Grab’s US$425M acquisition of Stash may look like an American detour, but strategically, it is a Southeast Asian play.

On the surface, buying a US wealthtech platform appears to stretch beyond Grab’s repeated pledge to stay operationally focused on its home region. In reality, this is a capability grab. Stash offers something Grab has long lacked: a subscription-led, mass-market investing engine built under one of the world’s toughest regulatory regimes.

That matters. Grab’s fintech revenues have leaned heavily on payments and lending — businesses that can be cyclical and margin-sensitive. Stash brings recurring, high-margin subscription income and is already EBITDA-positive. For a company that only recently turned fully profitable, that stability is not trivial. It signals discipline, not empire-building.

More importantly, Stash’s AI-powered Money Coach hints at where Grab sees the next frontier: personalised financial guidance at scale. If adapted thoughtfully for Southeast Asia, AI-led investing nudges could deepen engagement, improve financial literacy, and increase retention across Grab’s ecosystem.

The deal structure — majority control now, full acquisition over three years — underscores a risk-managed approach. Grab is not exporting its superapp model to the US. It is importing a tested fintech operating system.

In that sense, this is less about America and more about upgrading Grab’s long-term competitive edge at home.

REGIONAL

Grab’s US$425M Stash acquisition is about AI coaching, not America: Grab will acquire a 50.1% stake in US investing platform Stash for US$425 million, adding profitable subscription revenue and AI-driven wealth capabilities to strengthen its Southeast Asian fintech strategy.

Singapore announces US$790M top-up for Startup SG Equity: Under the Startup SG Equity scheme, the government provides initial capital to drive private funding for promising startups. While startups now find it easier to access early-stage capital compared to a decade ago, many still face challenges at the growth stage.

Malaysian automotive after-sales platform Servauto raises US$4.7M: Investors include Vynn Capital, Jelawang Capital, Openspace Capital, and Gobi Partners. Servauto provides services in the automotive aftermarket sector, focusing on parts and maintenance solutions.

Oneteam secures M&A facility to scale employee-owned SME succession: The facility from GB Helios’ Polaris to fund SME acquisitions, targeting succession-driven deals and scaling its employee-ownership model across Singapore’s essential services sector.

Valiance Health raises pre-seed to fix data fragmentation: The firm aggregates raw clinical, operational, and financial data from hospital systems and run it through AI-driven pipelines that “clean, map and standardise” the information into an “internationally recognised model”, producing a unified repository for analytics and reporting.

Thailand leads ASEAN in student AI adoption: study: In the kingdom, over 90% of students and 81% of teachers using generative AI tools, according to a recent study supported by Google.org. The ASEAN Foundation’s reports, released during a regional policy summit, highlight the rapid integration of AI in Thai education.

FEATURES & INTERVIEWS

From invisible to investable: How AI is unlocking ASEAN’s MSME goldmine: AI-driven alternative data lending is transforming Southeast Asia’s MSME landscape, turning informal digital footprints into credit signals and unlocking profitable financial inclusion across Indonesia, the Philippines, and the wider ASEAN region.

Southeast Asia’s banks have entered the AI revenue era: Regional banks are shifting from using AI for cost-cutting to driving revenue growth, focusing on personalised offers, smarter risk decisions, and faster product iteration, with success hinging on governance, data integration, and production-scale deployment.

Can AI romance fix language learning? Hyperbond believes so: Hyperbond’s Call Me Sensei reimagines language learning through emotionally immersive AI characters, persistent memory, and relationship-driven engagement, prioritising retention and intrinsic motivation over rigid curricula and traditional performance metrics.

Rachel Lee: The talent connector building Asia’s deep tech dreams: e27’s Contributor Spotlight features Rachel Lee, a Singapore-based Talent Acquisition Partner supporting deeptech startups through senior hiring, diversity-focused team building, and weekly HR insights for founders.

INTERNATIONAL

Anthropic hits US$380B valuation after new funding: The AI company raised US$30B in Series G, led by GIC and Coatue. Since launching less than three years ago, Anthropic’s revenue has reached US$14B, with significant growth in enterprise customer spending.

SoftBank’s Vision Fund gains US$2.4B on AI investments: The gain in its December quarter was driven by a rise in the value of its investment in OpenAI. The Japanese conglomerate’s Vision Fund has invested heavily in AI companies, including about US$40B in OpenAI. The fund also holds stakes in chip designer Arm.

Korean banks review crypto partnerships after Bithumb bitcoin error: This follows a payment error at Bithumb involving US$42.78B worth of bitcoin. KakaoBank and Kbank, which have agreements with exchanges like Coinone and Upbit, are assessing whether to renew their contracts amid concerns over reputational risk.

Coupang denies blackmail claims over customer data breach: It said there’s no evidence of any payment demand linked to the breach, which reportedly involved about 3,000 customers purchasing adult products. The allegations were made during a parliamentary session by Rep. Kim Seung-won, who raised concerns about the exploitation of personal data.

HK-based AI trading startup Inference Research bags US$20M seed round: The company develops AI-native quantitative trading systems that integrate digital assets and traditional finance. The funding will support infrastructure expansion and talent recruitment, including quants, engineers, and researchers.

CYBERSECURITY

Tower Capital Asia’s V-Key investment signals mobile security shift: Tower Capital’s majority stake in V-Key underscores growing demand for software-defined mobile security, as banks prioritise scalable authentication, app integrity, and compliance-ready infrastructure across Asia-Pacific’s rapidly expanding digital finance landscape.

The trust problem behind AI adoption and platform growth: AI adoption is accelerating across industries, but cybersecurity maturity is lagging. PwC finds cyber risk is a top concern, yet few achieve resilience. As attack surfaces grow, trust becomes economic infrastructure — shaping platform legitimacy and consumer behaviour.

Building trust in a fast-moving ecosystem: The imperative for Southeast Asia’s tech startups: The region’s startup boom is entering a stricter era where trust matters most. With tougher investors and regulators, startups must prioritise competence, fairness, transparency, and governance to survive and scale.

SEMICONDUCTOR

Lenovo CEO warns rising memory costs after Q4 profit drop: Yang Yuanqing warned that rising memory costs, which doubled in the quarter, could continue to impact the PC industry throughout 2026. The chip shortage is affecting device makers worldwide, as supply is diverted to AI data centres and large-capacity products.

US lawmakers push to limit China’s access to chip tools: The move comes amid reports that China has made progress in developing prototype extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, which are critical for manufacturing advanced chips used in AI, smartphones, and military applications.

GlobalFoundries sees strong Q1 on data centre demand: The chip maker expects Q1 revenue of ~US$1.6B, driven by demand for chips used in data centres. It also announced a US$500M share repurchase programme, sending its shares up more than 7% in premarket trading.

AI

AI is making wealth management feel like concierge service: Relationship managers are deploying AI co-pilots to surface investment ideas faster, personalise conversations, and reduce prep work dramatically—creating a concierge-like advisory model that boosts client satisfaction and measurable revenue growth.

Singapore to establish National AI Council, AI missions: The four key areas the AI missions will focus on are: advanced manufacturing, connectivity, finance, and healthcare. This initiative will “push the boundaries of what is possible,” said Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong.

