Probiotics, an antimicrobial peptide technology startup in Singapore, has raised US$6.2 million in a Series A financing round.

Hatch’s Blue Revolution Fund led the round with participation from Seventure Partners, SEEDS Capital, The Yield Lab Asia Pacific, GrainCorp Ventures, Farmabase, Trendlines Agrifood Fund, Ponderosa VC, and others.

Also Read: Forte Biotech: Helping farmers with early detection of prawn diseases in Vietnam

“In 2023, we took our technology out of the lab and turned it into a real manufacturing process. In 2024, the Series A gives us the working capital to produce larger commercial volumes so that we can solve the industry’s disease challenges and cut antibiotics out of the food supply chain,” Probiotics co-founder and CEO Jonathan Bester said.

Peptobiotics is a startup engaged in researching and producing recombinant antimicrobial peptides, using novel biotechnology to reduce the manufacturing costs of antimicrobial peptides.

Its first product targets the aquaculture industry, renowned for its antibiotic abuse, where bacterial infections cost shrimp farmers billions in yearly losses.

“Antibiotic use in agriculture remains a huge challenge for the industry because many of the so-called alternative products make big performance claims but cannot measure up to the efficacy of antibiotics when applied in the farm environment. Our focus at Peptobiotics is to use biotech to create a real agricultural antibiotic alternative that is effective for farmers, clean for nature, humane for animals, and safe for consumers,” the CEO added.

Also Read: Is a career in biotech right for you?

“Our breakthrough was screening through the 1000s of peptides to find the ones that could have real efficacy in agriculture, then figuring out the biotechnology innovations needed to produce them on an industrial scale at a price point acceptable to our customers,” commented Koh Jhee Hong, co-founder and CTO of Peptobiotics:

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Visit Echelon X to learn more about the program. Get your tickets here!

In today’s dynamic business landscape, companies across various sectors are grappling with a myriad of challenges that impede their growth and efficiency. One of the foremost hurdles faced by these enterprises is the scarcity of skilled talent. As industries evolve and technology advances at a rapid pace, the demand for specialised skills continues to outstrip the available talent pool. This scarcity not only hampers innovation but also escalates operational costs as companies compete to attract and retain top talent.

However, amidst this talent crunch, strategic outsourcing emerges as a viable solution. Companies like iScale Solutions, with their global presence and expertise, offer a lifeline by providing access to a diverse pool of skilled professionals across different domains. By leveraging outsourcing services, businesses can tap into this talent reservoir, overcoming geographical barriers and cost constraints while augmenting their workforce with specialised expertise.

Also read: How AppsFlyer helps brands navigate a rapidly evolving market

Furthermore, the complexity of outsourcing projects poses another significant challenge for companies seeking to streamline their operations. From software development to business process outsourcing, managing intricate projects demands meticulous planning, effective communication, and adherence to stringent quality standards. iScale Solutions, with over a decade of experience in the field, stands out as a beacon of reliability in navigating these complexities. By integrating ISO compliance and quality standards into their service delivery, iScale Solutions ensures that clients receive top-notch solutions tailored to their specific needs.

Moreover, the company’s boutique, customer-focused culture fosters seamless communication and collaboration, mitigating the risks associated with cross-cultural interactions. Through strategic outsourcing partnerships, companies can not only overcome the hurdles of talent scarcity and project complexity but also achieve operational excellence and sustainable growth in an ever-evolving business landscape.

Addressing challenges in outsourcing

In addressing challenges within the outsourcing space, the most effective approach lies in adopting a streamlined, one-stop platform that offers reliability and adheres to ISO compliance standards. Companies stand to benefit from a centralised hub where they can seamlessly access a spectrum of outsourcing solutions tailored to their unique needs.

