While larger economies like Vietnam and Thailand often dominate Southeast Asian tech headlines, the burgeoning Cambodian startup ecosystem is rapidly demanding attention.

Home to just over 200 startups, Cambodia offers a landscape ripe for first movers and rapid technological adoption. The Canadia Impact Fund (CIFC) wants to be at the forefront of this growth and to back founders whose technologies can drive meaningful progress and help local industries scale to international standards.

In this interview, CEO Thierry Tea discusses CIFC’s strategic focus, the power of Cambodia’s digital-native youth, and why the country is poised to become one of ASEAN’s most dynamic emerging innovation hubs.

Prioritising impact and efficiency

CIFC’s investment strategy is explicitly designed to create long-term value for Cambodia’s economy and its communities. The fund prioritises five key sectors where innovation can directly improve the quality of life and strengthen national competitiveness: education, healthcare, logistics, technology and AI, and sustainability.

Also Read: Canadia Group enters venture investing with new impact fund, backs Jalat Logistics

The choice of these areas is often driven by current inefficiencies and potential for immediate improvement. For instance, costs in the logistics sector remain high compared to other regional markets, which present significant opportunities for efficiency gains through technology. This strategic focus is evident in the fund’s debut investment in Jalat Logistics.

While Cambodia serves as CIFC’s home base, its vision is regional. It actively seeks startups across ASEAN whose solutions can support Cambodia’s development, transfer knowledge, and introduce new capabilities.

Leveraging the digital generation

One of Cambodia’s most compelling advantages is its demographic profile: 65 per cent of the population is under 35, and internet penetration exceeds 80 per cent. This young cohort represents a digitally native, ambitious, and globally connected generation that forms the foundation for scalable businesses.

CIFC’s role extends far beyond merely providing capital; it aims to cultivate the next wave of Cambodian founders. The fund supports this generation by investing in startups that can scale with, and be powered by, young Cambodian talent. It collaborates closely with leading institutions, including CamTech University and Connexion innovation hub, to strengthen essential skills in AI, engineering, product development, and digital entrepreneurship.

Ultimately, CIFC seeks to connect these emerging founders with regional opportunities and international partners.

Pillars of the startup ecosystem

The health of any innovation hub depends on its supportive infrastructure, and Cambodia’s landscape is strengthened by local entrepreneurship hubs such as Techo Startup Centre and Impact Hub Phnom Penh.

CIFC actively participates in the ecosystem alongside these crucial institutions. Key players include Khmer Enterprise, which has supported over 900 grant recipients since 2020, and Techo Startup Centre, which delivers multi-week accelerator and digital platform programs vital for early-stage founders. CIFC complements the work of these organisations by sharing insights, engaging directly with founders, and supporting programmes designed to strengthen the early-stage environment.

Furthermore, the fund’s involvement extends internationally through collaborations with global partners, such as Plug and Play and Seedstars, which provide founders access to global best practices, networks, and new opportunities. The broader ecosystem is also advancing through initiatives such as Khmer Enterprise’s partnership with Seedstars, which is now entering its second cohort dedicated to increasing the investment readiness of Cambodian startups.

Also Read: Cambodia: A rising tech power in Southeast Asia

Additionally, Techo Startup Centre, in collaboration with UNIDO and NGIN, has completed two cohorts of the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme, fostering founders who develop innovative environmental solutions.

Integrating measurable impact

The global focus on impact-driven innovation, spanning greentech and inclusive finance, is central to CIFC’s mandate. For CIFC, impact is defined as “solving real problems for real people while building sustainable, scalable businesses”.

In the Cambodian context, this definition often translates into measurable outcomes related to accessible education, improved healthcare and wellbeing, digital and financial inclusion, more efficient resource usage, and supporting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and communities as they enter the digital economy. Clean energy is also a critical focus, with solar power rapidly becoming an increasingly important part of the country’s electricity mix.

CIFC encourages founders to embed these measurable outcomes into their operations early on, viewing this not as a constraint, but as a “strategic advantage that strengthens resilience, trust, and long-term competitiveness”.

Dispelling misconceptions and attracting capital

Compared to more mature markets in the region, Cambodia remains at a foundational stage. However, this early stage creates a unique set of attractions for discerning investors.

Cambodia offers a rapidly growing digital economy, a young and dynamic workforce, improved infrastructure, and a business-friendly environment. Its early development stage creates significant room for experimentation, first movers, and rapid technology adoption.

Crucially for investors, startup valuations tend to be more attractive compared to those of regional peers, offering opportunities for those willing to engage at the grassroots level.

A common misconception held by foreign investors is that Cambodia lacks the necessary talent or ambition. CEO Tea is quick to counter this: “In reality, we see high-quality founders, many with international experience, developing products that show significant progress and clear potential to evolve toward regional standards.” While the ecosystem is young, its momentum is undeniable, and investors are starting to recognise this fundamental shift.

The ASEAN gateway

As ASEAN integration and capital mobility accelerate, Cambodia is strategically positioned to serve as a gateway or, more specifically, a flexible, fast-moving testing ground. Here, founders can validate solutions quickly and cost-effectively.

Also Read: Why it maybe the opportune time to consider Corporate Venture Capital

Sectors such as agri-innovation, logistics, healthtech, and AI-driven applications remain underpenetrated, generating substantial opportunities for impactful business models. With its improving infrastructure and young talent pool, Cambodia is attracting founders keen to test and refine solutions in a dynamic, fast-adapting market. Successful local models can then mature and create pathways for collaboration with regional partners.

CIFC is instrumental in supporting this regional ambition, assisting startups like Nham24 and BookMeBus, which are already scaling beyond national borders. Through Canadia Group’s networks and partnerships with regional corporates and global technology companies, the Fund helps founders connect across ASEAN, understand complex market-entry pathways, and facilitates access to specialised expertise in areas such as logistics, payments, engineering, and AI. The goal is to ensure Cambodian startups can engage confidently with regional ecosystems when the timing is appropriate.

Looking ahead five years, the aspiration is clear: for Cambodia to evolve from a peripheral market into a regional investment destination for institutional investors.

The desired headline for the future is: “Cambodia becomes one of ASEAN’s most dynamic emerging innovation hubs, as local startups strengthen their capabilities, and global investors increase their involvement”.

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Asia’s innovation landscape continues to accelerate as startups, SMEs, and ecosystem partners across the region push forward with new breakthroughs in fintech, AI, creative tech, property, and enterprise solutions. These achievements reflect not only the growing maturity of the region’s tech ecosystem but also the steady rise of founders who are building products with global relevance. Every milestone shared represents more than just progress. It signals validation, customer traction, investor confidence, and the collective drive to shape the future of technology in Asia.

