A recent report on Singapore venture funding landscape by DealStreetAsia and Enterprise SG declared that Singapore continued to dominate equity funding in Southeast Asia (SEA) throughout 2022, despite the slowdown caused by back-to-back global crises.

In 2022, equity funding deal volume and value by Singapore-headquartered firms peaked in Q2 at US$3.19 billion and 176 deals. As a comparison, the peak number in 2021 was US$4.12 billion and 120 deals. Compared with 2020 numbers, the deal and volume in 2022 was still relatively higher at US$10.9 billion with 651 deals, though it did not match the level that the ecosystem reached in 2021 at US$11.1 billion with 730 deals.

However, amidst this slowdown, Singapore continued to dominate the share of equity funding in SEA with 56.3 per cent of deal volume, followed by Indonesia at 22.4 per cent and Vietnam at seven per cent.

Of these numbers, early-stage funding in Singapore maintains its upward trajectory at 568 deals in 2022.

“Seed and Series A deals see median value rise across the region,” the report highlighted. “Seed rounds get bigger as investor appetite grows for early stage deals.”

Navigating a recession: How founders can protect revenue as funding dries up

Of the top 20 equity funding deals in SEA in 2022, the top spot was secured by Lazada Group’s US$1.6 billion corporate funding round by Alibaba Group, followed by Coda Payments’s US$690 million Series C funding round.

Smart nation, digital economy dominate

The report divided the categories of investment in Singapore into four categories: Smart Nation and Digital Economy, Human Health and Potential, Urban Solutions and Sustainability, and Manufacturing, Trade, and Connectivity.

Despite peaking in 2020-2021, investment into Human Health and Potential dropped to 45 deals in 2022. Investments into Urban Solutions and Sustainability also dropped from 60 deals in 2020 to 53 deals in 2021, until it finally reached 21 deals in 2022.

The segment that enjoyed an increase in 2022 was Smart Nation and Digital Economy which reached 524 deals, only slightly decreasing from the 2021 number of 532. In SEA in general, Singapore also outraced this category with US$9 billion raised in total.

Under the Urban Solutions and Sustainability category, we saw an increase in the Greentech segment with 10 deals in 2022.

Despite the promises that the year 2022 brought, the report notes reasons to be cautious in 2023.

“Singapore venture capital market will face testing times in 2023 as a global recession seems likely. High prices are set to hit consumption and, in turn, impact business growth, while investors are likely to tighten their purse things as they prioritise robust unit economics and profitability,” the report writes.

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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.

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Adrian Chng is the Founder and Chairman of Fintonia Group, an entrepreneurial financial services firm licensed in Singapore and Dubai. It provides funds, wealth management, and merchant banking solutions for technology and digital assets companies and entrepreneurs.

Chng was previously CEO of GoBear and jobsDB.com, which had a US$1 billion merger and exit in 2014. He has completed over U$10 billion of investments and transactions from US$20 million to US$2 billion.

He is also a Web3 subcommittee committee of the Singapore Fintech Association.

He regularly contributes articles for e27 (you can read his thought leadership articles here).

In this candid interview, he talks about his personal and professional life.

How would you explain what you do to a five-year-old?

Adrian is like a grown-up who helps other grown-ups make good choices with their money. He runs a business that helps people invest their money in other companies or projects, particularly those working with technology and digital things like computers and the internet.

He has a lot of experience doing this and has helped make many deals, like when two companies join, or one company sells its shares to others.

And he is also a part of a group of people who work together to ensure that people who use technology and the internet to do things with money are doing it reasonably and safely.

What has been the biggest highlight/challenge of your career so far?

We have successfully obtained the Capital Markets Service (CMS) License upgrade from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) amidst the crypto winter and the collapse of many crypto giants (FTX, Luna/Terra, 3AC). This further reinforces Fintonia’s position as a trusted and licensed player in the industry as we expand and provide innovative investment solutions and products to our clients.

It’s rewarding to see year on year growth for Fintonia. In 2021, we launched two institutional-grade Bitcoin funds, and in 2022, we were rewarded with the provisional Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) license in Dubai.

Also Read: Continue to push boundaries and create value: Jolene Lum of Nurasa

How do you envision the next five years of your career?

