Zara, the flagship brand of Inditex, is often held up as the gold standard of fast fashion. Since its founding in 1974 in Spain, the brand has expanded into over 90 countries, employing more than 165,000 people worldwide. Its appeal lies in its ability to get new designs from concept to store shelves in a matter of weeks, keeping shoppers constantly engaged with fresh trends.

At the heart of this success is a value chain that’s both agile and tightly controlled. Yet, that same machinery that fuels Zara’s rapid growth also carries environmental, ethical, and operational challenges that the brand can no longer afford to ignore.

A value chain built for speed

Zara’s supply chain is the engine behind its fast-fashion dominance. Approximately 57 per cent of its clothing production is handled internally in factories near its headquarters in Galicia, Spain. This proximity allows for quick turnarounds, high flexibility, and strong quality control.

The rest of its production is outsourced to a web of suppliers scattered across Asia, Latin America, and other parts of Europe. This global footprint includes more than 1,800 suppliers, with over 1,000 based in Asia. Core inputs such as fabrics and yarn are partly sourced internally—around 40 per cent from Zara’s own network—while the rest comes from countries like Portugal, Morocco, and Hong Kong.

The journey from fiber to fashion involves multiple steps: fibers are spun into yarn, woven or knitted into fabrics, dyed, printed, cut, sewn, quality-checked, and packed. Finished garments are then routed through “The Cube,” Zara’s central distribution hub, before reaching one of its 2,221 stores or shipping to customers in 66 online markets.

This vertically integrated approach has long been one of Zara’s key advantages, enabling it to pivot quickly to shifting fashion trends and avoid the months-long lead times that plague slower competitors.

The environmental cost of fast fashion

The fast-fashion model is built on speed and volume—but that comes with a heavy environmental price tag. Globally, the fashion industry produces about 100 billion garments annually, with 92 million tonnes ending up in landfills each year.

Zara’s operations, like much of the industry, rely on processes that are resource-intensive and polluting. Dyeing and fabric finishing contribute to water contamination, while the transportation of materials and products across continents adds to fashion’s estimated 10 per cent share of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Also Read: Why Vietnam’s digital bank licenses are the dark horse opportunity of 2026

As climate awareness grows, this footprint is becoming harder to justify. Consumers are increasingly questioning whether they need a constant influx of cheap, trendy clothing—especially when its lifecycle is often measured in months, not years.

Ethical pressures in a global supply network

Zara’s far-reaching supplier network has brought efficiency, but it has also exposed the brand to labor controversies. Allegations over the years have included long working hours, unsafe conditions, and low wages in countries like India, Argentina, and Brazil.

In response, Zara has strengthened its supplier code of conduct and increased audits, aiming to ensure fairer labor practices. However, maintaining consistent ethical standards across such a vast network remains a daunting task, especially in regions where local enforcement of labor laws is weak.

For a brand that markets itself on being responsive to customers’ needs, the challenge is to be equally responsive to workers’ rights.

Business resilience in a shifting retail landscape

The pandemic years highlighted just how vulnerable Zara’s model can be to external shocks. From 2020 to 2024, the company closed over 600 stores as in-person retail sales plummeted. Supply chain disruptions in 2022 led to delays and shortages, demonstrating the fragility of even the most sophisticated logistics systems.

Economic downturns and inflationary pressures have also tightened consumer spending, making shoppers more selective. For a brand that thrives on frequent purchases, this means adapting quickly—either by leaning further into e-commerce or by rethinking product cycles to better match consumer realities.

The technology factor: Risk and opportunity

Zara has long used technology to enhance its supply chain—from RFID tags for inventory tracking to data analytics for demand forecasting. Now, the stakes are higher. Artificial intelligence, automation, and digital design tools promise faster, more sustainable production cycles and reduced overstock.

For example, AI-powered demand sensing could help Zara produce closer to actual demand, cutting waste. Automation in cutting and sewing could speed up production while reducing errors. Virtual fitting tools could lower return rates and help customers make better purchase decisions online.

Also Read: Rebuilding the fast fashion model from the ground up: Grana’s Pieter Wittgen & Luke Grana

However, digitisation also introduces new risks. Greater reliance on connected systems means greater vulnerability to cyberattacks, data breaches, and privacy issues. As Zara integrates more technology into its operations, safeguarding data will become as crucial as safeguarding supply chains.

Can fast fashion be sustainable?

The central question for Zara—and for the fast-fashion sector as a whole—is whether speed and sustainability can truly coexist. Efforts like using more recycled materials, investing in cleaner dyeing processes, and setting science-based emissions targets are steps in the right direction.

But real change will require structural shifts: slowing down production cycles, encouraging repair and reuse, and being transparent about supply chain impacts. This goes beyond marketing campaigns; it demands rethinking the very business model that has made Zara successful.

Strategic moves for the future

To navigate this next phase, Zara will likely need to focus on four key strategies:

• Smarter demand forecasting: Leveraging AI and real-time sales data to fine-tune production and avoid overstock.
• Sustainable sourcing: Expanding the use of eco-friendly fabrics, water-saving dye technologies, and renewable energy across the supply chain.
• Stronger supplier accountability: Deepening partnerships with suppliers to ensure compliance with ethical labor standards, while providing support for improvements.
• Digital resilience: Investing in cybersecurity, privacy safeguards, and staff training to ensure technological tools enhance rather than endanger operations.

The balancing act ahead

Zara’s value chain is a study in contrasts: a highly efficient, vertically integrated system that also amplifies many of fashion’s biggest challenges. Its ability to turn trends into products at lightning speed has won it millions of customers—but the social, environmental, and operational costs are becoming harder to ignore.

As consumer expectations evolve toward sustainability and transparency, Zara faces a choice: maintain the status quo and risk falling out of step with its audience, or reimagine fast fashion for a world that’s increasingly demanding slower, more responsible production.

The company’s next moves will not only define its own future but may also shape the direction of the entire fast-fashion industry.

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Toku, a Singapore‑incorporated, cloud‑native AI customer‑experience (CX) platform, has closed its initial public offering on the SGX Catalist board, raising SGD16.25 million (about US$11.86 million) at SGD0.25 (roughly US$0.18) per invitation share.

The public offer attracted 1,115 valid applications for 63,888,300 public offer Shares (a subscription rate of 31.9 times) and the placement was fully subscribed. Post‑IPO market capitalisation stands at S$142.56 million (approximately US$104.17 million).

Key financial outcomes and market response

The market’s reception was strong. Institutional demand included top‑tier investors such as Lion Global Investors, Amova Asset Management Asia, Asdew Acquisitions, and Ginko‑AGT Global Growth Fund, signalling validation from sophisticated allocators. The oversubscription of the offer (nearly 32 times) demonstrates retail appetite and suggests effective pre‑listing positioning and investor relations.

Also Read: Why Toku’s public listing could reset expectations for Singapore startups

Toku enters the market on a credible growth trajectory. It reported revenue growth of 47 per cent and net revenue retention exceeding 150 per cent over the past three years for its subscription and licensing revenue stream. Those figures point to robust customer expansion and high retention among enterprise clients, both positive indicators for long‑term unit economics in a sector where churn can be fatal.

