Hong Kong’s entrepreneurial landscape has always been defined by ambition. As a strategic gateway to China and a vibrant financial hub, it has long attracted founders eager to expand regionally. But the conversations happening today signal something different. There is a shift from rapid, aggressive growth to thoughtful, sustainable scaling.

This evolution was at the heart of Start Smart, Scale Smarter: A Masterclass for Hong Kong Entrepreneurs & Innovators, a recent event co-hosted by Osome and Aspire in Hong Kong. The masterclass brought together a diverse mix of founders, innovators, and business leaders to unpack one of the most pressing challenges in today’s business environment: how to scale smarter in an increasingly complex landscape.

Also read: Automate early, grow faster: Lessons from 1,800 founders

From growth at all costs to disciplined resilience

The sentiment among many founders was clear: the old playbook of “grow fast and figure things out later” no longer holds. Whether due to tighter funding conditions, evolving compliance frameworks, or the demands of operating across multiple markets, Hong Kong’s entrepreneurs are taking a more structured approach to building their companies.

Three ways Hong Kong founders are scaling smarter

Three themes emerged strongly from the discussions:  

1. Operational foundations are non-negotiable. Founders are prioritizing strong financial infrastructure and efficient back-office systems earlier than ever. Rather than treating accounting, payroll, and compliance as afterthoughts, these functions are being set up as strategic enablers of scale. Tools like Osome’s automated compliance and Aspire’s finance solutions are enabling lean teams to maintain rigor without heavy administrative overhead.
2. Regional expansion is becoming part of the early strategy. More startups are planning cross-border growth earlier in their lifecycle. Markets like Singapore, Vietnam, and China are seen as key expansion targets, and founders are thinking critically about how to structure their operations to support this growth. This reflects a more mature understanding of market dynamics and regulatory requirements across jurisdictions.
3. Digital and automation platforms are no longer optional. In a competitive environment, leveraging technology to streamline workflows is becoming essential. Founders are actively adopting automation platforms to drive efficiency and maintain agility as they grow.

Also read: Osome and Aspire partner to automate finance for entrepreneurs in Singapore, Hong Kong

A maturing ecosystem

These trends point to a broader maturity in Hong Kong’s startup ecosystem. Entrepreneurs are not abandoning ambition—they’re refining it. By combining agility with operational discipline, they are positioning themselves to compete not just locally, but across Asia’s fast-moving markets.

This shift also reflects the evolving investor landscape. Venture capitalists and strategic investors are placing greater emphasis on sustainable growth models, operational readiness, and regulatory compliance. Startups that demonstrate these qualities are more likely to attract quality capital and long-term partners.

Lessons for founders across the region

For founders outside Hong Kong, these insights offer valuable takeaways. As the region becomes increasingly interconnected, operational excellence can become a competitive differentiator. Those who invest early in structure and discipline will be better equipped to navigate expansion and weather economic cycles.

Moreover, the conversations highlighted that smart scaling is not just about efficiency—it’s about unlocking new growth opportunities. By building strong operational foundations, startups can redirect energy toward product innovation, market development, and customer engagement.

Also read: Osome bolsters leadership with new COO and VP of Marketing

Looking ahead

As we move into the next phase of Asia’s innovation story, Hong Kong’s evolution offers a glimpse of what’s ahead for other markets. Startups will continue to push boundaries, but the way they do so is changing. Growth will be anchored on solid fundamentals, regional connectivity, and strategic use of technology.

This is not just a tactical shift—it’s a mindset change. Founders are no longer asking, “How fast can we grow?” They’re asking, “How can we grow smarter?”

For ecosystem builders, this represents a critical moment to support founders with the right resources, networks, and tools to help them scale responsibly. Events like the Osome x Aspire Masterclass play an important role in catalyzing these conversations and equipping entrepreneurs with practical frameworks to succeed.

Interested in creating impact with us? Contact Innovate here.

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When people talk about AI, they talk in billion-dollar terms. Massive infrastructure shifts, hyper-personalised marketing engines, predictive analytics at scale. And while that is impressive, it doesn’t reflect what most small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are experiencing. They do not have deep pockets or teams of data scientists. We have WhatsApp groups, freelance spreadsheets, and maybe if lucky, someone who knows how to use ChatGPT properly.

I run a few SMEs myself, and I understand that SMEs are constantly balancing ambition with cash flow, and every new tool we test comes with the same question: will it actually save us time, money, or stress?

That’s exactly how our AI experiment began. Not with a grand vision, but with a very real challenge: we needed to do more with less. We were scaling and trying to onboard new clients, maintain consistency, and run lean. I did not need AI to replace people. I needed it to support an already overstretched team. We started small and piloted a process. It wasn’t perfect, but it gave us a 50 per cent head start.

The biggest shift wasn’t just the tool. It was trusting the process. Initially hesitated and worrying, we reframed it as “a smart intern that never sleeps,” the team began to see it differently. The drafts weren’t the final product. They were just starting points. Something to critique, reshape, and improve.

Also Read: AI for SMEs in Southeast Asia: From everyday experiments to emerging frontiers

We also used AI to refine internal SOPs. One of the things I did was feed ChatGPT our rough internal workflows and ask it to spot inefficiencies, suggest better phrasing, or reorganise them for easier onboarding. The result? Cleaner, clearer SOPs that helped us reduce inefficiencies and increase output. Again, it didn’t replace human effort. It augmented it.

But adoption wasn’t linear. Some team members jumped in eagerly. Others were slower, needing more handholding or simply unsure where AI would fit into their day-to-day tasks. By walking through small real use cases, we were able to show AI in action in ways that were relevant, not theoretical.