Helping Fintonia become a trusted financial services firm in the digital assets space. As a licensed player in two countries, we have a great opportunity and responsibility to help the industry grow. Investors earn attractive risk-adjusted returns within a trusted and safe, regulated environment.

What are some of your favourite work tools?

• Asana: It keeps my daily tasks organised
• My notebook: It helps me remember key points from meetings
• Zoom: I have to work with clients in various countries, and Zoom helps to keep us connected regardless of the time zones

What’s something about you or your job that would surprise us?

I was a chess player and state representative, and I had almost pursued this professionally.

Do you prefer WFH or WFO, or hybrid?

I prefer working from the office as it helps collaborate with colleagues and brainstorm new ideas.

What would you tell your younger self?

The journey is as enjoyable as the destination.

Can you describe yourself in three words?

Entrepreneurial, experienced, connected.

What are you most likely to be doing if not working?

Doing crossfit or yoga.

What are you currently reading/listening to/watching?

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck and Ego Is The Enemy

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Join the e27 contributor community of thought leaders and share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

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In recent years, we have seen a rise in the popularity of embedded finance. This not-entirely-new form of lending has the potential to revolutionise the way we access credit and drive healthy growth in the Indonesian economy.

For a long time, we’ve seen HomeCredit master this type of lending by financing offline consumer purchases. Nowadays, more advanced embedded lending models involve integrating financial services directly into online platforms, such as e-commerce, ride-sharing, and supply chain management. This trend is not new, with companies like Apple, Amazon, and Ant Group already offering embedded lending services to their users.

One example of embedded lending that’s already well-known in Indonesia is GoPay Later. It allows GoJek to drive volume on its platform by offering accessible credit to its users. This allows leveraging the data of GoJek to make better lending decisions.

Similarly, in China, Ant Group provides small loans to merchants on the Alipay platform, allowing them to grow their businesses. Similar, more productive lending-focused use cases are expected to become more popular in Indonesia as well.

Embedded finance is revolutionising lending

There are several benefits to embedded lending, and it has the potential to significantly impact the Indonesian economy. First and foremost, it allows lenders to use platform data sources to provide cheaper credit to the right borrowers. By integrating financial services directly into other products, lenders can access a wealth of data on user behaviour and spending habits.

This allows them to better assess risk and provide credit to those who are likely to pay it back. This benefits both lenders and borrowers, as lenders can offer lower interest rates while still maintaining profitability, and borrowers can access affordable credit they may not have been able to before.

Also Read: While traditional funding penalises a biz at its worst time, Jenfi gives them more leeway

However, there are challenges to implementing embedded lending in Indonesia. Many lenders and platforms lack the technological infrastructure needed to effectively integrate financial services into their products.

While many of Indonesia’s fintech lenders claim to be doing exactly this – it is mostly operated via excels, taking days to approve the credit and not utilising the value of platform data. This will be developing rapidly as the lenders that can handle the technological challenge to integrate with various platforms, utilise unique data sources, and make smart decisions fast – will define the market.

Another benefit of embedded lending is that it improves lenders’ unit economics, as they don’t need to acquire each user separately. By integrating financial services directly into other products, lenders can access a large customer base without having to spend as much on marketing and user acquisition.

This can lead to greater profitability and stability for lenders, which in turn can lead to more affordable credit for borrowers with smaller fees that need to cover operational costs.

Final thoughts

Embedded lending has the potential to drive healthy growth in credit in Indonesia by improving lender unit economics and gradual improvement in technology. With the rising popularity of embedded finance globally and a growing digital economy in Indonesia, we can expect to see substantial growth in embedded credit in the coming years.

While challenges remain, the benefits of embedded lending are significant, including cheaper credit for the right borrowers and a larger potential customer base for lenders. As technology improves and more use cases appear, embedded lending could have a major impact on the Indonesian economy, paving the way for a more financially inclusive and robust future.

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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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Singapore-based B2B financing and payments infrastructure company CrediLinq.Ai is in the advanced stages of signing a strategic acquisition deal in Indonesia, its Founder and Group CEO Deep Singh said.

The discussions are at the board approval stage, Singh said in an interview with e27 shortly after announcing its seed extension round from investors, including MS&AD Ventures, Big Sky Capital, and 1982 Ventures, early last month.

