Startup Snapshot

It's undeniable – the world is in recession. Although it took longer for the downturn to hit Asia, startups and venture capitalists have been preparing for it for months. On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia emerging tech editor Collin Furtado discusses his insights from the ongoing article series Recession Run, where he talks to the region's top investors about how they're tackling the economic slump. Featured reporter: Collin Furtado, Tech in Asia's emerging tech editor based in Bangalore, India Essential reading: Recession Run: East Ventures' bets during a downturn Recession Run: Sequoia's $850m plan during a downturn Recession Run: 500 Global's investment plan in SEA Recession Run: Quest Ventures bats for food security, sustainable solutions Recession Run: Vertex Ventures says these sectors will thrive in a downturn Recession Run: Valuation cuts don't affect Monk's Hill Ventures' plans Recession Run: Wavemaker's Santos sees a crisis as a flight to quality Recession Run: Kickstart Ventures to deploy more funding in 2023 Recession Run: Australian VC to invest 20% of new fund in SEA Recession Run: BAce Capital advises founders to chase value, not valuation Recession Run: Iterative's $55m plan amid a downturn Recession Run: CCV says autonomous tech, AI, robotics startups are the future

Once upon a time, all it took to build a workforce was a couple of ads in the classified section of the local newspaper. But with a global shift to remote working, companies have to consider a plethora of factors when hiring talent: Which markets should I hire from? How can I stand out from other hiring companies? What can I do to make sure the talent I bring onboard stays? In this four-episode podcast series, G-P's Charles Ferguson and Tech in Asia Studios' Nathaniel Fetalvero walk listeners through the new age of hiring and how startups can navigate today's talent economy. This is a startup's guide to remote talent. Listen on your podcast platform of choice or visit the Tech in Asia website to access full episodes: https://www.techinasia.com/tag/a-startups-guide-to-remote-talent  Visit G-P's website at www.g-p.com to learn more about the increasingly remote working world and how your business can gain an edge in the talent economy.

At the start of 2022, crypto firm Hodlnaut had the approval of the Monetary Authority of Singapore and close to US$1 billion in assets under management. Today, the Singapore-based company has halted its operations, faces lawsuits over allegations of dishonesty, and is being probed by the city-state's police force. On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia journalist Scott Shuey discusses how the collapse of other crypto firms sparked Hodlnaut's downfall, the alleged mismanagement and lies that exacerbated the situation, and what's in store for the company's future. Featured reporter: Scott Shuey, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Kuala Lumpur Essential reading: Hodlnaut may have had $187m exposure to Terra collapse UST, lies, and Hodlnaut: How a rising star fell back to earth Hodlnaut can't pay salaries, benefits for dismissed employees Hodlnaut accuses EY staff of dishonesty; EY fires back Hodlnaut founders hid financial documents, new Singapore court report says Hodlnaut assets hit by FTX debacle For more stories on Hodlnaut, click here.

Vibe Check: Mental Health in the Startup World is a Tech in Asia podcast where writer and editor Winston Zhang speaks to startup leaders and mental health professionals to see what he can learn from them when it comes to managing his mental well-being. Listen to Vibe Check: Mental Health in the Startup World on your podcast platform of choice to catch weekly episodes of this limited series throughout the month of October. Or visit the Tech in Asia website to access full episodes: https://www.techinasia.com/tag/vibe-check 

Once a rising fintech company that drew in investors such as Y Combinator and Stripe, Philippines-based PayMongo now finds itself in a precarious position. Allegations of questionable spending and employee harassment from senior leaders cropped up a few months ago, leading Francis Plaza, the startup's CEO, to go on voluntary leave. What happened at PayMongo? And what can other fast-growing companies do to avoid the same fate? On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia journalist Melissa Goh discusses the events that led the company to its current state, how the incidents have affected PayMongo's growth and performance, and the importance of strong corporate governance. Featured reporters: Melissa Goh, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Singapore Essential reading: Fallout at PayMongo: alleged harassment by CEO, founder departures, growth woes PayMongo's former CFO: ‘I never stole from any company' PayMongo CEO goes on ‘voluntary leave' What caused PayMongo's crisis? Insiders tell us Tech in Asia has launched a new podcast for World Mental Health Day. Vibe Check: Mental Health in the Startup World follows Tech in Asia writer and editor Winston Zhang on his quest to better manage his mental well-being through conversations with startup leaders and mental health professionals. Weekly episodes are available throughout the month of October on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Animoca Brands is a name that is practically synonymous with the blockchain scene, with news of its acquisitions, fundraising, and expansions regularly hitting the news. But the Web3 empire's thrilling crypto success was sparked in a manner that is less grand than its current stature. Though it's now valued at US$5 billion, it was actually delisted from the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) in 2020. How did the blockchain gaming juggernaut make such a stunning turnaround? On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia journalist Deepti Sri discusses the company's rise to prominence and its ambitions to conquer the Web3 space. Featured reporters: Deepti Sri, a Tech in Asia journalist based in India Essential reading: Animoca's meteoric rise from zombie to $5b Web3 empire

As digital banking rises to prominence in Indonesia, tech companies from various sectors have been dipping their toes in the game, partnering with and sometimes even acquiring digibanks. Leveraging their greater and easier access to capital, online and peer-to-peer lenders have also joined the fray. However, some question whether this move toward the digital banking space might spell doom for the lending scene. Will digibanks soon render online lenders obsolete?  Or is there room for coexistence in the future? On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia journalist Budi Sutrisno discusses what lies ahead for Indonesia's online lending scene. Featured reporters: Budi Sutrisno, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Jakarta Essential reading: Why Indonesia's tech giants find digital banks irresistible As digibanks rise, will Indonesia's online lenders become obsolete? The tech companies bankrolling Indonesia's digital banks

