Day: November 5, 2025

Living Lab Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Sinar Mas Land, has announced a strategic investment in INCREASE Laboratorium Indonesia, a clinical research and laboratory company headquartered in BSD City.

The move is poised to strengthen Indonesia’s capacity for globally standardised clinical trials and bolster the country’s emerging role in the biomedical innovation space.

The funding will support INCREASE’s operational expansion, global partnership development, and pursuit of international certifications, as the company aims to capitalise on growing regional demand for high-quality research services.

INCREASE delivers comprehensive, end-to-end clinical research solutions, spanning study design and regulatory affairs, through to clinical and bioanalytical testing. According to a press statement by Living Lab Ventures, its infrastructure, regulatory expertise, and experienced talent pool position it as a strong candidate to serve global pharmaceutical and biotech firms looking for a Southeast Asian research base.

“Indonesia has the potential to become a regional powerhouse in health and biomedicine,” said Bayu Seto, Partner at Living Lab Ventures. “We see INCREASE as a strategic platform that can catalyse the national clinical research ecosystem, attract global partners, and enhance the competitiveness of Indonesia’s healthcare sector.”

Also Read: Antler backs Malaysian AI startups M3TRIQ, NCSpeech driving innovation in biotech and fintech

As Southeast Asia’s healthcare landscape evolves, Indonesia’s clinical research sector is becoming increasingly vital. According to a report by 6Wresearch, the country’s Contract Research Organisation (CRO) market is projected to reach US$1 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 10.6 per cent from 2024.

This surge is driven by the growing demand for efficient, scalable, and internationally compliant research infrastructure to support biopharmaceutical, medtech, and academic innovation.

The company’s current projects span clients from Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, and China.

INCREASE has already formed research partnerships with China’s Tsinghua University and Japan’s University of Osaka. These collaborations aim to facilitate technology transfer, joint R&D, and local talent training.

In pursuit of international validation, INCREASE is working toward certifications including those from the College of American Pathologists (CAP), ISO 9001:2015, ISO 17025:2017, and ISO 15189:2022.

For LLV and its parent, Sinar Mas Land, the investment aligns with a broader vision to transform BSD City into a global innovation district. “This investment reflects our belief that the convergence of science, technology, and infrastructure will be key to placing Indonesia on the global medical innovation map,” said Mulyawan Gani, CEO of Digital Business at Sinar Mas Land.

BSD City’s Biomedical Campus and D-HUB SEZ are central to this plan, offering a testbed for companies integrating IoT, AI, and other emerging technologies into healthcare solutions.

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Image Credit: Living Lab Ventures

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Rolo Robotics, a robotics startup headquartered in Bangkok and founded in Singapore, has announced the close of a US$3.45 million oversubscribed seed round led by A2D Ventures, with participation from BEENEXT, Seedstars, TIS Japan, Antler, Lotus One Investment, and Blueprint Ventures.

The capital will accelerate the rollout of Rolo Robotics’ fully autonomous hot food kiosks, a novel infrastructure-grade solution poised to disrupt the quick-service restaurant (QSR) space across Asia Pacific.

The company’s emergence comes at a critical juncture for the food and beverage (F&B) industry. Faced with rising labour costs and shifting consumer expectations, global QSR brands are increasingly experimenting with automation. Rolo Robotics’ modular micro-kitchens address these challenges head-on: offering hot, customisable meals via unmanned kiosks that operate round-the-clock with zero on-site staff.

These compact, plug-and-play systems are tailored for high-footfall environments such as university campuses, office lobbies, hospitals, and transport hubs, locations where traditional F&B formats often struggle due to space and labour constraints.

At the core of Rolo Robotics’ value proposition is its proprietary MAYA 3.0 system, an autonomous kitchen platform equipped with precision multi-nozzle dispensers, real-time heat control, crispiness sensors, and a four-stage air filtration system. These components are orchestrated remotely through a unified software platform, ensuring consistent quality and hygiene at scale.