PR for LLM search: How to earn citations without gaming algorithms: AI search is reshaping visibility: brands cited in LLM answers gain trust, traffic, and conversions. Winning requires diversified, evidence-based PR, structured assets, cross-engine measurement, and ethical practices—not shortcuts that risk reputational damage.

AI infra: The unsung hero of technological innovation: GreaterHeat’s CEO argues AI’s transformative promise depends on robust, sustainable infrastructure, urging urgent investment in high-performance, decentralised systems and strategic partnerships to secure competitiveness, innovation, and long-term technological leadership.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Why Asian startups should focus on Southeast Asia in 2026: A physician-founder argues 2026 is the moment for startups to prioritise Southeast Asia, citing its youthful population, digital readiness, unmet needs, improving infrastructure, strong talent pool, and vast opportunities across healthcare and beyond.

Dow hits record high, Nasdaq tumbles 0.6%, Bitcoin miners flee: Signals deeper stress than price alone: Soft retail data and falling yields exposed fragility across equities and crypto, where miner capitulation and ETF outflows deepened stress.

The accidental founder story: How Greytt began without a master plan: After decades in marketing, Preethi chose entrepreneurship at 45, launching Greytt to pursue challenge, purpose, and build empathetic D2C solutions for overlooked midlife consumers through lived experience.

Southeast Asia doesn’t have a startup problem, it has a skills pipeline problem: The region’s digital ambitions are constrained by a shortage of production-ready technical talent. Gaming exposes this execution gap clearly, but similar shortages affect AI, fintech, and platform sectors region-wide.

Crypto market cap drops to US$2.3T as Fed rate cut hopes fade after hot jobs report: Stronger US jobs data delayed rate-cut expectations, triggering a liquidity-driven crypto selloff. Leveraged liquidations amplified losses, highlighting digital assets’ sensitivity to monetary tightening despite continued long-term institutional adoption and structural growth.

Human performance is the next healthtech frontier: Healthtech is shifting from reactive treatment to preventive human performance, combining sport science, coaching intelligence, and community. Beyond tracking data, the next wave will help people sustain physical, mental, and emotional resilience long-term.

Before you can give feedback: Creating the culture where it can be heard: Psychological safety—not feedback frameworks—is the real driver of high-performing teams. Without it, even well-delivered criticism breeds silence, fear, and attrition. This piece explains what safety means, how to spot its absence, and why it matters in Asian startups.

When nation-states shape startup outcomes: The US withdrawal from global climate institutions reshapes rule-setting power, fragmenting standards and increasing geopolitical risk, forcing startups and investors to embed policy literacy, regulatory geography, and interoperability into strategy.

If you’re building for everyone, you’re building for no one: Founders who say they want to sell to “everyone” often lack positioning clarity. The strongest startups win by narrowing focus, sharpening messaging, and building for a defined audience—because conviction, not dilution, drives scalable growth.

From idea to reality: Why an MVP is essential before full-scale development: Building a mobile app without testing demand is risky. An MVP lets startups validate ideas early, cut development costs, launch faster, gather feedback, and reduce failure risk before scaling.

Building a better future: How sustainable architecture is leading the way for the built environment: The built environment sector is expected to focus increasingly on sustainable architecture as environmental concerns continue to grow.

Tech’s new face: Why Southeast Asia is the next UX lab of the world: Southeast Asia is emerging as a global UX innovation hotspot, driven by mobile-first behaviour, superapps, and hyperlocalisation. But its data-driven, addictive design loops raise concerns over ethics, privacy, and user manipulation.

Founders, stop listening to mentors who tell you to build an MVP: The MVP concept is often misunderstood, with many mentors focusing on “minimum” over “viable.” The author argues startups must define MVP strategically, differentiate early, and move faster by onboarding partners before the product is complete.

—

The post Ecosystem Roundup: Grab’s US$425M Stash deal signals AI push; Singapore boosts Startup SG; SEA banks enter AI revenue era appeared first on e27.

For years, healthtech has focused on treatment tracking symptoms, managing illness, and optimising recovery after something goes wrong. While this has moved healthcare forward, it overlooks a far more powerful opportunity: preventive human performance.

Human performance sits at the intersection of physical capacity, mental resilience, recovery, and lifestyle behaviour. It is not about athletes alone. It applies to founders, professionals, operators, and anyone navigating high cognitive and physical demands in modern life.

From fitness to performance systems

Traditional fitness models focus on aesthetics or short-term goals. Human performance takes a systems-based approach:

• How well does the body move under stress?
• How quickly does it recover from workload, sleep debt, or mental fatigue?
• How sustainable is daily output over years, not months?

This shift is already visible in elite sport and corporate leadership circles, but it has yet to be fully translated into scalable, accessible healthtech solutions.

Why healthtech must look beyond data

Wearables, apps, and tracking platforms now provide unprecedented access to data heart rate variability, sleep cycles, step counts, and more. However, data without interpretation creates noise, not progress.

The missing layer is coaching intelligence:

• Translating metrics into action
• Aligning physical training with lifestyle and mental load
• Teaching users how to self-regulate instead of over-optimising

Technology should not replace human understanding; it should enhance it.

Also Read: The future of fintech, healthtech, and edutech industries in the context of the new economy

The role of sport science in everyday life

Sport science has long understood principles such as load management, recovery windows, and nervous system regulation. These principles are now more relevant than ever for non-athletes facing constant cognitive stress and sedentary work patterns.

Applying sport science to daily life means:

• Training for longevity, not burnout
• Building strength as injury prevention
• Treating recovery as a skill, not a luxury

This is where sports and healthtech naturally converge.

Community as a performance multiplier

One overlooked factor in performance is community. Sustainable change rarely happens in isolation. Whether in sport, business, or health, environments shape behaviour.

Digital platforms that combine:

• Education
• Accountability
• Shared standards of discipline

will outperform those that rely solely on individual motivation.

Performance is not just personal,  it is social.

What comes next

The future of healthtech is not another app or tracker. It is an integrated human performance ecosystem blending technology, coaching, and community to help individuals perform better, longer, and with purpose.

The question is no longer How fit are you?

It is How well can you sustain your life’s demands physically, mentally, and emotionally?

That is the real performance metric.

—

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.

Enjoyed this read? Don’t miss out on the next insight. Join our WhatsApp channel for real-time drops.

Image courtesy: Canva

The post Human performance is the next healthtech frontier appeared first on e27.

Across the sprawling archipelagos of Indonesia and the Philippines, a massive economic engine remains stalled — not because entrepreneurs lack hustle, but because they lack legibility in the eyes of banks.

Millions of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are effectively invisible to traditional lending systems. Without formal credit histories, audited statements, or pristine collateral, these businesses are routinely excluded from the capital they need to scale. This is not only a social issue but a commercial blind spot at regional scale.

Also Read: Southeast Asia’s banks have entered the AI revenue era

The executive insights report, titled “From Pilots to Production: How Banks Turn AI into Revenue” by Dyna.AI, GXS Partners, and Smartkarma, estimates the ASEAN MSME finance gap at a staggering US$300 billion.

For years, the bottleneck has been credit scoring itself: rigid models that privilege historical bureau data and formal documentation — precisely what many warung owners, sari-sari store operators, market traders, and home-based sellers do not have.

