No matter where you are, the world of work is changing. Singaporean youth have struggled to find work during the pandemic; we’ve seen estimates that only nine per cent of the US workforce will be employed full-time by 2030.

Data entry and customer service tasks once completed by humans are now being passed off to faceless machines and bots. At every turn, headlines claim we’ll lose millions of jobs permanently to devices of our own creation.

Already, we can imagine how different things will be in the coming decades. Rapid industrialisation has caused demands for energy and water to potentially increase 40 to 50 per cent by 2030.

Integrated ecosystems—”internets”—of humans, robots, and machines are consuming and producing record-breaking amounts of data, demanding more energy and resources. Manufacturing, sustainable energy, waste management, and other industries have already begun to revitalise for a tougher future. 

Nurturing the next generation of talent—one that stands firm in the face of automation and other emerging developments—means preparing them to solve problems that do not yet exist.

Resources and next steps are out there: take Young NTUC’s LIT Discovery 2021, for example.

This fully online event featured a smorgasbord of exciting panellists, and also provided job seekers access to guidance, career opportunities, and insights on the future of work.

What else can be done to nurture the next generation? Read on to find out.

Also Read: Meet Inavoice, your new go-to platform for voice-over talents and background musicians

New talents need more hands-on experience and mentorship

Lynn Dang, HR Leader at Microsoft Singapore, mentioned that LinkedIn saw a five-fold increase of remote work job postings during the pandemic.

Today, 16 per cent of all companies worldwide are already fully remote. Blurred regional boundaries make it possible for people from all across the world to work and collaborate.

Additionally, it’s estimated that, by 2035, over 40 per cent of jobs will be displaced by Big Data, AI, and automation. About a third of all employees expect their jobs to be fully automated in three years.

Tech talents of the future must be prepared to work alongside technology. This requires a shift towards creative problem solving, critical thinking, and adeptness at utilizing machines, data tools, and bots. 

“If you can adapt to this environment, then your opportunity is not just limited to Singapore. You can tap into opportunities anywhere in the world,” says Ho Seng Chee, Chief Corporate Officer at JustCo.

Companies seeking to turn the key on remote and hybrid working arrangements can:

• Delineate clear processes and platforms to facilitate asynchronous remote work
• Create a minimum standard of communication and availability
• Offer one-time stipends for talent who don’t have home offices
• Invest in talent by covering the costs of developmental courses

And what do these developments mean for talent? The competition will become tougher, and it’ll take more effort to stand out from the crowd. Young graduates, mid-career switchers, and general job seekers will benefit from mentorship and education about different work cultures and communication styles—especially in Asia, where many cultural differences are at play. 

(Micro)certifications like the ones offered by Google, Amazon Web Services, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and massively open online courses (MOOC) can help talent get up to speed with emerging technologies and strengthen their skillsets.

The career programmes like the ones offered by Young NTUC’s LIT (Learning is Triggered) Series are even more valuable because they deliver a combination of hands-on experience, mentorship, and theory.

Building awareness of the tech opportunities

In the face of global challenges, many new industries are emerging. Two of the most exciting are green technology (greentech) and financial technology (fintech).

The challenge of climate change

Despite its harsh environmental impact, the global oil and gas industry is one of the top ten fastest-growing industries in the world.

Hastened by regulatory and consumer pressure, oil and gas conglomerates (and businesses from many other sectors) are partnering with greentech firms to achieve their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals.

Also Read: The hunt for talent: How to attract world class entrepreneurs to corporate ventures

Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, stated during the LIT Discovery 2021 event that “many things will be reimagined: supply chains, industry—so that we consume less energy, less fuel, and produce less CO2. All these will require re-engineering.” 

Helming this re-imagination of industry are a bumper crop of incredible green startups like ATEC Biodigesters International, Third Wave Power, Sensorflow, RAD Green Solutions, and Cleverheat. They’re all hungry for fresh talent with skills in engineering, operational and supply chain management and process monitoring. 

“Everything we do has an impact on the environment and the people,” reminds Esther An, Chief Sustainability Officer at City Developments Limited. “We can make a positive change.”

The challenge of financial inclusion

Home to over 40 per cent of all fintech startups in the region, Singapore is known as the hub of fintech in Southeast Asia. In 2020, the industry employed over 10,000 people and has received a cumulative US$2.5 billion in funding over five years.

Indonesia, meanwhile, boasts various startups that have been hailed to boost financial inclusion. These include digital payment system OVO, P2P lending company Koinworks, and blockchain company Tokoin.

