According to Fractional founding partner Oliver Lo, in a press statement, from his time working in the venture capital sector, he learned that the biggest challenge most founders face is marketing.

“From value proposition and brand positioning to finding repeatable growth motions without the need for unsustainable paid ad budgets – these aren’t simple challenges for most startups. Many struggle without the right marketing leadership,” he stresses.

Apart from that, the CMO is often the last C-suite to be hired in a growing startup, with less experienced marketing teams often reporting directly to a founder. Hiring a full-time CMO can also be expensive in a region where funding rounds are not as large as in the US.

This is why Fractional was launched in March as a collective of CMOs to solve the marketing leadership gap in hypergrowth companies. The organisation curates the region’s top marketing leaders to work for companies on a fractional or part-time basis.

According to them, the fractional model breaks the confines of a full-time job construct, enabling growing startups to access elite marketing talent on a fractional basis at a fraction of the cost.

Also Read: What the post-cookie era means for programmatic marketing

The fractional model also gives veteran marketers an alternative path to shape the “peak periods” of their career journey. “We have met many marketers who have had to make a difficult choice between fulfilling work at growing companies or stable jobs that pay the bills,” said Fractional founding partner Rana Saha.

“The fractional model provides a different path – the opportunity to engage with the most interesting work of their careers without making financial sacrifices.”

In an email interview with e27, Lo explains that Fractional CMOs complement growing young marketers or leveraging agencies.

“Often, you will find a marketing lead at a startup who has been there since the beginning and who should grow into the role of CMO over time. We are big believers in nurturing these talents across Asia,” he says.

“However, in the current setup, these young marketing leads or heads can be set up unfairly for failure without the right mentorship. They are expected to deliver outsized growth with leaner budgets but perhaps have not had the experience to know how to get there. A fractional CMO’s role will often be to mentor this young marketing head and lead the function. However, because the engagement will be for a defined period of time rather than permanently, it allows this young marketing head to grow into a VP Marketing/CMO role with the right strategic guidance. We have seen fractional CMOs often kept on as a longer-term advisor specifically for this mentorship role.”

Also Read: Why a customer-centric digital marketing strategy is the way to go?

Lo points out that while working with marketing agencies does have its advantages, especially on the execution side, it would not be possible without a clear strategy.

“We’ve seen many startups struggle to work with agencies for this reason. Insert a true marketing leader into the equation, and the budget spent on agencies can become better directed, more productive, and have better value for both parties overall. The addition of a fractional CMO is usually hugely welcomed by most agency heads, and we would encourage you to get their thoughts.”

Natural growth motion in marketing

Fractional was founded by three Southeast Asia (SEA)-based marketing leaders–Sophie Jokelson, Lo and Saha–with more than five decades of combined experience. The co-founders have led Grab, Uber, Sequoia, Mars, Dell, Zynga, PayPal, Antler and Cove marketing teams.

Fractional describes its clients as startup founders who have found product-market fit and are looking to market to help scale their growth sustainably. “They tend to be in the range of seed or Series A up to Series C,” says Lo.

The organisation has selected its first batch of CMOs, each with over a decade of operator experience in sectors including fintech, D2C, SaaS, e-commerce and logistics. The firm is already taking on projects with founders directly and through venture capital and private equity firms.

When asked about some of the challenges Fractional is often asked to tackle with the startups, Lo gives “finding a natural growth motion” as one.

Also Read: Balancing personalisation and privacy in business marketing

“In the early stages, founders will often hack their way to growth through any possible channels as they search for PMF. However, post-PMF and usually after raising their Series A, they’re expected to drive repeatable and scalable growth. In a more rational environment like today, that can’t primarily depend on paid channels unless their investor is happy to sustain negative unit economics,” he explains.

“The role of a CMO, along with leaders in growth and product, is to help the startup find those scalable growth flywheels – and depending on the business, it will take a different shape. Calendly grew through viral growth loops built into its product. Hubspot leverages content, learning, and upskilling combined with SEO and events to become the de facto place for marketers to grow (as well as use Hubspot). Many D2C brands have grown through influence across social channels and virality through a particular target segment inspired by what it represents.”

Lo believes that finding this natural growth motion that startups can repeat and scale is critical to success. This is where Fractional can play a role in a startup’s success.

CMOs for Southeast Asia

SEA is widely known as a fragmented market that provides a unique set of challenges for startups. According to Lo, knowing where to localise and where to centralise is “super important” to compete and grow sustainably.

This is why SEA will continue to be Fractional’s focus in addition to India. “However, we are taking projects across Asia Pacific, and most of our CMOs have deep experience across the region,” he says.

“We plan to grow our community of CMOs and get them each involved in some of the region’s most transformative startups. Contrary to the principles of the ecosystem we work in, we don’t actually want to grow too quickly. We believe in keeping the quality bar high and always working with the best on both sides–CMOs and founders.”

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Image Credit: Fractional

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In recent years, the emergence of rural commerce platforms has been transforming the economic landscape of rural areas, offering new avenues for business growth and fostering sustainable development.

These digital platforms have opened doors for local products and brands, connecting them with broader markets, overcoming geographical barriers, and providing essential support services. The focus of our exploration is the vital role of rural commerce platforms in building future sustainable businesses, with a particular emphasis on empowering communities in rural areas.