AI is now changing that equation by shifting the centre of gravity from risk exclusion to risk pricing and ultimately towards financial inclusion that is profitable rather than philanthropic.

Alternative data turns “thin-file” into under-writeable

The region’s digital behaviour footprint has quietly become one of ASEAN’s most valuable assets. By leveraging alternative data (including telco records, e-commerce transaction histories, mobile wallet usage, point-of-sale flows, logistics and delivery patterns, and even psychometric indicators), AI models can underwrite “thin-file” borrowers with far more precision than traditional scorecards.

In Southeast Asia, this is especially powerful because MSMEs increasingly operate digitally even when they are informal. A seller may not have an audited P&L, but they may have:

• A year of daily transactions on Shopee, Lazada, Tokopedia, or TikTok Shop
• Repeat-customer behaviour visible through e-wallet and QR payments
• Inventory turnover patterns in POS systems used by small retailers
• Repayment signals from buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) or supplier credit
• Telco top-up regularity and geolocation stability patterns (where permitted).

The report notes that effective AI-driven personalisation in lending can lift revenues by 10 to 25 per cent. For a mid-sized regional bank, capturing even a slice of the underbanked MSME segment can translate into hundreds of millions of dollars in additional income — not just from interest, but from deposits, payments, insurance, and merchant services.

Philippines: From static lending to dynamic assessment

In the Philippines, where a significant portion of the population remains underbanked, lenders have been leaning into partnerships with AI-as-a-service providers and fintech infrastructure players to modernise decisioning while keeping portfolio quality steady. The direction of travel is clear: lenders want models that update risk views continuously instead of freezing them at the moment a form is signed.

That “dynamic” approach matters in an economy where income can be seasonal, informal, or platform-linked. For example, a micro-merchant’s risk profile can improve sharply as their digital sales stabilise, their returns drop, and their fulfilment performance improves– signals that static models often miss.

This is also where the Philippines’s strong remittance and mobile-money culture becomes relevant. Regular inflows, bill payment behaviour, and wallet velocity can form a proxy for stability when traditional documents are absent.

These models do not just guess; they use predictive analytics to forecast behaviour and risk based on real-time data signals.

Indonesia: QRIS data makes MSMEs visible at scale

Indonesia provides another compelling case study for revenue-generating inclusion, and it comes with a national data exhaust pipe: payments.

Also Read: Bridging the credit gap: CBI’s new bureau targets MSME financing bottlenecks

The rapid adoption of the QRIS national payments network has created a treasure trove of behavioural data. With 39.3 million merchants (93 per cent of them are MSMEs) connected to the system, transaction volumes have surged by 175 per cent year-on-year. Banks and lenders are now deploying AI to identify high-potential merchants within this ecosystem, automating onboarding and offering credit lines based on digital cash flow rather than collateral.

The implications are huge. Once a merchant’s daily QRIS sales can be tracked, lenders can structure products that match reality:

• Revenue-based repayment tied to daily receipts
• Short-tenure working capital for inventory cycles
• Pre-approved limits that expand as payment consistency improves
• Faster renewals with fewer manual checks

This is how lending becomes a scaled growth engine: distribution via embedded channels, underwriting via data, and servicing via automation.

Beyond Indonesia and the Philippines: ASEAN’s rails are converging

While Indonesia and the Philippines are headline examples, similar dynamics are playing out across the region:

• Thailand’s PromptPay and QR adoption have normalised low-friction digital payments for small merchants, improving cash-flow visibility.
• Malaysia’s DuitNow and the broader push for digital payments give lenders more structured signals for MSME activity.
• Singapore’s PayNow and the city-state’s dense SME ecosystem create a testing ground for model governance, though scale often lies north and east, where informality is higher.

Even smaller markets are building rails that generate the data needed for AI underwriting. Cambodia’s Bakong system, for instance, has helped accelerate digital payments adoption, which can support more data-led credit products over time.

The commercial transformation and the caution

As the white-paper notes, “AI shifts lending from exclusion to inclusion”. That shift is commercially transformative because it converts untapped customer segments into profitable borrowers — customers traditional models could not touch.

Global comparisons reinforce the point. In Latin America, similar AI-based credit scoring has been shown to outperform conventional models by up to 85 per cent in accuracy. ASEAN’s digital platforms are just as data-rich; the constraint is less “data existence” and more “data usability”.

The hardcore challenge lies in infrastructure and governance:

• Regulatory fragmentation: An AI model validated in Singapore or Malaysia often needs significant tailoring before it can be deployed in Indonesia, Vietnam, or the Philippines, given differences in data privacy, model risk management expectations, and permissible data sources.
• Consent and trust: Alternative data can expand inclusion, but only if customers understand what is being used and why — and if regulators are comfortable that models are fair, explainable, and auditable.
• Talent scarcity: The region still lacks enough professionals who understand both AI and the nuances of local financial regulation, credit risk, and consumer protection.

Why the momentum is still undeniable

Despite those hurdles, the flywheel is turning. With more than US$30 billion recently committed to AI-ready data centre infrastructure in Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia, the foundation for scalable AI deployment is being laid — not only for consumer use cases, but for the heavy lifting required in lending: feature stores, real-time decisioning, monitoring, and compliance tooling.

Also Read: How Ant International bridges MSME finance gap with intelligent credit services in the AI era

The winners in this next phase will be the institutions that move fastest from “interesting” pilots to production-grade lending models: turning ASEAN’s “invisible” entrepreneurs into a compounding source of revenue, while expanding access to capital in the places that need it most.

—

The image was generated using AI.

The post From invisible to investable: How AI is unlocking ASEAN’s MSME goldmine appeared first on e27.

As AI-native language platforms race beyond flashcards and drills, Hyperbond Studio’s Call Me Sensei is betting that engagement, not curriculum, is the true unlock. Blending character-driven AI, memory systems, and relationship mechanics, the Singaporean startup is reimagining language learning as an emotionally immersive experience rather than a structured syllabus.

The AI startup — founded by Shawn Tan (who is also General Partner at TRIVE Ventures) and Jack Vinijtrongjit — recently raised US$500,000 from investors, including NLS Ventures, Loyal VC, and Attribute Global Ventures, for its innovative platform.

In this interview, Tan breaks down the thesis, technology, safeguards, localisation strategy, and business model behind their unconventional approach.

Edited excerpts:

What core problem is Call Me Sensei solving, and what evidence convinced you engagement is the main bottleneck?

Language learning itself is not a new problem. However, most language products start from the assumption that better outcomes come from better curricula (e.g. more structured lessons, more innovative drills, better sequencing). This leads to experiences that feel like work, resulting in high attrition and extremely low long-term retention across the category.

Also Read: Edutech war: How NativeX is taking on the likes of ELSA, Duolingo in Vietnam

Platforms like Duolingo illustrates the limitation of this approach. While it has succeeded as a product, much of its engagement is driven by external mechanics, such as streaks. Many users return daily to protect a streak rather than because they enjoy learning or can communicate fluently. It’s not uncommon to see users with 500-day/1,000-day streaks who still struggle to hold a basic conversation. The system optimises for habit formation, not sustained, intrinsic motivation to communicate.