Irene Lim, Executive Director at J.P. Morgan, defines fintech as any kind of technology that can be applied in financial use cases. This includes technologies for insurance, taxes, and personal wealth.

She notes the high demand for software developers, blockchain experts, cybersecurity leaders, data specialists, and DevOps specialists.

Doing the impossible

The next generation of talents must prepare themselves to master technologies that have not yet been invented to solve problems that do not yet exist.

What can we do?

Nurture soft skills

We need to prepare the next generation of talents to work optimally in such an environment by teaching digital literacy as early as possible. 

Increase exposure to tech

Talent must be taught to work harmoniously alongside emerging technologies to lead teams and manage projects to their desired goals. 

Welcome talents from other industries

Robots can follow instructions much better than humans can. Therefore, talents need to make full use of their non-technical skills and backgrounds to improve the way technology is used. Creative individuals are a boon.

Case in point: Lin Yanxiang, now the Deputy Group Director of the Manpower and Strategy Planning Group at Building and Construction Authority, got her career start as an English teacher. 

Take more chances on non-traditional talent

According to Eric Lim, Chief Sustainability Officer at UOB, “We are starting to see a corporate track that’s coming up where talents don’t need to come from a strong risk or banker background.”

Also Read: How Endowus co-founder Samuel Rhee attracts, builds, and maintains a world-class team

Recruiters can take a chance on bright talent from fields like the arts, history, and social sciences.

Revamp industry through cohesive marketing efforts

Yanxiang remarks, “We can shift these sectors away from something that’s perceived as dirty, dangerous and demanding into one which is modern, technologically advanced, and can offer good jobs and working environments for the people.” This will encourage talents to view industry careers as meaningful opportunities.

Improve access to opportunities

Executives and leadership can take the initiative to develop accessible training and internship programmes for people of all backgrounds. A commitment to fairer, less discriminatory hiring can also go a long way.

With a thorough understanding of these technology trends, the task of nurturing the next generation of tech talents does not seem so impossible, after all.

By fostering these various skillsets, the next generation of tech talents will be ready to adapt and learn new technologies as they come. They will be well-equipped to solve the problems of the future and be fully ready to make the most of their opportunities.

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SIRCLO, a company providing e-commerce solutions that help brands sell online in Indonesia, announced today it has raised US$36 million in a new round of financing, led by local investment firms East Ventures (Growth Fund) and Saratoga.

Online travel giant Traveloka, real-estate major Sinar Mas Land and several unnamed investors also participated.

With the new funding, SIRCLO plans to develop its technology infrastructure and expand its services to accelerate retail digitalisation for various businesses all across Indonesia.

“With this new funding, we plan on building our momentum as consumer spending in e-commerce has picked up during the pandemic and beyond. We continue to help brands sell online using the omnichannel approach. Their success stories in extracting more value in our ecosystem propels our rapid growth even further as we continue to make significant upgrades to our solution offerings to future-proof the success of our clients,” said SIRCLO founder and CEO Brian Marshal.

Founded in 2013, SIRCLO helps businesses sell online. Its solutions are divided into two main categories — entrepreneur and enterprise solutions.

Also Read: SIRCLO raises US$6M Series B from East VC, others to help SMEs in Indonesia

In the first category, it offers SIRCLO Store, an online store dashboard for SMEs to sell across website, marketplace, and chat commerce. It also offers IbuSibuk, a solution empowering communities of mothers as key opinion leaders, micro-influencers and resellers.

In the enterprise category, it offers e-commerce enabler services, a solution for omnichannel technology development, and a B2B2C platform selling mom and baby products. It also offers a parenting platform Orami, which it acquired in April.

Orami runs IbuSibuk, a digital economic empowerment programme for mothers, specifically for those passionate about entrepreneurship.

In August last year, SIRCLO announced a US$6 million Series B fundraising from a host of investors, including East Ventures, OCBC NISP Ventura, Skystar Capital, Sinar Mas Land.

Today, SIRCLO claims to have served more than 100,000 brands. The list includes local brands such as ATS The Label, Evete Naturals, Namaste Organic, This Is April and Heytimmy Kidswear. Its MNC clients include Unilever, Reckitt, KAO, L’Oréal, and Levi’s.

The e-commerce industry in Indonesia has grown considerably since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost half of the country’s population uses digital technology for their daily needs, which shows significant growth potential.

