e27 has been dedicated to nurturing a supportive ecosystem for entrepreneurs since its inception. Our Contributor Programme offers a platform for sharing unique insights.

As part of our newly introduced ‘Contributor Spotlight’, we shine a weekly spotlight on an outstanding contributor and dive into the vastness of their knowledge and expertise.

In this episode, we feature David Isaac Mathews, who’s working on the digital transformation of innovation and corporate venture building at Causality Co, a family of businesses that builds and launches digital ventures and runs product-market fit pre-testing as a service.

Mathews shares his personal and professional journey in this episode of Contributor Spotlight.

The driving force

An esteemed contributor, Mathews became part of our community in the first quarter with his inaugural article. Since then, his contributions have attracted over 2,000 views. His motivation as an e27 contributor is grounded in his commitment to sharing knowledge, fostering learning, and empowering others.

“Contributing to e27 is an extension of my belief in paying it forward. Just as I’ve mentored at universities and various incubators, from three universities to deep tech to automotive, I see e27 as another platform to share, learn, and empower others,” he said.

How it all began

Mathews commenced his tech journey 18 years ago, transitioning from a background in consulting and achieving a humble entrepreneurial exit. The potential of digital transformation in venture building and corporate intrapreneurship fueled his motivation. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with C-Suite executives, guiding them in launching “what’s next” for their companies.

Also Read: Mastering your Growth Equation: A practical guide to dominating your niche

His current mission with Causality Co centres on developing two digital tools, Growth360 and AIPath.one, designed to facilitate more strategic and accelerated startup growth.

As a fifth-generation Singaporean, he harbours a passion for supporting Singaporean and ASEAN founders, engaging with startups on weekends with accelerators and working with businesses in his day job. His commitment is ensuring that venture building aligns with authentic market needs while maintaining a strong focus on value.

“My goal is to help leapfrog the scarcity challenges of having too few developers and serial founders to serve as benchmarks,” Mathews states. “For this purpose, I bring a wealth of shared experiences from Silicon Valley and corporate innovation, which I employ as an immersive approach in my teaching, consulting, and mentoring.”

In his role, Mathews provides support within the domain of Growth, akin to a C-Suite version of a Product Manager. He integrates monetisation, go-to-market, and product strategy, all with a keen emphasis on enhancing the customer experience.

Also Read: Demystifying ToFu churn: How strategic CPO-CMO collaboration makes the difference

He stated, “A significant trend I’m championing is the mass adoption of full-funnel marketing and behavioural product analytics to create closed loops of voice-of-customer insight. This aids leaders in becoming strategically agile, ensuring swift alignment with market demands. For instance, my tool, AIPath, assists founders in real-time revisions of their ToFu and BoFu marketing assets and fundraising pitch decks whenever they add new features or focus on a new customer segment.”

Advice for budding thought leaders

Mathews advises: “Be value-first. Share generously from your experiences. Take, for instance, AIPath.one: it’s an embodiment of understanding and addressing the pain points of tech founders in today’s dynamic ecosystem, supporting 0-1 founders in incubators since 2014.”

Juggling too many things?

In Mathews’s perspective, the core principles revolve around prioritisation, establishing boundaries, and allocating time for self-reflection.

Also Read: Data-driven growth: The evolution of growth hacking in 2023

“Mentoring and contributing aren’t just ‘add-ons’ for me; they’re intertwined with my professional journey, enriching it, and I find supporting founders to make a dent in the universe extremely energising,” he mentioned.

Staying in the loop

Mathews stated, “In addition to dedicating two to four hours to reading tech journals and attending conferences (I have nearly no time left for Instagram or Netflix these days), I’m hands-on: piloting methodologies and using tools like Growth360 to optimise strategic operations in real-time scenarios.”

Working with startups and corporates allows Mathews to cross-pollinate and tailor solutions for the leaders he collaborates with. His primary focus remains on innovation and the cutting-edge application of technology in regions beyond ASEAN, enabling further cross-pollination.

Mathews has established the Growth Library to promote essential best practice frameworks and concepts. He also suggests that for fundamental insights, a classic like Lean Startup by Eric Ries is a recommended read.

“In our quest for digital innovation, let’s be value-first, ensuring solutions cater to genuine user needs. As we build and mentor, let’s champion a culture of paying it forward, elevating the entire ecosystem,” Mathews concludes.

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Are you ready to be a part of a vibrant community of entrepreneurs and industry experts? Do you have insights, experiences, and knowledge to share?

