Real estate is one of the largest and most valuable asset classes in the Asia Pacific

According to JLL, a property brokerage and consultancy, the total value of investable global commercial real estate is estimated to reach US$65 trillion by the year 2020, with the Asia Pacific (APAC) accounting for over 30 per cent of it.

The value of APAC real estate is expected to grow strongly alongside increasing urbanisation across the region. However, despite being a key driver of economic value creation in APAC, the real estate industry is still relatively slow in terms of technology adoption.

This is in contrast to the current disruptive trends of technology seen in multiple industries in the region, including finance, fashion, food and transport.

The value chain in real estate is complex and exhibits a high amount of information asymmetry. The industry involves multiple participants, the organisation of disparate information and highly administrative tasks.

Technology is particularly good at resolving such complexities through better data aggregation, identification of critical tasks, and organisation of workflows and processes. The convergence of technology and real estate is called proptech.

There is a significant opportunity for proptech startups in APAC given the thriving real estate market. Investors, as well as entrepreneurs, need to recognise how proptech can bring significant value addition to the APAC real estate industry.

How will proptech startups add value to the real estate industry?

1. Enabling information transparency and transactions
One of the key issues with real estate is information asymmetry, which has resulted in the role of property agencies, brokers and valuation agents seeking large ‘economic rents’ and working very often via word of mouth and using offline channels.

As marketplaces improve and innovate to deliver enhanced information transparency, the buying-selling and leasing-tenancy of real estate will move towards an enhanced online model where entire real estate transactions can be completed online.

We see commercial platforms such as GorillaSpace, a flexi-space tech brokerage, changing the way commercial spaces are leased by allowing landlords to flexibly provide small workspaces on a short-term lease to long term spaces for full-fledged tenants, all enabled online.

Also Read: This Echelon Asia Summit 2019 tickets giveaway will make you feel nostalgic

Hyper agency models such as Propzy, a hybrid real estate brokerage in Vietnam, not only provides property sales listings but also value add services on property due diligence as part of the online platform’s enhanced offering.

These proptech businesses are leveraging technology to automate paper workflows, provide transparent information to customers and facilitate better customer experience when shopping for a property, be it for personal accommodation or commercial workspaces.

2. Driving operating performance of real estate
As asset owners look towards improving operating performance and financial returns of their properties, proptech players focused on energy and environmental solutions, tenancy engagement and building management are key to creating long-term value uplift of a property.

Companies such as BBP, an energy efficiency management company based in Singapore, provide large scale monitoring solutions with cloud-based remote management of energy usage to lower overall utility costs for commercial properties.

This creates significant cost savings for property owners, translating to a better bottom line and potential uplift in property valuation. Asset management tech players such as Yardi provide solutions around data presentation and business analytics, allowing portfolio owners to have an overview of their entire property portfolio performance.

3. Shortening processing timelines and improving efficiency
Proptech can help eliminate challenges in areas of brokerage, mortgage financing, labour organisation and property management.

By using technology to process information, run operational workflows and assign tasks, real estate companies would have enhanced operational efficiencies with a reduced amount of labour directed to administrative tasks. This will not only reduce costs but will help create better workforce flexibility.

For example, Property Flow, a Thailand-based real estate software startup, provides real estate developers and agents with toolkits on a SASS basis to equip these players to focus on sales outcomes.

RealEstateDoc, a Singapore-based asset management solutions provider for the retail sector, have cloud-based technology suites that reduce the amount of headcount required to asset and tenant manage casual retail spaces, automating payments and lease agreements.

How proptech in Asia differs from the rest of the world

As seen in the past in other industries like e-commerce, fintech and ride-hailing, there is a reason for the existence of Asia-centric models.

This will be no different for proptech players that may adopt from successful models already being built in the US and Europe and localize these models for local distribution.

Language, cultural business practices, level of technology adoption and specific government regulations drive the need for tailor-made adoption across APAC markets.

How investors can help boost the industry

Venture capitalist firms that have the real estate domain expertise are in a prime position to help Proptech startups scale their technology and business aggressively in the region. With an underdeveloped market and large potential upside, an investor can provide significant value in terms of expertise and funding to build up the proptech industry.

Also Read: How online data is transforming market research

We see a synergy between ourselves and real estate companies as we act as a filter to identify high potential startups. We invest and help grow these startups to an appropriate stage for distribution into large corporates.

And, being early in the cycle means we are in pole position to help develop the proptech ecosystem across Asia.

