SugarBook enables members to create ‘honest and transparent’ relationships with affluent members across the world

The concept and definition of dating is fast changing for the better. Thanks to the advent of apps like Tinder, the concept has now transcended age groups and geographies.

Sugar dating is the modern kind of dating where romance meets finance. For the uninitiated, a typical sugar relationship involves a wealthy benefactor, known as a sugar daddy/mommy, supporting his or her other half, often known as the sugar baby, financially.

In sugar dating, both genders form a relationship with a mutual understanding that all relationships are negotiable and that finances play a major role. Financial support can range from monthly allowances to paying for college tuition and settling debts.

“As per a study, financials is the number one reason for divorces in the world. This proves that not only does money make the world go round, but money also makes it easier for us to fall in love,” says Darren Chan, Founder and CEO of SugarBook, a sugar dating app based in Malaysia.

Also Read: Top reasons why we download dating apps but neglect using them afterwards

For sure, sugar dating has been gaining popularity in the region, despite it being relatively taboo in a conservative Asia. In general, sugar dating contradicts a typical Asian mindset, hence it is often perceived negatively. As per a SugarBook survey, the main reason for this is the misconception that sugar dating is just another form of prostitution.

“Sugar dating is not prostitution,” he clarifies. “It is a lifestyle, not a profession. Sugar babies are not obligated to have sex, and just like any of us they have the freedom to choose who they want to be in a relationship with. They do not exchange their bodies for money. Prostitution or the likes is a business transaction; they sell their bodies in exchange for sexual favours.”

Rolled out in January 2017, the SugarBook app, he says, enables members to create ‘honest and transparent’ relationships with affluent members across the world. It works as a conventional dating platform, except that its members are sugar daddies/mommies, who are financially capable. They not only support sugar babies financially, but are also willing to share their wide influential network of friends and experiences.

“At Sugarbook, we advise our members to always state down their unique wants and needs before getting into any relationship. This ranges from stating down their monthly allowance expectations to relationship preferences –usually known as ‘no-strings-attached relationships’, or if they would prefer monogamy relationships,” he explains.

Since inception, SugarBook claims to have witnessed an exponential growth, signalling a growing acceptance of the concept of sugar dating in the society. “While we are not able to provide a specific number, we can share that SugarBook has seen an astonishing influx of users. In January 2018 alone, we saw a 400 per cent growth rate. We currently have over 180,000 members from all over the world, and each person spends an average of 18 minutes on our app — the highest in the industry,” he boasts.

The SugarBook idea was inspired from Chan’s surroundings when he was working on a dating app. With the world full of dating apps, he knew just another such app will not take off. “I decided to venture into the online dating world, only to discover that our biggest rivals such as Tinder, Badoo and Match.com hold over 70 per cent of the market share. I knew we had to be different to survive,” he shares. “When we came across a set of data that suggested that 40 per cent of people chose ‘financials’ as the predominant criteria they look at before getting into a relationship, I knew we’ve found our unique selling point and that we were going to build a sugar community to help connect wealthy benefactors with goal empowered individuals to create mutually beneficial relationships.”

Of the 180,000 members registered with SugarBook, 70 per cent are sugar babies, which include students, single mothers and divorcees. They are predominantly from Malaysia, Singapore, the US, Hong Kong and Thailand in that order.

The startup operates on a subscription-based model. Members get to choose between US$19.95 and US$39.95 per month. The app — available on both Android and iOS platforms– is free for sugar babies.

The company will soon introduce a premium membership model.

“At Sugarbook, we understand that privacy is key and that recognition to our esteemed members is of utmost importance. Therefore, we plan to introduce a new membership known as The Diamond Members Club. The new membership attracts 20x more attention from sugar babies and proves that you have what it takes to be considered as the ultimate sugar daddy. The Diamond Members Club is our most exclusive status symbol ­­– requested by the affluent and distinguished members of our society e.g. business owners, bankers, lawyers, and politicians where privacy is of the utmost importance,” Chan elaborates.

SugarBook, he claims, has been profitable for over a year. While money is not a big challenge yet, the management is looking for funding and is in close contact with a potential investor from Hong Kong, who has recently been giving guidance and advice to the founders.

“Our goal is to expand to not only a bigger market but a more developed market such as Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan and across Southeast Asia. For that reason, an investment of any kind would be a huge added advantage,” he noted.

Also Read: Paktor CEO on why online dating is better than a school or workplace romance

Currently available only in English and Chinese, Sugarbook will soon add six more languages to its platform as it grows.

What has been your biggest learning yet?

“To hire people that is a great cultural fit, and to let go of the bad apples immediately. More importantly, compassionate management — to establish a culture that believes in values derived from traditional families, e.g. love, sharing and caring. To conclude, we work hard, we have fun and we get things done,” he signs off.

