Santo Purnama, co-founder of Singapore-based biotech startup Sensing Self, has developed a rapid self-test kit for COVID-19, for people who want to test themselves at the comfort of their homes.

The product has already obtained a license from Europe (with CE certification), India (approved by the National Institute of Virology and the Indian Council of Medical Research), and the US (through Food and Drug Administration).

The kit uses enzyme analysis to offer results in around 10 minutes, instead of using nostril swab tests, which take up to an hour.

According to Purnama, the product is priced at a low rate of US$10 per unit is because he considers this as a social mission to help save more lives.

As per a company statement, the Indian government has already ordered millions of test kits, while Europe and the US have already certified it.

The kits are currently available in 14 countries, including Italy, Spain, Germany, the UK, Czech Republic,  Switzerland, SouthKorea, China, Lebanon, Japan, India, Netherlands, the UAE and South America.

Purnama also expressed his disappointment that even four weeks after the product was developed, the Indonesian government has failed to determine the approval status of the self-test kit.

“We have sent out Sensing Self test kits to help renowned research institutions, such as the Mayo Clinic, the University of California San Francisco, and Chan Zuckerberg Biohub. We always maintain the quality of each unit, as well as its accuracy, because we understand that this is a medical tool highly related to one’s health. Early detection of the COVID-19 virus can make a difference between life and death,” he said.

Also Read: COVID-19 may drive us apart today, but it could bring humanity closer in the future

Currently, Purnama and his team are developing a test that can detect COVID-19 infection as soon as a person is exposed to the virus. Sensing Self team plans to launch this product soon.

“The war against COVID-19 is a war against time. We must reduce the growth rate of this pandemic by carrying out tests as widely as possible. That said, we hope that the Indonesian government could authorise our initiative to bring these independent test kits to Indonesia,” Purnama added.

“If everyone has access to self-test kits, we can minimise the risk of infection when patients need to come to the hospital for the test. At the same time, we can relieve the burden of medical personnel who are already very overwhelmed,” he continued.

The post Indonesian entrepreneur develops FDA-approved rapid self-test kit priced at US$10 for COVID-19 appeared first on e27.

The current state of affairs has brought light to some very harsh realities in full force, and our daily lives are massively altered in dramatic ways, not seen before in our lifetime. It’s been more than three months since COVID-19 emerged and all regular businesses have come to a halt.

While we believe that our diverse model that includes retail makes us more adaptable than other retailers, it wasn’t designed for such a pandemic that we face today. We have taken some really agonising decisions of having the team and management to go on major no-pay leave but in lieu of having them reinstated once we deem fit as a group when the crisis is over.

Here are some of the movements that we have taken in the short term to alleviate and maximise on our business model throughout this pandemic.

These could also be immediate solutions that retailers with brick and mortar stores can take to mitigate cash flow constraints, redeploy digital marketing spend and respond to the sharp decline in indirect revenue. 

Use of social media for direct sales 

Having a solid database across our community allows us to fully engage with our customers. We implemented live streams of product presentations and created unique discount codes to draw attention.

The complexity of tech products allows us to build a more experiential video through our efforts, which allows consumers to be in the comforts of their homes, too. The call-to-action is much more apparent through these engagements and the commitment to make a purchase is higher. 

Having built a strong relationship with crowdfunding creators worldwide, the live streams are often shared by creators to draw additional traffic to the live streams. It provides a sense of realness and emotional pull to consumers when creators are involved.

Promotion or gift cards

Gift cards are a great incentive for recurring purchases from customers. They combine the benefits of merchandise with cash and provide people with a choice of how they prefer to use their awards.

To further incentivise customers, provide discounts or work with complimentary local businesses that create co-marketing opportunities to acquire new customers. Digital gift cards have been something we have initiated a long time ago and this need becomes more apparent now more than ever.

Ultimately, it provides us with an immediate infusion of cash flow and the certainty of a returning customer. Include these incentives in your email campaigns, and foster a better long-term relationship with your customers.

Crowdfunding fireside chats

Due to the nature of our diverse business model, we establish ourselves as the thought leaders that take ideas to reality. Firechats allow a more intimate approach and focus mostly on building meaningful exchanges of information.

It allows the guest to feel casual and comfortable.

They are usually more likely to open up more to their personal stories and insights. Without the formality, users get a more detailed understanding of the speaker’s character and being, which builds the emotional connection.

Potential creators or the public are mostly brand advocates that love their Kickstarter or Indiegogo brands.

These fireside chats are popular as we act as the platform for both creators and the public to build a bond through our network and audiences. Fireside chats draw traffic to our marketing and consultancy services that aid new or current creators build traction for their crowdfunding campaigns or if they are starting one.