APAC is already a thriving market for real estate and continues to show a strong appetite for new technology advancements. The proptech industry is likely to be in the spotlight in the next year as more eyes turn towards the growing real estate market and its strong potential for growth.

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About Cento Ventures

Cento Ventures’ Proptech fund looks to invest in high potential startups across APAC to deliver products or solutions tailored for the APAC real estate sector. Cento Ventures takes a disciplined approach in selecting portfolio companies with a goal of developing regional winners. The investment team combines real estate domain expertise with regional VC experience to ensure a holistic approach to investment selection.

Cento Ventures is a Southeast Asian venture firm that focuses on identifying and making investments in growth markets based on data-driven reasoning and industry expertise from a multi-disciplinary team. With a pro-founder philosophy, we stay committed to helping our portfolio reach its true potential throughout the entire investment life cycle.

Visit us here.

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The Myanmar-based IT services provider said that the funding it receives is of a six-digit sum

The Myanmar-based IT services provider MM Digital shares that it has raised a six-digit dollar investment from Singapore-based Seed Myanmar Ventures Limited and investment holding company, Theta Capital Group, as reported by Deal Street Asia.

The funding will be focussed on growing its business. Founder and CEO Aung Pyae Phyo said: “MM Digital plans to use this funding to build the necessary operational infrastructure and recruit more talent.”

Established in 2017, MM Digital Solutions’ services include design, IT consultancy, iOS app, and web-app development. The company said that it builds both customised digital solutions and SaaS platforms for sectors such as consumer lending and hospital booking.

Also Read: Klook raises US$225 million in Series D funding led by Softbank Vision Fund

Before investing in MM Digital, Seed Myanmar’s portfolios include investment in delivery service platform, Marathon Myanmar Co Ltd., fitness passes provider Flexible Pass, freelancer platform Chate Sat, MM Tutors, search engine Bindez, and logistics startup Kargo.
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One company experienced a 289 per cent share price spike following a blockchain rebrand. What gives?

Lately, it is getting harder for a large corporation to make any move in the media without the involvement of  blockchain in the headline.

Russian social media giant VKontakte wants to create its own coin using the blockchain. Outside of the tech community, world-class bank JP Morgan had just created theirs. Long Island Iced Tea Corp, a beverage company specialising in long island tea (as the name suggested), had even rebranded itself to Long Blockchain Corp.

Interestingly, the move did bring a positive impact to the company as it experienced a 289 per cent hike in share prices shortly following its eccentric rebrand in 2017.

Everyone wants a piece of blockchain. However, there are many questions remain on the top of the public’s mind, with the most urgent one being: What exactly is a blockchain?

To answer the question, check out the following Blockchain Development Breakdown infographic by Follow My Vote, which has incorporated blockchain onto its online voting platform.

Also Read: HWGG Capital, VCPI to allow overseas Filipinos to transfer money using blockchain wallet

To sum it up, blockchain is the equivalent of a database storing unchanging –immutable– records of transactions. According to McKinsey, various consensus protocols are used to validate new records of information. Shared among participants, the digital ledger can record monetary exchanges, movement of shares, property transfer, fractional transfers of art pieces, and many more.

Also Read: In Photos: The launch of blockchain focussed Tribe Accelerator

Why is it termed as ‘blockchain’?

In terms of structure, data is encrypted in blocks of computer code and these blocks are strung together through cryptography. Hence, the name ‘blockchain’.

So what can blockchain do?

Imagine if corporations could issue their own bonds on the blockchain to gain accessibility to fundraising in a world-wide market.

Imagine if exchanges and clearing houses could reach near-instantaneous clearances and settlements.

Imagine if real estate ownership were more distinguishable and clearly indicated on blockchain records to avoid ownership disputes.

With the pre-written logic coded onto the blockchain, smart contracts are programmable to perform yield calculations and execute dividend returns upon a pre-agreed duration, automate clearances and settlements, as well as store records for asset ownership.

Business blockchain can diminish costs and time out of numerous processes. Rather than there being an isolated, single form of blockchain, the technology can be applied by a collective number of ways to meet commercial use cases.

Where does the effect of blockchain extend to?

Almost every industry requires data storage, followed by certain workflow execution. In the blockchain network, where each computer node holds a copy of the ledger, there is no single point of weakness in comparison to the sole point of centralisation in traditional networks. Security, an important concern for all enterprises, is provided when transactions are verified and signed with cryptography. Through the real-time visibility of transactions given to permitted participants, blockchain also supports transparency and accountability.