We take the reverse approach. Instead of starting with “what should someone learn today?”, we begin with “what would someone enjoy doing, voluntarily, for 20 to 30 minutes?” We design an emotionally engaging experience first, and let language learning happen as a byproduct. This makes users want to return and spend more time practising the language.

How do you define and measure “learning” in Call Me Sensei, and will you run studies against Duolingo, Babbel, or human tutors?

Given our approach, we deliberately do not define learning through a fixed curriculum or prescribed outcomes. There is no roadmap, syllabus, or linear progression. Learners decide what and when they want to learn — buying groceries one day, ordering coffee the next — based on immediate interest and context.

As such, we do not “prove” learning through test scores or completion rates. Instead, we focus on retention, session frequency, and time spent as leading indicators. We hypothesise that a learner who voluntarily spends more time speaking and listening will ultimately learn more than one who follows an optimal curriculum and then abandons it.

What makes Call Me Sensei meaningfully different from a generic LLM chat with prompts, characters, and memory?

Call Me Sensei is built on a proprietary AI architecture designed for character-driven, relationship-based interaction, not generic assistance.

Generic LLMs are optimised to be helpful and agreeable. Our system is designed to produce human-like personalities – characters with consistent traits, emotional reactions, memory, and boundaries. Responses are not just linguistically correct; they are situationally and emotionally grounded.

In addition, the experience is conversation-first and embedded within structured scenarios and relationship states. Conversations evolve over time, shaped by past interactions, rather than resetting each session. This creates continuity, emotional stakes, and a sense of progression that cannot be replicated by prompting a general-purpose chatbot.

How does your memory system work, what does it store, and how do users control or delete it without reinforcing unhealthy dynamics?

Memory helps make interactions feel coherent and personalised, but it’s designed with clear limits. Each sensei has a defined personality that influences what they tend to remember—for example, learning preferences or recurring topics while avoiding unnecessary or overly personal data.

Memories are stored in a controlled and privacy-conscious manner and are meant to support learning continuity, not permanence. Users can reset interactions or delete their account at any time, and we intentionally design memory systems to allow for change over time so users aren’t locked into past behaviour, mistakes, or emotional states.

This ensures the experience remains flexible, age-appropriate, and supportive rather than prescriptive or restrictive.

What safety guardrails are in place for romance mechanics, sexual content, manipulation, minors, and self-harm scenarios?

The app is designed for users aged 13 and up, with all romantic mechanics strictly non-sexual and framed around age-appropriate, consent-based interactions. Safety is a core requirement at every level of the experience. We apply strict age-appropriate guardrails around sexual content, harassment, manipulation, and power-imbalanced dynamics.

Interactions are evaluated on a per-message basis using automated systems designed to prevent inappropriate content and to discourage emotional dependency, exclusivity, or coercive behaviour. The system is also designed to respond to signs of distress or self-harm by redirecting conversations and encouraging users to seek trusted external support.

Also Read: Training Gen Z: Why gamification is their language of learning

While conversations are end-to-end encrypted to protect user privacy, we use privacy-preserving safety signals and extensive internal testing to ensure policies are consistently enforced as the product evolves.

What are the key cost drivers of running relationship-based AI at scale, and how will you protect gross margins?

We are not able to share unit economics at this stage. What we can say is that emotionally rich, voice-first AI experiences are computationally expensive, and cost discipline is a core part of our technical design and roadmap as we scale usage.

How do you localise scenarios culturally beyond translation, and who validates tone, taboos, and context across languages?

We do not treat localisation as simple translation. For each language, we work with native speakers and cultural reviewers to ensure interactions feel natural rather than generic. The system is built to support culturally distinct narratives, not one global template reskinned across markets.

Is this a tutoring product, entertainment subscription, or hybrid — and what monetisation model and metrics will guide scaling revenue

Call Me Sensei is intentionally a hybrid. Education defines the outcome; entertainment drives engagement.

The product follows a freemium model for consumers, with premium subscriptions and in-app purchases over time. In the long term, we also see opportunities in B2B partnerships. Monetisation will scale in step with engagement; our priority is first to build something users genuinely want to return to.

The post Can AI romance fix language learning? Hyperbond believes so appeared first on e27.

Cryptocurrency assets bore the brunt of a liquidity reassessment triggered by robust American employment data. While Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged past the historic 58,000 threshold amid domestic political momentum and the broader Asia Pacific index touched a record high, digital asset markets retreated two per cent to a US$2.3 trillion valuation.

This divergence underscores a fundamental reality I have observed throughout market cycles. When the Federal Reserve’s policy trajectory shifts, risk assets with the highest duration sensitivity are affected first and most severely. Cryptocurrencies continue to trade as premium risk instruments tethered to global liquidity conditions despite persistent narratives of independence.

The catalyst came from January’s US nonfarm payrolls report, which reported 130,000 new jobs, nearly double economists’ median forecast. This figure alone recalibrated market pricing for Federal Reserve action, pushing anticipated rate cuts from June into July 2026. Traditional equity markets reacted with restraint, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite closing nearly flat. Crypto markets exhibited a 68 per cent correlation with the Nasdaq 100 index and absorbed the shock with characteristic volatility. This statistical linkage confirms what seasoned observers recognise.

Digital assets function less as an inflation hedge and more as a leveraged bet on expansive monetary policy. When the prospect of cheaper capital recedes, speculative positioning unwinds rapidly. The two per cent decline in market cap represents not a fundamental rejection of blockchain technology but a mechanical repricing of future cash flows under tighter financial conditions.

Compounding this macro-driven pressure, derivatives markets amplified the downturn through forced liquidations. Bitcoin alone saw US$188 million in long-position liquidations in 24 hours, a 130 per cent surge that transformed a measured pullback into a sharp correction. These cascading liquidations reveal the fragility embedded in leveraged crypto trading ecosystems.

When price momentum reverses, algorithmic liquidation engines accelerate selling pressure beyond organic market depth, creating self-reinforcing downward spirals. This dynamic operates independently of underlying project fundamentals, punishing even robust protocols alongside speculative ventures. The phenomenon reflects a structural vulnerability in digital asset markets that persists despite a decade of maturation. Excessive leverage remains the accelerant that turns policy shifts into panic.

Also Read: Markets on edge: AI rally fizzles as crypto plunges below US$2.42 trillion

Sentiment metrics further illustrate the psychological dimension of this retreat. The market-wide fear and greed index plunged to eight, registering extreme fear across participant cohorts. Such readings typically emerge during capitulation phases when retail investors abandon positions after sustained losses. Historically, these moments often coincide with short-term bottoms and also signal prolonged recovery periods ahead. Extreme fear does not reverse instantaneously. It requires sustained positive catalysts to rebuild confidence.

Currently, no such catalyst exists on the immediate horizon. Investors face a rising probability of a US government shutdown to 84 per cent ahead of the February 14 deadline, introducing fiscal uncertainty that compounds concerns about monetary tightening. This dual pressure on both fiscal and monetary fronts creates an unusually constrained environment for risk assets.

Technical structure now determines the near-term trajectory. The US$2.17 trillion market capitalisation represents this year’s low and serves as critical psychological and algorithmic support. A decisive break below this threshold could trigger additional liquidations targeting the 78.6 per cent Fibonacci retracement near US$2.4 trillion.