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Two highly-developed free market economies in which fintech flourishes, albeit via different approaches

One of the more recently developed fintech connections between Australia and Singapore is the partnership between Credit Card Compare, Australia’s largest credit card comparison website, and Singapore’s first rewards-based financial comparison marketplace, Finty.

The Australian company acquired Finty in mid-2018, viewing Singapore as the natural gateway to the fast-growing ASEAN region and Finty as a key plank in its growth strategy.

Although the Australian economy (GDP US$1.3 trillion in 2017) is four times larger than that of Singapore (USD 324 billion), Singapore is still one of the world’s major financial centres, ranking fourth on the Global Financial Centres Index (after New York, London and Hong Kong).

Australia (represented by Sydney, 7th, and Melbourne, 20th) is much lower down the table. So, while Singapore is clearly punching above its weight, it seems reasonable to ask the question, “How do these two financial centres differ in their treatment of fintech companies, and in what ways are they similar?”.

The results may surprise you.

Comparing the two economies Both countries have a strong and highly-developed free market economy. While Australia’s nominal GDP is four times that of Singapore, a different picture emerges when GDP PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) is compared.

Also Read: We’re revealing 10 more exhibitors for Echelon Asia Summit 2019!

The figure for Singapore is US$94,105 per capita, is nearly twice as high as Australia’s US$50,391, and the third-largest in the world. Australia is currently the only country in the world with 27 years of uninterrupted economic growth, but the economy, though stable, is undergoing significant change following the 2012 peak in the mining investment boom and the subsequent slowdown.

The services sector accounts for 61 per cent of GDP, with minerals and agriculture the main exports. Free trade agreements with China, Japan, South Korea and other ASEAN nations facilitate the 64 per cent of exports which go to East Asia. The 25 million population provides a skilled workforce which, together with its rank of 13/180 in the Corruption Perceptions Index, makes Australia an attractive destination for foreign investment.

Singapore, the location for APEC’s headquarters, is a regional hub for wealth management. It has an open and corruption-free business environment (3/180 in the Corruption Perceptions Index) and a government which promotes economic growth through fiscal incentives, public investment, workforce skill set development in its 5.8 million population, and economic diversification.

Once again, service industries dominate, but despite the shortage of raw materials and water it is also a major electronics and chemicals manufacturer as well as being home to one of the world’s largest ports.

The financial regulatory environments

Australia’s financial system are regulated and supervised by four government agencies which together form the Council of Financial Regulators: APRA (Australian Prudential Regulation Authority), ASIC (Australian Securities and Investment Commission), the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Australian Government Department of the Treasury. A fifth agency, ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission), regulates anti-competitive behaviour. Recent intensified scrutiny on the Australian financial services sector has resulted in the introduction of BEAR (Banking Executive Accountability Regime) regulations as well as the 2018 Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry.

Despite some of the Royal Commission’s adverse findings, the regulatory environment itself is still regarded as transparent, efficient and conducive to entrepreneurship. Singapore, by contrast, has a single regulator and supervisor of the financial services sector, in the shape of MAS (Monetary Authority of Singapore), which oversees the application of the 1970 Banking Act and later amendments.

The principal objectives of MAS are economic growth through price stability, fostering financial stability and the continuing growth of Singapore a reputable and competitive financial centre, and the effective management of foreign reserves.

In 2017 MAS released an Industry Transformation MAP (ITM) to facilitate innovation in the financial sector, including appropriate and supportive regulation. Two nations progressing towards open banking.

As the world moves towards open banking – opening up competition in the financial sector by putting the control of customer data into the hands of customers – Australia and Singapore are not quite leading the field, but are not far behind.

The UK and European Union already have compulsory regimes, while Australia’s is imminent and Singapore’s is on the ‘emerging’ list.

Since customer data is currently stored digitally in many thousands of databases worldwide, accessed by a similar number of software programs, one of the main ways in which open banking will be achieved is via APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), allowing external developers to access financial institutions’ software systems in order to create useful new applications for customers.

Open banking and APIs in Australia

In Australia, the government is in the process of rolling out Customer Data Right legislation which will give individuals the right to access specified data held on them by businesses, and to authorise secure access to this data by accredited data recipients such as banks, telcos and other utilities.

The country’s four major banks are expected to make bank transaction, credit and debit card account data available by 1st July 2019. There are also plans to establish an enhanced regulatory sandbox to allow new financial product concepts to be evaluated for commercial viability.

Australian bank NAB has a number of APIs in place. Its seamless integration with Xero’s accounting cloud ecosystem allows small businesses to streamline their accounting systems and save valuable time. And, its QuickBiz Loan product utilises APIs from both Xero and MYOB to access business accounting data to enable a speedy credit decision on small business loans.

ANZ, another of Australia’s largest banks, has developed eGate, a product which offers easy integration with online store software, including secure online payments via Mastercard Internet Gateway Services, and mobile payments via Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Citi’s collaboration with Qantas allowed the airline to use the banking giant’s APIs to launch two new white-labelled credit cards and a mobile app within a nine-month timeframe.