Join the e27 Contributor Programme and become a valuable voice in our ecosystem. 

The post Spotlighting David Isaac Mathews: Championing digital transformation and growth appeared first on e27.

In its pursuit to discover and nurture the next wave of ground-breaking startups, the EQT Impact Challenge, in partnership with The Edge Singapore and E27, is pleased to unveil the 10 innovative contenders for its Southeast Asia 2023 edition.

The selection of these startups underscores EQT Impact Challenge’s commitment to fostering innovation in both planetary and human-centric spheres. Following this round, the 10 shortlisted startups will be further shortlisted to five startups.

The chosen five will attend Pitch Day on Nov 14, where these candidates will then undergo a coaching session hosted by EQT, where investment professionals impart insights into crafting compelling pitches. Ted Persson, a partner at EQT’s venture capital fund EQT Ventures, will lead the training and provide feedback to these selected startups.

Also read: Growth tailwinds poised to unlock the region’s startup potential

After that, the five startups will go through another round of elimination by a hand-selected panel of juries, and one will emerge as the winner. The competition winner will receive a EUR100,000 investment from EQT Foundation, complemented by 300 consultancy hours from Ernst & Young to finesse their strategy and business development. Furthermore, they will gain privileged access to EQT’s comprehensive network and specialist knowledge to propel their growth trajectory.

The first and second runners-up will receive an invaluable opportunity to engage with EQT Foundation’s investment team to secure funding for their impact ventures potentially.

1. Cellivate Technologies

An advanced biotech enterprise, Cellivate Technologies focuses on providing cell-based solutions to replace the slaughter of animals, using sustainable cell technologies. Founded by Viknish Krishnan-Kutty in 2019, Cellivate’s proprietary solutions cost a fraction of what is currently deployed in the market. It is currently working with clients in three sectors: skincare, cultivated leather and cultivated meat.

2. EcoWorth Tech

Committed to environmental sustainability, EcoWorth Tech, founded by Andre Stolz, has developed a breakthrough technology that efficiently purifies and reclaims water from various waste sources, mitigating water scarcity issues. This cleantech company commercialises the Carbon Fibre Aerogel technology to focus on waste-to-worth-creating applications in industrial wastewater treatment, as well as oil & gas decontamination, providing financial, environmental and social benefits.

3. Umami Bioworks

Founded by Mihir Pershad, Umami Bioworks specialises in sustainable food innovations. It aims to deliver a range of alternative protein products, emphasising both nutritional value and eco-friendliness. The company uses its machine learning toolkit Alkemyst which leverages computational biology, machine learning and digital twin technology to accelerate the product development process. It focuses on farmable, ETP (endangered, threatened or protected) seafood species that are highly desired by consumers.

4. Materials In Works

Pioneering in the field of sustainable materials, this startup focuses on crafting eco-friendly alternatives to common construction and packaging materials, reducing environmental impact. The company was founded by a group of enthusiastic packaging material experts with a proven track record in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Materials in Works upcycles waste into raw material (recovered cellulose pulp), which is then sold to manufacturing companies to produce the end product and complete the upcycling journey.

5. Qarbotech

Qarbotech’s founder Chor Chee Hoe believes that plants can play a bigger role for man, much more than just a food source or a way to green homes. Qarbotech has developed a patent-pending technology CarboGrow that is the first in the market photosynthesis enhancer for plants. This product helps to increase plant growth and shorten the crop cycle. This means that the plants are able to process more carbon dioxide, helping to reduce greenhouse gases in cities and releasing more oxygen for better air quality.

6. Insectta

Chua Kai-Ning believes that there is more to insects than them being a pest. Tapping into the potential of insects, Insectta combines nature and cutting-edge technology to allow insects to add value to everyday life. The company’s proprietary insect biomaterial extraction technology transforms black soldier flies into multiple biomaterials like chitosan and melanin, which are valued in biomedicine, cosmetics, organic electronics and more.

7. Enlipsium

Yzhar Perry and Tommy Tham co-founded Enlipsium in 2020 as an advanced material startup. The company holds three patents in the area of perovskite and luminescent materials. Being one of the first companies in the world to have successfully taken X-ray images with nano-perovskite scintillators, Enlipsium continues to build on Naneos materials, Polyipnos luminescent materials, and its Enlit range of products for the healthcare, supply chain, as well as the building and construction industries.

