If you’re looking to start a business you want to make sure that you’re doing it the best way possible. You want to create an environment that your employees are going to love and that is going to provide the best possible results for your future clients.

So, how are you going to do it? The best way that you can and the best way to move forward is with a coworking space. Here are some reasons why

Improve your environment

Coworking spaces provide a different environment for your employees and they’ve been proven to make it easier for those employees to communicate with one another and to feel like they’re contributing to the organization.

These environments can be more relaxed and are generally more comfortable, which makes them even more conducive to keeping employees. After all, you want to make sure that when you get the right employees you’re keeping them as long as possible and a healthy and happy environment helps with that.

Improve your output

When you have this type of environment you’re also going to have increased output from your employees. Those employees are going to feel like they are more valued.

Also Read: Coworking space or coffee shops: where to work on the go

They’re going to have the ability to feel more comfortable and more excited about what they’re doing in the business. All of this helps them to actually produce even more and to continue working toward more and more improvements. They’ll feel better about pushing themselves and keep working toward building up everything that your business entails.

Improve your communication

Communication is an essential aspect for your business, and with these spaces, it’s going to be no problem. You’ll be able to talk with each member of your team and you’re definitely going to be able to keep those lines of communication open.

The more open space is the more you’re going to be able to continue the dialogue among team members and the better your team is going to perform.

They’re going to discuss different projects and they’re going to keep exploring new and different ideas, which are going to ensure that you keep the expansion of ideas going throughout the team environment, resulting in better performance by the team and better results for the company.

Improve your collaboration

When it comes to coworking spaces, you’re actually going to have even better communication as well. That’s because you’re going to have your employees all working together within a single area.

They will have plenty of spaces in a coworking space that they can use to talk to each other and work along with everyone who is around them. They can continue to work on just about anything they want with smaller and larger groups. They’ll be able to just keep right on talking to each other and more on those assignments and that’s going to make it easier for your business to grow.

Improve your customer experience

When it comes to coworking spaces, you’re going to have better customer experience as well because your employees will be feeling great about your company.

Also Read: Coworking space: why it’s the most startup thing ever

They’re more likely to talk positively about your business and to interact with customers in a positive way. After all, they’re going to want to keep your business running because they enjoy working with you. They’re going to like the idea of pushing the products or services that you offer and that’s going to be extremely important when it comes to the success of the startup.

Improve your employee retention

People want to work in a place where they feel valued. That means they want to make sure that they are getting the results and benefits that help them feel that way.

Coworking spaces, by definition, provide comfortable environments for your employees. They provide spaces for them to work together and communicate.

They also provide some of the additional amenities that these types of workers enjoy. Often they have things like fun or comfortable seating, unique work stations, lounge areas, and fun surroundings. They might have a range of different opportunities for employees to work together and to be a part of building the business. All of these things make it more likely that your employees will want to stay with you.

Wrap up

Overall, when you create positive coworking spaces you’re going to help your entire business to flourish. It’s all about giving your employees, your customers, and everyone in between the right vision for your business.

Creating a business that is built to last and that is strong enough to stand anything is going to be difficult, but it’s definitely something that you can do and it’s something that will help you to grow along the way.

Coworking spaces are definitely the wave of the future and they are most definitely a great way to create something entirely new and appeal to the job market that’s out there today.

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If you have been a part of startup retail business, organising product marketing campaigns, you know very well how difficult it is to engage customers across digital media.

3D product rendering can spell numerous benefits for your online retail business. Here are 9 of them:

1) E-commerce cataloguing can be optimised

You pretty much know how difficult it is to capture images of your products in an accurate manner with cameras. These images have to be refined before publishing in online catalogues.

Making the product labels visible in thumbnails is a discouraging task. Sometimes, brand logos can get distorted while retouching images. Such efforts often make you miss deadlines and sale opportunities.

You can get over such nightmares with CGI animation which allows you to build accurately pixelated product versions for all e-commerce industry types. You can make labels legible, format logos, make thumbnails readable and arrange product catalogues on sites the way you want.

2) Call to action can be made more compelling

With CGI, you can evoke the right feeling in your targeted audience base. Prospective customers can be treated with the right visuals the way you want in alignment with your business values. You can weave the perfect mood around the product inexpensively which adds power to the call to action.

Also Read: eCommerce potential in Southeast Asia, through the eyes of Taiwanese

Conventionally, such efforts are cost-intensive and consume significant time. You had to set up extensive photoshoots with the right props. To present the product in an appealing ambience, you had to pay the photographer highly.

CGI allows you to get over such disadvantages. You can highlight the stellar aspects of the products easily which inspires potential customers to buy products more frequently.

3) Time to market is accelerated

All brands need to comply with deadlines to get their products promoted by PR partners.

When you integrate CGI in product promotional workflow, you can send pre-launch product images to distribution and online retail store partners well within scheduled timelines. As the time to market is cut short, you can book more orders for the product.

