the global investment company Temasek.
Darewise Entertainment, DFZ Labs team up for Web3 expertise sharing
Darewise Entertainment (Darewise), a subsidiary of Animoca Brands and the creator of the Life Beyond game, announced Sunday a strategic partnership with DFZ Labs, creator of the world-renowned Web3 brand Deadfellaz. The duo have entered into partnership to support each other's growth by sharing their expertise in Web3 with each other through an advisory…
India’s Ecofy raises $10.83M funding from FMO to support expansion
Ecofy, India's green-only non-banking financial company (NBFC) dedicated to addressing the last mile climate finance gap in the Indian consumer and small business sector, has secured an investment of INR 900 million ($10.83 million) from FMO, the Dutch Entrepreneurial development bank.
Malaysia’s Khazanah in talks to lead Softbank-backed OYO Hotel’s $400M fund raise – report
Talks are still ongoing and Khazanah can still decide to not invest, Bloomberg reported.
Malaysia inks deal with UAE to build data centers in Malaysia
Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday, marking a strategic partnership on the development of data centers in Malaysia, with potential projects anticipated to achieve a total capacity of 500 megawatts.
Hong Kong’s Qupital secures series B2 funding to fuel market expansion and product innovation
Qupital, a Hong Kong-based data-driven financing platform for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the new economy, has on Thursday announced its new Series B2 financing round funded by a consortium of new and existing investors from Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.
PepsiCo launches second APAC Greenhouse Accelerator Program to accelerate climate-positive solutions development
American multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation PepsiCo has on Thursday announced the launch of the second Greenhouse Accelerator program in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. The firm is looking to supporting entrepreneurs who are developing innovative solutions in sustainable agriculture, climate action, and the circular economy.
