Qashier founders
Qashier to use US$860K funding for SEA expansion
Qashier, a Singapore based startup providing smart point-of-sale solutions for merchants, has raised US$860,000 in funding.
Local investor Cocoon Capital led the round, which also saw participation from Hardware Club, a US-based VC firm.
Qashier says that it will use the funding for expansion across Southeast Asia, hiring, and product development. Its goal is to build an omnichannel commerce platform to power SMEs.
“The current pandemic has pushed businesses of all sizes to embrace technology to increase margins and stay resilient. Yet, many SMEs have been left behind due to the high cost and complexity of adopting new technology. Qashier is providing the tools used by large corporations to SMEs at a fraction of the cost, empowering them to succeed in today’s competitive economy,” said Christopher Choo, Founder of Qashier.
SMU incubation program
SMU debuts 19 startups accepted into its incubation programme
Business Innovations Generator (BIG), the incubator managed by the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) of the Singapore Management University (SMU), has announced that 19 new startups accepted into the second cohort.
The goal of the 4-month equity-free programme is to support early-stage startups and student founders by providing them with the opportunity to validate their business plan and gain access to industry experts, and grant opportunities early on.
Here are the startups –
Atsell: E-commerce enabler that helps merchants and brands boost their online sales
Beauty Undercover: Matches customers with salons by providing them with information to make better beauty/salon decisions.
Captive Interactive Live: E-commerce (EC) live streaming integrated service platform for brands who want to grow their visibility
Feige: A digital identity and credit line marketplace for gig workers and freelancers
Fluidlytix: A solution for commercial organisations to help reduce water bills and consumption by 30 per cent
Ion Mobility: Electric motorcycle company
Kalpha: p2p mobile platform where individuals can connect and meet up to share any skills, knowledge and experiences on a 1-to-1 basis.
Also Read: SMU-MSc in Innovation programme – where innovation meets pedagogy
Mantheos: Provides businesses with clean and structured data solutions to help them make better decision
ORBIT -animal: Helps monitor animal health as well as educate caretakers on how to better manage their pet’s health.
Paladium: Uses Machine Learning to help B2C match products and promotions to relevant potential customers
Pogmothoine PGM: Online shop and platform for vintage-lovers
QuikChef: Converts individual F&B’s store items into a vacuum-packed chilled product for effective storage
Ridr: An all in one online parcel/food delivery search engine that comprises data from food services companies, SMEs, and online sellers.
Sealed: A B2B learning company that connects organisations with expert insights to plug knowledge gaps, serving investment
funds, management consultants and corporations.
Sekoni Original: Tech-enabled watches that can be customised for everyday life while retaining fashion appeal
Twimbit: A knowledge firm which provides information and advisory to individuals and companies
Unistop Tech: Provides an automation vending store system that is based on robotic technology
Version22: Helps companies get started with their digital transformation journey by automating repetitive, mundane
and inefficient business processes through software
Vita: A platform that allows retrenched workers to prove their resume claims through ex-employer feedback
India’s Reliance Jio receives US$253M investment from Intel
American multinational corporation and technology company Intel has announced an investment of US$253 million into India’s telecom giant Reliance Jio, according to LiveMint.
This mark’s Jio’s eleventh investment up till now in just about two months.
Jio Platforms is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries and currently claims to have more than 388 million subscribers.
Mukesh Ambani, MD of Jio, said that the investment will help realise its Digital India Mission, empower all sectors of the economy, and improve the quality of life of 1.3 billion Indians.
Indian mobile apps experience boost after the country announces ban on 59 Chinese apps
Many Indian mobile apps have experienced a surge in downloads after the country’s Prime Minister announced a ban on 59 Chinese apps, citing security threats.
Many startups are now identifying the opportunity and launching their own new short-video app to fill the void of the popular Chinese app TikTok like ShareChat, Mitron etc.
“This ban gives a unique opportunity to Indian technology entrepreneurs to build and own some of the most highly used internet products,” said Aprameya Radhakrishna, founder of Vokal to The EconomicTimes.
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Image Credit: Qashier, Unsplash, SMU
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