Open banking and APIs in Singapore

In Singapore, although the government is not legislating to enforce open banking, it is supporting voluntary initiatives, allowing financial institutions and fintech companies to experiment with innovative products.

The MAS API Register lists hundreds of APIs from Citi, OCBC, DBS, Standard Chartered and NETS. They include Product APIs (financial product information, rates, branch/ATM locations), Sales & Marketing APIs (product sign-ups, sales and leads generation), Servicing APIs (managing customer profiles and feedback), Transaction APIs (payments, funds transfers, settlements, trading) and ‘Other’ APIs (e.g. authentication, authorisation, reporting, market data and compliance).

Additionally, DBS, OCBC, UOB and Standard Chartered have begun a pilot with the collaboration of MAS and other government agencies, to use the government-created MyInfo service.

MyInfo is a one-stop data platform that saves time by automatically filling out online forms (e.g. credit card sign-up, bank account opening) with a single sign-in and no need to upload any verification documents, since these are authenticated when a MyInfo profile is first created.

Banks and fintechs collaborate to create the future of financial services in Asia and Oceania

Australian bank Westpac has committed AUD 150 million in venture capital funding to venture capital group Reinventure, which has provided funding to start-ups like Ping Data.

Ping auto-links to a user’s credit or debit card and attaches receipts to the corresponding transaction within a banking app.

In other news, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia recently completed a regtech pilot with fintech Ascent Technologies, using NLP and AI to convert 1.5 million paragraphs of financial regulation into bitesize, actionable tasks, saving countless hours of manual processing.

The bank, in conjunction with government agencies, has also successfully trialled a ‘smart money’ blockchain-powered concept, which could be used to help manage insurance payouts and the management of trusts and charities.

In Singapore, UOB and SGInnovate’s joint venture, FinLab, is an ASEAN fintech accelerator. It has helped companies like CardUp (large online payments earn rewards points even where credit cards are not accepted)and Aimazing (platform agnostic payment method enabling contactless mobile payments using soundwaves).

OCBC Bank Singapore’s Open Vault program is a permanent open call to innovative global fintech firms to collaborate with the bank to create solutions that will benefit customers. Similarly, DBS Bank defines its Asia X initiative as ‘a space where we collaborate with start-ups and the broader fintech community to reimagine, inspire and create the future of innovation’.

How the public and private sectors are funding fintech startups

Venture capital and angel investors are active in the fintech space in both Australia and Singapore.

In Australia there’s the already mentioned Reinventure, for example, plus groups like H2 ventures and Sapien Ventures.

Operating in the same arena, Singapore has organisations like Golden Gate Ventures and Jungle Ventures.

Crowdfunding for fintech start-ups is available in both jurisdictions, in Australia only recently after legislation for equity crowdfunding was passed in 2017, and recently amended to include proprietary (privately-owned) companies.

Federal government grants are available in Australia through its CSIRO On Accelerate and CSIRO Kick start programs. There are also state government grants for start-ups and SMEs.

Also Read: Listen to these expert speakers at Echelon to know whether blockchain is just a hype or not

Enterprise Singapore has similar start-up grants, early-stage funding, mentorship and government/private co-investment schemes. The low-tax regime in Singapore, including 0 per cent tax on dividends and capital gains and a low top corporate tax rate of 17 per cent, fosters fintech investment.

In Australia, although the top corporate tax rate is a high 30 per cent, there is an R&D tax incentive in place, as well as an instant US$20,000 asset write-off for small businesses.

Two economies, two companies, one fintech future

Australia relies heavily on central government taxation and regulation to drive its economy and impose innovation on a financial market which is nevertheless ready with its own initiatives.

In contrast, the low-taxing Singaporean government appears to see its role as more of a fintech facilitator than an enforcer, and the corruption-free financial market where the private sector is driving rapid change is an indicator of the success of this approach.

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The post A comparison of the fintech climates in Australia and Singapore: same same but different appeared first on e27.

The startup was previously backed by ESP Capital and Framgia Inc.

Uiza.io, Singapore-grown startup that provides streaming technology to make videos accessible, announced that it has closed US$1.5 million seed round through Surge.

Surge is a Sequoia Capital India’s initiative in a form of a scale-up program that seeks to enable access to capital, talent, network, and decades of company-building knowledge. It targets startups in India and Southeast Asia.

Uiza said that it will use the funding to build its products further.

“We plan to use our latest fund raised to attract talented engineers so we can deploy our proprietary technology globally,” said Uiza CEO Kevin Nguyen.

Using its streaming operation system, Uiza addresses the problem of video delivery, especially in developing countries where infrastructure is fragmented. Uiza offers a hardware-agnostic software coupled with a distributed edge delivery network to help their clients broadcast video contents globally at local cost.

