Singapore-based edtech startup Cialfo, which uses data to streamline college and career workflows, has extended its Series A funding round to the tune of $15 million. The new round, spearheaded by Vulcan…
Dyson to Kick Off $3.7bn Tech Spending Spree
British appliances firm Dyson says it will invest an extra £2.75bn ($3.67bn) in new technology over the next five years, as it aims to double the number of products it sells. The…
EMQ’s “Remittance Railroad” Through Southeast Asia Required Patience – and Resolve
Each Sunday, in Hong Kong, hundreds of Philippine migrant workers queue up outside remittance offices, the lines snaking around entire city blocks, to send money home. For most, it’s their only free…
Temasek Acquires Israeli Cybersecurity Firm Sygnia for $250m
Temasek, Singapore’s state-controlled investment vehicle, has acquired Israeli cybersecurity company Sygnia for around $250 million. Sygnia, headquartered in Tel Aviv, only came out of stealth last year. It was launched in 2015…
Alibaba Makes Pakistan e-Commerce Play with Daraz Acquisition
Chinese tech giant Alibaba has made a big play for the South Asian e-commerce market, with its acquisition of Rocket Internet-owned Pakistani platform Daraz. The Karachi-based firm, founded in 2012, operates in…
Investment Giants Eye FINO Stake
Japan’s SoftBank Group, alongside Singaporean state investor Temasek and Morgan Stanley, are considering a 33% stake in Indian fintech firm Financial Information and Network Operations (FINO). The deal, through which the trio…
Entrepreneur First to Search Berlin for “Anti-Establishment” Talent
London-based “pre-team, pre-idea” company-builder Entrepreneur First is expanding to Berlin, as it looks for tech workers who buck establishment trends. The 2011-founded firm, which opened its second office in Singapore in 2016,…
China is Making 2018 a Great Year for Southeast Asian Tech
It’s been a busy year for Southeast Asia’s dealmakers. The region has seen a vast uptick in big funding rounds, in companies such as Malaysian ride-hail app Grab and Indonesia’s e-commerce platform Tokopedia.…
Didi and SoftBank to Pour $2bn into Taxi Firm Grab
DiDi Chuxing and SoftBank are investing a combined $2 billion in Grab, formerly known as GrabTaxi, Southeast Asia’s premier ride-hailing app. The company, which operates in 65 cities across seven nations, is…
Gobi Partners’ Kay-Mok Ku on Investing Smart in Southeast Asia
Kay-Mok Ku has over 17 years’ experience investing in startups across Asia. Since 2010 he has been a partner at Gobi Partners, an early-stage fund established in Shanghai in 2002. Singapore-based Ku has…