Thought leadership posts

Most users are probably working from home and their time is very much spent online. We started writing more about different aspects of crowdfunding and practices within the industry, offering our expertise as thought leaders in our industry.

We address current issues for new creators and provide advice on topics they could only get from our experts within the company.

Organic content creation allows our users the insights and knowledge behind sensitive and valuable topics like product entry viability into the market, pricing strategies, and even negotiation skills.

However, articles are not maximised if they are not tied in into email campaigns or social media, so always provide that opportunity to showcase visibility to your users at every opportunity too.

Extend payables with suppliers

We work with many suppliers in our retail arm and credit terms are always helpful in such a time like this. One way to hold onto working capital is to establish a long credit line with suppliers.

Of course, it depends on the relationship that you have with them and thankfully at WTP, we always had that since we started operations due to the unique nature of the business and our exceptional track record with sales and branding.

Most suppliers would want to work long term with you on the retail front as it would mean more sales too. It has to be mutually beneficial for both parties, with terms that preserve the integrity and longevity of supplier relationships.

Retailers do need the products for sales to pay off suppliers, and suppliers should work out a better credit term to retain long term sustainability.

Supporting small and local businesses

I speak on behalf of many independent businesses, entrepreneurs, creators, and individuals all around the world. This virus reminds us that we are all connected and equal, regardless of our religion, status, occupation and how famous we might be.

While we advise our customers to save and buy smarter, the truth is that the threat of our economy shutting down is real if people stop buying altogether. So we are still asking people to buy, not necessary from us; but from any independent or local businesses that you know. 

Large corporations have vast financial resources to survive on, but the rest of us need your fullest support so that we can all have choices once this crisis is over.

It could be the bakery in your local neighbourhood, the clothing brand that your friend owns, your favourite food hawker a couple of miles away, or even the florist you got your yearly flowers from for your loved ones. 

For our part, we will do whatever we can to have our team employed and work for our vision and creators. But without sales, that becomes totally impossible. It’s not business as usual here at WTP.

But we are counting on you to our large community of startups and brand owners. Community work is something we are all too familiar with, and that is crowdfunding.

The power of the masses should be in full exercise with social responsibility during these trying times. Obviously, I’m not saying that we should all buy mindlessly. But basic economic principles demand that we continue to support so that our friends and neighbours can continue to work.

It’s so important to maintain some form of normalcy in such tough times. Now is the time for togetherness, individual responsibility, and collective generosity.

It’s time to show we can do better when facing adversity. The world has been through a crisis before and we will emerge stronger together. Stay safe, stay strong and think of others now more than ever.

–

Register for a live meditation session with e27 and Bjorn Lee and learn to keep your cool through the COVID-19 crisis.

Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing contributions from the community. Become a thought leader in the community and share your opinions or ideas and earn a byline by submitting a post. We are discussing inclusivity at work and women all of March. Share your thoughts, tips and best practices on how we can make the startup ecosystem more inclusive, gender and culture diverse.

Join our e27 Telegram group, or like the e27 Facebook page.

Image credit: Li Yang on Unsplash

The post How can startups survive COVID-19? appeared first on e27.

B2B agriculture marketplace TaniHub lands US$17M Series A+ funding 

Indonesia-based agritech startup TaniHub has announced the closing of  US$17 million Series A+ round of investment, co-led by Openspace Ventures and Intudo Ventures.

Other investors who joined this round were UOB Venture Management, Vertex Ventures, BRI Ventures, Tenaya Capital and Golden Gate Ventures.

With this round, TaniHub aims to strengthen its market position and accelerate the expansion of service and geographical coverage for farmers and customers to encourage and build inclusivity.

Alongside funding news, TaniHub also announced it will launch a new automated packing and processing centre (PPC) in Malang, East Java, in an effort to reach more farmers.

TaniHub connects farmers with more than 5,000 business customers from small and medium enterprises (SMEs), hotels, restaurants, food processing industry as well as retail customers.

“Agriculture is a key sector in Indonesia, and the industry’s efficiency enhancements can help ensure the welfare and sustainability of livelihoods and communities. We are supportive of TaniHub’s philosophy and look forward to the improvements and opportunities its platform will bring to Indonesia’s agricultural supply chain,” commented Seah Kian Wee, CEO of UOB Venture Management.

IoT Tribe announces 12 startups selected for its Deep Tech Accelerator Programme

IoT Tribe, an equity-free accelerator primarily focusing on getting IoT startups from design to market, has announced a new initiative for deeptech startups.

The programme will be running in three cohorts in Singapore over 2020 and 2021, where startups will attend workshops, one-to-one business planning sessions and get pitch coaching.

The 12 companies in the first cohort are:

AtomBrush – a robotics startup based in Singapore that builds products from scratch

Avirtech – provides drones and other smart technologies for the agriculture industry

Leorix — manages infrastructure for high-frequency data pipelines to reduce time and money spent on building complex custom solutions.

