I have spent almost all of my adult life keeping track of as well as analysing digital trends, and I am fascinated by Meta’s latest move to bring ads to WhatsApp. For the first time, WhatsApp is stepping into the advertising world.

This is a huge change for everyone who uses the platform, and I want to share my take on what’s happening now and what I think the future holds.

The current state: WhatsApp’s big shift

For over a decade, I saw WhatsApp as a simple and private messaging app. It was free from the ads I see on Facebook and Instagram. The founders had even promised that it would never have ads. That promise started to change when Meta acquired WhatsApp in 2014. Now, in 2025, we are seeing the platform’s biggest step towards ads.

Ads are appearing, but in a specific place. They are only in the “Updates” tab, which is separate from my private chats. This is the area where I browse Channels and Status updates. About 1.5 billion people use this tab every day, so it’s a massive space for advertisers. Meta has been clear that our personal messages, calls, and statuses will remain end-to-end encrypted and free of ads.

WhatsApp is introducing three main advertising features:

• Status ads: Similar to Instagram Stories, ads will appear as you scroll through Status updates.
• Promoted channels: Businesses and creators can pay to increase their channel’s visibility in the Discovery section.
• Channel subscriptions: Channel owners can charge users for exclusive content, with Meta taking a cut – typically around 10 per cent.

The Ads targeting is based on data like your age, location, language, the channels you follow, and your interactions with ads – but not your personal messages, calls, or group memberships. If you link your WhatsApp account to Facebook or Instagram, expect more personalised ads.

Facts and figures: What’s at stake

Let’s ground this in numbers and context:

• User base: WhatsApp boasts over three billion monthly active users, with 1.5 billion visiting the Updates tab daily.
• Monetisation potential: Analysts at Morgan Stanley predict that WhatsApp ads could generate US$3–5 billion annually for Meta, with an optimistic scenario reaching US$6 billion. Cantor Fitzgerald raised Meta’s price target to US$807, citing upside from WhatsApp’s new ad features.
• Privacy: WhatsApp emphasises that ads will not use the contents of your private messages or calls for targeting.
• Global reach: About 95 per cent of WhatsApp users are outside the US, which means monetisation rates may be lower than on Facebook or Instagram, but the sheer scale is staggering.

The user experience: What changes, what doesn’t

My core WhatsApp experience of messaging friends and family remains the same. The ads are kept in the Updates tab. I can choose to ignore that tab or even disable it in the settings. Since I mostly use WhatsApp for chats, I don’t see a difference in my day-to-day use.

Also Read: Why AI is essential to understanding consumer behaviour for marketing success in 2025

However, when I do engage with Channels or look at Status updates, the experience is now more commercial. I see sponsored content next to updates from creators I follow. This was a deliberate choice by Meta to keep ads out of our private conversations. It’s how they are trying to make money while protecting the app’s reputation for privacy.

The business perspective: New opportunities

For businesses and marketers, this is a watershed moment. WhatsApp’s massive, engaged audience is now accessible through native advertising formats. Retailers can promote products via Status ads, boost their channel’s visibility, and even monetise content through subscriptions. The ability to target users based on location, language, and interests – without touching private data – offers a unique blend of reach and privacy compliance.

Performance marketing experts are calling this the next big opportunity for customer engagement, especially for online retailers looking to connect with audiences in emerging markets. The integration of click-to-message ads from Facebook and Instagram, directing users to WhatsApp for direct interaction, is already a proven channel. Now, with in-app ads, the funnel becomes even more seamless.

The future: What’s next for WhatsApp ads?

I believe the introduction of ads is just the start. Meta has a history of slowly adding more ads to its platforms over time.

Here’s what I foresee:

• Expanded ad formats: I expect to see more interactive ads, similar to what I already see on Instagram and Facebook.
• Increased personalisation: As more data is shared across Meta’s apps, the ads will likely become more tailored to my interests.
• Global growth: I think WhatsApp ads will become a key tool for businesses to grow, especially in markets outside of the West.
• User backlash: I do worry about potential user backlash. Not everyone will welcome this change. In places like the UK and Europe, WhatsApp is seen strictly as a messaging tool. There’s a risk that users will get frustrated if ads become too intrusive. Meta has to be careful to balance making money with keeping user trust.

Also Read: From one-off deals to long-term partnerships: The new rules of influencer marketing

My perspective: Balancing growth and trust

As someone who values both innovation and privacy, I see this move as a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s a logical step for Meta to monetise one of its largest platforms, especially as traditional ad markets mature. The Updates tab is a sensible place for ads, keeping them separate from private conversations.

On the other hand, I have always loved WhatsApp for its simplicity. My main concern is that it could slowly become more like Facebook or Instagram—cluttered and commercial. This might cause it to lose the trust of users who, like me, appreciate its clean design.

For now, the changes are measured and respectful of user boundaries. But as Meta pushes for more revenue, the challenge will be to maintain that balance. If ads become too pervasive or the Updates tab feels forced, users may look elsewhere – especially in a market where privacy-focused alternatives like Signal and Telegram are waiting in the wings.

Final thoughts

WhatsApp’s entry into the world of ads marks a new chapter for the platform and for Meta. The current state is one of cautious experimentation, with ads confined to non-private spaces and targeting based on non-intrusive data. The future is bright for businesses and marketers, but the true test will be whether WhatsApp can grow its ad business without alienating its core user base.

As an avid WhatsApp user, I’ll be watching closely – hoping that Meta remembers what made WhatsApp special in the first place, while embracing the opportunities that this new era brings.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

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During my recent interactions with a number of founders at Founders Forum Asia 2025, I noticed that there’s this massive blind spot that’s driving me nuts. Everyone’s obsessing over the next unicorn, the latest funding round, or which AI tool will revolutionise their workflow, and rightly so. But something that’s taken a backseat that could actually make or break them: strategic communications.

You might say that’s probably because I work in the industry. But this isn’t some shameless plug; this is about safeguarding the license to operate in a market.

The “we’ll figure it out later” problem

The reality is that brilliant founders with game-changing ideas treat communications like that friend you only call when you need something. They’re out here raising millions, building incredible products, and then… radio silence. Or worse, they say something that goes completely obtuse.

Take that whole Chocolate Finance mess. The way they handled the suspension of its instant withdrawal was like watching a masterclass in how NOT to communicate. Zero transparency, confused messaging, mismatch in audience platforms, and suddenly everyone’s questioning whether they ever knew what they were doing in the first place.

That’s what happens when you treat comms as an afterthought. It doesn’t matter how brilliant your product is if people think you’re sketchy.

Stage one: Don’t be a hot mess from day one

In those early days, pre-seed through “holy crap, people actually want this thing”, your story is YOU. There’s no fancy office or impressive team headcount to hide behind. It’s just you, your pitch deck, and your ability to convince people you’re not completely insane.

Also Read: Singapore’s green future – Are homes and condominiums ready for EVs?

Singapore’s business community is tight-knit. Word travels fast, and reputations stick. Mess up your narrative early, and you’ll be explaining that fumble for years. Meetings can get tanked even before they even started because their LinkedIn was a disaster or they couldn’t explain their vision without using seventeen buzzwords that meant nothing.

