I am writing this article as the stock market suffers its worst week in about two years. S&P 500 is off to its worst start since 2016! Tech stocks are hit hard. Bitcoin and Ethereum are not doing great, causing a ripple effect throughout the crypto space.

All that happens as the central bank of the US pulls back its massive stimulus programmes. Programmes launched in the early days of the pandemic to address the enormous uncertainty but resulted in a bull market.

Yet I couldn’t help it, here I am, writing an article on investing. Writing down my reflections on wealth creation has been on my mind for a long time. But I took it a step forward and dug deeper. The end product covers why I started to invest so late, my investment strategy, portfolio, and tools.

While all markets are taking a beating, things will get better; they always do.

We all have regrets in life. One of my biggest ones is not investing earlier. So I want to take my learnings from the past few years and share them as transparently as possible.

I hope that by sharing my thoughts, I will be helpful to others in their investing journey. Yet, please take into consideration how this is not investment advice.

• Does the business demonstrate economies of scale? Companies where the unit cost declines as production volume increases. Think of Netflix.
• What about network effects? A network effect occurs when a product or service becomes more valuable to its users as more people use it. Think of Uber and Airbnb.
• Is there a counter positioning play? This occurs when a newcomer adopts a new, superior business model to what incumbents are offering. At the same time, the legacy company refuses to mimic the model due to anticipated damage to their existing business. Think of personal (disruptor) VS mainframe computers (disrupted).
• Are there any switching costs? A dynamic where transitioning from one tool to another results in considerable costs for the user. So competitors will need to compensate consumers for the switching costs. Examples include SAP and Oracle.
• How strong is the brand power? Apple is perhaps the most famous example here. Anything carrying the apple logo can be sold at a higher rate than alternatives.
• Are there any cornered resources? Of course, the most common cornered resource is intellectual property like patents. But it could be extraordinary founders like Elon Musk and Steve Jobs. That’s why I am a believer in founder-led organisations.
• What about process powers? The best example in this category is Toyota’s production system. Their process required many years to be developed, and the company let competitors study it. Many books have been written on Toyota’s lean manufacturing process. Yet, the company remains the second most valuable car automaker globally (after Tesla).

Having one of the seven powers is sufficient. The more powers a business has, the higher the probability of consistent growth in the years to come. Therefore, the more power a company can demonstrate, the higher my conviction to invest.

But above all that, I ask myself, am I using this product, and how does it make me feel?

If the answer is positive, I understand the value proposition and how the product works. That naturally results in an even higher conviction to invest. So you can argue that my philosophy boils down to investing in things you use and understand.

Also Read: Why the Philippines is set to become the crypto capital in Southeast Asia

Investment portfolio

This year, I plan to add my first investments into startups and real estate. Anyway, given how much I have to learn, I plan to take my time when writing big cheques. Today, my investment portfolio is diversified in the following way:

Stocks

I started with investments in individual stocks of companies I know, use, and understand. Then I drifted into taking small positions in companies I do not use but have read a lot about them.

In such scenarios, I consider the seven power framework. Over time, and as I started managing some of my girlfriend’s money, I have added ETFs to reduce the risk.

I have tried a lot of things and made a ton of mistakes. But, perhaps the most significant mistakes were:

• Not having a clear reason why I am investing in a company
• Selling during the market crashes
• Using the wrong investment platform.

Thanks to those mistakes, I have learned to control myself better. As a result, while I expect more mistakes to follow, I feel more comfortable with my portfolio.

Breakdown of my stock investment returns

Crypto

Once I felt confident enough with my stock investments, I added crypto.

Bitcoin and Ethereum make up most of the global crypto market cap, representing 51 per cent of my crypto portfolio.

Additionally, I am bullish on Solana, so 21 per cent of my budget is in SOL. Next, I have invested in other layer-one blockchains like MATIC and AVAX. The remaining has been allocated to stablecoins (so that I can readily invest) and a few other experiments. Last but not least, I have started playing with NFTs too.

Overall, I stay away from meme coins that follow the sentiment on Twitter and Reddit (e.g., SHIBA and DOGE). My schedule does not leave me with any time to stay on top of such hype. I prefer to put money into projects with high utility.

Next, I plan to allocate a bit of money into more layer one blockchains. Think of the likes of Polkadot and Polygon, plus some DeFi protocols like AAVE, Chia, and a few others.

In general, I prefer to have fewer positions with more conviction than a messy portfolio.

I started tracking my investments via CoinTracker in April. Unfortunately, the product makes many mistakes, and I constantly need to fix discrepancies.

Tools

When assessing what platform to use, I pay attention to two things, UI/UX and fees. When I am new to a field, I prefer to have intuitive UI and UX over fees. In my mind, the high fees are an investment in education. A better UX/UI gives me the confidence to invest without being confused half the time.

Also Read: Inside the changing landscape of Asian cryptocurrency exchanges

That was precisely the case with crypto. First, I started with Coinbase because it was the easiest platform I tried out, despite its high fees. Then, as I got more confident, I started using Binance, Crypto.com, FTX, and a few others.

Next, as I started investing more and more, I started thinking of security. That led me to move my assets in what the industry calls hot wallet, aka software wallet.

To begin with, I got Coinbase Wallet. Over time, I have added Metamask and Phantom (the latter precisely for SOL). The wallet acts as your bank account and identity on the blockchain where you can store your assets. In addition, it gives you self custody.

But with great power comes great responsibility. Since no third party manages your wallet, you need to avoid losing your keys. Otherwise, your funds will be lost forever.

A few months ago, I started shifting my crypto investments to what is often referred to as cold storage, aka a hardware wallet. I use Ledger Nano X as it’s one of the most popular wallets out there (plus I received it as a birthday gift). In the same way, your hot wallet requires you to be very cautious with your keys; you need to be very careful with the cold storage.

For analytics purposes, I use Cointracker, the free version is not perfect, but it’s good enough. Under the paid version, the platform helps you estimate your crypto taxes, too (if any).

When it comes to stocks, I have tested several platforms and narrowed down my choices to:

• Revolut – for individual stock investment
• Gotrade – for ETFs

To summarise, I hope this article comes in handy when planning your investment strategy. As discussed above, I am new to wealth creation, and there is much to learn. However, writing all that down has helped me better understand my process and what I need to improve.