Sharing your milestone on e27 is one of the simplest ways for companies to increase visibility among fellow founders, potential investors, and the broader innovation community. Milestones help startups communicate traction, demonstrate momentum, and stay top of mind within the ecosystem. By posting regularly, companies also increase their chances of being featured in our milestone roundups and listicles, just like those highlighted below.

Create your company profile: https://e27.co/startupprofile
Post your milestone: https://e27.co/milestone/post/

Also Read: Celebrating innovation and growth from startups, SMEs, and investors in Asia

Below is a roundup of the most recent milestones posted on e27.

• Unified Intelligence has entered the fintech space with a new on-device analytics proof of concept for a major Indonesian digital credit card platform. Building on its earlier ACL SDK deployment with MAPCLUB, the company is testing privacy-focused behavioural analytics that support smarter lending and better customer intelligence.
• LenderLink received strong recognition after winning Startup of the Year and Customer Experience Excellence at the 2025 KMC Startup Awards in Makati. Now in its third year, the program highlights founders and companies driving meaningful industry change in the Philippines.
• BespokeWearAI launched its AI-powered bridal preview platform built on its proprietary TrueForm AI. Brides can now visualise bespoke gown designs on themselves before ordering, bringing new possibilities to couture personalisation.
• Ambitionz introduced Cipher on Roblox, an AI platform that generates game-ready assets in minutes by thinking like a developer. Its early access program invites 3,000 creators and includes 3D generation, exports, and audio tools with a 90 per cent success rate.
• AgentHub Cambodia officially launched its AI-powered real estate platform in October 2025. It enhances listing management, buyer and seller matching, and cross-agent collaboration, signalling rapid digital modernisation in Cambodia’s property sector.
• Tashi Network closed an oversubscribed funding round led by Blockchain Founders Fund and Exponential Science Capital. The company is building the Coordination Layer for Intelligent Systems, a decentralised network enabling real-time synchronisation among AI agents, robots, and machines and already supported by more than 50,000 nodes.
• Wookco launched the Wookco Impact Loop, a loyalty program that turns travel activities into contributions toward environmental and social impact. It is a first for the OTA industry, blending customer rewards with measurable sustainability outcomes.
• HAOSHi Accelerator concluded its 2025 Demo Day 8, gathering more than 300 investors, founders, and ecosystem leaders. The program partnered with 17 startups from Taiwan, Japan, and Singapore working in agri tech, cold chain logistics, food tech, sustainable materials, and AI-driven restaurant solutions.
• Usetiful announced that it is now part of Fullstory, marking a significant step in its mission to help teams build more intuitive and meaningful digital experiences.
• Good Bards concluded its Llama Incubator Program at Meta APAC, joining over 30 startups in integrating Llama4 into its MarketingOS to enhance AI-driven marketing workflows.

These milestones highlight the creativity, resilience, and technical progress shaping Asia’s startup and SME landscape. Milestones on e27 help companies communicate traction, celebrate wins, and stay visible to the community. If you want your achievements featured in our next listicle, you can create your company profile and start posting updates today.

Create your company profile: https://e27.co/startupprofile
Post your milestone: https://e27.co/milestone/post/

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New analysis from leading consumer research firm Milieu Insight reveals that trust, reliability, and genuine value-adding enhancements are now the defining forces behind repeat purchases and long-term platform preference in Singapore, surpassing price alone.

This marks a decisive shift in shopper loyalty within the island’s mature e-commerce sector.

The findings, based on a study of online shoppers nationwide, provide critical insights for tech platforms operating across Southeast Asia, indicating that Singapore is emerging not just as a mature e-commerce market but as a model for trust-driven and value-based growth.

Accountability becomes a front-line metric

With nearly half of Singaporean consumers shopping online at least once a week, and one in ten doing so daily, expectations have evolved significantly as the market matures. Reliability has emerged as one of the strongest predictors of loyalty.

Also Read: Elevating your e-commerce strategies with livestreaming and hero products

The research found that 41 per cent of consumers consider trust in sellers or platforms a key factor when deciding where to shop. Moreover, over half of shoppers stated they would spend more with sellers who consistently provide reliable service and fast delivery.

Conversely, delivery performance has become a front-line differentiator. A significant 47 per cent of shoppers report they would actively avoid repurchasing after experiencing late, missing, or damaged orders.

This heightened expectation of accountability extends to the platforms themselves:

• 86 per cent of respondents believe e-commerce platforms should ensure their delivery partners adhere to high standards.
• 74 per cent prefer sellers who offer shipping that is fast, dependable, and cost-effective.

Furthermore, positive post-purchase experiences are crucial for reinforcing confidence. The study highlighted that 87 per cent of Singaporean shoppers were satisfied with their most recent return or refund, demonstrating that dependable after-sales support strengthens confidence and drives repeat engagement.

The integrity premium: Value beyond affordability

While affordability remains relevant, with 60 per cent of consumers citing discounts and free shipping as influences on their spending, actual value now incorporates transparency, service quality, and reliability.

Fairness and accountability are now central to how shoppers assess value. The data shows that 72 per cent of Singaporean shoppers prefer sellers that offer strong buyer protection and clear ratings.

Also Read: Vietnam leads SEA in e-commerce optimism despite regulatory frictions

Crucially, 43 per cent of consumers state they remain loyal even when prices are slightly higher, provided that platforms deliver clear policies and consistent service quality. This marks a shift where shoppers are swayed by the overall integrity and dependability of the experience, not solely by price.

When addressing fulfilment, delivery costs are cited by 57 per cent as the top area for improvement. The top three tenets of a good delivery experience are affordability (76 per cent), reliability (63 per cent), and flexibility of pick-up options (58 per cent). Hidden fees and unclear return terms, by contrast, quickly erode consumer trust.

Convenience and dependability are strong loyalty motivators, with easy returns (44 per cent) and one-click checkout (32 per cent) ranking highly for driving repeat purchases. Value-added benefits, such as loyalty points, vouchers, and subscription perks, are also key differentiators, cited by 30 per cent of consumers as influential in their purchasing decisions.

Practical innovation drives future loyalty

The study suggests that future innovation will be defined by practicality and purpose rather than novelty. Singaporean consumers favour tools that enhance control, simplify processes, and reassure them.