Recent Visual Networking Index research by Cisco showed that video streaming and live streaming will account for 80 per cent and 17 per cent of total Internet traffic by 2022. In the next three years, video streaming will have a compound annual growth rate of 33 per cent and 72.7 per cent for live streaming.

Despite the rapid growth of video, the adoption of both video and live streaming is still challenging due to its complex software development and infrastructure, especially relating to bandwidth to process and deliver.

Also Read: KOKU raises US$2M pre-Series A funding from Tencent’s Jason Zeng

Uiza claimed that its platform leverages machine learning and data science to streamline this workflow and make in-local content delivery routing decisions.

With a simple API, all the complexity in the process is hidden through a hardware-agnostic infrastructure, giving users complete control, availability, and scalability. It translates to the access for developers to add both video and live streaming into their application with a few lines of code.

“At Uiza, we believe that enabling developers, startups, and businesses with video capability is a great way to make positive impacts to the society and to make the world a better place,” said Nguyen.

Its most famous customers is LINE, , which uses Uiza’s platform to stream content that caters to millions of women in Vietnam.

Other customers include e-commerce platforms that allow sellers to demonstrate their products and interact with buyers in real time through livestreaming. It also helps a regional online education company deliver their learning materials to millions of students in Southeast Asia. Finally, an e-sports streaming platform in Indonesia uses the product.

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Image Credit: Uiza

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Asia Cybersecurity Exchange claims that it’s the first cybersecurity accelerator in the country

Asia Cybersecurity Exchange (ASIACYBERX), the cybersecurity platform, has come through with its plan to cultivate and nurture more local cybersecurity talent via a RM200 million (US$48 million) Cybersecurity Accelerator Programme.

ASIACYBERX claimed that the Accelerator Programme is part of its long-term plan to create a broader pool of cybersecurity talent by developing young innovative startups into high-growth potential businesses. It hopes to help boost Malaysia’s overall digital economy.

The Accelerator Programme emphasises active mentorship to help local startups and entrepreneurs commercialise their solutions and products, fine-tuning business models, and secure funding and networking opportunities within its existing network. The network itself comprises of more than 20 mentors, entrepreneurs, and industry experts.

According to the Ministry of Communication and Multimedia, Malaysia is one of the top three ASEAN countries that are expected to contribute 75 per cent of the regional cybersecurity services market share by 2025.

The initiative is already supported by several key government agencies, including Ministry of Communications and Multimedia, National Cyber Security Agency Malaysia (NACSA), Malaysian Multimedia and Communication Commission, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), and Bank Negara Malaysia.

Also Read: KOKU raises US$2M pre-Series A funding from Tencent’s Jason Zeng

ASIACYBERX, the company behind the accelerator program, was launched in April 2018 to “strengthen the country’s growing cybersecurity ecosystem to support Malaysia’s transformation into a world-class cybersecurity resource hub”. It is solely owned by ACE Accelerator Network Sdn Bhd, which was formed following a partnership between LE Global Services Sdn Bhd (LGMS), that holds the majority of professional security testing firms in the country, and the ACE Group, a diversified investment conglomerate.

LGMS Chief Executive Officer, Fong Choong Fook, will be the lead mentor for the Accelerator Programme.

“In today’s digitised world, cybersecurity is no longer a technology need, but rather a key business enabler. Businesses are increasingly investing in security solutions and services to counter attacks and ensuring their data is secure. Through this programme, ASIACYBERX is happy to play an active role in expanding the local cybersecurity ecosystem by nurturing home-grown talent and competencies,” said Fong.

The program itself will not limit the selection process to pure cybersecurity players; instead it is open to startups in IT security, big data analytics, and cybersecurity-related solutions.

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Image Credit: ASIACYBERX

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But I swear it was for a good reason

Disclaimer: I do not cry very easily. It is actually a Herculean task for me to shed a tear, even when I feel sad.

Back when the movie Titanic (1997) was released, everybody seemed to be lamenting about Rose letting go of Jack and allowing him to drown in the ocean. It was a painfully romantic scene, they all said. But my heart remained unmoved. It was a movie about a sinking boat; if you had to cry, then cry for all the victims and the boat company for allowing this to happen. Not for romance.

But one night, in 2016, I was immediately brought to tears when I ordered dinner through Go-Food, the food delivery service of Indonesian ride-hailing giant Go-Jek.

Nothing remarkable happened when I ordered my food; everything was business as usual. I struggle to remember the menu that I had picked, but it was likely from a nearby Chinese restaurant.

This was why it was such a surprise when the driver took more than an hour to deliver the meal. Just as I was about to complain, the door bell rang. I rushed to the door only to be greeted by not one, but two Go-Jek drivers standing in front of the gate.

I was seeing double. I must have been really hungry.

But when Driver One greeted me, I realised that I was not hallucinating: There were indeed two Go-Jek drivers –which was unusual and unlikely. They both arrived at my place using a single motorbike that belonged to Driver Two.