4) Product variations can be created with ease

You may need to showcase variations of your product on different pages of the e-commerce site. If you follow the traditional photoshoot method, it will take considerable time and would drain your advertisement budget significantly.

With CGI and 3d rendering, you can create many variations of the same product by differing the backdrop, lighting, texture, colour, etc. All these can be done quickly without incurring significant overhead costs.

5) Futuristic models for retail marketing can be developed

Using the technologies adopted by Hollywood, you can bring on the same table AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) for enhancing the marketing experience of shoppers.

Buyers can experience different products like furniture in customized settings with virtual staging, for example.

6) Customers can be made to experience the products

With 3D visualization, you can help potential buyers experience the product in virtual mode. This helps them connect with your brand in a better way.

Also Read: How to use the psychology of gamification to grow e-commerce sales

CGI effects can be enhanced with AR wherein multimedia, sensory inputs, graphics, etc. can be superimposed on real-world objects. Tactile feel can be simulated. Location data can be taken from GPS coordinates. Through the app, AR can be used for showcasing to customers what it would be like trying new products.

7) Virtual fitting room can be created

You enjoy the power to shape futuristic buying experience by harnessing the potential of CGI. Smart mirrors can be placed in a fitting room which will serve as touch screens.

A shopper can try various looks by experimenting with cloth sizes and colours. They can swipe the screen to try another variation. Shopper need not signal in half-clothed mode to the salesperson for another set of clothes to try.

8) ROI can be made to exponentially grow

You can leverage CGI to increase your business’s ROI substantially. The turnaround time to market as well as the cost of promotion goes down significantly. Booking for a new product can be availed of quickly.

You can customize the shopping experience for buyers. Tailored apps can be developed which will allow buyers to virtually test the product with VR driven technology. This way potential buyers can quickly purchase products that fit on them optimally.

9) A dream home can be curated in digital mode

CGI can be used in other verticals apart from the eCommerce business. You can make customers visualize how the dream home would look like by allowing them to virtually set furniture in living room interiors. Customers need not physically haul and place the furniture pieces.

Visualization of all home-related products can be made possible with CGI. You need not hire a photographer to capture snaps of real objects. Engaging and memorable experiences can be created with ease.

CGI helps your brand stand out in a market that is facing stiff competition. You can win the trust of potential buyers by leveraging CGI.

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A week ago, I stumbled upon an event listing online called “5 common traits of successful young adult novels” by Reedsy, as someone who loves part-time fiction writing, this was the perfect opportunity for me to learn about what made a good adult novel.

I signed up for the event imagining it was happening in my city, not checking the time or the location.

The day of the talk, as I tried to look over at the location of the event, I realised that it was actually an online webinar. I felt a certain disappointment as now this would mean a laggy video and no real-time connection with the speaker.

But in spite of all the negativity, with an open mind, I still decided to give it a shot.

And it really turned out to be a major game-changer for me. Here are the 3 benefits I felt about attending webinars

1. Sweats and total comfort

The biggest advantage of attending an online webinar is that you don’t have to worry about your perfectly ironed shirt or even brushing your hair before the event. You can attend it anytime anywhere, while commuting, at the office or even from your home.

Nothing beats the comfort of flexibility, especially if you are busy and cannot commute an hour, to and fro to attend the talk. This saves time, is more efficient and gives you complete freedom.

Also, the open environment of a webinar can be extremely relaxing as opposed to

2. Great way to learn from the pros …. from anywhere

There may be times when you really want to attend an event or want to listen to your favourite speaker, who is not in your city. At times like this attending the online webinar is a great option.

The format of a webinar is usually concise and focused and therefore it has great value for time. You jump straight to the point and even the interactions during a webinar are focused. Since the moderator will usually pick out the questions that are the most relevant from the comments.

3. It’s recorded, so you can listen to it anytime

Even if you don’t attend a webinar, chances are that the company organising it will have a recording of it that can be accessed either from their website or sent via email.

The only drawback with this is that you will not be able to ask questions and interact with the speaker, so it’s highly recommended that you attend a webinar if the topic is something very relevant to you.

In this faced-paced world, it can sometimes be an added pressure to do your job, attend events, network and then just do things that you like. Therefore, a webinar is a great option for people who are always mostly on the run, it offers a solution for your fast life and an opportunity to learn what you like from the best.

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Image Credit:  Simon Abrams

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Marketing is probably the most important part of a business therefore in order to make sure it flourishes you must reach out to people and show them what you are capable of and why they should seek your products or services that you are offering.

There are many cost-effective marketing strategies available in the market and printed marketing materials are among the most effective ones which can drive high-value business.

The most efficient marketing materials that ensure effective conversions so that the business can grow organically are:

1. Business cards – If you are interested in making your first impression effective and want people to think that you are credible enough then go for a nicely printed business card.

Your potential customers will be able to connect with you effectively. Do not take this small weapon lightly because business cards can bring customers to you. Make sure that your entire team has the business card so that your services or products or whatever you make gets propagated positively.

Most people ask for a business card and if you say that you don’t have one, it creates a negative impression which you probably do not want.

