The Tech In Asia Conference 2022 just ended its first day at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Singapore.

Held for the first time in-person since 2019, the event featured panel discussions and fireside chats on relevant topics for the Southeast Asian tech startup community.

The event is also known for its Startup Factory showcase, which features booths from 120 participants this year. Featuring startups from various countries –from Indonesia to the US– the section aims to help startups exhibit their works to attendees for potential collaboration in the future.

The following are some of the most unique startup ideas that we met at the Startup Factory at the Tech In Asia Conference 2022.

Supporting the creative industry

While popular sectors such as e-commerce, B2B, and Web3 continued to dominate the list of startups that are participating in the event, e27 noticed several unique verticals among them.

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There were at least two startups that are working to support players in the creative industries through their tech innovation.

The first one of such kind is writeso.me, an India-based platform for creative writers. Similar to Wattpad, the platform helps writers of fiction and poems to get their works published online. But what sets it apart from the similar platforms is that, in addition to allowing writers to make money from the “awards” that readers are giving to them, this platform also has a connection to the publishing industry. Top-performing writers will have a chance to be connected to publishers; the startup also monetises by allowing corporations to promote their products and services in the form of stories or poems.

Another unique startup idea is FRONTROW. Similar to Masterclass, the platform offers educational content hosted by leading names in the industry. But it sets itself apart by focusing on the South Korean entertainment industry. The startup is riding the wave of K-pop industry popularity, which has also opened doors for aspiring international artists to build their careers in the country. The content of the edutech platform is made relevant to the needs of the entertainment industry, such as lessons on singing or modeling.

Keeping sustainability in mind

Climate tech and sustainability are some of the most important branches of the tech industry today, and we also got to see companies coming up with a unique way to tackle these challenges.

Thryft is one example of such startup. The Singapore-based company started out by offering an online store for second-handed books, but it has recently expanded to include clothes as well. By doing this, Thryft aims to encourage its users to approach a more sustainable lifestyle by purchasing second-handed goods (instead of letting them go to waste) and allocating the goods that they no longer use for a better purpose.

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Handprint is an example of a tech startup that was launched as a spin-off of an academic report commissioned by the United Nations. From its offices in Singapore and Bali, the startup’s Regeneration-as-a-Service enables companies to measure their environmental impact in one handy platform.

From the Web3 front, there is Singapore-based Greenerre which aims to encourage users to perform social initiatives to save the environment –in exchange of tokens. In addition to this, the company is also building Kenek, the digital alternative to the existing name cards, as part of the effort to cut down the use of paper.

Other things

The Startup Factory also featured innovation from different verticals –from religious tech to productivity tools.

If you have been looking for a serious contender to MuslimPro, you might want to consider Malaysia-based QalbyApp. Founded by former Malaysian singer Mizz Nina, the app provides educational content and lifestyle tools for practitioners. It has begun its expansion to markets such as Indonesia and is preparing to enter the European market through the UK.

Tired of using PowerPoint and Prezi? You might want to consider Present, a platform that helps users convert their documents to quality presentations –with features such as videos– that can be shared online through various channels. Users can also track the performance of their content through the platform.

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