Also Read: Ex-Oway Directors e-commerce app Ezay makes life easy for rural woman retailers in Myanmar

Meracle – harnesses digital technology to optimise asthma therapy

Moaah – offers business development tracking and analytics software for professionals.

MyrLabs – builds technologies to enable fast-moving robots

PhonePass – a two-factor authentication technology firm based in Australia

Psion Insights – specialises in digital advisors, machine learning, deep learning, predictive analytics to empower risk management

RisikoTek – uses data analytics and entity resolution to detect money laundering

SenzeHub – wearable tech that can provide patient location, vitals reading, as well as an abnormality and crisis detection through AI

SmartBeing – AI startup that focuses on smart homes, enterprises, and connected cars

WeavAir – uses advanced sensor technology, algorithms, and predictive analytics to manage heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems

gojek launches 12 welfare programmes for driver-partners 

Indonesia’s ride-hailing super app gojek has launched 12 welfare programmes to support its driver-partners affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a statement.

The fund will focus on three areas that are likely to affect drivers using the gojek platform — healthcare provision, reducing daily costs, and income assistance.

Recently, gojek co-founders and senior management had pledged 20 per cent of their annual income to support those affected by COVID-19.

The elements of the provision will include hygiene kits like masks, sanitisers and health insurance coverage and other items like affordable meals and vehicle loan payment relief.

Also Read: Morning News Roundup: SEA VC firms launch talent database of startup employees laid off due to COVID-19

“This package of initiatives is designed to cover the key areas in which drivers are likely to experience hardship as society navigates its way through the current crisis. Our team has been working very hard to initiate these programs, and there are several more in the pipeline.

Although it will take us some time to fully activate the rollout due to limited availability of supplies and social distancing measures, we want to reassure all driver-partners that gojek is here for you, just as you have always been here with us over the years,” said co-CEO Andre Soelistyo.

—

Image Credit: gojek, IoT Tribe, TaniHub

The post Afternoon News Roundup: Indonesia’s B2B agri marketplace TaniHub lands US$17M funding appeared first on e27.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to threaten the global economy, it is natural that the startup ecosystem might fear how it will impact their fundraising journey.

While investors are expected to become more cautious in the coming months, in March, fundings continued to pour in for Southeast Asian startup ecosystem. The e27 content team noticed that there seemed to be a bigger number of seed stage funding rounds being announced during the month, as opposed to Series A.

Check out the following list for a clearer picture:

Ezay
Funding: US$200,000 in Seed
Investor(s): Seiji Kurokoshi

The capital will be used to continue the rapid expansion of its retail and wholesale network within the region.

Edufied
Funding: Undisclosed Seed
Investor(s): Undisclosed

The startup is currently valuated at US$3.92 million, according to the company statement.

Kargo
Funding: Undisclosed Series A
Investor(s): Amatil X

The investment into Kargo marks Amatil X’s first investment in Indonesia.

Kyarlay
Funding: US$750,000
Investor(s): EME, United Managers Japan Inc.

Kyarlay marks EME’s eighth investment in Myanmar since launching in October 2018.

Also Read: These early stage startups receive much love from investors in February

Blue Planet
Funding: US$25 million
Investor(s): Nomura

The new capital will be used to develop its technology solutions further.

UNL
Funding: US$2 million
Investor(s): Here Technologies, Elev8, SGInnovate, Mobile Only Accelerator (MOX), VentureRock

The capital will be used to develop its technology further and for expansion in Asia.

Chilibeli
Funding: US$10 million
Investor(s):  Lightspeed Ventures, Golden Gate Ventures, Sequoia Surge, Kinesys Group, and Alto Partners

Launched in July 2019, Chilibeli empowers its agents (partners), many of whom are housewives, with the opportunity to create value for consumers, promote community bonding, and increase their household income.

Nusantics
Funding: Undisclosed Seed
Investor(s): East Ventures

The fresh funds will be used to “accelerate company in pioneering the BioGenome journey” in the country.

Pahamify
Funding: US$150,000 in Seed
Investor(s): Y Combinator

Before this funding, Pahamify has also received an undisclosed amount in grants from YouTube and Y Combinator.

EngageRocket
Funding: US$2.1 million in Series A
Investor(s): SeedPlus, Found Ventures, JobsCentral co-founder Huang Shao-Ning

The company aims to triple its revenue in 2020 and double its headcount, specifically adding advanced capabilities in engineering, people science, as well as in customer-facing roles in each SEA market to deliver personalised support.

Also Read: Starting off the new year with these early stage funding rounds of January

Right Hand
Funding: US$1 million in Seed
Investor(s): Atlas Ventures, SGInnovate, Entrepreneur First

Since launching, Right-Hand’s solutions have been used within government and financial sectors across Southeast Asia and Australia.