 

2. Business brochures – A company brochure is something that is an integral part of your marketing strategy. You have to tell your clients or customers what your services and products are all about.

More detailed information about your company can actually help you grow a lot. With the help of a brochure maker, you can now design beautiful and imposing brochures that will be appreciated by all, nowadays, designing a brochure isn’t big of a deal.

 

3. Datasheets – You can use product data sheets to showcase the important specifications or features of your product. If you are a service provider then you can mention the different benefits of your service, why your service should be availed, etc.

If your customer is more informed, good for you because clients need information and if you can provide relevant information to your clients they’ll find your services or products more interesting and attractive.

 

4. Customised folders – Have you ever thought of presentation folders?

If not then think about it because a custom made folder is something that will grab the attention of your clients quickly plus you can put all the required information pertaining to your services or products inside the beautiful folder, whatever your clients need to know will be there in the folder.

 

5. Company catalogues- If you are thinking of catalogues for your company you are on the right track because you can showcase your most famous item in the catalogue and pull the attention of the crowd.

Also, you can redirect the traffic to your website as well with the help of a catalogue.

If you consider the importance of a catalogue then you’ll understand that people don’t throw away catalogues that easily. Yes, the world has become pretty fast and progressive but then a good amount of people like the old school systems more; some people prefer catalogues, brochures, and any other printed marketing materials to websites or any information available on the net.

 

6. Case studies – If you want to show that you are better than the rest you can provide case study materials to your clients to show them that your product or services are wanted by all.

The testimonials from your other clients can be used as printed marketing materials because that’s how you will show your new clients that you live up to you promises or provide the best service which is why people tend to like your services more. This is certainly a unique way of triggering your business to attain indelible heights.

 

7. Custom letterheads – Using custom letterheads or envelopes make your customers think that you have enough credibility and a positive impression is created. This portrays the fact that you pay impeccable attention to minute details.

This is necessary indeed because your attitude towards details is clearly visible and customers like that.

The image of the brand is depicted strongly through the custom letterheads and envelops and make sure that you are using paper that is of top-notch quality.

Showcase your brand simply by putting a colour logo of your brand in these customized letters and envelops this way your brand gets promoted and customers get convinced to purchase your services or products.

 

8. Gratitude notes – Sending a thank you note to your customers or stakeholders is a lovely way to impress them. This shows that your brand is not only interested in the business it makes from them but also cares for the customers.

Thank you cards aren’t just pieces of paper it is more than just saying thank you it means you are again paying attention to the details, people who pay attention to the details are appreciated always.

You can send thank you cards to the stakeholders, donors, investors, customers or even vendors… remember that you will also flourish if you maintain a cordial relationship with your vendors because without them a major part of your business will remain incomplete. You can also send out holiday greeting cards or anything unique that’ll make everyone feel special.

 

9. Newsletters – If you are launching a new product or have planned a product or service that can be very beneficial for your customers… why not send out quarterly newsletters which will talk volumes about the products or services you intend to launch in the future.

Yes, physical newsletters are old school but still, some people love the old school ways more than everything digital. Newsletters are instrumental in keeping your customers updated.

In a nutshell, printed marketing materials are still in vogue owing to their user-friendly nature. You can use printed marketing materials for so many businesses or in many industries.

In case you find a good printing company you can negotiate and bring the printing cost down to a large extent, work on the return on investment by ensuring the betterment of consistency, minimizing the number of errors, etc. This will help you to develop in a positive direction.

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Everywhere in Southeast Asia, the plastic waste outcry has emerged thanks largely to awareness raised by social media. The ever-connected world has opened eyes to the amount of trash Southeast Asia, in particular, has collected as the receiving ends of developed countries’ junk in addition to its pile of trash.

Videos of sea animal suffering death by plastic or divers swimming in the sea of trash might be a trigger to finally do something because it is finally trendy to say no to plastic.

According to an article from Southeast Asia Globe, Southeast Asia countries have started to pick up the slack, albeit late.

Malaysia last year issued a permanent ban on the import of plastic waste and announced it will be phasing out the import of other types of plastic by 2021. Thailand will also stop plastic waste imports by 2021, and Vietnam has banned the issuance of licences for the import of plastic waste in preparation for a total ban by 2025.

In another article bt Southeast Asia Globe, aside from being the destination for 75 per cent of the world’s waste -much of it plastic-, Asia also has poor waste management, resulting in the continent became the biggest ocean plastic, polluters.

According to 2017 report by the Ocean Conservancy and the McKinsey Center for Business and Environment, more than half of the plastic waste in the ocean comes from just five Asian countries: China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand.

With plastic became a major problem in our waste management, the trend has caught up to recycling and minimising a single use of plastic. More people -Millennials and Gen Z to be exact- are raising awareness, which is a good thing that these 16 startups are hoping to last, and not just a fad that sizzles away.

Gringgo, Indonesia

Indonesia has repeatedly made international news because of the numerous whale found dead of plastic ingestion washed ashore. So this country is really in the deep with plastic trash.