Here’s the thing: credibility isn’t just about what you say, it’s about saying it consistently, authentically, and in a way that doesn’t make investors want to run for the hills.

Stage two: Growing pains are real (and public)

Once you’re scaling, things get messy fast. More employees, more customers, more opinions, and more ways to screw up publicly. Southeast Asia’s media landscape is like a game of telephone played across six countries with different languages and cultural contexts. One poorly worded statement can go viral in ways you never imagined.

Look at what happened with eFishery in Indonesia, the regional agritech darling until internal drama exploded online. Suddenly, everyone’s talking about poor governance and fraud instead of their innovation. That’s millions in reputation value down the drain because they didn’t have proper internal and external communications strategies.

When you’re growing fast, communications becomes less about telling your story and more about making sure your story doesn’t spiral out of control.

Stage three: The big leagues have big consequences

By the time you’re eyeing IPOs, acquisitions, or major market expansions, every word matters. Regulators are watching, investors are scrutinising, and the media’s ready to pounce on any inconsistency. This is where founders discover that their casual approach to communications isn’t going to cut it anymore.

Also Read: Singapore’s regulatory vision is shaping cross-border payments in Asia: Report

At this level, you need someone who understands that communications isn’t just about managing media, it’s about protecting and building the asset that is your reputation. Because let’s be honest: you can fix a product bug overnight, but rebuilding trust? That takes years.

The bottom line (from someone who actually does this for a living)

I’m not saying every startup needs a full communications team from day one. But treating communications as “something we’ll deal with when we have money” is like saying you’ll worry about brakes after you learn to drive. It’s backwards, and it’s dangerous.

The best leaders I’ve worked with understand that communications isn’t about spin, it’s about building authentic relationships with everyone who matters to your business. Customers, investors, employees, partners, even competitors. In a place like Singapore, where reputation and relationships drive everything, this isn’t optional.

So here’s my challenge to Singapore’s startup community: Stop treating communications like it’s beneath you or “just marketing.” Start seeing it as what it really is — your competitive advantage. Because in a world where trust can be lost in a tweet and built over years, the companies that master authentic communication are the ones that’ll still be standing when the dust settles.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

Join us on Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and our WA community to stay connected.

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Did you know that 59 per cent of marketers say email drives their highest ROI, yet most startups treat it as an afterthought. Ok, ok, I heard you. I know that you know that email works, and you are busy building awesome products and don’t need another ‘did you know’ post! 

So let me get straight to the point and share some actionable checklists that you can use to streamline your email strategy. I aim to get you thinking about how to engage your customers, drive meaningful conversations through email, and build a long-term relationship because a robust email strategy has been proven to work!

Let’s accept that startups come from an entirely different ecosystem than a well-established brand. At a hyper-growth phase, the main aim is brand awareness, acquisition, and ultimately sales. If thought through well, a boot-strapped and resource-crunched start-up can aim for organic growth through a well-established email strategy.  

Why Startups Need a Robust Email Strategy (or, well, at least a basic one)

So, where do you begin? While building your business, you may have come into contact with people or companies that showed interest in your products along the way. Whether it was a very early stage investor, a friend, an ex-colleague, mentors, VCs, etc., or you already have a fair idea of your ideal target customer. At a trade show, you accumulate name cards from visitors who may have some early-stage interest, curiosity, or collaboration potential.

Let’s not miss your site visitors who have willingly given their email addresses in exchange for valuable information on your site. These highly heterogeneous mixes of contacts could become your starting point for gathering leads and building your email database. This precious list of emails becomes your starting point for creating a snowball effect to build email databases.

Like your product, not one size fits all in marketing. Personalisation and custom-tailoring messages go a long way in building meaningful conversations with your contacts.

Thoughtful strategy will help you focus on where you want to acquire new leads, or have a thought-provoking discussion that helps retain your audience, and take the opportunity to showcase your product’s benefits that help solve critical business challenges.

Just a little bit of effort goes a long way!

Also Read: Unlocking email marketing success: 5 foolproof tips every startup must embrace

Some common mistakes startups usually make are:

• Sporadic sends without proper audience segmentation. (emailing a finance executive about technical specs of your services- mail lands in bin or worse, tagged as ‘blocked!’) 
• Infrequent email sends or just too many!
• Emails that look and sound like spam (sorry, but host providers may automatically label them as spam).
• Incoherent, inconsistent message flow, randomisation of messages.
• Unsure of the conversation flow and when to make the final proposal. 
• Not looking at the right matrix to evaluate the effectiveness of your email strategy.

Key components of a high-impact email strategy

• Audience segmentation

We know that in this highly heterogeneous mix of audiences, one size fits all fails to achieve a desired outcome. A highly personalised email strategy considers the audience type according to the industry, geography, product familiarity, audience seniority, and stage in the funnel, and then builds an entire chain of communication email content right from onboarding, to nurturing, enticing, and conversion.

It may sound like a lot, but to maximise the most out of crunched resources, priortising high-value clients is a good way to take the first look in email marketing. For example, create a simple matrix that maps your customers based on high vs. low value on one axis, and level of product familiarity on the other.

• Metrics that matter: Open rates, CTR, conversions

Track only the metrics that matter. A considerable number of emails sent with a low open rate might mean the irrelevance of the message to the recipient. What the post click conversion rate, unsubscribe rate, and mql rate tell a lot about the lead quality, bounce rate. The inbox placement rate is just one metric that guides your email strategy.

• Personalisation and automation

Why not get creative with your messaging and include a video in emails? Email is typically seen as a text-to-text, one-way messaging platform. Incorporating a hook with a call-to-action, infographics for visual appeal, using a first-person voice, adding GIFs, humour, and trivia as a sublime.

Also Read: Think you can spot email phishing? Privacy Ninja puts you to the test

• Test and iterate

I couldn’t emphasis more the test-learn-optimise loop. A broad-level strategy might cut across companies of all levels, but a customised approach needs first-hand data to establish best practices that work for your company. A gut feeling approach may help you take the first step, but moving on with experimenting with the timing, subject line, content form, content type, headlines, images etc will help you take data-driven, informed decisions. 

Some common pitfalls to avoid

• Overloading subscribers with too much information.

Once you’ve defined your goal, stick to it—and build a clear narrative around it. Don’t start with your hobbies or recent private yacht trip when introducing yourself to someone new. Lead with what matters. Make it relevant, purposeful, and aligned with the impression you want to leave.

• Don’t fall for sales offer trap

While making a sales pitch to every email sent may be tempting, placing yourself in the recipient’s mind and empathising with the email reader will help you define the messaging and proposition.

• Unethically gathering email database

I’ve been cleaning up my inbox by unsubscribing from emails I don’t even remember signing up for. Most of them are outdated or irrelevant, and they clutter my inbox, making me worry I’ll miss something important. Remember: open rates are influenced by how often your emails are opened, not by the size of your database.