By consolidating various services under one roof, businesses can streamline their outsourcing processes, eliminating the complexities associated with managing multiple vendors and disparate systems. Moreover, reliability becomes paramount in ensuring consistent service delivery and meeting client expectations. A one-stop platform, backed by robust infrastructure and a proven track record instills confidence among clients, fostering long-term partnerships built on trust and transparency.

Furthermore, adherence to ISO compliance standards underscores the platform’s commitment to quality, security, and regulatory requirements, fostering a culture of excellence and accountability throughout the outsourcing ecosystem. In essence, embracing a streamlined, one-stop platform that prioritises reliability and ISO compliance not only simplifies outsourcing operations but also enhances overall efficiency, enabling businesses to navigate industry challenges with confidence and resilience.

Also read: Nagoya University: Asia’s extensive network of innovation, research, and education

This is the onus of iScale Solutions, a Manila-headquartered Managed Outsourcing and Staff Augmentation provider with operations in the Philippines, Madagascar, and Singapore.

Since 2012, iScale Solutions has been offering services in English and French. Some of its customers operate a staff augmentation setup with full control. Alternatively, some customers rely on fully outsourced teams to let them handle all deliverables.

Day to day, iScale Solutions strives to provide customised solutions deeply integrated with its customers’ business processes. Regardless of the model, iScale Solutions believes in recruiting the best available talent available in the market and offering its customers great value for their money. iScale Solutions offers a wide array of outsourcing services including software development outsourcing, legal & finance outsourcing, data & content outsourcing, creative process outsourcing, support process outsourcing, and online marketing process outsourcing.

Get to know iScale Solutions at Echelon X

With a firm belief in the value they bring to the ecosystem, Philippine d’Agay, International Business Development Manager at iScale Solutions, emphasized the significance of events like Echelon as pivotal opportunities for iScale Solutions to connect with such companies. Positioned at the forefront of innovation and entrepreneurship, Echelon serves as an ideal platform for fostering meaningful partnerships and driving mutual growth

“We aim to offer quality outsourcing and staff augmentation services to growing tech startups, scale-ups and enterprises. We believe Echelon is a prime event for us to meet such companies and bring value to the ecosystem,” shared d’Agay. “We look forward to meeting companies with exciting new concepts and ideas, as well as sharing our view about how the outsourcing and BPO industry is a key element of a successful growth strategy,” d’Agay added.

iScale Solutions is one of the many exciting tech innovators from across the Southeast Asian region who will be joining us for Echelon X. The two-day conference will be happening on 15 and 16 May at the Singapore EXPO.

Also read: What is Remote? Meet this top global HR platform at Echelon X!

Joining iScale Solutions are other industry leaders, visionary entrepreneurs, and groundbreaking startups from all corners of the region who will be gathering together for two packed days. Happening on May 15 to 16 at the Singapore EXPO, Echelon X will feature dedicated content stages, exhibitions, panel discussions, and more — all to support and empower the tech startup ecosystem with actionable insights through a series of knowledge-sharing activities.

Whether you’re eager to expand your knowledge, network with key players from the tech startup scene, or showcase your innovative ideas, Echelon X offers an unparalleled experience. Join us as a participant or an official partner by securing your spot now on our official page. Together, let’s embark on a journey to shape the future and create a lasting impact.

Join us at Echelon 2024, where innovation knows no limits, and the possibilities are endless!

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Photo by Yan Krukau from Pexels

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CNV, a cloud-based business and marketing solutions provider in Vietnam, has secured US$1 million in fresh funding from Wavemaker Partners.

The round comes three years after CNV raised strategic pre-seed funding from SME payments and services firm NextPay.

Must Read: Umami-Shiok Meats merger signals a major shift amidst funding winter in SEA

Founded in 2020 by Nguyen Tuan Phu and Do Dang Khoa, CNV offers digital transformation SaaS products and marketing growth services to assist enterprises in Vietnam to achieve sustainable growth via marketing, loyalty and e-commerce activities.