The biggest barrier? Fear of getting it wrong. I realised that adopting AI isn’t just about tools but about culture. We had to create a space where experimenting was encouraged and where even failed prompts were learning opportunities.

The lesson I would share with any SME trying to get started with AI is this. Do not aim for perfection, aim for progress. You don’t need to automate everything overnight. Start with a clear problem you want to solve; a time drain, a bottleneck, a repetitive task, and see if AI can offer a better baseline.

Also Read: The real story behind AI project implementation: Why it’s not (just) about technology

And most importantly, let your team adapt at their own pace. Give them examples. Let them play. Make space for feedback. Because the truth is, AI won’t transform your business just by showing up. It’ll transform it when your people know how to use it with intent.

In our case, the result wasn’t just saved hours, though that mattered. It was the mental load that lifted. The creative breathing room. The sense that we weren’t constantly chasing the clock. That, to me, is what AI for SMEs should be about: practical, useful, and deeply human at its core.

So here’s my one tip if you’re exploring AI as an SME founder or team leader. Treat AI like a teammate, not a threat. One that can help carry the load, spark new ideas, and free you up to focus on what actually moves the needle. Because in the real world, where budgets are tight and people wear five hats, that’s the kind of transformation that matters most.

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AI is reshaping industries, redefining roles, and transforming how businesses operate. But adopting AI isn’t just about implementing new tools — it’s about integrating it in a way that drives growth while supporting employees through the transition. This shift demands a transformation in leadership approach, workplace culture, and workforce readiness.

Leadership’s role in AI adoption

As AI continues to revolutionise business practices, leadership within organisations must ride the wave of transformation, evolving their strategies to ensure successful AI integration into existing work processes as well as workplace culture.

Traditionally, leaders shaped culture and guided teams through transformation. However, with the advent of AI, the role of leadership has expanded to include navigating the complexities of integrating AI into existing structures. This shift requires leaders to not only manage day-to-day operations but also foster a culture of innovation, adaptability, and ethical responsibility, ensuring that AI is leveraged in ways that benefit both the organisation and its workforce.

Here are some ways leaders can do so:

• Communicate and set the tone

The success of AI adoption hinges on the tone set by leadership. Leaders must position AI as a core strategic priority, not just another business requirement or fleeting buzzword. It’s crucial that the “why” behind AI adoption is clearly articulated — employees need to understand how AI aligns with the organisation’s broader goals and how it will impact their work for the better.

Leadership plays a pivotal role in creating a sense of direction and purpose around AI. When AI is framed as a tool for empowerment and progress, rather than disruption or replacement, employees are more likely to engage with it positively.

Beyond vision-setting, leaders should actively promote the use of AI in day-to-day tasks and encourage collaboration among employees, to accelerate AI adoption. When teams share insights, best practices, and use cases of AI tools, it drives innovation, boosts productivity, and fosters a sense of community. This ongoing exchange of knowledge helps create a culture where AI is embraced as a growth strategy for both the individual and the organisation.

Additionally, AI adoption should be viewed as a long-term, iterative process rather than a one-off implementation. As the organisation evolves, so too should its use of AI — continuously adapting, refining, and learning from real-world experiences. By embedding this mindset, companies ensure that AI becomes a natural and sustainable part of both their operations and culture.

Also Read: Balancing growth and security: How AI is transforming business and cyber threats

• Manager’s role in supporting AI integration

At the managerial level, managers can engage directly with their teams, regularly checking in and facilitating open discussions on how AI can be effectively integrated into workflows. They can also take the lead in supporting and evaluating experimentation efforts, while playing a pivotal role in identifying when additional training and support are needed.

By recognising skill gaps and ensuring employees are fully equipped with the necessary knowledge to work with new AI systems, managers can offer proactive guidance to help employees feel secure and confident in adapting to the changes AI brings.

Benefits of cultivating a pro-AI environment  

Creating an environment that actively encourages the freedom to experiment with AI is equally important. A fail-safe culture within the company – where employees feel comfortable experimenting with AI without fear of failure or backlash – can significantly promote innovation. A culture that fosters and supports this mindset helps teams learn faster, improve continuously, and drive long-term growth.

A common fear is that AI will make roles redundant, leading to job loss. This fear is often accompanied by uncertainty about how the organisation will integrate AI into existing workflows, along with concerns about the need to acquire new skills to work with emerging systems, and whether the learning curve will be too steep for them to keep up, potentially leaving them struggling to adapt and falling behind their peers.

To reduce resistance, companies must position AI as a growth opportunity, not a threat. When employees see how AI can help them do higher-value work and advance their careers, they’re far more likely to embrace it.

Also Read: Debunking the myth of Robophobia: Why intelligent automation improves employee satisfaction

Empower employees and build an AI-ready workforce 

AI-driven layoffs, like DBS’s decision to cut 4,000 contract staff over the next 3 years due to AI, have amplified fears of job displacement. Companies must proactively shape how employees perceive AI’s role in the workplace.

Companies could start the AI conversation by framing AI as a tool for empowerment, focusing on how it augments employees’ abilities and helps them to perform better in their tasks. This involves outlining process changes that boost productivity such as eliminating redundant tasks and replacing them with higher-value work, thereby creating growth opportunities for employees.

To fully benefit from AI’s potential, companies could proactively consider job redesign as part of the process and engage employees early on such changes. This could involve modifying existing roles to incorporate new responsibilities that align with AI tools and workflows.

In some cases, new roles may need to be created if emerging job functions cannot be effectively managed within the scope of existing roles. Ultimately, the aim of job redesign is to keep employees engaged, satisfied, and aligned with business objectives, while ensuring they remain both relevant and valued.