“We have already engaged with a firm in Indonesia, and it is at the Board approval stage. We expect the transaction to be complete in the next two-three months,” Singh added without divulging details.

Also Read: Embedded finance can help legacy banks grow loan book, go to market quickly: FinBox CEO

Furthermore, the embedded finance company is actively seeking acquisition opportunities in Singapore, particularly in the payments space. “We have identified some targets and will proceed to engage with them once we conclude the Indonesian transaction,” Singh shared.

Founded in January 2021 by Singh and Vikram Kotibhaskar (Co-Founder), CrediLinq provides embedded fintech solutions that enable one-click checkouts for B2B marketplaces, corporates, and fintech companies.

The company initially intended to provide SMEs with seamless access to affordable capital without the hassle of a traditional bank loan. As the idea progressed, the founders developed proprietary technology to provide this funding at B2B e-commerce platforms and marketplaces.

Currently, CrediLinq offers two embedded financial products:

1. B2B PayLater: This solution allows businesses to buy products, stock up their inventory and defer payment by 30 to 60 days. It enables suppliers to get paid instantly while the buyer conveniently repays the transaction amount and fees on the date they choose at checkout.
2. GMV financing: This solution allows sellers on B2B marketplaces to instantly collect payment for the goods they have successfully sold. They are charged a single upfront fee at the point of checkout.

The fintech startup has partnered with six platforms across e-commerce, payments and procurement in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and Malaysia. It will soon enter Indonesia. CrediLinq is also discussing with potential customers in Malta, the UK, and Israel.

Also Read: CrediLinq raises US$2.6M to enable one-click checkouts for Asian SMEs

According to Singh, the future of global finance is embedded. As per a recent Research and Markets report, embedded finance was worth US$108.6 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach US$358 billion by 2029 at a 24.4 per cent CAGR. While it may be difficult to fathom the potential of embedded finance in Asia, a closer look at the ground level immediately highlights the proponents of this growth.

“For starters, the 2017 SME Finance Forum study highlighted how SMEs worldwide suffer from a US$5.2 trillion financing gap yearly. Around 58 per cent of these businesses operate out of Asia. This highlights how wide the SME finance gap in Asia truly is,” he said.

A recent market study by Mordor Intelligence also highlighted how B2B e-commerce in Asia is experiencing a steady growth of 15.2 per cent CAGR. This shift to businesses and customers transacting online and a rapidly increasing internet penetration are why embedded finance in Asia is estimated to become a US$358-billion market by 2029.

“This trend can also be witnessed on the global stage, as more businesses worldwide continue their shift from offline to online processes,” Singh added. “As a company, we acknowledge this potential, and thus we are pioneering embedded finance for Asia and beyond.”

Speaking of the trends in embedded finance, he said integrating finance for businesses is one of the most significant trends. Globally, multiple companies are pioneering the bespoke integration of financial services on a traditional non-financial platform for businesses.

“So current global trend in embedded finance globally and in Asia is to design and integrate bespoke financial solutions for businesses, such that they too can reap the benefits of an embedded financial experience, which was only previously restricted to end consumers.”

Also Read: Why plug-and-play should be the new standard for embedded finance

Singh also opined that embedded finance would force traditional banks to change. While banks have woken up to the potential of embedded finance, most traditional institutions still need to start experimenting with this technology.

For instance, in Asia, only Standard Chartered is trialling an embedded finance experience for its customers by following a BaaS (banking as a service) model. Although the potential of this technology is well known, most traditional institutions are unwilling to integrate this offering as it deters them from their age-old approach.

“From our perspective, embedded finance arrives with the promise of bringing all stakeholders together on a level playing field. However, unfortunately, there is still some resistance from traditional institutions to arrive at this juncture,” he said. “If banks and other traditional institutions fail to embrace the embedded finance wave, it can become an existential threat to them. As a recent Accenture study rightly highlighted, if banks do nothing, embedded finance can claim up to US$32 billion in SME banking revenue by 2025.”

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In their latest study What Jobseekers Wish Employers Knew: Unlocking the Future of Recruitment, SEEK–the parent company of JobStreet and JobsDB– revealed that one in three people in Southeast Asia (SEA) and Hong Kong is actively looking for a job, helping 2023 to remain a “jobseekers’ market.”

