The post AI: The secret ingredient for unlocking developer success in Asia appeared first on e27.

In October this year, the Department of Youth Affairs of the Taoyuan City Government hosted Taoyuan Start Gate at Messe Taoyuan in collaboration with Plug and Play and Asia Bridge. The event brought together resources from seven regions in Taiwan and attracted participation from Visa, Citi, and Realtek, alongside startup teams from Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and other countries.

The event centred on four core themes: AI, smart cities, smart manufacturing, and sustainable development.

e27 spoke with Director-General Hou Chia-Ling of the Department of Youth Affairs, Taoyuan City Government, to learn about Taoyuan Start Gate and its long-term goals.

Edited excerpts:

What inspired the collaboration between the Taoyuan City Government, Plug and Play, and Asia Bridge for the Taoyuan Start Gate event?

The collaboration stems from Taoyuan’s vision of becoming a global innovation hub and addressing the increasing need for smart solutions among its thriving industrial and manufacturing sectors. With over 12,000 factories and industrial output exceeding NTD 4 trillion (US$122 billion), Taoyuan recognises the urgency for digital transformation, especially in sectors like manufacturing, logistics, and smart cities.

Also Read: Why Taiwan’s tech ecosystem is ASEAN’s next big growth driver

Plug and Play is a globally renowned accelerator with a proven track record of nurturing over 2,000 startups, while Asia Bridge is a regional network of innovation enablers. By partnering with them, Taoyuan has created an international platform to facilitate collaboration between startups and corporations. This initiative not only supports local SMEs’ digitalisation but also connects global innovation resources, international talent, and investment to foster a forward-thinking startup ecosystem.

How does Taoyuan’s strategic location enhance its appeal as a hub for international startups?

As Taiwan’s transportation and industrial hub, Taoyuan boasts unparalleled connectivity:

• Proximity to Taiwan’s largest international airport makes Taoyuan a natural gateway to the Asia-Pacific region.
• The development of the Taoyuan Aerotropolis, a major infrastructure project, enhances access to logistics, supply chains, and international markets.
• Its strong industrial foundation provides startups with unique opportunities to integrate into supply chains and collaborate with established manufacturers and logistics companies.
• These factors position Taoyuan as a prime launchpad for startups seeking regional and global expansion.

What specific measures is the Department of Youth Affairs taking to support startups entering global markets?

The Department of Youth Affairs is actively supporting startups through:

• Strategic partnerships: Collaborating with global accelerators like Plug and Play to provide mentorship, funding, and international market connections.
• Events like Taoyuan Start Gate: Creating platforms for startups to showcase their solutions to international investors and corporate partners.
• Innovation bases: Developing nine innovation and startup hubs that provide startups with workspaces, resources, and tailored programs.
• Targeted programmes and subsidies: Offering funding support, business matching, and incentives to help startups expand into global markets.

Can you elaborate on how Taoyuan plans to sustain momentum as a key entrepreneurial hub in the Asia-Pacific region?

Taoyuan’s plans for sustaining its entrepreneurial momentum include:

• Strengthening partnerships: Deepening collaborations with global accelerators like Plug and Play and international enterprises to drive innovation.
• Focus on key sectors: Promoting AI, smart manufacturing, smart cities, and sustainable development to attract innovative talent and solutions.
• Leveraging infrastructure: Utilising projects like the Taoyuan Aerotropolis to create innovation clusters that serve as collaborative hubs for startups and industry.
• Hosting global events: Continuously organising events like Taoyuan Start Gate to foster knowledge exchange, business networking, and international partnerships.

Also Read: Minister Kuo: Taiwan must boost software innovation to stay competitive globally

What unique opportunities do you see for startups in Taoyuan compared to other startup hubs in Asia?