A bloated list doesn’t help performance. Use a double opt-in process to improve deliverability and avoid the spam folder. It ensures your audience actually wants to hear from you—and keeps your list clean and engaged.

In short

Startups can’t afford to treat email marketing as an afterthought. With the right strategy—focused on segmentation, personalisation, and clear communication—email becomes a powerful tool to drive growth, engagement, and trust. Avoid the common traps of spamming, irrelevant content, and vanity metrics.

• ​​Start with a clean, relevant email list—quality beats quantity.
• Segment your audience by role, funnel stage, and familiarity, etc. with your product.
• Personalise your content to build real conversations, not just clicks.
• Focus on key metrics like open rate, CTR, and conversions—not just send volume.
• Test, learn, and iterate—your strategy should evolve with data, not assumptions.

And most importantly, improvise as you grow—just like your business.

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The post Startups, is your email strategy driving growth, or just gathering dust? appeared first on e27.

Public Relations (PR) has always been about building relationships, crafting compelling stories, and managing reputations. Traditionally, this involved a lot of manual work—researching media contacts, writing press releases, and monitoring coverage.

However, the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation has ushered in a transformative era for PR professionals. Programmatic PR, which combines AI and automation, is revolutionising how we approach outreach, making it more efficient, targeted, and personalised.

Understanding p PR

Programmatic PR refers to the use of AI and automation tools to streamline and enhance PR activities. This includes automating routine tasks like media monitoring, sentiment analysis, and press release distribution, as well as leveraging data analytics to craft more targeted and effective campaigns.

Key components of programmatic PR:

• AI-powered media monitoring: Tools that scan vast amounts of media content in real-time to track brand mentions and sentiment.
• Automated press release distribution: Systems that distribute press releases to targeted media lists based on relevance and past engagement.
• Predictive analytics: AI algorithms that analyse data to predict media trends and audience responses.
• Personalised outreach: Automation tools that tailor pitches and messages to individual journalists or audience segments.

Benefits of programmatic PR:

• Enhanced efficiency: Automation reduces the time spent on repetitive tasks, allowing PR professionals to focus on strategy and creativity.
• Improved targeting: AI analyses data to identify the most relevant media contacts and audience segments, increasing the likelihood of coverage and engagement.
• Real-time insights: AI tools provide instant feedback on campaign performance, enabling quick adjustments and more agile PR strategies.
• Cost-effectiveness: By streamlining processes, organisations can achieve better results with fewer resources.

Also Read: Community in thought leadership: Highlights from the e27 Contributor Programme Roundtable at Echelon Singapore 2025

Implementing programmatic PR: A step-by-step guide

• Step one: Identify Objectives

Before integrating AI and automation, clearly define your PR goals. Are you aiming to increase brand awareness, manage a crisis, or promote a new product? Understanding your objectives will guide the selection of appropriate tools and strategies.

• Step two: Choose the Right Tools

Select AI and automation tools that align with your goals. For media monitoring, consider platforms like Meltwater or Cision. For press release distribution, tools like PR Newswire or Business Wire offer automated services.

• Step three: Integrate with Existing Systems

Ensure that your chosen tools can integrate with your current CRM, email marketing, and analytics platforms. This integration facilitates seamless data flow and more cohesive campaigns.

• Step four: Train Your Team

Provide training for your PR team to effectively use new tools. Understanding how to interpret AI-generated insights and adjust strategies accordingly is crucial for success.

• Step five: Monitor and Adjust

Continuously monitor campaign performance using AI analytics. Be prepared to make data-driven adjustments to optimise results.

Case study: AI in action

A leading tech company aimed to launch a new product in the Asia-Pacific region. By implementing programmatic PR strategies, they achieved remarkable results:

• Media monitoring: AI tools identified key journalists and influencers discussing similar products.
• Personalised outreach: Automated systems crafted tailored pitches for each contact, increasing open and response rates.
• Sentiment analysis: Real-time monitoring allowed the team to gauge public perception and adjust messaging promptly.

The campaign resulted in a 40% increase in media coverage and a 25% boost in positive sentiment compared to previous launches.

Challenges and considerations

While programmatic PR offers numerous benefits, it’s essential to be aware of potential challenges:

• Data privacy: Ensure compliance with data protection regulations when using AI tools that process personal information.
• Over-reliance on automation: Maintain a balance between automation and human touch to preserve authenticity in communications.
• Tool selection: Carefully evaluate tools for reliability, scalability, and support to avoid disruptions in your PR activities.

The future of programmatic PR

The integration of AI and automation in PR is not a passing trend but a fundamental shift in how we approach communication. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more sophisticated tools that offer deeper insights and greater personalisation.

PR professionals who embrace programmatic strategies will be better equipped to navigate the fast-paced media landscape, deliver impactful messages, and build stronger relationships with their audiences.

Programmatic PR is transforming the public relations industry by combining the power of AI and automation to create more efficient, targeted, and effective campaigns. By understanding and implementing these strategies, PR professionals can enhance their outreach efforts, achieve better results, and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive landscape.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

Join us on Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and our WA community to stay connected.

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A recent LinkedIn post asked a simple question: How much do people think startup founders earn?

The answers were telling. Many assumed six-figure salaries. Some imagined overnight wealth. A few guessed correctly — far less than expected.

The conclusion was blunt: don’t start a startup if you want money.

And that statement isn’t wrong. But it’s incomplete. Because it assumes there’s only one way to be a founder, and that’s where the narrative quietly breaks.

What the post gets right (and why founders should listen)

Let’s be clear: building a startup is not glamorous.

Early-stage founders are often:

• Underpaid
• Overworked
• Doing sales, ops, product, and customer support at once
• Carrying far more risk than their corporate counterparts

Compared to a stable corporate role, entrepreneurship can look irrational in the short term. In a company, you trade time for predictable income. You climb a ladder. Your pay increases with seniority. Bonuses are tied to performance. The rules are known.

Founding flips that entirely.

In the beginning, you may have no base salary at all. You earn nothing until something works. And even when it does, money doesn’t show up neatly in a payslip.

That reality alone filters out many people, and it should.

If someone starts a startup expecting quick, easy money, disappointment is almost guaranteed.

So yes: startups are not a shortcut to wealth.

Where the narrative becomes too narrow

The problem isn’t the warning — it’s the assumption underneath it.

Most conversations about founder income quietly assume:

• VC-backed startups are the default
• Exits are the only real wealth event
• Salary equals success
• Sacrifice is unavoidable

That’s a very specific lane of entrepreneurship. It’s not the whole highway.

Also Read: Why Southeast Asia’s founders can no longer afford to wing their communications

Venture capital is one option, not the definition of success. A sustainable business is still about sales, revenue, and profit. A strong P&L gives founders leverage with investors, partners, or no one at all.

Just like in a corporate career, founders start “low.” The difference isn’t effort — it’s mechanics.

Employees earn by position. Founders earn by design.

Founders don’t get paid — they design income

This distinction matters.

Founders don’t “get paid” the way employees do. They design income structures.

Early on, that might mean:

• No base
• Performance-based payouts
• Irregular cash flow
• Reinvestment instead of take-home pay

As things mature, income becomes more structured — sometimes a fixed base, sometimes distributions, sometimes upside deferred to exits.