How Toku’s platform differentiates

Toku pitches itself not as another omnichannel vendor but as an enterprise‑grade stack purpose‑built for complexity. Its differentiation rests on three pillars:

• End‑to‑end ownership of stack and connectivity: Toku controls the full technology stack from carrier‑grade connectivity through to AI applications. That reduces integration friction and offers predictability in heavily regulated or fragmented markets where telco relationships and local routing matter.
• AI and governance designed for enterprises: The platform includes transcription, summarisation, sentiment analysis, conversation analytics and governed virtual agents. Crucially, Toku emphasises governed AI — controls and auditability that regulated industries and public‑sector customers demand, rather than loose, black‑box models.
• Deployment flexibility and market breadth: Support for commercial cloud, private data centres and hybrid setups gives Toku a technical edge in markets with strict data residency or compliance requirements. The firm’s modular 360° CX orchestration is tailored for multi‑market operations where linguistic, regulatory and infrastructure complexity is the norm.

Together, these elements position Toku to serve customers where standard SaaS CX vendors struggle: enterprises operating across jurisdictions, regulated sectors and high‑volume voice environments.

Primary strategic objectives post‑listing

Toku’s management has been explicit about its next moves. The IPO proceeds will be directed at three strategic priorities:

1. Global scaling of the platform: The management intends to accelerate international expansion, particularly within APAC, where multilingual and regulated markets create demand for Toku’s approach. Capital will fund localisation, sales expansion and strategic partnerships.
2. Deepening AI capabilities: Toku plans to invest in advanced AI features — more accurate speech models, better conversational analytics and stronger virtual‑agent orchestration — while maintaining governance and explainability for enterprise compliance.
3. Growth through M&A and partnerships: The company signalled appetite for strategic acquisitions to expand product breadth or accelerate market access. Partnerships with channel and systems‑integrator ecosystems will be crucial to reduce go‑to‑market costs in new territories.

Why the market is taking notice

Toku’s model addresses pain points that many enterprises still face: poor voice transcription in local dialects, fractured integrations across channels, and compliance hurdles when deploying cloud services across borders. High net revenue retention (above 150 per cent) suggests customers are expanding usage after initial deployment, a key validation in recurring‑revenue businesses.

Also Read: Toku files for SGX Catalist IPO, doubles down on partner-led go-to-market strategy

That said, execution risk remains. The competitive landscape is crowded with global incumbents (Cisco, Genesys), cloud‑native challengers and regional specialists, all vying for enterprise budgets. Toku’s success will depend on converting initial customer wins into scalable, repeatable logos and on maintaining margins while investing in high‑cost AI and infrastructure.

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With economic uncertainty comes opportunity. This is a timely phase for Asian businesses to build stronger customer relationships, enhance services and grow efficiently.

As you scale up your business, it’s also vital to provide an environment that attracts and, more importantly, retains skilled talent. Consider a ‘business as unusual’ approach to take stock of where you stand with customer expectations, use of technology and the employee experience to create the optimum setting for success.

Here are some of my thoughts.

Optimise digital technology 

With 350 million digital consumers, Southeast Asia is set to become the fastest-growing digital economy in the Asia Pacific. The pandemic pushed people in this region online at an aggressive pace, and businesses need to adapt and win digital consumers.

Technology allows even solo business operators to look prominent. But there is the catch — customers have come to expect technology to work seamlessly. Creating a website that is hard to navigate can create frustrated users and make companies appear unsophisticated. Whatever technology you use to connect to your customers and partners, make sure it is practical and easy to navigate.

Efficient technology solutions improve your customers’ experience and help you make vital decisions to grow your company. Data is the fuel for business success, from understanding and analysing competitors to tracking shipments or evaluating pricing.

As a global company, technology is core to our work, informing us of critical information we need to understand everything from a customer’s health concerns to the ordering of the raw ingredients used in our products that help improve people’s health.

We’ve designed customised technology to connect Herbalife to its distributors and the distributors to their customers for continuity and ease of product ordering and delivery. We enable our distributors to run their businesses more efficiently, whether they are in Asia or other parts of the world, regardless of their technology platform.

Grow or scale your business

Many business owners may hear the adage that managing and understanding company growth is challenging. What may have started as a solo operation may suddenly become a business needing additional resources.

Also Read: A tech worker should be all about improving customer experience: Kim Nguyen of Recruitery

When you’ve owned your business for a while, you start recognising areas that can be handled differently or by someone else. Once ready for this next step in your business, you can grow by adding resources, such as employees.

Scaling is increasing the profit of your business without significantly raising costs. An example is using technology to automate functions that previously required many employees, thus saving time and money while enhancing profit.

I am also a firm believer in having the right support network and mentor to provide seasoned guidance and advice on how to expand at the right pace. Our annual Herbalife Asia Pacific Entrepreneur Surveys consistently show that these two factors, built on top of good business fundamentals, are essential drivers of success and crucial when scaling your business.

Create immersive customer experiences

Asia is a diverse region, from cultures and ways of working to economic and developmental stages. Service expectations vary in each market, and if you are reaching out to an audience that sits across different markets, you must be able to cater to the customer’s needs accordingly. There is nothing worse for consumers than poor customer service.

How can you personalise the customer service experience, helping everyone feel heard, valued, and essential to the business? Focus on removing the pain point for the customer — from training customer support representatives to providing service representatives for your brand.

Technology offers many ways to connect to customers, yet it still needs to create a personal and not robotic connection. At Herbalife, technology augments the high-touch customer experience in direct selling so that our distributors can create individually tailored wellness programs for their customers, forge relationships and build communities.

Another way businesses can connect to customers is by using data to learn as much as they can about them how they shop and think. The more information you have on your target audience, the more you can create a seamless way for your customers to buy your products or services.

Also Read: The wave of layoffs in 2023 and the Vietnamese market

For example, our company has applications that enable distributors to provide an integrated physical and digital customer experience for their nutrition clubs and uses predictive AI to help our distributors deliver trusted brand experiences and take their business to the next level.

Be employee-focused

The pandemic taught businesses many important lessons, but perhaps the most important was that working in an office is not always vital for success. A recent study revealed that more than 56 per cent of employees in Asia Pacific want flexible work options. While the debate continues on whether or not remote working helps employee productivity, new ways of working are here to stay.

As a business leader, provide your teams with the technology tools to be productive. Dispersed teams need access to high-speed internet, webcam support, and ergonomic workstations that allow them to do their job and work seamlessly.

Managers must overcommunicate with their teams spread across a city or the world, ensuring they feel part of a connected work community that values them. Workers love being part of a larger, connected team, so incorporate scheduled meetings, one-on-one manager check-ins, and fun and engaging games and icebreakers.

Another lesson learned from the pandemic is prioritising employee health and well-being. This can include fitness memberships, mental health services, and other programs to allow employees to keep themselves mentally and physically fit.