Gringgo Indonesia Foundation was named one of 20 grantees of the Google AI Impact Challenge, receiving US$500,000 of funding from Google.org, to help put a stop to the sloppy waste management that could put trash in its 50,000 km of coastline.

Gringgo was co-founded by Febriadi Pratama, who’s also the company’s CTO. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) to give waste workers tools to track their collections and productivity in hopes to boost their earning power while also helping the environment.

“Waste workers’ livelihood depends on the volume and value of the recyclable waste they collect. The idea is to build an image recognition tool that would help improve plastic recycling rates by classifying different materials and giving them a monetary value.

“In turn, this will reduce ocean plastic pollution and strengthen waste management in under-resourced communities. We believe this creates a new economic model for waste management that prioritises people and the planet,” Pratama explained.

Also Read: Can the new waste disposal app bail out Bali from its waste problem?

Pratama mentioned that trash is the country’s major problem due to the country’s topography that makes it more challenging to put a price on recyclables. It consists of more than 17,000 islands with 5 major islands, but most recycling facilities are based on the mainland of Java, making transporting recyclables from other islands expensive, causing materials with low value left unsorted, end up polluting the environment.

Addressing the issue, Gringgo launched several apps in 2017—both for waste workers and the public. One of the apps allows waste workers to track the amount and type of waste they collect to save time by suggesting a more organised route, and manually quantify their collections and earning potential.

The other app is launched for the public, connecting people with waste collection services for their homes.

Gringgo mentioned that it has Google’s support in working with the Indonesian startup Datanest to build an image recognition tool using Google’s machine learning platform, TensorFlow. With the collaboration, waste workers can better analyse and classify waste items, and quantify their value through a photo of trash they took, and through image recognition.

Klean, Malaysia

Klean is a Malaysian-based startup that was one of the six finalists for The Liveability Challenge and managed to secure up to S$1 million (US$733,000) in funding for the development of their projects. The challenge aims to close the financing gap between the ideas that will make cities better and the investments that will turn solutions into reality.

Founded by Mohamad Arif and Datuk Dr Nick Boden, Klean offers a Malaysian-made smart reverse vending machine (SRVM) with Klean operating system and an app that rewards people for recycling empty polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and aluminum cans with points scheme. The points are redeemable for rewards such as prepaid air time and discounts for transportation rides, goods, and services.

Klean also teams up with HelloGold in a mission to “tackle generational poverty” that lets users
who return bottles and cans to build up a gold portfolio, allowing the underprivileged community to save money using readily available waste and to use it as business loan collateral if they wish so.

According to an article published by The Star Malaysia last year, Klean has teamed up with a beverage company to start a proof of concept on a container deposit scheme in Singapore.

NanoMalaysia, Malaysia

A fresh invention from Malaysian young PhD student-entrepreneurs, NanoMalaysia, offers alternatives to food packing that seeks to dramatically reduce supermarket plastic waste.

NanoMalaysia won The Institution of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) Global Challenge with their approach for packing dried, loose food products by using carrageenan and starch to create dissolvable food blocks called PICAS block, in the hope of significantly reducing the amount of plastic waste from supermarkets.

Evoware, Indonesia

Edible food wrappings and sachets as alternatives to single-use plastics for packaging certainly are not something new, but it is yet to catch a wave with Southeast Asia’s food industry.

In Indonesia, Evoware, co-founded by David Christian, offers seaweed-based wrappings for instant coffee or noodle sachets that make it edible or dissolvable after usage.

Christian claimed that it uses seaweed without chemical additives in applications, allowing it to dissolve in hot water or be eaten. Seaweed, he said, has one of the best mechanical properties while still being energy efficient and very economical with friendly land cultivation.

Evoware challenges the comfort of single-use wrappings and offers a circular economy solution instead to help free the oceans from the trash. With seaweed, it plans to increase its local capacity and is in a position to expand internationally since seaweed can grow on almost every coastline.

Also, Evoware has designed a version, made using damar resin from South Asian fig trees, that holds liquids, creating readily compostable packaging for personal care products and medical supplies.

Evoware is a Circular Design Challenge winner in category Redesigning sachets. It also joined
the New Plastics Economy Accelerator Programme.

RWDC Industries, Singapore

RWDC Industries is a Singaporean biotechnology startup co-founded by Roland Wee and Daniel Carraway that develops cost-effective biopolymer material solutions in 2015. The company, according to an article from e27, produces medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoate (mclPHA) biopolymers that can be used to make eco-friendly consumable products.

In Entrepreneurs’ article, it is explained that PHAs are linear polyesters naturally produced by bacterial fermentation of plant-based oils or sugar and are widely recognised as the only commercially viable biodegradable plastic due to its versatility.

Also Read: Biodegradable plastic startup RWDC Industries raises US$22M in fresh funding

RWDC claims its PHA is certified to be fully biodegradable in soil, water, and marine conditions by agency TÜV Austria (formerly Vincotte), within weeks with no toxic residue.