Current positioning suggests markets may stabilise above the yearly low if macro conditions do not deteriorate further. Any sustained recovery requires reclaiming momentum toward the 38.2 per cent Fibonacci resistance at US$2.86 trillion. This level demands either a dovish pivot from central banks or significant organic capital inflows. Neither scenario appears imminent, given the Fed’s data-dependent stance and persistent institutional caution toward digital assets.

I view this correction as a necessary recalibration rather than a structural breakdown. Crypto markets have expanded dramatically since the previous cycle, attracting capital that entered during periods of abundant liquidity. As monetary conditions normalise, weaker hands exit, concentrating ownership among long-term holders with higher conviction.

This consolidation phase, though painful in the short term, often precedes more sustainable growth trajectories. The current market cap of US$2.3 trillion still reflects substantial institutional adoption compared to prior cycles, suggesting foundational demand remains intact despite tactical withdrawals.

Also Read: Risk assets retreat under macro pressure: Gold, crypto, and tech lead the decline

Tomorrow’s US Consumer Price Index report looms as the next pivotal data point. Should inflation show unexpected moderation, markets might reprice rate cut expectations forward, providing temporary relief. I remain sceptical that one data release will override the Fed’s commitment to ensuring inflation remains anchored.

The central bank has consistently prioritised credibility over market comfort, and recent communications suggest officials welcome some financial tightening to reinforce their anti-inflation resolve. Crypto markets must therefore navigate an extended period of constrained liquidity rather than anticipating imminent policy relief.

The path forward demands discernment between cyclical pressure and secular decline. Digital assets face genuine headwinds from tighter monetary policy, but their underlying utility continues expanding across payments, identity, and programmable finance. The current two per cent drawdown represents a liquidity-driven adjustment within a maturing asset class, not a verdict on blockchain’s long-term viability. Investors who recognise this distinction will view periods of extreme fear not as exit signals but as opportunities to accumulate quality assets at discounted valuations.

Markets ultimately reward patience during liquidity droughts, though the duration of such periods remains unpredictable. For now, preservation of capital and selective positioning offer wiser strategies than either panic selling or aggressive leverage. The US$2.3 trillion market cap reflects a market in transition, shedding speculative excess while retaining its core value proposition for those willing to endure the volatility inherent in technological transformation.

—

The post Crypto market cap drops to US$2.3T as Fed rate cut hopes fade after hot jobs report appeared first on e27.

Southeast Asia’s superapp giant has agreed to acquire US-based investing platform Stash at an enterprise value of US$425 million at closing, a deal that will hand Grab a 50.1 per cent stake upfront.

The remaining shares will be acquired over the next three years at fair market value.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026. Payment at closing will be made in cash and stock, with subsequent payments made in cash and/or stock at Grab’s discretion.

Also Read: Grab-Gojek merger talks resurface amid market optimism and regulatory challenges

On paper, it’s an unusual geographic leap for a company that has repeatedly stressed its operational focus on Southeast Asia. In strategy terms, it’s a very Grab-like move: expand capability first, then decide how and where to deploy it.

Why the US and why Stash?

Grab’s entry into the US via Stash is less about planting a flag in New York and more about buying a proven Operating System for mass-market wealth products — one that has already been stress-tested under some of the world’s strictest financial regulations.

Stash sits squarely in a segment Grab has long wanted to deepen in Southeast Asia: consumer fintech that goes beyond payments and credit into wealth-building. The platform serves over one million subscribers and manages more than US$5 billion in assets.

Importantly for Grab’s post-profitability era, Stash runs on a subscription model, recurring revenue that is typically less volatile than transaction-driven income.

Grab also said Stash is adjusted EBITDA and cash flow-positive and has been profitable on that basis since its Series H fundraising round in 2025. Based on current performance, Grab expects Stash to generate more than US$60 million in adjusted EBITDA in the 2028 calendar year. Those numbers matter because they signal something Grab’s investors have been demanding for years: growth that doesn’t set cash on fire.

Anthony Tan, Group CEO and co-founder of Grab, framed the acquisition as both a revenue and capability play: “This acquisition brings more than just recurring, high-margin subscription revenue; we will strengthen Grab’s fintech know-how with Stash’s AI-powered investing app, designed with existing US regulatory requirements at its core.

While we remain operationally focused on Southeast Asia and scaling our regional loanbook, this move reinforces our mission of democratising financial services for everyone.”

Also Read: Wealthtech, insurtech, SaaS fintech are the new hot verticals in Indonesia: AC Ventures report

In plain English, the US is where you learn to build fintech with the safety rails bolted on, and then you bring the playbook home.

The long game: capability transfer, not just country expansion

In the long run, this deal helps Grab in four compounding ways.

1. It diversifies Grab’s fintech earnings. Grab’s financial services push has leaned heavily on lending and payments. Stash adds a different revenue profile: subscription-led, high-margin, and less sensitive to day-to-day consumer spend patterns.
2. It upgrades Grab’s product stack. Instead of building a mass-market investing platform from scratch (and learning the hard way about user education, compliance workflows, and suitability), Grab is acquiring an established machine with an existing customer base and behaviour data.
3. It creates an option for Southeast Asia’s wealth products. Grab said it will support Stash’s US growth while exploring whether to introduce its investing capabilities in Southeast Asia over time. That “over time” is doing work: it implies sequencing and regulatory pragmatism, not a rushed cross-border rollout.
4. It brings in AI-led personal finance engagement, which could become a moat in a region where customer acquisition is expensive and retention is fickle.

What the acquisition reveals about Grab’s global expansion strategy

The structure of the deal is a tell. Grab takes majority control now and then buys the rest over three years. That’s a risk-managed approach to global expansion: secure strategic control, keep founders incentivised, and stage capital deployment while performance and regulatory approvals play out.

It also suggests the superapp’s international growth strategy is shifting from “new geography, same playbook” to “new capability, multiple geographies”. Rather than exporting the superapp model into the US — a market crowded with entrenched consumer platforms — Grab is importing a fintech capability that can strengthen its core Southeast Asian ecosystem.

In other words, Grab is going global selectively: buying assets that can deepen the company’s competitive edge at home, while still capturing upside abroad.

How Stash’s AI could reshape financial services in Southeast Asia

The headline capability here is Stash’s AI Money Coach, designed to provide personalised financial guidance. Stash said interactions are auditable and governed by defined policies and controls, a critical point for any AI tool touching consumer finance.

Since launching in late 2024, Stash says about one in two users have taken a financial action on the same day, with that figure up nearly 40 per cent in 2025. That kind of conversion is not just a nice product metric; it’s a blueprint for changing financial behaviour at scale.

If Grab ultimately adapts similar AI-driven coaching for Southeast Asia, the impact could be significant:

• Lower-cost, always-on guidance for first-time investors who don’t have access to traditional advisors.
• Better financial literacy embedded in the product, rather than as separate, easily ignored content.
• Personalised nudges tied to real behaviour, which can drive saving, investing, and responsible borrowing.
• Regulator-friendly controls via auditable interactions — crucial in markets where AI governance in finance is tightening.