Prioritise sustainable business practices

From solo practitioners to large multinationals, sustainability is good for our world and our customers. Consider sending fewer non-electronic communications, moving to sustainable packaging materials, and sourcing products from like-minded suppliers are all vital to the health of our planet.

Simple measures such as recycling at your office, determining how and when you travel, conducting more meetings digitally, and thinking of the environmental impact of your business can go a long way to doing your part to create more sustainable business practices.

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TaniHub, Crowde, and eFishery may grab the headlines, but they’re far from the only forces shaping Indonesia’s agritech scene. A wave of reliable, growth-focused startups is quietly scaling their operations and preferring to let strong execution speak louder than press coverage.

The sector itself is diverse, spanning e-commerce marketplaces, distribution and supply chain enablers, farmer-centric platforms, agricultural financing solutions, IoT and smart farming innovators, and all-in-one providers blending multiple services to tackle the country’s agricultural challenges.

To clarify why aquaculture and poultry are part of the agritech conversation, it’s simple: both fall under the broader agriculture sector. That’s why several aquaculture and poultry startups are featured in the landscape.

With the growing number of agritech players, one question naturally arises “is the competition heating up?” To understand how agritech is reshaping Indonesia’s agriculture sector, we can look at a few telling indicators such as investment inflows, GDP contribution, market penetration and productivity gains. These indicators not only show whether competition is intensifying, but also whether the entire ecosystem is moving toward greater efficiency, resilience, and scalability.

Also Read: How Southeast Asia’s agritech startups are turning smallholder farms into high-tech powerhouses

Investment inflows

The bar chart above illustrates Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Indonesia’s agriculture, hunting, forestry, and fishery sectors from 2015 to 2024, measured in million US dollars.

Despite some dips in 2019 and 2021, FDI has shown an upward trend since 2021, indicating renewed investor interest post-COVID-19. This signals that Indonesia’s agriculture sector remains attractive and full of opportunity.

However, data from the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS) and Australia Global Alumni reveals that FDI has been heavily concentrated in the palm oil industry. Between 2003 and 2018, palm oil attracted US$13.9 billion in FDI, whereas other food crops, horticulture, plantations, and poultry sectors received only US$441 million combined. This imbalance highlights the need for stakeholders to boost investment across diverse agricultural sub-sectors to support local markets and strengthen Indonesia’s food security.

GDP value

Agriculture ranks third among Indonesia’s top five GDP contributors, accounting for approximately 12.61 per cent of the economy (Kontan, 5 February 2025). However, its growth rate at just 0.67 per cent is the slowest among these leading industries.

On the other sides, natural challenges like El Niño and climate fluctuations pose threats such as droughts and irregular rainfall patterns that can damage crops and reduce harvests, but growth on GDP requires focused and proactive strategies to overcome these risks. The integration of agritech startups offering IoT solutions, smart farming technologies, supply chain improvements, and advanced fertilisers and seeds holds promise to drive more substantial growth over the next 3 to 5 years.

The importance of agriculture startups in strengthening Indonesia’s economy

Mismanagement in agritech startups, including issues like unethical practices and inaccurate reporting, occurs not only in Indonesia but also across Southeast Asia, Europe, and the US, impacting investor trust. Despite these challenges, they shouldn’t deter investment in Indonesia’s agritech sector. The government’s active role as regulator and mediator is essential to ensure transparency, accountability, and business stability moving forward.

The urgency of developing agriculture startups in Indonesia cannot be overstated. With approximately 40.75 million people working in agriculture, accounting for 27.8 per cent of Indonesia’s 149.38 million active workforce, this sector is vital to the nation’s economic wellbeing. Ensuring fair income and sustainable livelihoods for these millions requires nurturing and modernising the agricultural sector.

Moreover, as of February 2025, around 7.2 million Indonesians remain unemployed, a sobering figure that a thriving agritech industry could help reduce by creating new job opportunities. Food security, a key target of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), further underscores the need to accelerate agritech growth. Despite Indonesia’s urbanisation, many regions, including major cities still face challenges in food distribution, leading to alarming levels of food insecurity.

Also Read: Need of the hour: How agritech platforms can protect farmers from climate change

Addressing these issues through robust support and innovation in agritech is not only a business opportunity but a national imperative. 

Variables that make it challenging for agriculture startup

Other industries like fintech, edutech, manufacturing, and real estate often attract more investment, as investors see them as larger, more established markets.

According to the chart above, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries receive the least investment across Southeast Asia compared to other sectors. Manufacturing and fintech are currently the biggest investment recipients. However, this trend doesn’t have to continue indefinitely. Agriculture plays a vital role for Southeast Asia and the world. Even, several SEA countries are key exporters supporting markets in Europe and the US. This underscores the importance of investing in agriculture to ensure long-term food security.

On the other hand, climate remains a significant natural barrier across SEA nations, driving the need for innovations like indoor farming and other resilient agricultural systems. Workforce quality is another concern, as many countries face a decline in young farmers because youths increasingly prefer careers in banking, healthcare, entertainment, marketing, and mining. Promoting agritech to the younger generation is essential to attract fresh talent and secure the sector’s future.

Moreover, localised technologies that boost productivity, efficient supply chain systems, and improved post-harvest management remain top priorities for agriculture throughout Southeast Asia.

Addressing these challenges is not just necessary for sustainable growth—it’s key to securing food availability and economic resilience in Southeast Asia’s future.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

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While the world obsesses over the latest AI breakthrough from Silicon Valley or the newest unicorn from China, something far more profound is happening in the rice paddies of Vietnam, the clinics of Indonesia, and the classrooms of the Philippines. Southeast Asia isn’t just adopting technology—it’s fundamentally reimagining what technology should do, who it should serve, and how it should create value.

The narrative we’ve been told about technology innovation is fundamentally flawed. We’ve been conditioned to believe that the most important innovations happen in gleaming corporate campuses, funded by venture capitalists seeking 10x returns, and designed for affluent urban consumers. But what if the most transformative technology innovations are actually happening where smartphones cost a month’s wages and the primary concern isn’t optimising convenience but solving survival?

Southeast Asia’s approach represents a paradigm shift that challenges every assumption about how innovation works. Here, technology isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. This is how a region once considered a technology follower is becoming the world’s laboratory for technology that actually matters.

The agriculture revolution: 71 million farms, one digital transformation

Consider the reality facing Southeast Asia’s 71 million farms. These aren’t the massive, mechanised operations of the American Midwest. The average farm size is less than two hectares, operated by families who often lack formal education, reliable internet access, or significant capital. Traditional agricultural extension services reach perhaps 10 per cent of farmers, leaving the majority to rely on inherited knowledge that may not reflect current best practices or changing climate conditions.

Into this context comes agricultural technology that prioritises accessibility over sophistication. Farmonaut’s satellite-based crop monitoring system doesn’t require farmers to understand remote sensing—it delivers actionable insights through simple mobile interfaces that work on basic smartphones. The Grow Asia Innovation Challenge isn’t funding autonomous farming robots; it’s supporting climate-smart technologies that smallholder farmers can actually adopt.