GoTo Group, the new entity formed through the Gojek-Tokopedia merger last year, listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange this month. While the company's shares quickly soared past its initial offering price, it also fell just as quickly in a manner reminiscent of the recent public listings of other Southeast Asian firms such as Bukalapak and Grab. Is this just how Southeast Asian tech stocks perform on the public markets? On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia journalists Ardi Wirdana and Aditya Hadi Pratama discuss GoTo's IPO and what its performance might mean for the wider tech and startup scene in Southeast Asia. Featured reporters: Ardi Wirdana, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Jakarta Aditya Hadi Pratama, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Jakarta Essential reading: GoTo Group's financial health in 4 charts GoTo's IPO numbers split opinions, but investors may warm to share price GoTo begins $1.1b IPO process Org Chart: The people leading GoTo Group GoTo shares up by 15% in initial trading, giving valuation of $32b GoTo's shares decline to IPO price, triggering greenshoe option GoTo IPO marks win for 2 early SEA VCs, and may supercharge the region's VC scene Get your tickets to Tech in Asia's Product Development Conference '22 now by going to techin.asia/pdc

Indonesian online lender UangTeman has had a tough few years. Its name has been in and out of headlines since 2018, with stories either focusing on the company's financial troubles or its apparent recovery. But what's at the core of UangTeman's troubles? On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia journalist Putra Muskita discusses the embattled online lender's current plight and whether it can pull itself back from the brink of collapse. Featured reporters: Putra Muskita, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Jakarta Essential reading: Exclusive: Indonesian online lender UangTeman had a rough 2018. Here's what happened After a tough 2018, Indonesian online lender UangTeman looks to be bouncing back Indonesian online lender UangTeman raises $10m in series B round UangTeman on the brink of collapse, pins hope on white knight Troubled UangTeman finds potential buyer, seeks OJK license extension Investors in UangTeman struggle to claw back their money Indonesia's UangTeman loses online lending license

As blockchain-related projects gather steam across Asia, the region's countries are adopting crypto in unique ways. While Vietnam's strong gaming culture has driven its crypto boom, India's NFT gold rush has been powered by Bollywood film stars. However, regulation is still a tough nut to crack across the region. In this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia's Thu Huong Le, Nikita Puri, and Melissa Goh discuss how countries across Asia are navigating the world of crypto. Featured reporters: Thu Huong Le, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Vietnam Nikita Puri, a Tech in Asia journalist based in India Melissa Goh, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Singapore Essential reading: Explaining Vietnam's crypto boom Inside the tsunami of NFTs in India Is Dubai stealing Singapore's thunder in crypto? The Philippines: Asia's next crypto hub? How NFTs are going from megabytes to mega bucks

Grab, one of the region's most valuable tech companies, made its Nasdaq debut last month after a record US$40 billion merger with Altimeter, a New York-listed blank-check company. However, the super app's first few weeks of public life haven't been the easiest, with its shares ending at US$7.12 apiece last week – a roughly 45.5% discount to their opening price in December. In this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia's Terence Lee, Aditya Hadi Pratama, and Simon Huang discuss Grab's ride to the public market, its financial performance over the past year, and its prospects for the future. Featured reporters: Terence Lee, editor-in-chief at Tech in Asia Aditya Hadi Pratama, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Jakarta, Indonesia Simon Huang, Tech in Asia's industry analyst based in Singapore Essential reading: Grab's financial health in 8 charts Grab shares dip over 20% on Nasdaq debut despite strong opening Grab shares may drop further as more stocks flood the market Examining Grab's incentive-fueled growth

Dark stores – more widely known as microdistribution hubs – have been gaining prominence in India and Southeast Asia, with grocery delivery startups like Dropezy and Zepto raising millions of dollars in funding and setting up hundreds of centers across the region. The future of this segment is brighter than its name suggests. By 2025, India's consumables market is projected to hit roughly US$1 trillion while Southeast Asia's online grocery market is expected to reach US$11.9 billion – a prime opportunity for operators of dark stores. In this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia's Nikita Puri discusses the ins and outs of this rising phenomenon, the key players leading the segment, and how dark stores can change the way we buy groceries - or anything else we might need. More information on today's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/deep-dive-bright-future-dark-stores Featured reporter: Nikita Puri, a Tech in Asia journalist based in India Essential reading: Dark stores light up red-hot grocery delivery market Stanford dropouts' firm bags $60m to speed up grocery delivery in India Indonesian e-grocery startup raises $2.5m to deliver orders in 20 minutes Episode sponsor: HVR 6.0 allows organizations to incorporate real-time movement into new and existing data management strategies, load massive tables much faster to speed up the adoption of new analytics systems, configure network encryption to make it secure by default, and dramatically simplify the deployment of initial data replication. Sign up now to take a test drive of HVR 6.0: https://techin.asia/hvr6

