In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, one of the most dynamic tech startup hubs in the region, CleverTap‘s Big Leap Roadshow brought together influential business leaders to discuss cutting-edge strategies for customer retention and engagement in today’s fast-paced marketplace. The industry experts in our panel shared valuable insights on a wide range of topics, including customer segmentation, personalisation, loyalty programmes, data analytics, and AI-driven solutions for digital marketers — all of which present great value for businesses in today’s increasingly unpredictable market.

Aptly titled “Retention Playbook Malaysia: How to engage and retain customers in a rapidly evolving market”, the event featured top executives from leading companies who discussed retention strategies like personalised marketing campaigns, targeted promotions, data-driven decision-making processes, and AI-powered loyalty programmes.

Also read: In today’s unpredictable market, is customer retention possible?

At The Big Leap Roadshow, attendees gained access to valuable and actionable insights on the latest and most innovative tactics for boosting customer engagement and loyalty across all business channels, enabling attendees to take action and achieve immediate results. Moreover, attendees were also able to connect with peers and industry experts, sparking potential partnerships and strategic collaborations.

Here is a recap of some key takeaways from the exciting event:

A critical reflection on the marketing landscape in 2022 and its prospects in 2023

During the discussions, participants expressed that the global market has drastically changed in recent years due to the emergence of new digital technologies, big data analytics, and AI-driven automation tools. They emphasised the need to adjust strategies, shift from traditional marketing tactics, and optimise campaigns for maximum ROI by rethinking the customer journey with new touchpoints and channels.

In 2023, marketing will evolve with a focus on personalisation and targeting through customer segmentation. Companies leveraging machine learning or natural language processing can deliver personalised content based on past behaviours.

Growth leaders at the event agreed that in 2023, customers will seek convenience without compromising on quality. They prefer sustainable products and services, such as reducing plastic waste through packaging innovation and using renewable energy like solar power.

The vital role of technology and innovation in the marketing strategy decision-making process

Understanding upcoming opportunities and challenges in the marketing landscape, The Big Leap Roadshow Malaysia attendees underscored the importance of innovation in marketing strategy and the push towards embracing new technologies in improving customer experience and promotional tactics.

To create a strong customer experience, companies must leverage data analytics and related techniques to gain valuable insights into customer behaviour. These insights can then be used to tailor products and services to meet their exact needs, as well as to create targeted marketing campaigns that attract new users and retain current ones.

To increase sales volume and retain satisfied customers, businesses should enhance current loyalty programs. By incentivising repeat purchases and encouraging brand advocacy, customers are more likely to remain engaged with the company’s offerings over time and avoid losing potential future business opportunities.

Also read: Why your startup deserves to take part in the 2023 TOP100

To increase conversion rates and revenue, businesses must take advantage of targeted digital advertising mediums, such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads, to send personalised messages to potential customers.

Social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are excellent resources for building brand awareness, engaging directly with customers, and acquiring real-time and constant feedback on what works best for each customer segment. By adopting these channels, businesses can create strong bonds with their customers and foster long-term loyalty.

Practical strategies and advice from participating growth leaders

At the Big Leap Roadshow in Malaysia, growth leaders shared effective strategies. Salihah Noh, Head of Digital at Boost, highlighted how gamification emboldens customer engagement and loyalty. By rewarding customer support, businesses incentivise continued interaction for continued rewards.

Boost uses gamification, such as the “Loyalty Points” system, to award users points for purchases or interactions. This approach is highly effective for customer retention, as it incentivises repeat purchases and interactions while making users feel appreciated for their loyalty.

Also read: The first 10 frontrunners closer to competing in the 2023 TOP100

One example of leveraging mobile technology to create an enhanced user experience is AirAsia’s SuperApp. AirAsia’s SuperApp rewards loyalty programme points that can be used for future purchases or partner store redemptions across the Asia Pacific region. Periodic special promotions offer discounted rates on air tickets or hotel stays when booking through the SuperApp. Social media integration also drives customer retention and organic growth, allowing users to share experiences online and promote products and services within the platform.