Navigating the AI shift 

Successfully integrating AI into a company requires strong leadership, a culture that embraces AI, and a workforce prepared for adoption.

Leaders must first set the tone by aligning AI adoption with business goals, promoting its active use, and integrating it into daily workflows. Next, fostering a pro-AI environment encourages innovation and helps employees view AI as an opportunity for growth. Lastly, AI should be positioned as a tool for empowerment, ensuring employees stay engaged and relevant in an ever-evolving landscape.

By implementing these strategies, businesses can unlock AI’s full potential while empowering their workforce to succeed at both professional and personal levels.

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Live streaming giant 17LIVE Group has announced that Karen Chen Xiuling, one of three Singaporeans newly placed on the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list, has resigned as an independent director.

This development comes as the Singaporean firm is navigating a deepening financial downturn in 2025.

Also Read: The future is virtual: Inside 17LIVE’s plans for avatars and immersive experiences

Chen’s inclusion on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List effectively prohibits US entities and individuals from conducting business with her. The live-streaming major said Chen voluntarily stepped down on October 15, clarifying that her role was limited to oversight duties as a board and subcommittee member and was not involved in the firm’s daily operations.

The company further emphasised that it has no business relationships with Chen, her employer, DW Capital, or its founder Chen Zhi. The latter, described by US authorities as having built Prince Holding Group into “one of Asia’s largest transnational criminal organisations,” has drawn heightened scrutiny from regulators.

17LIVE noted that it would move swiftly to appoint a new independent director following Chen’s resignation. Shares of the company closed 1.08 per cent higher at 94 cents on the day of the announcement.

While governance challenges have placed 17LIVE in the spotlight, its financial performance in the first half of 2025 (H1 2025) underscores deeper structural issues. Despite a series of cost-cutting measures, the group posted a net loss as revenue slumped nearly 20 per cent year-on-year.

Also Read: Streaming the dream: How live streaming technology can increase access to brands

Operating revenue fell to US$81.15 million, down from US$101.16 million a year earlier. The primary culprit was a steep decline in its core “Liver live streaming” business, while modest gains in “V-Liver” could not compensate for the overall downturn. The slump was broad-based across markets, with Japan — its largest segment — seeing revenues fall from US$71.2 million to US$56.5 million, and Taiwan declining from US$25.5 million to US$21.4 million.

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Southeast Asia’s fintech scene is no longer the free-flowing capital magnet it once was. The US$839M raised in the first nine months of 2025, down nearly 40 per cent from last year, underscores a market recalibrating after years of exuberant funding.

The slowdown–particularly in seed and early-stage deals–signals that investors are tightening filters, seeking traction over hype and profitability over promise.

Singapore’s dominance, capturing 84 per cent of all fintech funding, reflects both its maturity and its concentration of institutional investors. But it also exposes the growing gap between the region’s ecosystems, where hubs like Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh City still struggle to attract comparable late-stage backing.

Interestingly, the stability at the late stage, buoyed by mega rounds for Thunes, Airwallex, and bolttech, shows that conviction hasn’t vanished; it’s simply consolidated. Capital now flows to proven business models with regional scale and regulatory resilience.

This funding winter, then, isn’t the end of fintech’s growth story; it’s a reset. As cheap money fades, Southeast Asia’s next fintech wave will depend on discipline: building sustainable revenue, leveraging cross-border synergies, and proving that innovation can outlast the cycle.

REGIONAL

Fintech funding in SEA falls 39% as early-stage capital dries up: The total capital inflow marks a 39% decline compared to the US$1.4B raised in 9M 2024. Seed-stage funding stood at US$62.3M in 9M 2025, a reduction of 63% from 9M 2024.

Police seize US$34M from NextTech founder in crypto fraud case: Nguyen Hoa Binh and nine others face charges of fraudulent appropriation of assets and accounting violations related to the AntEx cryptocurrency project. The seized items from him include 597 gold bars, title deeds to 18 properties, and two vehicles.

17LIVE’s director Karen Chen Xiuling steps down amid US sanctions: Chen’s inclusion on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List effectively prohibits US entities and individuals from conducting business with her. The firm has clarified that she was not involved in its daily operations.

Vietnam tops SEA in e-commerce optimism despite hurdles: report
According to a new Blackbox Research report, 85% remain confident in the country’s long-term growth, citing strong logistics, digital infrastructure, and entrepreneurial dynamism.

Tim Draper leads US$3.2M bet on Filipino-built crypto wallet Ryder: Louise Ivan Valencia Payawal’s Ryder offers Ryder One, a consumer crypto hardware wallet designed to prioritise ease of use and security that promises users crypto security in 60 seconds.

Verta Bioenergy nets funding to turn farm waste into coal-ready fuel: Investors include NGIE Factory, Wright Partners, AlphaGen VC, and Auravia Capital. The startup focuses on transforming agricultural waste into high-quality biomass pellets that are positioned as a cost-competitive, drop-in replacement for industrial coal usage.

Shopline unit secures MAS in-principle approval for payment license: The approval will allow Shopline, a Singapore-headquartered commerce software provider with operations across Asia-Pacific, to directly process payments for merchants on its platform, pending final approval from MAS.

Global EV sales reach record 2.1M in September: research: China led the market with about 1.3M vehicles sold, making up around two-thirds of global sales. North American sales also reached a record, with US buyers accelerating purchases to secure expiring tax incentives.

REPORTS, FEATURES & INTERVIEWS

Investors bet on algorithms and insurance to tame Asia’s climate-health crisis: As climate shocks escalate, investors are funding AI-driven early warnings and parametric insurance to build scalable, data-led climate-health resilience.

Unlocking climate x health capital: A data-driven blueprint for smarter impact investing: A new five-step climate x health investment toolkit helps investors quantify risk, align capital with policy readiness, and finance scalable resilience solutions.