After recently closing a US$400 million series D round from an investor consortium led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and Warburg Pincus, Singapore-headquartered Advance Intelligence Group joined the unicorn club. Its most well-known service? Atome, one of the region's most prevalent buy now, pay later (BNPL) platforms. However, the group has a lot more under its belt, offering services ranging from digital lending and risk management to merchant software services that span 12 markets across Asia, Greater China, and Latin America. In this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia's Melissa Goh sheds light on Advance Intelligence, discussing the common thread that runs through its various business units, how it fared during the pandemic, and the company's plans for the future. More information on today's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/deep-dive-atomes-enigmatic-parent-company Featured reporter: Melissa Goh, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Singapore Essential reading: The enigmatic unicorn behind BNPL firm Atome Southeast Asia's biggest buy now, pay later players StanChart to pour $500m into Atome as part of strategic partnership Singapore's Advance Intelligence Group enters unicorn club after SoftBank co-led $400m round Episode sponsor: HVR 6.0 allows organizations to incorporate real-time movement into new and existing data management strategies, load massive tables much faster to speed up the adoption of new analytics systems, configure network encryption to make it secure by default, and dramatically simplify the deployment of initial data replication. Sign up now to take a test drive of HVR 6.0: https://techin.asia/HVR6

Over the past year, financial services major Stripe has been stepping up its efforts to enter the Indonesian market, targeting key positions for early hires. Among them is former Grab Indonesia executive director Ongki Kurniawan, who's now leading Stripe's charge in the country. However, Indonesia is bustling with ambitious, freshly funded fintech players such as Xendit, Doku, and Gojek's Midtrans, and this could make Stripe's foray into the Southeast Asian archipelago all the more challenging. In this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia's Ardi Wirdana discusses the payment giant's Indonesia ambitions, the hurdles it faces in establishing a foothold in the market, and the impact that Stripe could have on the local fintech scene. Featured reporter: Ardi Wirdana, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Indonesia Essential reading: Stripe readies Indonesia entry, but the road just got rougher Indonesia fintech hits hurdle with new rules on foreign control Episode sponsor: HVR 6.0 allows organizations to incorporate real-time data movement into new and existing data management strategies, load massive tables much faster to speed up the adoption of new analytics systems, configure network encryption to make it secure by default, and dramatically simplify the deployment of initial data replication. Sign up now to take a test drive of HVR 6.0 at https://techin.asia/hvr6  

It wasn't too long ago that in India, Kashmiri apparel sellers carrying large, red-checked bed sheets full of handmade embroidered shawls, dress materials, and stoles would spend their days knocking on door after door, trying to sell their wares to people in the neighborhood. These sellers took a direct-to-consumer (D2C) approach to business, doing away with middlemen by hawking their merchandise to customers themselves. That same business model has evolved, and it's been seeing a boom in investments in India. Consumer brands are raking in hundreds of millions of dollars from prominent venture capital firms like Sequoia and Temasek. However, there are some key differences between today's D2C businesses and the door-to-door sellers of yesteryears. On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia's Samreen Ahmad discusses the emergence of India's D2C decade, the sheer potential within the sector, and the hurdles that players in the scene may face in the future. More information on today's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/deep-dive-indias-d2c-boom Featured reporter: Samreen Ahmad, a Tech in Asia journalist based in India Essential reading: The decade of D2C has just begun in India In Indonesia, a golden age of VC-backed consumer brands may be imminent Episode sponsor: HVR 6.0 allows organizations to incorporate real-time data movement into new and existing data management strategies, load massive tables much faster to speed up the adoption of new analytics systems, configure network encryption to make it secure by default, and dramatically simplify the deployment of initial data replication. Take a test drive of HVR 6.0 now: https://techin.asia/hvr6

Founded in 2010, Bukalapak initially had trouble raising funds because “nobody wanted to invest,” co-founder and former CEO Achmad Zaky said during a fireside chat at the Tech in Asia Conference in 2019. He even considered closing the business after its first year, but he persevered instead and Bukalapak became a unicorn around eight years after its launch. Last week, the ecommerce player notched another milestone: It went public on the Indonesia Stock Exchange – the first unicorn to do so – boosting its valuation to approximately US$7.5 billion. On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia's Aditya Hadi Pratama and Simon Huang discuss the early days of Bukalapak, dive into the numbers behind its landmark initial public offering, and posit what's in store for the company's future. Featured reporter: Aditya Hadi Pratama, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Indonesia Simon Huang, Tech in Asia's industry analyst based in Singapore Essential reading: Bukalapak's IPO, the largest ever on IDX, takes its valuation to $7.5b Visual: Bukalapak's decade-long journey to IPO Bukalapak is using this deck to make its case for a $1.5b IPO 9 highlights from Bukalapak's confidential investor deck Bukalapak's seed round pitch deck How Gojek and Bukalapak found the initial spark that turned them into giants Mitra Bukalapak's roadblock: Indonesia's FMCG giants Being no. 2 isn't a bad thing: Bukalapak's Achmad Zaky For more stories on Bukalapak, click here Episode sponsor: HVR's technology empowers organizations to realize their full potential with continuous, high-volume data movement between cloud-based and on-premise systems. Visit HVR's website to get fresh data when you need it: https://techin.asia/hvr

