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Afternoon News Roundup: Event management startup PouchNATION raises Series B from cinema tickets platform TIX ID

Finance

NFC-based event management startup PouchNATION raises Series B funding from Indonesian online cinema tickets platform TIX ID

TIX ID, the online cinema tickets platform in Indonesia, has invested in PouchNATION, to extend its on-ground handling capabilities in anticipation of launching the events ticket sales business.

PouchNATION digitises mass participation events and venues through the use of NFC technology to manage crowds process payments, collect data, as well as offer events and recreational venues space in Asia with offices in Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand.

It will be complementing TIX ID product offering by providing its technology for on-ground capabilities at events and venues.

Sean Kim, Managing Director of TIX ID, said: “Jointly we will be able to guarantee a seamless experience starting from online ticket sales, on TIX ID platform, to offline crowd management, access control and brand activation on PouchNATION’s platform.”

For more than 10 million registered users on TIX ID platform this collaboration means that soon they will have a broader choice than just accessing movie tickets; events tickets will be available as soon as March 2020.

GrabWheels snags US$30M investment from KYMCO to bring two-wheeler electric vehicle to Southeast Asia

GranWheels, the mobility arm of Grab, announces that it has secured US$30 million investment from Taiwan’s electric vehicle (EV) KYMCO.

Grab’s mobility arm GrabWheels said that the funding will enable both firms to jointly explore developing and deploying two-wheel electric vehicles, specifically KYMCO’s Ionex electric bikes and Ionex EV charging platforms.

Also Read: Grab launches green e-scooter GrabWheels in Indonesia’s top university

The partnership will also include a research study in which GrabWheels and Kymco will look into how best to develop a shared two-wheel EV service, build an electric charging infrastructure, and ensure KYMCO’s EVs meet the licensing requirements across Southeast Asia.

“The transition toward electric vehicles is one of the most significant transformations of personal transportation for the next 10 years,” said Allen Ko, Chairman of KYMCO Group, who added: “Accelerating this transition, KYMCO Ionex is the EV turnkey solution that empowers all businesses and governments to go electric.”

Grab has been steadily expanding its EV ecosystem by collaborating with governments and partners like automakers and electricity providers, to drive up EV adoption.

Business

Toyota Mobility Foundation, MDEC collaborates to launch US$1.5M-prized city architecture competition

Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) announces that it has partnered with the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) to launch the City Architecture for Tomorrow Challenge (CATCH).

The challenge marks the region’s first global challenge that will attract innovative, data-driven entries from global participants. It aims to raise efficiency in urban planning, and drive forward the future of mobility.

CATCH will seek to address mobility challenges in Kuala Lumpur with a global call for solutions, for a period of 8 months, where participants — from startups, academic, and research institutions to corporates, or even the general public — can conceptualise and develop solutions that are data-driven to design future city infrastructures and city mobility management for the region.

Also Read: MDEC partners 9 Digital Transformation Lab for tech enabling support

Surina Shukri, CEO, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, said, “CATCH is in-line with MDEC’s efforts to drive forward the country’s digital economy, catalyse next-gen innovation through Malaysia’s Global Testbed Initiative, and reinforce the country’s position as the Heart of Digital ASEAN.”

TMF will be providing grants at every stage of the challenge — up to US$1.5 million in total — to support teams towards the development and trial-testing of the solutions in Kuala Lumpur. Participants will also have access to expert mentors, both public and private sector data of commuters’ journey point in the city to empower them to develop solutions that will be selected in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act, and an incubation program.

Image Credit: PouchNATION

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