The rise of rural commerce platforms

The growing popularity and significance of rural commerce platforms cannot be ignored. These platforms have brought numerous benefits to rural areas, including expanded market reach, improved logistics, and financial inclusion. By leveraging technology and innovative solutions, rural commerce platforms have become catalysts for rural economic growth and the promotion of entrepreneurship.

As part of its efforts to transform Indonesia into a developed country, the Indonesian government is striving to ensure the addition of one million new entrepreneurs by 2024. These efforts, aimed at achieving an entrepreneurship ratio of 3.95 per cent by 2024, have been set in motion through collaboration between the government and various other entities. However, there are several crucial aspects that will require attention and hard work in order to realise Indonesia’s development goals.

Firstly, the nation needs a digitally connected ecosystem that enables local brands to access new and larger markets easily. Additionally, it is important to establish links between mom-and-pop shops (warung) and industry supply chains, enabling them to contribute as suppliers of finished goods. This will prevent rural entrepreneurs from being marginalised and ensure their active participation within the industrial supply chains and the overall process of industrialisation.

Also Read: 6 strategies to reduce your e-commerce startup expenses

Rural areas across Indonesia have been realising their respective development plans, especially since 2015, when the rural funds started to be disbursed. As of 2021, the government has transferred Rp 400.1 trillion (US$27,200,495.22) worth of rural funds. Law No. 6, 2014 on rural areas, starting with article 6, encompasses rural development, rural area management, the development of rural-owned companies, and rural cooperation, development, and empowerment.

In relation to this, President Joko Widodo mandated that rural development should benefit all residents, particularly those categorised as poor and extremely poor. This should encompass all rural residents, as nothing is more important than the SDGs adage: No one is left behind. 

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) serve as a guiding framework for nations to progress and eradicate poverty. In Indonesia, the process of localising the SDGs began in 2017 when President Joko Widodo issued a Presidential Regulation encompassing all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

It is crucial to localise the SDGs at the rural level. SDGs Desa (SDGs Village) takes this effort a step further by encompassing all individuals. SDGs Desa serves as the primary reference for medium-term development in villages throughout Indonesia. The indicators from the original SDGs are adapted to suit the village level.

Empowering women entrepreneurs in rural areas

Women entrepreneurs in rural communities face unique challenges, including limited access to resources and networks. Empowering women is crucial for fostering inclusive and sustainable economic development.

Rural commerce platforms play a crucial role in providing opportunities for women to start and grow their businesses. These platforms offer a level playing field, providing them with the infrastructure to facilitate the distribution of high-quality and affordable daily necessities.

In Indonesia, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) contribute to 67 per cent of job creation, with women playing a significant role in both creative work and entrepreneurship. Among all SMEs in the country, a substantial 62 per cent are owned by women at the micro-level.

Women entrepreneurs make an essential contribution to the development of the world economy, particularly in low and middle-income countries. In Indonesia, a middle-income country, the growth of women entrepreneurs is rising from time to time and has tremendous potential to empower women and transform society.

The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor study estimated around 22 million women entrepreneurs or 26 percent out of the adult female population in Indonesia. A similar study has pointed out the importance of women’s entrepreneurship in Indonesia, where women entrepreneurs are operating approximately one-third of firms in the formal sector.

Also Road: Sustainable development through empowering commerce in Indonesia

Access to markets and customers

Rural commerce platforms bridge the gap between local products and larger markets. They enable them to showcase their products and services to a broader customer base that may have been previously inaccessible. By utilising the reach and visibility offered by these platforms, numerous success stories demonstrate the positive impact of rural commerce platforms on the market access of communities.

Overcoming geographical barriers

Geographical barriers can hinder the growth of rural businesses, limiting their market reach. Rural commerce platforms play a pivotal role in overcoming these barriers by leveraging technology and establishing logistics partnerships. This expanded market access opens up new opportunities and potential for business growth, creating an inclusive digital economy by promoting the adoption of sustainable retailing.

Social and environmental impact

Rural commerce platforms contribute to sustainable development goals in rural areas. It is empowering local products to grow together and improve the local economy in rural areas. By providing a wide range of daily products with a seamless user experience in its platform, rural entrepreneurs can create positive social and environmental impacts within their communities.

Rural commerce platforms have emerged as transformative tools, unlocking the potential of rural economies and empowering local entrepreneurs in the process. By facilitating access to markets, providing financial inclusion, offering skill development opportunities, and breaking down geographical barriers, these platforms lay the foundation for future sustainable businesses.

Efforts to foster the growth of rural commerce platforms, along with targeted support for rural entrepreneurs, will pave the way for inclusive and resilient rural economies, driving positive change and sustainable development for generations to come.

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Klemen Simonic met Ambroz Bizjak at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, during their undergraduate studies. After studies, they travelled in different directions: while Simonic joined Facebook and developed its speech systems, Bizjak worked in Cosylab, where he developed the core software for control systems for particle accelerators, fusion reactors, and cancer therapy systems.

After spending several years in the corporate world, the duo got together to embark on a new journey to understand humans through audio AI technologies.

This led them to start Soniox.

Soniox, a startup based in the US, has developed AudioMind, a foundational AI model that can deeply understand audio with all its information.