[This episode was produced in partnership with CleverTap] In 2014, Sunil Thomas, Anand Jain, and Suresh Kondamudi had left their jobs at Indian media conglomerate Network18 to start up CleverTap. The mobile marketing platform's birth was inspired by a recurring “painful problem” that the trio faced as engineers whenever marketers wanted to personalize their website or app in order to engage with users. So the team built CleverTap to enable just that. While the early days of the company were challenging - it took more than two years before it would make any money - the co-founders knew they had a revolutionary product on their hands. Despite that, they never imagined it would become the multimillion-dollar business that it is today, with revenue numbers doubling every year for the past four years. On this special episode of Startup Snapshot featuring Thomas, CleverTap's CEO, tells the story of how the business came to be, sheds light on the early days of its operations, and discusses the lessons he's learned from his experience. Featured interviewee: Sunil Thomas, CEO and co-founder of mobile marketing platform CleverTap Essential reading: Why We Changed Our Brand Name to CleverTap For more of Tech in Asia's coverage of CleverTap, click here: https://www.techinasia.com/tag/clevertap Episode sponsor: CleverTap helps businesses build valuable long-term relationships with customers by giving them access to real-time behavioral analytics and a platform to engage users on the right channels at the right time, with a message that resonates. Visit CleverTap's website to learn more: https://bit.ly/clevertapctatia

For years, HungryGoWhere was the go-to platform for anyone looking for grub and sustenance in Singapore. But last month, the site announced that it's ending its 15-year run, bidding loyal users - the few who were still around - farewell and thank you. On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia's Melissa Goh discusses the events that led to HungryGoWhere's shuttering, insider accounts about how the company was run, and a potential sale that could give the platform a second wind. Featured reporter: Melissa Goh, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Singapore Essential reading: Singtel's restaurant review portal HungryGoWhere to close in July Why did HungryGoWhere go nowhere? Not dead yet: Singtel looks to sell HungryGoWhere after receiving offers Why many of Singtel's digital bets failed after a decade of trying A history of Singtel's successes and failures in reinventing itself For more stories on Singtel, click here Episode sponsor: HVR is joining Tech in Asia for a virtual event on July 14, where chief technology officer Mark Van De Wiel will discuss how to accelerate your business with real-time data delivery, alongside Geoff Soon, South Asia managing director of cloud data firm Snowflake; Andrew Psaltis, Asia Pacific director of data analytics and AI/ML at Google; and Kai Xin Thia, senior data scientist at the London Stock Exchange Group. Sign up now to discover how to harness the power of cloud data to accelerate your business growth and increase revenue opportunities with HVR.

Last month, Indonesia-based super app Gojek and online marketplace Tokopedia announced a merger to form GoTo Group. The move would give both companies a boost against their respective rivals: Gojek against fellow super app Grab, and Tokopedia against Shopee, Sea Group's ecommerce arm. However, potential redundancies in the combined entity have already been spotted, raising questions about the future of its various services. On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia's Aditya Hadi Pratama discusses the events in the lead-up to the deal, GoTo's prospective future, and what impact the merger could have on the wider Asian startup ecosystem. Featured reporter: Aditya Hadi Pratama, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Indonesia Essential reading: Gojek and Tokopedia officially announce merger Gojek, Tokopedia's merged entity GoTo plans pre-IPO fundraise Following the GoTo merger, should Grab buy an ecommerce marketplace? Overlap in Gojek and Tokopedia services suggests possible redundancy GoTo appoints ex-Ernst & Young exec as CFO ahead of its IPO plans Visual: How a decade of work led to the GoTo merger For more stories on GoTo, click here Episode sponsor: HVR's technology empowers organizations to realize their full potential with continuous, high-volume data movement between cloud-based and on-premise systems. Visit https://techin.asia/hvr to get fresh data when you need it.

Last month, Grab announced its plans to go public in the US via a merger with Altimeter Capital, a special purpose acquisition company. Shortly after, Grab unveiled an investor presentation that revealed previously closely guarded financial details. On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia industry analyst Simon Huang dives into the deck, parsing through what it says - and doesn’t say - and what it may indicate for the future of the Southeast Asian super app. Featured reporter: Simon Huang, Tech in Asia’s industry analyst based in Singapore Essential reading: 6 surprises from the reveal of Grab’s jealously guarded financials Retrace the forgotten history of Grab with this timeline Grab used this deck to reveal its financials to investors Visualizing the size of Grab Visual: Tracking Grab’s journey to a $40 billion valuation Breaking down Grab’s $40b valuation The superpower behind Grab’s super app? For more stories on Grab, click here Episode sponsor: HVR’s technology empowers organizations to realize their full potential with continuous, high-volume data movement between cloud-based and on-premise systems. Visit https://techin.asia/hvr to get fresh data when you need it.

Last month, innovation intelligence startup PatSnap raised US$300 million from big-name backers like SoftBank Vision Fund II and Tencent Investment, which the Singapore-based firm says brings its valuation over US$1 billion. But PatSnap’s bid to join the unicorn club wasn’t an easy one. In its early days, potential backers weren’t convinced it could make money, making it hard for the startup to raise funds. To reduce living and hiring expenses, the team moved to China. But even there, they still had to keep costs down, so they switched off the heater to save on electricity and had to huddle together during the cold winter months.  On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia journalist Tay Tian Wen talks about PatSnap’s arduous journey, the milestones it has achieved over the years, and what the future holds for one of Singapore’s newest unicorns. Featured reporter: Tay Tian Wen, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Singapore Essential reading: How PatSnap grew to become a billion-dollar company Tokopedia, PatSnap among 8 fastest-growing firms by revenue in Southeast Asia PatSnap raises $300m in a round co-led by SoftBank, Tencent, joins the unicorn club They turned off the heater in winter to save money. Now they’re a leader in patent search For more stories on PatSnap, click here

Over the past few weeks, one company that has frequently been hitting the headlines is Singapore-headquartered Sea. As the biggest Southeast Asian internet business, dwarfing startups and listed companies alike in valuation, every move that Sea makes has people across the tech industry perking up their ears. On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia’s Putra Muskita, Simon Huang, and Nicole Jao dish on the latest updates from Sea. More information on today's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/deep-dive-seas-latest-moves  Featured reporter: Putra Muskita, a Tech in Asia reporter based in Jakarta, Indonesia Simon Huang, a Tech in Asia industry analyst based in Singapore Nicole Jao, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Taiwan   Essential reading: Sea’s shadow looms over a Gojek-Tokopedia merger Is Shopee a threat to MercadoLibre’s dominance in Brazil? Deep dive: Why Sea’s new numbers are impressive, and a few things to watch out for Visualizing the sheer size of Sea Group Episode Sponsor: Join us at our Product Development Conference 2021 on April 7 and 8 to hear from the brightest product minds in Asia's tech and startup ecosystem, who will share trade secrets in product strategy, engineering, growth, analytics, operations, and more.