Simply put, blockchain’s unique features will accelerate its adoption in most industries. As a nascent technology, the options of implementation are limitless.

Also Read: The knowledge gap may be the biggest hindrance to blockchain adoption

Does anyone have a live implementation of this technology?

Initially contributed by IBM and hosted by Linux Foundation, Hyperledger Fabric had success with Walmart in traceability of the food system using blockchain, tracking more than 25 products from five different suppliers. With an open-sourced approach, its community of multi-stakeholders is committed to gather speed for its sweeping prowess towards industry-wide adoption.

Concurrently, Hashstacs holds a unique position to issue, trade, clear, settle, store and create a global marketplace for digital assets through blockchain. As a subsidiary of a regulated stock exchange (Gibraltar Stock Exchange), it has dealt with financial products and is familiar with the issues faced by the financial markets.

For this reason, Hashstacs’ proprietary Distributed Ledger Technology STACS is modeled as a public-permissioned hybrid which provides enterprise flexibility between privacy and universal marketplace access. To build a large-scale solution, STACS is also designed to interoperate with existing technical systems for industry success.

What’s next?

The value of blockchain solutions will be realised more significantly with growing networks of partnered financial institutions. Indeed, the ability to be integrated with existing technologies will be a prominent feature in gathering momentum towards blockchain’s widespread usage. Through inclusive collaboration, corporations such as IBM and Hashstacs are on a mission to shape the future of capital markets today.

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The company said it plans to use the funding to drive international expansion, among other plans

Women-targeted social content marketing company based in Singapore Clozette has announced that it receives US$10 million Series C funding from a public-private fund that belongs to Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Cool Japan Fund.

Cool Japan Fund provides risk capital for businesses that wants to integrate the “Cool Japan” concept into its business.

Clozette said that it will use the funding to scale the company’s proprietary data-driven content and analytics platform, drive international expansion starting with Thailand, and develop an interactive Cool Japan Ecosystem that brings Japanese culture to a new generation of consumers.

“We believe in our vision of authentic content marketing. Content is king – consumers today are blocking ads but consuming content at unprecedented rates on their platform of choice. In the same breath, they demand more authenticity, interactivity, and mobility in their experience. Marketers must embrace this pivotal shift in media consumption behaviours in order to keep up with generational shifts in perception,” said Roger Yuen, CEO of Clozette.

Clozette was founded in 2010 and at that time is said to be the pioneer of storytelling combined with editorial authority as a category on its own. It has a curated user-generated content that is managed by a team of over 90 employees operating in Southeast Asia and Japan.

Also Read: MM Digital raises funding from Singapore-based Seed Myanmar

Clozette’s brand content incorporates original work created by more than 3,500 creators and talents boasting a collective social reach that the company said has exceeded 600 million.

In the past, the company has worked with the likes of Estee Lauder, Shiseido, Zalora, Charles & Keith, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, and Omnicom Media Group.

The company highlighted that its growth in the past year was attributed to its subsidiary in Indonesia, that managed to drive 200 per cent growth making the Series C funding timely.

“The DNA of the Clozette dovetails with Cool Japan Fund’s mission to promote Japanese fashion, beauty, food, travel, and lifestyle to consumers around the globe. Part of the investment will go towards the creation of a multi-lingual Cool Japan Ecosystem that enables the discovery of actionable and shoppable “cool” content about Japan, leveraging the company’s unique storytelling capabilities and network of talents to attract a new generation of fans of Japanese culture in the region and beyond,” said Yuji Kato, COO and CIO of Cool Japan Fund.

Also Read: Klook raises US$225 million in Series D funding led by Softbank Vision Fund

The interactive Cool Japan Ecosystem by Clozette is scheduled to launch in June 2019.
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Let’s explore some of the trends and how these impact startups in the country and international/regional companies looking to build a home base in Southeast Asia

Going down to the practical aspects of starting and running a business can be one of the harshest realities for a startup. While a founder or team might have a marketable idea or viable product, things become complicated when there is already the need to move forward through things like registering the business, setting up an office, transacting with financial institutions, or even something as simple as applying for electric service for the office.

This is one reason why startups converge at preferred hubs. While a startup can be founded and run theoretically from anywhere, there are practical concerns that make it more ideal to start a business from places like San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, Singapore, Bangalore, and Tel Aviv. There are also more overarching concerns, like access to funding, community, and talent.

Startup hubs becoming competitive

The notion of being a preferred startup hub has been a point of competition, especially among emerging economies. In Southeast Asia, Malaysia is a rising contender, offering businesses the benefits of speedy processing, improved infrastructure, and increased accessibility.