With significant gains from insightful sharing and networking opportunities, CleverTap’s Big Leap Roadshow proves to be a must-attend event for business leaders and entrepreneurs residing in the region. 

The next stops of the thrilling tour will be in Manila, the Philippines (March 8th, 2023), and Jakarta, Indonesia (March 16th, 2023).

Grab your seat at the event by registering here!

The post Bolstering Malaysia’s vibrant business landscape with the retention playbook appeared first on e27.

Registration for TOP100 is now open and we are looking forward to seeing your startup on the list!

TOP100 Program gives you the one golden chance to connect with hundreds of investors, showcase your startup at Echelon, pitch on the TOP100 stage, and access special programs. Find out what’s new in TOP100 and join here: https://bit.ly/TOP100_2023

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Now that Echelon Asia Summit is coming back in full swing, e27 is determined to make one of its key features, the TOP100, one of the best yet!

The TOP100 program is an annual initiative organised by e27 to showcase and recognise the most promising startups in the Asia-Pacific region.

The program is open to exciting new startups from the Asia-Pacific region with innovative ideas that break barriers across different industries. The selection of the TOP100 involves a rigorous screening process, including an evaluation of the startup’s product or service, team, market potential, and traction.

Also read: Bolstering Malaysia’s vibrant business landscape with the retention playbook

The selected startups are given the opportunity to pitch their business ideas at the Echelon Asia Summit this June 14-15, 2023, at the Singapore Expo. The program also provides exposure to investors, mentors, and potential partners, enabling growth among participating startups and helping them expand their networks across the larger global tech ecosystem.

The TOP100 program has become one of the most prestigious startup competitions in the region, attracting thousands of applicants each year and providing valuable visibility and support to the most promising startups in the region.

15 startups closer to competing at this year’s TOP100

Being a frontrunner refers to startups close to making it to this year’s TOP100 program.

With all the amazing startups sprouting across the Asia-Pacific region’s vibrant tech startup ecosystem, we now present you with 15 frontrunners closer to competing at this year’s TOP100. Get to know them here!

CAWIL.AI

CAWIL AI is an industry-agnostic artificial intelligence solution with custom machine learning models that can be deployed locally and through cloud integration. CAWIL AI’s value proposition is its experience in utilising data-driven information for digital transformation providing a seamless and easy-to-integrate cloud-based platform for an on-demand transaction.

CAWIL AI provides digital transformation through AI. Their solutions address Sustainable Development Goals number 9: Innovation and Infrastructure through their digital platform for environmental and corporate management, utilising AI & IoT, and SDG number 12: Responsible consumption, production from agriculture, and supply chain management.

TrinityEco

Founded in 2019, TrinityEco Pte Ltd is an aspiring sustainability tech company in Singapore that provides sustainability reporting products and services for assets, both physical and digital. They have also developed Trivity, a platform that helps to create sustainability reports that encourage collaborations and financing between companies and their corporate partners. TrinityEco’s data analytics platforms help organisations to sustainably scale by providing predictive decision-making and intelligence-backed actions.

Ever AI Technologies

Ever AI is the first No Code AI Platform where everyone can build their own AI model without writing a single line of code.

Ever AI helps businesses and education organisations adopt AI with affordable cost and reduced time to market from 3 to 6 months to just 3 to 6 hours. Users can build their own AI model using their data and deploy it as a web application without writing a single line of code.

RAPUTA

RAPUTA is an online virtual world streaming platform and digital content distribution service that allows users to play and interact with customised 3D avatars in AI-generated virtual worlds.

The RAPUTA platform enables users to chat and interact with others with photorealistic 3D avatars in digital worlds on an internet browser. Their solution provides the best metaverse social networking experience without the need for VR. RAPUTA’s vision is to transform text messaging and video image processing into a movie-like 3D virtual world.

Cerebro

Cerebro is a courseware featuring ready-made lessons and quizzes for Philippine schools, reducing teachers’ workload by up to 400 hours per year.

Cerebro helps teachers jumpstart online teaching with the least amount of preparation possible, allowing them to save up to 400 hours per year through ready-made digital content on a managed cloud platform as a solution for reducing faculty workload and improving the quality of online teaching.