In my own journey, different ventures behaved very differently.

A tech startup I run pays a modest base. The meaningful upside comes later through scale or exit. Another venture doesn’t have a base at all, but it generates a monthly cash flow. Both are businesses. Both are valid. They just optimise for different outcomes.

The mistake is measuring founders by salary alone. That’s like judging an investor by monthly allowance instead of portfolio growth.

Cashflow vs exit is a design choice

Not every founder is building for a billion-dollar exit.

Some are building:

• Automated solopreneur businesses
• Profitable service models
• Portfolio ventures
• Lifestyle-aligned companies generating six figures a month

With today’s tools, it’s entirely possible to:

• Automate operations
• Use AI to replace early hires
• Design lean, profitable systems
• Maintain control over time and direction

A solo founder earning consistent cash flow with control over their calendar is not “less successful” than a VC-backed founder waiting seven years for liquidity.

They’re just playing different games.

And success depends on how you define it.

Also Read: The art and science of feedback: A guide for first time founders and new managers

The sacrifice myth is outdated

The idea that founders must work 365 days a year and sacrifice everything is often treated as a badge of honour. In reality, it’s usually a sign of poor system design.

With AI and automation, the rules have changed.

One example: I launched an AI product in under a month — not as a grand “startup idea,” but as a lifestyle solution. It solved a real problem I personally had. It worked for me. I offered it to others.

What didn’t work in the past were abstract ideas disconnected from real pain. This shift matters.

The most sustainable businesses today are not built on suffering — they’re built on usefulness. If something works in your life, there’s a good chance it works for others, too. That approach reduces risk, shortens feedback loops, and removes unnecessary sacrifice.

Wanting money isn’t a red flag

There’s a common belief that investors can “smell” founders who want money, and that this is inherently bad.

That’s not quite right.

Wanting money isn’t the issue. Wanting money without patience, skill, or systems is.

Money is not evil. It’s leverage. It accelerates outcomes. It makes processes easier. It allows you to build faster and smarter.

The difference is whether money is coming from desperation or intentional design.

Founders who treat money as an accelerator — not a lifeline — tend to make better decisions.

Who shouldn’t start a startup

Not everyone should be a founder. And that’s okay.

If you:

• Don’t want to do the work
• Dislike problem-solving
• Want certainty above all else
• Expect effort without discomfort

Don’t start a startup. Invest instead. Or build skills first. There are no miracles here.

Entrepreneurship is not superior to employment — it’s simply different. One trades predictability for optionality.

Also Read: SEA Founders, take note: Nvidia’s ecosystem strategy is your 2026 survival guide

The real wealth lever most people miss

The biggest misconception about founder wealth is thinking it comes from one moment — an exit, a valuation, a big cheque.

In practice, wealth compounds through two quieter forces:

• Control over your calendar
• Compounding reputation

Time autonomy allows founders to choose where to focus.
Reputation creates deal flow, trust, and optionality over time.

Those two together unlock opportunities that salaries never will — regardless of how high they climb.

So… do startups pay well?

That depends. Well when? Well how? Well by whose definition?

Startups are businesses. Businesses exist to solve problems. Solve real problems, structure them intelligently, and revenue follows.

The problem isn’t that startups don’t pay well. The problem is assuming they pay like jobs — when in reality, they reward design, leverage, and patience.

And for those willing to play that game properly, the upside isn’t just money. It’s autonomy.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

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In a year of market shifts and pivotal moments, the Southeast Asian tech ecosystem has once again proven its resilience. At e27, we’ve had a front-row seat to this remarkable journey, and as we close out 2025, I want to share not just our accomplishments, but the deeper story of what we’ve built together, and where we’re headed.

Over the past 11 years, we’ve evolved our understanding of what it means to truly serve Southeast Asia’s tech ecosystem. This year, we made a significant shift in our vision and mission. Read more about why we changed our vision and what we’re committing to moving forward.

2025 by the numbers: What we built together

This year, we moved beyond talk and focused on tangible action. The results speak for themselves.

Product & platform innovation

We launched Milestones, a feature that fundamentally changes how founders tell their stories. Rather than static profiles, founders can now showcase key business achievements – funding rounds, product launches, partnerships, user milestones—directly on their e27 profiles. We received 700 milestones from founders celebrating their wins, from Good Bards’ collaboration with e2i on AI Advantage to Deep Insight Labs’ partnership with Causality.AI. This simple innovation has profound implications. It gives investors a real-time window into company momentum. It gives founders a platform to celebrate progress. And it transforms e27 from a directory into a living, breathing record of the ecosystem’s growth.

This is what product innovation in service of the ecosystem looks like: building tools that create genuine value for all stakeholders.

Events that bring the ecosystem together

Our flagship Echelon in Singapore and Philippines, and the focused Flux series brought together 12,000 attendees across Southeast Asia in 2025. These events drive real business outcomes – from deal-making and strategic partnerships to thought leadership conversations that shape the future of Southeast Asia’s tech ecosystem.

Also read: Building real traction: Echelon Singapore 2026 introduces demo stage

Content that drives accountability

Our editorial team didn’t shy away from the tough stories in 2025. We covered the Indonesian Chromebook scandal, the TaniHub whistleblower case, the CXA shutdown, and countless other stories that demanded transparency and accountability. With over 1,200 articles published by 700+ active contributors, we’ve become the trusted source for what’s really happening in Southeast Asia’s tech scene.

But we didn’t stop there. We launched Writing Sprints, a new initiative designed to amplify more voices from the community. These sprints bring together 40+ contributors at a time to collaborate, learn, and publish. It’s our way of democratizing the narrative and ensuring that the ecosystem’s stories are told by the people living in them.

Partnerships that create real impact

We believe that our success is inextricably tied to the ecosystem’s success. That’s why partnerships are at the heart of everything we do. In 2025, we worked with over 80 partners across Southeast Asia, from global brands like Lenovo, Alibaba Cloud, and Meta to innovative startups and foundations.

We co-organized an AI-focused event with Manus AI and HubSpot for Startups that brought together active participants in Singapore. We launched the first-ever Meta Llama Incubator Programme in Singapore, designed to drive AI adoption among local SMEs and startups. We supported Prudence Foundation’s Safe Steps D-Tech Awards, giving climate and health tech companies a regional platform to showcase their solutions. And we partnered with Megaworld to co-develop a new launchpad for the Philippine startup ecosystem.

These aren’t vanity partnerships. They’re strategic collaborations that create tangible value for founders, investors, and the broader ecosystem.

Also read: Beyond the hype: Why Echelon is evolving to drive Southeast Asia’s AI future

The gaps we see, the vision we hold

While we’re proud of these accomplishments, they also reveal the work that lies ahead. For every company we’ve supported, there are thousands more building in the shadows. For every market we’ve reached, there are countless others waiting for their moment. For every story we’ve told, there are voices from underrepresented communities that deserve to be amplified.