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Image Credit: SIRCLO

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Thailand’s National Innovation Agency presents SITE 2021 — DEEPTECH RISING: The Next Frontier of Innovation, is set to be held virtually on 15 – 18 September 2021. The real-time event will show the next big thing in the world of startup and innovation. Accessed via the NIA website, https://site.nia.or.th/, all are welcome to join, free of charge.

The COVID-19 crisis has propelled us into the future, with new ways of living and working. Companies have had to evolve, particularly in the MICE industry, as technology plays a greater and greater part in our everyday lives. For this year’s event, the NIA has merged two of Asia’s most exciting expos, Startup Thailand and Innovation Thailand, and transformed them into a 100% online and immersive experience.

SITE 2021 – DEEPTECH RISING: The Next Frontier of Innovation

The programme will present the five fields of deep tech that are predicted to drive Thailand’s future: Agriculture (AgTech), Food (FoodTech), Medicine (MedTech), Space (SpaceTech), and Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Virtual Reality for People (AI Robotic Immersive IoT: ARI Tech). AgTech and MedTech in particular, are aligned with the government’s Bio-Circular-Green economic model.

Also read: Harnessing sustainable technology to build a resilient future with IPI

There will be four main activities spread across the four days:

1. Virtual Forum: more than 60 speakers from leading startups in Thailand and around the world will present their innovations and share their experiences on more than 50 topics.
2. Opportunity: presenting opportunities to connect with potential partners through organised activities such as Marketplace, with more than 200 virtual booths; Online Business Matching, with more than 30 business entities; and Online Business Consulting with more than 30 experts in 10 industries.
3. Show: audiences from around the world will also enjoy the opportunity to watch entrepreneurs highlight their deep-tech successes.
4. Awards: presenting the prestigious Prime Minister’s Awards to those supporting the development of Thailand’s startup ecosystem and promoting startups in the international market.

Enjoy the cutting-edge 360° immersive experience

This year’s platform has been built from the ground up by Thais to great acclaim, creating a 360° immersive experience. Visitors will feel like they are at the physical event: they can chat with operators in real-time and participate through avatars. Data and audience feedback from around the world will be processed through social listening tools and artificial intelligence.

Also read: MaGIC graduate PABLO AIR — Leveraging drone technology for social impact

“We believe that this platform is the future of innovation and the startup ecosystem in Thailand”, says Dr Pun-Arj Chairatana, Director of the NIA. “Therefore I would like to invite all the innovators and those interested in technology to visit our event. Together we can address the challenges of COVID-19 and plot a path to a brighter future”.

Access the STARTUP x INNOVATION THAILAND EXPO 2021 on 15-18 SEPTEMBER 2021. All sessions are free! For more details, please log onto the programme’s official website.

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This article is produced by the e27 team, sponsored by NIA.

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Cryptocurrency might be the talk of the town this decade, with the rising adoption and acceptance of these digital currencies globally, and even regionally in Southeast Asia. With the option to invest in a plethora of digital projects and objects, all it takes is a quick sign up and users are on their way to handling their assets and investments online.

Despite this, there are a few key details individuals should take note of before starting their journey on a new exchange or investing in cryptocurrencies.

From security to ease of usage, and even the variety of currencies, here are some ways experienced and amateur traders can invest successfully, without having to jump through hoops with each strategic move made.

The accessibility of Fiat

Crypto trading has not always been the easiest trading option when it first began.

No longer does a user need to scour through forums to understand how they should go about purchasing a single token, with the constant launches of platforms and exchanges, buying, selling, and trading via cryptocurrency has been easier than ever.

However, certain platforms still require the need for fiat currency to be exchanged into bitcoins before users can begin trading.

For the greatest ease of usage, exchanges that include fiat accessibility allow for trades to not only retain their value against USDT/USDC, it also provides individuals with the ability to make on-ramp and off-ramp conversions through wire transfers and credit cards.

With most traders using several exchanges simultaneously, a platform that includes fiat services not only lowers the barriers of entry for new users but also allows well-versed traders with an effortless and quick experience.

Also Read: PDAX raises US$12.5M to take advantage of the popularity of cryptocurrencies in Philippines

Better secure than sorry

Despite the attractiveness of crypto trading, most platforms aren’t entirely impervious to the perils of cyber hacking. Simply due to the nature of cryptocurrencies, such uncertainties can be easily avoidable and contained through proper licensing and certifications that exchange can implement.

