Singapore-headquartered digital behaviour aggregator Sqreem Technologies has acquired TotallyAwesome, an advanced digital advertising network for kids, teens, and families.

The details of the transaction remain undisclosed.

Post-acquisition, Sqreem will integrate TotallyAwesome’s reach of over 900 million users and human-curated whitelists with its proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) technology to “produce enhanced, precision-targeted web environments” for young users and their families.

Also Read: How TotallyAwesome helps brands engage kids and teens in a meaningful way

According to a statement, the pair will have a combined reach of over 2.4 billion consumers in 80 countries.

The acquisition allows Sqreem to navigate the complex landscape of ethical youth marketing, especially as global conversations increasingly emphasise the responsible use of AI in targeting vulnerable audiences.

The purchase also combines Sqreem’s advanced AI-driven behavioural database with TotallyAwesome’s understanding of youth audiences and their digital experiences across 14 key Asia-Pacific markets. This allows brands and agencies to reach millions of young consumers and parents safely and competently.

“Our combination of tech and expertise will demonstrate how brands can precisely tailor their engagement with kids, teens and families while prioritising safety and trust,” said Ian Chapman-Banks, CEO of Sqreem.

TotallyAwesome’s 100-member team across Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Melbourne and Sydney will merge with Sqreem’s global workforce.

“Sqreem’s acquisition of TotallyAwesome perfectly aligns with our strategy of curating high value audiences without cookies, drawing on our 9+ years of experience in marketing to kids, teens and families – and our more recent 18+ audience offering. With Sqreem’s cutting-edge AI technology solving the industry-wide challenge of activating against cookie-free intent-based audience segmentation, this union significantly strengthens both companies across all industry sectors,” added Raja Kanniappan, CEO of TotallyAwesome.

Also Read: Singapore’s digital behaviour aggregator Sqreem acquires Trade Indy

TotallyAwesome is a purpose-built media and content business, with one foot in media and engagement and the other in cyber safety. From a media perspective, it ensures brands engage kids and teens responsibly, acting like a youth safety insurance policy for brands. It counsels brands on how to move beyond an advertising play to one of utility and meaning.

Founded in 2010, Sqreeem develops AI solutions that match online behaviours with brands and publishers, identifying clients’ most valuable groups of customers and their behaviours. In March this year, Sqreem acquired Melbourne-founded, programmatic managed services company Trade Indy as part of its ongoing global expansion plans.

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Southeast Asia, a region experiencing phenomenal economic growth and rapid urbanisation, faces a mounting challenge: waste management. Traditional disposal methods are buckling under the pressure, leading to overflowing landfills, environmental pollution, and potential health risks.

According to a World Bank report, global waste generation is expected to surge dramatically by 2050, reaching a staggering 3.40 billion tons annually. This represents a significant increase from the current figure of 2.01 billion tons. Given its booming economy and growing population, Southeast Asia stands particularly vulnerable to this trend.

Emerging from this challenge is Blue Planet, a waste management company based in Singapore. Founded in 2017 by Madhujeet Chimni, Prashant Singh, and Bharadwaj Chivukula, the company is on a mission to lead the charge in sustainable practices and circular economy initiatives.

Blue Planet’s multi-faceted approach to waste management

“Through innovative technologies and collaborative efforts, we aim to transform discarded materials into valuable resources, such as renewable energy, recycled materials, and fertilisers. Our vision encompasses a future where resources are utilised efficiently, pollution is minimised, and communities flourish in harmony with nature,” said Prashant Singh, co-founder and CEO of Blue Planet, in an interview with e27.

With operations in Southeast Asia and the UK, Blue Planet leverages tech to address various facets of waste management. Its anaerobic digestion (AD) technology converts biomass, organic waste, and agricultural residues into biofuels. Additionally, through thermal catalytic depolymerisation (TCD) technology, thin plastics are transformed into fuel, offering alternatives to conventional waste disposal methods.

The company undertakes municipal waste management in waste-to-energy solutions, reducing reliance on landfills while generating energy. Its remediation and resource recovery efforts include techniques like landfill mining and extracting resources such as Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) to manufacture construction materials like pallets, boards, and lumber, fostering a circular economy.

Also Read: Unlocking hidden gold: How overlooked wet waste streams hold profit potential despite challenges

In e-waste management, Blue Planet employs proprietary hydrometallurgy technology to recover base metals and precious metals (PMR) from electronic waste, alongside battery recycling and industrial waste management services. The company also streamlines waste collection and processing by operating Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) that process recyclable materials and convert construction and demolition (C&D) waste into geopolymer blocks, diverting waste from landfills.

Complementing these efforts, Blue Planet offers waste collection services for public and industrial sectors, including hazardous waste management, cleaning, and restoration services, along with social awareness initiatives and consulting services.