Xctuality Pte Ltd

Xctuality is an immersive technology startup that is connecting people everywhere by developing the next evolution of social networking that connects people with immersive experiences.

Xctuality was born from years of on-the-ground experience with renowned cultural events and festivals, such as Slush Singapore, F1 Singapore Grand Prix, Streats Food Festival, the Singapore National Day Parade 2020, Singapore International Arts Festival, and Majulah Festival with the company’s experiences in providing E-ticketing and smart event solutions aside.

LTS Ventures

LTS Ventures is a Lao FinTech and Investment company. They are developing businesses and creating software for the financial sector. LTS Ventures is digitising every transaction of 850 village banks to provide risk metrics, credit scores, and predictive loan analytics. Their platform allows many verticals to build in such as climate change protection, social payments, and food safety. 90% of customers are small-hold farmers that the company can directly strengthen and support through their digital platform. Finally, LTS Ventures also offer financial literacy training so that people learn sustainably how to manage their money.

ALPHACIRCLE Inc.

ALPHACIRCLE is a renowned startup that has created a cutting-edge visual enhancement software called ‘ALPHAView’, which enables content creators to produce high-quality, original VR videos. Their proprietary algorithm is utilised during both the encoding and decoding process, enabling the distribution of four times more pixels to create the most immersive experience possible. This advanced technology allows viewing videos in 8K 3D through smartphones and VR headsets, providing viewers with unparalleled visual clarity.

Also read: In today’s unpredictable market, is customer retention possible?

Loyalty Data Co

Loyalty Data Co creates Whitelabel B2B platforms that power Status Match or Challenge offers for major loyalty program providers. Their Status Match technology facilitates high-value customer acquisition.

The B2C platform supports consumers in their status journey. The corporate sales and loyalty team collaboration platform app allows for faster, more transparent onboarding of new high-value customers. Airlines, hotels, cruise liners, car rentals, and loyalty programs — which offer elite status gifting to new customers — will benefit from Status Match invitation management.

Red Dot Analytics

Red Dot Analytics (RDA) Pte. Ltd. is a deep tech spin-off from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore that pioneers in the industrial metaverse space.

They envision transforming the applications of AI and digital twin solutions to digitalise, optimise, and automate physical operations and systems for businesses and organisations, beginning with data centres as their beachhead market.

The company is known for its award-winning cognitive twin solution and has been working with well-known data centre operators in the APAC market, ranging from hyperscale to colocation and enterprise data centre customers. Red Dot Analytics was co-founded by a team of professors and researchers from NTU and industry veterans from infrastructure sectors.

The Posture Lab

The Posture Lab is a registered social enterprise focusing on online and offline solutions to improve posture and reduce common chronic pain problems. Their clients come from diverse backgrounds from the sedentary, desk-bound, underserved communities, as well as amateur to professional athletes and performers. The Posture Lab team has a strong practitioner pool of sports science graduates with an understanding of sports, performing arts, and skills to work with the sedentary and underserved communities.

PriyoShop

PriyoShop is an on-demand B2B marketplace in Bangladesh that empowers retailers by connecting them directly to suppliers to fix the fragmented supply chain.

The company’s platform connects small-scale retailers directly with manufacturers and suppliers. PriyoShop’s app allows small retailers to procure inventory from wholesalers, distributors, and manufacturers at competitive rates. When we talk about small businesses, we primarily focus on neighbourhood mom-and-pop shops, also known as retailers. These are the small shops we see around us on our streets. If we talk about the former, 97% of our country’s retail sales take place through them; e-commerce and modern retail play a smaller role. So, the majority of the retail transaction is taking place through neighbourhood shop retailers.

EMPAUWER Pte. Ltd.

Empauwer is an AI-driven platform that helps companies engage and employ​ neurodiverse talents to cultivate a more inclusive workplace. Their vision is a world of equal opportunities where neurodiverse individuals are recognised for their special abilities, not for their disabilities. They created Empauwer to help organisations embrace neurodiversity and create opportunities for neurodiverse professionals to thrive.