For Grab, which already sits on rich signals from mobility, deliveries, payments, and lending, layering AI financial coaching could turn its ecosystem data into something consumers actually feel day to day: clearer decisions, fewer missteps, and more confidence. That’s how fintech becomes sticky.

How the deal strengthens Grab’s financial performance

Beyond the narrative of “entering the US”, this acquisition is fundamentally a financial architecture upgrade.

• Recurring, high-margin subscription revenue can stabilise Grab’s fintech earnings and improve predictability.
• EBITDA-positive operations reduce the integration burden: Grab is not buying a turnaround story; it’s buying a running engine.
• Cross-ecosystem monetisation potential: if Grab eventually brings investing to Southeast Asia, it can increase ARPU and retention across its user base, while creating more reasons to keep money within the Grab ecosystem.
• A stronger fintech mix: pairing lending (which can be cyclical and risk-sensitive) with wealth and subscription services can smooth performance over time.

The timing is also notable. Grab reported its first full year of net profit in 2025, after years of losses, alongside continued growth in revenue and user engagement. Profitability changes the playbook: it gives Grab more credibility to pursue acquisitions that are strategic, not desperate.

Also Read: Super apps, fintech wallets and mobile payments: Southeast Asia’s next big cyber risk

After closing, Stash will continue operating as an independent brand in the United States under its existing leadership, including co-founders and co-CEOs Brandon Krieg and Ed Robinson, who said: “Grab has a track record of ecosystem-building through harnessing user data and a culture of entrepreneurship that will serve our growth ambitions.

This acquisition gives us the best of both worlds: the capabilities to double down on growth in the US, and the resources of a technology powerhouse to accelerate our vision of personalised, AI-driven financial guidance for millions of people across all parts of their financial lives.”

In Southeast Asia, the subtext is clear: Grab is not abandoning its home turf but it’s importing sharper tools to win it.

The post Grab’s US$425M Stash acquisition is about AI coaching, not America appeared first on e27.

Across Asia, startups are continuing to execute across markets, sectors, and stages. While macro conditions may shift, founders are still expanding operations, launching products, strengthening intellectual property, and building partnerships that push their companies forward.

Many of these developments are shared directly through company profiles and milestone updates on e27. For investors, corporates, and ecosystem players, these updates provide real-time insight into where traction is forming. For founders, publishing milestones creates visibility, documents progress, and signals credibility in a competitive landscape.

If you are building a startup in Asia, creating your company profile and posting milestones on e27 ensures your updates are discoverable by the wider ecosystem. Product launches, expansions, patent filings, partnerships, and event participation all contribute to your public track record. Below are some of the latest milestones shared by startups on e27.

Also Read: As Asia’s startup ecosystem moves forward, these milestones show what founders are building

Recent milestones from startups on e27

• PriyoShop: Scaling up with seven new hubs

PriyoShop expanded its footprint by launching operations in Sonargaon in partnership with Grameenphone, followed by six additional hubs across Netrokona. The expansion enables local grocery retailers with streamlined ordering, timely delivery, and transparent transactions to support their digital transformation.

• ExpertOps AI: Formation of Advisory Board of Industry Leaders

ExpertOps AI announced the formation of its Advisory Board, bringing together senior leaders with experience across analytics, AI, and enterprise software. The move strengthens strategic guidance as the company scales its AI and enterprise capabilities.

• Demokraft AI: Demokraft AI Studio Beta Launch

Demokraft AI launched the beta version of Demokraft AI Studio, enabling B2B teams to convert raw product recordings into polished videos and interactive guides within minutes. The accompanying AI Hub transforms these assets into conversational, self-guided demos that qualify leads and support revenue generation around the clock.

• Unified Intelligence: SFAIX IP milestone with patent filings in Singapore and the United States

Unified Intelligence filed patents in Singapore and the United States for SFAIX, its Secure Federated AI eXchange. The privacy-preserving network layer is designed to support governed intelligence exchange and expand the company’s intellectual property portfolio toward scalable network effects.

• Good Bards: 2026 product enhancements now live

Good Bards released its 2026 product updates, strengthening its AI-powered MarketingOS platform. Enhancements include full campaign creation, advanced planning tools, AI-driven audience segmentation, native email marketing, integration with SEA-LION, and seamless connectivity with Google Suite.

• FEHA: Showcased solutions at Cybersec Asia Thailand

FEHA participated as an exhibitor at Cybersec Asia Thailand, connecting with cybersecurity leaders across APAC and presenting its compliance and risk management solutions. The event reinforced its positioning in supporting ISO 27001 implementation and automated risk workflows.

• 2nd.digital: Launch of dotSpotlight

2nd.digital launched dotSpotlight, a new platform dedicated to highlighting the human stories behind digital builders and creators. The initiative focuses on elevating narratives within the digital ecosystem.

Also Read: Celebrating innovation and momentum across Asia’s startup and SME ecosystem

Turning milestones into visibility

Each of these updates reflects progress that founders chose to share publicly. When milestones are documented on e27, they become part of a broader ecosystem narrative that investors, corporates, and partners actively monitor.

If your startup has expanded, launched a new product, formed a partnership, filed intellectual property, or participated in a major industry event, consider publishing that update on your e27 company profile. Visibility compounds over time.

From online visibility to in-person opportunities

Your emails are not getting opened. Your booth will. Echelon Singapore 2026 brings together 300+ investors, 500+ corporates, and 100+ media over two days, focused on meaningful connections and outcomes. Founders leave with term sheets, pilot projects, and partnerships, not just business cards.

Secure your Startup a booth now at 40 per cent OFF here.

Unsure if you are the right fit? Reach us at events@e27.co.

—

Image credit: Canva

The post Startups across Asia push forward with new expansions, launches, and IP wins appeared first on e27.

Oneteam, a Singapore-headquartered SME acquisition platform focused on succession solutions, has secured a dedicated M&A financing facility from Polaris, the alternative financing arm of GB Helios, to fund its second acquisition, completed in September 2025.

The facility is designed to help Oneteam scale its approach to what it describes as long-term stewardship of profitable local SMEs, with an initial push into essential services within the built environment.

Also Read: Oneteam nets US$2.6M funding to revolutionise SME succession planning in Singapore

The bigger story here is not simply “startup raises money” but that a non-bank financier embedded in Singapore’s SME ecosystem is backing an acquisition-led operator with a model that aims to keep businesses alive after founders retire, without defaulting to trade sales, shutdowns, or fire-drills inside the family.

Financing the “missing middle” of SME M&A

Polaris’s facility introduces a dedicated financing structure for SME acquisitions with annual revenue below about SGD 10 million (US$7.4 million), a segment that Oneteam and its partners say is often underserved by traditional M&A lenders.

That gap matters because many succession-driven deals sit in an awkward band: too small and operationally messy for conventional acquisition finance, but too important to the real economy to be left to chance. In practice, the hardest part of SME succession is rarely “finding a buyer” but structuring a deal that is responsible, financeable, and operationally survivable once the founder steps away.

GB Helios, which has supported local enterprises through multiple economic cycles and is a Participating Financial Institution under Enterprise Singapore’s Enterprise Financing Scheme, is betting that Oneteam’s platform can turn succession from a cliff-edge into a repeatable process.

