The blockchain world remains a ‘male fiefdom’ despite the tremendous progress in terms of gender diversity. It will likely take a few more years for female leaders to dominate this space.

However, there are already a few women folks around the world who are breaking the glass ceiling and defying all the odds to establish a name for themselves. Kavita Gupta is a great example. She has broken through the male-dominated industry to launch Delta Blockchain Fund, an early-stage strategic fund in the US.

In an interview with e27, Gupta talks about her journey into the tech and VC industry, the challenges she faced in the male-dominated industry, and the future of blockchain.

Can you talk about the work you do at Delta Blockchain Fund? What are some of the exciting projects you are currently working on?

Delta Blockchain Fund is an early-stage blockchain technology investment fund. We collaborate with amazing founders from all over the world. Our team is also global with employees from Europe, Dubai, Asia, India, and the US where I’m based.

We work with founders from the very beginning — incubating their ideas, brainstorming with them, and connecting them with other thought leaders in the space who can help them grow. As a VC, I love being a catalyst and enabler for these founders. It’s something that comes naturally to me and I’ve really seen the value of it over the past 12 to 15 years.

Also Read: ‘Bootstrapping allows Inmagine flexibility to respond to changing market conditions, client needs’

We’ve invested in over 47 companies and we continue to support each and every one of them. Our goal is to help founders live out their visions and execute their goals. That’s how I see my role as an investor, as really a support system and that’s what I’m passionate about.

Can you tell us about your journey into the tech and VC industry? What inspired you to pursue a career in this field?

I’ve realised that sometimes life happens to you more than you plan it. I came to the US as a student back in 2004-2005 when India didn’t have strong internet access and my applications used to be on paper instead of email but even then I was super curious about anything that had batteries.

My first job was on the World Bank trading floor, which introduced me to finance. I soon started realising my passion for tech and I was very fortunate to be given the job of doing the valuation for early-stage tech in emerging markets at the bank. As soon as I began working, I realised that it didn’t even feel like work. It was answering my curiosity, and honestly, it was fun for me. And so destiny pulled me in that direction and it just felt like home. So that was the beginning.

But if I think back to when I was a kid, I think I always wanted to play with electronics. I was always curious about how things worked and asked things like why they worked that way. What can we change for the better? Can it be bad? And then when computers came into my life, I was in eighth grade and I was just fascinated. I noticed about myself that with every piece of hardware, I had to open it up and see what was going on inside. That journey to combine tech, finance and impact continues till now.

What challenges did you face as a woman in a male-dominated industry? How did you overcome them?

This is an interesting question. When I started my career, I didn’t think much about it because when I went to an engineering school there were only four girls in my class.

But when I took my first job on the trading floor, there were hardly any women there. There were probably only one to two, including my boss, Nina Shapiro, who thankfully is still the advisor to Delta Blockchain Fund. During those days, there was really no conversation about women in the workplace. As I started moving into more senior positions, I began to realise that I was always one of the only women.

I realised pretty quickly that there was a certain way things worked. I just had to work extra hard to earn my seat at the table. Honestly, there was an inbuilt pressure that if I’m on the board and all of the members are male, I had to earn my seat by being extra prepared. Sometimes it was difficult to ask a question and expect proper attention like my male colleagues on the board.

As a woman, I had to learn to ask for what I wanted and know my worth.

A lot of times, women are scared to say “Hey, I deserve this promotion”. Often, we’re always apologising for things. But I also feel that most of the women who have made it to the top as founders and investors have learned the skill of building trust and friendships while learning to stand up and push and ask for what they want or deserve.

And every time now when I’m meeting a lot of young women or I am hiring somebody, I push them to know their worth and ask for what they need.

In your opinion, what are the major barriers that are blocking women’s entry into the tech and VC industry? What steps can be taken to increase gender diversity in this space?

Over the past few years, the progress has been amazing. When I went to college 18-20 years ago, there were very few women in STEM courses. Now, when I go to guest lectures or even when I teach a STEM class at Stanford, it’s usually at least an equal number of men and women in the class.

But then when it comes to the workforce, I notice that many tech teams are very male-dominated. The founders are male and you have one woman who is either a CMO or a community head or head of HR and then the rest of the team is all male.