BOOQED

BOOQED is a digital platform to empower teams to truly work from anywhere and to help organisations become more agile in their approach to the office.

For many companies, the rise of “work from anywhere” has made office space decisions challenging. With the high cost of renovations and fit-outs, making changes to office layouts to grow or adapt to changes in the organisation is expensive and time-consuming. They also lack relevant data on the usage of their real estate assets to justify and calculate a meaningful ROI. BOOQED simplifies how businesses deal with this process, making it an effortless outsourced tech solution for businesses. Its cutting-edge modular hardware and software platform provides an easy and cost-effective way for companies to create and manage private, flexible work and meeting spaces within their existing offices or buildings.

LOAD2GO

LOAD2GO is an on-demand BIG TRUCK booking platform. Over the past 3 years, the company has achieved 15,000 bookings with a total revenue of USD 4MIL, and more than 3000 drivers and this number is still growing.

LOAD2GO digitises the trucking industry, provides a comprehensive automatic nationwide truck network matching system and achieves the following logistics solutions which have contributed a massive positive impact on society, the economy, and the environment in Malaysia.

A step closer to the 2023 TOP100

After a rigorous screening process, these startups are a step closer to qualifying for this year’s TOP100.

If you are one of the founders of the startups above, a representative from e27 will be reaching out to you soon to discuss with you the next step in your application process. Feel free to get in touch with us for any inquiries.

Also read: Why your startup deserves to take part in the 2023 TOP100

If you have an exciting startup with innovative ideas that can eclipse the best and the brightest in the region, join the 2023 TOP100 and stand a chance to pitch your ideas to some of the top investors in the Asia-Pacific at this year’s Echelon Asia Summit. Register for TOP100 here.

The post These 15 startups might just be part of this year’s TOP100 appeared first on e27.

The tech startup ecosystem does not stand in a silo. This is why collaboration with different parties is crucial in growing and developing the ecosystem, including with government institutions of other countries.

In Singapore and Southeast Asia (SEA) in general, the UK has done several initiatives to connect with the local tech startup ecosystem. The UK-Southeast Asia Tech Week, which is set to happen on March 13-20, are held in three SEA countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The event will bring down 25 British tech companies in the climate tech and IoT segments; during the week, they will get to meet local investors, entrepreneurs, and policy-makers to figure out areas of potential collaboration.

Apart from the event, the UK became a Dialogue Partner to ASEAN, in addition to a new digital innovation partnership with the organisation that aims to identify potential collaboration, particularly on relevant issues in SEA.

Recently, Singapore has also seen a wave of British tech companies entering the market. One example of such companies is Aurrigo International which has partnered with Changi Airport Group to develop and test its autonomous aviation baggage handling products.

To understand more about the available opportunities for SEA startups in the UK, e27 speaks to Natalie Black, HM Trade Commissioner for the UK.

Also Read: This year, International Women’s Day calls for the tech startup ecosystem to look within

In this conversation, we discover more details about how the country views this region and why collaboration is even more essential today. The following is an edited excerpt of the conversation:

How does the UK view the SEA tech startup ecosystem?

I will start with SEA as a whole, then we can look at the tech sector in particular. When you look at the SEA economy as a whole, despite all the challenges that the whole world has been through during the pandemic, it is doing remarkably well. If the predictions are right, it will be the fourth-largest economy by 2027. And if you’re seeing its growth rates now, it looks like they’re going to overtake China, the US, and Europe. So, from our point of view, SEA is the part of the world to watch.

Why is that? I think there are great ideas here. There’s a lot of innovation. And it’s a very young, dynamic population. When you look at places like the Philippines, the average age is 24. As a consequence, people have high expectations about what they want their society to look like and they know that digital can make a real difference.

So, when we look at the tech sector in SEA, the UK sees lots of opportunities to collaborate, lots of opportunities to learn, and lots of opportunities for both all of us to mutually benefit.

What are the advantages that startups in SEA can get when they are collaborating with startups in the UK?

If you look at issues like climate change, and how we all live up to the commitments that we are making on net zero … The reality is, no one can do this alone. What we have to do is build relationships and partnerships that will tackle global problems using technology.