This represents a fundamental reimagining of what agricultural technology should accomplish. A farmer in rural Thailand doesn’t need an AI system that can identify 500 different plant diseases; they need a system that helps them recognise the three diseases most likely to affect their specific crops in their specific region. They don’t need real-time soil sensors that cost more than their annual income; they need weather forecasts and planting recommendations delivered via SMS.

Also Read: Need of the hour: How agritech platforms can protect farmers from climate change

The impact is already visible. In Cambodia, digital extension services reach farmers who have never had access to agricultural advice beyond their neighbours. In the Philippines, supply chain platforms connect smallholder farmers directly with urban markets, eliminating intermediaries who traditionally captured most of the value. In Indonesia, climate-smart farming techniques disseminated through mobile platforms help farmers adapt to increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.

But perhaps most significantly, Southeast Asia’s agricultural technology revolution recognises that farming isn’t just an economic activity—it’s a social and cultural practice that shapes entire communities. The most successful technologies strengthen rather than disrupt these social networks, creating platforms for farmers to share knowledge collectively and build resilience as communities.

Healthcare democratisation: US$2 billion in digital health, infinite possibilities

The healthcare transformation across Southeast Asia represents perhaps the most dramatic example of how technology can fundamentally alter the relationship between services and the people who need them. With US$2 billion in digital health funding in 2024 and 460 telemedicine companies operating across diverse markets, Southeast Asia is pioneering entirely new models of healthcare delivery that prioritise access over affluence.

The traditional healthcare paradigm—centralised hospitals, specialist-driven care, expensive diagnostic equipment—simply cannot work in a region where the nearest hospital might be a day’s journey away and where a single medical consultation can represent a significant portion of a family’s monthly income.

Doctor Anywhere and Halodoc don’t just offer video consultations—they provide comprehensive healthcare ecosystems that include medication delivery, health monitoring, and integration with local providers. Malaysia’s Qmed Asia pioneers AI-driven healthcare kiosks that bring diagnostic capabilities directly to communities that have never had access to modern medical equipment. These kiosks don’t replace doctors—they extend medical expertise to places where it has never existed before.

This democratisation of healthcare access creates ripple effects beyond individual patient outcomes. When healthcare becomes accessible and affordable, entire communities become healthier and more productive. Children miss fewer school days due to preventable illnesses. Adults can work more consistently without fear that a medical emergency will bankrupt their families.

Healthcare spending in Southeast Asia is projected to reach US$740 billion by 2025, with the Asia-Pacific region accounting for more than 20 per cent of global healthcare spending by 2030. But the real transformation is in quality and accessibility of care, not just quantity of spending.

Education without limits: From US$10.7 billion to US$41.5 billion in a decade

The education technology revolution represents perhaps the most profound challenge to traditional assumptions about how learning happens and who can access quality education. With a market valued at US$10.7 billion in 2024 and projected to reach US$41.5 billion by 2033—a 14.7 per cent compound annual growth rate—the region is fundamentally reimagining what education can be when freed from physical classrooms and standardised curricula.

Also Read: Driving social impact with tech in Southeast Asia: Building for outcomes, not optics

Zenius, one of Indonesia’s leading online learning platforms, creates engaging video content and interactive exercises that make learning more effective than traditional classroom instruction. Thailand’s Taamkru app and Malaysia’s Pandai platform use gamification to transform mathematics and science education from rote memorisation into engaging, interactive experiences that adapt to individual learning styles.

This represents a shift from education as a service delivered by institutions to education as an experience created by learners themselves. A student in rural Philippines can access the same quality mathematics instruction as a student in urban Singapore. A working adult in Vietnam can develop new skills on their own schedule without leaving their job or family responsibilities.

Nearly 3,000 edtech startups are operating across Southeast Asia, addressing everything from K-12 education to professional development. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated adoption, but growth has continued as communities recognise the advantages of flexible, accessible education options.

The convergence revolution: Where sectors collide and magic happens

The most exciting developments are happening not within individual sectors but at their intersections. Agricultural platforms are integrating with health monitoring systems to track nutritional content of locally produced foods. Medical training platforms use virtual reality to bring advanced medical education to remote areas. Agricultural extension services incorporate health education to help farming communities understand connections between agricultural practices and family wellness.

These convergences create entirely new categories of social impact technology that cannot be easily classified within traditional boundaries. They represent a shift from sector-specific solutions to systems-thinking approaches that recognise the interconnected nature of social challenges.

Global implications: Lessons for a world in crisis

The technology innovations emerging from Southeast Asia carry implications far beyond the region’s borders. The most significant lesson is that constraint-driven innovation often produces more sustainable and scalable solutions than resource-abundant innovation. When innovators must design for low-bandwidth connectivity, basic smartphones, and limited financial resources, they create solutions that are inherently more accessible and inclusive.

Also Read: SECO Startup Fund relaunches with renewed US$6.2M commitment to impact startups in Asia, beyond

Consider how telemedicine platforms developed for rural Southeast Asia are now being adapted for underserved communities in the United States. Agricultural technologies designed for smallholder farmers in the Philippines are being tested in sub-Saharan Africa. Educational platforms created for diverse linguistic communities in Indonesia are being adapted for immigrant populations in Europe.

This reverse innovation challenges traditional assumptions about the direction of technology transfer. The most important innovations for addressing global challenges may come not from the world’s wealthiest regions, but from places where constraints force innovation toward more inclusive and sustainable approaches.

The path forward: Building technology that actually matters

The transformation happening across Southeast Asia represents more than a regional success story—it represents a blueprint for how technology can address the world’s most pressing challenges. But realising this potential requires moving beyond individual success stories to systemic changes in how societies approach innovation, investment, and impact measurement.

The path forward begins with recognising that technology for social impact requires fundamentally different approaches than technology for commercial markets. While commercial technology can succeed by serving affluent early adopters, social impact technology must work for the most constrained communities from the beginning.

The Southeast Asian experience demonstrates that successful social impact technology emerges from deep understanding of local contexts, sustained engagement with communities, and commitment to iterative development. The most successful innovations treat community members as partners rather than customers.

As the world faces climate change, inequality, and health crises, the need for technology that addresses these challenges rather than simply generating profit becomes increasingly urgent. The Southeast Asian experience offers hope that such technology is possible, but realising its potential requires putting community needs at the center of innovation processes and measuring success in terms of real improvements in people’s lives.

The question isn’t whether these approaches will work—they already are. The question is whether the rest of the world is ready to learn from them.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

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Across Asia and its neighbours, impact-first startups are tackling some of the region’s most pressing challenges, like helping farmers increase their income, bringing healthcare to remote areas, and making education more equitable.

But in markets where trust in new technology can be low, digital literacy uneven, and access to infrastructure inconsistent, having a brilliant product is not enough. Without marketing that connects with people’s real needs, habits, and contexts, adoption stalls.