Taoyuan stands out as a startup hub due to:

• Integration with supply chains: As Taiwan’s largest industrial city, Taoyuan provides direct access to global supply networks, enabling startups to scale efficiently.
• Collaborative ecosystem: The government’s initiatives and global partnerships offer strong support, resources, and mentorship for startups.
• Focus on innovation: Dedicated zones for AI, smart cities, IoT, and sustainable development provide a tailored environment for sector-specific innovations.

What role do AI, smart cities, smart manufacturing, and sustainable development play in shaping the future of Taoyuan’s entrepreneurial landscape?

These sectors are central to Taoyuan’s growth strategy:

• AI: Drives automation and enhances smart solutions for industries and urban life.
• Smart cities: Supports Taoyuan’s vision of improving urban governance, efficiency, and quality of life through technology.
• Smart manufacturing: Builds on Taoyuan’s industrial strengths to promote high-tech, precision production, and digital transformation.
• Sustainable development: Aligns with global ESG trends, promoting green innovation and fostering environmentally conscious startups.

How has participating in Taoyuan Start Gate helped startups in terms of visibility and networking?

Taoyuan Start Gate has significantly boosted startup visibility by:

• Providing opportunities to present their innovations to global corporations such as Visa, Citi, and Realtek.
• Facilitating networking with investors, policymakers, and industry leaders from across the globe.
• Enhancing brand exposure through media coverage and direct engagement during the event will open doors to further partnerships and market expansion.

How does the involvement of global companies like Visa, Citi, and Realtek impact the startup ecosystem in Taoyuan?

The participation of these global corporations has a profound impact:

• Driving innovation: Startups gain insights into market needs, emerging trends, and technology requirements.
• Fostering partnerships: Collaboration opportunities enable startups to develop real-world solutions and scale effectively.
• Boosting credibility: Recognition and validation from major players enhance startup reputations and attract further investment.

What strategies are in place to encourage ongoing collaboration between Taiwanese startups and international enterprises?

Also Read: Southeast Asia: The next stop for top tech startups from Taiwan

Taoyuan is implementing several strategies to ensure ongoing collaboration:

• Global accelerator programmes: Connecting startups to international mentorship, funding, and partnerships.
• B2B matchmaking: Organising targeted networking events to facilitate meaningful collaborations.
• Incentives for collaboration: Offering financial subsidies and policy support for joint ventures between local startups and international enterprises.

How will Taoyuan Start Gate evolve to address the changing needs of startups and the global market?

Moving forward, Taoyuan Start Gate will:

• Expand focus: Include emerging technologies like Web3, blockchain, and biotech.
  Strengthen cross-border collaboration: Attract diverse talent and global resources.
• Develop sector-specific programmes: Address the unique needs of industries such as AI, smart manufacturing, and sustainability.
• Create new innovation hubs: Establish platforms to ensure startups receive continuous support for growth and scalability.

The post AI, smart cities, and sustainability: Taoyuan’s formula for startup growth appeared first on e27.

At AWS re:Invent 2024 in Las Vegas this December, climate tech startups Unravel Carbon and Coastal Carbon showcased how they harness Generative AI to tackle pressing environmental challenges. Speaking to e27 on the sidelines of the event, representatives from both companies shared insights into their innovative approaches and the critical role technology plays in addressing climate change.

Despite the ongoing debate about AI’s environmental footprint, both Unravel Carbon and Coastal Carbon are proving their potential for good. Coastal Carbon, known for pioneering work mapping underwater ecosystems, leverages AI to make large-scale environmental monitoring cost-effective and efficient.

Meanwhile, Unravel Carbon, a Singapore-based company, stood out as the sole representative of its country in the prestigious Unicorn Pitch Tank. The startup has gained recognition for its cutting-edge use of Generative AI to provide data-driven solutions for decarbonisation, empowering businesses to meet sustainability goals.

These companies highlight the duality of AI’s impact: while it has its challenges, its capabilities in accelerating climate action are undeniable.