Novocall
Funding: US$500,000 in Seed
Investor(s): 500 Durians, 500 Startups Thailand, Expara Asia Ventures, and Exabytes founder and CEO Chan Kee Siak

While Novocall already has clients in Singapore and Malaysia, it is looking forward to expanding to Indonesia and Thailand.

Superfanz
Funding: “seven-figure” Seed
Investor(s): NXT Ventures

Superfanz seeks to address the pain point in which over 90 per cent of the creators do not earn enough money from their social media accounts to make a living.

Waste4Change
Funding: Undisclosed Seed
Investor(s): Agaeti Ventures, East Ventures, and SMDV

Waste4Change said it plans to use the funding to increase its waste management capacity, targeting to contain at least 2,000 tonnes of waste per day in 2024.

Moovaz
Funding: Undisclosed Series A
Investor(s): SCAngels, SGInnovate

Moovaz said it will use the funding to develop features that will simplify processes in the global relocation industry.

Cardiotrack
Funding: Undisclosed
Investor(s): Frontline Strategy Funds

Cardiotrack aims to bridge the gap between healthcare providers and chronic patients for affordable access to healthcare and better disease management.

Also Read: MassMutual Ventures launches US$100M second fund for Southeast Asia’s early stage startups

Sama
Funding: US$1.15M in Seed
Investor(s): Collaborative Fund,  3tcvp, Antler, Steve Melhuish, angel investors

SAMA recently became a fully-licensed agency, having obtained the Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM) license to work directly with companies to address hiring needs.

Newman
Funding: US$150,000 in Seed
Investor(s): Y Combinator

Prior to this, the startup had raised undisclosed pre-seed funding from Indonesian early-stage VC firm Everhaus.

ESPL
Funding: Undisclosed Seed
Investor(s): 500 Startups

ESPL is a global e-sports tournament platform provider focussed on creating mobile ecosystems for amateur esports leagues globally. Through ESPL’s national franchise model, up-and-coming esports talents can easily participate in global competitions, all by facilitating grassroots participation.

Datasaur
Funding: US$1 million
Investor(s): GDP Venture, angel investors

The company will use the funding to strengthen the platform capability, minimise the bias in text-labelling, and increase privacy and data security, something that’s regarded as a crucial aspect of AI-based NLP and used to be outsourced.

hoolah
Funding: Undisclosed Series A
Investor(s): Allectus, iGlobe Ventures, Genting Ventures, Max Bittner, and Tim Neville

The fundraise allows it to double down on their recently announced launch in Malaysia and fuel further expansion.

Oriente
Funding: US$20M in debt
Investor(s): Silverhorn Group

The funding will be used to grow Oriente’s loan book and extend the reach of its inclusive and affordable digital-credit and Pay Later solutions to the undervalued and credit-starved consumers and micro-enterprises in the Philippines.

Arches
Funding: US$450,000
Investor(s): I Global

With this funding, the startup aims to expand its current database and continue to grow operations in Singapore, Tokyo, Ho Chi Minh City, Shanghai and Tashkent.

—

e27 encourages startups to update their profiles on our Startup Database. Having a completed profile will provide startups with greater opportunity for exposure among our network of investors.

Image Credit: Helloquence on Unsplash

The post Despite global health crisis, March remained an exciting month for early stage startups in SEA appeared first on e27.

Despite the global health crisis, the Southeast Asian startup ecosystem remains busy with their fundraising efforts.

There was some concern that the COVID-19 pandemic might negatively impact the ecosystem. as it had been proven in various pandemics years before. But it seemed like the ecosystem was able to go through the crisis –at least for the time being.

The following is a list of notable later stage funding rounds that e27 managed to gather in March:

DoctorAnywhere
Funding: US$27M in Series B
Investor(s): Square Peg, EDBI, IHH Healthcare, Pavilion Capital, Kamet Capital

The company said that the latest investment will “boost its market leadership position in the healthtech industry in Asia, as it prepares for expansion to augment the region’s healthcare landscape through digital transformation, with the support of local and regional partners.”

Horangi
Funding: US$20 million in Series B
Investor(s): Provident Growth, Monk’s Hill Ventures, Right Click Capital, Genesis Alternative Ventures

Horangi will use the fresh funds to support its expansion plan in the region.

gojek
Funding: US$1.2 billion
Investor(s): Not mentioned

The funding round came just after gojek had been reported to be considering a merger with rival Grab — a report that gojek has denied.

Also Read: These later stage funding rounds of February are the most exciting Valentine’s Day gift

Shopback
Funding: US$75 million
Investor(s): Temasek, Rakuten, EDBI, EV Growth, Cornerstone Ventures, and 33 Capital

Shopback will use the funds to expand into new markets in Asia and diversify its core cashback service.