At the same time, if more people would share their investment journey transparently, that could be a fantastic educational asset.

Unfortunately, there is plenty of generic advice on the web that pisses me off. I prefer tactical over vague advice, but it’s hard to find credible, transparent, and well-intended content.

Also Read: 5 reasons why crypto exchanges need to be decentralised

Having said that, nothing beats having skin in the game, so the earlier one starts, the better. That’s why my brother’s gift for his graduation was me coaching him to invest while providing the necessary resources.

That definitely taught him a few valuable lessons. Nowadays, he is texting me weekly to ask for guidance on how to invest, and he is only 23. I wish someone had helped me the same way when I was his age.

Lastly, I want to thank all the people who have been writing great content and guiding me over the last few years.

Disclaimer

None of the information contained here constitutes an offer (or solicitation of an offer) to buy or sell any currency, product or financial instrument, to make any investment, or to participate in any particular trading strategy.

This article does not take into account your personal investment objectives, specific investment goals, specific needs or financial situation and makes no representation and assumes no liability to the accuracy or completeness of the information provided here.

The information and publications are not intended to be and do not constitute financial advice, investment advice, trading advice or any other advice or recommendation of any sort offered or endorsed by the author.

The author also does not warrant that such information and publications are accurate, up to date or applicable to the circumstances of any particular case.

Any expression of opinion (which may be subject to change without notice) is personal to the author and the author makes no guarantee of any sort regarding accuracy or completeness of any information or analysis supplied.

The author is not responsible for any loss arising from any investment based on any perceived recommendation, forecast or any other information contained here. The contents of these publications should not be construed as an express or implied promise, guarantee or implication by the author that readers will profit or that losses in connection therewith can or will be limited, from reliance on any information set out here.

–

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

Join our e27 Telegram group, FB community, or like the e27 Facebook page

Image Credit: mthipsorn

The post How to smartly balance crypto investments with stocks appeared first on e27.

Animoca Brands, Brinc launch US$30M Guild Accelerator Programme

Hong Kong-based games publisher and VC firm Animoca Brands has partnered with global venture accelerator Brinc to launch Guild Accelerator Programme.

The programme aims to enable millions of people worldwide to generate income by participating in play-to-earn (P2E) gaming via crypto gaming guilds, especially those committed to sustainability. This includes projects that support and give back to player/scholar communities, emphasise energy-efficient proof-of-stake protocols and side chains, and generate lower overall physical footprints.

The programme will fund up to US$500,000 per P2E guild, with a total investment capital of US$30 million over two years.

The new programme will operate as a dedicated track within NFT accelerator Launchpad Luna, launched in mid-2021 as a partnership between Brinc and Animoca Brands. 

In January, Brinc also received US$50 million from The Sandbox, a gaming metaverse unit owned by Animoca Brands, to run The Sandbox Metaverse Accelerator programme under Launchpad Luna.

Also read: How play-to-earn is fueling the next wave of blockchain adoption

Ex-Funding Societies CPO’s cyber security startup rakes in US$4.3M

Singapore-headquartered cyber insurtech provider Cyber Sierra has announced the completion of its US$4.3 million seed financing round led by Singapore-based Leo Capital.

AppWorks, Credit Saison, and some other angels also joined.

With this funding, Cyber Sierra plans to launch and grow its business offerings to include more products to serve businesses’ risk and compliance needs in line with apt regulatory frameworks.

A portion will be channelled to bring on new hires across all functions and expand its customer base across Southeast Asia, India, and other markets.

Cyber Sierra was founded in June 2021 by Subhajit Mandal and Pramodh Rai, who served as Chief Product Officer at SME alternative financing platform Funding Societies.

The startup offers cyber risk, compliance and insurance products backed by global brokers and insurers. Through Cyber Sierra’s platform, businesses will be able to access several cybersecurity tools, including threat alerts, intelligence feeds, anti-phishing, vulnerability scans and governance features with bundled insurance offerings.

The company provides up to US$5 million of cybersecurity and technology insurance coverage dedicated to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with a presence on the cloud.

watchTowr raises US$2.25M to secure ‘attack surface for enterprises’

watchTowr CEO Benjamin Harris

Singapore-based cybersecurity startup watchTowr has secured US$2.25 million in seed funding from Wavemaker Partners and Vulcan Capital.

watchTowr will utilise the fresh funds to scale its Continuous Attack Surface Testing (CAST) solution and bring on new experienced cybersecurity practitioners.

Established in 2021 by CEO Benjamin Harris, watchTowr directly addresses the challenges organisations face in managing and securing their external attack surface — the total number of all possible entry points for unauthorised access into any system.

Its founder said that its platform solves scope and time restrictions imposed by antiquated, traditional security assurance penetration testing approaches and bug bounty programmes.

“The watchTowr Platform provides organisations with the continuous visibility and scalable assurance they need, combined with regulatory compliance management, to keep up with the flood of emerging weaknesses and the rate of adversary evolution,” said Harris.

Also read: There is a concerning lack of cybersecurity talent. Here’s how to tackle it

Semaai scores US$1.25M to transform rural, agri development in Indonesia

Semaai, a ‘farmer-first’ company building full-stack agritech solutions for farmers and rural MSMEs in Indonesia, has announced a US$1.25 million in pre-seed funding led by Sequoia Surge, with participation from Beenext.

Angel investors, including Nipun Mehra (Founder and CEO at e-commerce startup Ula), Harshet Lunani (founder and CEO of Qoala), and Prashant Pawar (Technology Investment Banker at Houlihan Lokey), participated.

Semaai will utilise the fresh capital to expand its network of service delivery centres, starting with agri-retailers and eventually reaching the vast number of smallholders in rural Indonesia. It aims to deliver its services and impact up to 100,000 smallholders and rural micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs) by next year.

Founded in 2021, Semaai offers rural agricultural communities a comprehensive suite of services, including customised consultancy, access to productivity tools such as soil testing technology, and fairly priced farming inputs such as seed and fertiliser products.

Within five months since launch, Semaai claimed to have seen the gross merchandise value (GMV) of products sold to agri-retailers and MSMEs increase by 10x.