RWDC said that it aims to supply bio-based materials to its clients, which can then turn them into products like single-use cutlery, straws, diapers, wipes, and agricultural mulch films.

In 2018, the startup closed a US$13 million Series A2 round co-led by venture capital firms Vickers Venture Partners and WI Harper Group. Finance firm Ridgevale Enterprises and individual investors also participated in the round.

The funding was used to expand PHA production capacity in Athens, US, to 2,000 tonnes per year, making it one of the world’s largest PHA producers.

In July, RWDC won the inaugural Liveability Challenge, presented by Temasek Foundation Ecosperity, securing S$980,000 (US$710,000) in funding for its proposal to make fully biodegradable drinking straws made of PHA.

RWDC Industries has raised US$22 million in the third tranche of its ongoing Series A round of funding, led by early-stage investment firm Vickers Venture Partners and US-based Eversource Retirement Plan Master Trust — its first institutional investor. Others who participated in the round include cross-border VC firms and existing backer WI Harper Group.

Avani Eco, Indonesia

It’s uplifting to see there is more than just one solution to replace the use of polluting plastic out there, and Avani Eco first made news when a viral video of its founder drinking a soluble plastic bag caught international news’ eagle eyes.

Avani Eco was established in 2014 by Kevin Kumala, a biology graduate, to provide a technology solution that can be adopted by businesses and end consumers. The main product was originally a cassava-based poncho before Avani Eco provides a full range of sustainable packaging and hospitality products made from renewable and natural ingredients of root vegetable cassava, that are fully compostable, from plastic bags, straws, hospital covers, to styrofoam-lookalike food packaging.

According to a CNN article, Kumala and his school friend partner studied the emerging field of bioplastics and took inspiration from new materials based on corn and soy starch. They devised their recipe using cassava starch, vegetable oil, and organic resins.

In 2017, CNN reported that Avani secured funding from a private equity group for the first time.

With Bali banning plastic bags in 2018, the company has grown significantly despite categorised as a premium product with twice the price of regular plastic.

Upp!, Vietnam

Here’s a startup that offers solutions to the already-disposed plastics, by upcycling it into a construction material. Upp! is a social enterprise startup based in both the Netherlands and Vietnam, that hopes to save plastic waste from landfills and oceans by introducing circular plastic factories in 10 cities by 2025, according to an article by Green Queen.

Founded in 2017 in the Netherlands and later expanding to operate in Vietnam as well, Upp! is supports companies, communities, and local authorities to become plastic waste-free by working alongside several local partners to make repurposed plastic products.

These repurposed plastic products can then be used in many ways, from becoming construction materials to building recycled parks.

Taraph Technologies, Singapore

Singapore-based Taraph Technologies is a green tech startup that aims to remove all plastic waste by 2050. It was co-founded by Liew Mei Shan.

The company offers Waste Management Diagnosis and Waste Management Consultancy. According to an excerpt from a Bloomberg’s piece, Taraph Technologies is one of the companies using bacteria or organic processes which harnesses natural enzymes that digest plastics and turn them into chemicals normally produced in oil refineries.

Right now, the article highlighted, mono-ethylene glycol from enzyme-eaten plastic bottles can be sold at prices 10 times higher than the value of trash, but Liew expects the technology to be commercially available in 5 to 10 years.

In April 2019, Taraph Technologies received pre-seed funding from the investment committee of Entrepreneur First.

AYA REUSABLE CUP, Vietnam

How did you put technology into a reusable cup to make it work? This Vietnam-based startup called AYA REUSABLE CUP (AYA) founded by Linh Le offers users the ability to use and return the cup to eliminate the use of single plastic.

It does so by allowing a request of an eco-friendly cup AYA at any participating coffee shop or smoothie bar with consumers’ ID code. With the Life Time Membership Pass option, consumers can drop the AYACUP at any participating locations.

According to an article published by Innolab.Asia, the startup was the most-voted idea in first CrowdPitch Vietnam 2019.

Eco-Plastics, Cambodia

Being crowned runner-up in the 12th year of The Mekong Business Challenge (MBC), two female Cambodian entrepreneurs introduced Eco-Plastic, a startup that plans to utilise Cambodia’s plastic waste to pave cheaper, more durable roads.

Eco-Plastics was co-founded by Bunhourng Tan and Sokhana Ly and it claimed to have received funding from a US investor, as reported by Phnom Penh Post.

Sokhana said: “By establishing Eco-Plastic, we can use plastic waste to improve our roads, transforming landfill waste into a road fill product.”

Cleanbodia, Cambodia

Founded by Japanese-American entrepreneur Kai Kuramoto in 2015, Cleanbodia creates an online platform that offers a biodegradable bag made of the cassava starch. According to Phnom Penh Post‘s article, Cleanbodia has two products: the biodegradable bag that contains plastic and lasts for six years, and compostable bags, contains no plastic and lasts under two years.

Right now, Kuramoto and his team of engineers are still working on having the bags produced in the country.