Senior leaders in Singapore tech industry reflect on how AI is reshaping the workplace: The NodeFlair Salary Report 2025 does not draw correlations between AI use and pay, but the discourse indicates that the trends may evolve.

INTERNATIONAL

GIC sues Chinese EV maker Nio over securities fraud: The Singapore sovereign wealth fund claims Nio and Weineng, a battery asset company established with partners, inflated revenue and profits by prematurely recognising battery sales and concealing Nio’s control over Weineng, a battery asset company established with partners.

Apple CEO promises to boost investment in China during his visit: Cook met with Li Lecheng, head of China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, after spending two days in Shanghai. The two discussed Apple’s business in China and explored cooperation in electronics, according to an MIIT statement.

US lawmaker warns TikTok algorithm licensing deal raises concerns: US Representative John Moolenaar, chair of the House Select Committee on China, is awaiting a briefing for more details and questioned whether China would retain influence over the technology, citing uncertainty about the algorithm’s contents.

Tencent’s training-free AI method sparks debate on learning: The new method lets AI models improve using accumulated “experience” instead of retraining, according to a recent paper on arXiv. The technique suggests LLMs can store rules and heuristics from past tasks in an “experience library,” and use them when facing new challenges.

HR unicorn Deel nets US$300M, valued at US$17.3B: Investors are Ribbit Capital, a16z, Coatue Management, General Catalyst, and Green Bay Ventures. The company claims to serve more than 37K businesses and 1.5M workers across over 150 countries, handling US$22B in payroll annually.

UK moves to seize US$6.8B bitcoin in China fraud scheme: Authorities uncovered 61K bitcoin in 2018 during a money laundering probe involving two Chinese women, including Yadi Zhang, who pleaded guilty to related charges last month. The fraud, tied to Tianjin Lantian, targeted about 128K investors in China.

Sam Altman says OpenAI shouldn’t act as global moral authority: His statement comes after he said the company is “not the elected moral police of the world” after criticism over its decision to allow content such as erotica on ChatGPT. OpenAI has faced increased scrutiny about user safety, especially for minors.

SEMICONDUCTOR

TSMC profit rises 39.1% to US$14.8B in Q3 2025: The Taiwan-based chipmaker reported Q3 2025 revenue of US$33.1B, with net income at US$14.76B; Revenue rose 30.3% y-o-y and 6% from Q2, while net income increased 39.1% y-o-y and 13.6% q-o-q.

Nvidia, Australia’s Firmus Technologies partner on AI data centre: Construction has started on two sites in Melbourne and Tasmania as part of Project Southgate, with a planned investment of US$2.9B and a power capacity of 150MW. Firmus said the data centres will use Nvidia’s GB300 chips and are expected to begin operations by April.

Ant Group unveils AI framework that is 10x faster than Nvidia’s: The company said the inference framework called dInfer targets models that differ from widely used autoregressive systems like ChatGPT, which generate text one word at a time.

MIT spinout Vertical Semiconductor secures US$11M for AI power chips: Vertical says its technology aims to improve energy efficiency and reduce heat compared to conventional approaches, using a novel vertical GaN architecture. The company has demonstrated its technology on 8-inch wafers with standard semiconductor manufacturing methods.

AI

A brief history of AI: Is winter coming?: For many of us today, when we hear AI, we infer it to be ChatGPT or other generative tools. But each generation before us experimented with AI long before it became mainstream and has played a role in both fiction and reality, offering us glimpses into what the future could hold.

AI and the human touch: How leadership paves the way: As AI continues to revolutionise business practices, leadership within organisations must ride the wave of transformation, evolving their strategies to ensure successful AI integration into existing work processes as well as workplace culture.

AI for the rest of us: What it really looks like in a scrappy SME: The lesson for SMEs trying to get started with AI is this: ‘do not aim for perfection, aim for progress. You don’t need to automate everything overnight. Start with a clear problem you want to solve’.

From human to AI: Embracing change and thriving in the new world of work: From manufacturing to customer service, AI is making tasks faster, easier, and more efficient. It’s not just blue-collar jobs that are at risk; white-collar jobs are also feeling the heat as AI technology continues to advance and disrupt the job market.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Why Dubai’s AI and smart city strategy is attracting SEA startups: Its pragmatic approach to business has attracted interest from Singapore for years, with Singapore ranking among the top 10 sources of FDI into the city. 22 per cent of all project announcements from Singapore fall in the software and IT services segment.

Breaking free: How co-working spaces can shift Malaysia away from overwork: By promoting work-life balance, encouraging breaks, and prioritising productivity over hours, co-working spaces can help reduce the culture of overwork.

Is hybrid work arrangement the future of work?: Three out of four employees felt that flexible working arrangements should be the new norm in Singapore. One in two even expressed that if they were to look for a new job, they would only be open to an organisation that offers flexible working arrangements.

Embracing AI’s promise: Navigating the future of marketing: It’s crucial to remember that the marketing industry is not monolithic; it’s a rich tapestry of brand communicators, growth strategists, and product marketing professionals. Some have embraced the AI frontier more readily, revealing the landscape’s promises and pitfalls.

Can co-working spaces change Malaysia’s work habits?: Despite the increase in demand for co-working spaces, Malaysia is still not in a position to fully utilise them due to its working culture. This article delves into reasons why local firms still fail to understand the impact of co-working spaces.

Exploring Sri Lanka’s potential as a premier global IT hub: In many ways, Sri Lanka has cultural traits and practices similar to South India’s. Many South Indians, and in general, Indians have a strong inclination towards the STEM fields. India boasts the 2nd highest number of total graduates from STEM per year.