Unravel Carbon: Bridging global gaps in sustainability with AI

Unravel Carbon is pioneering the integration of artificial intelligence in addressing complex challenges tied to sustainability and decarbonisation. Recently, the company achieved a significant milestone with the launch of its International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)-certified reporting module at the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX).

Also Read: Amasia introduces impact assessment framework for climate tech companies

“We are the world’s first AI-assisted reporting module for this framework,” said Grace Sai, CEO of Unravel Carbon. The module, designed in alignment with the ISSB, aims to streamline corporate climate disclosures. “It helps enterprises break down the framework, understand it, and respond effectively,” Sai explained.

The new product leverages AI for peer benchmarking and automation, offering businesses insights into their climate performance. “Our tool turns company data into emissions data, providing a clear picture of hot spots and potential future states,” Sai added.

Unravel Carbon’s innovations have propelled its global footprint, with its solutions now used in over 50 countries and available in more than 70 languages. This year, the company marked its entry into the US, United Arab Emirates, and Thailand, proving its adaptability across markets. “We are growing two times year on year,” Sai noted, underscoring the commercial success of their technology.

Despite these achievements, challenges remain. Sai highlighted the need for greater urgency among business leaders to prioritise sustainability.

“A courageous, forward-thinking approach is essential, especially as the world transitions to a lower-carbon economy,” she stated.

Unravel Carbon’s future plans include expanding into Japan and the US in early 2025, with support from partners such as AWS. The company remains committed to helping businesses decarbonise and automate sustainability processes, setting a new standard in climate technology.

Coastal Carbon: Transforming ecosystem monitoring with AI

Coastal Carbon, a geospatial tech company co-founded by Thomas Storwick and Kelly Zheng, aims to push the boundaries of ecosystem monitoring through innovative applications of Generative AI. Established two years ago, the company has carved out a niche in mapping and monitoring underwater and coastal ecosystems, tackling complex challenges that conventional methods struggle to address.

Also Read: How VFlowTech plans to power Pulau Ubin towards a sustainable future with its batteries

“We started in underwater and coastal ecosystems because this was a particularly hard problem,” said Storwick, the company’s COO. “We could prove our models were not only technically challenging but also novel, valuable, and far more cost-effective than existing techniques.”

Storwick recounted a project where divers manually mapped seagrass over 10 square kilometres, a process that took months and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. “The capability to monitor these ecosystems at scale did not exist, which is why we chose coastal and underwater ecosystems as our first focus,” he said.

While the company began with seagrass, kelps, and mangroves, it has since broadened its scope. Leveraging its Generative AI foundation models, Coastal Carbon now monitors diverse ecosystems and physical assets such as forests, buildings, and roads.

For clients with extensive geospatial expertise, Coastal Carbon offers tools to manage vast data pipelines and customise models for specific needs. However, it also caters to less specialised organisations, creating tailored solutions to provide critical insights. “For example, we have worked with solar panel investors to ensure their projects are on schedule and in compliance with agreements,” Storwick explained.

The company’s work has also extended to blue carbon credit organisations and conservation groups. It helps assess ecosystem threats, estimate carbon sequestration, and measure the impact of conservation efforts. Its Generative AI models allow it to map mangrove forests across hundreds of kilometres to the individual tree level. This technology is particularly valuable in regions such as Southeast Asia (SEA), where ecosystems often span borders and are difficult to monitor comprehensively.

“There is a huge kelp, seagrass, seaweed, and mangrove ecosystem in SEA that is very hard to manage,” Storwick noted. “We have not done mangrove mapping there yet, but we would love to, given the challenges of obtaining holistic data in the region.”

Also Read: Amasia introduces impact assessment framework for climate tech companies

When asked about the company’s upcoming plans, Storwick emphasised the company’s focus on meaningful collaboration. “It’s very important to us to work with clients we can truly help,” he said. “Many of our clients are trying to understand the world using language models, but those weren’t built for this data. Instead, we use large world models to give them the breadth and scope of data they need.”