Also Read: Meet the 15 startups competing for SustainableAg Asia Challenge by Rabobank

“Currently, the bags are not produced in Cambodia, but are made in Southeast Asia. We have studied the possibility of building a factory here in the Kingdom and are still assessing the best way to do that with the right partners.

“Production here would allow for cheaper biodegradable bags and there is certainly enough cassava grown to supply the production of the bags,” Kuramoto concluded.

GooGreen, Thailand

Thailand-based GooGreen is a startup that builds a platform to help urbanites efficiently collect and sort waste. Founded by Chatsanan Masawangpairoj, the company said it has worked with communities, schools, and factories and found these three sectors have efficient waste sorting procedure.

According to Startup Thailand, the platform comprises of mobile and web applications as well as waste disposal kiosks at office buildings. The kiosk staff will assist and instruct people on how to do proper waste sorting, she added.

GooGreen said that the idea of the startup is to encourage attitude change from disposing of waste to “depositing waste and earning points.” Users will be able to locate GooGreen kiosks in their office neighborhoods.

Solu, Philippines

Founded in March 2018 by Matthew Barrie, Solu is a Philippine-based startup that seeks to fix waste management in developing nations, as reported by e27.

Solu allows consumers to connect with waste collection centres who will pay them for their segregated waste.

With the collected waste redirected into where they can be repurposed, Solu believes that it will help make for a cleaner environment.

According to this Eco-Business’s article, June 2019 marked the joint declaration by ASEAN countries that its members will take concrete actions and help one another to “prevent and significantly reduce marine debris”, including plastic waste, for example through the possible development of an East Asia regional plan of action and guidelines as environmentalists have called on the bloc to do more.

With encouraging and significant moves from the 16 startups mentioned, Southeast Asia’s plastic waste emergency may stand a chance to have a complete reversal. What’s left now is the backing of governments to speed up the process, and more spotlight to shine a light on the pressing issues.

In the meantime, the cliche of starting small with the simplest thing one can do such as eliminating the use of plastic remains effective.

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Photo by Daniel Chekalov on Unsplash

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Singapore-headquartered fintech startup GDP Inc. received over US$1 million in its seed fundraising round from angel investors.

The company was co-founded by Amos Huang, COO; Weili Liu, Head of Legal, and Victor Wu, CEO.

Huang previously founded Viscovery in 2013, an Artificial Intelligence company based in Taiwan, and Liu is a renowned attorney at LCC Partners Law office. CEO Wu has a digital marketing background and founded VPon Big Data Group in 2008, Asia’s Big Data ad technology company with offices all over the region.

“Traditional methods provide inefficient cross-border services with expensive fees, long transaction times, unfavorable exchange rates, and even transparency issues. Using the power of Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data analysis, and social innovation, GDP developed two flagship solutions: PEZZAPay and PEZZALoan,” explained Wu.

PEZZAPay is a P2P cross-border payment platform that matches users in the Philippines with helpers in Japan and China tasked to execute the desired payment on behalf of the user.

Also Read: [Exclusive] MyCash raises funding from 500 Startups; to take its financial services platform for unbanked migrant workers into new markets

PEZZALoan is a P2P financing platform that aims to provide fast, easy, and secure business loans for SMEs by offering attractive returns for smart investors willing to lend directly to these businesses. It is currently in the early testing phase with established SMEs beta users in Taiwan.

So far, GDP has already established offices in five locations (Singapore, The Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, Estonia) and soon to be in Hong Kong and China.

The startup has also invested in its operations compliance efforts by applying to +7 licenses in the region including Crypto, Money Service Operations, and E-Money licenses.

The startup said that it plans to grow its user pool and its transaction cash flow in the upcoming months, as it prepares for a Series A fundraising in early 2020.
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Curiox Biosystems, a bio-instrumentation startup based in Singapore, announced that it has received US$15 million in its Series B funding round from Korean biotech investors, DealStreetAsia reported.

The investors in the Series B funding round include KB Investment, Dayli Partners, Quad Investment Management, IMM Investment, SV Investment Partners, and HB Investment.

Previously, Curiox has raised funding from Singaporean venture investment firm Zig Ventures.

The company notes that the fresh funding will be used for global commercialisation activities and to scale up. “Our new funding will help us expand our global reach to the flow cytometry community and other cell-based assay developers,” said CEO Namyong Kim.

Curiox also revealed plans to pursue an initial public offering on the Korean stock exchange, KOSDAQ, in the next 36 months, given its now-backer is from the country.

Also Read: Singapore biotech startup Engine Biosciences raises US$10M for drug discovery technology

In a statement, Zig Ventures said that the Korean biotech investors who are attracted to Curiox’s bio-instrumentation solutions developed for cell analysis and therapy in the pharma and biotech industries.

Curiox is a spinoff bio-instrumentation company of the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore. Curiox is led by Chief Executive Officer Dr. Namyong Kim and provides products like the Laminar Wash HT1000 System and two new systems, the Laminar Wash AUTO1000 and Laminar Wash MINI.