8. NousQ

After a humanitarian medical mission to Cambodia, Dr Lynne Lim heard her calling. She and Gan Chee Wee co-founded NoisQ to design, develop, manufacture and commercialise medical technology and devices for patients. Prior to that, Lim and Gan developed their medtech product CLiKX to help children with Otitis Media in rural areas where surgical facilities are not readily available.

9. ImpacFat

With an emphasis on health and nutrition, ImpacFat innovates in the domain of functional foods. Co-founder Mandy Hon aims to cultivate fish fat using stem cell technology to generate a sustainable source of food that not only satisfies taste buds but also offers numerous health benefits. The fish cells are sustainably sourced from different fish species, and then cultivated in a controlled environment to become healthy fat cells that are high in omega-3.

10. Full Circle Biotechnology

Full Circle Biotechnology’s founder Felix Collins is dedicated to harnessing biotechnological processes to create sustainable aquaculture feed. It has developed a waste-to-protein production system, where it combines food waste with black soldier fly larvae and microbes, which offers farmers the chance to cut both emissions and costs while providing an alternative to soy meal, fishmeal and other more carbon-intensive feed ingredients.

Also read: EQT Impact Challenge offers platform for impact entrepreneurs to attain ‘patient capital’

Vote now for your preferred startup to reach the top five.
Voting link: https://e27co.e27.co/eYyY
Voting period: Nov 2-7

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The article was produced by and first published on The Edge Singapore

We can share your story at e27, too. Engage the Southeast Asian tech ecosystem by bringing your story to the world. Visit us at e27.co/advertise to get started.

The post EQT unveils 10 shortlisted companies in the EQT Impact Challenge appeared first on e27.

Singapore-based STACS is the company behind ESGpedia, a series of tools that enabled corporates and SMEs to perform a digitalised and simplified self-assement to kickstart their sustainability journey. It has supported hundreds of companies across Asia Pacific to help achieve their sustainability goals and has expanded across several Southeast Asian (SEA) market, including Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

Today, the ESG data and tech solutions company launched upgrades to the ESGpedia platform that will allow businesses and financial institutions to comply with ESG regulatory requirements across Europe and Asia–which continues to get increasingly stricter.

Benjamin Soh, Founder and Managing Director at STACS, said in a press statement, “ASEAN companies are facing increasing mandatory ESG requirements, which are extending to large non-listed companies and SMEs. This is where understanding your current ESG profile and leveraging technologies like Artificial Intelligence come in place to help companies ensure compliance towards the evolving ESG regulations landscape across Europe and Asia.”

The company is doing this through two approaches:

ESGpedia Nexus

According to STACS, this approach enables companies of various ESG maturities to achieve their end-to-end business needs and full readiness through active engagement and its marketplace of sustainability solutions.

Also Read: For startups, embracing ESG focus is a sure-fire way to secure corporate success

“It offers digital tools that automatically convert operational data like fuel, refrigerant, and electricity consumption to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the standard GHG Protocol, localised to all Asia Pacific countries. To help companies take positive actions towards ESG excellence, ESGpedia Nexus provides a marketplace where companies can amplify their ESG profile, and sell or procure ESG services.”

ESGpedia Intelligence

The tool aims to empower banks, investors, insurers, and corporates to overcome data fragmentation and provide a complete picture with aggregated ESG data across countries and sectors via AI-based harmonisation of unstructured ESG data.

“Since the launch of ESGpedia version 2.0 in May earlier this year with five million sustainability data points, the platform has since strengthened its AI-capabilities in aggregating, harmonising, and standardising ESG data (to even smart extraction of ESG metrices from documents) and enhanced its data coverage – it now includes 300,000+ companies’ sustainability data, of which 115,000+ company profiles have full corporate data overlaid and standardised,” STACS says.

“As a key development, the platform now offers Taxonomy Regulatory Mapping which provides digital automation to transform portfolio data to regulatory needs like ESRS, Environmental Risk Questionnaire (ERQ) in Singapore, Climate Change and Principle-based Taxonomy (CCPT) Due Diligence in Malaysia, Philippines SEC Sustainability Reporting Form (SuRe), and more.”

The updates are introduced with the background of the latest regulations to be introduced in the European Union on ESG.

Also Read: Why GoImpact believes that education is the key to promoting ESG investment

STACS explained that starting from 2024, both European Union (EU) companies and non-EU companies will be directly in scope under the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). This update will significantly impact companies based in Asia Pacific as it includes the companies’ supply chain which 90 per cent is represented by SMEs in Asia.