While emerging features are still gaining traction, they are already showing early signs of influence: chat support (16 per cent) and AI-powered tools (11 per cent) are slowly becoming influential.

Engagement with new features is particularly pronounced among younger digital natives (18–34-year-olds), with 38 per cent engaging with livestream shopping and 24 per cent interacting with AI-powered recommendations. These interactions are driving repeat engagement: 17 per cent of all shoppers are more likely to repurchase from sellers offering interactive tools, a figure that rises to one in five among younger consumers.

Juda Kanaprach, co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer at Milieu Insight, summarised the findings: “Singaporean consumers have raised the bar for what good e-commerce should look like. Today, trust, fairness, and clear accountability matter just as much as price.”

Also Read: High adoption, high rewards: AI could push regional e-commerce GMV past US$540B

He added that this represents a “fundamental shift: platforms are no longer judged only on promotions, but on the consistency and integrity of the experience they deliver”.

For e-commerce platforms, the message is clear: innovation rooted in trust, reliability, and real consumer value will define the next phase of e-commerce in Singapore. As Singapore’s shoppers continue to set higher expectations, they are helping define the region’s future standards for service-led digital commerce.

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In the evolving landscape of urban mobility, autonomous vehicles are emerging as a key solution to congestion, sustainability, and accessibility challenges. Estonia-based Auve Tech is at the forefront of this shift, developing level-four autonomous shuttles designed to bridge the gap between public transport stations and passengers’ destinations.

In a recent visit to the company’s headquarters in Tallinn, e27 spoke to Taavi Rõivas, ex-prime minister of Estonia and chairman of the board at Auve Tech. He explained how the company is leveraging the latest technology to create safer and more efficient transport solutions.

It began with understanding how the rapid increase in global car ownership poses significant environmental and infrastructural challenges. “Globally, we have 1.5 billion passenger vehicles,” Rõivas noted.

In Europe and the US, there are three cars for every four people, and if the rest of the world were to match this ratio, the total number of vehicles would need to increase to six billion. “Coming from Singapore, you understand very clearly that there is not enough room for the cars in traffic,” he said, highlighting the need for alternative transport solutions.

Public transport remains a fundamental solution, but traditional systems have limitations. “Public transport doesn’t take you where you want to go, but where the city planners have put the stations,” Rõivas explained.

Autonomous shuttles address this last-mile connectivity problem, offering a flexible and efficient way to reach final destinations from bus or train stations.

Also Read: Electrifying Southeast Asia: Unleashing the radical potential of electric vehicles

Technology and safety first

During our visit to the company’s headquarters, e27 sat in one of the Auve Tech shuttles and experienced riding in a residential area. The vehicle moved smoothly and was able to take turns without any issues.

Auve Tech has prioritised safety in its autonomous vehicle design. Unlike many companies, which adapt existing cars for autonomous use, Auve Tech builds its shuttles from the ground up.

“Building a vehicle to be autonomous allows us to do things that improve safety considerably. We can have doubled braking sensors, double steering controllers—critical infrastructure is at least double from the beginning, which means that the vehicle is a lot safer,” Rõivas said.

The company has achieved level-four autonomy in selected use cases, meaning the shuttles can operate without a safety driver under specific conditions.

“We have already received certification in Japan to drive without a safety operator,” Rõivas stated, although many other countries still require a human operator due to regulatory constraints.

Operating at a maximum speed of 40 km/h, the shuttles are not designed for long-distance travel but for efficient, short-range urban trips. “Technology is capable of driving much faster autonomously, but the faster you go, the higher the risks, and regulators around the world don’t want to take that chance,” he explained.

Auve Tech is actively expanding its footprint beyond Estonia. The company has secured projects in Finland, and its first commercial deal in the Middle East is underway with Masdar City, an innovation hub in Abu Dhabi.

“We just got the license plates in Florida,” Rõivas added, indicating their expansion into the US market.

Additionally, the company has found success in Japan, where the government is keen to adopt autonomous transportation solutions in ageing rural communities. “There are a lot of people aged 90-plus who do not drive themselves, and there just are not enough bus drivers,” he noted.

Singapore has also been on Auve Tech’s radar. “Singapore is one of the first, if not the first, countries in the world that has introduced a strategic plan for implementing autonomous driving,” Rõivas said.

Also Read: Clearbot maps and cleans the ocean using autonomous underwater vehicles

However, bringing the shuttles to Singapore requires significant preparation. “It probably takes us half a year of preparation. We need to bring at least one vehicle there and test it before we can start commercial operations. So for us, it is a matter of resource allocation.”

As part of its push towards sustainable transport, Auve Tech has also developed the world’s first hydrogen-powered autonomous shuttle.

“Hydrogen is also electric—the engine is still electric, but the electricity is created by hydrogen. We built the prototype three years ago, and it is fully functional,” Rõivas stated.

While electric vehicles remain dominant, hydrogen-powered solutions offer an alternative, particularly for regions seeking cleaner energy sources.

Future prospects

Despite technological advancements, regulations remain a significant barrier to widespread adoption. “The greatest barrier currently is the legal requirement to have a safety operator on board,” Rõivas said.

However, he anticipates that in “probably two years’ time,” more countries will allow fully autonomous operations, as seen in Japan.

Looking ahead, Auve Tech is set to launch a renewed shuttle model with enhanced autonomous capabilities. “This year, our main go-to markets are the Middle East and the US,” Rõivas revealed.

With regulatory landscapes evolving and cities increasingly seeking sustainable transport alternatives, the role of autonomous shuttles in global mobility is poised for rapid growth.

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Founder conflict has long been recognised as one of the top reasons startups fail. But in 2025, conflict is no longer the primary threat. Misalignment is.

Unlike conflict, which is loud, visible, and quickly addressed, misalignment is subtle. It emerges slowly: In priorities that no longer match, in decisions that create friction, in conversations that feel increasingly transactional. And the danger is that in today’s AI-accelerated operating environment, misalignment is easier than ever to overlook.

AI has automated the tasks, streamlined the workflows, and stabilised operations to the point where companies can appear perfectly functional, even when the founders are no longer building from the same place.

This dynamic is far more common than the ecosystem admits.

The drift: When founders grow, but not in the same direction

Having built multiple companies, I’ve seen how quickly alignment can shift even in partnerships that began with absolute clarity. The drift rarely comes from a single disagreement. It starts with micro-fractures:

• One founder is losing enthusiasm.
• Different interpretations of the future.
• Uneven emotional investment.
• Unspoken concerns about direction or focus.
• Misaligned expectations around roles or contribution.