Also Read: How big tech players are redefining the classic freedom of speech vs. censorship debate

“Through interactions with our customers, we recognised a growing demand for capabilities beyond mere speech-to-text conversion. Clients expressed interest in features such as sentiment detection, summarisation, and audio event recognition, indicating a clear need for a more versatile audio intelligence solution,” says Simonic. “Driven by this demand, we conceived the idea of AudioMind — a general-purpose intelligence for audio that could perform a wide range of tasks, akin to text-based Large Language Model operators. ”

Comprehensive audio processing

According to Simonic, AudioMind distinguishes itself from traditional speech recognition technology by offering a “comprehensive” approach to audio processing. Unlike other similar apps in the market that focus on converting speech to text, AudioMind natively processes audio as the input modality, enabling it to utilise all available information within the audio signal fully.

“Our solution offers a wide range of capabilities beyond simple transcription. Through prompting mechanisms, AudioMind empowers users to specify how they want the audio content to be interpreted,” he shares.

AudioMind supports a wide range of instructions for converting speech to text. For instance, to transcribe speech, one can use a simple prompt like ‘Transcribe this audio for me, please’, or ‘Transcribe this audio into a polished transcript’.

“AudioMind introduces a groundbreaking focus on speaker intelligence. Unlike conventional systems that primarily transcribe speech without distinguishing between speakers, our solution offers advanced capabilities to separate and identify speakers within a conversation accurately,” Simonic claims.

Furthermore, the app allows users to “effortlessly” generate speaker-separated and labelled transcriptions, summaries, and documents. By providing prompts, users can instruct AudioMind on how they want the document to be organised and structured, including specifying titles and sections.

Understanding tone, gender, and emotions

Human communication is not solely reliant on speech or text; it encompasses tone, intonation, and emotional cues. AudioMind has the ability to decipher these elements to provide a more comprehensive understanding of communication.

For instance, in customer service industries, recognising the tone of a customer’s voice can help gauge satisfaction levels or detect frustration. This insight enables businesses to tailor their responses appropriately, leading to improved customer experiences and satisfaction.

It also has the capability to discern emotions and aids in sentiment analysis, allowing organisations to gauge public opinion, customer sentiment, or patient well-being accurately. For example, in mental health care, analysing the emotional tone of patient conversations can assist therapists in tracking progress or identifying potential issues.

The solution also supports certain types of background filtering. By filtering out background noise and irrelevant sounds, it can focus on extracting meaningful information from the audio input. This directly improves the accuracy of downstream tasks.

Limitless opportunities

The entrepreneur-duo sees “limitless” opportunities for their solution, given the ubiquity of audio, voice, and speech across diverse sectors. Beyond traditional speech transcription, AudioMind holds promise in healthcare, where it can facilitate the creation of medical documentation through voice input, improving efficiency and accuracy.

In customer service, the voice generator app allows for enhanced interactions between agents and customers, improving satisfaction and retention rates.

Moreover, AudioMind can “interpret users’ voices with precision” in virtual assistants and voice-enabled devices, opening up new possibilities for intuitive and personalised experiences.

“AudioMind has been meticulously trained to listen and understand audio in a manner akin to human processing. Through extensive training with diverse audio datasets, it has developed the capability to recognise and understand various types of sounds, including those originating from the environment and those produced by humans,” Simonic explains. “This distinction is crucial for comprehending the surrounding context within an audio environment.”

Also Read: Why is text-to-speech technology a game-changer for inclusivity in faith-based apps?

For example, while speech recognition systems may focus solely on transcribing spoken words, AudioMind goes beyond recognising nuances such as laughter, indicating humour, or crying, signalling distress.

The startup plans to broaden its language support beyond English, aiming to enhance its usability and break down language barriers for users worldwide. “We recognise the importance of linguistic diversity and understand that catering to multiple languages is crucial for reaching a global audience. While we are still finalising the list, some of the languages under consideration include Spanish, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Portuguese and Italian,” he adds.

“Our goal is to ensure that AudioMind becomes accessible and beneficial to users from diverse linguistic backgrounds, facilitating seamless communication and interaction across borders and cultures,” Simonic concludes.

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Amidst the global evolution of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, the pressing question remains: How do we integrate them into our workplaces successfully?

DEI are not just buzzwords for me; they are fundamental principles shaping our modern workplace.

In my role as the Executive Director for SGTech, I firmly believe that leadership plays a crucial role in fostering a culture of inclusion, and this commitment starts from the top. SGTech comprises individuals from diverse disciplines, backgrounds, experiences, and skill sets, all united in our cause.

We are committed to continuous learning and transformation, emphasising the importance of thinking differently, keeping an open mind, and being receptive to emerging trends locally and globally. Inclusion is integral to our organisation’s ethos as we build our Secretariat and tech community.

SGTech is dedicated to enabling anyone who wishes to join the tech workforce, irrespective of their current qualifications, skill sets, gender, culture, ethnicity, or age. This commitment also extends to our team at SGTech, ensuring that we embody the inclusive values we advocate for.

Drawing from experience, achieving inclusion requires a multifaceted approach. In fact, we suggest pushing for skill-based hiring, where individuals are evaluated based on their competencies rather than traditional qualifications. This approach promotes diversity and ensures that the workforce is equipped with the necessary skills for the job.

Additionally, cultivating an attitude of lifelong learning within the organisation is crucial. This involves encouraging employees to continuously develop their skills and knowledge, fostering a culture where learning is valued and supported at all levels. These efforts can help create a more inclusive and dynamic work environment where individuals are empowered to reach their full potential.

Also Read: Invest in women, accelerate progress: Why gender equality matters now more than ever

To inspire inclusion within SGTech, we have implemented several key strategies.

