Investments

Thailand has introduced a new phase in its national research and innovation strategy with the launch of the Thailand RISE Fund, a rebranded national funding initiative aimed at accelerating the transition from academic research to tangible economic and social impact.

The Series A funding round is led by Kairous Capital, a regional private equity and venture capital firm backed by Jelawang Capital, Malaysia’s National Fund-of-Funds through its Emerging Fund Managers’ Program.

Asia-focused venture capital firm Gobi Partners has invested in Cortical Labs, a biotechnology company developing computing systems that combine living human neurons with silicon hardware.

We talked to Victor Chua, Founding and Managing Partner at Vynn Capital, to learn more about the VC firm’s achievements in 2025 and its plans and aspirations for 2026. He also shared his views on the outlook of tech ecosystem in Malaysia and Southeast Asia for 2026.

Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd plans to channel more capital into strengthening the power system and supporting local semiconductor companies

“We will explore establishing a national-level merger and acquisition fund,” Wang Changlin, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Since its founding in Malaysia, Mantayay has grown to serve global clients in gaming, FMCG, and technology across Southeast Asia. The company today manages over 4,000 TikTok creators, produces more than 1,000 short-form videos each month, and generates over 100 million monthly views across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.

Ryder said the fresh capital will be used to ramp up production, expand marketing and engineering, and accelerate development of Ryder One, which the company pitches as a hardware wallet that can be set up in “60 seconds or less.” The company is planning a broader marketing push to build brand awareness as it brings the device to more users.

The SEA Monthly Funding Tracker for September 2025 reflected a sharp rebound in funding across the region. Total funding for the month stood at $230.6 million across 10 rounds, marking a 125.64 percent increase month-on-month (August 2025: $102.2 million) and a 58.72 percent rise year-on-year compared to September 2024 ($145.3 million).

In the interview, Mok also shared his views on Malaysia's capital market, the trends he sees in the market, Moomoo's plans and strategies moving forward, among others.