In the recent Doing Business 2019 report by the World Bank (PDF), Malaysia is cited as having the second highest score in Southeast Asia in terms of ease of doing business. The report stresses how a “continuous and focused reform agenda keeps an economy competitive and vigilant.”

In the 15th spot, Malaysia entered into the top 20 this year for the first time, having maintained momentum in reforms like making it easy to start a business, deal with construction permits, get access to electricity, perform cross-border trade, enforce contract, and register property.

What makes a startup hub, anyway? Several factors contribute to a city or region becoming a startup hub. These can include access to tech talent, infrastructure, environment/pollution, access to local market, access to funding, the local startup ecosystem, competition, and employee attrition.

The size of funding, or the number of high-profile startups can perhaps be an indication of how a city or country has become a startup hub. In this regard, some factors like access to funding or talent depend on human-driven factors, such as whether angels or VCs have chosen to set-up shop in that particular city. In some cases, factors like infrastructure and environment can largely be influenced by local regulations and contributions by local stakeholders and regulatory bodies.

Malaysia as a rising star

In practical terms, here are some points that have helped boost Malaysia’s status not just for startups but also for entrepreneurs looking to establish small to medium businesses:

• Construction permits now only take 54 days to secure, compared to the 133 days average in the region;
• Cost of electricity is also very accessible, at 26 per cent of income per capita, compared to 625 per cent in the region on average;
• Improved electronic submission and processing for import and export documents;
• Online registration system for goods and services tax;
• Simplified registration of property;
• Reforms in resolution of insolvency.

Also read: e27 Report: Malaysia sees more startups and deals than Indonesia, but far less money

These are qualities that the Malaysia Digital Economic Corporation (MDEC) has helped to implement from its strategy for the country to become a standout nation in the global digital world. To highlight some of the important building blocks to achieve this, Norhizam Kadir, Vice President for Growth Ecosystem Development, MDEC, writes:

These building blocks, which are important drivers of a strong online ecosystem, are: high-quality infrastructure at affordable prices; tech talent development; increased cybersecurity vigilance; development of platforms and enablers such as Digital ID, open data and so on; and the legislation, policies and industry structures to support the growth of the digital economy.

Founder and CEO of Billplz, Nazroof Hakim agrees and further adds:

I would say Malaysia is the perfect launchpad to the ASEAN market especially because of its business-friendly environment. We have found hiring world-class software developers is easy and I would advise businesses to fast track their establishment by consulting with government departments and agencies such as MDEC as these are sources of various forms of support for market expansion.

MDEC has fostered digitalisation and transformative change across industries in the country. Government itself is active in nurturing Malaysia’s startup ecosystem through incentives that encourage VC activity. These include tax breaks, reduction in minimum investment requirements, as well as focus on enhancing talent through education, and more.

Malaysia, through the Malaysia Tech Entrepreneur Programme (MTEP) also supports both new and established entrepreneurs and investors from outside the country who seek to enter the ASEAN market through a one- or five-year stay in the country. MTEP won “best ecosystem initiative” in the recently concluded ASEAN Rice Bowl awards.

What this means for the startup ecosystem

In e27’s Southeast Asia Startup Ecosystem Report 2018, we cited how Malaysia – specifically Penang – has come to be known as the “Silicon Valley of the East” mostly due to its strong manufacturing and hardware background. This places Penang at an advantage in terms of competing in the hardware manufacturing and IoT space.

Also read: Malaysia’s game plan: Improving human lives through the power of tech

Ease of starting up a business does not only impact founders and entrepreneurs who seek to start, build, and scale in the region. This is also one important consideration that investors seek in a digital ecosystem, and Malaysia is rising up to the challenge of being a top startup hub not only in Southeast Asia, but also in terms of global reach.

Norhizam Kadir, Vice President, Ecosystem Development, MDEC, pointed out:

Getting the balance right between government intervention and industry collaboration to encourage innovation is a difficult challenge for all nations engaged in building their digital future. We are approaching a tipping point with our tech startup ecosystem, which is continuing to grow and is becoming increasingly vibrant, attracting entrepreneurs from more around the world. Our vision of establishing Malaysia as a tech startup hub with global appeal is a work in progress, of course, and much more needs to be done on our journey together.

To conclude, we can echo the sentiments of the World Bank’s Doing Business report: “Governments worldwide invest substantial effort in changing business regulatory frameworks to make doing business easier for entrepreneurs.” These changes, whether small or substantial, contribute greatly to improving the startup and investor ecosystem. In Southeast Asia, there is confidence in Malaysia’s trajectory toward being a big contributor to the region’s growth.