Towards the end of 2020, a number of “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) startups started ramping up their marketing, plastering ads across malls, train stations, and even social media platforms. What led to the rise of this new payment method? And is BNPL here to stay? On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia journalists Melissa Goh and Putra Muskita discuss the growing popularity of BNPL, the potential risks it poses to consumers and businesses, and what it could become in the future. More information on today's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/deep-dive-rising-buy-pay-trend  Featured reporter: Melissa Goh, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Singapore Putra Muskita, a Tech in Asia reporter based in Jakarta, Indonesia Essential reading: Explaining the fast rise of Kredivo, Akulaku, and Oriente to the $500m club Why the time is ripe for ‘buy now, pay later’ in Asia ‘Buy now, pay later’ heats up in Singapore with Grab, Mastercard entering the scene Southeast Asia’s biggest buy now, pay later players The dark side of 'buy now, pay later'

In the last weeks of 2020, hundreds of retail investors were shocked when they discovered that Singapore-based investment platform CoAssets had disposed of over US$30 million of their investments to a virtually unknown debt recovery firm. Numerous affected parties have filed police reports against the company and former CEO Getty Goh, but many are still asking: How did this happen? On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia editor-in-chief Terence Lee discusses the events that led to CoAssets’ closure and the alleged mismanagement of investors’ money at the firm. Featured reporter: Terence Lee, editor-in-chief at Tech in Asia Essential reading: The rare tech startup which listed early and became profitable Millions lost, police reports filed: Behind the plight of CoAssets’ hapless investors

A recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers found that India is currently the world’s fastest-growing market for video streaming, and it’s set to become the sixth largest by 2024. With over 40 over-the-top streaming (OTT) players in the country vying for the attention of anyone with an internet connection, how’s the industry faring? On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia journalist Nikita Puri discusses the growth of India’s OTT scene, what the top players are doing to stay ahead of the competition, and what’s in store for the industry’s future. More information on today's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/deep-dive-whats-indias-ott-platforms Featured reporter: Nikita Puri, a Tech in Asia reporter based in India Essential reading: High-voltage drama in the world’s fastest-growing video-streaming market Episode Sponsor: Tech in Asia Explains is a Tech in Asia Originals series that dives into everything that budding entrepreneurs need to know about starting up a business, getting insights from leading personalities in the industry. Watch the first episode of Tech in Asia Explains now: https://techin.asia/explains P.S.: Startup Snapshot season 3 is back, with all-new, original stories of entrepreneurship, struggle, and hustle in audio form! Catch the first episode here: https://techin.asia/snapshot

In recent years, Big Tech has drawn the ire of regulators across the globe. And given the current state of the world, some governments have been raising taxes on tech giants to bolster their own economies. But as several countries in Southeast Asia begin imposing stricter regulations, will smaller tech players get caught up in the attempt to keep the titans in check? On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia industry analyst Simon Huang explains why regulators in the region are tightening the screws, what critics and advocates are saying about the changes, and whether smaller startups have cause to worry. More information on today's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/southeast-asian-states-tightening-screws-tech-giants Featured reporter: Simon Huang, a Tech in Asia industry analyst based in Singapore Essential reading: How Southeast Asian states are tightening the screws on tech giants Episode Sponsor: Sign up for Tech in Asia Live to get unlimited digital access to live classes, events, pitch nights, and our signature Tech in Asia Conference by becoming a Tech in Asia Core subscriber. Visit https://techin.asia/sub to learn more.

In Vietnam, cash is still king, which means that there’s a lot of opportunity for a fintech player to conquer the market and become *the* digital payment provider to the country’s 97 million people. At the moment, several e-wallet operators are battling it out to win the hearts and wallets of Vietnam. Who will come out on top? On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia journalist Thu Huong Le discusses the Vietnamese fintech landscape, the challenges of starting up a fintech business in the country, and the future of Vietnam’s e-wallet scene. Featured reporter: Thu Huong Le, a Tech in Asia reporter based in Vietnam Essential reading: Vietnam’s e-wallet war has just begun, and it will be brutal Episode Sponsor: This year, the Tech in Asia Conference will explore the tech opportunities presented by Southeast Asia’s new golden age. To adjust to our new reality, we’re going virtual as we aim to bring you the most relevant insights into four areas: The emerging opportunities in the region’s golden age Which verticals, companies, and business models are driving innovation in Asia’s tech scene How the startup world will change in 2021 and beyond How to accelerate your business toward recovery Sign up now at https://techin.asia/conference20 to get 40% off your ticket purchase.