How employee ownership tackles the succession crisis

Oneteam’s core pitch is an employee ownership succession model: it acquires profitable SMEs from retiring owners and transitions them into employee-owned entities, with a focus on developing next-generation leaders from within the company rather than flipping the asset for a short-term exit.

This addresses several structural failure modes that show up repeatedly in SME succession:

• Continuity risk: When a founder exits abruptly, institutional knowledge often walks out the door. Transitioning ownership and leadership to internal talent reduces operational shock.
• Talent retention: Employee ownership can turn key staff into long-term stewards, not flight risks. In labour-tight sectors, that can be as valuable as a new sales pipeline.
• Alignment over extraction: Traditional buyouts can incentivise aggressive cost-cutting to service debt. A permanent-ownership approach is positioned as prioritising durability, service quality, and compounding operational improvements.
• “No heir, no sale” dead-ends: Many SMEs are not easily sold to competitors (who may dismantle teams) or passed to family (who may not want the business). Employee ownership offers a third route.

Matthew Pay, CFO of Oneteam, framed the constraint bluntly: “Access to financing options is one of the biggest missing pieces in local SME succession. This partnership with GB Helios gives us the ability to scale our acquisition strategy prudently, while continuing to invest in people, systems, and long-term value creation.”

What Oneteam has done so far, and the growth it is claiming

Over the past 12 months, Oneteam — which in November last year secured US$2.6 million in seed funding — has completed two acquisitions of profitable businesses within the facilities and property management ecosystem, part of a broader strategy to build a suite of services for Singapore’s built environment sector.

The company has not disclosed broader pipeline numbers or a run-rate of acquisitions beyond these two completed deals. However, it said the portfolio companies have delivered double-digit growth since acquisition, which Oneteam is using to argue that its operating playbook is more than financial engineering.

Also Read: Growth-minded Singapore SMEs turn to fintech amid cost pressures: Airwallex survey

That matters because acquisition platforms live or die on post-deal execution: upgrading systems, professionalising processes, retaining frontline teams, and maintaining customer satisfaction while leadership changes hands.

Joel Ang, Principal at Wavemaker Ventures, said: “From day one, our conviction in Oneteam was built on its mission-driven approach and disciplined execution. Seeing GB Helios come onboard as a strategic financing partner validates both the model and the long-term opportunity. This is exactly the kind of ecosystem collaboration needed to strengthen Singapore’s SME backbone.”

Strategic synergies with the GB Helios ecosystem

The Polaris facility is the headline, but the partnership is also setting up practical synergies that matter in the unglamorous, day-to-day reality of SME operations.

According to the release, the collaboration can extend into:

• Working capital support, which is often the difference between a smooth transition and a cashflow crisis
• Operational financing and equipment leasing, especially relevant for facilities and property management businesses that rely on vehicles, tools, and equipment uptime
• Human resource management solutions, to standardise hiring, retention, and performance processes across a fragmented sector

For Oneteam, this can compress the time needed to stabilise an acquired business post-transition. For GB Helios, it creates a pipeline of SMEs being professionalised and digitised — a healthier credit and operating profile over time, rather than one-off lending.

Global alternatives: not a new idea, but a local execution game

Globally, Oneteam’s model resembles a few well-established approaches:

• Search funds/entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA): common in the US and increasingly elsewhere, where operators buy a “boring but profitable” business and run it long-term.
• Employee ownership trusts (EOTs) and ESOP-style transitions: used in markets like the UK and US to move ownership to employees while preserving business continuity.
• Permanent capital holding companies: such as Permanent Equity (US) and other long-term hold buyers that prioritise durability over quick exits.
• SME roll-up platforms: some tech-enabled acquirers focus on standardising operations across many small businesses, though not all are explicitly employee-ownership-led.

Also Read: From admin headache to AI-driven insights: How Earlybird AI empowers SME founders

The difference in Southeast Asia is the operating terrain: fragmented industries, uneven digitisation, and a financing landscape that can leave sub-scale deals stranded. That is why the Oneteam-Polaris partnership is worth watching. It is trying to make succession financeable at the size band where most real businesses actually live.

—

Image Credit: Oneteam.

The post Oneteam secures M&A facility to scale employee-owned SME succession appeared first on e27.

Office space might only account for around 10 per cent of a company’s operating costs, but it sets the stage for everything else. The decisions made about space shape how people work, what kind of culture forms, and how much money and carbon is quietly lost in the background.

Too much space creates dead zones. Too little, and things get tense fast. The challenge is not just about cost-saving anymore. It is about creating the kind of working environment people want to show up to without overcommitting on a footprint you do not need.

Why space still matters more than you think?

Even with hybrid work becoming the norm, office costs have not caught up. CBRE’s 2024 research found that although three-quarters of companies see decent midweek attendance (above 60 per cent), only 28 per cent sustain that across the whole week.

In other words, we are paying for a space that works well for three days and sits underused for two.

The lease does not pause on Thursdays and Fridays.

The bias towards empty chairs

There is a strong, often unspoken bias in favour of oversizing. As researcher William Fawcett points out, leaders are more likely to be blamed when people cannot find desks than when space sits unused.

But the costs add up. Fawcett’s long-term studies suggest that carrying excess capacity can raise lifecycle costs by 20–30 per cent. Even after COVID-19, fewer than one-third of organisations are averaging more than 60 per cent desk use.

We keep renting chairs no one is sitting in. Not because it is rational, but because running short feels riskier than running wasteful.

Also Read: Top 5 strategies on how startup founders can drive healthy, rapid growth in an uncertain economy

Introducing the Goldilocks curve

Through years of client work, we have noticed a pattern. As space per person increases, employee experience initially improves but only to a point. After that, it dips.

• Too tight (Red) – It’s noisy, hard to book a meeting room, and mentally tiring.
• Just right (Green) – There’s just enough density for a sense of energy, casual learning, and spontaneous collaboration.
• Too loose (Red again) – Floors feel empty, culture thins out, and the office starts to feel optional at best, irrelevant at worst.

Quantifying the sweet spot

• What the data says

Space-time surveys back from 2005 in large portfolios show a typical 57  per cent desk utilisation during any half-day —remarkably close to CBRE’s numbers 20 years later! Pushing utilisation from 60 per cent (historical “full” demand) to 85 per cent (modelled “expected” demand) lets organisations drop about one-third of fixed desks yet maintain service quality.

• Cost-and-capacity trade-offs

When you plot desk count (cost) against probability of “no-desk” events (service risk), returns diminish fast. Each extra desk buys a little more certainty but at escalating cost and detriment in employee experience.

In practice, portfolios that aim for ~95-97 per cent seating certainty (≈ 1–2 “no-desk” moments in entire years, usually over 200 effective working days) capture most savings without harming morale. The right KPI therefore shifts from cost per desk provided to cost per desk actually used (CPDU).

Three-step method for CRE + CFOs

Also Read: Strategic investment 101: A founder’s playbook for winning without losing control

Implementation roadmap

You do not have to commit to everything at once. Start small and scale.

• Pilot for five days in one hub.
• Map the full regional portfolio within a month.
• Roll out internally over 6–12 months: dashboards, lease reviews, and workplace improvements.
• Create a review loop: quarterly usage checks, annual KPI refresh.