Individually, none of these seems alarming. Collectively, they create a slow erosion of trust, motivation, and leadership coherence.

Most founders assume alignment is “set at the beginning.” But alignment is not static. It evolves, and without conscious recalibration, it deteriorates.

Also Read: The hustle’s toll: Why some of Southeast Asia’s brightest founders are stepping back

Why misalignment is more dangerous than conflict

Conflict forces a conversation. Misalignment avoids it.

When something feels off but not urgent, founders tend to deprioritise the check-in. Work continues. Deliverables move. The business looks healthy. And yet, momentum begins to decline in ways that are not easily measurable:

• Decisions take longer.
• Meetings feel heavier.
• Strategic clarity weakens.
• Founders retreat into their own domains.
• Culture becomes fragmented.

Profitability can even mask the issue. A company can be financially strong while internally stagnant.

That’s why misalignment is more insidious than conflict: It doesn’t feel like a problem until it becomes irreversible.

The AI paradox: Automation makes misalignment easy to ignore

One of the biggest shifts in founder dynamics today is the role of AI. AI has improved operational efficiency to the point where founders can run parallel workflows without real alignment.

This creates the AI Paradox: AI reduces friction, but also reduces communication.

Tasks get completed without discussion. Updates get automated. Politeness is maintained through templated responses. Execution continues without emotional engagement.

AI helps founders function, even when they’re fundamentally drifting apart.

This is operationally convenient, but strategically dangerous.

Left unchecked, AI can unintentionally amplify misalignment by keeping the company moving while the partnership weakens beneath the surface.

Founders need to recognise this as a new risk factor: AI accelerates execution, not alignment.

Purpose, motivation, vision, and partnership health remain fully human responsibilities.

The strategic cost of misalignment

When founders are misaligned, the company experiences a series of predictable consequences:

• Direction becomes inconsistent. Product, marketing, and sales teams receive mixed signals.
• Decision-making slows. Each choice requires more negotiation, more alignment, more explanation.
• Leadership energy declines. When founders are unaligned, their conviction dilutes across the team.
• Culture destabilises. Employees pick up on tension long before founders acknowledge it.
• Growth stagnates. Companies stuck in alignment drift stop scaling, even if metrics look stable.

From a venture perspective, misalignment is one of the most underestimated internal risks.

Also Read: Hiring for hypergrowth? Here’s what founders keep getting wrong

A framework for realigning founder partnerships in an AI-driven era

To make alignment practical — not philosophical — founders need a structured approach. Here’s a model that I strongly recommend:

• Quarterly alignment audit

Three essential questions:

• Are we still building toward the same vision?
• Do our priorities match the next phase of growth?
• Are both founders equally motivated and empowered?

If any answer is unclear, the partnership needs recalibration.

• Clarify motivational drivers

Founders differ. Some prioritise innovation, others stability, others ownership, others scaling. Motivations must be explicit, not assumed.

• Define Non-Negotiables

Both founders should articulate:

• What they need.
• What they expect.
• What they cannot compromise on.

• This creates alignment guardrails.

Ensure communication is not just “heard” but understood

Acknowledgement (“got it”) is not alignment. Understanding requires reflection, synthesis, and shared interpretation.

• Use AI as a diagnostic tool, not a replacement for difficult conversations

AI can highlight sentiment shifts, operational imbalance, or workload discrepancies. But founders must handle the alignment conversation themselves.

What founders should remember

Alignment is not a sentimental concept — it is strategic infrastructure. In a market where AI has made execution faster and founder bandwidth thinner, alignment is no longer a soft skill. It is a competitive advantage.

Companies don’t lose momentum because their models stop working. They lose momentum because their founders stop building in the same direction.

Misalignment does not announce itself. Founders need to make alignment a practice.

Because AI can automate the work, only aligned founders can build the future.

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Singapore ranks among the most heavily monitored workplaces in the world, with new data indicating a growing concern over artificial intelligence (AI) and increased surveillance across offices, hybrid setups, and digital work tools.

According to ADP’s People at Work 2025 report, 41 per cent of employees in the island nation say they feel constantly monitored, placing the country fifth globally among 34 markets surveyed. Only Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, and India reported higher levels of workplace surveillance.

Also Read: The future is skills, not jobs

ADP’s findings suggest a growing connection between employee stress and the expansion of AI-driven or digital monitoring tools, which are increasingly integrated into HR systems and productivity platforms.

Workers feeling watched and worn down

Singapore’s figure is nine percentage points above the global average, underscoring how local employees are facing stronger pressure around productivity tracking and hybrid work accountability.

Globally, ADP found that workers who feel constantly monitored are:

• Four times more likely to be among the least productive
• Three times more likely to report stress

This mirrors concerns across several Southeast Asian markets, where rapid digitalisation and performance technologies are reshaping how employees perceive workplace fairness and privacy.

AI uncertainty rising, especially among younger workers

Beyond surveillance, the report highlights growing unease about the role of AI in shaping future jobs.

In Singapore:

• 19 per cent of workers say they are unsure how AI will affect their roles
• This is nine percentage points above the Asia-Pacific average

Knowledge workers — including programmers, academics, and creative professionals — reported the highest anxiety levels, approximately twice that of skilled task workers.

Younger adults aged 18 to 26 were the most unsettled age group, with 23 per cent expressing concern that AI may alter or threaten their future roles.

Trust becoming a key business factor

Jessica Zhang, Senior Vice President, ADP APAC, said organisations must rethink how they introduce new technologies. “Technology and talent are evolving in tandem and the rise of AI and hybrid work is redefining how employees experience trust, purpose, and productivity.”

Also Read: Surviving a recession: How to navigate layoffs and come out stronger

“To navigate this new landscape, organisations must deploy AI and other workplace tools responsibly – ensuring they support rather than strain the workforce. When businesses align digital transformation with clear communications and employee wellbeing, they build stronger trust, engagement, and sustainable performance,” she added.

Zhang’s comments reflect the growing calls across industries for clearer governance of employee data collection and the responsible use of monitoring technologies.

Why this matters to Southeast Asia

The report’s findings come as Southeast Asian companies rapidly integrate AI into workflows, from customer service automation to internal analytics. At the same time, hybrid work models have pushed employers to adopt tighter digital oversight for attendance, productivity, and compliance.

For Singapore, a regional hub for knowledge work and tech talent, the tension between innovation and worker wellbeing is becoming a central issue for employers navigating digital transformation.