Coastal Carbon’s credibility has been bolstered by milestones such as participating in the HF Zero accelerator and winning Amazon’s Compute for Climate Fellowship. These achievements provided significant resources, enabling the team of 15 across Canada and the US to scale its ambitions.

With its foundation model set to launch on AWS JumpStart, Coastal Carbon is inviting the geospatial community to explore its tools. “We are excited to see what can be built,” said Storwick. “Come try our models, and let us see what is possible.”

—

The post Generative AI for sustainability: How these startups are saving the planet with the technology appeared first on e27.

Southeast Asia is a fintech powerhouse. ASEAN’s fintech startups raised over US$1.4 billion in 2024 amidst the global economic challenges, marking only a marginal per cent YoY decline. In comparison, global fintech funding fell by 28 per cent YoY to US$39 billion in the first nine months of the year.

Home to a diverse and rapidly growing population of over 680 million people, Southeast Asia presents fertile ground for fintech solutions addressing financial inclusion, digital payments, lending, and wealth management.

The burgeoning middle class, coupled with high smartphone penetration and increasing internet connectivity, has driven significant adoption of digital financial services. Countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines are emerging as hotspots for fintech investment, fuelled by a growing appetite for financial democratisation and tech-enabled solutions.

This feature highlights the most notable funding rounds of 2024, spotlighting the startups that not only secured record-breaking investments but are also shaping the future of financial services in the region.

Mynt

Mynt provides a digital wallet and lending platform for consumers and businesses. The platform, Fuse Lending, partners with banks to provide consumer and business loans. It also owns GCash, a mobile wallet that can be used for remittance service, bill payment, online shopping, and more.

Country: The Philippines
Founding year: 2015
Funding raised in 2024: Undisclosed
Total funding raised since inception: US$475 million
Investors: Mitsubishi Corporation, Warburg Pincus, Insight Partners, Bow Wave Capital Management, Amplo, Ayala,
Ant Group, and Globe Telecom.

Also Read: Fintech investments in SEA see record drop in Q3: Tracxn

Akulaku

Akulaku is an online marketplace for point-of-sale financing. It provides financing for multiple online and offline products, including mobiles, laptops, electrical household appliances, and more. The company enables users to make instalment payments via credit/debit cards.

Country: Indonesia
Founding year: 2014
Funding raised in 2024: US$100 million
Total funding raised since inception: US$430 million
Investors: HSBC, MUFG, Lend East, Siam Commercial Bank, Silverhorn, Ant Group, FinUp, Blue Sky Alternative Investments, Qiming Venture Partners, Peak XV Partners, Square Peg Ventures, MDI Ventures, Atami Capital, Jungle Ventures, Alpha JWC Ventures, GMO Venture Partners, 500 Global, Eight Roads Ventures, DCM Ventures, China Growth Capital, IDG Global Solutions, IDG Capital, Shunwei Capital, Arbor Ventures, Innoven Capital, Capria, Weiguang Ventures, and January Capital.

Ascend Money

Ascend Money is a financial services platform for individuals. Its product includes True Money, an app-based wallet for money transfers and online payments, Ascend Wealth for mutual funds, Ascend Nano for consumer and business loans, and more.

Country: Thailand
Founding year: 2013
Funding raised in 2024: US$195 million
Total funding raised since inception: US$345 million
Investors: MUFG, Krungsri Finnovate, Bow Wave Capital Management, Charoen Pokphand Group, and Ant Group.

NIUM

NIUM provides cross-border money transfer solutions for businesses. It offers remittance-as-a-service technology to businesses in the fintech, travel, e-commerce, and banking sectors. NIUM also offers APIs to support reporting, tracking, bookkeeping, reconciliation, invoicing, and compliance solutions.