CNV currently serves over 2,0000 customers, including multinational corporations, local enterprises, SMEs, MSMEs, and government agencies, helping them optimise their client-facing activities and backend customer data platform analysis activities.

In 2023, CNV launched the Zalo mini apps, which provide channels for businesses to engage comprehensively with customers. It gives an app-within-app experience that lets businesses acquire users at a lower cost and engage with them more deeply and seamlessly.

CNV claims to have witnessed a 250 per cent growth in revenue and number of customers acquired.

“Our next big steps include fostering collaboration to design exclusive financial products for each and every customer segment,” said CNV CEO Phu Nguyen.

Also Read: Startup investments in Vietnam see 39% drop in Q1

Vietnam’s business environment is increasingly dynamic and entrepreneurial, with strong backing from an SME and MSMEs base. According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Vietnam has approximately one million registered operational businesses, and more than 97 per cent of SMEs contribute to 45 per cent of the national GDP.

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X marks Echelon. Join us at Singapore EXPO on May 15-16 for the 10th edition of Asia’s leading tech and startup conference. Enjoy 2 days of building connections with potential investors, partners, and customers, exploring innovation, and sharing insights with 8,000+ key decision-makers of Asia’s tech ecosystem. Get your tickets here.

Want more from your Echelon experience? Be an Echelon X sponsor or exhibitor. Send enquiry here.

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Remember the early days of your startup? You were a small but mighty team. Back then, hiring for customer-facing positions often meant looking for jack-of-all-trades types who could wear multiple hats. They were the kind of people who could switch from answering support emails to brainstorming marketing strategies without breaking a sweat. Flexibility was crucial because, in a small team, everyone needed to contribute to everything. 

Your pioneer employees thrived in a fast-paced environment and were motivated by the thrill of wearing multiple hats. Agility and adaptability were the rules, and your customer-facing team was all about diving in, regardless of the task. 

Fast-forward to now, and your startup is finally approaching an upswing—congratulations! But with growth comes great responsibility, especially for your customer operations team. The qualities you look for in new hires have evolved. Now, it’s not just about finding someone willing to jump into the fray; it’s about finding specialists who can help streamline and professionalise your customer service operations.

But as your startup grows, the complexity of your customer operations grows, too. Now, you’re dealing with more than just a handful of daily inquiries; you’re managing hundreds, if not thousands. Once leading strategic initiatives, your rockstar over at Customer Operations finds themselves overwhelmed by the constant firefighting, leaving little room for the big picture.

Many startups consider expanding their customer operations team by hiring additional onshore personnel to address this challenge. However, as the workload grows and the need for more new hires increases, a crucial question arises: who oversees qualifying, onboarding, monitoring, and managing these hires? 

Also Read: Tech-forward, human-centric: Shaping tomorrow’s customer engagement landscape

As the startup focuses on scaling up, managing a growing customer operations team—with its complexities and escalating costs—can be daunting. According to Forbes’ Key HR Statistics and Trends in 2024, nearly 38 per cent of new hires quit within one year. Replacing them costs 33 per cent of the employee’s annual salary. These hiring challenges could disrupt your customer operations team’s ability to service your customers efficiently and smoothly. 

Offshoring some customer operation roles is an alternative to alleviate this pain and provide two key benefits:

• Cost-effectiveness. Offshore talent is often cheaper than hiring locally, allowing startups to allocate their limited resources more efficiently. Stretching your runway is particularly crucial with the current sentiment on additional fundraising.  
• Access to a global talent pool. Beyond cost savings, you will have access to a vast volume of hires that otherwise would not have made it onto your radar- all without going through the tedious efforts of recruitment.

Not all outsourcing companies are created equal

It is important to note that offshoring customer operations require effective communication and collaboration between onshore and offshore teams. Clear communication channels, standardised processes, and regular performance evaluations are essential to ensure seamless integration and service quality. 

Here is where things often fall apart: growing an offshore team through outsourcing companies but continuing to manage the individuals directly puts much more burden on your already overwhelmed onshore CXOps manager. 