Also Read: Whoever wins the US election, the true winner will be the Southeast Asian tech startup ecosystem

Particularly when we look at climate change in SEA, the region is at the forefront of some of the biggest challenges in terms of islands disappearing and rising sea levels … That provides a lot of demand for new technologies and new ways of doing things. From the UK tech sector’s point of view, they’re looking for opportunities to pilot, try new ways of working and find great people to work with.

Across SEA, there is a lot of tech talent. If you have seen the Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company report, they talked about how the digital decade has now come to SEA. And I think that is really true.

So, the UK tech sector looks at SEA and sees that the digital decade is here. And they want to be part of that. Because they know that it’s an opportunity to grow their businesses, to help businesses grow here, and ultimately solve some of the biggest problems that we face as a community.

When you’re collaborating with startups, what is the philosophy behind the collaboration?

There is a lot that we can learn from startups in SEA. For the very first time, the UK launched a new initiative called the Digital Trade Network. This is the first time we did this anywhere in the world, and we chose SEA and Asia Pacific because we could see the opportunity for mutual learning.

So we have brought British experts in tech, who are now based across the region. So in SEA, we have someone in Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, and also in Australia, Japan, or elsewhere.  They are looking to see how can we learn from the tech ecosystem in SEA. How can we find ways to pilot new ways of doing things? And how can we find the next generation of tech unicorns in SEA and work with them as early as possible?

Through the Digital Trade Network, we’ve worked now with a couple of 100 British tech companies who are interested in Asia Pacific particularly. We’ve whittled that down now to just over 60 companies that are looking at scaling opportunities here. We already have a number of success stories of British companies setting up offices here, hiring local talent, growing the business and contributing to the economy.

What do you think we should do to further promote collaborations between these different parties?

I think we should shine a light on those companies and show what is possible because it will encourage others to come and hire locally, and create new jobs and opportunities.

I also want to see companies from SEA coming into the UK as they think about their global expansion as well. In June, we have London Tech Week, which is the biggest tech conference in Europe. That’s a great opportunity for companies in Southeast Asia, to explore opportunities to expand in the UK, also look at fundraising opportunities, and learn from others.

Also Read: Go global: The mantra for Indian tech startup ecosystem

Let us just say there is a startup from SEA that would like to enter the UK market. Will there be any help to make it easier for them?

We have a programme called the Global Entrepreneurs Program. So, you have to apply for it. It’s a competitive process, but if you’re successful in getting onto this programme, you are partnered with an entrepreneur who has been through this process. They’ve done it themselves in terms of setting up businesses, and they will help you navigate the process, make it feel quite straightforward and really transparent, and help connect you with the right people. And also help you understand the UK market. We’ve had quite a few companies come through from Singapore.

So, what is next for the UK in SEA?

I’m always asking my team that question. We need to go bigger; we need to go bigger.

As we come out of the pandemic, and the global economy starts to speed up again, we know that the problems facing the world are not getting smaller. In some ways, they’re getting bigger, and they’re getting more complex. So, for us, we’ve had quite a big focus on supporting cybersecurity companies, supporting companies in Artificial Intelligence … because we have a digital economy agreement with Singapore.

But as we think about the future, the big focus will be on climate tech. We can see the demand in SEA and around the world. In the UK, we have just over 350 climate tech companies, and we know that they want to be in SEA. So, the focus of the next year will be bringing the best of UK climate tech to the region.

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Echelon Asia Summit 2023 is bringing together APAC’s leading startups, corporates, policymakers, industry leaders, and investors to Singapore this June 14-15. Learn more and get tickets here. Echelon also features the TOP100 stage, where startups get the chance to pitch to 5000+ delegates, among other benefits like a chance to connect with investors, visibility through e27 platform, and other prizes. Join TOP100 here.

Image Credit: British High Commission in Singapore

The post The digital decade in SEA: How the UK plans to embrace it with the local startup ecosystem appeared first on e27.

Malaysia-based EasyStore, a provider of unified commerce solutions in Southeast Asia, has acquired Singapore-based chat commerce platform NovoChat.

The details of the transaction haven’t been disclosed.