—

Ready to meet new startups to invest in? We have more than hundreds of startups ready to connect with potential investors on our platform. Create or claim your Investor profile today and turn on e27 Connect to receive requests and fundraising information from them.

Image Credit: Animoca Brands, watchTowr

The post SEA Roundup: Animoca, Brinc launch US$30M P2E accelerator programme; Cyber Sierra, watchTowr raise capital appeared first on e27.

Next Gen Foods, a plant-based food company in Singapore, has raised a US$100 million Series A funding round.

Investors in the round include Alpha JWC, EDBI, and MPL Ventures (UK). Returning investors, including Temasek (through its newly established Asia Sustainable Food Platform), GGV Capital, K3 Ventures and Bits x Bites, also joined the round.

The company plans to increase its global footprint this year.

This deal comes after a seed round of US$30 million last summer, which takes its total funding raised to date to over US$130 million.

Next Gen Foods has also launched in the US to offer its first product TiNDLE across a range of iconic restaurants in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Napa, New York, Miami and Philadelphia. The startup plans to expand TiNDLE to new US cities in the next few months, including Austin. According to CEO and Co-Founder Andre Menezes, the US has long been a target market for the firm.

Also Read: Alt.Flex.Eat: Flexitarianism is the flavour of the SEAson

The new funding will help increase the distribution of TiNDLE throughout all 50 states in the US. In addition, it will also support and increase Next Gen Foods’ R&D and product innovation capabilities at its brand new research hub set to open in Singapore later this year. The centre will act as a launchpad to develop and trial new technologies, applications, and products.

Next Gen Foods also intends to expand its R&D team across Singapore and the US to include additional protein scientists and food technologists with ingredient and product development expertise.

“Within a year, we’ve gone from launch to more than 200 restaurants on three continents. We will continue this relentless momentum in 2022 thanks to strong demand from chefs, distributors and consumers, who love TiNDLE for its great taste and tiny environmental footprint,” said Rohit Bhattacharya, CFO at Next Gen Foods.

Last July, Next Gen Foods added US$20 million to take its total seed funding to US$30 million. This came less than five months after it raised US$10 million from a host of investors, including Temasek and K3 Ventures.

—

The post Next Gen Foods takes its plant-based chicken brand to US with a US$100M Series A round appeared first on e27.

In today’s increasingly interconnected world, the trend is geared towards global rather than local. Big names in the tech industry have attempted to consolidate everything people need to know all the time and provide that information at their fingertips. At the same time, the information overload tends to become overwhelming, with recommendations, directions, and locations from across the globe conveniently condensed into something as portable as a smartphone.

CiPPo Corporation is one of the startups going against the current. In an interview with e27, CiPPo president Tetsuya Yokoyama lets us in on what sets his company apart. CiPPo’s smartphone app doesn’t aim to capture the largest possible area in its reach; instead, it focuses on connecting small communities. Beyond business, apps and startups like CiPPo inspire community-building in the digital age. Contrary to what has been said about the nature of technological advancement, there are avenues to form genuine connections through tech, and CiPPo might just be one of those avenues.

Localising connections in a globalised world

According to Yokoyama, CiPPo’s app gives clients more information about the specific place where they live, otherwise known as their “local place.” The regional media & SNS application sends information of stores, hospitals, job openings, and other community-related data to users. This makes acquainting clients with their hometown or city much easier. The app also acts as an all-in-one conduit for job seekers and those looking for information on certain establishments nearby, like hospitals, apartment networks, and schools.

Local businesses are matched with potential customers through an in-app search engine. For example, businesses will be immediately notified of any interested customers nearby and vice versa. The app even has push notifications for disaster and crime prevention, allowing its users to send an SOS when necessary. With permission, the app digitises circulation boards for schools and residents’ associations, allowing any publicly available information to be accessed through the app. This makes looking for local establishments easier and less tedious for users who are running on tight schedules. While it might not apply all the time to all establishments, it’s especially helpful for anyone who’s looking for a nearby hospital or parents deciding on the best school for their child.

Also read: Nexmind AI is on a mission to make AI accessible to more companies

Through these features, CiPPo aims to be a centralised system within a vast network of communities that helps bring people together. Though ideally regionalised, the app organises information within the given area for quick access to anyone in close proximity. CiPPo’s creative innovation works because it’s a highly specialised experience for each of its users, and it’s with this intent that the app delivers its services.

The localisation of opportunities both for businesses and individuals sounds ground-breaking at a time when most resources and labour are exported to major cities. It’s written on CiPPo’s website that this is one of the things the app and the company in general tries to address, alongside streamlining communication between people, places, and companies. This is one solution that tries to spur local economies and improve livelihood for people without looking outside where they currently are.

A regional innovation waiting to happen

True to its thrust towards localisation, CiPPo is currently available in 46 regions in Japan, and now it’s seeking to expand to Southeast Asia. With the help of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), CiPPo is looking to fill a gap in the region. Yokoyama tells e27 that the strategy CiPPo will be applying in the Southeast Asian market will largely be franchising. The startup is looking for partner companies that can implement CiPPo in their respective countries and regions, and hopefully specialise the app’s features and contents specifically for its immediate consumers’ needs. These partners will also own their franchise of CiPPo.

For instance, at present several job search websites dominate in Southeast Asia. At the same time, small businesses in the region have their own contact set-ups for customers, which can be a difficult experience for customers who are just looking for a convenient way to connect with their favourite businesses. While having options is good, it would also be great to have a single go-to application that could collect all the information you need within a specific destination, and see what your options are, which is exactly what CiPPo offers.

Also read: Designing the world a century into the future

The Southeast Asian region presents itself as a lucrative consumer base for apps like CiPPo precisely because of its vastly diverse population and interests. As a thriving melting pot of cultures, people, and varying degrees of economic development, Southeast Asia would be an interesting market to explore for the startup. In particular, it would be exciting to see how each country, community, and city in the region would implement its own version of a small community app fostering genuine connections between customers, businesses, and public institutions. With the right partnerships, CiPPo could be a tour de force in the Southeast Asian region, changing the way we look at our communities.

– –

This article is produced by the e27 team, sponsored by JETRO

We can share your story at e27, too. Engage the Southeast Asian tech ecosystem by bringing your story to the world. Visit us at e27.co/advertise to get started.