Also Read: Go-Jek and Jokowi share flatteries before Indonesia election

Before I had the opportunity to ask, Driver One explained that he had to deliver the meal by hitchhiking a ride with the second driver.

After he picked up my meal at the restaurant, Driver One was on his way to deliver when he had a flat tire. In the midst of this catastrophe, Driver Two showed up and offered to help him. He happened to be waiting for an order nearby — I imagined under a tree — and saw the whole incident. His friends, who also happened to be hanging out around the spot, even offered to keep watch of Driver One’s motorbike.

Both drivers were very proud of the fact that they managed to complete this task — together.

Now, I always have respect for people who are committed. Especially those who work really hard to fulfil this commitment.

There could be many reasons why the drivers were so determined to deliver the meal on time. Most likely, it involved money. But in my life, I have seen many instances when people failed to fulfil their commitment and not feel ashamed of it. (Yes, we are supposed to view failure positively but I do not think this is the kind of failure we are talking about.)

Also, it takes a certain level of maturity to be genuinely happy about another’s success, especially when you had nothing to gain from it.

This is why the two Go-Jek drivers made me cry that night. Two honest, hardworking gentlemen exercised great teamwork in order to make sure a task got done. They did this despite the fact that the financial gain can only go the first person, and the second person will get nothing but a smile and a thank you.  (And an op-ed on e27, because you are amazing, sir).

When it was first launched, Go-Jek was seen as the answer to many customer pain points. As the years go by, some of these points may stand while some do not.

There have been criticism against the company for adjusting their tariff and making their driver-partners work harder for less. My blood boils every time I hear of something like this, especially when I think of the two Go-Jek drivers that I met that night.

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

As customers, I believe that it is within our obligation to ensure that businesses are being run ethically and that it remains true to its vision of society empowerment, starting from those who had made their success possible. It can begin from our willingness to pay for their services just a little bit more, and yes, always tip your drivers especially when they do their job well.

I also believe that at this level, the company can afford to increase their tariff and not losing their customers, as it has become such an integral part of many Indonesians’ lives –like Teh Botol.

For many of these drivers, companies such as Go-Jek have made their life better than before. We need them to remain that way.

 

The post This is the story of how two Go-Jek drivers once made me cry appeared first on e27.

Once you have basic stuff, you can start developing additional features and functionalities

Deciding on the right tech stack is one of the key steps to successfully going live. However, this step is also one of the most difficult steps in software development.

Choosing the wrong tools or frameworks can lead to delays in project implementation, increased costs, and significant changes in the entire SDLC.

In this article, you will learn how to act when you want to start developing a project. This step-by-step guide is a good read for startups, beginners to software development, young entrepreneurs, and those who want to refresh their management skills.

Step 1 – Start with a simple landing page.

Take your time, and first off, build a simple landing page. Let it tell your potential customers what actually your project is about. This way, you’ll be able to explore if your product or service is interesting to people.

You can learn what kind of audience could buy or use your product, and how many people show an interest in it.

As soon as you understand that your product is workable, you can start developing it. Firstly, you can get an MVP done. Secondly, you can start building a feature by feature. This approach is good because you see the real-time situation and make any changes needed on time.

Step 2 – Make a list of requirements.

Before starting any project, you should know well what you want to get from it. Defining the problems you would like to solve is one of the most crucial things to consider first.

The next thing to pay attention to is your users. You should take into account what kind of people will use your application, website, or system. What devices do these people prefer to use? What type of Internet connection, what browsers do they use?

Also Read: Listen to these expert speakers at Echelon to know whether blockchain is just a hype or not

Performance, speed, flexibility, and scalability are also very important factors affecting the choice of a technology stack. You need to think of these things beforehand if you want, for example, to scale up your system with the growth of users number.

Check out what types of data you want to migrate if you’re migrating to the cloud, for example. And, the last but not the least, – think about the security issues your product may face.

Once you know this, you’ll be able to decide on how you will secure your product.

Step 3 – Choose the right people and the right tools.

Before starting to build your project, check what specialists and instruments stand behind the technology you selected.

GitHub, for example, offers a perfect way to find out what you actually need by consulting a list of platforms, back-end technologies, front-end technologies, databases, and lots of other stuff.

Step 4 – Check out open source.

Don’t want to start everything afresh? Check out open source solutions. OS technologies work well when you need to consult some software geeks. Consulting open source communities can significantly save your time and efforts.

If you deal with open source, you need to know a few important things such as follows:

• What type of license open source technology has?
• Are you able to build the required functionalities with a given technology?
• How many tech geeks are there in the community?
• Do you easily understand the source code?
• Will you have access to the documentation?

Step 5 – Check the latest technology trends.