Also Read: Meet the VCs: In conversation with East Ventures’ first female partner Melisa Irene

I think that we have incredibly qualified women who are figuring out how to navigate the so-called ‘bro gang’ but it’s a generational change and I feel like more and more men are getting comfortable studying alongside women in a larger capacity. So in the workplace, there will definitely be a big difference.

At Delta, out of our 47 portfolio companies, we only have two women founders. But I have a strong belief that it’s going to get better.

What do you think is the role of blockchain technology in addressing some of the world’s most pressing issues, such as climate change and income inequality?

Blockchain is a powerful technology that offers transparency, traceability, and security. In 2019, I gave a talk at MIT media lab on liquid democracy, discussing how blockchain could be utilised to create a transparent government system where every department, including tax and driving licenses, is on the blockchain. This would result in a truly transparent democracy, as the government could track what is owed to them and citizens could see if the government fulfilled its obligations.

Blockchain could also be used for land titling, mining, carbon credits, and salary wages with privacy through zero-knowledge systems. However, the extent to which blockchain is used depends on the willingness of people to adopt it.

How do you see the blockchain industry evolving in the next five years?

There has been a shift towards spending more time and energy on really important things like infrastructure and I see this continuing. The importance of infrastructure cannot be overstated. A global identity comprises financial, government, and social components etc. all rolled up together, true decentralised data storage, user-readable search results, an explorer for on-chain data etc.

Without proper building blocks, blockchain may be limited to small applications or speculative tools, which goes against its true potential. However, if things continue in this way, I see the industry growing exponentially and creating many new opportunities.

What are your future plans and aspirations for your work in the tech and VC industry?

Our future plans are to create new and unique VC offerings and products to support investors, while also generating profit for our Limited Partners. Our goal is to support founders throughout the entire cycle, from the preseed level to token launch and market fluctuations, ultimately supporting the technology. Our objective is to continue growing while remaining strategic partners for our stakeholders.

What advice would you give to women who want to pursue a career in the tech and VC industry?

My advice to those wanting to work in the tech or VC industry is to be yourself, be strong, and believe in yourself. Focus on doing your best work. It can feel like an exclusive club at times, and there may be uncomfortable situations, but don’t let that discourage you.

Keep building your network and proving your value, and you will be invited to the table. Don’t be the noise, be the value.

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Mimin, an Indonesian-based startup offering chat commerce solutions and virtual assistant services for businesses, has secured undisclosed seed funding from Salim Group-owned Otto Digital.

Mimin will use the fresh funding to serve micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and online sellers and strengthen its technology infrastructure and order management software. Otto Digital has a prominent MSME community and networks across Indonesia.

Also Read: F&B ops management platform OrderEZ acquires Cocoon Capital-backed FoodRazor

Founded by Joseph Simbar (CEO) and Bayu Eka Putra (COO), Mimin provides chat commerce automation and an order management platform to help business owners run their stores efficiently. Through the Mimin app, sellers can input orders that came in through chat platforms easily, and the app will automatically generate invoices and payment confirmations. This solution enables businesses to process orders 70 per cent faster and more accurately.

“Based on our findings in the field, many buyers and sellers prefer conversational transactions, such as those conducted via WhatsApp or Instagram direct messages. Mimin aims to assist online sellers by automating order processing, which saves time and effort, as well as enhances business growth. We also offer relevant insights to help businesses innovate based on processed transactions, so that they can innovate based on this valuable business acumen,” said CEO Simbar.

Currently, the Mimin app is used by MSMEs in 20 provinces across 55 cities in Indonesia, particularly in the sectors of homemade F&B, fashion, and daily necessities. To expand its reach, Mimin collaborates with local governments in several areas, such as Sragen and Kep. Riau, and provides training and mentoring to the local MSME community. Its training in Sragen and Kep. Riau has already attracted 10,000 MSMEs to join and utilise the platform to manage their businesses.

To cater to retail companies on a larger scale, Mimin has introduced Mimin Pro, a service that allows businesses to easily process orders received through chat and delegate order fulfilment to the nearest branch.

Also Read: ‘Bootstrapping allows Inmagine flexibility to respond to changing market conditions, client needs’

“We believe that Mimin provides on-target solutions for Indonesian MSMEs and will greatly assist business players in increasing the efficiency of using WhatsApp as their means of selling. This investment is in line with Otto Digital’s vision of building the economy by empowering communities and expanding economic growth to rural areas. Mimin is one of the enablers we need to make it happen. Therefore, our investment represents our commitment to building a stronger Indonesian MSMEs ecosystem,” said Reginald Hamdani, CEO of Otto Digital.