The power of financial models for startups: A guide for founders and VCs: A well-constructed financial model provides VCs with insights into whether a startup’s plan leads to a substantial opportunity. It serves as a compass, guiding both founders and investors through the intricacies of the market.

Why the next decade of influence belongs to those who build trust: The future of influence in Asia isn’t about bigger numbers; it’s about better alignment. Founders, speakers, and creators alike are learning that credibility, consistency, and care compound faster than any viral spike.

The future of AI for SMEs in South Asia: Many SMEs, particularly those in informal sectors, lack long credit histories. AI can help financial institutions evaluate them more accurately, enabling faster and fairer access to loans. In the future, SME owners will rely on real-time dashboards that replace guesswork with data-driven insights.

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Meta announced the successful completion of its inaugural Llama Incubator Program Demo Day, underscoring its commitment to driving open-source AI innovation in Singapore. After a rigorous evaluation process, three winning teams — CREX, MyRepublic Broadband, and Straits Interactive — were selected, along with three runners-up: AgriG8, IntentAI, and i-Sprint Innovations. Public sector teams from the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), Land Transport Authority (LTA), and Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) also showcased their innovations.

“At Meta, we see ourselves as an ecosystem partner, working to advance AI capabilities and make their benefits widely accessible. The Llama Incubator Program exemplifies this drive, and we appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with the Singapore government on this initiative. We are proud to support the Smart Nation 2.0 vision—empowering local small businesses and attracting startups to build and innovate in Singapore,” said Sandhya Devanathan, Vice President – India & Southeast Asia at Meta.

Partnerships power Singapore’s next wave of AI innovation

Meta’s Llama Incubator Program provided startups, SMEs, and public sector teams in Singapore with mentoring, technical resources, and funding to help them develop practical AI solutions. The program was delivered in close partnership with the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI), Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech Singapore), Digital Industry Singapore (DISG), Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), AI Singapore, SGInnovate, e27, and Deloitte.

Josephine Teo, Minister for Digital Development and Information, delivered opening remarks at Meta Singapore’s Llama Incubator Demo Day. She noted Singapore’s AI activities have progressed from fringe to mainstream and stressed the need to build long-term capability and trust through continued experimentation. She said that incubators like Llama Incubator Program are key enablers of purposeful AI use across planning, prediction, personalization, automation, and anomaly detection, and that partnerships and community will remain vital for Singapore to remain competitive and drive continued digital and economic growth.

Also read: Singapore’s CREX named among top 3 teams at world’s first Meta Llama Incubator Demo Day

Turning AI innovation into real-world impact

More than 100 organizations participated in the foundational workshop held in March 2025. 40 organizations were selected for six months of dedicated business and technical mentoring, as well as training on responsible AI practices including Llama’s protection tools and the IMDA Starter kit for Safety Testing of LLM-based applications, Project Moonshot and AI Verify Testing Framework, empowering them to advance responsible AI innovation. 

Collectively, participants developed over 30 innovative Llama-powered solutions spanning the finance, healthcare, education, and public sectors. Winning teams receive US$30,000 each from Meta, with runners-up receiving US$10,000. 

“We are excited by the participation of global AI leaders like Meta in Singapore. The Llama Incubator Program is an example of how collaboration can rapidly translate cutting-edge technology into real-world solutions. By giving startups, SMEs and public agencies hands-on technical guidance, this opportunity will spur innovation, and provide hands-on experience, strengthening Singapore’s role as an AI hub in the region,” said Philbert Gomez, Senior Vice President & Executive Director, Digital Industry Singapore.

Also read: The mentors behind the magic: Meet the experts guiding Singapore’s next AI breakthroughs

Partnering to accelerate AI adoption in enterprises

Meta has also partnered with AWS Singapore to offer eligible companies AWS credits. This empowers them to accelerate their solutions to market. As part of this collaboration, AWS hosted an enablement session for startups on utilizing Llama models with Amazon SageMaker AI and Amazon Bedrock. It will continue to provide tailored technical advisory and support.

“The digital economy is driving Singapore’s growth, and at the heart of it is the digital transformation of our local enterprises. IMDA is committed to helping our enterprises build digital capabilities, particularly in AI, to address business needs. Through the GenAI x Digital Leaders initiative, IMDA partners with global tech leaders like Meta to give our enterprises access to expertise and tools to harness AI for productivity and growth. Programs like Meta’s Llama Incubator provide hands-on experience to help companies navigate AI’s complexities, empowering them to innovate and sharpen their competitiveness,” said Johnson Poh, Assistant Chief Executive, Sectoral Transformation Group, IMDA.

Meta has most recently expanded its multi-year Upskill with Meta program focused on helping SMEs modernize and reach  new audiences with the latest AI tools and solutions to accelerate growth, streamline operations, and drive success.

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The global financial landscape entered a period of pronounced fragility this week as a confluence of macroeconomic shocks, technical breakdowns, and institutional retrenchment converged to pressure risk assets across the board.

Nowhere was this more evident than in the cryptocurrency market, which shed 2.39 per cent over the past 24 hours and extended its weekly decline to 10.83 per cent. The sell-off did not occur in a vacuum. Instead, it unfolded against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical friction, banking sector stress, and shifting central bank narratives that collectively amplified risk-off sentiment and triggered a cascade of forced liquidations.

The immediate catalyst for the latest leg down came from former US President Donald Trump, who on October 10 announced a sweeping proposal to impose 100 per cent tariffs on all Chinese imports, effective November 1, alongside new export controls on critical software technologies.