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FastGo has apologised for the incident that occurred in its Singapore office

FastGo, Vietnam-based new ride-hailing company, accidentally revealed the personal email addresses of 300 drivers right after it sent an email reminder to drivers, urging them to complete the drivers’ signup by submitting documents on last Monday, April 1.

In the email, FastGo Singapore put the email address on the “To” field, instead of the usual Blind Carbon Copy (“Bcc”) for confidentiality. All the email recipients then can see other email addresses.

Diep Nguyen, FastGo Singapore country manager said that the team is really sorry and hope that the company’s driver-partners will still continue supporting them in the future, as told to The Straits Time.

“It is an important lesson for us to learn about the issue, we promise no more mistakes will happen again as it’s affected about 300 drivers that signed up with us,” said Nguyen.

The matter was first made public when a copy of the e-mail uploaded on Facebook by netizen Stanley Raymond Oh, in which FastGo had requested nine sets of documents, including identity cards, driving licences, and bank statements. In the copy, email addresses of the recipients were partially censored.

Also Read: Malaysia’s central bank grants approval in principle to fintech startup MoneyMatch

This incident may result in a potential lawsuit over data breach under the Personal Data Protection Act, as Lionel Tan, a partner at law firm Rajah & Tann specialising in data protection laws pointed out.

“There are a lot of seemingly personal emails in the list, so it is a likely breach unless all recipients have consented that they don’t mind their email addresses being circulated,” Tan said.

The Personal Data Protection Commission is said to be looking into the matter to see whether the organisation has proper procedures in place and whether they had educated staff on how to properly handle data. Prior to this incident, SMRT-backed mobilityX also accidentally sent out a mass email revealing the personal addresses of its 500 users.

Meanwhile, financial penalties could be imposed.
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Prior to its partnership with iflix, Yoshimoto Kogyo has begun expanding its reach to Southeast Asia by establishing MCIP Holdings in Indonesia

Japanese entertainment conglomerate Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. Ltd today announced a “significant” strategic investment in Southeast Asian streaming platform iflix, which marks its first investment in overseas media.

Through the investment, Yoshimoto Kogyo aims to accelerate development of its future projects in Asia.

The two companies also announced the formation of an exclusive joint venture (JV) out of Singapore to showcase Yoshimoto Group’s most popular content across iflix’s territories in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and the corresponding distribution of iflix’s content in Japan.

The joint venture will also produce localised versions of proven content formats out of Japan.

The content that will be provided to iflix will be “popular” Japanese programmes that will be localised for Asian markets, from animation, drama, movies, variety shows, to comedy.

Also Read: Video streaming platform iflix confirms sale of African business unit to Econet

It also hopes to develop all-Japan original content that includes programmes and films for an Asian market.

For iflix, the JV is part of its “growing focus on developing and creating highly-engaging hyper-local programming specifically for Millennial and Gen Z generations, the majority of which come from emerging and developing markets in Southeast Asia.”

For Yoshimoto Kogyo, the partnership is part of the company’s mandate in promoting Japanese content and formats to young international audience.

In 2014, the company established MCIP Holdings in Indonesia as their base of Asian strategy and began the “Living in Asia Comedians” programme.

On April of 2018, it announced the establishment of the “Okinawa Asia Entertainment Platform,” an integrated national platform for distributing various types of content on the internet.

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Having size where it matters — cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is the best way to protect your computer network and data from unauthorized access. With the advancement of technology, there is more risk involved in small business.

The internet allows businesses of all sizes to reach a larger customer base and work efficiently using computer-based tools. Whether you are just maintaining the website or adopting cloud computing, it’s important to include cybersecurity to avoid fraudulent activities and theft of digital information.

Cybersecurity is the practice of a technique that protects you from any kind of fraud and helps you minimise the risk of cyber attack.

Empower your small business with cybersecurity and protect your business, your customers, and their data from growing cybersecurity threats. To help you understand it better here we have listed some of the tips for small business to protect them from cybersecurity threats or cyber attacks.

Manage IoT devices for greater protection

Small businesses must know about the security threat posed by the Internet of Things (IoT) devices coming onto the corporate network. To secure IoT devices, small businesses must create a separate network, use the latest firmware, use a different password for every device, turn off the universal plug and play, track and access devices to secure sensitive data.

Do not allow people to take personal devices to work as there are a lot of potential security concerns for wearables.