The evolution of technology brings lots of innovative tools, frameworks, and other stuff. Have we ever thought of having smart houses or wearables? The use of artificial intelligence, neural networks, machine learning, and other smart things facilitates effective working processes.

Isn’t it awesome that manual humans’ work can be replaced with machines?

Once you’ve decided to build something new, check out the trends. It can help you make the data-driven decision when you choose a technology stack for your project.

Step 6 – Pick up a trusted vendor.

First off, you should choose between in-house developers and outsourcing. The first way is good if you are 100 per cent sure that your engineers have all the required skills and knowledge to complete the project.

The second way is better if you plan a long-term project requiring specific skills and competencies. Besides, outsourcing can significantly save your costs, time, and efforts.

On this stage, you will also need to undertake some research on software development rates, deadlines, terms and conditions, etc. It will take some time but it’s worth your efforts.

Finding the right vendor means finding a reliable one. Oftentimes, customers are deceived with unfair providers. Thus, you must be very careful when choosing a company.

To find a trusted partner, check their reputation online. There are many websites such as Clutch or Good Firms where you can find reviews on the company of your choosing. Moreover, you can read there some feedback and look through portfolios.

Step 7 – Think about the future of your project.

In the fast-paced digital world, technologies change rapidly. You should keep this in mind and prepare for possible changes. Flexibility is one of the major things you need to discuss with a potential vendor. You can tell about your plans for the future for the vendor to offer you the best options possible.

Step 8 – Build basic things.

To test the team of your choosing, you can have an MVP done first. In such a way, your potential users can test the system and send some feedback. The team, in their turn, will learn what changes they need to make to improve performance and user experience.

Once you have basic stuff, you can start developing additional features and functionalities.

Step 9 – Be prepared to go live.

While your team is working, you need to craft an effective marketing strategy and prepare to go live. Having the right marketing kit is as equally important as having the right technology stack. If you don’t know what to do with the ready product, you will easily fail.

Also Read: 10 startups shine at The Start’s pre-accelerator Demo Day stage

To make your final product successful, you should hire professional and highly motivated management staff. These people will help you choose the right marketing tools and promote awareness about your product or services.

To make the long story short, choosing a stack is half the battle. You must create a step-by-step strategy to develop a project of high quality. You have to hire reliable people.

And finally, you should always double-check everything, learn about new trends, obtain new skills, and motivate your team to successfully launch the project.

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e27 publishes relevant guest contributions from the community. Share your honest opinions and expert knowledge by submitting your content here.

The post Selecting the best technology stacks for your project in 9 steps appeared first on e27.

By mixing the real with the virtual worlds, AR is creating immersive experiences that allow users to feel that they are interacting personally with their digital environment

Augmented reality is the integration of game visual and audio content with a user environment in real time, unlike virtual reality which creates completely an artificial environment. Augmented reality in the gaming industry uses the existing environment and creates a playing field within it. AR games can be played on smartphones, tablets, and portable gaming system. It is the integration of digital information and overlays new information on top of it.

The first commercial application of AR technology was the yellow “first down” line that began appearing the football games in 1998.

AR technology in the gaming industry provides with an interactive experience of a real-world environment where the objects that reside in the real world are augmented. This revolutionary technology makes a greater impact on gaming while covering other industries like healthcare, e-commerce, retail, marketing, education, military, automotive and much more. This advanced technology is rapidly changing the way the gaming industry works and contributing a lot towards it.

The value of the augmented reality gaming is expected to reach almost $285 billion by 2023

Let’s find out how augmented reality is redefining the gaming industry and making it revolutionary.

1. Rapid Growth of Gaming

Augmented reality is bridging the gap between the users and game developers. This technology has gone beyond face filters and widely adopted by the organisation to provide the user with the ultimate gaming experience.  It incorporates advanced features which make games extremely addictive and leverage developers while encouraging them to enhance their skills. The rapid growth of augmented reality game development helps in developing engaging games and grow the overall gaming market.

2. Make Appealing Games

Augmented reality in gaming industry creates an immersive experience for the users and allow them to feel that they are interacting personally with their digital environment. AR layers digital improvement to provide an existing real-life setting by appealing to the senses. This advanced technology helps to drive the attention of millions of obsessive gamers and deliver an unforgettable experience. It uses computer-generated objects and implements them in real life to convert an engaging and thrilling experience.

Also read: Beyond gaming, these are 6 potentially disruptive uses of augmented reality

3. Better Consoles

Choosing the greatest console is a lot harder than your imagination due to the exceptional gaming market. Augmented Reality in-game development, bringing new opportunities for developers and providing them with advanced technological solutions. For obsessive gamers and developers, there are multiple options available, using that they can make your vision and imagination advance than ever before.

4. Replacing Traditional Gaming

Augmented reality creates endless possibilities in gaming while considering recent trends accurately. It enhances the working of enterprises by providing them with numerous benefits.  It has replaced all the traditional gaming system like Xbox, Nintendo, and PlayStation with new techniques and trends. Its bringing revolution in the gaming industry and introducing new innovations and creativity. These apps are written in special 3D programs which allow users to play level up animation and provides with transforming transactions.