Also Read: Secai Marche cultivates US$6M to build a fresher, smarter food ecosystem in SEA

“Food robotics is one of the hardest sectors to crack—there’s hardware reliability, food safety, operational complexity, and customer experience all rolled into one,” said Ankit Upadhyay, General Partner at A2D Ventures. “Rolo has solved the hard engineering problems most [stops at] prototypes. They are not just building kiosks; they are building food infrastructure.”

Following pilot deployments with universities, hospitals, and transit hubs, Rolo Robotics plans to launch 20–30 micro-kitchens in Singapore by 2026 and initiate rollouts in Australia starting Q1 2026.

The kiosks are already integrated with food delivery platforms, offering consumers seamless access to hot, made-to-order meals with minimal friction.

“The future of food service is human-robot collaboration. Food that is affordable, customisable and always fresh,” said Rolo Robotics CEO Ravi Nahappan. “This funding allows us to accelerate deployments in Singapore and Australia while strengthening the connective tissue between robotics, AI, and future humanoid collaboration.”

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Image Credits: Rolo Robotics

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In this session at Echelon Singapore 2025, Bhavik Vashi, Managing Director at Carta, shared insights on evolving hiring and ESOP trends across Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

With Carta supporting over 45,000 companies, 7,000 funds, and 200,000 LPs globally, Vashi noted that the post-2021 funding correction has significantly reshaped startup dynamics. Following the 2021–2022 boom, fundraising cycles have doubled to over two years, resulting in a 400 per cent rise in employee departures compared to a 130 per cent increase in new hires.

Meanwhile, valuations have readjusted, with an estimated 60 per cent of startups expected to undergo down rounds by 2025. Vashi emphasised that in this new landscape, startups must rethink how they use equity to attract and retain talent, proposing larger equity stakes for early employees as a key strategy to balance tighter cash conditions with long-term team motivation and loyalty.

The post Echelon Singapore 2025 – Rethinking capital, hiring, and equity for resilient startup growth appeared first on e27.

Grab’s long-awaited return to profitability–US$17 million in Q3 2025--marks a symbolic milestone for Southeast Asia’s superapp. After 15 consecutive quarters of adjusted EBITDA growth, revenue climbing 22% YoY, and a raised full-year outlook, the company seems to be finally rewarding investors’ patience.

Yet beneath the celebratory tone lies a more complex story. Grab’s operating cash outflow of US$127 million–a sharp YoY deterioration–reveals that its growth engine is still heavily fuelled by incentives and financial leverage. The US$585 million in quarterly incentives, coupled with declining mobility fares, points to continued dependence on subsidised expansion rather than organic profitability.

Its digital banking arm tells a similar tale: deposits grew YoY but fell 15% quarter-over-quarter, hinting at sensitivity to interest rate shifts and the fragile nature of customer retention.

Grab’s leadership calls this a “vital step forward.” It is, but one that underlines the paradox of platform economics: profitability on paper, pressure beneath the surface. The challenge ahead will be transforming this headline profit into durable, cash-generating growth.

REGIONAL

Grab posts rare profit, but cash burn and incentive dependence tell a deeper story: Grab reports US$17M profit and 22% revenue growth, but faces mounting cash burn, heavy incentives, and digital banking volatility.

Vietnam’s D2C fashion leader Coolmate secures Series C to power global push: Investors include Vertex Growth, Vertex Ventures SEA & India, and Kairous Capital. Coolmate aims to scale its made-in-Vietnam sportswear brand globally through new stores and women-focused lines.

VENTENY raises US$5.5M from Women’s Livelihood Bond 7 to accelerate financial inclusion in Indonesia: VENTENY is a financing platform forSMEs. The startup specifically targets low income, rural communities with limited access to financial services.

Lazada to invest over US$25M for 11.11 Global Brands Festival: The campaign, which takes place across Southeast Asia from November 1 to 14, will feature discounts, partnerships with creators, and AI-powered shopping tools, ending with its largest sale from November 10 to 13.