Social commerce (shopping using social media and chatting apps) in Indonesia is projected to grow by 17.9 per cent annually from 2022-2028. According to a 2022 Populix survey, 86 per cent of Indonesians have shopped through social media and chat apps, such as Tiktok Shop (45 per cent), WhatsApp (21 per cent), Facebook (10 per cent), and Instagram (10 per cent).

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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 Salim Group unit invests in Indonesian B2B chat commerce automation platform Mimin appeared first on e27.

Running a startup successfully inherently comes with a lot of risks. Several aspects can significantly impact the business but are beyond the control of even the smartest entrepreneurs.  

Further, these risks may occur at any stage of the project, leading to delays or even the failure of the project. 

To navigate such challenges, young startup professionals can use various proven risk management techniques or strategies to ensure the timely completion of projects without much hassle, thus lowering the costs as well as efforts for the company.

The ability to mitigate risk as a startup founder allows you to acknowledge as well as accommodate such risks proactively. To this end, we will talk about different strategies you can use to mitigate risks in today’s ever-dynamic startup world.

Strategies for mitigating risk as a startup professional

Here are some of the strategies young entrepreneurs can use to manage as well as mitigate risk in the startup world.

Prioritise financial discipline

Young professionals in the startup ecosystem often get so engrossed with the operational aspects of the business that they overlook the financial details.

However, a lack of financial discipline can prove quite harmful in the long run, as you can soon run out of money before you even raise subsequent rounds of funding. 

As a young startup founder, it is very important to prioritise financial planning to run the business smoothly. A startup and the founder that understands the basics of finance, such as budgets, financial planning, and cash flows (where its money is coming from and where it is going) enjoy higher chances of meeting its business goals. 

Also Read: Brand new days: How startups can approach growth in a post-pandemic world

The best way to navigate this is by using a monthly financial analysis approach and doing a thorough financial evaluation during the early stages.

Assess your business risk in measurable terms 

Similar to other aspects that you are going to encounter in the startup business world, the risk your startup is exposed to must be observed in measurable terms too. Failing to do this will give you numbers and observations that are very limited. 

It is, therefore, important to assess the potentially risky situations of your business and measure them against three of the most important KPIs.

• Time: Does the task or project you are going to take fit within the estimated timeline of your company?
• Quality: Is the associated business risk capable of hurting the overall quality of your brand?
• Resources: Is your company capable of implementing the project within the available monetary resources?

Cut down on fixed overhead costs 

One of the areas that almost every startup professional struggles with are justifying investment in the infrastructure needed for fulfilling large orders from the start. This is primarily because founders have no way of projecting accurate levels of demand with high certainty, even after a lot of detailed planning.

Minimising initial overhead costs are, therefore, very important for startups as there is a high degree of uncertainty about recovering these costs through operating revenue. 

One of the best ways for startups to eliminate a majority of these initial overhead costs is by developing several creative fulfilment strategies during the planning stage.

Further, you can also build a robust network of suppliers to minimise the commitment associated with fixed overhead costs when fulfilling customer orders during the initial stages.

Have a well-planned marketing approach

Having a well-thought-of marketing plan in place can make a great difference in defining the success of a startup. This is especially true for young startup owners or millennials who do not devote enough time to marketing from the beginning.

The right marketing strategy allows you to not only outdo the competition but also mitigate risk. In fact, any success you achieve with your startup business relies heavily on having a strong marketing plan that helps you build a trustworthy reputation among your customers.

Further, promoting your product or service through strong marketing will allow your business to boost its sales and reach your target audience much faster. With the ability to visually showcase your product or service, tell your brand story, and connect with your audience on a more personal level, video marketing can be a powerful tool for building brand awareness and driving conversions. Whether you’re creating product demos, customer testimonials, or engaging social media videos using any online video editor, a strong video marketing strategy can help your business stand out in a crowded market and achieve its growth goals.

Material risks 

Material risks in the context of startups include:

• Any kind of damage to inventory, either in storage or transit
• Damages to real property by the business (owned or rented)
• Damage to other assets, such as company vehicles or any other forms of material losses 

To be able to mitigate the risk of material losses, it is important to ensure that the appropriate business insurance policies are taken covering different things such as accidents, natural disasters,  product losses, and other similar material risks. 