Held in partnership with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and The Network, a global alliance of recruitment websites, the study surveyed more than 90,000 respondents in Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

It revealed that despite the waves of layoffs by tech companies in the region, opportunities for tech talents in SEA remain abundant. SEEK noted a 29 per cent YOY (2021 vs 2022) increase in job ads for tech roles in the region based on data from Jobstreet and JobsDB.

However, in a press conference in Singapore today, SEEK CEO (Asia) Peter Bithos stressed that these opportunities exist in “different places.”

Responding to a question by e27, he elaborated that up until October last year, there were at least 2,000 tech talents that were laid off in the region. Yet at the same again, the SEEK team counted that there are 9,000 to 10,000 vacancies for tech roles in their platforms.

Also Read: Special visa introduced to woo global tech talents to Singapore

“The message is … if you are a tech worker and you have been impacted [by the layoffs], you may not be able to find another tech job at another startup or pure tech company. But there are opportunities in non-tech industries such as healthcare [which had intensified their digitalisation efforts since the pandemic],” he said.

What talents want from potential employers

The study revealed jobseekers’ expectations from their potential employers. Most respondents (71 per cent) in SEA and Hong Kong prioritise stable jobs with good work-life balance in their search, and this preference is dominant across job roles, countries, and age groups.

According to BCG Partner and Associate Director Sagar Goel, people’s expectations towards work have “changed radically” in the past few years.

“Employers must understand that while a high salary may be a way to raise the attention of in-demand talent, money is not enough to retain them in the long run. A culture that supports work-life balance, allows for flexibility, and emphasises good workplace relationships is equally important,” he said.

Interestingly, the study also discovered that the use of advanced digital tools in the recruitment process is “not favoured” amongst the younger generations.

Also Read: The future of edutech: Personalising learning for all

“Many prefer to see personal interactions during the recruitment process, with only 24 per cent stating that they would be comfortable participating in an AI-led interview,” it stated.”

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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.

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I am not sure about you, but I think we should all be in panic mode now.

When it comes to tackling the impact of climate change, we have both good and bad news from many sides. The bad news is that we are doomed; this should be obvious. But the good news is that, through the stories that we covered on e27 in February, we see that there had been progress in how we are dealing with this major crisis–one that will determine our survival in the next centuries.

In fact, we can compile the insights that we gathered through our own coverage in the climate tech and sustainability sectors into three neat lessons:

1. Tech industries play a greater role than thought

We can break this down into various verticals and how they give a unique contribution to the fight against climate change. Take an example of this post by our contributor, Elevandi Senior Communications Manager Anthony Caravello.

“The move to a net zero global economy by 2050 will require the greatest reallocation of capital since World War II, coupled with a massive influx of financial innovation,” he writes.

“Fintechs are already playing a role in driving the sustainability agenda. ‘Fintechs for Good’, i.e. fintech [companies] that embed an ESG agenda into their core product portfolio, operations and mission, attracted US$2.1 billion in funding in 2021, and this trend is expected to continue. As sustainability efforts proliferate, a key challenge for all companies would be to demonstrate real impact and self-protect against greenwashing.”

Also Read: SG Budget 2023: Greater push towards net zero provides opportunities for startups

A similar sentiment was also expressed by Michael Sheren, President and Chief Strategy Officer of MVGX, in an interview with e27. With its ability to provide transparency, blockchain definitely has secured a VIP seat in the fight against global warming.

“When I worked in corporate finance for years in the ’80s and ’90s, transparency was the opposite of what they looked for. They tried to keep the information as concealed as possible, hoping that buyers would not ask too many questions. Nowadays, the more open you are to demonstrating how green you are, the better price you get. It’s almost like taking the whole concept of 1980s Wall Street and putting it on its head,” he said.

Consumerism is one of the reasons why we got to this point in the first place. However, retail and e-commerce companies can also play a role in the fight against global warming by transforming the way we shop–starting with highlighting those who are helping us shop differently.

Take the example of Smthgood, a fashion marketplace that is focused on ‘conscious fashion’ brands.

“All brands on the platform have been carefully curated to align with Smthgood’s values based on three factors: what the item is made of, how the item is made, and the impact of the finished item on the environment. Smthgood aims to provide more personalised user experiences with fashion AI tagging and uplift the conscious brands on its platform,” the company says.