The post Imagining communities: building localised digital experiences with CiPPo corporation appeared first on e27.

Carb0n.fi Co-Founder and CEO Bree-Ann Yek

Bree-Ann Yek, a climate change champion, met Florian Bohnert, who has similar interests, at a venture builder programme at Antler Singapore. The duo wanted to develop a modern tech solution to address this pressing issue and reverse the climate catastrophe, with a heavy focus on Southeast Asia.

“Southeast Asia is a relatively untapped space when it comes to carbon offsetting at a large scale. But it holds a lot of promise in terms of its ability to fight climate change,” says Yek. “We aim to build a win-win solution for maintaining our collective responsibility towards reversing the climate change over the long-term based on this technological spine.”

To achieve their goal, Yek and Bohnert joined hands with Xenon, an experienced techie, to set up Carb0n.fi in 2021.

Carb0n.fi builds an online platform to allow people to put their crypto-assets to work and get rewarded with carbon offset NFTs and its native $ZRO token. It means when you deposit your crypto-assets in Carb0n.fi, you’re empowered to counterbalance the carbon emissions that you create.

Using blockchain to address climate change

In other words, Carb0n.fi is an ASEAN-focused blockchain solution firm aiming to establish a carbon-zero world for the people, by the people. It combines investments, allows its users to reap the benefits from these investments, and at the same time contributes to environmental sustainability all at once.

The world over, people and organisations act in their self-interest. There is a mutually inclusive bridge between intrinsic behaviour and saving the climate, believes Yek. “As our ecosystem grows, our real-world transition will be effected through integration with the EU, the UK, the US and other centralised exchanges to create opportunities for our users to benefit from carbon arbitrage.

Also Read: The Capture app enables you to track, reduce and offset carbon emissions from everyday life

Yek started her career trading bunker fuel before launching startups to recycle plastics. She brings many years of commodities trading, legal, and environmental volunteer experience. The climate champion is also involved in Southeast Asia’s various sustainable growth communities and projects.

Bohnert (CMO), on the other hand, spent 15 years building purpose-driven, environmental and social projects as founder, advisor, mentor, and investor. Xenon (CTO) has experience optimising yields and working on future use cases of DeFi.

According to Yek, there is a perception that NFTs are detrimental to the environment. Carb0n.fi is here to change this. In her view, NFTs can play a significant role in fighting climate change.

“Most carbon offset markets are centralised today, and it is pretty hard to efficiently track the source and avoid double-spending in these markets due to market inefficiencies and technical data protocols. Carbon offset NFTs are 100 per cent transparent, and anyone can track them at any time. We will provide an interface allowing users to track every asset we create and are being transferred at every step of the way,” elaborated Yek, who earlier founded The Verdant Room, an energy management system provider.

“We believe that carbon offset NFTs will better deliver the real-world value of carbon offsets. That’s why our vision is to become a new standard in the industry,” she said.

As for the target userbase, Yek said Carb0n.fi aims to bring carbon offsetting and carbon neutrality to both experienced crypto natives and non-crypto natives. She claimed that the solution is highly scalable since it’s a decentralised software.

The startup boasts of thousands of people in its community from across the world. As the number grows, the company plans to enhance its platform. Carb0n.fi’s technical architecture would allow it to eventually handle trading volumes of millions of units of carbon offset NFTs, she claimed.

“To extend the opportunity of environmental rescue to non-crypto users and corporations, we will also develop a mobile app to allow users to invest in carbon offsets affordably and seamlessly. The app will enable real-world companies to offset their carbon emissions and allow carbon offset projects to tokenise their carbon offsetting activities. This will allow us to reach everyone globally and integrate everyone into a larger climate movement. After all, climate change is an issue everyone faces,” Yek elaborated.

The company’s ultimate goal is to partner with centralised actors and establish national carbon exchanges.

Catering to both B2B and B2C

Carb0n.fi caters to both B2B and B2C clients. It charges a small fee on the transactions on its carbon offset exchange. It will focus on individuals within the crypto world in the short term and target companies that are familiar with crypto and have crypto on their balance sheets.

“These companies can allocate a part of their assets to be deposited into our platform, and for that, they will receive carbon offset NFTs. Finally, our app will enable non-crypto-savvy companies to benefit from the same platform and services in a traditional interface,” Yek noted.

As Carb0n.fi builds the product and keeps the community updated and engaged, it faces the challenges of meeting the demand. “Our community is looking forward to the release of our platform. It takes a well-experienced team distributed worldwide to answer all the questions they have. Thankfully we have a great team and partners as well as suppliers that aid us in doing just that.”

Early last month, Carb0n.fi announced a US$600,000 seed financing led by cryptocurrency VC firm Owl Ventures, with participation from Blockseed Ventures, Lancer Capital, and Antler Singapore, among others

The round also included an angel consortium of 13 fintech and crypto individuals, including Byron Grigoratos.

The round was completed in the lead-up to its initial dex offering (IDO) on the CardStarter launchpad (scheduled for January 19th, 2022) and TruePnl. The firm has no immediate plans to go to the market for a follow-on round.

“Our ultimate motivation is not only to fight climate change but also to empower the masses to take their future into their own hands and create a better world that our children will one day inherit. We work with the future in mind,” Yek concluded.

—

Ready to meet new startups to invest in? We have more than hundreds of startups ready to connect with potential investors on our platform. Create or claim your Investor profile today and turn on e27 Connect to receive requests and fundraising information from them.

The post How Carb0n.fi aims to establish a carbon-zero world for the people by the people appeared first on e27.

AC Ventures Venture Partner Helen Wong

Indonesia’s AC Ventures names ex-Qiming exec as Venture Partner

AC Ventures, an early-stage VC firm focusing on Indonesian startups, has appointed Helen Wong as its new venture partner and senior advisor.

Wong has over two decades of experience in China and Southeast Asia and worked with GGV Capital and Qiming Venture Partners. She also served on the boards of high-profile Chinese internet companies, including Tudou/Youku and Mobike.

She has expertise in strategy/development, team training, investments, and portfolio support.

“The challenge for Southeast Asia has always been the fragmented nature of the market,” said Wong. “This means that focusing on Indonesia, the biggest market to test out your product-market-fit, and then expanding out to different countries later is often a good strategy.”