Also Read: Startup funding rounds: A handbook from seed to exit

When it comes to policies, there are multiple types of specialised policies available to startups. These include business interruption insurance, coverage for equipment breakdown, and other policies such as healthcare providers, electricians, and others.

Most of these specialised insurance policies cover a range of risks to keep you safe from known and unknown contingencies.

Safeguard yourself against security risks 

Recent years have seen a significant increase in cyber crimes and other security-related risks. Regardless of the size and nature of the business, there is a tremendous risk of data hacks where hackers are largely targeting cloud-based systems because that’s where organisations store their important data. That’s why It is also important to use a secure social intranet tool so that data leaks can be restricted and the team can work flawlessly without any worries. 

As a startup entrepreneur, devising a robust risk management strategy to mitigate such security risks should be among your top priority. The best way to tackle this is by having a proper policy against cybercrime that should entail informing employees about the importance of protecting confidential data, creating safe passwords, and how to use the web safely. It is also essential to include internet safety rules in the policy to ensure that employees know the potential risks of browsing unsecured websites or clicking on suspicious links.

To wrap up

Today an increasing number of startups struggle for success or wind up operations too early because young entrepreneurs fail to assess and adequately address the risks and uncertainties associated with running a startup. 

A strong risk management plan helps you minimise the impact of various kinds of risks and also allows you to tailor specific risks to your business’s unique challenges and requirements.

Further, a well-planned risk management strategy also helps you anticipate as well as resolve the challenges that are yet to arise. This, in turn, makes it easier to achieve the company’s long-term goals and achieve the desired success. 

The need here is to identify the top uncertainties and assess them thoroughly, followed by proactively managing the risk through the ways and strategies listed above to increase your probability of success manifolds.

–

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Amidst the challenges of a tough funding climate, e27 is launching an exciting new article series called Angel’s Advocate to provide fresh perspectives on angel funding. In this exclusive series, we sit down with prominent angels to hear their stories and strategies and gain unique insights about the early-stage financing space.

Shao-Ning Huang is the Chief Angel and Co-Founder of AngelCentral. AngelCentral started as a community in 2017 to facilitate angel investments in Singapore. The community grew rapidly to almost 280 strong within ten months and has helped raise over SG$16 million (US$12 million) since 2016.

Seeing the enthusiasm and support from the community, Shao-Ning together with Teck Moh and Der Shing decided to incorporate and provide deeper angel training and investment support, with the key mandate to bridge good angels with good startups in Southeast Asia.

Previously, Huang was the Managing Director/Group Deputy CEO of JobsCentral Group (now CareerBuilder Singapore). Her life focus is to be relevant and pay it forward, helping wherever possible.

In this edition, Huang shares her take on angel funding.

Edited excerpts:

How do you typically approach investing during a funding winter?

I don’t think there is anything “typical” here as it is really a new paradigm we are dealing with here. But I am more fundamental in my approach towards venture funding, and I feel a lot more “justified” now being a sales/execution-result-seeking investor.

I managed but it really was quite hard for me with the “let’s try to fly before we can walk well” mindset previously. But now I am glad many founders are going back to the fundamentals and becoming more realistic and patient with growth and pace.

What are your typical investment criteria, such as industry, stage, and geographic location?

Ideally post MVP, with early patterns of sales already, ASEAN market-focused, technology-based business, and with a “do-good, helpful to mankind” angle.

Also Read: ‘Bootstrapping allows Inmagine flexibility to respond to changing market conditions, client needs’

I learned the hard way: I had two direct investments outside of Asia. In addition to not knowing the tax treatment in those jurisdictions, I was at best remotely useful to the founders in managing their businesses. I could only empathise but was not really relevant in trying to solve the problems due to unfamiliarity with their markets/environments.

Can you describe your investment process from initial contact to closing a deal?

Pre-AngelCentral: A lot of word-of-mouth referrals and kind of haphazard. When Der Shing (my husband, we invest jointly) or I get a referral, we look at the deck, arrange coffee/meet up (almost 100 per cent of the referred), we like it, ask for a spreadsheet and further data, meet up again, we have our internal IC, yes/no go.

The rough estimate we probably saw 80-100 startups then, and we invest between four to six per year. As everything was via email, it was hard to keep track.

Now with AngelCentral: We are a lot more structured now, as we have a process set up now to do outreach, vet and deep dive. In a sense, AngelCentral is the platform along with CRM to allow us to better track our own processes.