This is not a failure of effort. It’s a reality of scale. And that’s precisely why our mission for 2026 is one of intentional expansion and deeper impact.

2026: Moving beyond our established hubs

We are not just scaling e27. We are scaling our collective commitment to building a more equitable and powerful tech ecosystem for all. Our focus for 2026 is built on three pillars:

Broader reach: We will be launching new initiatives to support startups and SMEs in emerging markets across Southeast Asia. There are dozens of cities and regions with incredible entrepreneurial energy that haven’t had the same level of support as Singapore or Manila. That changes in 2026.

Inclusive growth: We are committed to creating more platforms and opportunities for underrepresented founders and companies – women, SMEs, and founders from tier-2 and tier-3 cities, founders from non-traditional backgrounds. The ecosystem is stronger when it’s inclusive, and we have a responsibility to make that happen.

Deeper impact:

Also read: Why we changed our vision after 11 years: Building a unified Southeast Asia

The invitation

Building this ecosystem is not something e27 can do alone. It requires the commitment of founders, investors, partners, government agencies, and community leaders across the region. If you share our vision and want to be part of this mission, we want to hear from you.

The future of Southeast Asia’s tech ecosystem is not something we predict. It’s something we build, together.

Thank you for being a vital part of this journey. Here’s to 2026.

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This week’s developments highlight a world where capital, tech, and policy are increasingly intertwined, shaping how markets grow and compete. In Southeast Asia, VENTENY’s US$5 million funding round underscores sustained investor confidence in financial inclusion. By strengthening its B2B financial services and expanding access to financing for MSMEs across Indonesia, the company reflects a broader push to digitise and formalise underserved economies, even amid global uncertainty.

At the same time, geopolitical considerations continue to redraw the boundaries of innovation. The passage of the US National Defence Authorisation Act, which restricts investment in Chinese technology and military-linked firms, signals Washington’s firm stance on national security and strategic competition. These policy moves inevitably ripple through global supply chains.

Against this backdrop, Nvidia’s plan to ship H200 chips to China from existing inventory illustrates how companies are navigating tightening regulations while meeting market demand. Together, these stories reveal a delicate balancing act between growth ambitions, technological leadership, and geopolitical realities.

REGIONAL

VENTENY secures US$5M funding from Symbiotics: The funding will be used to accelerate VENTENY’s B2B Financial Services expansion, particularly in strengthening operational capabilities, enhancing technology infrastructure, and broadening access to financing solutions for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across Indonesia

REPORTS, LISTICLES, AND NEWS

Web3 gaming evolves to prioritise fun over blockchain hype in 2026: In an interview with Sunyoung Hwang, CEO of NEXPACE, this sea change came into sharp focus. “The industry’s perspective has completely shifted from ‘putting a game on the blockchain’ to ‘dissolving blockchain into the game’.”

Why SEA’s tech exit problem persists: Globally, signs of public market exits are emerging, marked by rising volumes of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) across exchanges like the NASDAQ, HKEX, and SSE Star. In H1 2025, the Americas and the regions of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa saw IPO volumes increase by 11 per cent and three per cent, respectively, compared to H2 2024.

Why legal’s biggest AI problem isn’t technology: Implementing process changes is https://e27.co/why-legals-biggest-ai-problem-isnt-technology-20251218/. For example, in large law firms, gathering all stakeholders is rare, resulting in uneven adoption and unclear communication.

Why transparency, trust and AI accountability will define the next CX era: By 2026, transparency, trust and real-time accountability will no longer be differentiators; they will be baseline expectations. According to Nicholas Kontopoulos, Vice President of Marketing, Asia Pacific & Japan at Twilio, brands that fail to adapt risk rapid customer attrition in a market where competitors are only a tap away.

GLOBAL

Trump signs defence bill restricting investment in Chinese tech, military firms: The bill, known as the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), cleared both the House of Representatives and Senate earlier this month after months of negotiation. The Senate passed the bill on Wednesday in a 77-20 vote, following its passage in the House 312-112 last week

Nvidia aims to begin H200 chip shipments to China by mid-February: The US chipmaker aims to fulfill the order from existing stock, with shipments expected to total 5,000 to 10,000 chip modules.

ChatGPT launches a year-end review like Spotify Wrapped: That is, the OpenAI-owned chatbot is now rolling out year-end feature called “Your Year with ChatGPT” to eligible consumers in select markets, including the United States.

Waymo resumes service in San Francisco after robotaxis stall during blackout: Numerous photos and videos posted to social media captured Waymo robotaxis stalled on roads and at intersections as human drivers were either stuck behind them or weaved around them.

New York governor Kathy Hochul signs RAISE Act to regulate AI safety: State lawmakers passed the RAISE Act in June, but following lobbying from the tech industry, Hochul proposed changes to scale the bill back. The New York Times reports that Hochul ultimately agreed to sign the original bill, while lawmakers agreed to make her requested changes next year.

SEMICONDUCTOR

AI drives CapEx chip equipment to record US$156B in 2027: This forecast signals a clear shift away from traditional consumer-driven cycles toward a new “Giga Cycle,” in which major tech companies are investing heavily to compete in the AI era.

Pax Silica marks end of globalisation’s golden age: Convened by the second Trump administration, this coalition signals a move away from post-Cold War globalisation toward a new model of economic statecraft focused on securing artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor supply chains.

AI

OpenAI says AI browsers may always be vulnerable to prompt injection attacks: OpenAI launched its ChatGPT Atlas browser in October, and security researchers rushed to publish their demos, showing it was possible to write a few words in Google Docs that were capable of changing the underlying browser’s behavior

50,000 Copilot licences for Indian service companies: For large organisations, the embedding of AI into workflows is important. A firm shouldn’t have to rebuild its toolchain to experiment with AI, but rather start using AI in the software and documents its workforce already uses

Marketing agencies using AI in workflows serve more clients: WPP and Stability AI note that off-the-shelf models “don’t come trained on your brand’s visual identity”, so outputs can often look generic. The companies’ remedy is fine-tuning, that is, training models on brand-specific datasets so the model learns the brand playbook, including style, look, and colours

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Charting the rise of ETA in SEA – Part 4: In this concluding instalment, we analyse the existing gaps within the ETA ecosystem that hinder its broader adoption as an asset class and outline the specific initiatives we are undertaking to cultivate an ETA ecosystem uniquely tailored to the SEA context

Profit is fleeting but community is forever: In the ruthless churn of the modern economy, relying solely on superior product features or aggressive pricing is a fast track to irrelevance.

AI augmented development: Business leaders are being told AI will replace their development teams. Make everyone 10x more productive. Eliminate the need for senior engineers. Some of this is true. Most of it is dangerously misleading.

SEA founders can no longer afford to wing their communications: A decade ago, few local entrepreneurs thought of “communications strategy” as a core business function. Today, it’s becoming a survival skill.

Asian markets are rising while crypto quietly crosses a US$3T threshold: Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed nearly two per cent, while both the Shanghai Composite and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng posted gains, reflecting a broader regional momentum.

Global investors can’t afford to overlook Bangladesh — Part 2: In this second part, we shift from theory to practice and look closely at the startups, investors, and success stories that demonstrate what is already happening on the ground.

