Investments

Indonesia is also among the first countries in Southeast Asia to push back against TikTok. Following the Indonesia restrictions, nearby Malaysia also said it is studying the possibility of regulating TikTok and its e-commerce operations.

COMEUP 2023 will be held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, South Korea from Nov 8 to 10, and will also be available online, through a livestream.

Saudi Arabia-based NEOM Investment Fund will invest $50 million in Hong Kong-based gaming firm Animoca Brands. Animoca Brands has entered into a strategic partnership memorandum of understanding with NEOM Investment Fund to drive regional Web3 initiatives in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 plan.

East Ventures, a venture capital firm in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, has on Wednesday announced the firm’s first healthcare-focused fund with the amount of $30 million, which is dedicated to supporting innovative healthcare solutions in Indonesia.

Southeast Asia has a lot of potential with governments looking to boost EV adoption with aggressive targets, VinFast Chief Executive Officer Le Thi Thu Thuy said.

The government will also strengthen the venture capital environment through the centralization of venture capital agencies such as Penjana Kapital and MAVCAP under the sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Berhad.

"Tesla would be looking into an EV manufacturing facility, Microsoft and Google are looking at data centers," Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said.

Ascent is the largest ecosystem-linked venture platform in the region with four partners, 10 investment professionals, and a supporting operational team across Jakarta, Singapore, Seoul offices and access to multi billion dollar ecosystems across broader Southeast Asia.

IFC's projects in Pakistan aim to provide much needed jobs, increase productivity in the private sector, enhance gender inclusion, and address the impacts of climate change.

In the interview, Van Zyl also shared PasarPolis’ short-term and long-term plans, the company’s strategy and the challenges it faced. He also shared his views on the overall insurance industry in Indonesia and Southeast Asia.