Kairous Capital leads US$5M funding in Mantayay Global: The Malaysian firm manages digital media and creator-economy operations. It works with 4K+ TikTok creators, producing 1,000+ short-form videos each month, and generating 100M+ monthly views across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.

Doctor Anywhere exits Vietnam to focus on ‘core markets’: Backed by investors such as Square Peg and Asia Partners, Doctor Anywhere offers services including on-demand video consultations and medication deliveries. Besides Vietnam, it is also present in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.

REPORTS, FEATURES & INTERVIEWS

Inside ASEAN’s blockchain map: Why the Philippines is a crypto powerhouse: The Philippines leads ASEAN in grassroots blockchain adoption, driven by crypto enthusiasm and play-to-earn gaming, distinguishing it from fintech-focused regional peers.

Institutionalising innovation: How Philippines is building the rules for its crypto future: The Philippines advances from crypto enthusiasm to regulatory sophistication, institutionalising digital assets through BSP and SEC frameworks promoting innovation and consumer protection.

INTERNATIONAL

Pine Labs targets US$2.9B valuation in upcoming IPO: The price band is set at US$2.37 to US$2.49 per share, aiming to raise about US$440M at the top end. This is lower than its earlier plan to raise US$1B at a US$6B valuation.

Animoca Brands set for Nasdaq listing via reverse merger deal: Singapore-based Currenc Group will acquire all shares of Animoca Brands through a proposed reverse merger. Nasdaq-listed Currenc said the combined entity would operate under the Animoca Brands name and be publicly traded in the US.

MENA startups funding drop 77% in October: report: Startup funding declined to US$785M in October from September’s US$3.5B. The UAE led with US$616M over 15 deals, driven by Property Finder’s US$525M debt round.

France reports Shein for selling ‘childlike sex dolls’ online: The Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control said the online categorisation of these dolls “makes it difficult to doubt the child pornography nature of the content,” according to French media.

Taiwan’s CloudMile secures US$20M to expand AI services in SEA: Investors include NEXUS CVC and TFB Capital. CloudMile operates dual headquarters in Singapore and Taiwan and provides AI, cybersecurity, and FinOps services to enterprises in the region.

UK regulator to probe Getty, Shutterstock merge: Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority said it received feedback from businesses, trade associations, and industry groups, including the News Media Association, about potential impacts on pricing and the quality of editorial and stock images.

SEMICONDUCTOR

Trump says Nvidia’s top AI chips only for US companies: The US President said he would not allow the sale of top-tier Blackwell chips to Chinese companies but did not rule out access to less capable versions. Nvidia plans to supply over 260K Blackwell chips to South Korea.

Microsoft to ship 60,000 Nvidia AI chips to UAE: The chips, including Nvidia’s advanced GB300 Grace Blackwell models, will be used in UAE data centres. The transaction is part of Microsoft’s planned US$15.2B tech investment in the UAE.

TSMC to begin building US$49B chip hub in Taiwan: The company plans to set up four new fabs, investing US$49B in the project, with the first fab expected to begin mass production in the second half of 2028. The development is expected to create 8,000-10,000 jobs.

AI

Singapore, Korea boost AI, tech ties in strategic partnership: The leaders agreed to strengthen collaboration in AI, advanced technologies, digital innovation, green transition, and free trade. Singapore is South Korea’s fourth-largest investor.

South Korea’s president proposes US$7B AI investment in 2026 budget: The plan includes expanding AI use in sectors such as robotics, automobiles, semiconductors, logistics, biotech, public health, education, and taxation, as well as increasing computing capacity and advanced AI training.

The soul of Southeast Asia’s entrepreneurship: When AI is a tool, not a crutch: AI is reshaping the region’s startup scene, but true innovation lies in solving human problems, not just adding “AI-powered” labels.

Who really controls your AI?: This article explores how AI sovereignty is reshaping global power. It looks at the new techno-political blocs forming around control of digital infrastructure and the growing concentration of power across the AI value chain.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Is crypto entering a self-inflicted crisis? Inside the leverage and solvency spiral: Despite modest US equity gains, crypto markets face renewed pressure from altcoin selloffs, exchange fears, and structural fragility.