Track progress using:

• Cost per desk used
• Workplace experience scores (e.g., Leesman)
• Carbon per employee

Takeaways for 2025

Too much space quietly eats into profit. Too little makes people uncomfortable fast. But there is a middle ground, one that is informed by real usage patterns and supported by flexible tools.

We have seen what happens when companies find that sweet spot: the office becomes useful again, budgets become manageable, and people actually want to show up.

—

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.

Enjoyed this read? Don’t miss out on the next insight. Join our WhatsApp channel for real-time drops.

Image courtesy: Canva Pro

The post The Goldilocks office: Finding the sweet-spot where space, experience and value converge appeared first on e27.

Well, both yes and no.

Yes, these tools are a boon for non-tech-savvy individuals who want to create aesthetically pleasing and functional websites—whether for blogs, small businesses, or startups. They’re affordable for businesses aiming to enhance their digital presence to drive sales and conversions.

No, because they can’t entirely replace the expertise of professional developers. Building a high-quality (or even mid-quality) website often involves plugins, domain and hosting management, UI/UX optimisation, and ongoing maintenance. No one wants to face a dreaded “404 Error” on their site due to poor oversight.

So, what’s all the buzzabout low-code and no-code web builders? And how can businesses make the most of them?

What is a no-code builder?

As the name suggests, no-code website builders allow users to create websites without writing a single line of code. These platforms rely on intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces, pre-built templates, and design elements, making the process accessible even to those with no technical background.

No-code platforms simplify website development, enabling users to launch professional-looking sites quickly while saving time and resources. However, creating a powerful, polished site still requires understanding web design basics and advanced practices.

While these platforms accelerate the design and development process, they don’t necessarily make it “easier”. Choosing a no-code website builder for your site will give you much better results in a shorter time, but you’ll still have to burn the midnight oil to get there. They make it faster and more efficient, particularly for users who are willing to invest effort in learning the system.

What is low-code builder?

For developers with limited time and non-techies with a vision, low-code platforms are a game changer—you only need to have little to no knowledge of writing codes. It’s the same, but also very different from no-code website builders—a kind of halfway place between no-code and complete human coding.

Unlike no-code platforms, low-code solutions offer greater flexibility. They combine drag-and-drop simplicity with the ability to write custom code, enabling developers to build scalable, feature-rich websites without starting from scratch. Features like open APIs, scalable designs, and deployment options (cloud or on-premises) make low-code platforms a robust choice for more complex projects.

Also Read: The year in clicks: 2024’s top 20 startup headlines

No or low? Which one is the best?

Low-code and no-code platforms primarily provide the means to build apps without writing code. With a visual approach, developers don’t need to understand various types of programming languages. Both options in a Platform as a Service (PaaS) form factor also remove the overhead of setting up environments and maintaining infrastructure.

But that’s where the similarities between low-code and no-code end.

This is where they draw the lines.

• No-code platforms: Designed for users with no coding expertise. Best for simple websites or applications with limited functionality.
• Low-code platforms: Require some basic coding knowledge. Suitable for developing more complex applications or integrating with existing systems.

Choosing between the two depends on your specific needs. No-code platforms might suffice for straightforward projects but could create challenges when scaling or integrating with advanced tools. On the other hand, low-code platforms offer more flexibility and scalability but require a basic understanding of coding.

Top five no-code builders for 2024

Softr

• A no-code app builder designed for integrating data from Airtable or Google Sheets. With Softr, you can create apps and websites step-by-step using its comprehensive and versatile toolkit.
• Pricing: Starting from US$49/month
• Rating: G2: 4.8/5 (200+ reviews)

Glide

• Ideal for mobile app creation, Glide ensures your app’s design stays up-to-date with the latest industry trends. It’s a great choice for beginners or anyone looking to create a straightforward app with ease.
• Pricing: Starting from US$25/month
• Rating: G2: 4.7/5 (350+ reviews)

Studio Creatio

• Perfect for AI-powered app development, Studio Creatio features a composable architecture that facilitates configuring and deploying AI-driven use cases, especially for CRM and app development tasks.
• Pricing: From US$25/user/month
• Rating: 4.9 /5

Zeroqode

• Best for template-based app building, Zeroqode simplifies data management through integrations like Google Sheets. Their extensive template library caters to various needs, including e-commerce, project management, CRM, and dashboards.
• Pricing: From US$25/user/month (billed annually)
• Rating: None yet

Bubble

• Ideal for visual web application development, Bubble stands out for its ability to turn ideas into fully functional web apps without requiring knowledge of complex programming languages. Its emphasis on a visual-first approach solidifies its reputation as the top choice for building web applications visually.
• Pricing: From US$25/user/month
• Rating: G2: 4.4/5 (100+ reviews)

Also Read: Remote hiring in 2024: The pros, cons, and everything in between

Top five low-code builders for 2024

Zoho Creator

• Best for database-driven application design, Zoho seamlessly integrates with its suite of products while also connecting to external platforms like Salesforce, MailChimp, and Slack, enhancing its versatility within a business ecosystem.
• Pricing: From US$10/user/month (billed annually) + US$20 base fee per month
• Rating: 4.3/ 5

Xano

• Best for scalable backends, Xano is a no-code API builder that empowers users to create and manage APIs effortlessly. Its integration with a flexible PostgreSQL database enables handling complex data relationships and executing advanced queries—eliminating the need for a traditional SQL database administrator.
• Pricing: From US$85/month (billed annually)
• Rating: 4.8 /5

Appsmith

• Best for rapid low-code development, Appsmith provides extensive customisation options, including in-line JavaScript and reusable code blocks. It features a built-in IDE-like editor with advanced tools such as autocomplete, multi-line editing, debugging, and linting. Additionally, Appsmith supports self-hosting and role-based access control for enhanced flexibility and security.
• Pricing: From US$40/month
• Rating: 4.7 / 5

Superblocks

• Best for building secure internal apps, Superblocks streamlines development cycles with drag-and-drop components, robust database and API integrations, and Git-based version control. It supports a variety of databases and APIs, including Postgres, MySQL, MongoDB, Snowflake, and Salesforce, making it a versatile choice for internal application development.
• Pricing: From US$15/user/month + US$49/creator/month
• Rating: 4.7 / 5

Mendix

• Best for agile development, Mendix’s Epics feature functions as an integrated project management tool, enabling teams to work seamlessly with Scrum or Kanban methodologies. It offers customisable workflows with sections like backlog, refinement, to-do, in-progress, testing, and done, ensuring efficient project organisation and progress tracking.
• Pricing: From US$58/user/month (five seats included, billed annually)
• Rating: 4.4 / 5

Takeaways

Low-code and no-code web builders have now proved that they are valuable, especially for those non-techies who are looking to make the perfect DIY website without having to know what coding is.

For startups and small businesses, these platforms offer a cost-effective, fast-track solution to establishing an online presence. However, investing in low-code platforms—or hiring experienced developers—remains crucial for more sophisticated projects.

Whether you’re a tech-savvy entrepreneur or a seasoned developer, embracing the strengths of these tools can help you build smarter, faster, and more impactful digital experiences.

—

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, and LinkedIn to stay connected.

Image credit: Canva Pro

The post Low-code and no-code website builders: Do we still need developers to craft the ‘perfect’ websites? appeared first on e27.