Change of Perspective

AR adds digital representation and data of supplement views of the real world giving user outstanding games. Augmented Reality in Game Development constantly uses smart glasses support, 3D tracking, geolocation and much more to bring innovation and exclusive games. AR core is used to change users view with animated 3D content. Its creative design has more potential than any other technology.

Technologies Used to Build Augmented Reality Games

Mid-generation advancement and technology rise has taken AR game development on another level. For gamers and developers, there are multiple options available, using that they can make your vision and imagination unbeatable. There are incredible game development companies who have started using augmented reality keeping the latest trends in mind all over the world. Discover the mysterious gaming world and indulge yourself in the most exciting play using these technologies:

• Unity 5
• ARPA
• XCode 7
• Wikitude
• Vuforia

AR games are designed for multiple platforms. It has blurred the line between what is real and what is computer generated by adding special effects and advanced tools. Not just that It’s changing the forever way of people use and interact with technology. It has taken over the gaming industry by bringing new trends and technology while enhancing user experience.

Also read: Augmented Reality is creating an enormous opportunity for retail businesses, and here are 5 ways online and offline platforms can benefit

Augmented Reality is The Future of Gaming

Every time this advance technology has exceeded the expectations and beaten the estimates of the market by coming up with something really great. It’s a groundbreaking technology which really brings something innovative and creative in the market every single time. Pokemon Go is one of the most loved games of augmented reality. Due to its reputation and marvelous gaming experience it has won the heart of millions. It is favoured with a vision-based algorithm that gives exceptional clarity to object, graphics, and sounds while grabbing the attention of millions.

Augmented Reality is one of the successful technology, which brings digital creation to life. For developers around the world, it’s creating immense opportunities while promising pathbreaking carrier with a course of learning. It has a great contribution towards increasing computing capabilities of our smartphone. It’s an incredible technology, capable of providing a great experience converting a field into a battlefield.

This prominent technology allows gamers to interact with the real world in digital form while experiencing a real-life environment. Technology is changing the world at a rapid phase whole giving gamers a great experience and greater innovations.

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Photo by Andreas Kind on Unsplash

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Don’t miss the second set of companies who will be gracing the halls and showcasing their work at the Echelon Asia Summit 2019

There are lots of great reasons for you to come to Echelon Asia Summit 2019! With more than 15,000 people attending from over 30 countries, the Echelon Asia Summit brings together a full-range of personalities across the field of tech: from tech enthusiasts, to up-and-coming startup founders, and even to leaders and experts! This makes Echelon Asia Summit 2019 the perfect opportunity for you to brush elbows with potential future partners, investors, colleagues, or other like-minded people who might appreciate your ideas!

More than 120 speakers will also be sharing key insights on emerging trends and disruptive technologies across four key stages, namely: Founder stage, Future stage, Capital stage, and the top 100 stage—where 100 of the most promising startups will be pitching live!

Also read: Check this out: first 23 exhibitors for Echelon Asia Summit 2019—announced!

And finally, one of the key features of Echelon Asia Summit 2019 is how it will showcase some of the most brilliant startup products in the region. With 300 exhibitors that will sprawl all over Singapore Expo, participants can witness firsthand how these companies are changing the world.

So without further ado, here is the first set of Echelon Asia Summit 2019 exhibitors!

 

Sneakest

 

Sneakest is every Sneakerhead’s go-to place for all things sneaker related.

 


Sportlyze Sport & eSport Entertainment

 

Sportlyze Sport & eSport Entertainment is a one stop portal for sports and eSport entertainment.

 

fewStones

 

fewStones enables you to personalise videos that can help improve conversion of your sales funnel.

 

White Labs

 

White Labs product Travelstop is a revolutionary platform aimed at modernising and simplifying business travel

 

FS Capital

 

Funding Societies | Modalku is the largest digital P2P lending platform in Southeast Asia, backed by SoftBank Ventures Asia, Sequoia Capital, Golden Gate Ventures and many more.

 

Doropu pte ltd

 

D
oropu pte ltd provides retail sales via internet

 

Collab Partnership

 

Collab is a AI-powered co-founder matching platform that aims to bring together highly compatible founders in a team.

 

InstaREM

 

InstaREM is an international payments platform that aims at making overseas money transfers cost-efficient for individuals & businesses alike.

 

SOCXO

 

SOCXO Solutions (SOCXO) is a leading Advocacy Platform that enables brands to transform their stakeholders into brand advocates.

 

Chainstack

 

Chainstack is the Ultimate Blockchain Control Panel for Business

 

Where to get tickets for Echelon Asia Summit 2019?