Last December, AC Venture raised US$205 million in committed capital for its oversubscribed Fund III, backing early-stage local technology startups, mainly in the pre-Series A stage.

With over 35 investments completed in Fund III thus far, AC Ventures will double down on deepening their investment team and value creation teams with a plan to expand total team size by over 50 per cent this year.

Also read: Finance your startup: 10 types of investors you should know

Monk’s Hill Ventures Partner Susli Lie

Susli Lie joins Monk’s Hill to support its Indonesia business and ESG programme

Monk’s Hill Ventures today announced the appointment of Susli Lie as Partner, who will be responsible for building the Indonesia business, spearheading its ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) programme, and supporting portfolio companies on the ground.

Lie first joined MHV as a Venture Partner. Prior to MHV, she co-founded ErudiFi, a tech-enabled education financing company in Southeast Asia (backed by MHV and Y Combinator in its early days).

In addition, MHV has also promoted Eunice Wong to Principal in Singapore and Natasha Gunawan to Senior Investment Analyst based in Indonesia.

Also read: Introducing the Individual Investor Profiles on e27

—

Ready to meet new startups to invest in? We have more than hundreds of startups ready to connect with potential investors on our platform. Create or claim your Investor profile today and turn on e27 Connect to receive requests and fundraising information from them.

Image Credit: AC Ventures, Monk’s Hill Ventures

The post SEA Roundup: Helen Wong joins AC Ventures, Monk’s Hill names Susli Lie as Partner appeared first on e27.

ProfilePrint Founder and CEO Alan Lai

ProfilePrint, a Singapore-based AI-powered food fingerprint platform, has announced the closing of its Series A funding round.

Investors include food ingredient conglomerates, namely Louis Dreyfus Company (Netherlands), Olam Food Ingredients (an operating group of Olam International Limited, Singapore), and Sucafina (Switzerland), a Southeast Asian agrifood conglomerate (Indonesia). Greenwillow Capital Management (Singapore) and Real Tech Global Fund (Japan) also co-invested.

The deal details remain undisclosed. However, this round was closed at a valuation over 3x its pre-series A raised last year from Glocalink Singapore, Leave-a-Nest, and Seeds Capital.

ProfilePrint plans to use the capital to expand the team, invest in R&D, and ramp up its international expansion. It will leverage the investors’ extensive networks to widen and deepen its product offering, according to Founder and CEO Alan Lai.

Also Read: ProfilePrint’s AI tool predicts quality profile of a food sample “within seconds”, raises funding

A food ingredient search engine, ProfilePrint claims it can predict the quality and profile of a food sample “within seconds”. With 5g of the sample, the analyser acquires the unique fingerprint without destroying the samples. Sellers and buyers can objectively ascertain the agreed quality of a food ingredient in an online transaction.

Instead of packaging labels, reports or QR codes, ProfilePrint analyses the samples directly at the molecular level and can be used by stakeholders in the supply chain, retrieving real-time results from anywhere.

The startup first unveiled its fingerprint prediction technology in June 2021 in the Singapore Coffee Association auction, where it predicted the Q-grading score, taste parameters and critical attributes such as moisture and density for all the auctioned coffee beans.

Vivek Verma, CEO of the coffee business at Olam Food, said: “ProfilePrint’s technology could significantly expedite the quality assessment process to benefit the entire value chain — from farmers to roasters. We also see the potential of deploying this solution beyond coffee and into other differentiated food ingredients of cocoa, nuts, spices and dairy.”

ProfilePrint has deployed its solution globally to Europe, Africa, Latin America, China, Japan, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

—

The post ProfilePrint predicts quality of food sample ‘within seconds’, closes Series A financing appeared first on e27.

Ever since the events of the 2016 United States presidential elections, the term ‘fake news’ has seen common usage amongst the media, governments and the general public.

Fast forward to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are now in the midst of what some experts call an ‘infodemic’, which describes an excessive amount of information about a problem that is typically unreliable and spreads rapidly.

There are many associated and commonly-confused terms around what we can collectively call ‘information disorders’. It is helpful to know the differences between them to combat these phenomena.

The Council of Europe’s 2017 report on the subject sets out three categories of information disorders, whose definitions are adapted here as follows:

• Dis-information: False information deliberately created or shared to cause harm.
• Mis-information: False information – but not created or shared to cause harm.
• Mal-information: Real information shared to cause harm.

Knowing the different types of information disorders will help organisations and individuals recognise and guard against them. We should also be cognisant that what starts as one category of information disorder can morph into another.

One example of this took place in 2007, when an image of Hillary Clinton was doctored to show her meeting and shaking hands with Osama bin Laden in the White House for a Photoshop contest.

The doctored image was subsequently repurposed and circulated by pro-Kremlin Twitter accounts in 2016 during the US presidential elections, showing how false information may be created without any intent to harm, but ends up being distributed by bad actors with malicious intent.

A reverse example of this could be false information created by bad actors with malicious intent, which is then proliferated by people acting in good faith, thinking that the information they are spreading is accurate.

We witness this sometimes in those ‘viral’ messages spread amongst family and friends on instant messaging apps like WhatsApp, containing anything from false news of government regulations – to supposedly-legitimate medical advice and information.

Also Read: There is a concerning lack of cybersecurity talent. Here’s how to tackle it

This can often be a source of anxiety, confusion and fear, especially when faced with concerning or fear-mongering information.

Impact on business

Information disorders not only affect our psyche but in the long run and with widespread impact, can also take a toll on business productivity and resilience.

The International SOS Risk Outlook 2022 predicts that the brewing infodemic will pose new threats to organisations this year – challenging team member safety, team member expectations, and regulatory compliance.

There are many ways in which information disorders such as an infodemic can affect business. Employees may not dare to enter their office building if they have been erroneously informed of a critical structural integrity issue.

They may fear going to work if they have received false news that their workplace has become a hotspot for COVID-19 infections. They may be hesitant to get vaccinated against the virus if they have been exposed to unverified information regarding the safety of the vaccines.

Even internal business communications can become lost or twisted in translation – employees may lose faith in their employers’ capability to manage incidents and crises like natural disasters, workplace violence and epidemics if the proverbial grapevine distorts the original intent and content of the official message.

This challenge is exacerbated by the advent of social media and instant messaging tools and the speed at which information can be proliferated on these platforms.