These three startups show why impact-savvy marketing isn’t about flashy ads or clever slogans, but about empathy, trust-building, and translating value in ways that resonate with the communities you’re trying to serve.

iFarmer: Building trust through local partnerships

When iFarmer set out to connect smallholder farmers in Bangladesh with finance, buyers, and agronomy advice, it faced a barrier bigger than technology: trust. Many farmers had been burned before by outsiders promising quick profits or easy loans. Years of scams and failed projects left them wary of anything new, no matter how well-intentioned.

Rather than pushing its app through mass advertising, iFarmer went local, partnering with microfinance institutions, agricultural cooperatives, and NGOs that already had strong community relationships. These organisations became iFarmer’s bridge to credibility, introducing the platform in settings where farmers felt safe and respected. Village meetings and in-person onboarding sessions gave people the chance to ask questions face-to-face, see demonstrations, and hear from early adopters.

Also Read: Need of the hour: How agritech platforms can protect farmers from climate change

This approach worked because it placed human trust ahead of digital adoption. Once farmers felt confident that iFarmer was an ally rather than a risk, word-of-mouth referrals took over. Today, the platform supports over 100,000 farmers.

Halodoc: making the unfamiliar feel safe

Telemedicine offers enormous potential in Indonesia, where reaching a doctor in person can require hours of travel and high costs. Yet when Halodoc launched, many people were sceptical. Could a doctor on a screen really replace one in person? Concerns about misdiagnosis, data privacy, and affordability slowed adoption, particularly outside major cities.

Halodoc tackled this hesitancy by grounding its marketing in real human stories. Campaigns showed relatable situations like parents getting timely care for a feverish child and elderly patients avoiding long and exhausting trips, always with the reassurance of qualified doctors on the other side of the screen.

To reach rural communities, Halodoc partnered with local health workers who could explain the service in person, often in local dialects. Offline events gave people a chance to try the app on the spot, removing the mystery from the experience.

By combining high-tech healthcare with high-touch outreach, Halodoc transformed telemedicine from an abstract concept into a trusted household service.

Edmicro: making schools their strongest advocates

Vietnam’s education market is crowded with free online content and a deeply rooted tutoring culture. For Edmicro, which offers an adaptive learning platform aligned to the Vietnamese curriculum, the challenge wasn’t just proving that it worked—it was convincing teachers and parents that it was worth integrating into daily learning.

Rather than trying to sell directly to parents through ads, Edmicro embedded itself in schools. It ran free pilot programmes in low-income districts, allowing students and teachers to experience the platform without financial risk. Crucially, the company worked closely with educators to adapt the platform to their needs, providing training and support so it became a tool they enjoyed using rather than a burden. Teachers who saw results began sharing their experiences online, often through personal Facebook posts that reached far into their networks.

Also Read: Redefining marketing in 2025: How AI will drive deeper connection and purpose

These endorsements carried far more weight than any marketing campaign could have achieved. By making teachers advocates rather than just users, Edmicro built a growth engine powered by trust and community credibility.

Marketing, the bridge between tech and trust?

If there’s anything that these companies prove, it’s that that startups often don’t scale on good intentions alone. In Southeast Asia and surrounding markets, the leap from “great idea” to “widely adopted solution” is built on trust, and trust is built through marketing that’s grounded in local reality.

For founders, this means marketing can’t be an afterthought or a final step before launch. For investors, it’s a reminder that funding the tech is only half the battle.

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By 2030, Southeast Asia’s population will grow by more than 80 million, demanding more food than ever while farmland and water resources are under strain. The region’s agricultural sector, long rooted in traditional methods, is at a turning point.

Agritech—tools like IoT sensors, AI-powered crop monitoring, and blockchain-based supply chains—is no longer a “nice to have.” It is the decisive lever for productivity, resilience, and sustainability.

For investors, this is a rare alignment of urgent demand, supportive policy, and scalable innovation. The question is not whether agritech will reshape Southeast Asia’s agriculture, but who will lead—and profit—from the transformation..

Understanding agritech in SEA: Trends and innovations

Agriculture remains a cornerstone of Southeast Asia’s economy and livelihoods. Approximately 120 million people across SEA are engaged in agriculture. In countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, this makes up 60–65 per cent of the rural workforce.

Agriculture accounts for about 10-15 per cent of GDP on average in the region, reaching as high as 23 per cent in countries like Cambodia. Despite this economic significance, productivity growth has stagnated in many subsectors due to fragmented farming practices, limited access to quality inputs, and climate-related risks.

Against this backdrop, agritech is transforming the landscape by integrating emerging technologies such as IoT, AI, blockchain, and mobile fintech. These innovations address inefficiencies in input management, pest detection, supply chain transparency, and farmer financing. They create an ecosystem that boosts yields and reduces risks.

From fish feed to blockchain: Who’s driving SEA agritech?

The agritech landscape in SEA is shaped by a dynamic interplay of startups, corporate players, governments, and development agencies.

Startups like eFishery in Indonesia use IoT-enabled fish feeders and real-time data analytics. This has improved feed efficiency by up to 30 per cent, boosting farmers’ profits. They raised US$200 million in a Series D round in 2023, reaching unicorn status. This highlights the US$11.1 billion SEA aquaculture tech sector, projected to grow 4.8 per cent annually to 2033.

Logistics and supply chain startups such as Ninja Van facilitate efficient produce delivery, reducing spoilage and increasing margins. Others, like Susu Tani in Vietnam, focus on digitally monitoring livestock health. PlantSnap in Singapore uses AI to identify crop diseases.

Also Read: Need of the hour: How agritech platforms can protect farmers from climate change

Multinational agribusinesses, including Olam International and Wilmar, are increasingly investing in digital agriculture to secure supply chains and meet stringent sustainability criteria. Governments in the region are developing digital agriculture policies and funding programs. Examples include Singapore’s Smart Agriculture and Malaysia’s National Agro-Food Policy.

Development finance institutions and aid agencies provide catalytic capital and technical assistance. They help build innovation ecosystems, bridge technology gaps, and support farmer adoption.

Investment opportunities: Why now is the time to invest in agritech

Now more than ever, agritech in Southeast Asia offers compelling investment opportunities. Here’s why:

• Untapped market potential: While SEA’s agricultural sector is among the largest globally, it remains relatively underdeveloped compared to other regions. The growing middle class and urbanisation are driving a shift towards modern, technology-driven farming solutions.
• Government support: Many SEA governments promote agritech with subsidies, grants, and favorable policies to attract investment. For example, the Philippine government’s “Agri-tech and Financial Literacy” initiative aims to digitise smallholder farming.
• Sustainability as a growth lever: Global focus on sustainability is driving agritech investment. Key areas include precision farming, sustainable crop protection, and food waste reduction.
• Increased consumer demand for transparency: Consumers are increasingly demanding more sustainable and traceable food sources. As a result, companies that can offer transparency and ensure the sustainability of their agricultural processes are becoming increasingly attractive investments.
• Technology advancements: The continued development of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, drones, AI, and machine learning technologies makes investing in agritech more promising than ever. These technologies enable real-time data collection, improving decision-making, productivity, and supply chain management.