The AUTO 1000 system allows scientists to have a fully-automated flow cytometry staining platform that can produce quantitative and reproducible results for flow cytometry. Cytometry is the measurement of the characteristics of cells.

Meanwhile, the Laminar Wash MINI, made up of a smaller, benchtop unit designed for smaller throughput labs.

Zig is SEEDS Capital’s co-investment partner under Startup SG Equity and has been an investor of Curiox since 2011.
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Privacy has become a big thing recently thanks to the European Union’s General Data Privacy Regulation (GDPR).

It’s arguably among the biggest development in tech this year and has put privacy in the spotlight. Organisations with an online presence were compelled to review how they handle privacy even if they don’t really serve European audiences.

But even without the GDPR, it’s high time that privacy becomes part of daily concerns. In the Philippines, its National Privacy Commission is noticeably quite active in recent months launching events and online campaigns that inform of the basic principles of the regulations.

This drive to promote privacy has been long overdue. The Philippines’ Data Privacy Act was passed way back in 2012 but it was only in 2016 that the implementing rules were finally established. The regulations include provision for organisations to take steps such as appointing data protection officers, performing privacy impact assessments, and creating privacy management programs.

The idea is to have organisations comply with these measures but it’s tough to enact sweeping changes especially if it goes against the grain of the prevailing norms and culture.

Also read: How can privacy-focussed apps step up amid a world of data breaches?

It’s been somewhat of a joke that gossip is a national past time in the Philippines.

Some say that the reason why there aren’t many reported serial killers in the country is because neighbours would immediately notice if something shady is actually going on. Jokes aside, it’s easy to experience the effects of the little regard most entities give to people’s privacy.

Proper and secure document management and archiving are capabilities most organisations fail to develop. It’s still common to see enterprises hedge on adopting digitization as they continue to rely on antiquated and insecure paper-based filing systems.

Sales and profits also seem to be more of a priority for larger enterprises. Up until today, it’s common for mobile phone subscribers to get bombarded by calls and texts from various telemarketing agencies which leads you to question how they get access to your contact information.

Smaller businesses and entrepreneurs also have this lax approach to protecting their customers’ information. It’s common to see online sellers showcase their sales by posting pictures of packages or order lists bearing the names, addresses and contact details of their buyers for the public to see.

Individuals and end-users aren’t helping either. Oversharing of information is still common online.

Despite notices by the social networks and online services for users to check their privacy settings, not everyone has chosen to secure their accounts and hide information that can be used by malicious actors for fraud. People still don’t even perform basic measures like shredding bills and bank statements before disposing of them.

Also read: Cashless payments come with security and privacy challenges from the viewpoint of consumers and businesses

The status quo only continues to promote negligence and devalue the importance of data privacy. Many Filipinos still overlook the gravity of the breach of the Commission on Elections website which compromised the personal and biometric data of all registered voters.

While most are preoccupied with violent crimes, the security breach of such magnitude should have been considered among the more appalling crimes to be committed.

While it’s nice that the government is ramping up its efforts to promote privacy. It would take a collective effort to change the prevailing mindset and establish a new culture that truly values people’s information.

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The moment Sean Parker suggested Mark Zuckerberg drop “The” in “The Facebook” was the moment that changed the world as we know it. For the better or for the worse is still up for debate though.

With over two billion users, the social media platform has permeated today’s society in heights unforeseen.

Today, the way we make friends, communicate, promote ourselves and our brands, entertain and be entertained, are all influenced by Facebook and other social media platforms.

It is undeniable impact on people also begs to question if its influence on society is good or bad. Many experts have studied its negative effects, but social media founders and practitioners always find a way to defend their cause. Until now.

Earlier this month, former Facebook Vice President for User Growth, Chamath Palihapitiya, spoke against the platform, noting its harmful effects on the society around the world.

The executive spoke to a crowd at the Stanford Graduate School of Business wherein he shared his “tremendous guilt” for what he helped establish with the Palo Alto company. The exec is the second former employee of the platform who has spoken about the negative effects Facebook and social media has on society.

Palihapitiya admits creating “tools that are ripping apart” society

“We have created tools that are ripping apart the social fabric of how society works. That is truly where we are,” the 41-year-old venture capitalist told the audience during a talk on November 10, 2017.

Palihapitiya joined Facebook in 2007. At that time, the company was still in its early-yet-booming stages, having been launched in 2004. What started as a platform exclusive to Harvard students, created by Mark Zuckerberg in his dormitory room, soon exploded into a country-wide phenomenon. Before everyone knew it, people from all over the world were getting hooked.

When he joined the company, the former VP admitted that there wasn’t really much thought put into the long-term negative effects of the platform. As they built the network, they made themselves believe that no negative consequences will come out of what now seems as the exploitation of consumer psychology.

“I think in the back, deep, deep recesses of our minds, we kind of knew something bad could happen,” he revealed.