We have a clear organisational structure and unbiased HR hiring policies to ensure fair hiring practices. This includes defining roles and responsibilities to support hiring based on the right skills. We want to continuously foster a culture of learning and development, which we achieve through year-long programs that encourage and reward upskilling and reskilling, enabling skills exchange, training, and talent development within teams and across the organisation.

Promoting mindfulness is another crucial aspect, encouraging individuals to refrain from judging others based on appearances, be aware of perceptions, and use language that is respectful and inclusive. Providing open feedback channels, conflict resolution mechanisms, and access to counselling as needed has further enhanced inclusivity and supported employee well-being.

We also plan to continue walking our talk by embracing diversity in all its forms. Currently, our permanent hybrid working model fosters a more flexible and adaptable work environment and also significantly facilitates the seamless transition for mothers returning to full-time employment, thereby promoting inclusivity and flexibility within our workforce.

In addition, we also work on maintaining a workforce that spans a wide range of ages, from fresh graduates to individuals in their post-50s, and welcome interns from Institutes of Higher Learning.

We recognise and value the skills and experience that each of our colleagues brings to the table, fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and included. Our goal is to build a lifelong learning and growth culture where every individual feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly transformed the way we live and work and, through this, catalysed Southeast Asia’s (SEA) long-anticipated shift from the physical to the online world.

Businesses have had to ramp up their digitalisation efforts to stay afloat as consumers turn to the online sphere for their day-to-day activities. According to a joint survey by Microsoft and IDC Asia Pacific, nearly 75 per cent of organisations in Singapore accelerated their pace of digitalisation due to the pandemic.

On top of this, SEA’s booming internet economy is set to grow to US$1 trillion by 2030, as millions of new internet users fuel online businesses in fields including e-commerce and virtual finance, according to a report jointly produced by Temasek, Google, and Bain.

With more investors recognising the region as one with valuable digital economy opportunities, there needs to be a reliable, secure digital infrastructure for businesses to tap into for growth.

The accelerated pace is set to make the region a global technology giant, and well-designed data frameworks are vital in supporting this trajectory.

Latency is the new currency

As individuals and businesses consume more data in an increasingly interconnected world, particularly in SEA, reliable and fail-safe internet connections with the lowest possible latency (the round-trip time taken for data to travel between an end device and the server where the data is stored or processed, for example, when using an application in the cloud) are becoming more crucial.

Latency is decisive for the time it takes for a transaction to be registered when making online purchases to get a smooth reaction and a good user experience when using applications hosted in the cloud. Moreover, such everyday aspects make up the digital economy.

From a business perspective, latency issues cost money. Productivity related to virtual desktops, conference and video calls, and everything virtually related to working from home depends on high-performance interconnection.

Industrial activities like remote robotics and AI-supported research and development require the lowest possible latency for maximum efficiency. As such, low latency is essential for future-proofing Singapore’s economy, as booming and upcoming technologies like cloud gaming, virtual or augmented reality, e-health, and the connected car need latencies as low as 1-3 milliseconds.

Also Read: Dancing through data: What can AI-powered insights into my own music tastes reveal?

Security is also enhanced when a firewall kicks in with minimal delays, ensuring businesses are better prepared and not compromised by cyber threats.

With this, latency in digital services and applications is genuinely revenue-related. It is the new currency in today’s post-COVID digital economy.

Reliable internet exchanges: The heartbeat of the digital world

While it is hard to imagine the internet as something stored anywhere else, your computer, Internet Exchanges (IX), play a significant role in the world’s rapid shift to the digital world.

They guarantee a smooth, secure and fast exchange of data packets between networks of any size, ensuring that everyday online activities run seamlessly and quickly, especially in today’s climate, where everyone is hugely reliant on the internet.

Being connected to an IX allows networks to directly connect to other networks and share data traffic (also known as “peering”). This significantly reduces latency by reducing the path length that data needs to travel.

Also, data centre-neutral IX platforms, like those operated by DE-CIX, are distributed. This means that the infrastructure is housed in multiple data centres in a metro region, significantly increasing the resilience of the entire IX platform.

In some cases, by connecting to an IX, company networks can peer with networks connected to several other interconnected IXs within a region.

By connecting to DE-CIX Singapore, for example, network operators gain the possibility to exchange data directly at low latency with other networks, such as internet service providers, cloud providers, content networks, CDNS, over-the-top (OTT) providers and enterprise networks, not only in Singapore but also elsewhere in SEA, enabling enterprises to gain access to a vibrant SEA interconnection ecosystem.

The rise of cloud adoption, but what are the risks?

Ramping up digitalisation increases reliance on cloud-based services across all kinds of businesses. Instant access to content, applications and services that are essential in our daily lives has made how we work and live simpler.

According to Alibaba Cloud’s Cloud in Asia survey, Singapore is the most prolific adopter of cloud computing in SEA, with nearly nine in 10 IT decision-makers saying their companies are already using cloud-based services.

However, the move to the cloud poses new risks for enterprises in Singapore and worldwide. For instance, as the reliance is generally on only one cloud partner to manage data and workloads, this tendency towards cloud concentration creates a single point of failure, as has been evident with major outages at big global cloud players in the past.

For several critical industries, the mitigation of this cloud concentration risk is being written into law in increasingly more regions around the globe. Therefore, companies are looking for solutions to manage a multi-cloud environment efficiently.