AnyMind
Funding: US$26.4M in Series B
Investor(s): Japan Post Capital and existing investors

Already existing in 11 markets in Asia, the newly-raised capital will be used by the Singapore-based firm to scale its business and expand into India and the Middle East.

iPrice
Funding: US$10 million in Series B
Investor(s): ACA Investments, Daiwa PI Partners, LINE Ventures and Mirae Asset-Naver Asia Growth Fund

The company targets expansion beyond its primary price comparison unit, which accounts for 50 per cent of its revenues, operating at a 30 per cent EBITDA margin according to a statement.

—

Image Credit: Andrew Neel on Unsplash

The post These later stage funding rounds had made March an even more exciting month appeared first on e27.

Lim Wai Mun, CEO of Doctor Anywhere

Telehealth startup Doctor Anywhere closes US$27M Series B funding

Doctor Anywhere, a tech-enabled healthcare company headquartered in Singapore, announces today that it has secured a US$27 million Series B financing round led by Square Peg, a venture capital fund in Australia. Joining the round is Singapore Government investment arm EDBI, international healthcare provider IHH Healthcare, Pavilion Capital, and existing shareholder Kamet Capital, bringing Doctor Anywhere’s total capital base to exceed US$40 million.

The company said that the latest investment will “boost its market leadership position in the healthtech industry in Asia, as it prepares for expansion to augment the region’s healthcare landscape through digital transformation, with the support of local and regional partners.”

Doctor Anywhere recently launched its platform in Thailand, in partnership with one of Thailand’s established private hospitals, and a global corporate insurance provider. Doctor Anywhere also operates in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, with announcements on other regional plans in the pipeline due later this year.

MatchMove acquires stake in e-commerce platform Shopmatic

MatchMove, Singapore-based fintech platform, announces that it has entered into an agreement with e-commerce enabler Shopmatic to make a strategic investment in the company with immediate effect.

Also Read: MatchMove acquires stake in P2P lender MoolahSense to strengthen its SME financing capabilities

MatchMove said that this investment will enable the company to extend its digital wallet capability to Shopmatic’s ecosystem of more than 435,000 e-commerce small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and individual entrepreneurs across the region.

Shopmatic specialises in providing turnkey solutions to SMEs that want to set-up an online store, which includes setting up the store-front, payment, shipping, and logistics integrations, selling across multiple channels such as social media and marketplaces, to sales management and customer support.

With its involvement, MatchMove will enable digital payments and cross-border remittance capabilities for Shopmatic users. Over time, these SMEs can build a credit-score against which they can access loans for their capital requirements.

EMURGO launches blockchain-based traceability solution for enterprises

EMURGO, the blockchain solutions provider and a founding entity of Cardano, announced the launch of “EMURGO Traceability Solution” – an enterprise solution leveraging blockchain technology to modernise existing supply chain traceability standards. The service aims to bring added value to supply chain stakeholders as well as end consumers.

EMURGO partnered with Blue Korintji Coffee, an environmentally-conscious Indonesian coffee brand, to be the first commercial enterprise to integrate the solution in its coffee supply chain. The solution will leverage Cardano’s research-driven blockchain technology to provide transparency of purchasing prices between stakeholders and assure the immutability of accumulated private information.

Also Read: [Updated] Cardano Project offers blockchain training for students in Indonesia

Coffee consumers will also be able to simply scan a QR code displayed in the coffee shop to access this information about the origin and traceability of their coffee. Starting from April 5, Blue Korintji Bintaro, the company’s first established cafe branch in suburban Jakarta, will serve coffee to customers using EMURGO’s Traceability Solution.

—

Image Credit: Doctor Anywhere

The post Morning News Roundup: Doctor Anywhere raises US$27M Series B funding led by Square Peg appeared first on e27.

Let us not sugarcoat it: The past few months have been extremely difficult for businesses around the world.

Even in the Southeast Asian startup ecosystem, we have seen how startups in countries such as Malaysia and the Philippines adjusted their operations to the situation, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced cities and countries to go on lockdown.

As a mean to support their portfolio companies, VC firms have also released guidelines on how to deal with the situation (What to do when there is an employee that has been infected? How should you communicate this with stakeholders?).

At e27, we see this period as a constant reminder of our mission: To empower entrepreneurs to build and grow their companies. Every day we figure out new ways to help the ecosystem survive this crisis. So far we have conducted special webinar series and published coverage to help entrepreneurs make more informed decisions, but we are not going to stop there.

Also Read: For the startup ecosystem, profitability is a gender equality issue

This is why e27 is working with a mix of software partners, ranging from large cloud companies to smaller localised services, to provide our community with discounts.