“In Southeast Asia’s climate tech landscape, opportunities abound in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, waste management, and carbon offset projects. Blue Planet plans to leverage its expertise by offering tailored solutions such as recycling tech, waste-to-energy conversion, and organic waste management.

Integrating waste management with renewable energy projects and partnering with local entities will drive growth. Additionally, initiatives like carbon offsets and sustainability education will reinforce Blue Planet’s position as a trusted climate solutions partner in the region,” Singh shared.

The firm claims it manages 15,200 metric tonnes of waste daily and produces 10,000 normal cubic metres of biogas (as clean energy) each day from organic materials. It has recovered over 800 acres of land (legacy landfills) for the public. It claims to have processed 3.3 million metric tonnes of waste, reducing two million metric tonnes of CO2 emissions last year.

Building a sustainable business model

Blue Planet maintains financial sustainability through diversified revenue streams. It offers various revenue models tailored to different customers, including grants, user fees, fixed costs, or customised arrangements based on user requirements. The organisation also focuses on creating awareness through educational offerings such as courses and workshops while earning income through education and training programs.

Also Read: Singapore’s waste management firm Blue Planet gets Bintang Capital’s backing

Blue Planet has primarily been funded through private investments and partnerships. The latest investment, totalling US$35 million, came from The Investment Fund for Developing Countries. Before this, the venture secured investments from the Neev Fund, OSK Ventures International, Japan’s Mizuho Asia Partners, and Malaysian private equity firm Bintang Capital Partners.

Blue Planet has expanded its portfolio through the acquisitions of Vac-tech Engineering and Disaster Restoration Singapore in Singapore, Mahindra Waste to Energy Solutions and Xeon Waste Managers in India, and Qube Renewable and Recycle Force in the UK.

Looking ahead, Blue Planet aims to continuously innovate in waste management technologies, expand its global reach, and make substantial contributions to combating climate change for a more sustainable future. “By 2029, we aim to help reduce 40 million tons of CO2 emissions,” concluded Singh.

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Image credit: Blue Planet

The post Turning trash into treasure: How Blue Planet tackles Southeast Asia’s waste crisis appeared first on e27.

Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How stated that the tech ecosystem cannot grow and flourish without the right people, skillsets, and opportunities.

Presenting his opening remarks on the first day of Echelon X today, the senior minister of state explained how Singapore has generated “good job opportunities” in the digital sector.

“Today we have around 210,000 tech professionals; an increase of over seven per cent over the last five years. Good opportunities and vibrant growth in our digital economy bring new jobs and innovation. This growth is not just in Singapore, but a reflection of the overall and broader growth in our region, Southeast Asia,” he said.

Tan presented the existing programmes that Singapore has run to support the tech ecosystem by investing in people. One such programme is the tech skills accelerator, which aims to help individuals who want to either transition into tech roles or upskill themselves to remain relevant.

“Specifically for AI, we started initiatives such as the AI Apprenticeship Programme under AI Singapore, which is bringing together different universities in Singapore to grow AI talent,” Tan said, adding that 80 per cent of participants have secured AI jobs before graduation.

“The future is here, and it’s exciting. We want to partner with all of you to grow the ecosystem in Singapore and support the broader growth of the digital economy in the region and beyond.”

Also Read: Is Vietnam Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing digital economy?

Building the tech ecosystem through partnerships

Thanks to its open markets and pragmatic regulatory environment, Singapore has long been recognised as a premier location for conducting business. These factors have consistently fostered business development and attracted global enterprises.

Last year, Singapore took a significant step forward by introducing its Digital Connectivity Blueprint. This initiative aims to guide the nation’s digital infrastructure and services investments, ensuring that Singapore remains at the forefront of technological advancements. Additionally, the country updated its National AI Strategy to harness the benefits of the latest wave of AI innovations locally and globally.

The government’s commitment to technological advancement is further evidenced by the upcoming launch of the Digital Enterprise Blueprint later this month. This new initiative will outline strategies and initiatives designed to help industries and enterprises adopt new technologies, driving the next phase of the digital economy.

Singapore aims to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and bolster the economy by focusing on digital transformation. Such efforts are expected to maintain the nation’s competitive edge in the global market and stimulate further economic growth.

Collaborations with tech giants are a testament to Singapore’s proactive approach to innovation. For instance, a partnership with Google under the Google AI Trailblazers programme has developed over 100 AI use cases across both public and private sectors.

Furthermore, major tech companies are making significant investments, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), which recently announced an additional investment of US$12 billion to expand its cloud infrastructure and services in Singapore over the coming years. These initiatives and investments underscore Singapore’s commitment to becoming a global digital innovation and enterprise leader.