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Malaysia-based cybersecurity firm ArmourZero has secured an undisclosed strategic angel investment from YTM Colonel (H) Tunku Syed Razman Ibni Tunku Syed Idrus Al Qadri.

Razman, who chairs the Malaysia-Saudi Arabia Business Council, is known for his experience in cross-border partnerships across Asia and the Middle East. The company stated that the investment will enable it to expand into markets in ASEAN, North Asia, and West Asia, where cybersecurity risks are escalating alongside the rapid adoption of AI.

Also Read: Embracing unity: A celebration of diversity and inclusion at ArmourZero

Razman’s involvement will support its plans to grow in markets prioritising digital resilience.

AI-generated code is speeding development and introducing new risks

AI is now embedded in mainstream software development. According to ArmourZero, 84 per cent of developers use AI-generated code, nicknamed “vibe coding”, to speed up development cycles. But this acceleration is also creating new security challenges.

A 2025 study by Schreiber & Tippe, which examined 7,703 AI-generated code files, identified more than 4,200 distinct vulnerabilities across 77 types of weaknesses. Python-based code showed the highest exposure, with vulnerability rates reaching 18 per cent.

These findings suggest that as AI tools generate more production code, the risk of exploitable flaws being introduced into software systems increases significantly.

AI also reduces breach costs — when used defensively

At the same time, AI offers meaningful defensive benefits. IBM’s 2025 Cost of a Data Breach Report found that organisations using AI and automation in their security operations reduced average breach costs by up to US$1.9 million compared to companies that did not.

This widening gap between AI-driven vulnerabilities and AI-enabled defence explains why the cybersecurity industry is under pressure to modernise its tooling.

Co-founded in 2022 by cybersecurity expert Tho Kit Hoong and tech innovator Chong Wai Lun, ArmourZero positions itself as an automated vulnerability management (AVM) platform.

The platform provides real-time vulnerability discovery across applications, web domains, and cloud infrastructures. It provides AI to accelerate remediation through intelligent suggestions and advanced false-positive detection. This enables the software developer teams, risk teams, and cybersecurity teams to collaborate closely, focus on genuine threats and resolve them more efficiently.

Also Read: Cybersecurity in the AI age: How startups can stay ahead

ArmourZero plans to launch an API security solution this month. The firm says the tool will automatically detect and remediate API-related vulnerabilities — a category increasingly viewed as one of the most common and costly sources of breach incidents.

In February this year, Gobi Partners announced an undisclosed strategic investment in ArmourZero, a cloud-based cybersecurity platform based in Malaysia.

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Over the past 24 hours, the crypto market shed 3.51 per cent, extending a punishing 13 per cent weekly decline driven by a confluence of macroeconomic headwinds, cascading derivatives liquidations, and a dramatic collapse in trader sentiment. This sell-off exemplifies how tightly interwoven crypto has become with traditional financial systems, particularly as correlations with equities have deepened to levels not seen in months.

Monday’s performance in US equities underscored this linkage, with the Dow Jones falling 1.18 per cent, the S&P 500 down 0.92 per cent, and the Nasdaq slipping 0.84 per cent, as technology stocks led the retreat. These losses emerged alongside diminishing expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut in December, which had previously provided some support to risk assets. The recalibration of Fed expectations followed strong US economic data, which reinforced concerns about persistent inflation and delayed the anticipated pivot toward monetary easing.

The shifting macroeconomic landscape was further reflected in movements across fixed-income and foreign exchange markets. The 10-year US Treasury yield declined modestly by 1.0 basis point to settle at 4.139 per cent, while the two-year yield edged higher by 0.4 basis points to 3.610 per cent, signalling a slight flattening of the yield curve. Meanwhile, the US Dollar Index gained 0.29 per cent to close at 99.588, adding pressure on non-dollar assets.

Gold, often viewed as a safe haven, dropped 1.0 per cent to US$4044.96 per ounce, weighed down by both the stronger dollar and receding hopes for near-term rate cuts, which typically support precious metals by lowering opportunity costs. In energy markets, Brent crude settled slightly lower at US$64.20 per barrel, recovering marginally as loadings resumed at Russia’s Novorossiysk export terminal following a brief suspension caused by a Ukrainian drone strike. Across Asia, equities finished the session mixed but turned lower in early Tuesday trading, though US index futures pointed to a modest recovery at the open, suggesting some short-term stabilisation may be on the horizon.

Also Read: ArmourZero raises strategic capital to scale automated vulnerability management across Asia

The crypto downturn lies a powerful macro risk-off dynamic that has pulled digital assets into the same downdraft affecting equities. Over the past 24 hours, Bitcoin’s price correlation with the S&P 500 surged to 0.95, its highest since June 2025. This near-perfect synchronisation underscores how traders increasingly treat crypto not as an uncorrelated alternative asset but as a high-beta extension of the broader risk spectrum. The catalyst for this shift came from revised market pricing around Federal Reserve policy. Stronger-than-expected economic indicators have tempered expectations for a December rate cut, pushing the implied probability lower and driving the 10-year Treasury yield up by 14 basis points over recent sessions.

This tightening of financial conditions has hit speculative assets especially hard. Bitcoin’s breach below the psychologically critical US$91,500 level triggered a wave of algorithmic stop-loss orders, accelerating the decline and dragging down major altcoins such as Solana and Cardano, which posted weekly losses of 21.7 per cent and 22.4 per cent, respectively. The market now awaits pivotal upcoming events, the release of the November 20 Fed meeting minutes, and Nvidia’s earnings report on November 21, for further directional cues. Any sign of continued economic resilience or hawkish Fed rhetoric could prolong risk aversion.

Compounding the macro pressure, a violent unwind in crypto derivatives markets has magnified losses through forced liquidations. Trading volume in perpetual futures contracts spiked by 45.6 per cent to an astonishing US$423 trillion over 24 hours, reflecting frantic hedging and position adjustments. Simultaneously, total open interest in the derivatives market fell by 7.4 per cent, now standing at US$787 billion, down 8.4 per cent in a single day. This contraction signals a rapid deleveraging as overextended positions were forcibly closed. Options markets mirrored this bearish sentiment, with US$740 million in put options placed targeting a Bitcoin price of US$90,000 and Ethereum at US$2,800.

Funding rates for major altcoins also turned negative, with the average rate dipping to minus 0.0019775, which disincentivises holding long positions and encourages further shorting. This feedback loop of rising volatility, liquidations, and negative funding creates a self-reinforcing cycle that can deepen sell-offs beyond what fundamentals alone would justify. Market participants now watch open interest closely, as a continued decline could signal capitulation, potentially setting the stage for a relief rally once leverage is sufficiently purged.