The announcement rattled global markets. Within hours, Bitcoin tumbled 3.5 per cent to US$107,500, while altcoins suffered even steeper losses ranging from 15 per cent to 60 per cent. The move reignited fears of a full-blown trade war between the world’s two largest economies, prompting investors to flee speculative assets in favour of traditional safe havens.

Gold responded accordingly, climbing to a record US$4,361 per ounce, a 2.1 per cent gain, while the US Dollar Index softened by 0.46 per cent to 98.34. The Russell 2000 Index, a barometer of domestic risk appetite, fell 1.2 per cent, underscoring the breadth of the risk aversion.

What made this episode particularly significant for crypto was the reestablishment of a near-perfect correlation with traditional equities. Over the past 24 hours, Bitcoin’s price movement tracked the S&P 500 with a correlation coefficient of 0.948, the highest since 2023. This tight linkage signalled a return to the risk-on, risk-off regime that dominated markets during the post-pandemic monetary tightening cycle.

Also Read: From Tokyo to crypto: How political shifts and policy bets are reshaping global markets

In such an environment, crypto loses its identity as an uncorrelated asset and instead trades as a high-beta extension of the tech sector. With US equities already under pressure, Dow Jones down 0.65 per cent, S&P 500 down 0.63 per cent, Nasdaq down 0.47 per cent, the path of least resistance for Bitcoin became unmistakably lower.

Compounding the macro headwinds was a decisive technical breakdown in Bitcoin’s price structure. After consolidating for weeks within the US$115,000 to US$123,000 range, the flagship cryptocurrency finally breached the lower bound of that zone, closing decisively below US$115,000. This move invalidated a key support level that had held through multiple tests and opened the door to deeper downside. Technical analysts noted the emergence of a potential double-top pattern, with bearish confirmation hinging on a weekly close below US$110,000.

Adding to the negative momentum, both the 20-day and 50-day moving averages turned downward, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) plunged to 31.67, deep into oversold territory but not yet signalling a reversal. Futures market data revealed that open interest had actually risen by 2.3 per cent in the days leading up to the crash, suggesting that short sellers had positioned aggressively ahead of the breakdown, anticipating exactly this kind of macro-driven selloff.

Perhaps the most destabilising element of this week’s decline was the scale and speed of the leverage unwind. On October 16 alone, over US$724 million in crypto positions were liquidated across major exchanges, with long positions accounting for a staggering 74 per cent of that total.

This lopsided distribution pointed to excessive bullish positioning among retail traders, who had been riding the coattails of recent institutional inflows. The average funding rate across perpetual futures markets stood at +0.0052 per cent, reflecting persistent long-side pressure that left the market vulnerable to a sharp reversal.

When the macro shock hit, the resulting price drop triggered a domino effect. Margin calls forced leveraged longs to sell, which pushed prices lower, which triggered more liquidations. This feedback loop accelerated the decline and created a vacuum of buyers precisely when support was most needed.

Institutional participation, which had provided a crucial floor for prices in prior months, also pulled back sharply. Bitcoin ETF inflows, which surged to US$2.7 billion the previous week, collapsed to just US$571 million this week, a drop of US$2.129 billion. Grayscale’s GBTC alone saw US$22.5 million in outflows on October 16, marking a notable shift in sentiment among large players.

This cooling of institutional demand removed a key source of structural buying just as retail leverage was imploding. The result was a market caught between two stools: no longer buoyed by ETF-driven accumulation, and simultaneously crushed by retail deleveraging.

Also Read: The Fed at the crossroads: Rate cuts, political pressure, and the fragile balance of global markets

Meanwhile, central bank commentary added another layer of uncertainty. Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran, a voting member of the FOMC, signalled his intent to advocate for a half-percentage-point rate cut at the upcoming meeting, a dovish stance that initially supported risk assets but now appears at odds with persistent inflation concerns.

Conversely, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda kept the door open for further rate hikes, stating that the BOJ would continue tightening if confidence in its economic outlook strengthens. These divergent policy paths contributed to volatility in global bond markets, with the 10-year US Treasury yield falling 7 basis points to 3.97 per cent and the two-year yield dropping 8 basis points to 3.42 per cent. While lower yields typically support risk assets, the move this week reflected safe-haven demand rather than genuine monetary easing expectations, offering little comfort to crypto traders.

Even geopolitical developments weighed on sentiment. President Trump’s announcement that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin would meet in Hungary to discuss ending the war in Ukraine introduced new uncertainty into energy markets. Brent crude fell 1.37 per cent to US$61.06 per barrel on fears that a negotiated settlement could ease sanctions and flood the market with Russian oil. While lower energy prices might normally support risk assets by curbing inflation, the opaque nature of the proposed talks raised concerns about broader geopolitical realignments that could destabilise existing alliances and trade flows.

Looking ahead, the critical level to watch remains US$110,000 for Bitcoin. A weekly close below this threshold would likely invite a wave of algorithmic selling and accelerate the move toward US$100,000. A strong bounce could signal that the worst of the deleveraging is over. Traders should closely monitor two key indicators in the coming days: US Treasury yields and Bitcoin ETF flows.

A reversal in ETF inflows, particularly if they return to the US$2 billion-plus levels seen recently, could provide the buying pressure needed to stabilise prices. Similarly, a stabilisation or decline in the 10-year yield would ease financial conditions and potentially reignite risk appetite.

Also Read: The great repricing: How fiscal anxiety is reshaping global markets from bonds to Bitcoin

Despite the current turbulence, Bitcoin’s underlying fundamentals remain robust. Network hash rate continues to hover near all-time highs, reflecting strong miner commitment and infrastructure investment. On-chain activity, while subdued during the selloff, has not shown signs of capitulation among long-term holders. This suggests that the current weakness is driven more by short-term leverage and macro sentiment than by a fundamental erosion of value.