2. Must never forget the humans

The fight against climate change goes hand-in-hand with the fight for social justice. Unfortunately, the human element is often forgotten in our quest to find alternatives to existing solutions.

Also Read: Singapore’s climate change: Moving towards net-zero through greener buildings and emerging technology

In many parts of Asia, plastic waste is commonly processed by informal workers who are part of the marginalised society. We recently featured two SEA-based startups–Plustik and TrashLucky–who are looking to empower informal plastic waste workers through their tech solutions.

Laura Benns, Director of Programs, at SecondMuse explains in an email interview the value that startups can provide to informal waste workers–that may not be provided by other institutions.

She highlights that waste management ecosystems are complex, including in Asia where it is mostly run by marginalised members of society. But she stresses that innovative design thinking behind new business models around waste management ecosystems has huge potential to break the mould on who stands to benefit from these innovations.

3. We are in this together

But the best part is knowing that we are not alone in this fight. The appearance of “low-carbon transition” in SG Budget 2023 is a welcome addition by members of the tech startup ecosystem.

For startups working in the climate tech and sustainability sectors, balancing revenue and impact remains the toughest challenges that they are facing, but luckily there is always help around the corner.

“Startups will face the challenge of balancing impact creation and business growth, aligning expectations of stakeholders and business partners, and getting their investors to better understand how impact can translate into enterprise value,” says James Tan, Managing Partner at Quest Ventures.

“With sustainability coming into focus in these few years, the challenge may be slowly mitigating, but investors should put teeth in their commitment to sustainability and impact by actually investing in and supporting the growth of impact-driven startups … Together with our local and international partners in the startup investment ecosystems and social sectors, we are able to support the startups in expanding beyond the local market and pulling together resources to replicate and scale.”

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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: Antoine GIRET on Unsplash

The post We tried to save the world in February. These are the 3 things we learned about it appeared first on e27.

The cybersecurity industry has consistently faced a shortage of skilled people in the profession. According to a Cybersecurity Workforce Study by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium, Inc., or (ISC)2, the global cybersecurity workforce gap grew by more than 26 per cent year-over-year in 2022, despite adding more than 464,000 people to the profession.

This gap has been driven by the acceleration of digitalisation brought about by the pandemic, rapid advancements brought about by Industry 4.0 technologies, as well as the increased prevalence of cyber threat actors keen to take advantage of these trends to further their own nefarious objectives.

More importantly, this gap has increased the risks of cyberattacks to organisations as existing practitioners struggle to keep up with the increased threats and evolving landscape.

We need to hire cybersecurity professionals from all disciplines

Cybersecurity professionals are typically hired from disciplines related to IT and networking roles. This is a sensible approach as people in these disciplines have knowledge or skillsets that are complementary to cybersecurity roles, such as system administration, programming and networking.

However, as evidenced from the numbers, we are unable to narrow the cybersecurity workforce gap just by hiring from this limited pool of people. There are increased competing demands for people with such skillsets, especially from emerging Industry 4.0 technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and advanced robotics.

Also Read: How the need to survive pushed this founder into the depths of cybersecurity

To fill the workforce gap, we need to hire cybersecurity professionals from outside the traditional industries of IT and networking. This may be contrary to existing mainstream hiring practices where hard skills are often prioritised first, but there is method in this “madness”, especially in the field of cybersecurity.

Hard skills are nice, but aptitude is cardinal

For example, 10 years ago, a Security Operations Centre (SOC) would typically employ static Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) and Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) for security monitoring operations. Today, a typical SOC would be capable of performing proactive Threat Hunting (TH), employ Artificial Intelligence (AI) to detect anomalies, and use automated orchestration tools.

An engineer who had joined a SOC 10 years ago knowing how to operate an SIEM, would not be able to rely on that same skillset in a SOC today, unless he picked up new skills in TH or AI or automation tools.

Hence, a potential candidate should not be assessed primarily on their current or past skills but more on their aptitude or their ability to pick up new skills and knowledge. This is even more relevant in the cybersecurity industry, where technologies and methods are expected to change every two to three years, and candidates need to have the right aptitude and attitude to pick up new skills quickly, relearn or even unlearn old skills.

Need of the hour

Structured Training is critical for candidates outside the industry to join the cybersecurity workforce and hit the ground running.