If you are a business that could benefit from getting exposed to a community of business leaders (who are a regular at our annual Echelon Asia Summit), we would like to have a chat to see how we can offer your product to our community.

Interested? Have something to offer to the ecosystem? Please fill in the form.

Looking forward to seeing your name there. Let us work together to help support the community in this difficult time.

—

Image Credit: Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

The post How e27 is going to lend a helping hand for the startup ecosystem during the COVID-19 crisis appeared first on e27.

Facebook Accelerator Singapore showcases 14 startups selected for season 2

Facebook, along with Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), has announced the names of the 14 startups attending the second edition of its accelerator programme in Singapore.

The 6-month programme aims to support innovative, data-driven startups across the Asia Pacific region.

The 14 startups are:

Lucep: A sales and marketing tool that connects leads from FB ads directly with their sales agents

Outside Voice: A platform that allows market researchers to consumers via video chatbots to reduce research time.

Privyr: A CRM (customer relationship management) built for sales professionals who operate their businesses from the phone.

Trabble: A SaaS platform for businesses in the travel and hospitality sector to automate guest engagement on their channels

UIB: Created the UnificationEngine® Conversational IoT platform to create frictionless onboarding and communications between people and devices.

Aris: The first and largest social commerce on Facebook Live

Assemblr: A platform to create, discover, share augmented reality experiences

AVANA: Social commerce enabler that helps businesses convert social media from promotional to transactional

Ecomobi: A social selling platform that enables brands to sell products directly to users via social seller community and AI chatbot

Halosis : A social commerce platform that integrates AI chatbot and personalized solutions to help social media sellers convert chat into sales.

Infofed:  The leading eSports company in Thailand with both offline and online platforms

Qiscus: A conversational platform that helps businesses embrace the power of conversations to deliver excellent customer experience.

Social Light: Places WiFi in low-income communities and monetizes by collecting plastics and exchanging free WiFi subsidized by brands

TravelFlan: B2B2C full-suite AI Digital Solution provider utilizing AI, Big Data and Machine Learning into travel and lifestyle sectors

1337 Ventures launches digital accelerator in Malaysia

Malaysia-based 1337 Ventures has announced the launch of its fully online accelerator programme.

Alpha Startups Digital Accelerator is an initiative to help up-and-coming startups, together with those who are unsure about financial or job stability, and would like to dabble in entrepreneurship. This programme will help equip participants with the skills needed to run their business.

Also Read: How can you protect your business’s work from content thieves?

“Alpha Startups Digital Accelerator will take you through ideation, validation, marketing, and prototyping; leaving you with a working prototype, pitch deck ready for fundraising, and more than US$10,000 worth of support systems. The top-3 teams will also be funded up to RM 20,000 per team (US$4,600), together with a 6-month mentorship, go-to-market partners, and further funding to take their idea to the next level,” says Bikesh Lakhmichand, CEO of 1337 Ventures.

The 10-day programme (spaced over five weeks) will provide participants with Design Thinking and Lean Startup methodologies that will allow them to create a startup quickly to scale and remain resilient even in unprecedented times like COVID-19 outbreak.

At the end of the programme, the Top 10 teams will be able to pitch their idea in Alpha Startups Digital Accelerator’s first online Demo Day.

Applications close on April 3, and the programme will commence on April 6.

Greg Meehan steps in as Supahands Chief Revenue Officer

Supahands, a Machine Learning and AI startup headquartered in Malaysia, has announced the appointment of Greg Meehan as its new Chief Revenue Officer.

In this role, Meehan will be responsible for taking Supahands’s growth forward and driving its revenue strategies. 

Meehan joined Supahands in 2016 as Head of Sales and worked in ensuring client satisfaction and retention, talent acquisition and driving business development teams.

“Greg has played a significant role here at Supahands by driving strategic decision-making to determine Supahands’s best business direction at a specific point in time. This has helped accelerate our growth over the years by adapting to market demands,” said CEO Mark Koh.

Revolut, GovTech partner to make verification process easier for users

Revolut has announced a partnership with GovTech to reduce the need of providing verification documents for its users in Singapore while signing up for an account with the fintech firm.

The feature, to be launched during early April of 2020, will also allow customers to sign up on the platform using their SingPass details.

“Our goal is to provide users with a single financial-management platform. It is important for us to ensure that our customers can use Revolut cards for daily transactions with peace of mind. Our partnership with GovTech introduces the verification feature with a seamless process that will build greater security within the ecosystem,” said Eddie Lee, APAC Regional Director of Operations at Revolut.

Also Read: Morning News Roundup: Doctor Anywhere raises US$27M Series B funding led by Square Peg

Since Revolut’s entry into Singapore, the app has introduced several features like metal visa card, apple pay integration and has recently offered new remittance routes to countries like India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

—

Image Credit:  Alex Haney, 1337 Ventures, Supahands, Revolut

The post Afternoon News Roundup: Meet the 14 startups attending Facebook Programme in Singapore appeared first on e27.