In conclusion, the crypto market now navigates a perfect storm of external pressures and internal fragilities. The triple threat of trade war escalation, technical breakdown, and institutional pullback has exposed the limits of crypto’s decoupling narrative. Until macro conditions stabilise and leverage levels normalise, volatility will remain elevated, and the path to recovery will depend less on crypto-specific developments and more on the broader trajectory of global risk sentiment.

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When e27 met Steven Su, CEO of Ubestream, at the Taiwan Innotech Expo 2025 in Taipei, we encountered an unexpected challenge: language. Our editor’s limited Mandarin and Su’s limited English could have made for a difficult interview. Instead, it became the perfect demonstration of what Ubestream stands for.

As Su spoke into a microphone, the platform seamlessly translated our questions and his responses in real time. There was no setup, calibration, or need for specific hardware. Within seconds, communication barriers vanished. This was not just a demo; it was a moment that proved how AI innovation can make human interaction more effortless and inclusive.

Ubestream’s technology automatically detects and translates a speaker’s language, making multilingual conversations possible for anyone, anywhere. It is a glimpse into how AI can potentially reshape how people connect—and at Taiwan Innotech Expo 2025, it was just the beginning.

Another powerful example of AI innovation came from the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), one of Taiwan’s leading R&D organisations. The team is developing a vest that allows deaf individuals to experience live music through vibration.

Every beat, rhythm, and tone is translated into a series of tactile sensations ripple across the vest, allowing users to “feel” the music. During our conversation, Ko Hui Ching, Deputy Project Manager at ITRI, shared a video of a professional deaf dancer using the vest. Through the vest, the dancer sensed the melody and emotion of a song, translating them into choreography—a moving illustration of technology empowering artistic expression.

Also Read: AI and the human touch: How leadership paves the way

ITRI’s goal is not commercial profit but to promote cultural inclusion. The institute aims to make these vests available at performance venues, enabling cultural institutions to provide them for deaf patrons. It is an example of AI and sensory technology coming together to expand access to the arts for everyone, not only those with hearing impairments.

AI for care safety

Other areas that exhibitors at the event look at are safety and caregiving. From concert halls to the driver’s seat, AI at the expo showed its versatility.

One of the exhibitors, Steadybeat, is enhancing safety in AI cockpits and unmanned vehicles. Its system fuses data from images, sound, and other sensors to reduce low-frequency noise and create a calmer driving environment.

The same technology can even extend beyond the road. SteadyBeat’s team highlighted how the platform can monitor structural health in bridges, tunnels, and pipelines or aid in UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) communication with ground control. Such cross-domain applications underline the flexibility of Taiwan’s AI innovation ecosystem—one that thinks well beyond a single use case.

Meanwhile, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University researchers are turning vehicles into intelligent co-pilots. Their AI-powered platform monitors a driver’s behaviour to detect risky activities such as drowsiness or phone use. The system issues alerts before danger strikes, demonstrating how machine learning can augment human awareness and prevent accidents before they happen.

Also Read: AI for the rest of us: What it really looks like in a scrappy SME

Another standout exhibit, Ant CareSpot, tackled one of society’s most pressing challenges: eldercare. Roughly the size of a small rice cooker, the device uses AI to monitor vital signs such as blood pressure and wellbeing without requiring the elderly to use any form of wearables.

But beyond health tracking, it can also serve as a conversation partner for elderly users, reducing isolation and fostering emotional connection. Each unit is deployed in care homes across Taiwan, assigned individually to residents. The blend of functionality and empathy makes Ant CareSpot a symbol of how AI innovation can address efficiency and humanity’s deeper needs.

A showcase of cross-domain collaboration

Held from October 16-18 at the Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1, the Taiwan Innotech Expo (TIE) is jointly organised by 11 government departments and implemented by TAITRA and ITRI. This year’s theme, “AI-Driven Cross-Domain Innovation: Empowering the Smart Future,” captures the spirit of an event where research institutes, startups, and public agencies come together to redefine what tech can achieve.

With 439 exhibitors from 19 countries and over 1,100 innovations, TIE 2025 offers a panoramic view of how Taiwan aims to lead in science and technology. Nearly 70 of this year’s invention entries integrate AI, from sensory vests and cockpit safety systems to conversational care devices.

 

The post Inside Taiwan Innotech Expo 2025: Where AI innovation meets real-world inclusion appeared first on e27.

Innovation rarely happens in isolation. Some of the most transformative breakthroughs emerge when different ecosystems intersect. This is when they bring together diverse strengths, perspectives, and priorities. This is exactly what we witnessed at the X-Hub Tokyo Singapore Demo Day 2025, an online event co-hosted by Deloitte that showcased the power of collaboration between Japan and Southeast Asia’s innovation communities.

The Demo Day was an ecosystem dialogue, a structured meeting point for startups, corporates, and investors from two dynamic regions. The result was a glimpse into how cross-border innovation is evolving beyond market entry strategies to genuine co-creation.

A convergence of complementary strengths

Japan and Southeast Asia bring distinct but complementary assets to the table. Japan offers deep R&D capabilities, world-class technical expertise, and corporate precision. Southeast Asia, meanwhile, contributes speed, agility, and access to fast-growing markets with a young, tech-savvy population.

This convergence was visible throughout the Demo Day. Japanese corporates are increasingly looking to Southeast Asia to accelerate innovation cycles and tap into emerging sectors, while Southeast Asian startups are looking to Japan for technological depth, global credibility, and structured partnerships.

The event brought together startups working in fields such as deep tech, healthcare, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing—areas where collaboration between these two ecosystems can generate disproportionate impact.