With the right aptitude, a potential candidate will have a much higher chance of transiting successfully into the cybersecurity industry. However, having just aptitude is insufficient for the candidate to transit, as manpower-starved employers are looking for candidates with the necessary skillsets to hit the ground running rather than having to train them by themselves.

The skills acquisition process can be complicated for a candidate from outside the IT industry. Firstly, they would potentially be looking at hundreds of cybersecurity certifications, of which many of these might not be suitable for the candidate’s expertise level or might not provide the correct skillsets for a particular job. Secondly, some might not be able to afford the training costs upfront, or commit the time to attain these skillsets on a part-time basis. Thirdly, some candidates simply learn better with a trainer, as a trainer would be able to bring them through more difficult concepts, customise the programme to the candidate’s ability, or contextualise cybersecurity concepts to practical scenarios.

Also Read: 9 tips for creating a remote work cybersecurity policy

Hence, a structured training programme which is focused on practical skills, led by experienced trainers and practitioners, and enables the candidate to focus on training full-time, is a critical enabler for these candidates to transit successfully and hit the ground running.

Benefits of hiring cybersecurity professionals from outside the industry

Hiring cybersecurity professionals from outside the industry will enable us to narrow the cyber workforce gap in a sustained manner. This will benefit organisations looking to reinforce their cybersecurity workforce to defend against increasing threats, as well as the candidates who can look forward to meaningful and challenging work and good career prospects.

However, the benefits go beyond that. The cybersecurity community will also benefit from alternative skillsets that these candidates bring in, which are not native to the cybersecurity community. For example, a former power engineer will bring with him knowledge about power systems which will enable him to defend industrial control systems (ICS) better.

A former law associate will be able to contribute significantly to legal and policy developments in the cybersecurity domain, which is currently very nascent. A former sales executive would be very valuable as a cybersecurity solutions sales engineer or consultant. The possibilities are endless.

This is how we can fill the cybersecurity workforce gap and protect the world.

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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

Join our e27 Telegram group, FB community, or like the e27 Facebook page

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What elements constitute growth and scale for a startup?

According to our contributor David Isaac Matthews, Principal: Growth & Venture Building at Causality Co, it all starts with finding that product-market fit.

“Product-market fit is the holy grail of startups and launching innovation. It is when you are creating value for a profitable customer segment. It is the point at which your product meets the needs of your target market, creating a unique value proposition that drives growth. But achieving product-market fit is easier said than done,” he writes.

In the pre-pandemic world, growth is often identical with speed, and startups often stays in a cycle of raising funding in order to expand to new markets before they are hit with the reality of sustaining a business.

But as we are dealing with back-to-back global crises, is there any difference in the way we should approach this? What lessons have we learned in the past few years, and what remains relevant? What opportunities are there to explore?

Also Read: 6 different ways to explore growth at Echelon Asia Summit 2023

This year, Echelon Asia Summit will be back on June 14-15 at Singapore EXPO to build towards a sustainable and impactful tech ecosystem.

The event will feature six key themes and tracks:

• Soonicorns and the Future Change-makers of SEA
• Future Sectors and Investment Trends
• Growth and Scaling
• Investments and M&A
• Sustainable Growth and Climate
• Web3

We are looking forward to featuring startup founders who will not hesitate to share their stories. From the most valuable lessons that you have ever learned to tips-and-trick on how companies can scale and grow their business in a challenging time like this, we believe that no ones knows better than you!

We are also looking forward to hear from investors, corporations, and government agencies on the role that they play in helping startups scale–and how they can make a difference in it.

If you are the right person to speak about this key theme and track, or know someone who does, we would like to hear from you. Register HERE and we will get in touch soon.

See you in June.

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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.

The post Brand new days: How startups can approach growth in a post-pandemic world appeared first on e27.

To attract potential customers, eye-catching visuals (photos and videos) are critical for online businesss, such as e-commerce shops, marketplaces, and e-magazines. However, getting affordable, fast visuals is costly and challenging.

While large brands can afford professional photo shoots, smaller brands trying to move onto e-commerce platforms are less fortunate.

“A professional shoot is expensive and difficult to execute,” Kathy Sheehy tells e27. “Lots of efforts are going into it, from hiring a photographer, renting out a studio, renting lights, hiring a stylist, models, make-up artists. Quotes for bespoke shoots could run into thousands of dollars.”