Tucked away between Myanmar and Nepal, and lying along the eastern border of India, is the little-known country of Bangladesh. Due to an unfortunate string of natural disasters, acts of extremism, and negative press coverage some 30 to 40 years ago, most people might think that the country is a place with widespread poverty and poor infrastructure. In reality, Bangladesh has the makings of a startup haven. But despite its strong economic fundamentals, the country seems to have been snubbed by regional investors who only have eyes for India and Southeast Asia. On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia journalist Melissa Goh discusses why Bangladesh has been left out of Asia's growth story and how the country might be able to catch up with the rest of the region. More information on today’s episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/deep-dive-bangladesh-left-asias-growth-story Featured reporter: Melissa Goh, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Singapore Essential reading: Could Bangladesh be the next Indonesia? Episode Sponsor: This year, the Tech in Asia Conference will explore the tech opportunities presented by Southeast Asia’s new golden age. To adjust to our new reality, we’re going virtual as we aim to bring you the most relevant insights into four areas: What are the emerging opportunities in the region’s golden age Which verticals, companies, and business models are driving innovation in Asia’s tech scene How the startup world will change in 2021 and beyond How to accelerate your business toward recovery Sign up now at https://techin.asia/conference20 to get 55% off your ticket purchase.

According to analysts, the cannabis industry in Asia alone could be worth US$12.5 billion in 2024.  While this estimate has spawned a number of startups hungry for a share of the potential pie, does it mean the region is in for a “green gold rush”? That depends on several factors, including whether a lot more countries will follow Thailand’s lead in legalizing cannabis, even if just for medical use. On this month’s Deep Dive, Tech in Asia’s Joseph Gan discusses the Asian cannabis tech industry’s latent potential and whether it’s worth betting on. More information on today's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/deep-dive-high-hopes-cannabis-tech-industry Featured reporter: Joseph Gan, a Tech in Asia reporter based in Singapore Essential reading: Tackling a taboo: Cannabis tech on the rise in Asia Episode Sponsor: This year, the Tech in Asia Conference will explore the tech opportunities presented by the new Golden Age. To adjust to our new reality, we will also be going virtual as we aim to bring you the most relevant insights into four areas: What are the emerging opportunities in the region's golden age Which verticals, companies, and business models are driving new innovation in Asia’s tech scene How the startup world will change in 2021 and beyond How to accelerate your business toward recovery Sign up now at techin.asia/conference20 to get 40% off your ticket purchase.

YouTube in Indonesia now offers GoPay as a payment option, Sequoia India appointed ex-Gojek tech chief Ajey Gore as an operating partner, and Trump banned dealings with the parent companies of TikTok and WeChat. You can hear the details on all this news and more on this week’s episode of The Weekly Snapshot. More information on today's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/weekly-snapshot-news-gojek-sequoia-india-tiktok Episode Sponsor: This year, the Tech in Asia Conference will explore the tech opportunities presented by the new Golden Age. To adjust to our new reality, we will also be going virtual as we aim to bring you the most relevant insights into four areas: What are the emerging opportunities in the region's golden age Which verticals, companies, and business models are driving new innovation in Asia’s tech scene How the startup world will change in 2021 and beyond How to accelerate your business toward recovery Sign up now at techin.asia/conference20 for 40% off your ticket purchase.

CTrip is reportedly planning to delist from Nasdaq, Uber’s Asia-Pacific operations are staying headquartered in Singapore while it works things out with Hong Kong, and Oyo founder Ritesh Agarwal has set up a new venture capital firm. You can hear the details on all this news and more on this week’s episode of The Weekly Snapshot. More information on today’s episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/weekly-snapshot-news-ctrip-uber-oyos-ritesh-agarwal Episode Sponsor: Starting to Know - Business is a podcast by Ishu Singh that’s all about exploring the unexplored depths of the business world. If you want to learn about marketing, branding, growth, and more, whether you have just begun your entrepreneurship journey or are running a scaling company, subscribe to Starting to Know - Business wherever you get your podcasts.

Gojek appointed a new group chief technology officer, Indonesian fashion ecommerce startup Sorabel is set to close down after the Covid-19 pandemic wiped out its cash, and Ant Group has started the process of doing a concurrent IPO on the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s Star Market and the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. Hear the details on all these stories and more on this week’s episode of The Weekly Snapshot. More information on today's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/weekly-snapshot-news-gojek-sorabel-ant-group Episode Sponsor: The Cereal Entrepreneur is a podcast by Startup Magazine. Its last series focuses on startups that have shifted their business strategies to support others amid theCovid-19 crisis. It features companies that do 3D printing for hospitals, create networks for small businesses, and more. Subscribe to The Cereal Entrepreneur wherever you listen to podcasts or visit startupsmagazine.co.uk to learn more.

Jio Platforms is in the news again, bagging investments from Qualcomm and Google, Wavemaker Partners closes its third Southeast Asia fund at US$111 million, and SoftBank’s share prices are on the rise. Hear the details on all these stories and more on this week’s episode of The Weekly Snapshot. More information on today's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/weekly-snapshot-news-google-softbank-wavemaker

ByteDance’s short-video app TikTok hogged the headlines last week with its plan to exit Hong Kong. According to the company, it’s also considering changing TikTok’s corporate structure due to increased scrutiny from India and the US over security concerns. In other news, Sequoia Capital India announced two new funds worth a total of US$13.5 billion, logistics services provider GoGoVan has rebranded to GoGoX, and Korean ecommerce major Coupang is buying the software behind Singtel’s Hooq. Hear the details on all these stories and more on this week’s episode of The Weekly Snapshot. More information on today's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/weekly-snapshot-news-tiktok-sequoia-gogovan Episode Sponsor: To better navigate the challenges of humanizing a brand and its customer engagement, Jean Thomas, chief marketing officer at Pomelo Fashion, and Kenneth Soo, Asia-Pacific team lead for customer success at Braze, will share tips and tricks that businesses can use to interact with their customers in a sensitive and efficient manner. Register for our virtual event at https://techin.asia/tiaevent and learn the best ways to retain users, keep messaging personal, and do good in troubled times.