How AI solopreneurs are reinventing ESG: Powered by artificial intelligence, a new class of AI-enabled solopreneurs—single innovators who use generative and analytical AI as full-time partners—are transforming ESG from compliance to commerce.

2026’s fintech imperative: As 2026 approaches, fintechs, especially those reshaping the housing finance industry, stand at a defining moment. The following year will separate those who simply scale from those who endure, adapt and build responsibly for the long term

Data-driven or gut-led? In practice, the best leaders do neither. They pair fast, comprehensive analytics with adaptable human heuristics and simple rules honed by context to make sharper, faster, and more resilient choices

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Image Credit: Vishnu Mohanan on Unsplash

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In an industry crowded with well-funded global AI players, Venandya Camelia is taking a markedly different path. The young, first-time founder from Indonesia is building YukYuk, an AI-powered creative platform that allows users to generate images, videos, music and sound effects instantly.

Designed for speed and accessibility, YukYuk is aimed squarely at creators who want to experiment with AI without the steep learning curves or costs often associated with existing tools.

What sets YukYuk apart is not only what it offers, but how it is built. The entire startup runs on AI, from product development to marketing and customer engagement. Camelia relies heavily on generative AI and AI agents to automate operations, a setup she describes as “AI as my co-founder”.

The idea for YukYuk originated from Camelia’s own creative habits. “YukYuk began from a simple habit of creating AI videos and images on social media,” she said. “At the time, many Indonesian users were curious about AI, but there was no local, easy-to-use platform that allowed them to experiment with video, music, voice, and effects in one place.”

Many existing tools, she added, felt too complex or too expensive for the Indonesian market, or were primarily designed for Western users.

As she experimented with generative AI and used AI agents to design and prototype features, interest began to grow organically. Launched publicly in October, YukYuk has already attracted more than 1,000 organic users and early paying customers. Its early traction reflects Indonesia’s rapidly growing creator economy, where interest in AI tools is rising, but access remains uneven.

Also Read: AI augmented development: Hype vs reality

YukYuk was also selected for the Tech in Asia Startup Factory 2025 in Jakarta, signalling increasing recognition for homegrown AI startups emerging from the country.

In this email interview with e27, Camelia provides further details about the company’s work and its future direction.

The following is an edited excerpt of the conversation:

What problem do you aim to tackle, and why is your solution better than existing options?

The main issue today is that many AI creative tools are unfamiliar and overwhelming for everyday users. The interfaces are complex, the workflows are fragmented across multiple platforms, and pricing is often high compared to what local creators can comfortably afford. There is also a cultural gap because many tools do not reflect the creative preferences of Southeast Asians.

YukYuk was designed to make AI creation simple, local, and quick. It combines video, image, music, voice, and sound effects in a single place, presented in a mobile-first environment that feels familiar to users in Indonesia. The experience is easy to understand from the first try, and the prices reflect the purchasing power of local users. This combination of simplicity, cultural relevance, and affordability is what distinguishes YukYuk from global solutions.

How do you stand out and build trust as an independent Indonesian startup in a space dominated by billion-dollar companies?

Our strength comes from being fast, focused, and deeply connected to the local community. We use AI agents internally to accelerate development, design, testing, and content planning, which allows us to iterate much faster than large companies with long release cycles.

We also build with a clear understanding of Indonesian and Southeast Asian creator behaviour. This helps YukYuk feel more personal and less intimidating compared to global tools. Users trust products that understand their culture, their language, and the way they create.

Being an independent, homegrown startup also gives us the flexibility to introduce features that global tools might overlook, such as local payment support and upcoming mobile apps for both Android and iOS.

Also Read: Why AI needs context and curiosity, not toxic positivity

YukYuk has grown to over 1,000 organic users without ads. Who are these users, and what contributed to this early traction?

Most of our early users are Gen Z creators who are active on TikTok and Instagram, along with students, small business owners, and casual users who enjoy experimenting with AI visuals. Many are also fans of stylised content such as anime-inspired videos.

The traction came organically from the content I shared on my own social channels. People reposted their creations, recommended the platform to their friends, and joined out of curiosity. The onboarding experience is simple, so users can generate something interesting within minutes. This combination of word-of-mouth, community curiosity, and localised content helped YukYuk grow without any paid advertising.

What were your key takeaways from the Tech in Asia Startup Factory 2025 program?

The programme confirmed that there is a strong demand in Indonesia for a local AI creative platform. The feedback helped clarify what makes YukYuk different and encouraged us to maintain a strong focus on community interaction. I also learned how valuable it is to stay small and efficient by using AI-first operations. The experience reinforced our direction and helped us refine our next steps with more confidence.

How do you see the creative process changing as AI evolves, and what role will YukYuk play?

Creative work is shifting from technical execution toward idea direction. Instead of spending hours editing, people will be able to describe what they want and let AI handle the heavy lifting. AI will assist with brainstorming, editing, producing, and optimising content.

YukYuk aims to support this shift by offering a simple, all-in-one platform where anyone can create AI content instantly. We plan to introduce AI creative agents that help users generate ideas, follow trends, and produce consistent videos. We also plan to offer a full mobile app for Android and iOS, because most users in Southeast Asia create content directly from their phones. Local payment support will further make the platform easy to access for users who do not use credit cards.

Also Read: Navigating the Gen AI wave: A startup’s battle plan

Overall, our role is to make AI creativity friendly, fast, and accessible.

What is your plan for 2026?

In 2026, we plan to evolve YukYuk from a tool into a full creative ecosystem. This includes introducing AI creative agents, strengthening the social and remix features inside the platform, and expanding access to neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia. A major milestone is the release of our mobile apps for both Android and iOS, which will allow users to create directly from their phones.

We also aim to improve the mobile experience for faster generation and begin building early forms of creator monetisation toward the end of the year. The overall direction is to create a space where users can ideate, produce, and share AI content in one place.

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Images Credit: YukYuk

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If you’ve been applying for roles online, tailoring your CV over and over again, writing careful cover letters and receiving nothing but silence, you’re far from alone. For many job seekers, the experience feels demoralising and deeply opaque. Applications vanish into digital black holes. Automated rejection emails arrive within minutes, or not at all. Promising screening calls lead nowhere, and the most frustrating part? No feedback. Ever.

What’s happening isn’t a reflection of your capability. It’s a reflection of a fundamentally changed job market and a changed recruitment industry. Over the past decade, the path to securing work has quietly shifted from something linear and predictable to something fragmented, algorithm-driven, and relationship-led.

The traditional “see job → apply → interview → offer” model no longer mirrors how hiring decisions are made. Instead, a growing percentage of roles are being shaped, discussed, and filled through conversations and internal referrals before they are ever formally advertised.

In short,
the job search most people are conducting is no longer the job search that works, and the skill that bridges that gap, regardless of age, background, or industry, is active networking.