Also read: Scaling smarter: How Hong Kong founders are redefining growth

From pitching to co-creating

One of the most significant shifts on display was in the nature of startup–corporate interactions. Rather than startups simply pitching solutions to corporates, we saw a growing emphasis on co-creation—startups and corporates jointly identifying challenges, designing pilots, and building scalable solutions together.

This change reflects broader market trends. Corporate innovation teams in Japan are no longer just scanning for interesting technologies—they’re actively shaping collaborative programs that integrate startups into their R&D and market expansion strategies. On the other side, Southeast Asian startups are moving beyond transactional partnerships to build long-term, strategic collaborations.

Some clear themes emerged during the event:

1. Cross-border partnerships are shortening innovation cycles. By combining Japanese R&D depth with Southeast Asian speed, pilots and go-to-market strategies are being executed faster than traditional corporate timelines.
2. Deep tech and sustainability are rising as core collaboration themes. Whether in climate tech, healthtech, or manufacturing, startups are finding fertile ground for co-innovation with corporates that bring decades of expertise.
3. CVCs and accelerators play a crucial role as bridges. Corporate venture capital arms and accelerator programs are increasingly acting as translators and facilitators, aligning incentives and helping both sides navigate cultural and operational differences.

The power of ecosystem overlap

What’s happening between Japan and Southeast Asia goes beyond bilateral business development—it’s ecosystem overlap. Each side brings something the other needs, and together they create value that neither could achieve alone.

For Japan, Southeast Asia represents not just a market, but a living laboratory for rapid iteration and scaling. For Southeast Asia, Japan provides a gateway to advanced technologies and disciplined innovation processes that can accelerate global competitiveness.

This dynamic is particularly relevant in deep tech sectors, where the path to commercialization is often long and capital-intensive. By partnering with Japanese corporates, Southeast Asian startups can access advanced infrastructure and expertise. Conversely, Japanese firms gain a foothold in agile, high-growth markets that can help validate and scale their innovations.

Also read: Meta accelerates AI innovation in Singapore with Llama Incubator program demo day

A model for future cross-border innovation

The X-Hub Tokyo–Singapore Demo Day 2025 illustrated a powerful model for future cross-border innovation programs. It’s not about startups trying to “fit into” foreign ecosystems—it’s about designing shared innovation journeys. The most successful collaborations are those that combine the strengths of both ecosystems from the start.

As global challenges become increasingly complex, no single ecosystem can tackle them alone. Cross-border co-creation allows us to pool capabilities, accelerate learning cycles, and unlock new market opportunities in ways that siloed innovation simply can’t.

Collaboration is the new engine of growth

As we reflect on the outcomes of the Demo Day, it’s clear that the partnership between Japan and Southeast Asia is entering a more mature, strategic phase. The days of one-way technology transfer are giving way to mutual innovation ecosystems, where both sides contribute, learn, and grow together.

This is a blueprint for how innovation will increasingly happen in a connected world. Ecosystems that collaborate across borders will be better positioned to create transformative impact.

For founders, corporates, and ecosystem builders, the message is clear: the future belongs to those who innovate together.

Interested in creating impact with us? Contact Innovate here.

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A new study by healthcare AI startup Ubie has revealed that Singapore ranks top globally with an AI Hub Score of 95 out of 100.

The research analysed AI job openings on LinkedIn, company density on Crunchbase, average salaries, research institutions, government funding, and cost of living affordability.

These metrics were combined into an AI Hub Score to identify which cities offer the strongest ecosystems for AI development and innovation.

Also Read: Why Dubai’s AI and smart city strategy is attracting Southeast Asian startups

Key stats for Singapore:

• AI jobs listed: 1,100
• AI Hub Score: 95
• AI companies on Crunchbase: 666
• Average AI salary: US$123,000 per year
• AI research institutions: 3

 

According to the data, Singapore leads with 1,100 AI job openings on LinkedIn, the highest among all ranked cities. The city also hosts 666 AI companies listed on Crunchbase and offers an average annual salary of US$123,000 for AI specialists.

Singapore is home to three major AI institutions, including the Centre for Frontier AI Research and the NUS AI Lab. The combination of job availability, company density, and research infrastructure gave Singapore the highest overall score.

Top 10 AI hubs

• Boston, the US, claims second place with an AI Hub Score of 93. The city matches Singapore’s company density, with 626 AI firms listed on Crunchbase, and offers a higher average salary of US$134,000.
• Berlin, Germany, ranks third with a score of 90. The city has nine AI research institutions, the most of any ranked city, more than triple the number of Singapore and Boston combined. Despite having 526 AI companies and 465 job openings, Berlin offers the lowest salaries among top-ranked hubs at US$74,000 annually.
• Austin, the US, secures fourth place with an AI Hub Score of 88. The Texas capital leads in company density, with 892 AI firms listed on Crunchbase, yet has only one dedicated research institution: the University of Texas. Average salaries here reach US$135,000, making it one of the highest-paying markets for AI talent. The city lists 555 active job openings.

Also Read: A brief history of AI: Is winter coming?

• Paris, France, rounds out the top five with a score of 85. The French capital hosts the highest number of AI companies in the ranking at 1,100 firms, nearly double Berlin’s count. AI specialists earn an average of US$80,000 annually, while benefiting from a cost of living that’s three times lower than in Singapore. The city has 339 job openings and three research institutions.

As per a recent Salesforce study, Singapore ranks second globally—and first in Asia Pacific—for overall AI readiness. The recognition reinforces Singapore’s longstanding leadership in AI and underscores its national strategy’s effectiveness in laying the groundwork for the next phase of AI transformation: agentic AI.

The post Singapore outsmarts the world in AI–ranked No.1 global hub appeared first on e27.