Besides following each country’s rules and regulations, or even saving funds offline with a private key, discerning users can look out for KYC & AML to avoid situations linking to potential frauds.

One such platform that champions user experience and security is ABCC Exchange, a crypto trading tool with strict practices that filter out fraudulent activities. Through their AI technology, the exchange scans global databases to identify each trader’s identity.

As an added layer of protection, all deposit and withdrawal addresses are examined before the transfer of funds, providing every user with ease of mind trading on its secure platform.

Digital variety is wealth

One of the most common ways users tend to pick an exchange is typically based on the platform’s product offering. Whether it’s the sudden popularity of a cryptocurrency due to social media or the rising price of a certain token, each exchange has its own listing procedures or committee that conducts thorough analysis and reviews to not only benefit its users but newly listed projects as well.

Besides looking out for the typical BTC, ERC20, or TRC20, platforms like ABCC Exchange also support projects from BSC, Solana, Polygon, and Polkadot ecosystems to ease its user’s experience.

Individuals are able to trade project tokens within different ecosystems effortlessly and instantly while being able to read published information and watch tutorials as part of their research before taking the trading plunge.

In addition to this, the focus on having different product offerings provides a quick look into an exchange’s usability and activities.

From understanding whether trading can be possible with tighter spreads, lesser bid or ask price difference, to looking at the volume being traded and how it responds to price volatility, users can gauge whether a platform has the ability to fill their orders promptly.

Whether you’re an experienced or newly-minted trader, with the constant evolution of the cryptocurrency industry keeping everyone on their toes, there is better no way to secure each trade and transaction than with a trusted platform.

Also Read: How Binance acquired 35 per cent market share in a year with its new crypto derivatives line

As crypto exchanges keep launching, ensuring that security, product variety, and usability are the pillars to finding a reliable platform, anyone will be able to trade the next new token within a matter of minutes.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic

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Image Credit: melpomen

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Neuroglee Therapeutics, a Singapore-based digital health and wellness platform, has secured US$10 million in a Series A round led by Openspace Ventures.

The round also saw participation from EDBI and existing investors, including Raman Singh, ex-CEO of Mundipharma and Biofourmis co-founders Kuldeep Singh Rajput and Wendou Niu. Leading pharmaceutical company Eisai Co., a strategic shareholder in the company since the previous US$2.3 million pre-seed round, also joined.

Neuroglee will use the funding to launch virtual neurology clinics for patients diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) related to difficult-to-treat conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. 

The fund will also advance the company’s personalised evidence-based digital therapeutics (DTx) pipeline.

In particular, Neuroglee will collaborate with Mayo Clinic’s HABIT programme to develop Neuroglee Connect, a remote care management platform and virtual speciality care clinic. This clinic will provide personalised, near real-time, and 24/7 responsiveness and interventions in managing patients with MCI in the comfort of their homes.

“With care expanding outside of the hospital and into the home, Neuroglee is assuring the management of neurodegenerative diseases is a simple, empowering, everyday event for patients,” Neuroglee CEO stated. “Actionable data and virtual clinical support will give more patients access to world-class care, no matter where they are.”

Also read: Hummingbird Bioscience nets US$125M Series C to further develop next-gen precision therapeutics

Founded in 2020 by Aniket Singh Rajput, Neuroglee discovers, develops and commercialises personalised evidence-based digital therapeutics (DTx) and virtual care-at-home solutions to treat and manage patients with neurodegenerative diseases. This approach serves as non-pharmacologic therapies to complement the current symptomatic therapies and investigational drugs.

Applying cognitive rehabilitation strategies and machine learning approaches, Neuroglee’s flagship software product NG-001 can capture digital biomarkers and learn from user behaviour to provide a more personalised experience tailored to patients’ needs.

“Neuroglee’s solution has tremendous potential to meaningfully benefit global patients as they and their families bravely combat the progression of the neurodegenerative disease,” said Openspace co-founder Shane Chesson.

According to a press statement, the company plans to move its headquarters from Singapore to Boston in Q4 2021. Leveraging Boston’s digital health innovation and investment hub, Neuroglee will focus on building and scaling engineering, clinical operations and commercial teams.

“This will expand our global footprint, adding to our growing regional management and technology development teams in Singapore and India,” added Rajput. 

According to WHO, more than 55 million people live with dementia and nearly 10 million yearly new cases, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form.

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Image credit: Neuroglee Therapeutics

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