Kyaw Min Swe’s sister runs a small retail shop in Nattalin in the rural Bago region in Myanmar. Seeing her struggles in getting stock to the shop and having to constantly ask her spouse for help, Min Swe decided to use his business acumen to solve her problem.

“I opened a wholesale shop nearby but quickly realised that it could’t scale,” he told e27. “After learning more about the problem, which is the same across the nation, I later launched Ezay to help my sister and other shopkeepers to access more choice and better prices conveniently.”

Launched in August 2019, Ezay is a mobile platform that connects ‘mom-and-pop’ shops in rural Myanmar with wholesalers. Retailers can buy online for the regular shop stock needs and get the products delivered the same day or the next day.

How e27 is going to lend a helping hand for the startup ecosystem during the COVID-19 crisis

“We put technology into the hands of the most rural shopkeepers in the country and works with wholesalers in each geography to list a full range of available items,” said Min Swe, who previously led the ride-sharing business of Oway. “Before our entry, no company dared to serve these remote areas. We at Ezay have been able to serve customers while generating returns.”

The customers are currently spread across several townships in Bago, which is not far from the capital city of Yangon. Ezay currently has over 1,600 retailers. The startup has plans to expand this year.

According to Min Swe, it is not hard to do same-day or next-day delivery in rural Myanmar, where traffic is less although infrastructure is not the best.

Until recently, Ezay operated three-wheeled trucks for delivery but the poor condition of the roads forced it to switch to motorcycles. Ezay then rigged up its own carrying frames to help motorcycles carry enough stock to meet delivery efficiencies.

This means that rural shopkeepers, mostly women, no longer need to ask their spouse to go to the town several times each week, or to go themselves.

Recently, Ezay partnered with several micro-financial institutions (MFIs) in the country to provide credit on its app, which allows shopkeepers to expand their inventory and, in turn, increase income.

“We all know that women already share an unequal amount of unpaid work, so reducing their need to run errands is hugely valuable. And now, with Ezay Credit, they will begin to learn about and gain access to financial products,” remarked Min Swe, who had also previously worked as COO of Hello Cabs.

“Accessing finance means these shopkeepers can expand their inventory and increase their incomes. Later, we plan to help shops sell digital products, further improving their overall income,” he revealed.

As for the business model, Ezay takes a margin on the transaction and charges for delivery.

Also Read: 5 ways to improve your productivity by working from home

Is there competition in this space?

“Ezay is the first to market and we don’t see any direct competitors at the moment. Of course, wholesalers who manage their own delivery may be seen as competitors, but they quickly see the value in using Ezay. While there’s a huge market for the taking, this business requires expert execution and knowledge of rural Myanmar,” he elaborated, claiming that his background and drive for this business give him an edge.

Challenges are galore, admits Min Swe. Building own fleet of motorcycles, with a logistics component is challenging.

“When Ezay started with three-wheelers, one journey could take a lot of stock and make a lot of deliveries. Motorcycles can carry less but they are also cheaper and can make more journeys. We need to solve these types of logistical challenges as we grow,” he said.

Just yesterday, Ezay announced a US$200,000 investment round led by Seiji Kurokoshi, an impact investor from Japan who pioneered upside social impact bonds for single mothers and who has a background in direct to consumer models. This comes less than four months after securing an investment from EME Myanmar.

“The new funds will comfortably carry us through the coming 12 months and help us reach our target of 8,000 retailers by March 2021,” Min Swe exuded confidence. “With this network, we’re expecting to see significant network effects and ever increasing opportunities for Ezay to bring more value to its customers.”

The startup is now planning to scale across Myanmar. To achieve this goal, it plans to begin fundraising efforts toward the end of 2020.

The post Ex-Oway Director’s e-commerce app Ezay makes life easy for rural woman retailers in Myanmar appeared first on e27.

Introducing yourself as a startup founder is no longer the novelty it used to be. The startup ecosystem is growing bigger and better than ever before, thanks to a more globalised and connected world. But this growing ecosystem means that the market is becoming increasingly competitive, and as a new startup founder, you might be finding it a little difficult to keep your head above the crowd.

Getting outcompeted is a common cause for startups to end up folding. According to CB Insights, competition is one of the top 20 reasons for startup failure, with 19% of startups citing it as a recipe for their disaster. In some cases, the startups were out-popularised by their competition, causing them to disappear under the crush; in other words, they simply lost to other more successful competitors.

