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Blockchain disruption, EV roaming network, healthcare collaborations, and fintech expansion make waves in SEA

Wiziin nets US$500K

Vietnam-based venture investment management platform Wiziin secured US$500,000 in pre-seed funding from an unnamed tech serial entrepreneur.

“The venture capital world has long adhered to traditional methods of funding and investing in startups. This funding will enable us to accelerate our next efforts in emerging blockchain technology to disrupt this industry and revolutionise how venture capital operates based on the tokenisation of assets, and smart contracts,” stated Co-Founder Thong Dang.

Founded in 2020 by experienced venture capitalist Tien Nguyen and serial entrepreneur Dang, Wiziin aims to bridge the gap between investors and founders through its new blockchain-based platform.

It provides tech platforms specialising in data-driven solutions for startups and investors in capital raising, dealmaking, and co-invest monitoring. It has a network of over 200 investors, and over 5,000 companies have raised funding via the platform.

Beep bags seed funding

Singapore-based IoT transaction platform, Beep, announced the launch of what it claims to be Southeast Asia’s largest electric vehicle roaming (eRoaming) network. Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre in Singapore (HMGICS), Tribecar, EVFY, Singapore Electric Vehicles, and Quantum Mobility are among the initial entities to use the network.

Beep also announced the completion of its seed funding round, led by GGV Capital and Wing Vasiksiri. NUS Technology Holdings, SUTD Venture Holdings, XA Network, and prominent angel investors also participated in the funding round. The amount of funding is undisclosed.

Beep will utilise the fresh funds to improve technical connectivity and deploy the largest roaming network in Southeast Asia as part of expansion plans into Malaysia, Thailand, and beyond. The company will continue collaborating with additional charge point operators, vehicle OEMs, and fleets to grow the network on a permission basis.

HealthXCapital joins hands with Jungle Ventures

Singapore-based VC firm Jungle Ventures announced the addition of HealthXCapital to lead its healthcare investments in Southeast Asia and India.

Seemant Jauhari, a seasoned leader with 22 years of experience in healthcare investments who has led HealthXCapital since its inception, will join Jungle Ventures as a Partner for healthcare.

HealthXCapital has engaged with over 1,200 founders across various healthcare segments, including home care, ambulatory care, insurtech, data sciences, and brain health. Their portfolio features names such as RED.Health, Homage, Medfin, and THB.

Jungle Ventures specialises in early to growth-stage investments in Southeast Asia and India, focusing on nurturing businesses from their inception to becoming unicorns and eventually to IPO.

Atome renews US$100M debt facility

Atome Financial, a Singapore-based buy-now-pay-later company targetting unbanked and underbanked consumers, renewed its US$100 million debt facility with HSBC Singapore.

The funds will help the fintech firm to expand its services in the Philippine market and develop new consumer financing products.

Atome entered the Philippine market in end-2021 by partnering with over 50 online and offline retailers across fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and home & living. The Philippines presents enormous opportunities for the fintech firm as 34.3 million adults are unbanked (as of 2021).

Launched in December 2019, Atome is a digital platform providing consumers across the region with flexible deferred payments through its mobile app. In addition, it offers digital consumer loans in Indonesia through the Kredit Pintar mobile app.

Antler invests in CHOYS

CHOYS, a SaaS insurtech platform for corporate employees in Southeast Asia, closed a US$1.1 million seed funding round with investors, including Wing Vasiksiri, Foremast, Antler, and Fintech Nation Fund.

The company will use the money for its go-to-market strategy across Southeast Asia and to bolster its product development initiatives.

Founded by Sharon Li and Vanessa Chen, CHOYS aims to make work life more meaningful and humanised. To achieve this, it empowers organisations with well-being tools and a platform to make a “bigger impact” through better understanding of and connecting with their people. The firm uses data analytics to create customised employee benefit experiences.

Boost Capital lands US$2.5M

Singapore-headquartered SaaS platform Boost Capital secured US$2.5 million in a seed funding round from Village Global, Iterative Ventures, Hustle Fund, Epic Angels, Xcel Next, and Insitor.

Prominent angel investors, including Shivaas Gulati, former co-founder of Remitly; Larry Hootnick, former CFO of Intel; and Puon Penn, former EVP of Venture Capital at Wells Fargo, also participated.

The firm will use the funds for market expansion, enlarging its product team, and initiating partnerships with new banks.

Founded in 2018 by Gordon Peters and Lucinda Revell, Boost Capital provides a platform that enables financial institutions to digitally onboard applicants for loans, savings, credit cards, and insurance quickly.

The image used in this picture is AI-generated.

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