Also Read: Two in five Singapore employees feel watched at work; AI fears intensify

Perhaps most telling is the collapse in market psychology, captured starkly by the Crypto Fear & Greed Index, which plunged to 15, entering “Extreme Fear” territory. This marks the lowest reading since March 2025, a period that ultimately coincided with a market bottom when Bitcoin found support near US$76,000. Retail investors, overwhelmed by the speed and severity of the decline, have fled to the perceived safety of stablecoins, pushing Tether’s dominance to 7.2 per cent, a 30-day high. Social sentiment has turned sharply negative, with average daily scores falling to 4.29 out of 10, and viral commentary reflecting deep pessimism toward even leading altcoins.

Phrases like “Solana’s fuel is running out” have gained traction, illustrating how quickly narrative momentum can reverse in stressed markets. Historically, sustained readings below 20 on the Fear & Greed Index have often preceded short-term bounces, as excessive fear creates oversold conditions ripe for contrarian positioning. However, such rebounds typically require a catalyst, and in the current environment, that catalyst remains uncertain.

Technically, Bitcoin’s daily RSI has plummeted to 9.05, a level that suggests extreme oversold conditions rarely seen outside major market dislocations. This raises the possibility of a reflexive bounce, particularly if macro conditions stabilise or if institutional buyers step in near key support levels. El Salvador recently deployed over US$100 million in purchases at the US$90,000 level, suggesting strong hands view this zone as a strategic entry point. Whether Bitcoin can hold this critical threshold in the face of ongoing liquidations and macro uncertainty will likely determine near-term market direction.

In summary, the current crypto sell-off is not an isolated event, but rather part of a broader reassessment of risk across global markets. It reflects the convergence of three powerful forces: a macro regime shift driven by sticky inflation and delayed monetary easing, a violent derivatives-driven deleveraging, and a collapse in market sentiment that has pushed fear to multi-month extremes.

While technical indicators hint at potential exhaustion, any sustainable recovery will depend on a stabilisation in equity markets, a reduction in liquidation pressure, and a recalibration of Fed expectations. Until then, the path of least resistance for crypto remains downward, with US$90,000 standing as the last line of defence before deeper levels come into play.

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The profile of the strategic acquirer has shifted dramatically, and Southeast Asian founders can no longer rely on the old playbook for liquidity. What once centred on corporate fit and market synergies has evolved into a far more complex landscape shaped by national security agendas, geopolitical realignments, and the growing influence of sovereign wealth funds (SWFs).

RETVRN Research’s State of Exits 2025 captures this change with startling clarity. SWFs—no longer content with passive LP roles—have become aggressive direct acquirers of critical technologies. Their deployment of US$47B into tech deals in 2024 underscores a structural change: exits are now influenced as much by state strategy as by commercial logic. Singapore and the Middle East, in particular, are emerging as dominant liquidity providers targeting semiconductors, AI, and data infrastructure.

For SEA startups, this creates both opportunity and pressure. Winning the attention of sovereign-linked acquirers requires building truly strategic capabilities—not nice-to-have features. AI, cybersecurity, climate tech, and data infrastructure now form the core of corporate and sovereign mandates.

But the biggest hurdle may be regulation. CFIUS reviews, GDPR penalties, China’s VIE limitations, and the UK’s National Security Act all create costly delays and valuation drag. In this new era, legal and IP readiness is not paperwork; it is survival.

REGIONAL

Two in five Singapore employees feel watched at work: AI fears intensify: Singapore ranks fifth globally for workplace monitoring, with younger and knowledge workers reporting the highest anxiety over AI’s impact on future roles. Only Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, and India reported higher levels of workplace surveillance.

SGX to launch bitcoin, ether perpetual futures on November 24: The offering will be accessible to accredited and institutional investors through SGX’s derivatives platform. Perpetual futures let traders speculate on asset prices without expiry and are known for high leverage and continuous trading.

Malaysia’s FeedMe nets US$5M to expand restaurant software business: Investors include Integra Partners and Cento Ventures. FeedMe provides an all-in-one system for restaurant operations, including PoS, delivery integrations, e-invoicing, QR ordering, queue management, and payments.

Ex-Grab exec’s Tashi Network bags funding to kill AI’s centralisation problem: Investors include Blockchain Founders Fund and Exponential Science Capital. Tashi develops distributed consensus technology replacing centralised systems, supporting real-time machine coordination and preparing for a token launch on Solana.

ArmourZero raises strategic capital to scale automated vulnerability management across Asia: The investor is YTM Colonel (H) Tunku Syed Razman Ibni Tunku Syed Idrus Al Qadri. With AI creating thousands of code flaws, ArmourZero gains a new backer to strengthen regional defences and launch advanced security tools.

Grab, StraitsX partner on Web3 wallet, stablecoin settlements: The partnership will look into integrating Web3 wallets into the Grab app, and allowing stablecoin settlement for payments in participating Asian markets. If developed, this could let Grab users hold and transact with stablecoins such as XSGD and XUSD.

Aspire launches AI-driven platform to boost digital banking: The Singapore-based company said AspireOS offers modular tools for onboarding, payments, credit, and accounting, using AI to automate workflows without requiring a core system overhaul.

REPORTS, FEATURES & INTERVIEWS

Exits have changed forever; sovereign wealth funds are now in the driver’s seat: State-led capital now deploys US$47B into direct tech acquisitions, bypassing traditional VC roles and targeting semiconductors, AI, and strategic infrastructure.

Winners in a winter: AI and biotech defy exit downcycle: AI and biotech outperform the market, achieving premium valuations and faster exits as liquidity tightens and acquirers prioritise foundational technologies.

Beyond the buzz: 15 ground-level startups solving real problems in the Philippines (Part 1): A look at 15 Philippine startups building practical, problem-first solutions across fintech, health, climate, and digital commerce—signalling a maturing tech ecosystem.

INTERNATIONAL

Byju’s founder accused of using US$533M for personal gain: Byju’s Alpha, a US special purpose vehicle set up by Byju Raveendran and affiliates, allegedly moved the funds through UK-based OCI Limited, according to a filing in the Delaware Bankruptcy Court.

Leaked docs show OpenAI paid Microsoft US$866M in 2025 revenue share: Based on the reported 20% revenue-share, estimates suggest OpenAI’s revenue was at least US$2.5B in 2024 and US$4.3B in the first nine months of 2025, though some reports put the figures higher.