Challenges facing agritech startups in SEA and how to overcome them

While the potential is immense, agritech startups in Southeast Asia face significant challenges:

• Fragmented market: SEA’s agricultural market is highly fragmented, with millions of smallholders, often lacking access to the resources needed to scale. Startups can overcome this by adopting scalable digital platforms and targeting multiple smallholder farmers through cooperative models or B2B2C models.
• Regulatory hurdles: Agricultural technology is subject to varying regulations across SEA countries, creating complexity for startups looking to expand regionally. However, startups can mitigate this challenge by working closely with governments to navigate these regulations and ensure compliance.
• Limited access to capital: Despite growing interest in agritech, securing capital can be a challenge for early-stage startups. By partnering with investors, accelerators, and agritech-focused funds, these companies can gain access to the capital needed to scale.
• Technological adoption barriers: Farmers in SEA may be reluctant to adopt new technologies due to cost concerns, lack of training, or cultural resistance. Agritech companies should deliver low-cost, high-impact solutions with clear value and provide education to build trust.

Also Read: Why agritech startups will call for the next e-commerce revolution

Overcoming these hurdles often requires a mix of technology and strong local networks. Partnerships and iterative product development tailored to farmers are essential.

Success stories: Remarkable agritech ventures transforming agriculture

Several agritech startups have already shown how the sector can drive meaningful transformation in Southeast Asia:

• RiceHub (Vietnam): This platform connects rice farmers with buyers, providing them with fair market prices and facilitating direct transactions. By leveraging technology, RiceHub has been able to streamline the rice supply chain and increase incomes for smallholder farmers.
• aTfarm (Thailand): A leading player in Thai agritech, aTfarm connects farmers with a comprehensive platform that offers smart farm management tools, weather forecasting, and access to financing options. Their work has significantly boosted farm productivity and profitability.
• Nurture.farm (India/SEA Expansion): Nurture.farm uses AI to provide precision agriculture tools to farmers, improving yields and reducing input costs. The company has successfully scaled across India and is expanding into Southeast Asia with promising results.
• IndoAgri (Indonesia): IndoAgri’s focus on aquaculture technology is improving the efficiency of fish farming by optimizing feed and disease management. Their data-driven approach has resulted in healthier fish stocks and higher profitability for farmers.

These ventures demonstrate that a clear value proposition, coupled with a deep understanding of local farming ecosystems, can deliver scalable impact and attract growth capital.

Future outlook: The potential of sustainable farming technologies in SEA

Looking forward, the potential of sustainable farming technologies in Southeast Asia is immense. The region aims to boost food production for its growing population. These technologies support long-term food security while reducing environmental impact.

Investment in precision agriculture, sustainable water management, alternative proteins, and circular economy practices will boost productivity. These efforts will also build a more resilient agricultural sector.

In addition, technologies focused on farm-to-table traceability will become increasingly important as consumers demand more transparency about the origins of their food. Startups and investors who are at the forefront of these innovations will likely shape the future of Southeast Asia’s agricultural economy.

Agritech is evolving rapidly with strong government support and rising demand for sustainable solutions. Combined with advanced technologies, it offers a promising investment frontier. SEA agritech is not just an emerging sector—it’s a dynamic force that is set to reshape the future of agriculture in one of the world’s most crucial regions. For investors looking to make an impact, the time to enter is now!

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In November 2024, I attended a retreat with Ken Honda, together with Chloe Lin, Kelly Kam, and Ken Ku. I went in thinking it would be another session on money mindset — useful, reflective, but familiar.

What I didn’t expect was to walk away with a realisation that had very little to do with numbers, and everything to do with who I had become.

At that point in my life, my relationship with money was good, but not great. On paper, things were working. Businesses were running. Cash flow existed. Opportunities were there. But emotionally, there was always a quiet tension running underneath it all.

There was pressure to perform. Pressure to keep proving. Pressure to constantly think, “What’s next?” — even when things were already fine. I struggled to truly rest. I struggled to enjoy money once it was earned. It wasn’t fear exactly — it was responsibility, obligation, and an invisible weight that never fully left my shoulders.

If I had to describe my relationship with money back then, it was productive… but transactional.

When success stops feeling like you

The biggest insight during the retreat wasn’t about money at all. It was about identity. I realised, quite suddenly, that I wasn’t the person I wanted to be.

Growing up, I always wanted to stand out. I wanted to be seen, to make an impact, to do something meaningful. As I got older, especially after years of building businesses, I learned to step back. To be careful. To not impose. To let the work speak for itself.

Somewhere along the way, I became quieter. Not because I had nothing to offer, but because I didn’t want to overwhelm, overstep, or overexpose.

During the retreat, it clicked.

I do have a skill set that can help people. And the only way to help… is to show up.

If I don’t show up, no one knows I can help them.

That realisation wasn’t loud or dramatic. It was calm, grounding, and deeply uncomfortable in the best way. And it reshaped how I saw not just my work, but also my relationship with money.

Also Read: Quantum’s inflection point: Why the smart money is watching now

Money is not something you dominate

For most founders, money becomes something to control. We track it. We forecast it. We optimise it. We worry about losing it. And without realising it, we treat money the way we’d treat a system under stress — not a relationship.

But here’s the thing. You don’t control your friends. You don’t micromanage people you love. You stay with them. You listen. You spend time. You let them go, trusting they’ll still be there.

There are boundaries, yes. But there’s also trust. There’s faith, not pressure. Enjoyment, not anxiety.

I’ve always been a control freak. That part of me built companies, systems, and results – but it also created unnecessary tension.

So I made a conscious decision to stop controlling what didn’t need to be controlled.

• Today, I only control my actions — never others.
• I share when asked, never enforce what I share.
• And I show up consistently, without attachment to outcomes.

That shift softened everything — including my relationship with money.

Stress repels more than it attracts

In 2025, things started moving faster again. But this time, it felt different. It wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t reactive. It wasn’t driven by fear or urgency.

I started working on projects that genuinely excited me — not ones that drained me simply because they were “logical” or “expected”. To date, I manage close to 40 portfolios. And instead of feeling stretched thin, I feel aligned.

Money started flowing more easily — not because I pushed harder, but because I stopped stressing it out.

This may sound obvious, but it’s something most of us overlook:

When you feel stressed about money, money feels stressed coming to you.

Think about it. Would you want to spend time with someone who’s constantly anxious, tense, and demanding?

Most people wouldn’t. Money works the same way.

From “I need” to “I want”

Previously, my internal dialogue sounded like this: “I don’t have enough.” “I need to make more.” “I should be doing better.” Money felt like an obligation.

But relationships aren’t obligations. They’re a want. And when something shifts from obligation to desire, the entire dynamic changes.

Today, my relationship with money feels healthy and secure. There’s cash flow. There are investments. There’s movement — without panic.

It’s not very different from my relationship with my partner now. I don’t add pressure. I don’t force timelines. We trust one another.

Because real relationships aren’t extremes. They’re balances. And maybe that’s why we call it a balance sheet, because nothing works unless it balances.