Establish a cybersecurity culture

It is a must for small business to establish basic security as they are more prone to cyber threats. In fact, small businesses witness cyber attacks as frequently as any big organisation.

Since small businesses often lack cybersecurity infrastructure, it’s unsurprising that they become the direct target of a cyber attack. Hence, for any business small or big, it is mandatory to establish a cybersecurity culture. You can also establish internet use guidelines with strong passwords.

Secure the network

For any business, it is essential to secure the network and computer equipment. These involve high risks as the internet is an open door for hackers. Therefore, businesses must seal proper security protocols to avoid intrusion.

Also Read: Photographers, food loss, and mental health: Meet the winners of Startup Weekend Jakarta 2019

Use strong encryption when transmitting data between computers and other companies. Keep your network secure, encrypted, and hidden while protecting access to the router. Manage third party content while effectively validating the devices to ensure complete security.

Make use of security tools

Businesses require a multi-layered approach to avoid data breaches and fraud to immune to the problem. Small businesses can provide firewall security for the internet connection as a firewall is a set of related programs that prevent outsiders from accessing the data on a private network.

If you allow employees to work from home, make sure that their system is protected by the firewall. Get an automated tool to enable responses that can encounter threats instantly.

Use a single cloud security platform

By using a single cloud security platform you give your business a greater cyber security solution. Mitigate the risks, smaller companies with no IT support can adopt a single cloud security platform that controls user, devices and network in order to detect real-time threats.

Cyber attackers constantly target small business because of small business lack of security.

Keep all the devices updated with security patches

Small businesses often forget about keeping wireless routers and internet facing devices up to date for security patches. Unpatched routers may affect the overall business and give hackers to direct invite.

By keeping the devices up to date and providing the utmost security, you allow your people to trust and build a great reputation. If the devices you use don’t provide with a regular update, then its time to move to the one that does.

Things to know before adopting new tech

There are several technologies which can help business to save the sheer volume of data and increase growth potential. Most technologies help you mitigate the risk and allow you to deal with sensitive data.

There are some powerful technology systems like SIEM, UEBA and even security Orchestration platforms that are powerful and maintain value over time.

1. Ensure endpoint security
For any business, it’s essential to ensure data sensitivity. The endpoint can be smartphones, computers, laptop or point of sale system or any other device which can be connected to the network.

Endpoint security measures help secure small organisations from cyber attacks happening through malicious apps. With endpoint security, organisations must ensure the following things in order to provide with greater security.

• Encryption of data
• Segregation of Network
• Control File Integrity
• Monitor The Data Access
• Prevent Data Loss

2. Centralise the security management portal
To manage everything in an organisation is beyond human potential, hence, centralised management security portal is a must. It handles thousands of devices, computers effortlessly.

Also Read: Grab wants to take Indonesia from Go-Jek with US$6.5b funding goal

All you need to do is to control and manage the integrity of the network. The centralised security management portal has many benefits like:

• User-friendly Features
• Available at Affordable Price
• Fewer Security Issues
• Instant Response
• Suspicious Interference

3. Build awareness on security measures
It’s really crucial for any organisation to impose a security measure to control and maintain strategic distance. To avoid digital information theft, it’s really important how you educate your employees to secure the entire organization.

A small business must provide their employees with cybersecurity consulting services. It will help people understand the difference between authentic and malicious mail. It will help you prevent data loss and build customer trust towards your organisation.

The advancement of technology and the rise of digitisation has brought a lot of potentials for small business to grow with the right management in place. Test all the security solutions to ensure they cover what is needed by your business.

By implementing a modern, remote access solution you can monitor who has access to the company’s network and how they are using it. It helps you filter the information you wish to get.

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Taking time to walk boosts creativity — just look at Charles Dickens, Virginia Woolf and William Wordsworth

If you’ve ever watched a professional tennis match, you’ll know how much stamina the sport requires. From thigh slaps to squats to light jumps, players will do just about anything to maintain their high energy and laser-focus.

A crucial part of the match, however, occurs in the brief pause between games: the 90-second changeover break, when players rest before switching sides.

Watch closely, and you’ll see how players make the most of these precious moments: burying their heads under a towel to meditate, changing their racquets, or fueling up on water and energy drinks.

Some players, like the great Serena Williams, have even sipped a quick coffee before returning to the court.

Whatever their method, these pro athletes understand the value of a break. A brief reprieve can provide a fresh surge of energy and motivation for the next game.

Much like a tennis match, the workday can also be a daunting mental and physical challenge, especially if you want to perform your best throughout the day.