The post Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How: Tech ecosystem can flourish with the right talents and skillsets appeared first on e27.

Day 1 of Echelon X has finally wrapped up and as we gear for an exciting Day 2, we wanted to spoil you with a glimpse into some of the highlights from today’s sessions and exhibitions. Without further ado, we give you key highlights from Echelon X Day 1 in photos.

Welcome Remarks by Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State of the Ministry of Communications and Information of Singapore

“The future is here, and it’s exciting. We want to partner with all of you to grow the ecosystem in Singapore and support the broader growth of the digital economy in the region and beyond.”

Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How joined Echelon X and presented the initiatives and partnerships that Singapore has done to support the tech ecosystem. Mr Tan also took time to go around the conference hall, visiting the AI Zone and the e27 pavilion.

4 keynotes, 13 panel discussions, and 7 fireside chats across 3 stages

Four keynote sessions were held at the Future Stage where our speakers shared insight on various aspects of AI and how it affects the future of life and work.

We kicked off with Dr Ayesha Khanna, Co-Founder and CEO of Addo AI, as she walked us through the ways businesses in Southeast Asia are leveraging generative AI technologies to drive digital transformation.

Thirteen panel discussions happened across 3 stages where our panellists dove into various topics like healttech, sustainable hustling, and SEA VC landscape.

One of the most well-attended is Sustainable Hustling and Resilience for Startup Entrepreneurs: Tactics Founders Have Implemented to Reduce Burn Out and Play the Long Game When Building their Startups where panellists Joan Low, Founder and CEO of Thoughtfull; Jx Lye, Founder and CEO of Acme Technology; Even Heng, Founder and CEO of Zenith Learning Group; and Henry Motte de la Motte, Founder and CEO of EDGE Tutor; with moderator Terence Chia, Co-Founder of Folklory talked about how companies can balance growth and impact.

TOP100 startups left it all on the Pitch Stage

The Pitch Stage saw 32 startups showcasing their tech on Day One — from the most promising startups of Vietnam brought to you by JDI, Plug and Play’s program startups and their disruptive solutions, and the life-saving startups of SAFE STEPS D-Tech Community.

Exhibitors showcased their products and solutions

Echelon X featured a series of roundtables, EC Connect sessions, and Speakzone presentations

Hundreds flocked to join the roundtable sessions and workshops that happened throughout Echelon X. With topics ranging from data-driven growth to understanding the needs and challenges of product leaders, attendees engaged in lively discussions for collective insights and growth.

Meanwhile, EC Connect saw 64 connections made between TOP100 startups and investors. The meetings were facilitated by the e27 team as part of the 2024 TOP100 Growth Program.

For Day 2, Remote, a global HR solutions and employment tool for distributed teams (and bringer of good coffee at Echelon X), will be showcasing! Head there at 1:30 PM!

Mohan Belani, CEO and Co-Founder of e27, unveiled the first edition of Echelon Philippines happening this year in partnership with Brainsparks

“I’m happy to announce that we’re launching our first ever Echelon Philippines later this year in September.”

During his welcome remarks, Mohan Belani, CEO and Co-Founder of e27, announced the launch of Echelon Philippines, highlighting the country as a prime market for startups and emphasising it’s significant market potential and abundant funding opportunities.

Join us for Day 2 of Echelon X

Join us today, 16 May, for Day 2 of Echelon X to witness history unfold as we gather more of the top industry leaders from across Southeast Asia to hash out some of today’s most exciting trends and insights.

See you at the Singapore EXPO, Hall 2, for more exciting learning, networking, and collaboration opportunities.

The post IN PHOTOS: Highlights from the Echelon X Day 1 appeared first on e27.

A great number of Malaysian companies’ systems are outdated. Their dependence on legacy systems is causing severe problems in their daily business operations. Legacy systems are costly to maintain, and one of the reasons is that legacy systems need niche talents to fix their issues.

Hence, corporations allocate more than 55 per cent of their IT budget to maintain existing mainframe legacy systems. Legacy systems are also often rigid and inflexible, incapable of adapting to the market dynamic. Their inability to integrate with modern systems poses a problem for modern problem-solving. 

Consequently, this causes an inefficiency in performance, being much slower in comparison to its modern counterparts. These outdated systems are still being used by Malaysian companies, even Fortune 5000 companies, due to the companies’ inaction towards digitalising their business processes. This is evident when 68 per cent of companies mentioned that legacy systems are a significant barrier to digital transformation to provide modern solutions.

This article highlights the reasons why Malaysian companies still rely on legacy systems and are unable to modernise their business systems. Furthermore, a potential solution may be introduced to be used to overcome the conversion from legacy systems to modern systems.