Truly mitigating the cloud concentration risk, however, does not just stop at using different clouds. It is also important to access those clouds from physically independent locations.

Also Read: Why offshoring your data parsing processes could be your legal tech startup’s secret weapon

Using a distributed infrastructure involving diverse providers and multiple redundant pathways creates the resilience necessary for critical applications and data. DE-CIX offers enterprises interconnection solutions that connect directly to the required application or compute source at the lowest latency possible.

For example, to the many cloud services an enterprise makes use of (through DE-CIX DirectCLOUD), or to applications such as those available through Microsoft 365, with direct connectivity possible for enterprises via DE-CIX with the Microsoft Azure Peering Service.

In this way, latency is minimised, and resilience is ensured.

The enterprise of the future is digital

With SEA’s internet economy set to flourish in the coming decade, seamless, top-quality and cost-effective interconnection services are a must to cater to the needs in the modern world of both businesses and end-consumers alike.

Latency is the new currency against today’s backdrop of accelerated digitalisation, ensuring that the exciting next generation of applications and services are well-supported by solid digital infrastructure.

DE-CIX Asia brings low latency and robust interconnection to SEA. It offers better localisation of interconnection services across the region, one with more than 600 million inhabitants and massive digital demand, easing the pressure on existing internet infrastructure in the area and bringing content and applications closer to the users.

In establishing such strong foundations for SEA, we are excited to see further growth in technical innovations and disruptors as we collectively pave the way toward the region’s anticipated role as a global technology hub.

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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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Are you monetising your social media efforts?

While the word monetisation is assumed to correspond directly with money, in the world of digital marketing.

The term has more to it than conversions based around currencies. Online startups cannot aggressively advertise, treating platforms as television channels, because a modern e-customer relies on information and connectivity.

This way, monetisation for online businesses revolves around value proposition between brands and customers. 

Any startup not leveraging social media is underestimating its worth. According to a source, the number of users on social networking platforms will increase by 9.57 per cent by 2021.

So the situation begs businesses to optimise their social media marketing to complete their buyer’s journey for any given item that requires an action from users. For example, some online companies want people to purchase a product while others want them to fill out a form to receive a free eBook. 

Let us explore the types of technologies that optimise and monetise social media.

Converse to convert

Consumers can be found on messaging apps more than in physical stores these days, suggested Uber’s Chris Messina when he coined the term conversational commerce.

While this method can be eased by using chatbots, you can still have a human team working on this part of the marketing strategy for a ‘just born’ startup with less in hand.

Throughout the classes in school about sociology, we study that people are social beings and they love to talk, interact and network. Instead of having products thrown at them, they like to gaze through the gallery and perhaps discuss their choices with a salesperson. A similar experience can now be felt online, especially on e-commerce websites.

Video your way to success

If your startup is on social media websites such as Instagram, then video marketing should be a top priority for you in this day and age.

A report projects that by 2022, videos will make up over 80 per cent of all consumer traffic online. Asia’s online video business alone is predicted to reach US$52 billion in the year 2024. These figures are too enticing to ignore. 

There are several ways video is being used by marketers to attract users and perhaps also enable them to click the landing page link.

While you can make native videos for platforms like YouTube or Facebook, you can also create short videos for several other social networking sites. Digital marketers and designers work together to produce all kinds of videos, such as a presentation, interview, product demos, brand story, etc.

Get influencers on stage

You heard that, right! This isn’t about sidelining your business, but a contract of collaboration. Celebrity endorsements have always been a part of campaigns, services or product promotions.

The only difference now is that businesses have an ocean of celebrities to choose from who are not limited to cinema or politics. The question now arises, which platform is best?

A survey suggests that in 2019, 86 per cent of marketers in the United States said they viewed Instagram as a valuable platform for influencer marketing. This, however, doesn’t mean you should leave out other social media websites.

The type of product or campaign you are promoting also impacts your decision about when, where and how to use this marketing technique to accelerate your startup’s growth successfully.

Brand the people

Embrace the idea of personal branding for yourself as an owner or partner in the startup business, and suggest your employees do the same. This way, you are humanising your startup and making it appear more welcoming by putting people at the centre of activities.

A typical example of this exists in the journalism industry in which you see that the editors and writers have social media links attached to their profiles on their author web page.

The trick is not to let your profile be all about the brand, partially it should, but your social media account should also display your personality and preferences. Tell you what, if you are an e-news startup, then the chances are that your potential readers may search for and interact with your writers on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Sell on social 

Although money isn’t the only factor holding up the term monetisation, it is one of them, and it certainly plays a key role.

With the advent of e-wallets, brands could start selling their products and services online, hence giving birth to a new word “social selling”. You can open a shop on Facebook, use Snapcash to make payments, and instabuy via Instagram Shopping.

Social selling kicked off largely because consumers spend most of their time on social media. From kids to adults, everyone spends a good amount of time searching for products and reading the reviews, especially when it comes to eating out.

Millennials considered being the most active buyer’s makeup 54 per cent of those who search social networking channels to search for products.

The targeted advertisements option provides businesses with the ability to focus their marketing on groups of people within the social media website. This boosts the reach of the post and increases the chances of consumers clicking on the call to action button.

Bonus tip: social branding

Although some brands are debranding, it is not actually a very good idea to remove the identification of your company from your services and products. Even if the trend picks up by any chance, which is doubtful, don’t let it swarm your social media.

You need to display your custom visual identity to tell your target market that it’s you on the other side of the computer and not merely a chatbot. 