Country: Singapore
Founding year: 2014
Funding raised in 2024: US$50 million
Total funding raised since inception: US$312.5 million
Investors: NewView Capital, Tribe Capital, Operator Stack, Vertex Growth, Riverwood Capital, RocketCapital Investment, Beacon VC, Visa, Temasek, GIC, Atinum Investment, BRI Ventures, Vertex Ventures, GSR Ventures, MDI Ventures, GSR Ventures, Rocket Internet, SBI Ven Capital, Vertex Holdings, Fullerton Financial Holdings, Global Founders Capital, European Union, Ripple, CreedCap Asia Advisors, Innoven Capital, Flexcap Ventures Management, Ncore Ventures, API-First Index, and CapitalSG.

Funding Societies

Funding Societies or Modalku is a P2P marketplace for business loans. It offers multiple loan products including invoice financing, micro-financing, term financing, and more. Modalku features an app-based platform for SMEs to apply for loans and investors to invest in business loans. Investors are offered ROI for the invested funds based on investment tenure and interest rates.

Country: Singapore
Founding year: 2015
Funding raised in 2024: Undisclosed
Total funding raised since inception: US$216.5 million
Investors: Maybank Philippines, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, Cgcdigital, Norfund, Alteriqcapital, Aument Capital, Orange Bloom, HSBC, SoftBank Vision Fund, VNG, Rapyd, EDBI, Indies Capital Partners, K3 Ventures, BRI Ventures, Peak XV Partners, Ascend Vietnam Ventures, 500 Global, Helicap, Social impact bond, Lendahand, Samsung Venture Investment, AMTD, SGInnovate, Qualgro, Endeavor, SBVA, Golden Gate Ventures, Alpha JWC Ventures, Line Ventures, National University of Singapore, Flybridge Capital Partners, SixThirty, Sumieo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Triputra Group, 1337 Accelerator Fund, Innoven Capital, FinTech SuperCharger, RB Investments, The Graduate Syndicate, PacificBridge Capital, Sea Dragons, SPH Ventures, Sinergi Satu Media, Blue7, Iris Capital Partners, Vulpes Ventures, United Family, Mahanusa Capital, Ajex Investment Limited, and Funding Investment Holdings.

Atome

An online marketplace offering multi-category products on purchase finance. The platform offers solutions for buy now, pay later, and consumer financing. The product catalogue includes beauty, fashion, home decor, baby care, and electronics.

Also Read: Atome Financial secures access to US$200M credit facility to drive SEA expansion

Country: Singapore
Founding year: 2016
Funding raised in 2024: Undisclosed
Total funding raised since inception: US$170 million
Investors: EvolutionX, Temasek, DBS, HSBC, Advance Intelligence Group, and JDAC Capital.

Sygnum

Sygnum offers banking solutions for digital assets. It offers multiple solutions, such as custody, brokerage, tokenization, asset management, lending, B2B Banking, and more. The firm also offers venture capital funds for digital asset companies.

Also Read: a

Country: Singapore/Switzerland
Founding year: 2017
Funding raised in 2024: US$40 million
Total funding raised since inception: US$160 million
Investors: Azimut, Sun Hung Kai & Co, META Group, Animoca Brands, WeMade Entertainment, SBI Group, SCB 10X,
SBI Digital Asset Holdings, Singtel Innov8, Swiss Founders Fund, BitRock Capital, Ternary Fund Management, Wille Finance, and Mutschler Ventures.

Validus

Validus provides a P2P lending platform for business loans. The marketplace connects borrowers with lenders for multiple business loan products including invoice financing, purchase order financing, working capital loans, and enterprise financing schemes. It also provides financial news and a loan calculator.