In addition to finding your optimal work hours, taking multiple breaks can increase your productivity all day long.

I’ll repeat that for emphasis.

Taking breaks can increase productivity.

Our workaholic culture and the business epidemic tend to villainize time-wasting behaviours during work — like leisurely lunches and web browsing — but research proves that breaks can enhance your performance, on many levels.

Brief periods of distraction have been shown to improve both decision-making and creativity. On the other hand, prolonged attention to a single task can actually hinder performance. Pulling an all-nighter for one assignment? Not such a good idea after all.

There’s also evidence that waking periods of mental rest can improve memory formation.

Apparently, during rest periods, your brain reviews and ingrains what it has previously learned. Without rest, you run the risk of experiencing the old “in one ear, out the other” phenomenon.

At my company, JotForm, I incorporate intentional breaks throughout the day — and not only do I take breaks, but I try to take the right kind of breaks.

I wanted to share a few ways that help me add breaks to my workday; how to properly waste time.

How to take constructive breaks

You might be wondering, what kind of breaks should I take? Or, if you’re a manager, what kind of breaks should I encourage my employees to take?

1. Give your prefrontal cortex a breather

Generally, a good break is one that allows your prefrontal cortex to rest. That’s the part of your brain dedicated to logical thinking, executive functioning, and using willpower to override impulses.

There are many ways to do this, but it can be as simple as letting your mind wander.

Also Read: Grab wants to take Indonesia from Go-Jek with US$6.5b funding goal

One report found that daydreaming or zoning out has similar benefits as meditation. And meditation not only increases focus, but it gives your overworked prefrontal cortex a break.

2. Get your blood flowing

Taking a quick pause for physical activity can be extremely beneficial — and that doesn’t mean you have to squeeze in a SoulCycle class at lunch.

Just a 5-minute walking break every hour can improve your health and mental well-being. And mental wellness is critical on a personal and a professional level because research shows that happier workplaces are more productive.

Not only are walks good for your health, but prolonged sitting is actually bad for us. That’s one of the reasons we offer most of our 110 employees both standing and normal desks.

Walking can also boost creativity. A study from Stanford University showed that when people tackled mental tasks that required imagination, walking led to more creative thinking than sitting.

In the literary world, many accomplished novelists and poets have improved their craft by walking. Just a few of these famous walkers include Charles Dickens, Virginia Woolf, Henry David Thoreau, and William Wordsworth.

I’m one of these workday walkers, too. Whenever possible, I walk to lunch and take long strolls with new employees, so we can get to know each other better. At our San Francisco office, we take scenic walks on the Embarcadero and enjoy the calming bay views.

3. Linger by the water cooler

If taking a break is good, taking a break with colleagues may be even better.

Social breaks are important for both personal and professional well-being. For example, social breaks can reinforce bonds, improve morale, and increase opportunities for collaboration.

After observing the social habits at a Xerox corporate office, one study found that copy repair people who hung out in the coffee room were not wasting time — they were engaging in productive conversations about on-the-job challenges.

Other studies have shown that informal, casual conversations between call centre workers increased productivity by 20 per cent.

To make the most of social breaks, time management expert Laura Vanderkam recommends grabbing a coffee with a mentee or taking an afternoon walk with a direct report.

4. Go green

Trees, plants and green spaces are not only aesthetically pleasing, but taking breaks in a natural environment can significantly boost employee well-being, reduce stress, enhance innovative potential, and strengthen personal connections.

Time in nature dramatically improves our ability to think expansively and make better decisions.

It also seems to make us more helpful. For example, people who have just walked in a park or other natural environment are more likely to notice when others need help — and to provide that help.

It’s no coincidence that forward-thinking companies like Google and Facebook prioritise plant life in their office designs. In fact, Facebook’s most recent update to their Menlo Park headquarters included a sprawling rooftop garden.

In many East Asian countries, “forest bathing” has also become a popular office practice, because just a few minutes in nature has measurable benefits for our psychological well-being and our physical health.

5. Grab a bite or surf the web

Is the vending machine calling your name? That’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Snack breaks are a great way to refresh during the workday. According to the University of Roehampton researcher Leigh Gibson, your brain works best with a consistent blood glucose level: 25 grams is optimal. So don’t forget to fuel yourself throughout the day.

Even web surfing, in moderation, can have a positive effect. Researchers at the National University of Singapore found that browsing the internet “serves an important restorative function.” That mini-break spent shopping on Amazon can revive you for the next task.