Also Read: I built multiple MVPs in a month: Here’s what vibe coding really changed

A reflection for founders

As founders, we’re good at building systems. We build systems so we don’t overstretch ourselves. We build systems so we can scale. We build systems so life doesn’t collapse when we step away.

But we forget that systems only work when the environment is healthy. We build environments where our teams can thrive. We build environments where ideas can grow.

Yet many of us never stop to ask: What kind of environment am I creating for money?

When you get these fundamentals right — not just in business, but in how you relate to money — flow stops being something you chase. It becomes something that stays.

Look at money as your friend. Create an environment where it feels safe being with you.

Because in the end, whether it’s people or money, the principle is the same: Be the person you would want to be with. And the right things — and people — tend to follow.

—

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While the benefits of digitalisation have been well established, many businesses have been slow to embrace it for themselves.  However, with COVID-19 disrupting business-as-usual, companies were forced to adapt to new technologies for business continuity and survival.

Adopting digital marketing strategies and developing e-commerce capabilities became necessities that few businesses could ignore. Yet, even during these economically turbulent times, there are success stories.

Businesses that have successfully digitalised their processes are now reaping the benefits of their technology investment and many have changed their perception towards digitalisation.

If you’re looking for new ways to transform and digitalise your business processes, here’s are some practical ways you can do so.

Payments

Maintaining a healthy cash flow is the lifeblood of any business. Delays in payments can be just as deadly as a stoppage in a person’s bloodstream for a business.

Financial automation through digital processes helps provide support on accounts payable/receivables. Businesses can tap on APIs to enjoy seamless, convenient, and fully automated B2B payments that ensure that you never miss a payment and have accurate and up-to-date reports on your business’ financial health.

At the same time, businesses can tap on global borderless virtual accounts for sending and collecting money easily around the world. These add a great deal of value to corporations and SMEs who are exporting and selling products from Singapore and need to find a way of collecting funds from overseas.

Additionally, managing cash flows and maximising a competitive edge in local markets for cross-border transactions is made simpler with transparency in fees and foreign exchange rate conversions.

Also read: Digital transformation is now real: How COVID-19 has sparked innovation in tech companies

At TranSwap, our Global Borderless Virtual Accounts allow businesses to hold 34 different currencies and easily make international payments with competitive foreign exchange rates.

Global supply chain

In this increasingly globalised world, speed and reliability is king. Suboptimal operational processes, regulatory or legal hoops, and unexpected delays can slow down your supply chain.

Every bump in the road can cause cascading delays, and with all these different factors, it can really add up. And that’s just considering supply chains within a single country.

Global delays on masks shipping during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic underscores the importance of having strong supply chain processing.

If you look into it, it was the most efficient companies and countries in terms of their ability to cut through red tape and establish smooth operations throughout their logistical pipeline that managed to get masks shipped. Invariably, those companies and countries had strong digitalisation.

Businesses can tap on e-platforms to reduce data duplication, improved data flow, access to up-to-date goods movement.

For example, Global eTrade Services (GeTS) enables the orchestration of physical logistics, compliance, and financial requirements of trade and supply chain seamlessly, smartly, and securely.

This means that businesses can make their global trade easier by using this trading platform. We have also partnered GeTS to digitalise and facilitate payments to more than 180 countries in over 120 currencies, for quick cargo clearance and shipment fulfillment.

What this means is that trade businesses can ensure smooth and seamless trade processing that can be easily managed all from their computers. At the same time, it also paves the way for future partnerships and makes it easier for sourcing and procurement in different countries.

Leverage on cloud-based collaboration tools

With remote working becoming a norm, it has been more difficult to create a collaborative environment for efficient work. Without clear visibility on timelines or progress updates, people are unable to plan workflows or set priorities.

The need for effective communication with a transparency of information has never been more urgent. Using cloud-based collaboration tools or productivity suites are available that are easy to use and cost-effective, such as Google’s G Suite, Slack, and Monday.com

Also Read: How getting digital transformation right can help businesses get through a pandemic

How to successfully implement these processes

To reap the full benefits of these improvements, it is essential to follow these steps to ensure that the new processes are implemented correctly and effectively.

• Do it incrementally – It is crucial to add on new processes incrementally. By breaking down tasks into smaller pieces and ensuring that each team learns each process in-depth, you can isolate and address problems without severely compromising your operations as a whole. For example, incrementally integrate collaborative tools into one business unit first before incorporating it into the next.
• Communication is key –These process changes must involve your team at all levels. Getting their understanding, buy-in and support is equally as important for the process change to be successful as having the best technology or latest digitalisation tools
• Tailor-make a solution that fits your needs- Work closely with your partners to customise a solution that meets your specifics needs. For example, we developed a payment solution with API integration into the client’s payments system for seamless transfer from collection to settlement. The solution allows small transfers in large volumes to be credited directly to beneficiaries’ wallets and bank accounts in realtime
• Understand your objective –The process improvements should contribute to your overall service/product quality. It is essential to have a clear understanding of where you are bringing value to your clients or partners. With that firmly in mind, you can be assured that process improvements do not detract or dilute the value that your business is offering.

These are just some ways to get the process going. I hope it brings about some improvements in your business processes and increases efficiency for you.

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The tech layoffs of 2025 did more than shrink payrolls; they exposed how fragile the world’s most celebrated innovation hubs have become. Rather than a global downturn shared evenly, job losses clustered tightly around a handful of geographies, revealing a new and uncomfortable map of economic risk.

Nowhere was this clearer than the US. Nearly 70% of global tech layoffs came from US-headquartered firms, with California and Washington State absorbing the shock. Silicon Valley’s dominance has turned into a liability: when giants like When tech titans blink: 2025 exposed the Old Guard’s fragility, entire regional economies feel the tremor. Washington’s dependence on just two corporate titans — Microsoft and Amazon — underscores how concentrated power amplifies vulnerability.

New York’s late surge in layoffs adds another layer to the story. As tech, consulting, and enterprise software embed deeper into traditional business centres, disruption is no longer confined to the West Coast.

Europe’s experience was equally sobering. Accenture’s cuts in Ireland and Northvolt’s collapse in Sweden highlighted how Western ambitions in AI and clean tech still struggle against Asia’s entrenched manufacturing and supply chain advantage.

The bigger shift, however, is geopolitical. While the West retrenched, Asia quietly consolidated its grip on hardware, batteries, and advanced manufacturing. As 2026 approaches, the lesson is stark: the places once seen as safest bets in tech may now be the most exposed, and the global workforce is adjusting accordingly.

REGIONAL

SPUN raises US$1.8M to fix SEA’s broken visa infrastructure: Investors include Genesia Ventures, Antler, Iterative, and Kopital Ventures.
The Indonesia startup digitises visa processing for governments, slashing approval times and positioning itself at the heart of Southeast Asia’s mobility boom.

Qubitra wants to be the AWS of quantum computing: Fujitsu and Standard Chartered’s innovation arm build a marketplace making quantum resources accessible without massive infrastructure investment. Qubitra functions as a digital marketplace and collaboration hub for quantum computing.