To brand your startup on social channels, make sure you add your logo onto the profile image section, write about yourself, create an engaging banner. 

If you aren’t branding digitally, have just begun or missing out on something, make sure you have a dedicated team and strategy planned in front of you.

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Image Credit: Jakob Owens

This article was first published on August 27, 2019.

The post 5 ways to monetise social media technology for startup success appeared first on e27.

You’re reading this because you want your white paper to get media coverage.

But stop. Not a lot of white papers are newsworthy and even those that are need to be pitched in the right way to get coverage.

Before you even think about a PR plan for your white paper, ask these questions:

• Can we connect our white paper to a news issue or trend, to make it relevant?
• What does our white paper mean to our customers, industry, and wider society?
• Does it confirm what our audience already knows or are we adding original value?
• What will the average person think of our paper – good and bad?
• Who cares? And why should they care?

You can just as easily apply these questions to a research report or e-book, if that’s the content you’re working with.

So, if you’ve got the right answers, you can prepare a written pitch for your in-house PR. If it’s just you or a colleague managing your PR right now, you can use these same steps to prepare a written pitch to media.

Your pitch serves as a good, plainly-worded summary that makes your white paper’s news value crystal clear. Get it ready weeks before your white paper’s release date. Busy media people like advance notice. So does your in-house PR. Advance notice gives them time to target the most well-suited media contact.

What about the writing itself? You’ll need to help a wider public grasp the white paper’s main finding or argument, quickly. So spell things out. Say why the work is important.

Explain why people should care

Why? Well, media don’t care who you are. You must convince them that the actual contents of your paper – not just the fact that that you’ve produced one – is news. If you can’t convince your PR, they can’t convince the media for you.

Your white paper just might be news if it has:

• a new ‘fact’ about customer behaviour;
• a fresh perspective on an industry or societal problem;
• a research finding which challenges perceptions;
• or significant survey data, or credible forecasts.

Your written pitch needs to be direct, too. It needs to be specific. In its Pulse of Fintech report, KPMG write that “investments in Fintech companies in Asia hit $16.8 billion in the first half of 2018”. That’s a lot better than saying “People continued to invest in fintech in the first half of the year”. Credible, specific and factual content strengthens a pitch.

Get to the point and drop the jargon

What about the structure of your pitch? That’s important too. Put the central point in the first paragraph. Why? Well, if your reader gets interrupted by a text message or a coffee craving, they’ll still have come away with the main gist.

Use the rest of your summary to explain why the white paper was produced, how research was done, and what your findings means to your audience. Cut out jargon. Limit acronyms. And write it in a way that a 12-year-old can understand.

And try to keep it short – a page will do. As a founder, you’ll be especially glad of the short copy when you run a journalist or editor through it on the phone. But you’ll need to cover every step above before you even think about doing that.

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This article was first published on November 29, 2018.

The post How to write a PR pitch for your white paper appeared first on e27.

Much of the chatter surrounding the rapid rise of artificial intelligence in today’s market is centered around how this impressive trend will upend the HR industry and redefine how businesses bring on new staffers. Precious little attention is being paid to how critical AI will be towards brand strategy in the future, however, despite the fact that today’s intelligent machines are soon going to be crucial tools when it comes to formulating and acting on your brand strategy.

Here’s how AI will reshape brand strategies, and what small businesses can do to cash in on the rise of this astonishing technology.

AI isn’t arriving – it’s arrived

The first thing that needs to be established when discussing artificial intelligence is that AI isn’t mere an up-and-comer in the market sure to destabilize things in a few years’ time. Rather, AI has already arrived and is disrupting contemporary business operations already, making it essential for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and corporate managers to understand this technology if they don’t want to find themselves left in the dust by the competition. Many small businesses have already tapped into the power of AI when it comes to their e-marketing strategies, for instance.

By relying on artificial intelligence programs to more effectively target customers and sometimes even to write copy for them, email marketers are seeing their click-through rates soar upwards.

Today’s impressive algorithms can sort through a dizzying number of prospective customers in a mere instant, quickly identifying likely sales targets and figuring out the most persuasive language to use in a pitch. This trend will continue into the near-future until nearly all e-marketing strategies are driven by the usage of AI, which is lowering costs while providing better results than many human strategists.

Also Read: 5 branding mistakes that startups should look to avoid

With a record-breaking number of consumers using ad-blocking technology in today’s market, brands need a way to cut through the noise and deliver a persuasive message to customers. This has given birth to an “AI arms race,” where creative marketers are finding themselves pitted against one another to deliver the most engaging user experience possible. Those who don’t use predictive analytics and powerful algorithms to deliver a better user experience simply don’t stay in business anymore.

It’s all uphill from here, too; artificial intelligence programs are already good at discerning user preferences, but they’ll become even more effective in just a few years, and will soon be personalizing user content at a scale hitherto unforeseen. Luckily for small business owners, this boom in AI isn’t restricted to the corporate arena.

AI is for everyone

Perhaps the best aspect of artificial intelligence is that it can be leveraged for success by just about anyone. Small businesses will soon find themselves employing predictive analytics operations to compete with giant corporate competitors, and eager entrepreneurs with innovative brands will be able to better get a foot into the market’s door thanks to ad-targeting.

Still, there’s a real possibility that AI will overwhelmingly be leveraged by huge corporations in the future, making it important for small businesses everywhere to begin formulating an AI-based brand strategy now if they want to remain relevant for long.