6. Keep it work-related

Ultimately, almost any mental time-out is effective, as long as you’re giving your prefrontal cortex a rest. Some studies, however, do recommend that these breaks should still be work-related.

Your break should be a time to learn something new, reflect on the big picture, or make positive connections with others.

How long should my break be?

With looming deadlines and colleagues waiting for answers, forcing yourself to take breaks can be challenging. At JotForm, I pre-plan my day to include both dedicated work and constructive break times.

According to MIT Sloan Senior Lecturer Bob Pozen, you should take a time-out every 75 to 90 minutes. This is based on studies of professional musicians, who are most productive when they practice for this amount of time in a single sitting.

“Working for 75 to 90 minutes takes advantage of the brain’s two modes: learning or focusing and consolidation,” says Pozen. “When people do a task and then take a break for 15 minutes, they help their brain consolidate information and retain it better.”

Also Read: Arming small businesses with big cyber defences

Another approach, called the Pomodoro Technique recommends working for 25 minutes before taking a five-minute break. This may be a better approach when a single task requires your full focus.

By using trial and error, you can figure out which technique works best for you.

Create a break-friendly work environment

It’s tempting to shun the habit of taking breaks in your workday.

“Wasting time” can feel like a productivity killer. But when they’re done thoughtfully, constructive breaks can leave you and your employees feeling focused and re-energized.

While you can’t force others to take breaks, you can encourage them to take a breather from time to time.

Managers, for example, can schedule periodic breaks throughout the day and, if possible, your office should offer pleasant break spaces — complete with coffee, snacks and plant life. If caring for plants seems burdensome, try succulents, which require little-to-no care at all.

Try creating walking clubs and schedule walking meetings. And, remember to lead by example — give yourself breaks, too.

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Originally published on Jotform.

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Plus, South Korea police bust US$19 million bitcoin Ponzi scheme using artificial intelligence

iflix raises funding from Japanese entertainment company and forms joint venture — [e27]

Japanese entertainment conglomerate Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. Ltd today announced a “significant” strategic investment in Southeast Asian streaming platform iflix, which marks its first investment in overseas media.

Through the investment, Yoshimoto Kogyo aims to accelerate development of its future projects in Asia.

The two companies also announced the formation of an exclusive joint venture (JV) out of Singapore to showcase Yoshimoto Group’s most popular content across iflix’s territories in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and the corresponding distribution of iflix’s content in Japan.

The joint venture will also produce localised versions of proven content formats out of Japan.

Grab sets sight on US$6.5 billion funding round — [e27]

Today, Southeast Asian ride-hailing giant Grab, announced plans to raise up to US$6.5 billion by the end of this year.

Explaining the move forward, Grab’s president Ming Maa shared that “In line with the tremendous transformation that South East Asia is currently undergoing, the opportunity is ripe for (Grab) to further grow in domains like healthcare, financial services amongst others”.

In a jab at rival GOJEK, which has set out to raise a $2 billion in its Series G round, Grab’s CEO Anthony Tan, said they “expect to be four times bigger than our closest competitor in Indonesia and across the region by the end of the year”.

South Korea police bust US$19M bitcoin pyramid scheme — [The Next Web]

South Korean police have arrested about a dozen people over a Ponzi scheme designed to use bitcoin to take advantage of people who have limited knowledge of the technology, according to The Next Web.

An interesting part of the arrest was that the perpetrators were collared by a special Artificial Intelligence Investigator, which was not a human being. The police taught the program to find patterns that point to a ponzi scheme.

The company, called M-Coin, were able to defraud US$18.7 million worth of payments from 56,000 people.

B Capital closes US$406 million in first tranche of new fund — [e27]

B Capital, the tech fund which was co-founded by the infamous ex-Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, announced the first close of its second fundraising at US$406 million, detailed in its US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing.

According to DealStreetAsia, B Capital confirmed that it has attracted 62 investors since its launch last month with no closing date or target of funding amount detailed.

In total, this first close has given the tech fund a total amount of US$766.1 million spread within two funds. Starting with US$360 million for its first fund called B Capital Fund followed with B Capital II LP.

Raj Ganguly, B Capital’s co-founder, and partner, will manage the fund as stated in the regulatory filing.

MM Digital raises seed funding — [DealStreetAsia]

MM Digital, The Burmese IT-services provider, has raised a “six-digit” seed funding, according to DealStreetAsia.

The money will be used on hiring and building its operational infrastructure.

The company raised the money from Seed Myanmar and Theta Capital.

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