 

Catch this stunning set of companies showcase their brilliant work and more at the Echelon Asia Summit 2019! The event is happening from 23 – 24 May, at Hall 3A, Singapore Expo, 1 Expo Drive, Singapore. We don’t want you and your team to miss out on the important insights that will be shared by our speakers there, so get your Echelon Tickets today!

The post We’re revealing 10 more exhibitors for Echelon Asia Summit 2019! appeared first on e27.

As per iResearch Global, Alibaba’s Tmall marketplace and JD.com controlled 82 per cent of the Chinese e-commerce market last year

Amazon, facing entrenched rivals, says to shut China online store [Reuters]

Amazon.com said it will shut its China online store by July 18, as the US e-commerce giant focuses on the lucrative businesses of selling overseas goods and cloud services in the world’s most populous nation.

The move underscores how entrenched, home-grown e-commerce rivals have made it difficult for Amazon’s marketplace to gain traction in China. Consumer research firm iResearch Global said Alibaba Group’s Tmall marketplace and JD.com controlled 82 per cent of the Chinese e-commerce market last year.

An Amazon spokeswoman told Reuters on Thursday that it is notifying sellers that it will no longer operate a marketplace, nor provide seller services on Amazon.cn.

OYO China fires 25 employees for unethical practices and misconduct [The Economic Times]

OYO Jiudian, the Chinese subsidiary of SoftBank-backed hospitality chain OYO Hotels & Homes, has fired 25 employees, and issued warnings to over 100 more, as the Gurgaon-headquartered company sought to crack down on what it has described as “unethical practices”.

In a statement sent out on Wednesday, the hospitality company, which commanded a valuation of US$5 billion in its Series E funding round, said it had also formed an integrity committee to weed out instances of misconduct and unethical practices, while continuing to double down on corporate governance and ensuring compliance across levels.

Australian VC Square Peg Capital leads US$27M in healthcare startup Aidoc [DealStreetAsia]

Israeli artificial intellegence healthcare startup Aidoc has closed a US$27 million Series B led by Australian venture capital firm Square Peg Capital, it said in an announcement on Wednesday.

The latest Series B round brings Aidoc’s total funding to US$40 million.

The fresh capital raised will be used to grow Aidoc’s technology and go-to-market team to support the demand for its products.

Founded in 2016, Aidoc provides imaging solutions for radiologists to enhance their diagnosis by flagging acute anomalies in real-time. Its solutions are currently deployed at over 100 medical centers and has reviewed a total of 1 million patients – the largest number of images analysed by an AI tool, the startup claims.

Videoconferencing company Zoom prices IPO at US$36 per share [CNBC]

Videoconferencing company Zoom priced its IPO at US$36 per share, above of its already-increased range. That values the business at US$9.2 billion.

Zoom, which is slated to start trading on Thursday on the Nasdaq, had originally given a pricing range of US$28 to US$32, but investor demand was so high for the profitable, fast-growing company, that the offering ended up well above that mark. CNBC had reported earlier on Wednesday that the company would price at the top end of the increased range — US$33 to US$35 — and possibly above it.

The post Today’s top tech news, April 18: Amazon to shut China online store; OYO fires 25 staffers for misconduct appeared first on e27.

The Singapore-based fintech works with non-bank financial institutions and liquidity providers to allows its technology assisting on faster and cheaper digital money transfer

KOKU, Singapore-based fintech that focusses on foreign currency exchange, announced that it has raised a US$2 million pre-Series A funding led by Jason Zeng, the co-founder of Tencent Holdings who also founded China-based angel investment company Decent Capital.

The funding will be focussed on KOKU’s product development and regional expansion to neighboring countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar.

With the funding, KOKU said that it will pull its resources to expand and grow FX TechUP Suite. It will offer artificial intelligence technology and machine learning to utilise data for users in the ecosystem.

The immediate plan to execute, the company said, would be improving the technology for non-bank remittance and liquidity providers that it believes will push their business further for the next six months.

KOKU works with non-bank financial institutions including non-bank remittance companies in Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Philippines, and liquidity providers. KOKU’s technology allows these institutions to have a faster, more affordable, digital remittance for their customers.

Also Read: LINE’s Managing Director for Thailand is stepping down

The company said it will also increase its employees to 30 per cent for the next six months to increase the transaction volume from US$10 million per day to US$30 million.

The World Bank’s recent report showcased that remittance sector in 2019 will grow to 4.2 per cent from US$142 billion value estimation in 2018 in East Asia and Asia Pacific alone. KOKU wants to ride on the opportunity to increase the cross-country transaction, digital money transfer, and the overall financial inclusion.

“We are aware that the non-bank remittance and liquidity provider service is a complex business model that requires hard work. But it will be rewarding if we can provide the same facility to these underserved groups and help them in their operation,” said Calvin Goh, founder and CEO KOKU.

KOKU targets to close the Series A round at US$10 million in its first semester this year.
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Image Credit: KOKU

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