Hacker behind Obama X breach ordered to return US$5.4M in bitcoin: Joseph James O’Connor pleaded guilty in the US to charges including computer intrusion, wire fraud, and extortion, and was sentenced to five years in prison in 2023. The July 2020 attack compromised accounts belonging to Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffett.

Taiwan warns on DeepSeek, other Chinese AI apps over security, bias: The country reviewed Deepseek, Doubao, Yiyan, Tongyi, and Yuanbao for issues across categories including data collection, permissions, and biometric access. All five apps were found to violate multiple security indicators.

SEMICONDUCTOR

GlobalFoundries buys SG semiconductor firm AMF to expand AI portfolio: GlobalFoundries plans to leverage AMF’s 200mm manufacturing platform in Singapore and scale to 300mm production as demand grows. It will also set up a silicon photonics research centre in the island in partnership with the A*STAR.

SoftBank’s US$6.5B deal for US chip firm Ampere gets FTC nod: SoftBank, based in Japan, announced the all-cash purchase of Ampere, a US company that designs server processors used in data centres, in March. According to Bloomberg, the FTC had previously opened an in-depth investigation of the transaction.

GMI Cloud to build US$500M AI data centre with Nvidia chips: GMI Cloud is a US-based provider of GPU infrastructure and AI services. The new facility is designed to support large-scale AI model training and deployment for enterprises, and is expected to process close to 2M tokens per second.

AI

Indonesia reports US$465.6M in financial losses to AI scams: The most common methods involve criminals using AI to mimic victims’ voices and faces, often impersonating family or friends to trick people into sending money. As of August 2025, the market regulator OJK received 70K+ reports of AI-related scams.

Why AI is essential to understanding consumer behaviour for marketing success in 2025: Despite vast digital data, many brands still fail to understand consumer behaviour. AI-driven insights now separate successful marketers from those chasing vanity metrics without improving revenue or customer loyalty.

From uncertainty to action: Power of AI and digital shaping deal strategies in turbulent times: Despite global trade volatility, Asia-Pacific CEOs remain highly optimistic about AI-driven transformation, with rising M&A interest as companies pursue digital capabilities, restructure supply chains, and build resilience.

The hidden barrier to AI sustainability: Why clean data matters: As AI adoption accelerates across Asia Pacific, energy use is soaring. Sustainable AI now depends on data efficiency—cleaning, minimising, and optimising data to reduce emissions, improve performance, and support responsible large-scale deployment.

AI and cybersecurity in healthcare: Building resilience for better patient care: There is no disputing that technology’s ability to streamline operational efficiency would be a welcome boon to Singapore’s healthcare industry, which faces the need to grow its workforce to 82,000 by 2030. AI can help by increasing operational efficiency.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

The treachery of good advice: What I learned about leading and letting go: Great leaders don’t wait for advice; they establish quantitative feedback loops. You shouldn’t need a random person to tell you your product is slipping; your data should scream it.

Coded in your DNA: How Singapore can help avert a global data storage crisis: Our current methods of storing all this data are not sustainable, for several reasons. Most digital archives are now stored on magnetic and optical data storage systems, but we will run out of the materials used to produce these in less than a century if that.

Are social sellers missing an important piece of the data puzzle?: Having worked with several brands and influencers through the pandemic, the author observes that many enabling solutions for social commerce do not focus enough on data consolidation, which is crucial for automated marketing efforts.

From grid to code: Why good cybersecurity will help deliver net zero:
Energy infrastructure cyber disruptions will be a significant risk factor in the future, so we must be thinking about the solutions today. Energy infrastructure is the backbone of economies and societies, and regrettably, it is already the target of frequent cyberattacks.

How early-stage deeptech startups can attract and retain the right talent: While early-stage startups may not have the luxury of offering huge salaries, it is still important to ensure adequate and fair compensation aligned with industry standards. Founders can offer equity plans to help cushion the cash flow.

Europe’s tech Thoroughbreds: A collaborative future with Asia’s investors: Spotify, Klarna and Revolut have demonstrated that it is possible to grow unicorns, decacorns and even centicorns from Europe. Now, a new generation of European tech companies, which we call ‘Thoroughbreds’ and ‘Colts’, is ready to repeat that success.

The startups that will thrive are the ones that collaborate with purpose: Partnerships are becoming strategic architecture. Not just a way to expand reach, but a way to expand capability. The strongest ecosystems today are built not on speed, but on shared intelligence, shared conviction, and shared responsibility.

The 2026 horizon: What will define D2C in Asia-Pacific: In 2026, the most significant shift we’ll see is the evolution towards the ambient, AI-powered shopper — a consumer who expects brands to anticipate their needs before they even articulate them.

Why Singapore could be the global creative industry’s best-kept secret: Singapore’s creative sector has global potential, with bilingual talent and strong systems poised to transform local capabilities into worldwide impact.

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As data centres become the core of the AI economy, their greatest constraint is no longer compute, it’s power. For investors, founders, and operators in Southeast Asia, this convergence of artificial intelligence and energy presents both a bottleneck and a generational opportunity. This is our view from The Radical Fund: the next frontier of digital progress will come from climate-aligned infrastructure that fuses intelligence with power.

Over the following sections, we explore:

• The challenge: How exponential data and compute demand are colliding with the physical limits of energy systems
• The shift: Why efficiency alone is no longer enough, and how system-level innovation is reshaping the data centre model
• The regional lens: Why Southeast Asia, with billions in FDI and a fast-digitising economy, is uniquely positioned to lead this transition
• The opportunity: Where investors and founders can enable scalable solutions in cooling, compute, energy integration, and grid resilience

Digital abundance meets physical constraint

Artificial intelligence is redefining the boundaries of computation, data, and productivity. Yet behind every model, every query, and every algorithm sits a data centre consuming colossal amounts of power. Global data centre demand is projected to more than double by 2030, rivaling Japan’s total annual electricity use. The infrastructure built to enable the digital economy is colliding with the physical limits of energy systems that were designed for a different century.

Energy has become the new bottleneck of AI progress, the physical constraint in a digital race. Hyperscale facilities that power today’s cloud and AI workloads already account for roughly 1.5 per cent of global electricity consumption. This share is growing quickly as AI training and inference workloads multiply.

Nowhere is this constraint more visible than in Southeast Asia. The region is witnessing a surge of digital activity and foreign direct investment into hyperscale data centres. Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines are positioning themselves as new digital gateways. Malaysia alone has announced more than MYR 99 billion, or US$23 billion, in planned data centre investments since 2023. Indonesia and the Philippines are following closely behind. Yet the regional grid remains fossil-heavy, underinvested, and unevenly modernised.