Through the acquisition, EasyStore merchants will be able to manage and automate customer communication with the help of ChatGPT across multiple chat channels, including WhatsApp, Messenger, LINE, and Telegram, from a single centralised inbox.

As per a statement, the move will benefit over 50,000 SMEs across Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Taiwan. CEO Frost Chen said: “Our acquisition of NovoChat will further strengthen our ability to serve APAC and Taiwan SMEs to sell their products and communicate with their customers on multiple channels.”

Also Read: AI has the potential to perpetuate harmful biases, says Inmagine CEO

EasyStore empowers businesses to streamline operations and reach a broader customer base through sales across multiple online and offline channels. Its admin interface allows merchants to manage sales effectively and keep inventory in sync across various channels, including social media, marketplaces, and point-of-sale (POS) systems.

It also offers a cloud-based point-of-sale interface to allow retailers to easily create and process orders at brick-and-mortar shops, pop-up shops, exhibitions, or other offline events. At the same time, they can keep all orders, inventory, and customer information seamlessly integrated and accessible through the cloud.

The firm recently established new regional offices in Taiwan and Singapore.

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Until 2019, the TOP100 competition was mainly conducted offline, wherein selected startups would pitch their products in front of judges at a physical venue in their respective countries in Southeast Asia, India, and Bangladesh. The event is entirely online this time.

TOP100 is a curated programme designed to discover, showcase and accelerate the next generation of up-and-coming startups.

Since 2011, thousands of startups have pitched at the event. They made a lot of connections and learnings, and some went on to raise multi-million dollars in funding. TOP100 is now not just a startup pitching competition but has become a regional startup programme that provides them with opportunities and features to elevate their startups.

Also Read: These 15 startups might just be part of this year’s TOP100

We spoke with some of the TOP100 contestants of 2019, and they shared their key takeaways with us.

David Henderson, CEO and Founder, DRVR

DRVR was delighted to win the Echelon TOP100 for Thailand in 2019 and then go on to finish in the Top 10 in Singapore. This was an excellent experience for the company, especially for Victoria, our business intern from Ngee Ann Polytechnic in Singapore.

We finished in the Top 10 out of 600 startups across Asia.

This event gave us massive exposure and led to a significant partnership with a Japanese company. We are now discussing taking a significant stake in our business.

The Echelon TOP100 is an excellent way for startups to gain exposure to customers, investors and partners. Our staff loved the experience and grew in confidence as a result.

We recommend participating in the event to help grow your startup and take it to a global stage!

Fateh Ali, Co-founder & CEO, Kitcod.com (Social API)

Our three takeaways from the event.

1: It provided meaningful experiences for startups and entrepreneurs to learn about emerging technologies from engaging keynotes, discussions and from startup founders themselves at the booth.

2: Attendees can build relationships with like-minded individuals in the startup and technology industry, specifically in new technology sectors.

Also Read: Why your startup deserves to take part in the 2023 TOP100

3: e27‘s powerful community inspires and motivates attendees to continue their journey in the technology industry. It offers an excellent opportunity to expand their knowledge of the latest tech and funding and connect with a supportive network of individuals from startups and enterprises.

Overall, attending TOP100 was an unforgettable experience! From meaningful event experiences to powerful networking opportunities and a vibrant sense of community, it’s not just another event, it is an opportunity for all.

Antoinette Patterson, Co-Founder and CEO of Safe Space

I had an exciting experience. I missed the Singapore pitch, so I flew to Malaysia for a day to pitch there. I’m grateful to the Malaysia team for choosing me to join the TOP100 event.

The TOP100 startup event provided learning opportunities and exposure. My learning from the event was never to give up!

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Echelon Asia Summit 2023 brings together APAC’s leading startups, corporates, policymakers, industry leaders, and investors to Singapore this June 14-15. Learn more and get tickets here. Echelon also features the TOP100 stage, where startups can pitch to 5000+ delegates, among other benefits like a chance to connect with investors, visibility through e27 platform, and other prizes. Join TOP100 here.

The post ‘It is not just another event but an opportunity for all’: TOP100 alumni share their experience appeared first on e27.