And with AngelCentral, I now wear two hats. I vet as a screening service for our members, but I also vet wearing my own hat as a potential investor. Via the AngelCentral platform, I have a fixed questionnaire to cover foundational information that founders need to complete. We receive about 800 applications yearly. We send out questions via email.

We assess the businesses based on completed questionnaires and responses to our clarifying questions. If all is good, we will arrange a Zoom call/meet-up to understand better and to have a sense of the founder. So the decision here is to invite for a pitch or to keep it in view and re-connect in 6-12 months.

For those invited to pitch with us/our members at our monthly pitch sessions, the next step is to:

• Direct invest
• Syndicate investment
• Pass/keep in view for better metrics

How do you evaluate a startup’s potential for growth and success?

I look at the founder, execution to date, market, and deal term asking. We teach this as a class for our members, too much to talk about!

How important is the founder’s experience and background when making investment decisions?

Personally, I feel there are no hard and fast rules here. It’s through the interactions with the founders and at the end of those sessions, I could have the conviction that they are the right team to support this space at this juncture in time.

Can you share your successful investment and what made that investment successful?

In our family portfolio, we have done 48 angel investments to date. Last tally (December 2022), 80 per cent of them were “alive”, with 60 per cent of them in the “green zone” meaning good sales numbers, focusing on sales, narrowing their losses etc.

Also Read: Validate the problem before building a solution: Surasit Sachdev of Hungry Hub

Using the conventional definition of “success” (ie. gotten up rounds, gotten B/C/D round investments, scaling in second/third markets) we have about 15 to 18 such companies now.

Of the “exited” cases, one was a good return for us, one acqui-hire exit, three “small exits”, while the rest were “write-off” exits.

What are some common mistakes that startups make when pitching to angels? What are some myths about angel investment?

I will start with myths. Some founders “question” why we ask so many questions before investing. It’s getting less common, but please understand angels definitely invest for financial returns. Angel investing is not charity work, and our money doesn’t grow on trees.

Onto the common mistakes. Founders who do not understand the capital raising process, do not understand fundraising norms and practices, or even think angels invest in “ideas”. I guess with angels, there are also “casual angels” and “professional angels”.

For the second group, we expect certain savviness. Because without this, professional VCs are not likely to be keen down the road.

How important is the alignment of values between the investor and the startup founder?

I can’t speak for other angels, but for us, we prefer to invest in founders whom we “like” and who are definitely ethical. The latter could be harder to gauge; but “like or not like”, after a breakfast and some coffee sessions together, through small chats, you get an idea of what they are like.

How do you manage risk when investing in startups? Are there any specific metrics or indicators you look for?

At the startup level, I think it’s hard. Even for those that I am on their boards, I am not on a daily operational basis to know what’s really going on. It’s really important to have convictions via the pre-commitment homework.

We manage startup investing risk via our investment breadth, portfolio thinking, bite-size control and discipline. Our budget per deal is not more than US$200,000 overall, starting with a first check at US$30,000 to US$70,000, following on when there are good growth metrics; we have a diversified portfolio (48 companies and counting) and we do not invest in more than five companies a year.

Can you share any advice for startups looking to raise funds from angel investors?

Understand the investment norms, understand the market situations and be realistic in your asking, pure ideas with no executions to prove do not attract savvy investors.

—

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 connecting with investors, visibility through the platform, and other prizes. Join TOP100 here.

The post Pure ideas with no executions to prove do not attract savvy investors: Shao-Ning Huang of AngelCentral appeared first on e27.

Thai startups raise US$529M in funding in Q1, outpaces Indonesia
Thailand accounts for 25.5% of equity funding while Indonesia claimed a 20.8% share; Singapore dominated the chart in Q1 with a combined US$960M funding.

BasisAI co-founder Liu Feng-Yuan investigated following Temasek acquisition
Temasek subsidiary Aicadium started the investigation after receiving a whistleblower complaint against Feng-Yuan relating to staff departures at the firm; Aicadium is understood to have taken management action.

Hong Kong’s CMCC Global launches US$100M Asia-focused blockchain fund
The fund has three main areas of interest: infrastructure, fintech, and consumer; It will primarily target seed and Series A investments; The firm has a strong investor base in Hong Kong.