The fast-paced world of modern entrepreneurship comes with a different set of rules and challenges compared to what it used to be. Making sure your business is a cut above the rest requires the courage to take risks and let your creativity lead the way. With startup ecosystems all over the world experiencing unbelievable growth, it isn’t difficult to see that carving out a space for yourself takes a lot more than capital and know-how — it also takes guts.

Many young entrepreneurs have found that the best way to get started is simply to take a leap – but at the same time, knowing exactly when to take an opportunity when it strikes is essential. The key lesson in startup failures is to seize opportunities as quickly as possible if you want to keep your name at the forefront of everyone’s consciousness.

This means that to stay on top, startup founders need to constantly be on top of things. From pitching ideas and products to clients, to sending out important documents and emails to employees, and even creating outstanding video content for last-minute presentations while on-the-move. Whatever it is, entrepreneurs need these capabilities at the tip of their fingers.

The one device to rule them all

Back then, it would have been unimaginable to function as an entrepreneur running a complete business system without the aid of a full range of devices. Doing so would typically mean operating with the firepower of multiple mobile phones, laptop computers, and many others. But all that is about to change.

Today, all you need is one, all-encompassing powerhouse of a mobile device to stay on top of all the tasks mentioned above — and more. Business owners will be able to reduce the use of laptops, fixed-line phones, and other mobile-related costs when they streamline all work and employees to a single mobile device. Many businesses and corporations find themselves gaining in cost efficiency when they invest in mobile enablement for their employees.

This cost efficiency is maximised when the mobile device chosen by you has all team collaboration and business apps available. Enabling employees to get work done on a mobile phone boosts productivity significantly, as 87% of businesses are dependent on their employee’s ability to access mobile business apps from their smartphone, according to a 2020 study. That number is expected to grow with technological advancements such as 5G.

Being a mobile-first startup or business also gives you and your employees the freedom to explore other ways to work. With work-life balance becoming more of a priority among the modern workforce, going mobile could be the key to having more well-rounded employees who aren’t bound to a desk. Joining a co-working space that lets you work comfortably and flexibly, or trying out different working hours to see when your newly mobile team is more productive – the working world is your oyster.

The perfect mobile device for an entrepreneur who wants a work-life balance exists within the Samsung Galaxy Note10 series. Look no further for phones that can do just about everything, all while packing in higher performance and defense-grade security so you can work without worry.

Discover worlds within the Samsung Galaxy Note10 series:

• Powerful processing chip and massive memory that performs like a laptop, but without the bulk or weight provides unparalleled speed and productivity enhancement
• With multitasking capabilities and easy access to work-optimised apps like Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise Rainbow, Skype, or Microsoft 365, startups can cut down on operating costs by replacing non-mobile devices with just one device
• Seamlessness is the name of the game here. Simply drag and drop files from Galaxy Note10 and Note10+ devices to Mac or PC with a single USB cable and sync your devices with your Microsoft account
• When a flash of inspiration strikes, use the S Pen to get the word out, accurately converting one’s handwriting to a text which can be shared to relevant parties as a Word document or PDF
• The S Pen also doubles as a remote control for your phone that lets you make the best impression – Navigate presentation slides, play videos, control volume, adjust the camera zoom, or take a photo remotely via Bluetooth®
• The Samsung Knox platform provides defense-grade mobile security to keep your data safe against threats such as malware. It has consistently received strong ratings by Gartner, making Samsung the preferred device over other brands among state governments
• The platform has the capability to stop sensitive corporate and personal data from getting into the wrong hands with containerisation, a key component of Samsung Knox. Biometric ID capabilities also offer additional layers of security that satisfy both employers and employees

If none of these high-grade features satisfy your need for a trusty desktop, the Samsung Note10 series is still the best option for you. With the help of Samsung DeX, young professionals will be able to multitask between devices simply by connecting your Galaxy smartphone to your monitor or TV. This allows users to have a seamless transition between devices, in case you have to leave your office computer in haste while still needing to work on the train ride home.

And with the use of a USB cable, you can access your Note10’s full capabilities on your PC or Mac through Samsung DeX.

Not your average device

The Galaxy Note10 series is definitely not your average business device. Desktops are obviously not mobile, and while you can bring a laptop on-the-go, they can be bulky or heavy, and you cannot work on it while commuting unlike with a mobile phone. But with the Galaxy Note10 series, you can keep working from Point A to Point B, and continue your work seamlessly once you’re back in the office simply by connecting the Note10 to your desktop monitor with Samsung DeX.

Cutting out the unnecessary stresses and complexities of running a business is simple. Any and every important step in working your way to success can be done via the Samsung Galaxy Note10 series, offering a single, powerful mobile device that allows you to rise to the top from the palm of your hand. For more information on how the Note10 can help power your entrepreneurial journey, visit their official page here.

The post Samsung Galaxy Note10’s slew of unique features — fit for entrepreneurs of the future appeared first on e27.