AI translation done right: Custom LLMs for full language access local voice: AI translation quality depends less on the model and more on clear rules, local style guides, and human feedback to preserve authentic voice.

The future of cybersecurity in a decentralised world: In a decentralised world, users own their identities, assets, and data. Transactions are transparent, immutable, and verified by consensus, not by a single server or admin. From a cybersecurity standpoint, this marks a fundamental shift in trust.

From runway to revenue: Building investor-grade B2B startups in Southeast Asia: The region’s B2B startups face rising pressure to prove operational discipline as investors favour resilient, execution-driven growth.

Beyond grades and growth: Building education systems that nurture empathy: A Singaporean founder’s journey shows how empathy, conviction, and accountability can redefine leadership and education across Asia.

Building a sustainable future, from Sierra Leone to Southeast Asia: Cross-regional collaboration between Africa and Asia is driving sustainable energy innovation, proving shared vision can power real change.

The silent poetry of space: Why architecture feels before it speaks: Architecture blends art, function, and empathy, shaping how people live, feel, and connect through sustainable and human-centred design.

The post Ecosystem Roundup: Grab’s cash burn, Philippines’s crypto boom, and Animoca’s Nasdaq move appeared first on e27.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… We are living in a moment full of contradictions.

On one hand, AI tools have unlocked a staggering new era of possibilities. With just a laptop, you can design, write, edit, build, automate, analyse, and scale. Things that once required entire teams and million-dollar budgets are now free (or nearly so).

You can learn anything online. Build a business from your bedroom. Reach clients on the other side of the world.

Remote work connects teams across time zones and borders, creating a new kind of company: borderless, asynchronous, global by default.

And yet…

On the other hand, traditional paths are breaking down.

The job market, once the backbone of stability, is increasingly unstable. Degrees mean less. Experience often isn’t enough. Jobs are outsourced, salaries are under pressure, and more people than ever are juggling multiple roles just to stay afloat.

For every digital nomad posting beach selfies, there’s a graduate delivering food, wondering how their four years of education became irrelevant overnight.

This is the paradox of our time: Prosperity at your fingertips. Precarity under your feet.

In such a world, the question isn’t just “how do I survive?”
It’s: how do I adapt, thrive, and build something that lasts?

Because the rules have changed. The economy has changed. And the idea of security: of one job, one company, one retirement plan, no longer applies.

What matters now is your ability to create value, communicate it clearly, and deliver it globally.

This is the new skill set. You don’t need permission. You need a plan and act on it.

Borderless builders

The new global working class — connected, skilled, and mobile.

They are not defined by their geography but by their capability. These are freelancers, remote employees, digital specialists, and solopreneurs who have built careers across platforms, clients, and borders.

They learn fast, deliver value online, and shape their lives around autonomy and access — not traditional employment. They don’t wait for opportunities to appear locally. They plug into the global economy.

Also Read: Preparing for the unexpected: Succession planning and legal considerations for startup founders

From virtual assistants in the Philippines, to developers in Eastern Europe, to designers in Latin America — they are the backbone of the new digital economy.

They are not gig workers. They are career builders without borders.

Frontier founders

Entrepreneurs who launch across markets, build teams remotely, and create value in uncharted territory.

They are the startup builders, market expanders, and regional growth hackers. They launch without legacy baggage. They solve local problems with global tools. And they’re not afraid to test ideas in emerging markets.

These are the founders who see beyond saturated markets and overpriced hires. They build lean, test fast, and scale with purpose.

Borderless builders + frontier founders

They are building the infrastructure of the future economy.

This is your invitation. Whether you’re a skilled professional or a founder with a vision — you don’t need permission to build.

Join the ranks of Borderless Builders and Frontier Founders: Start small, think global, move fast.

The tools are here. The markets are open. The future is for those that grasp this opportunity.

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