Luckin Coffee confirmed US$300 million in fabricated revenue, ecommerce startup Leflair’s CEO was summoned by the Ho Chi Minh City police, and Pinduoduo and Grab saw some movement in their leadership teams. Hear the details on all these stories and more on this week’s episode of The Weekly Snapshot. More information on today's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/weekly-snapshot-news-luckin-coffee-grab-pinduoduo Episode Sponsor: To better navigate the challenges of humanizing a brand and its customer engagement, Jean Thomas, chief marketing officer at Pomelo Fashion, and Kenneth Soo, Asia-Pacific team lead for customer success at Braze, will share tips and tricks that businesses can use to interact with their customers in a sensitive and efficient manner. Register for our virtual event at https://techin.asia/tiaevent and learn the best ways to retain users, keep messaging personal, and do good in troubled times.

At the end of 2019, Meituan-Dianping recorded close to US$400 million in net profits, with more than half of the company’s revenue coming from food delivery. Seeing as the online food delivery industry is notoriously a loss-making business, this came as quite a surprise. How did Meituan-Dianping succeed, when other players like US counterparts Uber and GrubHub are still struggling? Can other online food delivery players replicate its success? Tech in Asia reporter Putra Muskita answers these questions and more on this month’s Deep Dive. More information on this episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/deep-dive-online-food-delivery-industrys-problem-profitability Episode Sponsor: To better navigate the challenges of humanizing a brand and its customer engagement, Jean Thomas, chief marketing officer at Pomelo Fashion, and Kenneth Soo, Asia-Pacific team lead for customer success at Braze, will share tips and tricks that businesses can use to interact with their customers in a sensitive and efficient manner. Register for our virtual event at https://techin.asia/tiaevent and learn the best ways to retain users, keep messaging personal, and do good in troubled times.

There’s been a lot of movement in the startup scene. Bukalapak co-founder and president director Fajrin Rasyid has left his role to join local telecommunications firm Telkom Indonesia as its digital director. Lazada Indonesia CEO Chun Li is poised to take over as group chief executive at the ecommerce firm after Pierre Poignant stepped down just a year and seven months after taking on the job. Meanwhile, SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son exited Alibaba Group’s board of directors after a stint of almost 15 years. Hear the details on all these stories and more on this week’s episode of The Weekly Snapshot. More information on this episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/weekly-snapshot-news-gojek-bukalapak-lazada Episode Sponsor: TIA Product Development Conference is a four-day virtual summit over two geographic series on how to build, scale, and pivot your product amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. It will feature product leaders from Southeast Asia, China, and Silicon Valley who will share tips, lessons, and guidance on how to manage a tech product in these challenging times. Register at https://pdc.techinasia.com and use the code “special4flash” before June 30, 2020 to get 40% off your purchase.

Last week can be described as a rollercoaster ride, as Asia’s tech community went through several ups and downs. Grab and One Championship announced layoffs early in the week, with affected personnel numbering in the hundreds. On the flip side, Disney+ posted a bunch of job openings in Singapore and Indonesia, while Jio Platforms made headlines with news that it bagged over US$15 billion of funding in just two months. Hear the details on all these stories and more on this inaugural episode of The Weekly Snapshot. More information on this episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/weekly-snapshot-news-grab-championship-jio-platforms Episode Sponsor: Podmetrics is a podcast analytics platform that enables podcasters to see all the data they need to know about their audience. It aggregates data from Anchor, Spotify, Chartable, Facebook Live, and YouTube in order to show a holistic view of a podcast's clout. Sign up for free at https://podmetrics.co/.

Cloud kitchens have become increasingly prominent in the past couple of years, with players like Grab, Foodpanda, and Deliveroo setting up their own operations. The vertical is a gamechanger for the food ecosystem, with food delivery platforms emerging as the big winners because they  stand to see their order numbers grow. But it’s a different story for restaurants despite the perks that they can get by signing up with cloud kitchens. Tech in Asia journalist Melissa Goh explains how cloud kitchens work and why they might not be the best fit for every restaurant. More information on this week's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/deep-dive-cloud-kitchen-phenomenon Episode Sponsor: DigitalOcean is on a mission to simplify cloud computing so developers and their teams can spend more time building software that changes the world. Get started with cloud hosting for free with DigitalOcean at https://do.co/deepdive.

Chinese mobile payment app Alipay recently incorporated the features of several apps from Alibaba’s ecosystem to expand its lifestyle service offerings. This move was prompted by the escalating competition with fellow super apps WeChat and Meituan-Dianping, whose recent forays into fintech signal that they also want a share of China’s payments pie. What led to the heightened tension among these players and how will it all play out? Tech in Asia journalist Nicole Jao breaks down the who’s who of China’s super-app race and discusses its impact on the tech ecosystem. More information on this week's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/deep-dive-race-chinas-top-super-app Episode Sponsor: DigitalOcean is on a mission to simplify cloud computing so developers and their teams can spend more time building software that changes the world. Get started with cloud hosting for free with DigitalOcean at https://do.co/deepdive.