The rise of the “connected job market”

To understand today’s hiring landscape, you first must understand what sits beneath it: the Connected Job Market. This is the layer of professional activity where leaders, hiring managers, and teams quietly identify talent, share potential future needs, and build shortlists long before a recruitment process begins. It’s informal, fluid, and conversation-driven, and it’s increasingly where decisions are made.

Several factors have fuelled this shift:

• The dominance of algorithms in early screening filters out candidates based on keywords, not context, capability, or potential. Excellent candidates can be screened out because their CV or experience doesn’t mirror the hiring brief.
• Roles often have preferred candidates before posting. A significant proportion of publicly advertised positions already have an internal referral, soft favourite, or known candidate in play. The posting is often a procedural requirement, not an open contest. Those working inside the process have greater access and can deliver their ROI more clearly than those outside.
• Recruiters work for the client, not the candidate. Recruitment remains a people business, but the relationship-driven model of the past has been replaced with volume, speed, and competition. Many job seekers place their hopes in recruiters. But recruiters prioritise the employer, not the applicant, with the exception of confidential hire or head-hunters.
• Networking delivers what applications cannot: visibility and direct access to potential hiring managers.

Hiring managers cannot advocate for a CV they’ve never seen, but they will advocate for someone they’ve spoken to even briefly. In a market like this, the ability to connect with people, create dialogue, and build professional visibility is no longer optional. It’s essential.

Also Read: Levelling the playing field: How AI can transform SME hiring

Networking: The skill most people underuse

The word “networking” intimidates people for many different reasons. Some associate it with awkward small talk. Others fear looking opportunistic. Many simply don’t know where to begin. But effective networking today is not about schmoozing or transactional exchanges. It’s about curiosity, preparation, and the courage to start conversations with purpose.

Here’s what most job seekers never realise: You are usually only a few conversations away from a breakthrough. Networking works because it mirrors how companies actually think. Managers discuss problems long before they post jobs. Teams identify future skill gaps long before a requisition is approved. And people trust names, voices, and stories far more than CVs in a stack. It’s not who knows you, but who knows what you do that counts.

When done authentically, networking allows you to:

• Be visible before roles exist
• Learn what an organisation really needs
• Tailor your value proposition to real problems
• Unlock referrals, warm introductions, and internal sponsorship
• Stand out in ways no online application ever could

Networking is not a “last resort.” It is the most strategic starting point.

Standing out requires more than a CV

In today’s environment, job seekers must learn how to take control of their narrative, especially online. A strong digital presence is now part of your professional toolkit:

• Crafting a LinkedIn profile that signals credibility and expertise, not a list of duties, but clear achievements, ROI, meaningful keywords, and stories that convey impact.
• Using research to guide outreach. Understanding what a company cares about makes your conversations relevant and welcome. Deeply research your interviewer and other company execs to come prepared with value-driven insights on your deliverables in the role.
• Self-promoting with authenticity. Most people recoil at the idea of “selling themselves,” but self-promotion isn’t arrogance; it’s translation: helping others understand where you fit and what you can contribute.
• Leading with value, not requests. Great networking starts with giving, whether an insight, an observation, or a thoughtful question.

Over time, this approach builds trust, visibility, and momentum, the three pillars of career mobility.

Why direct outreach beats online applications

Here’s a truth that many hesitate to say aloud: Online applications seldom work anymore. Success rates often sit below two per cent. That’s not because people aren’t skilled or qualified. It’s because the system isn’t designed in their favour.

Also Read: 4 common hiring mistakes to avoid when building a marketing team for your early-stage startup

By contrast, direct outreach bypasses the system entirely. Contacting hiring managers, team leads, or department heads creates immediate differentiation. Even if you’re only 70 per cent accurate in identifying their needs, that’s enough to open a dialogue, and dialogue is the gateway to opportunity.

Many job seekers hesitate, fearing rejection or mistakes, but perfection is not the objective. Momentum is. The willingness to reach out, ask questions, and show genuine interest differentiates you from 98 per cent of applicants who simply click “Apply.”

A new career mindset

Thriving in today’s job market requires a mindset shift, from waiting to initiating, from applying to positioning, from hoping to connecting.

Networking creates career durability. It gives you resilience when redundancy strikes. It opens pathways in markets where roles are filled quietly. It builds personal brand equity, and it helps you dig the well long before you need to drink.

Whether you’re a graduate, a seasoned professional, or someone navigating a career change, the principle remains the same: Stop waiting to be discovered, start becoming known. Your next opportunity is closer than you think, often just a conversation away.

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For ambitious startups with global aspirations, finding the right launchpad can make all the difference between regional success and international breakthrough. Hong Kong is emerging as that critical gateway, offering international innovators a unique position at the crossroads of Eastern and Western markets. The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) recently concluded EPIC 2025 presented by Cathay and HSBC, with its Grand Finale on 7 November. It brought together cutting-edge startups from across the globe to compete for opportunities to scale in Asia’s most dynamic markets.

Hong Kong’s innovation ecosystem provides the ideal launchpad for Chinese startups to go global while allowing international startups to access the formidable markets of the Greater Bay Area, which boast world-class technology, supply chain, and manufacturing capabilities. The city’s credentials speak for themselves: together with Shenzhen and Guangzhou, Hong Kong has been ranked the world’s number one innovation cluster in the 2025 Global Innovation Index, according to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

A total of 13 EPIC 2025 applicants have successfully established operations in Hong Kong through the HKSTP Soft Landing Programme. These companies are now leveraging Hong Kong’s strategic position to deepen their market expansion across Asia. The journeys of five EPIC 2025 companies below will illustrate how Hong Kong is serving as more than just an entry point. For these innovators spanning GreenTech and FinTech, the city has become a catalyst for connections, credibility, and commercial scale. 

DeCarbon Technology: Capturing carbon and opportunities in Asia’s green transition

DeCarbon Technology is tackling one of humanity’s most pressing challenges: removing carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. The Shenzhen-based climate governance company has developed next-generation CO² capture technology applicable to green buildings, modern agriculture, renewable energy, and traditional industries like power generation, chemicals, steel, and cement.

At the heart of DeCarbon’s innovation is Direct Air Capture (DAC), a revolutionary technology that uses advanced equipment and chemical reactions to extract CO² from ambient air and industrial sources. The captured carbon is either safely stored or transformed into sustainable industrial materials, significantly lowering greenhouse gas concentrations.

For Dr. Xiao Liao, Co-founder and VP Overseas at DeCarbon, EPIC 2025 revealed unexpected market maturity. “The most valuable engagement was the curated Market Discovery Programme. We expected a focus on FinTech, but the appetite from regional giants for hard tech climate solutions like Direct Air Capture was surprisingly urgent and mature,” Dr. Liao shared.

What truly convinced DeCarbon to establish operations in Hong Kong was the tangible connectivity to the Greater Bay Area (GBA). “Hong Kong functions as the financial hub, seamlessly linked to the GBA’s unparalleled deep tech manufacturing base. This instantly provided us with a credible, scalable path to accelerate the commercialisation and regional scaling of our DAC solutions in Asia,” Dr. Liao explained.