Salesforce launches startup program in Malaysia, Philippines: The program offers startups access to Salesforce’s ecosystem, AI-powered products, mentorship, and joint go-to-market opportunities. This marks the company’s presence in five markets across South and Southeast Asia, including India, Singapore, and Sri Lanka.

Alibaba, Instapay partner to accelerate financial inclusion in Malaysia: The deal uses Alibaba Cloud’s local infrastructure to support Instapay’s digital payment platform, including its e-wallet and prepaid Mastercard, with a focus on scalability, resilience, and regulatory compliance.

Osome revenue surges, names Eugenio Ferrante as new CEO: New customer revenue doubled year on year in November and rose 85% in December. Key metrics also improved, with ARR up 22% and ARPU increasing 25%. Ferrante, who joined Osome 16 months ago as an advisor, will focus on predictable revenue and market-specific services.

FEATURES & INTERVIEWS

As the West cuts jobs, Asia tightens its grip on hardware: The RationalFX report highlights a stark geopolitical reality: while Europe and the US are shedding roles, battery production and high-end hardware manufacturing remain firmly centred in Asia.

When tech titans blink: 2025 exposed the Old Guard’s fragility: The latest figures from UK-based forex company RationalFX paint a grim picture: Intel alone accounted for nearly 34,000 layoffs in 2025, the most significant single contribution to the global total of 244,851.

INTERNATIONAL

WeLab’s US$220M Series D signals fintech capital’s Hong Kong comeback: Hong Kong’s fintech funding landscape has seen substantial activity, with WeLab’s raise topping the charts for 2025. These deals highlight a concentration in lending and payments, with total fintech funding in Hong Kong exceeding US$1.2B since 2020.

AI boom to support Taiwan’s 2026 growth at 4.1%: CIER report: The forecast does not include potential impacts from recent US-Taiwan trade agreements, which could further boost growth. For 2025, CIER estimates Taiwan’s GDP will increase by 7.4%, slightly above the government forecast of 7.14%.

India needs faster AI upskilling, Coursera co-founder says: Andrew Ng said AI is transforming the skills required across sectors. He warned that without rapid upskilling, significant job displacement could occur as AI tools make many roles more efficient.

S Korea charges three Chinese nationals in US$102M crypto case: The suspects are accused of transferring ~US$101.7M from 2021 to 2023 through an illegal foreign exchange operation. Authorities said the suspects used domestic and overseas cryptocurrency accounts to move funds under the pretence of legitimate expenses.

Temu owner PDD faces China probe after regulator altercation: Chinese authorities widened a probe into PDD Holdings after clashes at its Shanghai headquarters, deploying 100 investigators to examine fraud and tax allegations, sending shares down over 12% since January.

Saudi Arabia tops MENA VC with a record US$1.7B in 2025: The country accounted for 45% of all VC funding in the region, with international investors representing 58% of total participation.

More young South Koreans exit labor market as AI reshapes jobs: The central bank reported a rise in young adults aged 20-34 who are neither working nor seeking employment, increasing from 14.6% in 2019 to 22.3% in 2025. The number of individuals in this group who do not want to work at all grew to around 450K last year, up from 287K in 2019.

CYBERSECURITY

AI vs AI: Inside Southeast Asia’s new cybersecurity war: For founders and executives, the mantra is clear: invest in AI defences, embrace zero-trust, and align with regional regs. As digital transformation accelerates, those who fortify now will thrive in tomorrow’s connected frontier.

How AI and automation can shape the future of farms: Global food shocks exposed supply vulnerabilities, pushing Singapore toward food resilience. Artisan Green leverages vertical farming, automation, and AI to scale local, sustainable production and strengthen long-term food security.

Coupang market cap drops US$14B after user data breach: The company’s market capitalisation has decreased by over US$14B since late November, dropping from around US$51.4B to US$38.6B. The company has disclosed its investigation results into the data breach to the US SEC, prompting concerns over potential sanctions and legal risks.

SEMICONDUCTOR

Khazanah to support local chip firms, boost power grid: Khazanah will boost power grid and renewable investments, back Malaysian semiconductor firms into advanced packaging, support US$123.4 billion chip ambitions, and sees ringgit upside tied to dollar and rates globally.

Chinese AI chipmakers top 2025 global ranking: As per 2025 Hurun China AI Top 50 ranking, China’s AI chip companies occupied seven of the top ten spots, with Cambricon, Moore Threads, and MetaX leading the list. Ten of the 18 newly added companies focus on AI chips, reflecting China’s push for self-reliance amid the US restrictions.

Korean chipmaker FuriosaAI targets up to US$500M funding: The funds are intended to support mass production of its second-generation RNGD chips, expand its global operations, and develop a third-generation chip. FuriosaAI, founded in 2017 by ex-Samsung and AMD engineer June Paik, focuses on high-efficiency AI inference chips.

AI

Gen Z most concerned about AI’s impact on jobs: survey: According to Randstad survey, 80% of employees believe AI will influence their daily tasks, with job postings requiring AI agent skills increasing by over 1,500%. Nearly half of workers fear AI will benefit corporations more than the workforce.

AI’s tipping point: Why 2026 will separate the leaders from the laggards in financial services: Enterprise AI’s bottleneck isn’t technology but execution: organisations must move from pilots to autonomous, production-scale deployment, led by strong governance, data readiness, and C-suite commitment to unlock real ROI.

From deepfake porn to deadly advice: In Singapore and Malaysia, deepfake audio scams surged, with fraudsters impersonating bank officials to siphon US$25K from victims in one notorious case. Globally, 18%of deepfake incidents involved non-consensual porn.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Greentech revolution: Catalysing software’s success to drive a sustainable future: Software became intrinsic, measurable, and participatory across business; the same forces will drive greentech adoption, valuation, and category creation, reshaping operations, investment decisions, and competitive advantage worldwide.

How China is winning the global gaming industry: China’s global gaming dominance stems from structural advantages: mobile-first design, service-oriented development, data-driven iteration, integrated ecosystems, and long-term retention-focused monetisation, not population size or short-term hype.

China’s rerouting boom: How major firms are bypassing the impact of US tariffs: Despite a US-China trade deal, high effective tariffs are pushing Chinese exporters to reroute goods via Southeast Asia and North America, reshaping global supply chains and sustaining China’s export dominance.

Time is the new currency: Why APAC’s SMEs can’t afford slow financing anymore: APAC SMEs don’t lack funding options; they lack speed. Fintech’s next edge lies in collapsing time-to-capital, enabling founders to seize fleeting growth moments instantly.

Bitcoin pulls back to US$92,500 as market sentiment turns cautious: Trade tensions over US tariff threats triggered global market volatility, pressuring equities and crypto as investors shifted toward defensive assets.

From clicks to conversations: Why your next customer in Southeast Asia is an AI agent: By 2026, commerce shifts from human browsing to AI agents deciding purchases, forcing brands—especially in Southeast Asia—to optimise for machine buyers and “share of model,” not human attention.

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