In addition to that, STACS also highlights that various Asia markets have also implemented mandatory regulatory reporting to enhance the adoption of global sustainability and ESG standards. This includes the International Financial Reporting Standards’ (IFRS) inaugural ISSB standard, with many disclosure requirements extending to large non-listed companies and SMEs.

STACS hopes that with the tools, they can help tackle the problem of the lack of ESG data on these companies’ supply chains.

Examples of companies that have used the ESGpedia platform is OCBC. Through data digitally collected on ESGpedia via the ESBN Asia-Pacific Green Deal digital assessment and independently verified by Bureau Veritas, OCBC extended a Sustainability Linked Loan (SLL) to a global textile and apparel manufacturer Ghim Li.

The post How STACS aim to help businesses comply with ESG regulations with its ESGpedia tool appeared first on e27.

Chu Swee Yeok, former CEO of Singapore’s state-owned EDBI, has teamed up with the current and former executives of the VC fund to launch a new investment firm called August Global Partners (AGP).

A multi-stage global fund, August Global Partners, kicks off with an initial US$250 million.

The VC firm introduced two key commercial funds: a continuation fund and a new healthcare-focused fund, according to Yeok.

Also Read: FC Barcelona looks to score big in Asia’s sports-tech arena through its innovation hub

“Thrilled to announce the founding of a new investment firm, August Global Partners (AGP), with my former colleagues from EDBI. We are kicking off with two commercial funds – a Continuation Fund and a new Healthcare Fund. Having been deeply involved initially with laying of the foundations and subsequently nurturing the growth of the biomedical industry in Singapore, I am excited to continue the journey at AGP. Looking forward to working with our strategic partners on new healthcare opportunities that will shape and transform the sector,” Yeok said in a LinkedIn post.

Yeok is currently the Senior Advisor of EDBI and the Chair and Founding Partner of August Global Partners. She has over three decades of experience in management, strategy development, and making direct investments in early-to-growth and late-stage companies. She has experience investing in Singapore and globally in diversified sectors of digital, financial services, frontier engineering and manufacturing technologies, sustainability, healthcare and other fast-growing industries.

Also Read: LINE owner, EDBI, existing backers join Endowus’s new US$27M funding round

Yeok departed from her role as EDBI’s CEO on February 1.

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The post EDBI’s ex-CEO Chu Swee Yeok launches US$250M fund August Global Partners appeared first on e27.

Flux Series: Marketing Leaders is happening at the St. Regis in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 15 November 2023. Are you working in the field of marketing? Don’t miss out on this focused and curated event designed especially for marketing professionals!

Visit Flux Series: Marketing Leaders for more information! Read on to get discounted tickets.

With the advent of technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a game-changer, revolutionising how we solve complex problems and make critical decisions. As AI is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives, organisations must take proactive steps to assemble teams that not only keep pace with the rapid evolution of this field but also drive its progress. 

The field of AI is characterised by its dynamic nature, with new breakthroughs and innovations occurring at an astonishing pace. This rapid evolution necessitates a team that is not only adept at current technologies but also capable of quickly adapting to emerging trends and paradigms. A future-proof AI team thrives on the ability to learn and apply new knowledge effectively, ensuring that they remain at the forefront of technological advancements.

Flux Series: Marketing Leaders

One of the foremost challenges confronting today’s marketing professionals in their quest for effective and seamless AI adoption is the significant knowledge gap. The rapid evolution of AI technologies and their applications in marketing necessitates a deep understanding of complex algorithms, data analytics, and machine learning principles.

Also read: Harness the power of Generative AI in marketing with the Inmagine CEO

Many marketing professionals may find themselves lacking the requisite expertise to harness AI’s full potential. Bridging this knowledge gap demands significant time and resources, which can be a formidable barrier for professionals already grappling with the demands of their roles. Moreover, staying updated with the latest AI trends and applications requires continuous learning, which can be a daunting task in an already fast-paced and competitive industry. Consequently, this knowledge gap poses a considerable hindrance to marketers seeking to integrate AI seamlessly into their strategies and campaigns.

With the goal of bridging this knowledge gap, the upcoming Flux Series: Marketing Leaders happening in Jakarta on November 15 aims to foster knowledge sharing among key industry stakeholders to help equip them with the tools and insights needed to achieve seamless AI adoption.

Get discounted tickets today!

