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The 2023 Echelon Asia Summit is happening at the Singapore EXPO on 14-15 June 2023. Are you a startup founder, investor, corporate, or tech enthusiast? Don’t miss out on one of the most anticipated tech conferences in the region! For more information, visit the official Echelon page.

The year 2023 began with two exciting acquisition news from Southeast Asian (SEA) tech startups.

In February, Indian workforce management firm BetterPlace announced the acquisition of its SEA counterpart MyRobin.

During the announcement, BetterPlace said that this deal is part of a series of investments that it is making to expand into the region. After Indonesia, it is looking to expand into Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines through organic and inorganic strategies.

After Better Place and MyRobin, in April, we got updates about the acquisition of iVS by ShowHeroes. This acquisition is also part of the organisation’s plan to expand into the Asia Pacific (APAC) market, including notable SEA markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Japan.

For startups in general, acquisitions by global companies provide a promising alternative to IPOs. As written by Jeffrey Gangemi from SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University, young companies used to view going public not just as “a rite of passage” into maturity but as a necessary step to access a large volume of relatively inexpensive capital. But this was no longer the case as growth companies remained private for longer.

From the perspective of global companies looking to enter a new market, local tech companies provide great value with their knowledge and presence in the markets.

Also Read: Journeying through the long, winding road of startup investments and M&A in 2023

These are the reasons why we invited speakers from these two companies to speak at Echelon Asia Summit 2023. On June 15 at 11.30 AM on Forge Stage, MyRobin CEO and Co-Founder Siddharth Kumar and ShowHeroes SVP APAC Milan Reinartz are going to share their experiences with being acquired by global tech companies. Moderated by e27 CEO and Co-Founder Mohan Belani, this panel discussion will open our eyes to how M&As can contribute to growth for both companies.

A strong foundation for growth

Prior to the acquisitions, these two companies have made a reputation for themselves in their respective fields.

Launched in 2020 in Indonesia, MyRobin is a workforce-as-a-service platform that provides enterprises with on-demand, pre-screened, blue-collar workers. It provides a solution for businesses with recruitment, documentation, attendance, performance, and workers’ payments all processed on the platform. For workers, MyRobin provides an online job portal, financial services, and training.

The firm claims it has an outreach to more than three million workers across around 270 cities in Indonesia.

In 2022, the company claimed to have recorded a 7x growth with a client list that includes Shopee, Astro, Sicepat, E-Fishery, and Kopi Kenangan.

MyRobin is backed by Antler, SOSV, Accion Venture Lab, and Investible.

Known as iVS before the acquisition by ShowHeroes Group, the company served over 208 million unique users each month through its programmatic marketplace, made up of Asia’s independent publishers, advertisers, broadcasters and DooH providers. It leverages machine learning to enable monetisation and consumer engagement through its AVOD platform, proprietary video player and smart technology.

The acquisition transformed iVS CEO Milan Reinartz to the role of ShowHeroes SVP, APAC.

Also Read: Beyond the union: Understanding the complexities and impacts of M&As

After the acquisitions, these companies will have access to the resources and network that will empower them in the next stage of their journey.

“We now also have access to a global intelligence system through ShowHeroes, with all its learnings, rather than relying solely on our local expertise – in the principle of economies at scale, the cost advantages we’re seeing from this acquisition are brilliant,” Reinartz says in an interview with e27.

“Furthermore, evolving from a successful startup company – with all the work that entails – to now being part of a larger global company and team allows us to fully focus on our customers and partners, both old and new.”

Echelon Asia Summit 2023

Get to know these experts and more at this year’s Echelon!

Echelon Asia Summit 2023 is happening on 14-15 June, at the Singapore EXPO. Featuring a slew of speakers, exhibitors, business matching sessions, pitching stages, and more, the event enables participants to connect, network, and engage with the larger tech startup ecosystem.

At the Echelon Asia Summit, participants get the chance to attend a diverse range of sessions, including keynote speeches, panel discussions, and workshops, all exploring exciting topics like AI, blockchain, e-commerce, fintech, and marketing. You’ll also have the opportunity to join networking sessions and meet-ups where you can connect with fellow entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders.

To learn more about Echelon Asia Summit 2023 and sign up for the event, visit the official page here.

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Image Credit: MyRobin, ShowHeroes

The post Echelon: How global companies are winning APAC through acquisitions in SEA appeared first on e27.