Also Read: Want to build a sustainable startup? Solve for a problem for your customers

This is where working with boutique outsourcing companies that act more like an extension of your onshore teams is the key to effectively hiring for scale. These are the top reasons why working with companies like FullSuite is a unique fit for a growing startup.

• Employee management: More than growing a pilot team of one person to five people, managed outsourcing firms can take care of onboarding, training, and managing these resources on your behalf. Your offshore team would have a backup system alongside the daily presence of a business operations manager, all at no cost to you.  
• Process management: Unlike traditional outsourcing or EOR (Employer on Record) companies, this type of partnership takes into account your current processes, sets up KPIs and SLAs, and recommends improvements to them where allowed. 
• Intact core functions onshore: More importantly, offshoring the procedural, repetitive part of your customer operations can alleviate the burden on existing onshore team members. Expanding the team with offshore talent can redistribute workload more evenly, allowing your internal team to focus on strategic initiatives and long-term planning.

Partnering with a managed outsourcing firm can help you manage the operational responsibilities that come with growth opportunities. As there is no one-size-fits-all solution to effectively support a startup’s scale trajectory, your startup must pursue the solution that allows for flexibility without compromising accountability.

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Traditionally, cancer treatment has relied on aggressive methods such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. However, a new paradigm has emerged with cancer immunotherapy, offering a more nuanced approach. Unlike conventional methods, which directly attack cancer cells, immunotherapy harnesses the body’s own immune system to combat the disease.

Current approaches in immunotherapy involve techniques such as vaccine development and cell therapy. Still, these methods face challenges, including difficulty generating a robust immune response in all patients and the development of resistance over time.

To address the limitations in current cancer treatment, VerImmune is developing a novel cancer treatment called ‘Anti-tumour Immune Redirection’ (AIR) that aims to revolutionise the Immuno-Oncology market, offering new treatment possibilities for patients facing limited options or resistance to current cancer therapies.

According to VerImmune CEO and Founder Joshua Wang, the basic premise of this novel treatment paradigm is the ability to trick the body’s pre-existing immune memory into seeing cancer cells as a past viral infection, which might be gained through childhood vaccination. As a result, the body already knows how to fight it, and this past memory response is redirected to killing the tumour.

“Since everyone has a pre-existing immunity to certain virus infections or vaccines, VerImmune’s AIR approach is thus broadly applicable to a wide population of cancer patients irrespective of where they are based globally since certain infections or childhood vaccines are universal and/or mandatory. Further, these past viral or childhood memory immune responses are often life-long and very protective and present in the body,” he explains in an email to e27.

Also Read: Mirxes lands US$50M to take its cancer early detection solutions to new markets

In this interview, Wang explains in detail how VerImmune develops this solution and the company’s recent milestones. Check out this edited excerpt of the conversation.

Can you tell us how you develop these solutions?

VerImmune is realising AIR via our foundational proprietary platform technology, virus-inspired Particles (ViP). The ViP particles self-assemble from 60 copies of a synthetic protein inspired by a certain virus and were developed internally at VerImmune.

Now, synthetic proteins are essentially lab-made versions of the building blocks found in nature. They are engineered to resemble natural proteins.

The ViP, in turn, serves as a delivery technology designed to target and bind to specific receptors found only on tumour cells but not healthy normal cells. This means it can discriminate between cancerous and healthy cells with precision.

Who are your users? How do you acquire them?

Our ultimate goal is to use our ViP in different ways to treat different diseases. Oncology is currently our primary focus, and based on our innovative AIR approach, we hope to offer new treatment possibilities for patients facing limited options.

While our end users are patients, we recognise that as an early-stage biotechnology company, our customers are pharmaceutical companies, as they are the ones with the necessary channels and resources to bring a drug to market. Further, a significant fraction of the therapeutic pipeline in many big pharmaceutical companies originates from early stage startups like ours.