False information can spread just as fast and far, if not even faster and further than, real information. Cognitive bias can also result in the information received first – even if proven false later on – affecting our psyche.

The magnitude and persistence of information disorders can also lead to acute or chronic feelings of mental stress, highlighting the mental health dimension in workforce resilience.

It is mentally taxing to be constantly bombarded with, and to have to process, a large volume of information, not just for their content, but also for their intent and veracity.

Combatting information disorders

So how can businesses combat information disorders to promote organisational and workforce resilience?

Also Read: How to tackle employee mental health to build a resilient workforce

There are many ways to do so, and a combination of these is likely to yield better outcomes than the pursuit of anyone on its own:

• Comprehensive communications strategy: Businesses should consider sharing information through a combination of channels such as the company webpage, a company newsletter, official emails, etc. Communications sessions can further bolster these, whether one-on-one or in small or large groups (depending on the company structure and culture), helmed by managers to clarify the information and intent behind any company plans and policies.Technology can be leveraged when information must be shared urgently outside of office hours, such as through virtual calls and conferencing, work chats on instant messaging platforms, etc. Two-way communication is also crucial for employees to clarify doubts and challenge information that has been shared constructively – the possibility of this information is false or becoming obsolete cannot be ruled out.
• Robust information sourcing and verification process: Businesses should identify and rely on credible sources of information such as official government channels. In addition to this, partnering with established providers like International SOS can give businesses access to health and security subject matter experts who are well-placed to provide and verify the information and offer assessments and advice.For instance, International SOS can help guide your workforce health and safety agenda and posture in response to relevant developments or in anticipation of projected ones.

  Businesses should also be cognizant of the fluid nature of information, and build and maintain a process that continually sources and verifies relevant information, whether in-house or contracted to third-party providers, or through a combination thereof.

• Build a structure and culture of openness and trust: The effect of business strategies and processes is often determined by the structure they are built on and the culture they operate within. Managers and leaders should model openness to gain their employees’ trust. Trust is often lost or damaged when employees perceive that material information is being withheld.One thing to remember is that employees and managers can have very different perspectives on the relevance of information; sometimes, well-meaning managers risk losing the trust of their teams when they do not share information that their employees feel is relevant.

  Be aware and beware of unofficial internal channels of information that run parallel to and can undermine official communications.

  It is vital to allow and encourage employees to engage with and be constructively critical of information that affects them – the morale of an organisation and its workforce can be rapidly eroded by employees who feel like they are pure ‘price-takers’.

Particularly in managing COVID-19-related complexities, offering third-party platforms for employees to speak to medical professionals, or organising forums/webinars to clarify information can also alleviate fears, and build trust within the organisation.

Also Read: How behavioural science is transforming corporate learning

It is important to remember here that the goal of these platforms and exercises is not to mandate any personal medical decisions but to encourage and educate employees.

Proactively offering opportunities for Q&A with healthcare professionals, or conducting educational webinars, will help to instil confidence and trust in employees so that they are less susceptible to false claims, and also allow them to share their concerns and hesitations. So they can make informed decisions about their health.

On a tangentially-related note, with the string of high-profile corporate whistleblowing cases in recent years, businesses should operate on the assumption that even highly-confidential information can be publicised.

While the loss of a competitive edge from the leak of technical information may be impossible to salvage, the loss of reputation from the disclosure of business strategies and practices can be mitigated, or even eliminated, by corporate ethics and responsibility. In this regard, the ‘front page test’ is an excellent internal gatekeeper with which to interrogate business decision-making.

Information will only grow more abundant, adding further complexity to business operations and the management of employee wellbeing.

Businesses need to evolve their information management mechanisms to not just survive, but thrive, in the ever-changing information landscape, much as they adjust and align their business models and processes to navigate market dynamics.

Building a strong culture of openness, having access to trusted sources of information and maintaining robust communications with employees will help businesses adapt to evolving circumstances, and allay fears and anxieties that may arise amidst an infodemic.

Success will pay dividends and failure may not be countenanced by an increasingly interwoven world.

–

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

Join our e27 Telegram group, FB community, or like the e27 Facebook page

Image Credit: Elnur

The post How to combat information disorders to build business resilience appeared first on e27.

During the past year, the advent of blockchain technology has accelerated throughout developing regions, including Southeast Asia, with Ethereum functioning as the preferred network for many financial institutions and various developers. 

The growing popularity of Ethereum can be linked to the fact that it is used by thousands of developers who set up decentralised apps that power everything from the DeFi and Metaverse movements to the sale of non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

According to Joseph Lubin, the co-founder of the Ethereum project, many developing nations are gradually improving the financial and technological infrastructures of their respective countries using Ethereum. 

For instance, Chile has utilised Ethereum’s proof-of-work blockchain to track energy data. According to the National Energy Commission, the country chose Ethereum because of its ability to “augment levels of security, integrity, traceability, and confidence in the information available to the public.” 

Being one of the most popular chains to build on, traditional institutions also leverage Ethereum. For example, Union Bank, one of the largest banks in the Philippines, has partnered with Lubin’s ConsenSys to develop banking solutions run on Ethereum for the country’s rural sector. The government has also decided to offer Manila residents rewards in Ethereum tokens for cleaning up their polluted beaches.

Despite the rise in adoption of Ethereum across emerging markets, there are also growing concerns regarding high transaction costs caused by increased usage and demand. Why then is adoption still growing strong in emerging markets? 

Also Read: The transition is now: these Web3 apps are transforming global finance

Many factors influence these dynamics, which will be explored in the following sections.

Decentralised finance: An alternative for the underbanked

Ethereum was the major catalyst in introducing DeFi or “decentralised finance”, a protocol that aims to provide financial and banking services on the blockchain network that is also geared toward disrupting intermediaries like banks.

When compared to the traditional financial system, DeFi is a form of financing that specifically adds value to the rising miseries of the underbanked since anybody may join and connect to this novel system framework, even without KYC and without a bank account.

As of now three biggest DeFi lending protocols are Maker, Curve Finance, and Aave, with a total value of US$17.5 billion, US$15.2 billion, and US$11 billion, respectively, all of which are built on the Ethereum Network.