The slow technological adoption rate of Malaysian companies

Malaysian companies have always been considered the late majority in the technology adoption life cycle. This is evident when 79 per cent of companies in Malaysia are still lagging in digital agility. The low adoption rate for new technologies is caused by a lack of talent acquisition and talent retention, affecting the top management of the company and company readiness, causing the companies to be heavily unadaptable.

The lack of focus on digital literacy by companies leads to sluggish technology adoption and an unprepared workforce, resulting in the employees’ inability to familiarise and adapt to technological changes.

Also Read: Shaping Malaysia’s digital future: The imperative of reduced latency

In addition, there is an absence of an in-house innovation driver or champion on the company’s side that can consolidate internal challenges and work together with solution providers, which can be attributed to the lack of talent in the industry. Malaysian companies also have concerns about the transition between legacy to modern systems, with problems including:

• Perceived high transition time required
• Fears of failure
• High retraining costs

The incapability of legacy systems to adapt to modern systems

Compatibility issues

Legacy systems face compatibility issues since they are traditionally not built to function with modern systems, applications, or platforms with more storage and faster processing speeds. This leads to potential data loss and system failures.

The interoperability between systems may also prove to be a barrier to modernisation. This is due to legacy systems requiring proprietary protocols and interfaces that may not align with the communication standards and protocols used in modern systems.

As a result, this leads to potential issues such as communication and data exchange failure. Due to the nature of legacy systems, procuring compatible software that aligns with an outdated legacy system poses challenges and limits the range of options accessible to your business.

Security concerns

A major problem with legacy systems is that they lack security updates and features, causing businesses to be vulnerable to potential security breaches. For example, in July 2019, credit-reporting company Equifax had to pay up to US$750 million for a 2017 data breach that compromised the personal information of approximately 147 million people.

Outdated software components, inadequate encryption methods, and the absence of modern security controls make legacy systems prime targets for exploitation by cybercriminals. Furthermore, the security patches of legacy systems are no longer available as software vendors may have discontinued the support for these systems.

High-cost considerations

Maintaining and supporting legacy systems can be costly, as it may require specialised knowledge and expertise. As software or hardware ages and experts diminish, the costs of support and modernisation for legacy systems rise, making them less profitable and potentially leading to customer dissatisfaction and reduced sales.

Moreover, the process of modernising and replacing legacy systems can involve extensive reengineering, redevelopment, and testing efforts, requiring a substantial amount of allocated resources. Consequently, straining organisational budgets and workforce resources.

Lack of scalability and integration capabilities to other systems

The legacy system is unable to scale up or down to meet changing business needs, hindering growth and flexibility. This limitation contrasts with the scalability offered by cloud-based solutions, impacting a company’s ability to adapt to market demands.

Also Read: The rise of unlicensed money lenders and their impact on Malaysian society

Application and data integration acts as the nervous system in the modern business body, ensuring a seamless flow of information and data storage. Achieving synergy between the divergent methods of both legacy and modern systems necessitates complex synchronisation, ensuring data consistency without sacrificing speed or accuracy.

How do we solve the issue of modernising legacy systems?

Incorporating martech solutions to digitalise businesses

Addressing the limitations of adapting to newer technologies, the Marketing Technology (martech) industry has emerged as a solution provider, offering a more convenient and accessible outcome.

Martech companies are experts in scaling brands and providing a solution that helps digitalise businesses. Incorporating martech solutions can significantly contribute to business success in several ways:

• Improved marketing efficiency
• Improved business management
• Agile campaign management
• Cost efficient

By utilising proper martech and solutions, companies can have an easier time converting their legacy systems to modern systems. This not only eases the employees’ adoption of modern technology but also saves costs and time to implement, leveraging on our digital solutions.

However, it is undeniable that every business has its own requirements for a solution. The solutions that martech provides are not only personalised but also customisable to the organisations’ wants and needs. Martech solutions is able to cover the following services: digital marketing, data management and analytics, tech integration and development, and marketing automation.

In conclusion

Malaysian businesses possess ample opportunities to transform and compete effectively with established digitalised enterprises. By integrating martech systems into their operations, Malaysian businesses can proactively adapt to market dynamics and capitalise on trends that have proven successful for foreign competitors. This strategic approach not only facilitates digital transformation but also positions Malaysian businesses to be able to compete with other successful companies. 

Therefore, the adoption of modern systems and the discarding of legacy systems by Malaysian companies require an effective approach. Martech solution providers, such as OpenMinds, show a practical and realistic way of destroying legacy systems by converting them into a more digital and modern approach. It is crucial for Malaysian businesses to transition towards a digital framework to stay competitive and relevant in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape.

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Image credit: Canva

The post Malaysia’s digital dilemma: Stuck in the past or embracing the future? appeared first on e27.