Also Read: How is AI transforming the future of cancer diagnosis

As such, one of our key focuses is generating strong, compelling data to demonstrate how our ViPs can fulfil unmet needs in cancer treatment to attract pharmaceutical interest and foster potential partnerships or collaborations. Importantly, these relationships allow us to tap into pharmaceutical expertise and resources efficiently, helping us achieve value-creating milestones.

An example of this is the Amgen Golden ticket award, whereby VerImmune is gaining mentorship to help improve our lead therapeutic programme in oncology and explore new therapeutic areas such as nucleic delivery. To support VerImmune in these two vastly different therapeutic early-stage drug development programs, VerImmune was matched with two specific subject matter mentors from Amgen who would share their expertise via regularly scheduled meetings.

This mentorship is particularly crucial given the current landscape of the Singapore biotech ecosystem. While the ecosystem is evolving and Singapore is very international in supporting the growth of biotech startups, there remains a lack of experienced biotech professionals or teams who have successfully navigated early-stage development.

The Amgen Golden Ticket allows early-stage start-ups based in Singapore, especially those with limited connections and experience, to gain access to experts from a world-class pharmaceutical company.

What important milestones have you made recently?

VerImmune raised US$3.1 million in mid-2023, following an initial US$2.5 million raise in 2022 and a successful FDA-preIND meeting, which helped the company prepare better and comply with regulatory requirements. VerImmune also previously secured pharmaceutical partnerships with global established pharma such as Janssen Biologics and Fosun Pharmaceuticals, thus showing commercial interest in our novel technology.

Also Read: Harnessing the power of AI to help improve gastric cancer detection

Beyond Oncology, we are also investigating other areas with high unmet needs via the utilisation of ViPs with novel properties and/or payloads that exert highly disruptive mechanisms of action. To this end, we’ve decided to focus on furthering the development of our ViP platform in Singapore.

In 2023, we were awarded the Second Amgen X NSG Biolabs Golden Ticket Award, which allowed us to secure physical space, infrastructure and
residency at NSG BioLabs to establish our presence within Asia Pacific with Singapore as our new regional headquarters. This accelerated our plans to establish a cost-efficient presence quickly as the golden ticket provided credibility.

Being part of NSG BioLabs’ ecosystem has been invaluable for us. It has enabled us to rub shoulders with and learn from other startups that are further along in their journey, providing us with unique insights and experiences that have accelerated our growth.

Following this, we signed a long-term research partnership with A*STAR, specifically the Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), a research institute in Singapore with integrated capabilities to assist the industry in accelerating process innovation in biomanufacturing. This focused on advancing our ViP Platform Development via developing novel manufacturing and analytical solutions with the team at BTI. With this ongoing research and the available space, we are now building up a local platform development team, working with the local biotech ecosystem to identify possible candidates.

What major plans do you have this year?

2024 is a year of execution. We intend to focus on delivering our lead AIR programme and gain more traction regarding our growth plans in Singapore.

Specifically for the Lead AIR-ViP program, our lead Immuno-Oncology product candidate is VERI-101, which utilises the ViP platform to harness the cellular immune memory responses from prior cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection to fight cancer.

Also Read: AUM Biosciences bags US$27M Series A to advance its targeted cancer therapies

Following our meeting with the FDA last year to understand the path ahead and raise some additional capital, we intend to execute the next stages of our advance development (GLP toxicology, clinical manufacturing) to enable the filing of an IND for VERI-101, which will be critical to initiating human phase 1 trials.

In parallel, we hope to mature ongoing efforts in Singapore, such as complete lead optimisation of potential new ViP platform candidates from our ongoing collaboration with BTI-A*STAR, achieve ‘boots-on-the-ground’ in Singapore, and identify additional collaborators within the booming Singapore/Asia Biotech ecosystem as part of our strategic platform development plans.

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Image Credit: VerImmune

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