Almost 90 per cent of all digital customer interactions will be managed without a human by 2020, according to experts who have analyzed the rise of chatbots, which should remind small business owners that they need AI if they want to thrive in the long-term.

By relying on chatbots, small businesses can help develop their brand into one that customers trust, precisely because those consumers can always find AI-based assistance at any hour of the day, even and especially when human employees can’t help them. In the 21^st century, your brand isn’t solely driven by your human employees and marketing initiatives, but will also be partly determined by how customers react to the chatbots and automated processes you institute in your business plan.

While some brands can benefit more from the usage of an AI-based strategy than others, it’s a simple matter of fact that virtually all businesses can gain somehow from employing predictive analytics and automated processes.

The adoption costs for artificial intelligence are dropping by the day, with more experts cropping up all over the map for those businesses in need of a helping hand. With data rapidly becoming the most valuable commodity in the world, too, it will soon become even more imperative for businesses everywhere to have savvy algorithms on their side that can crunch huge sums of numbers.

Also Read: How do I create a memorable promotional brand or product video?

There are plenty of reasons to be happy about the rise of AI if you’re a business in dire need of a rebranding; in the 21^st century, branding strategies will be determined by clever algorithms more than savvy marketers. While the robots may not have taken over the world yet, it’s clear to see that AI will soon be critical towards brand strategy and many other pivotal aspects of operating a business in the modern era.

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This article was first published on August 18, 2019.

The post Why AI will be critical to brand strategy appeared first on e27.

Dear reader,

The surge of AI technology has sparked both excitement and concern about its impact on the job market. Recent developments from major corporations like UPS and IBM indicate a shift in employment dynamics, with automation looming as a potential threat to certain roles. Workers’ apprehension about job security is reflected in surveys and reports highlighting the anticipated impact of AI adoption on layoffs and workforce displacement.

In response to these concerns, the formation of the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium (ITC) signals a proactive approach by industry leaders to address the challenges posed by AI. Led by Cisco and supported by tech giants including Google, Microsoft, and Intel, the consortium aims to mitigate job losses through re-skilling and upskilling initiatives within the ICT sector.

However, the effectiveness of such efforts remains to be seen, as scepticism persists about the scalability and feasibility of training programmes to meet the evolving demands of an AI-driven economy. While consortium members pledge ambitious goals to empower millions of individuals with AI skills, questions linger about the actual availability of AI-related roles in the future job market.

As the ITC progresses with its research and recommendations, stakeholders eagerly await tangible actions and concrete plans to address the looming challenges of AI integration. Ultimately, the success of these initiatives will depend on the ability of tech incumbents to translate their promises into meaningful opportunities and pathways for workers in the rapidly evolving landscape of the digital economy.

Sainul,
Editor.

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NEWS

Big Tech companies form new consortium to allay fears of AI job takeovers
According to one estimate, around 4,000 workers have lost their jobs to AI since May; And in a poll from Beautiful.ai, which makes AI-powered presentation software, nearly half of managers said that they’re hoping to replace workers with AI.

Carousell acquires luxury bag reseller LuxLexicon to strengthen recommerce play
The acquisition will help Carousell grow its ‘Luxury’ category with an omnichannel strategy and expanded premium luxury offerings; LuxLexicon will leverage Carousell’s expertise in online recommerce and overseas expansion for future growth.

Joseph Schooling quits competitive swimming, turns VC investor
He has partnered with investment banker Cliff Go and serial entrepreneur Ben Ling to start Swaen Schooling Capital; It focuses on early-stage investments in three key sectors: impact and sustainability, sports and wellness, and tech.

Singapore competition watchdog looked into potential Grab, Delivery Hero deal
It was reported in September 2023 that Delivery Hero was considering selling part of its Southeast Asian operations, including the Foodpanda brand, in which Grab was a prospective buyer.

Nvidia co-invests US$200M in Indonesian AI centre amid SEA push
The US chipmaker is partnering with Indonesian telco Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison to open the AI centre; Nvidia has heightened its push in SEA as it achieved record revenues on the back of generative AI demand.

Malaysia-owned VC firm Mavcap to double investments to US$1.4B
It is part of the firm’s 2024-2030 Malaysia Venture Capital Roadmap (MVCR), which targets three areas: funding, regulatory reform, and expanding capacity, all aligned with Malaysia’s goal to be an innovative and inclusive economy.

Surgery marketplace HD closes US$5.6M Series A round
The investors include SBI Ven Capital, M Venture Partners, FEBE Ventures, Partech Partners, and Orvel Ventures; The company aims to support over 5,000 healthcare providers and 300 operating rooms, enabling thousands more surgeries by 2025.

Auristone aims to transform precision medicine field with US$4M funding
The investors are Elev8.vc, SEEDS Capital, and Genedant; Auristone’s EPI-CALL is designed to help doctors and patients navigate the complexities of therapy selection for late-stage cancer patients.

Indonesian agritech startup FishLog closes pre-Series A+ round
The investors include Mandiri Capital, BNI Ventures, Insignia Ventures, and Saison Capital; FishLog distributes over 60,000 kg of seafood products and connects over 60 domestic and international buyers, helping them expand their businesses.

Tesla plans multibillion-dollar EV plant in India
This strategic move comes on the heels of India’s recent decision to slash import tariffs on EVs, a development Tesla actively advocated for; Tesla is scouting potential sites in automotive hubs such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu.