In many developing nations, the existing loopholes in the financial system prevent many individuals from opening their bank accounts, much alone using them for business. 

Especially in regions like India, the Philippines, and more, lending and borrowing are challenges because most people under the poverty line struggle to provide proper documents and collateral. 

For such places, almost anyone with access to an internet browser can start using DeFi protocols and begin lending and borrowing without signing anything. 

By doubling down on the path to lower barriers to entry and easily accessible loan activities, the idea of DeFi gained popularity with TVL at 96 billion as of 14 Jan. 

For example, imagine a DeFi loan built on top of a smart contract on the Ethereum blockchain. With this digital financial instrument, borrowers and lenders can put up their collateral, where a tamper-proof smart contract is responsible for distributing interest payments. The technology is securing the collateral in case of default.

DeFi also has other use cases built on Ethereum, like digital remittances. As predicted by the World Economic Forum, the adoption of digital remittances might drive the growth of the global economy.

This way, families may save money on remittance costs while still contributing to long-term development. Furthermore, DeFi provides an alternative to hefty transfer costs, which are currently estimated to be 7 per cent of each dollar sent home by migrant workers. 

While it is too early to know if DeFi is the only answer to assisting the unbanked, they constitute a viable opportunity for individuals to investigate other financial possibilities.

Also Read: Top people to follow for developments in blockchain and crypto in 2022

Growing adoption is driven by culture

Without any doubt, Ethereum-based blockchain innovation is delving into one of Asia’s most vibrant cultures, that of gaming and e-sports. 

NFTs and play-to-earn games such as Axie Infinity have swept the APAC regions, especially growing economies like Southeast Asia, demonstrating the influence that decentralised applications based on Ethereum have on communities. 

One of the major innovations in blockchain technology is the development of play-to-earn gaming, which allows users to earn money while playing. What previously was simply a source of leisure in communities is now becoming a source of income that enables gamers to play the games they love with purpose and deeper vested interest.

The growth of play to earn gaming can be attributed to the success of Axie Infinity in the Philippines since there has been a boom in the number of daily users for a slew of games built on the Ethereum network, including Alien Worlds and Gods Unchained. 

Due to lower minimum wages in developing countries, more people are drawn to GameFi, speeding up the industry and developers who build on Ethereum. 

The money usually generated from play-to-earn gaming can go near approximately US$50-US$100, which may not be as high for developed regions like the US. Still, in emerging economies with lower capital income, the amount earned through game playing can put at least a day’s meal on the table. 

Another popular choice is the NFT fantasy soccer game Sorare, built on Ethereum, which allows players to manage their soccer teams via digital player NFT cards.

Play-to-earn and GameFi dApps are making a noticeable impact due to their attractive model incentivising passive income, especially in lower-income countries.  

Limitations of Ethereum in emerging markets

Regardless of its growing popularity, scalability has been a major issue for the Ethereum platform. As more individuals embark on Ethereum, the network starts to encounter problems. 

Ethereum uses a Proof of Work (PoW) model, allowing only 30 transactions per second (TPS) compared to the massive demand of 1.355 million TPS every day, causing network congestion and excessive transaction fees. 

Nonetheless, early efforts to resolve the problem have resulted in unacceptable compromises regarding security matters or other factors such as the user experience.

For emerging economies, while there are many reasons to join the various blockchain trends like DeFi, NFTs, and GameFi, the high costs of entry have been a major hurdle. 

For example, NFT minting fees on the Ethereum blockchain fluctuate according to the supply and demand for processing power, ranging from US$50 to US$100.

There has been an emergence of other networks like Solana, popular among developers who no longer want to deal with Ethereum’s volatile transaction fees, with Solana advertising itself as the cheap and more efficient alternative.

Also Read: NFT adoption is soaring in Southeast Asia. Here’s why 

Ethereum’s scaling solutions

Scaling solutions are needed if Ethereum’s smart-contract-based blockchains are ever to grow to support finance and Web3 applications for billions of users. Thankfully, the cavalry is beginning to arrive, with many proposed solutions coming online recently.

Today, there is a vast community working towards solving the issues of high transaction costs on the Ethereum network. 

Being around longest, the Ethereum community is strong, with billions of dollars of investment going into scaling solutions that will bundle up transactions off-chain, introducing a newly emerging ecosystem of Ethereum congestion alleviation. One of these solutions includes zk-rollup technology, a scaling technology that enables reduced transaction fees and improves user experience.

In general, there are hundreds of transactions on the main blockchain, but with ZK-Rollup, they are combined into a single transaction. Since fewer data has to be transferred over Ethereum’s primary blockchain, transactions may be completed more quickly and at a lower cost. 

According to Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin, “ZK-rollups would be Ethereum’s go-to scaling strategy for the near and mid-term future”. Buterin also published a roadmap called Endgame, in which ZK rollups have a key role to play. 

ZK rollups are making a strong statement and could very much have the ability to become the key protagonists of the current development phase of Ethereum scaling solutions.

Many notable companies like Aztec, Polygon, ZK-Sync, and Polygon Hermez, to name a few, are working on scaling solutions for the Ethereum blockchain. In the following three to six months, these networks may begin to compete with each other. As they do, they will become even stronger and better, increasing the opportunity for developers and users. 

Conclusion

With large unbanked populations, significant banking risks, and lower bank and credit-card penetration in aggregate, the deployment of cryptocurrency can be advantageous in developing markets. But while the idea of Ethereum and DeFi, on principle and by design, is meant to be universally accessible to all, high costs on the network have become the biggest technical problem facing the industry today. 

One of the key solutions to Ethereum’s woes is Zk rollups designed to have superior speeds at lower costs and have the potential to play a prominent role in Ethereum scaling solutions. 

The advent of technology like this will be especially important if the growth of Ethereum should continue in major emerging markets where high costs can be a major hurdle for entry.

–

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.

Join our e27 Telegram group, FB community, or like the e27 Facebook page

Image credits: pedrosek

The post The growing adoption of Ethereum in emerging markets appeared first on e27.

Global investors have started to notice. As the pandemic recedes, economies are adjusting through new rates of technology adoption. Companies that typically took years to transition customers to new platforms now do it in weeks. The pace of change has changed — almost overnight.