Also read: Watch out, these startup social media marketing strategies are bullshit

While social media, as a whole, has helped bridge people from thousands of miles away, Palihapitiya admits that it has taught the community to be impatient. Driven by likes and hearts, people now turn to social media for instant gratification, “eroding the core foundations of how people behave.”

“The short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops that we have created are destroying how society works. No civil discourse, no cooperation, misinformation, mistruth.”

The Golden State Warriors owner did praise Facebook for the overwhelming good it does for the world, but the damaging effects have pushed him to stop using the tool. And he encourages people to take a “hard break” from Facebook and other social media platforms as well.

Sean Parker, a “conscientious objector” of social media

Even before Palihapitiya made his claims, Sean Parker already made his thoughts about social networking known. The infamous former Facebook president attended an Axios event in Philadelphia earlier in November where he acknowledged the “unintended consequences” of the platform he helped grow.

“It literally changes your relationship with society, with each other … It probably interferes with productivity in weird ways.”

Parker noted that Facebook is “a social-validation feedback loop,” and exploits a vulnerability in people’s psychology. He likens social media to having a dopamine hit whenever someone gets a like or comment. Much like other substances, once the high subsides, users want to take another hit to feel elated and elevated again.

“God only knows what it’s doing to our children’s brains,” Parker, who is now founder and chair of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, said.

Facebook admits mental health adverse effects

Defending itself from all the negative claims about its platform, Facebook responded to its former VP clarifying that things have been different since Palihapitiya left the company. A spokesperson for the company told The Verge that when the former exec was with FB, they were solely focused on “building new social media experiences” and establishing the brand across the world. However, over the years, as the platform grew, “we have realized how our responsibilities have grown too.”

“We take our role very seriously and we are working hard to improve. We’ve done a lot of work and research with outside experts and academics to understand the effects of our service on well-being, and we’re using it to inform our product development,” the spokesperson explained.

Also read: We are in the ‘Black Mirror’, living in a world where social media is taking us on a nosedive

A recent journal published by the social media giant, however, confirmed that depending on the use of their platform, Facebook could indeed affect mental health negatively. “Passively consuming” information — like reading posts on the newsfeed — without interacting with other Facebook users could lead to depression and lower self-esteem.

A UC San Diego and Yale study revealed that people who simply browsed through their feeds — liking posts and clicking on links — are more inclined to have negative social comparison than those who post on their walls often.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has also released a similar study wherein it confirmed that social media use may lead to “Facebook Depression” among adolescents. The term coined by the researchers pertains to the depression that preteens and teens develop when they spend time on the platform.

“Acceptance by and contact with peers is an important element of adolescent life. The intensity of the online world is thought to be a factor that may trigger depression in some adolescents,” the journal noted. It added that “Facebook Depression” may lead to substance abuse and self-destructive behaviour.

To address such issues, Facebook has been taking steps to make its ecosystem a safe one. It has been employing the help of social psychologists, sociologists, and social scientists to establish an environment where the network contributes in a positive way. So far, it has added the “On This Day” feature which shows memories with friends and encourages user interaction. It has also positioned itself as a venue for goodwill and humanitarian work through fundraisers for disaster relief.

CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg says the company wants “the time people spend on Facebook to encourage meaningful social interactions.” Moreover, the company promised users that they are willing to reduce their profitability to “make sure the right investments are made.”

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Yummy Corp, Indonesian online catering and cloud kitchen startup has received a total of US$7.75 million in Series A funding led by SMDV (Sinarmas Digital Ventures) and Intudo Ventures.

Participating in the round are East Ventures, Agaeti Ventures, Sovereign’s Capital, and Selera Kapital by Sour Sally Group.

With this investment, Yummy Corp said it is targeting 200 locations for the year 2020 across Jakarta and other major cities in Indonesia.

Mario Suntanu, CEO of Yummy Corp said, “We aim to use this investment to increase the quality of food and customer experience. Our main focus is the customers, and by adding distribution points we want to ensure that the customers can experience faster delivery experiences and fresher food to be enjoyed anywhere the customer orders.”

Yummy Corp was established in 2017, offering two main services: catering solutions and cloud kitchen.

Also Read: Yummy Corp acquires Berrykitchen, aims to become the largest online catering service

Its catering solution offers foodservice to companies on-premise (by operating the company’s kitchen and cafeteria) as well as off-premise (as ready-to-eat meal delivery). Yummy enables employees to select and order their meals through the Yummybox app using their corporate balance or top up their balance.

Meanwhile, Yummy Corp’s cloud kitchen business, named Yummykitchen, works with local culinary brands and delivery platforms to extend their services to its network of delivery-focussed kitchens, serving as a growth platform for the partner brands.

In May 2019, Yummybox acquired Berrykitchen, the first online catering company in Indonesia. Yummy Corp said that the decision to acquire Berrykitchen was because the company happened to have the same target market as Yummybox: Office employees with greater awareness of the health and taste aspects of the food they ate.

Today, Yummy Corp operates 25 cloud kitchen locations in the Greater Jakarta Area that serves upwards of 10,000 meals every day and has more than 3,000 menus.

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