When Malaysia, one of Singapore’s top sources for food products, announced a nationwide lockdown in early March, Singaporeans went on panic-buying sprees, cleaning out grocery store shelves because they feared the country’s supplies would soon run out. In response to the situation, players in the agritech scene have ramped up production to make Singapore less import-reliant and more self-sufficient. Tech in Asia’s Joseph Gan looks into the recent activities of some agritech startups and discusses how much of an impact they’ve had on the city-state’s food supply chain. More information on this week's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/deep-dive-industry-working-ensure-singapore-doesnt-hungry Episode Sponsor: DigitalOcean is on a mission to simplify cloud computing so developers and their teams can spend more time building software that changes the world. Get started with cloud hosting for free with DigitalOcean at https://do.co/deepdive.

Indonesian education tech startup Zenius recently announced that it would be providing free lessons on Gojek’s app, since schools have been suspended and students have to learn from home because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Interestingly, Zenius CEO Rohan Monga used to be Gojek’s chief operating officer and head of international expansions. And he’s just one of many former employees at Gojek who have since left the ride-hailing unicorn to take up leadership positions in other companies. How will this growing Gojek mafia affect Indonesia’s startup ecosystem? Tech in Asia’s Aditya Hadi Pratama shares Zenius’ story to find out. More information on this week's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/deep-dive-growing-influence-gojek-mafia Episode Sponsor: DigitalOcean is on a mission to simplify cloud computing so developers and their teams can spend more time building software that changes the world. Get started with cloud hosting for free with DigitalOcean at https://do.co/deepdive.

News of layoffs at various startups and large corporations as well as small and medium-sized enterprises have been making headlines all over the world, especially as the global economy reaches critical levels due to the Covid-19 pandemic. To shed some light on the factors driving retrenchments, Tech in Asia journalists Kenan Machado, Terence Lee, and Melissa Goh discuss how the recent job cuts at Oyo, Paktor, and CXA Group unfolded. More information on this week's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/deep-dive-delving-layoffs-asian-startups Episode sponsor: HReasily’s easy-to-use platform enables companies to improve productivity by streamlining work processes such as payroll processing, leave management, and claims applications. Visit https://www.hreasily.com/ to learn more.

Singapore-based grocery delivery startup Honestbee was a well-loved brand. Its brick-and-mortar grocery store, Habitat, was touted to have the world’s first checkout system that required minimal intervention from shoppers, as well as the first grocery collection system that was entirely reliant on robots. But news of Honestbee suspending operations in a number of its key markets uncovered a series of questionable corporate governance practices and a bad leadership culture. What went wrong? Tech in Asia’s chief correspondent, Terence Lee, shares the story behind the company’s troubles. More information on this week's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/deep-dive-honestbee-story Episode sponsor: HReasily’s easy-to-use platform enables companies to improve productivity by streamlining work processes such as payroll processing, leave management, and claims applications. Visit https://www.hreasily.com/ to learn more.

Arrive, an investment fund linked to American hip hop mogul Jay-Z through his entertainment label Roc Nation, has been making moves in Southeast Asia. Since 2017, Arrive has invested in five startups in Singapore and Indonesia, and aims to double its portfolio of Southeast Asian companies by the end of 2020, with plans to enter the Philippines and Vietnam. What does this mean for Southeast Asia’s investment landscape? And what does Arrive have to offer startups that other investors don’t? Tech in Asia reporter Jack Ellis answers these questions and more. Become a Tech in Asia subscriber at http://techin.asia/sub and gain access to the latest in-depth news on the tech and startup ecosystem. More information on this week's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/deep-dive-jayzs-investment-fund-southeast-asia

Recently labelled by the World Health Organization as 2019-nCoV, the novel coronavirus has spread rapidly across China and the world. More people have contracted Covid-19 - the disease caused by this microbe - in a much shorter time than SARS, which became a global epidemic in 2003. But what is the outbreak’s impact on the startup scene? Tech in Asia reporter Putra Muskita dishes the details. Become a Tech in Asia subscriber at http://techin.asia/sub and gain access to the latest in-depth news on the tech and startup ecosystem. More information on this week's episode here: https://www.techinasia.com/deep-dive-startups-coronavirus-epidemic

On this episode of Startup Snapshot, Tech in Asia CEO Willis Wee shares the highest and lowest moments of his entrepreneurial journey, recalling how he built the startup as well as the mistakes that led to the 2018 layoffs, and how the 10-year rollercoaster journey shaped him as the company's founder. Maria Li also chimes in to share her observations on Tech in Asia's growth after having served as its chief operating officer for the past year.

This episode on Startup Snapshot, Caecilia Chu, co-founder and CEO of travel wallet app YouTrip, looks back on the "painful failure" of her first entrepreneurial venture and shares what she learned when the incident sent her soul-searching abroad.

M17 Entertainment CEO Joseph Phua walks us through the trials and tribulations his startup faced when it became the first company in the entire history of the New York Stock Exchange to cancel its listing on the day it was supposed to begin trading and how the firm bounced back to become profitable on this episode of Startup Snapshot.

This episode on Startup Snapshot, theAsianparent founder and group CEO Roshni Mahtani shares what she learned from a failed market expansion and how those lessons impact how the business operates today, as well as what her journey as a founder has taught her about working with and hiring the right talent.

In an exclusive interview with Startup Snapshot, Jonathan Low talks about his stint at Honestbee for the first time since leaving his post as co-founder, discussing the management missteps that led to bad leadership culture and how it played a role in the company’s recent troubles.