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

There should be a way to make photoshoots affordable for smaller brands without compromising quality, Kathy thought to herself. The Singaporean national, who has a background in brand building, social media and communications, broached this subject with Des Sheehy, her self-proclaimed “worst half” and a 35-year veteran of investing, and KittyKat was born.

Based in Singapore, KittyKat is the next evolution of brand photography, claims Kathy, the Chief Creative Officer. The startup works with brands and SMEs to create photos, videos, and GIFs affordably. “We produce images that are fast, aesthetic and affordable. We leverage AI to produce brand visuals and then use tech/humans to present, refine and multiply these images.”

As a business owner, you can book your shoot on the KittyKat website and send your product to the company for the shoot. You can then join the shoot virtually and get the pictures and videos later. Businesses can also get photoshoot recommendations from KittyKat.

The startup works with in-house and freelance creators, providing them more work, tools, and training to elevate their output.

KittyKat targets businesses where the image they present online is important: a web page, e-newsletter or social media account. According to Kathy, KittyKat has already worked with nearly 100 SMEs, brands, and MNCs across the US, Australia, and Asia.

Like most startups, the AI company also faces several challenges, of which behaviour change is the biggest. Small companies beginning their online journey don’t think visuals are essential, while large companies with in-house marketing teams need the incentive to change their traditional ways.

“Overcoming the assumption that we are a photo studio was challenging. While we take photos, we are a service that uses innovation, new technology, and AI to ensure we maximise the impact of the client’s visual assets,” she says. “We help SMEs/brands scale and sell across geographies as we can create visuals that match local market needs.”

In her opinion, the best way to overcome such challenges is by experience.

KittyKat doesn’t charge thousands of dollars for shoot unlike other service providers. Instead, it provides a personal dashboard where the clients can access all the digital visual assets. They can pick new visuals from this dashboard to use later.

These assets constantly grow as KittyKat keeps adding new images through its multiplier and user-generated content (UGC) creators. The dashboard also provides access to content, training and tools to improve the performance of the marketing team and the brands. “We don’t want a client to come back for another shoot; we want the client to select from their personal gallery in a single click,” Kathy notes.

The startup offers various payment models to its clients: pay-as-you-go, SaaS, or account model to draw down these assets from their dashboards. They can also order new shoots or new formats from this, such as 3D, NFT, Print Ready etc.

A bootstrapped company, KittyKat recently raised a strategic investment round from 11 family members and friends. It has 23 staff workers across Singapore, the US, Ireland, Malaysia, and Australia.

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In the next six to nine months, the firm plans to open a physical presence in the Middle East, Europe and the US, to better capture the initial images in mature markets.

“An image is worth a thousand words – one of the hardest parts of a digital transformation/platform are the images. At the end if the day, you need good visual assets to sell online,” Kathy signs off.

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DigiFT, a Singapore-based digital asset exchange (DEX) for asset-backed tokens (STO), has secured US$10.5 million in a pre-Series A funding round led by Shanda Group, a global privately-owned investment group.

Other investors also participated, including HashKey Capital, Hash Global, Xin Enterprise, and North Beta Capital.

The startup will use the new funds to support license applications in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, technology development, and expand its innovation capabilities. The firm also plans to expand its team.

DigiFT was founded in 2020 by Henry Zhang, formerly Greater China CEO of East West Bank and Deputy China CEO of Citibank and Standard Chartered Bank.

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DigiFT is a DEX for asset-backed tokens (STO) and is the first such exchange enrolled in the Monetary Authority of Singapore FinTech Regulatory Sandbox. It aims to provide regulated DeFi solutions on the Ethereum public blockchain, offering an automatic market-making (AMM) mechanism that facilitates secondary trading liquidity for security tokens backed by financial assets.

Asset owners can issue blockchain-based security tokens cost-effectively. Investors can also trade with continuous liquidity via the AMM mechanism and retain control over digital assets in their wallets.

“As a key international financial hub, Singapore boasts a robust legal framework and government support for tokenisation with blockchain technology. We look forward to further working with regulatory bodies to steer our industry in the right direction,” said Henry Zhang, Founder and CEO of DigiFT.

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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.

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