SG’s early-stage VC firm Integra Partners closes US$90M Fund II
It will focus on fintech and digital health; Integra invests in pre-Series A to Series B stages and has backed 27 companies across two funds so far, including wagely, GIMO, and Brankas.

Bukalapak, 500 SEA partner for early-stage investments
Bukalapak is investing US$7.5M to join the fund as an LP; The partnership aims to back pre-seed, seed, and early-stage startups in SEA; The investment will focus on IT, communications, internet, medical tech, and deeptech.

Advance Intelligence raises US$80M to further develop AI innovations
Warburg Pincus and Northstar Group are the lead investors; Advance Intelligence provides an ecosystem of AI-powered, credit-enabled financial products and services.

Bhutan to raise US$500M for green crypto mining
The government has partnered with the Nasdaq-listed Bitdeer for this; Through its investment arm, the government will target institutional investors to fund crypto mining projects fuelled by the nation’s vast hydroelectric power capacity.

East Ventures leads Indonesian supply chain firm Praktis’s US$20m round
Praktis is an end-to-end supply chain enabler that provides services to help D2C brands in various areas such as raw material purchasing, production, fulfilment, and logistics.

Salim Group’s Otto Digital invests in Indonesian chat commerce enabler Mimin
Through the Mimin app, sellers can input orders that came in through chat platforms easily, and the app will automatically generate invoices and payment confirmations.

Ex-RedDoorz COO’s cloud kitchen firm DishServe closes down
The startup says it exhausted much of its runway on growth efforts despite having low margins; It had built a network of over 200 kitchen partners, servicing over 100K customers; Insignia Ventures is an investor in the firm.

Indonesian integrated cold chain solutions provider Coldspace raises US$3.8M
The investors include Intudo Ventures, Adi Sarana Armada, and Triputra Group; Coldspace offers cold storage facilities and reefer trucks through its own inventory as well as the third-party aggregated marketplace of partners.

Ion Mobility secures temporary injunction against ex-COO Joel Chang
The interim injunction order is part of an ongoing case related to a no-compete agreement between Singapore-based Ion Mobility and Chang; Ion founder James Chan and Chang parted ways in April 2021.

Mercu raises US$1.6M, aims to transform the ‘deskless’ workforce
The investors are 500 Global, Sequoia India, and XA Network; The startup enables employers to onboard, upskill, and engage with their deskless teams through chat apps.

Aeon to proceed with Malaysia digibank despite MoneyLion exit
MoneyLion decided to pull out of the consortium to focus on its US operations; This means Aeon, which runs a chain of supermarkets and shopping malls in Malaysia, will launch the digital bank with its two subsidiaries.

‘Don’t be the noise, be the value’: Kavita Gupta of Delta Blockchain Fund to aspiring female VCs
Most women who have made it to the top have learned to stand up and push and ask for what they deserve, says the Delta Blockchain Fund founder.

How HKSTP can help international startups in their expansion journey
For over 20 years, HKSTP has been building Hong Kong as a global innovation and technology hub to propel success for local and global startups.

‘Bootstrapping allows flexibility to respond to changing market conditions, client needs’
Inmagine has financed its growth through a combination of revenue reinvestment, strategic partnerships, and operational efficiency, says Co-Founder Stephanie Sitt.

Brand new days: How startups can approach growth in a post-pandemic world
Growth begins with finding that product-market fit; But does the old way remain relevant in our world today?

Fundraising? Here are 3 reasons why should join the 2023 TOP100
Joining TOP100 is an exciting opportunity for you to meet leading investors in the Southeast Asian startup ecosystem.

We know fundraising sucks, so e27 Connect is here to help you
Fundraising is a long, tedious process that needs a lot of work. But with e27 Connect, you don’t have to do it alone.

From job seeking to building a job portal: Turning my beliefs into reality
The more I spoke with job seekers and employers, the more I realised there is a very serious problem to solve: a lack of salary range transparency.

Unlocking angel investing: 6 key steps for making your first investment
In this article, I hope to share several steps that you should consider before cutting that first cheque as an angel.

Thrive amid business uncertainties with a reliable payment partner
How digital payment technologies increase sales, customer loyalty, and business resilience during economic headwinds.

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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 connecting with investors, visibility through the platform, and other prizes. Join TOP100 here.

The post Ecosystem Roundup: Bukalapak, 500 join hands for early-stage investments; Thailand beats Indonesia in Q1 VC funding appeared first on e27.