Country: Singapore
Founding year: 2015
Funding raised in 2024:US$50 million
Total funding raised since inception: US$108 million
Investors: HSBC, Lendable, 01Fintech, NongHyup Financial Group, The Norinchukin Bank, Aizawa Asset Management, Vertex Ventures, Vertex Growth, VinaCapital, FMO, Lotte F&L Singapore, Fasanara, Openspace Ventures, AddVentures, The Orion Fund, Banyan, Rising Straits, East Advisory, Adiara Pte Ltd, Cargo, Cathay Holdings, Cathay Financial Holdings, A1 Capital, Nuvo Capital, EDBI, Global Brain, K3 Ventures, Ephesus Capital, Do Ventures, Sea Frontier Fund, Capital V, and CapitalSG.

LinkAja

LinkAja is an app-based mobile payment platform for consumers. The fintech startup supports QR code and NFC-based payments. Services offered include money transfers, data top-ups, bill payments, purchase of game vouchers, and donations. Users can make payments using a token code at LinkAja merchants.

Country: Indonesia
Founding year: 2019
Funding raised in 2024: Undisclosed
Total funding raised since inception: US$100 million
Investors: Mitsui, Gojek, Grab, Telkomsel, BRI Ventures, and Mandiri Capital.

Partior

Partior is a blockchain-based clearing and settlement network. The network allows banks and payment service providers to access real-time, cross-border, multi-currency clearing and settlement

Country: Singapore
Founding year: 2021
Funding raised in 2024: US$60 million
Total funding raised since inception: US$91 million
Investors: Peak XV Partners, Valor Capital Group, Jump Trading, Temasek, J P Morgan, Standard Chartered, Deutsche Bank, and DBS Bank.

Syfe

Syfe is an app based on trading in ETFs and stocks. It allows users to buy, sell, and trade ETFs and stocks through app-based platforms. Syfe features a digitised wealth manager for risk assessment, tracking investment performance, customizing investment portfolios, and accessing recommendations & insights for users.

Country: Singapore
Founding year: 2017
Funding raised in 2024: US$27 million
Total funding raised since inception: US$85.6 million
Investors: Valar Ventures, Unbound, Presight Capital, Apeiron Investment Group, Unbound, AmpVentures, Shubham Global Ventures, Tona Investment, SBM Ventures, CVP, J B Ventures, Rawlinson & Hunter, Moon Land Holding, Pitanga Invest, GE32, ICOA Ug, and Altruistas.

Osome

Osome is a software-based accounting service for small and medium-sized businesses. fintech firm offers services for accounting, taxation, bookkeeping, business reporting, and payroll management.

Country: Singapore
Founding year: 2017
Funding raised in 2024: Undisclosed
Total funding raised since inception: US$75 million
Investors: Constructor Capital, Altair, Illuminate Financial, AFG, Rockstone Ventures, Target Global, Altair Capital, Phystech Ventures, s16vc, ACE & Company, HS Investments, Terra VC, LVL1 Group, Masik Enterprises, AltaClub, Bon Vivant Holdings, Berryfield Ventures, Pagil, Adru Tech, Elliott Trade and Investment, Cognitum, Banean, Digital Direction Singapore Services, XA Network, 10 Square Capital, Altair Capital, AdFirst, Ad.ru, INVESTORO, and GLOBAL ACCELERATION ACADEMY.

Honest

Honest is a provider of an online lending platform offering personal credit cards. It offers a digital credit card called Honest Card. The cards can be used to buy in conventional retail and e-commerce transactions and bill payments.

Country: Indonesia
Founding year: 2019
Funding raised in 2024: US$21.5 million
Total funding raised since inception: US$61.2 million
Investors: Rakuten, Jetha Global, Orient, Insignia Ventures Partners, Better Capital, XYZ Venture Capital, Alumni Ventures, Digital Horizon, GMO Venture Partners, Odyssey Venture Partners, Enovate Capital, South Quad, Klever Internet, Village Global, AdFirst, Broadhaven Ventures, and Launchbay Capital.

AwanTunai

AwanTunai provides supply chain digitisation by ERP systems with embedded financing. Its ERP infrastructure captures proprietary transaction data that fuels the inventory purchase embedded financing. The firm serves traditional suppliers with an ERP system and traditional micro-merchants with an Android app. Both suppliers and merchants are able to access embedded financing to purchase inventory.