One major beneficiary is Australia’s fintech industry. Until two years ago, developers from down-under barely figured in global rankings. But in 2021, industry analyst, Findexable, promoted Australian finance technology again. Australian fintech is now rated sixth in the world.

This means Australia’s A$4 billion fintech industry has pulled ahead of every European country, except Switzerland and the UK. The ranking also signals Australia’s leadership in Asia-Pacific. Findexable ranks Australian fintech second only to Singapore in Asia

Australian fintechs are capitalising on their success. Around 44% of Australia’s 700-plus fintechs have raised more than A$100 million in financing. Small commercial lender, Judo Bank raised US$209 million at the height of the pandemic.

Some Australian fintechs have become global players. US-based Block Inc. has offered US$29 billion for Australia’s buy-now, pay-later pioneer Afterpay. And Airwallex — based in Melbourne and Hong Kong — raised US$100 million in November, giving it a US$5.5 billion valuation.

Australia: a nation of early adopters

Australia’s vibrant tech industry sits on solid foundations. In 2018, the UK’s Economist Intelligence Unit ranked Australia first in the world for tech readiness along with Singapore and Sweden. When compared to other countries, Australia stands out as a nation of tech-happy, early adopters.

This benefits Australia’s big four banks. All are now investing heavily in fintech to improve customer services. In fact, nearly 60% of digitally-active Australians use fintech products.

A high-skills workforce also helps. Australian colleges and universities train a local tech workforce to service critical industries. Besides its fintech cohort, Australia is home to roughly 600 edtech companies, 500 medtech companies, and 400 agtech and foodtech companies according to Australia’s 2021 Benchmark report. Approximately 98% of these companies are small or medium-sized.

Also read: Meet the 26 innovators pitching on JETRO x Techstars pitch day

And Australia’s fintech talent pool keeps getting bigger. The tech workforce has grown by approximately 65,000 since the start of COVID-19. As borders re-open, expertise will expand. Australia’s talent visas, lifestyle cities and fast-growing demand for skilled people continue to attract technology professionals from around the world.

At the core of Australia’s fintech prowess is a sophisticated A$10 trillion financial sector. This is the nursery for Australia’s extraordinary rise in global fintech. It has in-built advantages. Australia is one of the few countries in the world that has 100% banking penetration. This means millions of citizens checking their funds on advanced banking apps.

These factors all add up to core competitive advantage. Australia’s technology sector is now worth A$167 billion and employs 861,000 people, according to research by Accenture. The sector is highly diverse, with over 35,200 sole traders and 26,100 companies that employ fewer than 20 employees. Fintech is one of its biggest constituents.

A fertile fintech ecosystem — from regtech to insuretech

One key feature of Australian fintech is its very broad base. Today, fintech has spawned multiple subsectors that cater to different finance-related activities.

Regulation technology – or Regtech – thrives in Australia’s pro-innovation regulatory climate. By some estimates, Australia is now the third-largest regtech hub in the world. Canberra-based Castlepoint Systems went global while still a startup, thanks to its world-first, standalone audit and compliance technology.

Australian Insuretech is also taking off. This is partly because Australians have the confidence to complete complex financial transactions via smartphone apps. Embedded insurance startup, Covergenius secured A$100 million in Series C funding in September last year.

Niche skills are also on tap in Australia’s diverse talent pool. Proficiency in BlockChain powers Australian prowess in payments technologies  – from consumer-oriented Afterpay, to open access platforms at the Reserve Bank of Australia.

Pro-fintech regulation attracts global investors

A healthy fintech ecosystem has made Australia a magnet for investors. US- and UK-based fintechs see Australia as a natural testbed for global expansion. Recent investors are lured by pro-innovation regulation and organic clinks to huge markets in Asia-Pacific.

British super-app developer, Revolut, made Australia an early first stop in its global expansion. Temporary licensing helped the company set up in Australia. Australian CEO, Matt Baxby, lauds Australia as a venue for piloting new fintech.

Also read: Regional insurtech Igloo’s AI-driven capabilities drive customised products and seamless customer experience

“Australia has a familiar regulatory regime and high-quality fintech talent,” he said. “This makes Australia an attractive market for Revolut’s expansion outside of Europe.”

Afterpay talks up Australia as a testbed for fintech development. Marty Gray, Senior Manager for Public Policy, cites a regulatory environment that is oriented towards innovation. This includes sandboxing.

“There is a proactive relationship in Australia between the industry and regulators, and this helped us get our financial product established,” he explained. “It gave us a first-mover advantage.”

Australia also has a fintech bridge with the UK and one in the works with Singapore. These government-to-government agreements reduce barriers for companies to develop and deploy fintech products across markets.

Overseas advisers help startups go global

The Australian Government has been quick to aid fintech expansion. A global network of 68 offices and missions deliver market insights to inquisitive investors. Meanwhile, fintech advisers based in Australia help local startups go global, faster.

The result is that even small Australian fintechs can gain first-mover advantage in global markets. Handii took its online market place for insurance rectification work to the US just three years after launching in Australia. Its journey included mentoring organised by Austrade and introductions to venture capitalists in San Francisco.

“The Austrade team guided us through the VC [venture capital] process,” shared co-founder, Christie Downs. “The mentor helped us refine our pitch, curate a target list of investors and build a forecasting model.”

Overseas investors encounter an advisory network that’s keen to attract fintech pioneers.

Also read: Japanese aerial-tech startup Aerosense bullish on opportunities in Southeast Asia

“Introductions made by Austrade helped us to navigate the local regulatory and compliance environments,” said Revolut’s Baxby. “This has been a key enabling factor for us.”

Revolut is just one of a growing number of investors that pay testament to Australia’s ability to nurture fintech pioneers and act as a testing ground for global expansion.

“Australia can also serve as a gateway to markets in the region because of its location and economic ties”, added Baxby. “We believe the resilience and growth shown by fintechs in Australia highlights the maturity of the industry in Australia. This bodes well for the future of fintech in Australia.”

To learn more about how Australia’s best and brightest fintechs can help power your business, please visit Austrade.

– –

This article is produced by the e27 team, sponsored by Austrade

We can share your story at e27, too. Engage the Southeast Asian tech ecosystem by bringing your story to the world. Visit us at e27.co/advertise to get started.

The post Australian fintech takes global No. 6 spot appeared first on e27.