Also Read: Energy business, the engine of sustainable global transition

The world’s most advanced computation networks are running on infrastructure built for another era. Without rapid innovation at the intersection of energy and intelligence, the very systems driving the AI revolution could face their own energy ceiling.

The energy makeup of intelligence

A modern data centre is, in essence, a miniature energy ecosystem, with roughly 40 per cent of total energy use going to compute, and another 40 per cent to cooling. Both are rising sharply as high-performance GPUs replace traditional CPUs and as AI workloads scale.

Each hyperscale facility now draws as much power as a small city. Johor, Malaysia’s emerging AI hub, could account for nearly 30 per cent of national power consumption by 2030 if all planned capacity comes online. The concentration of demand is staggering.

Power Usage Effectiveness, or PUE, has long been the industry’s benchmark for efficiency. A perfect score of 1.0 means every watt powers computation alone. Yet even the most advanced facilities, with PUE ratios near 1.1, face a bigger challenge: total power demand is compounding at double-digit rates. Incremental improvements can no longer offset exponential growth. The conversation must shift from energy saving to system redesign.

This is not just a sustainability issue. It is an economic one. Energy costs account for between 30 per cent – 50 per cent of total data centre operating expenses. As power tariffs rise and emissions rules tighten, energy strategy becomes synonymous with business strategy.

The required system-level shift from efficiency to integration

The data centre industry has long approached sustainability as a collection of independent problems: efficiency on one side, compute on another, and grid supply somewhere outside the fence. That era is ending. The next generation of digital infrastructure will be designed as an integrated system, where power, heat, and compute flow dynamically across the same operational stack.

Southeast Asia offers fertile ground for this transformation. In Singapore and Malaysia, operators are testing liquid and immersion cooling systems capable of handling the extreme thermal densities of AI chips. These technologies replace traditional air-conditioning with precision systems that use water or non-conductive liquids to extract heat directly from processors. In a region where temperatures are high and land is scarce, the shift from air to liquid cooling can reduce cooling energy use by roughly a third, according to industry benchmarks, while freeing up space for more compute.

Integration extends beyond cooling. Graywater recycling and waste-heat recovery are becoming viable in data parks connected to urban industrial clusters. In Singapore, treated wastewater already accounts for over 40 per cent of the national supply, setting a foundation model for closed-loop cooling systems. In cooler regions such as Europe, wasted data centre heat is being reused in district heating systems. In time, Southeast Asia may find its own circular approaches suited to tropical climates and water scarcity.

The most significant leap will come from software addressing incompatible systems. Digital twins and real-time analytics platforms are emerging to orchestrate infrastructure dynamically, predicting load shifts, adjusting cooling, and optimising power flows without new hardware. This software-defined approach blurs the line between IT and energy operations, creating adaptive, self-optimising systems. Efficiency becomes not a fixed objective but a continuous function.

Energy independence as a strategy

Even as integration advances, the grid itself is becoming a constraint. Across Asia, grid connection delays now exceed data centre build times. In hotspots like Johor and Batam, connection queues stretch for years. Meanwhile, fossil price volatility, emission caps, and renewable intermittency have made energy planning both more complex and more strategic.

Forward-looking operators are responding with on-site generation and storage, together with hybrid power models that provide autonomy and resilience:

• Co-located solar and battery systems that offset daytime load and stabilise supply;
• Hydrogen-ready microgrids that future-proof against fossil fuel volatility; and
• Small modular reactors (SMRs) are being explored for stable, round-the-clock baseload power.

These models reduce exposure to fossil volatility and regulatory tightening, providing the ability to stay online when the grid cannot.

Energy independence is fast becoming a driver of valuation. Facilities that adhere to renewable integration standards, interconnection requirements, and carbon-reduction mandates face lower operational risk and, therefore, lower weighted average cost of capital. For investors, this translates into higher exit multiples. What began as environmental compliance is now a form of financial resilience.

The narrative is evolving from green compliance to energy resilience, from sustainability as an obligation to sustainability as a competitive advantage. The AI revolution will not be won in the cloud, but in the power grid that sustains it.

Also Read: The shifting geopolitics of sustainability, energy, and climate

The new asset class: AI-ready infrastructure

A new category of infrastructure is emerging, one that is intelligent, efficient, and sovereign. Energy-smart data centres will define the 2030s, and the convergence of compute, energy, and regulation will shape not only the digital economy but also national competitiveness.

Southeast Asia is already becoming a stage for this transformation. Singapore remains the premium ESG benchmark, but with limited land and water, it is guiding regional standards rather than expanding capacity. Malaysia has seized the opportunity, attracting a wave of investment from global hyperscalers. Indonesia is rising fast, driven by its massive population and government incentives. The Philippines and Vietnam are catching up as connectivity improves.

This FDI surge is more than a capital inflow. It signals a strategic repositioning. Nations are competing not just to host data but to control the digital-physical nexus of energy and computation. The outcome will determine who captures the value created by the AI economy.

Investors, policymakers, and builders are no longer operating in silos. They are co-designing an ecosystem where energy efficiency, grid intelligence, and data sovereignty intersect. For capital allocators, this presents a generational opportunity: to fund the foundations of an AI-ready, climate-aligned digital economy.

The next decade

The next decade will test whether the world can reconcile digital expansion with environmental limits. The AI era is not merely a software story; it is an energy story. Without reinvention at the infrastructure level, capacity, cost, and carbon will become binding constraints on innovation.

Southeast Asia stands at the forefront of this challenge. Its economies are growing rapidly, its populations are digital-first, and its geography places it at the crossroads of East and West. Yet its energy systems remain among the most carbon-intensive. Bridging that gap requires imagination and investment in equal measure.

This region can lead by designing the next generation of infrastructure from first principles, embedding energy intelligence into every layer of the digital stack. Governments can align data-centre policy with national energy transition plans, accelerating renewable integration and storage. Investors can support technologies that couple compute density with sustainability. Operators can adopt circular resource models for heat, water, and hardware.

Southeast Asia has the resources, capital, and talent to shape this future. The question is whether it will choose to lead or wait for others to define the standards.

At The Radical Fund, our view is clear. The AI revolution depends on reinventing energy infrastructure. The region that succeeds in aligning power with intelligence will not only fuel its digital growth, but it will also own the foundations of the next economy.

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