Country: Indonesia
Founding year: 2017
Funding raised in 2024: U$S27.5 million
Total funding raised since inception: US$55.8 million
Investors: Norfund, MUFG Innovation Partners, Finnfund, IFC, Global Brain, Insignia Ventures Partners, OCBC NISP Ventura, Battery Road Digital, Atlas Pacific Capital, BRI Ventures, Accial Capital, AMTD Group, Pegasus Tech Ventures, PayPal Innovation Lab, Tembusu Partners, and Inclusive Fintech 50.

Salmon

Salmon offers a platform that enables customers to access financial products from partners registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the Philippines.

Country: The Philippines
Founding year: 2022
Funding raised in 2024: U$S30 million
Total funding raised since inception: US$55 million
Investors: IFC, Lunate, Northstar Group, Argentem Creek Partners, TNB Aura, and DisruptAD.

Capital C

Capital C provides financial solutions for lending management. The fintech venture provides users with loans for individuals, including emerging financial products like earned wage access and business loans and lending products for SMEs.

Also Read: Capital C bags investment to build financial inclusion super app for SEA

Country: Singapore
Founding year: 2011
Funding raised in 2024: Undisclosed
Total funding raised since inception: US$53.7 million
Investors: Phillip Private Equity, Azure Capital, Phillip Capital, Luminor Capital, Paradise Group, and Citystate Group.

Amartha

Amartha is a P2P lending platform that connects micro-entrepreneurs and SMEs with investors. It allows individual and institutional investors to invest on its platform. The borrowers post a listing on the platform specifying the amount and tenure of the loan. The lenders can browse and choose the desired listings.

Country: Indonesia
Founding year: 2010
Funding raised in 2024: US$17.5 million
Total funding raised since inception: US$53 million
Investors: Accion, Maj Invest, Women’s World Banking, Community Investment Management, Norfund, MDI Ventures, Mandiri Capital Indonesia, UOB, Lendable, Line Ventures, Bamboo Capital Partners, Beenext, MidPlaza, Lynx Asia Partners, The Graduate Syndicate, SBI Investment, and Z Venture Capital.

Finture

Finture provides POS financing with instalments, tracking expenses, bill payment reminders, and shopping payments.

Country: Indonesia
Founding year: 2021
Funding raised in 2024: US$30 million
Total funding raised since inception: US$50 million
Investors: Mindworks Capital, XVC, Antao Capital, SWC, Richen Pioneer, Tortola Capital, and BitRock Capital.

UNO Digital Bank

UNO offers a personal digital banking platform. It provides users with a digital bank that offers a range of banking services and products to customers. The platform also offers a comprehensive and convenient banking solution for its customers, emphasising accessibility, security, and financial growth opportunities.

Country: The Philippines
Founding year: 2020
Funding raised in 2024: US$32.1 million
Total funding raised since inception: US$47.5 million
Investors: Gateway Partners, Creador, and NextInfinityTech.

Ayoconnect

Ayoconnect offers a platform that provides open banking API solutions. Customised APIs offer solutions to direct debit by collecting recurring and one-off payments directly from customer bank accounts, recurring payment management for revenue operation with subscription billing solutions, virtual card numbers, and more.

Country: Indonesia
Founding year: 2016
Funding raised in 2024: US$2.5 million
Total funding raised since inception: US$40.5 million
Investors: Mandiri Capital Indonesia, SIG Venture Capital, CE Innovation Capital, PayU, Prosus, Tiger Global Management, AltoPartners, Patamar Capital, Taurus Ventures, Colopl Next, Grayscale Ventures, and per cheque.

—

Data Credit: Tracxn
Image Credit: 123RF.

The post 2024 fintech highlights: The startups dominating Southeast Asia’s financial landscape appeared first on e27.