Vietnam’s sand-based thermal energy storage startup Alternō secures US$1.5M
The investors include The Radical Fund, Touchstone Partners, and Antler; Alternō provides a thermal energy storage solution utilising sand battery technology tailored for agricultural applications across drying, warming, or heating needs.

WasteX nets funding to help farm producers convert biomass waste into biochar
The investor is P4G Partnerships; WasteX turns agricultural waste into biochar, boosting farmer income, reducing fertiliser use, and increasing crop yields by up to 95%.

DigiFT, an on-chain real-world assets exchange, expands into Hong Kong
It has appointed Kevin Loo as CEO of DigiFT (Hong Kong); The firm enables asset owners to issue blockchain-based security tokens, facilitating continuous liquidity trading through an Automated Market Maker.

FEATURES

AudioMind goes beyond speech recognition and discerns tone, gender, emotions
AudioMind supports a wide range of instructions for converting speech to text; For instance, to transcribe speech, one can use a simple prompt like ‘Transcribe this audio for me, please’, or ‘Transcribe this audio into a polished transcript’.

FROM OUR CONTRIBUTORS

How diversity and inclusion fuels innovation in the workplace
A workforce that embraces diversity and inclusion can have a transformative impact in driving organisational excellence and societal progress.

Building an inclusive tech ecosystem: How SGTech prioritises DEI
‘SGTech is dedicated to enabling anyone who wishes to join the tech workforce, irrespective of their current qualifications, skill sets, gender, culture, ethnicity, or age’.

The future of payments in Singapore: From outages to innovation with BaaS
The BaaS model will enhance the payment landscape by reducing technical debt, boosting agility, and scaling without compromising legacy systems.

Is AI the end of originality or a new dawn for creativity?
The future of creativity extends beyond adapting to AI; it’s about riding the wave to unlock new imaginative dimensions.

Bear necessities: Navigate the downturn with innovation
In a bear market, resilience is tested, offering opportunities for those with true staying power to shine as downturns reveal authenticity.

Leading with diversity: Why DEI is essential for success in the digital age
We have seen increased employee engagement, improved morale, and greater innovation as a result of our commitment to DEI.

These 5 toxic factors cause people to quit even before they have another job
Gallup’s new book It’s the Manager shows that the quality of managers is the single biggest factor in an organization’s long-term success; So then why do so many companies allow such a dreadful pool of leaders to keep ravaging employees?

Lights, diversity, action: PRoudly inclusive!
The Oscars may be the biggest night in Hollywood, but the real showstopper is a world where no one needs to wait for International Women’s Day to start celebrating inclusivity and diversity.

Laws, capitalism, creators and AI
As technology advances, more people will depend on AI for various tasks, including creativity, leading to a significant increase in its usage.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

The way startups are finding out if there is a pain point to solve
Upon coming up with the idea for a startup, the founders may choose to invest time and capital immediately into developing a product to solve a pain point.

5 analytical tools that entrepreneurs can use to scale
The SWOT analysis is one; It is useful in analysing the company and competitors; With the understanding of internal competencies and weaknesses, you can carve a sustainable niche in their market, uncover opportunities to exploit, and eliminate threats.

Startup pointers: Essentials for aspiring millennial entrepreneurs
Perhaps the most important thing for making it in the business world is the concept of being resourceful; What this means is being able to achieve a maximum effect with what you’ve got.

Why fasting is the ultimate productivity hack for entrepreneurs
According to the research regular fasting can have the same impact as caloric restriction which in mice has been shown to lead to a longer life; In addition, intermittent fasting also has the benefit of inducing a ketogenic state in the body.

Why you should start a business in your 40s
If you’re offering a product, your area of expertise would be put to good use in managing a specific aspect of the business whether it’s working on the business financials, marketing or developing the product.

Asia’s beauty lies in its complexity: 3 strategies to do well in an Asian market
One of the major characteristics of Asian culture is its collectivist nature; People are very close-knit and attached to one another; Therefore, if you want to be a part of the family you have to be the family.

ECHELON

The startups of the TOP100 Growth Program 2024 [Updated]
From cybersecurity to pet tech, TOP100’s diverse group of startups promises to leave a lasting mark on the SEA startup landscape.

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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.

The post Ecosystem Roundup: Big Techs form consortium to allay fears of AI job takeovers | Carousell acquires LuxLexicon | Joseph Schooling turns VC investor appeared first on e27.

Startups in Southeast Asia raised US$371 million across 42 investment rounds between March 1 and 31 2024, according to research by startup intelligence platform Tracxn.

This number is 3.34 per cent higher than the total funding raised in the previous month but is 34 per cent lower than the capital secured in March last year.

With 22 deals, early-stage rounds formed the bulk of the investments in March, followed by seed-stage (17) and late-stage (3) rounds.

Also Read: Funding into SEA’s female-led startups falls 42% to US$480.8M in 2023: Tracxn

Indonesian insurtech startup Qoala (US$47 million) raised the largest funding round in March 2024. The other top deals were PoS financing startup AwanTunai (US$27.5 million), and earned wage access platform Wagely (US$23 million).

With two deals each, Wavemaker Partners, Peak XV Partners, and Openspace Ventures led the VC investment space in March:

See the infographic for more details:

 

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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.

The post SEA startups raised US$371M across 42 rounds in March: Tracxn report appeared first on e27.