One of the key topics that will be discussed is “Building A Future-Proof AI Team: Cultivating a Culture of Continuous Learning and Talent Development for Disruptive Technologies” where participants will learn strategies for creating a learning-centric environment within AI teams to adapt to disruptive technologies, insights on how to cultivate an adaptable and growth-oriented mindset in the hiring and team-building processes, ideas for effective hiring strategies that identify and recruit individuals with self-directed AI-learning capabilities, and ultimately, how to nurture a collective pool of self-learned AI expertise within your team.

Meet the speakers

The event will feature a slew of leaders in marketing who will be guiding the discussion to help empower participants with practical knowledge on how to build a future-proof AI team. These are some of the speakers who will be engaging audiences at the panel discussion:

Wilson Yanaprasetya holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from the University of British Columbia. Upon graduation, he worked for TELUS for six years before returning to Southeast Asia and joining KPMG Singapore. Later, he joined Northstar Group for four years and was then hired as COO for one of the largest job portals in Indonesia, Qerja, where he grew the company’s revenue by 700% YoY and its monthly active users by 9x. He merged the company with karir.com and exited. Having experienced firsthand the profound challenges faced by rural communities in their country, Wilson and other founders combined their knowledge and expertise to build Dagangan.

Dagangan is the trusted tech-enabled rural commerce platform that provides access to daily necessities at affordable prices to rural communities. We are here to accelerate Indonesia’s economy by powering communities and providing greater economic opportunities for all.

Winston Lays is currently building Ajaib to democratise investing and financial services for millions of Indonesians. Before Ajaib, Winston founded Delos — a digital technology consultancy. They partner with enterprise leaders on how to best leverage technology and achieve better business outcomes. Their focus and speciality lie in delivering next-gen solutions for companies across industries such as FinTech, eCommerce, and F&B.

Currently, he is the Co-Founder and CTO of Ajaib, an online brokerage that allows Indonesians to buy and sell stocks, ETFs and mutual funds. They are Indonesia’s leading financial technology platform driven by a mission to educate the importance of investing for the future.

Also read: Learn how to achieve automation in operational processes and workflow at Flux

Dita Aisyah is the Co-Founder & Chief Commercial Officer of Binar, an EdTech company with a mission to close the education gap in Indonesia, preparing Indonesia’s future tech leaders with strong skills and character for the global stage.

In her capacity as Chief Commercial Officer, Dita masterminded the growth of the business, overseeing all segments, including B2C, B2B, and B2G. Under her leadership, Binar has grown exponentially, serving almost one million app users and partnering with hundreds of companies and government institutions to accelerate their digital transformation journeys. In 2022 alone, Binar empowered over 130,000 new digital talents.

In 2022, Dita earned a spot on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 lists in Indonesia and Asia, as well as the Gen T List by Tatler Asia in 2023. Prior to building Binar, Dita was the Commercial Marketing Manager of GoJek’s lifestyle products. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Economics from Georgia State University.

Moderating the session is Rama Mamuaya, the Founder and CEO of DailySocial.id, an Indonesia-focused startup media, research, consulting firm, and Founding Partner at DS/X Indonesia-first investment firm. Rama is also active at Amvesindo (Indonesia venture capital and startup association), Indonesia Digital Association, and numerous startup incubation programs both in Indonesia and abroad.

Through his work at DailySocial.id, he helps corporate clients engage with the startup community in their innovation programs such as research, hackathon, incubation/accelerator, and innovation training. DailySocial has worked with hundreds of clientele from multi-national companies, Fortune 500, state-owned enterprises, and major startups.

Join Flux Series

In the age of disruptive technologies, building a future-proof AI team is not just an advantage; it is a strategic imperative. Cultivating a culture of continuous learning and talent development empowers teams to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of AI, fostering innovation, attracting top talent, and ensuring compliance with ethical and regulatory standards. By investing in the growth and development of their AI teams, organisations position themselves to lead the way in the exciting and transformative world of artificial intelligence.

Also read: Learn how to Harness AI for cost-efficient strategies with GDP Labs CEO & CTO

Join these industry leaders and more at the Flux Series and be a driving force in the AI-powered marketing revolution. To learn more about the event, you may visit the official Flux Series: Marketing Leaders page.

Get ready to embark on a journey that will not only deepen your understanding of AI-driven marketing but also equip you with the actionable insights needed to thrive in the dynamic world of modern marketing.

Join Flux Series: Marketing Leaders with discounted tickets here.

The post Future-proof your AI team with insights from Dagangan, Ajaib, Binar, and DailySocial.id appeared first on e27.