For Anchanto’s Vaibhav Dabhade, digitalization requires a deep structural shift for companies getting into e-commerce [Q&A]

Digitalization is the name of the game, especially as the new normal has driven enterprises and consumers toward new ways of doing business. This is reshaping how we buy goods and access financial services. The e-commerce boom is said to have been brought about by this accelerated pace of digitalization. However, according to Vaibhav Dabhade, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of…

B2B is the next frontier in e-commerce, says GudangAda’s JJ Ang [Q&A]

Southeast Asia's digital economy is expected to surge, driven by e-commerce, media, transport, and food. The region is expected to see 62 percent growth in e-commerce gross merchandise value, driven by the rise in customers buying groceries and essentials online. However, there is also a big potential in e-commerce beyond B2C, as we learn from a TechNode Global Q&A with JJ Ang, Chief…

ORIGIN Innovation Awards 2021: Startup Winners – AI, E-commerce, FinTech & RegTech

We are thrilled to announce the Startup Winners - AI, E-commerce, FinTech & RegTech for the second edition of the ORIGIN Innovation Awards. The ORIGIN Innovation Awards recognizes outstanding startups, corporate innovators, and movers and shakers in the Asia Pacific region poised for growth. The awards celebrate the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, and also seek to inspire the…

Indonesia e-commerce solution platform Desty raises $5M in an extended pre-series A round from East Ventures

Desty, an Indonesia-based e-commerce solution platform startup, announced Friday that it has secured $5 million of extended pre-series A round led by East Ventures (growth fund) with participation from Jungle Ventures and returning investors Fosun RZ and January Capital. Desty said in a statement, this fresh capital will strengthen the company’s balance sheet after the company raised $ 3.2…

Indonesia e-commerce marketplace Ula secures an additional $23.1M in Series B from Tiger Global

Ula, a business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce marketplace in Indonesia, announced Tuesday it has secured an additional $23.1 million funding from Tiger Global. Binny Bansal, co-founder of Flipkart, also participated in the round. The fresh fund infusion follows the $87 million previously announced in October in a round co-led by Prosus Ventures, Tencent, and B-Capital, which were joined by…

Vietnam e-commerce platform Kilo raises $5M pre-Series A led by Altos Ventures and January Capital

Kilo, a Vietnam-based e-commerce platform that aims to digitize Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), has raised $5 million in a pre-Series A round co-led by Altos Ventures and January Capital. The round was joined by Goodwater Capital, Ascend Vietnam Ventures, Decisive Capital Management, Ratio Ventures, and other angel investors. Kilo said in a statement, it plans to grow its team…

Indonesia’s Open Labs launches $100M fund to invest in e-commerce sellers

Open Labs, Indonesia home-grown brand aggregator, has launched a $100 million fund to invest in e-commerce sellers in Indonesia. The fund will invest in high-potential businesses and help them grow online, scale operations, and become great consumer brands, Open Labs said in a statement. Touted as the biggest fund among brand aggregators in Southeast Asia, the fund will focus specifically…

Carousell Group acquires Singapore-based sneaker marketplace Ox Street to accelerate re-commerce growth

Singapore-headquartered online marketplace group Carousell Group announced Monday it has acquired Ox Street, a Singapore-based marketplaces for authenticated sneakers and streetwear. Following Carousell Group’s investment from STIC Investments, this acquisition underpins the group’s strategic priority to accelerate its re-commerce growth in Greater Southeast Asia, said Carousell said in a…