Frass: Transforming food waste into sustainable feed across Asia-Pacific

While DeCarbon captures carbon from the air, Singapore-based Frass Pte Ltd tackles emissions at their source by transforming food waste into valuable resources. Operating through joint ventures across Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Scotland, Frass empowers smallholders and mid-sized farmers with affordable, locally produced animal feed while helping regional industries reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

Frass uses proprietary enzyme hydrolysis and bio-fermentation to convert high-moisture food waste—such as fish offal, okara, spent grain, and brewery by-products—into sustainable animal feed. Their low-energy, oven-free process significantly reduces moisture content and enhances digestibility, offering a climate-resilient alternative to imported soy and fishmeal.

For Founder Zihan Poh, the true value of EPIC 2025 extended beyond the competition itself. “The most profound value came from the unexpected connections within the EPIC 2025 community. Beyond competing, we built a powerful peer network,” Poh explained. The company aligned with a fellow startup on potential Australian market entry and had a pivotal conversation with a visitor from the Philippines who is now exploring pathways to bring Frass’s solution to her country.

This experience crystallised a key insight for Poh: “Coming to Hong Kong isn’t just about launching in one city—it’s about plugging into a dynamic hub that accelerates reach across the entire Asia-Pacific region.”

Frass chose Hong Kong as their definitive launchpad for its unmatched role as a dual gateway: a trusted bridge into Mainland China and a well-connected springboard to regional markets. The city’s compact, high-density urban environment presents the perfect real-world laboratory to demonstrate the efficiency of their decentralised bioconversion technology. 

ProMaterial: Revolutionising rare earth magnet production with AI precision

From Wales to Hong Kong, ProMaterial Ltd is revolutionising rare earth magnet production through AI-driven precision manufacturing. The company produces high-precision magnets that offer better quality, lower waste, and faster delivery. These are critical factors for the electric vehicle industry’s demanding specifications.

ProMaterial’s technology integrates AI-powered computer vision, robotics, and recycling techniques to deliver high-grade magnets that meet the strict precision requirements of the EV sector. By incorporating circular economy principles, ProMaterial’s solution can reduce over 200 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually.

For Founder Yining Shen, EPIC 2025 exceeded expectations in unexpected ways. “EPIC was far more than a competition. From the very first day, I felt surrounded by an exceptionally high-quality group of global deep tech founders,” Shen reflected. “What impressed me was how international and collaborative Hong Kong’s innovation ecosystem felt, and how naturally it brought global talent together.”

Hong Kong’s appeal for ProMaterial lies in its gateway function to Asian markets. “Some of our existing customers are already in Asia, and Hong Kong helps us connect with them more closely. Its proximity to the Greater Bay Area also gives us unique access to the hardware and manufacturing ecosystem we need for the next stage of our development,” Shen explained.

TalentHero: Enabling global hiring without borders

While the previous companies focus on physical products and manufacturing, Singapore-based TalentHero addresses a critical need for growing businesses: accessing global talent without the complexity of establishing legal entities in every country. As a global Employer of Record (EOR) and HR platform, TalentHero helps companies hire talent internationally in over 100 countries, ensuring full legal compliance and local expertise.

The solution is ideal for startups and growing companies looking to access global talent pools without the overhead of local infrastructure. For a company facilitating international operations, choosing the right base of operations becomes even more critical.

Co-founder and COO James Miles described the EPIC 2025 experience as transformative: “The biggest win at EPIC 2025 for TalentHero wasn’t just pitching—it was the crazy-good access to mentors, founders, and investors who genuinely wanted to help us level up. EPIC 2025 felt less like a competition and more like joining a community that wants you to win.”

Hong Kong’s business-friendly environment made the location decision straightforward. “Hong Kong was an easy choice. It’s a high-trust, business-friendly launchpad with fast company setup, strong IP protection, global connectivity, and a massive talent pool right at the gateway to China and the Greater Bay Area,” Miles shared.

Vigilant AI: Automating financial intelligence for better decisions

Canadian company Vigilant AI Inc brings together expertise in artificial intelligence, data security, and accounting to automate financial data preparation. Founded by specialists in these fields, Vigilant AI enables financial professionals in audit and enterprise environments to analyse, audit, and make decisions more efficiently and effectively.

The company leverages advanced AI and machine learning techniques to automatically create document data models and extract data from business process documentation, cross-correlating this information against all relevant accounting entries. The secure, reusable, and recallable curated data allows users to automate transaction verification, audit testing, and provide more timely insights for reporting and business decision-making.

For Vigilant AI, EPIC 2025 served as a crucial catalyst for business development. CEO John Craig and Founder Peter Fong noted, “EPIC 2025 was the catalyst for Vigilant to spotlight our accounting automation platform to two of the largest accounting firms in Hong Kong. These valuable engagements will lead to revenue which will support our firm in building our business operations in Asia.”

The decision to expand to Hong Kong was made easier through targeted support. “Our decision to choose Hong Kong as our launchpad was easy to make with the support of HKSTP’s Global Connect Soft Landing Programme. By providing space and connections to both local investors and necessary human capital resources, HKSTP made the strategic decision to expand into Hong Kong easy,” the founders shared.

What comes next: Building regional momentum from Hong Kong

Across all five companies, Hong Kong is not just a launchpad but the base from which they are charting their next phase of growth. DeCarbon Technology aims to secure its first long-term carbon removal offtake agreement with a major Asian corporation, a milestone that will validate demand for high-quality carbon credits and position Hong Kong as their regional centre for carbon transactions. Frass is preparing to establish a pilot-scale operation with a local waste management partner or leading university, creating a live demonstration site to unlock scale-up partnerships across the Greater Bay Area.

For ProMaterial, the city’s deep tech and manufacturing proximity offers a strategic foundation for Asian expansion. With its Hong Kong presence now established, the company plans to link its AI-driven magnet technology with regional talent, supply chain networks, and innovation resources. TalentHero is focused on building a fully operational Hong Kong EOR hub, onboarding its first wave of clients, and collaborating with local tech ecosystems to accelerate its reach across North Asia and beyond. Meanwhile, Vigilant AI is preparing to grow both R&D and sales capabilities from its Hong Kong base, using the city’s financial hub advantage to reach audit firms and enterprises across Asia-Pacific.

Bridges for the next wave of global innovation

The success of DeCarbon Technology, Frass, ProMaterial, TalentHero, and Vigilant AI reflects a clear shift. Hong Kong is emerging not just as a destination, but as a strategic accelerator for startups with global ambitions, spanning carbon capture, waste transformation, AI-driven manufacturing, borderless hiring, and financial automation.

This advantage extends beyond market access. Through the HKSTP Soft Landing Programme, overseas startups receive a one-year support pathway and an HKD 100,000 grant, giving founders the resources to establish and scale with confidence.

With its position between Eastern and Western markets, access to the Greater Bay Area’s manufacturing strength, and role as a trusted financial and legal hub, Hong Kong offers a strong foundation for growth. For EPIC 2025 participants, short pitches have become long-term strategies rooted in one of the world’s most dynamic innovation ecosystems.

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The e27 team produced this article sponsored by HKSTP

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