As AI agents move from experimental tools to operational systems with real-world impact, Singapore’s newly launched Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI is set to reshape how businesses deploy, manage, and scale these technologies.

Unveiled at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the framework is the first in the world to offer structured, practical guidance specifically for agentic AI, systems capable of planning across multiple steps and taking actions on behalf of users. While not a law, the framework is likely to influence business practices quickly, especially in regulated and customer-facing sectors.

For companies in Singapore, the message is clear: AI agents can drive productivity and transformation, but only if governance is designed into systems from the start.

Unlike traditional or generative AI, AI agents can initiate transactions, update databases or trigger workflows autonomously. This expanded capability raises new risks, including unauthorised actions, data misuse and over-reliance on automated decisions. The framework responds by emphasising that humans remain ultimately accountable, even as autonomy increases.

“Agentic AI systems will make decisions with real-world consequences,” said Elsie Tan, country manager for Worldwide Public Sector, Singapore, at Amazon Web Services, in a press statement issued by IMDA. “We need concrete mechanisms for visibility, containment, and alignment built into infrastructure, along with human judgment to use them wisely. Singapore’s Model AI Governance Framework is a step in the right direction.”

Also Read: Voice does not expire: How AI helps us keep our stories alive

In practical terms, businesses are expected to rethink how AI agents are authorised, monitored and approved. One of the framework’s core recommendations is to assess and bound risks upfront by selecting appropriate use cases and limiting an agent’s autonomy, access to tools and exposure to sensitive data. For enterprises, this means more formal approval processes for agent deployments, especially for systems that can trigger payments, modify records or interact directly with customers.

The framework also elevates the importance of human checkpoints. As AI agents become more reliable, organisations risk automation bias, the tendency to over-trust systems that have performed well in the past. By requiring defined moments where human approval is mandatory, companies can reduce the risk of silent failures or cascading errors.

For tech vendors and cloud providers, the framework may shape how products are built and sold. It encourages technical controls such as baseline testing, lifecycle monitoring and restricted access to whitelisted services, alongside non-technical measures such as training and transparency. These expectations could increasingly become standard requirements in enterprise procurement.

“Building trust in agentic AI is an ongoing, shared responsibility, and IMDA’s framework is a constructive first step,” said Serene Sia, country director for Malaysia and Singapore at Google Cloud.

She added that open standards will play a key role in enabling secure multi-agent systems. “Having pioneered open standards like the Agent2Agent Protocol and Agent Payments Protocol, Google has been playing a key role in establishing the foundation for interoperable and secure multi-agent systems.”

Also Read: Forward-looking governance: Why Asian boards must think like futurists

The impact will be felt most strongly in sectors where AI agents operate close to money, data or safety. Financial services firms, fintech companies and banks are likely to introduce stricter approval gates, audit trails and monitoring to meet expectations of accountability. E-commerce platforms and logistics providers may need tighter controls around customer service agents who can issue refunds or amend orders.

For organisations already deploying AI agents at scale, the framework offers validation and direction.

“At KBTG, we have already begun deploying AI agents across the bank and have a strong pipeline of additional agents ahead,” said Dr. Komes Chandavimol, principal AI evangelist at KASIKORN Business-Technology Group, the technology arm of KASIKORNBANK. “As we move toward deployment at scale, we are strengthening our agentic AI governance. The Model Governance Framework for Agentic AI is a timely and practical document that will help guide this journey.”

Small and medium-sized enterprises may face capability gaps, particularly around testing and monitoring. This could accelerate demand for managed services and “governed-by-design” AI agents that embed compliance features by default.

Positioned as a living document, the framework is likely to evolve alongside the technology. For businesses in Singapore, it sets a clear direction of travel: AI agents are welcome — but only with accountability, oversight and trust built in.

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The lead image of this article is generated by AI.

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Airwallex’s acquisition of Paynuri is less about headline-grabbing expansion and more about quietly doing the hard, unglamorous work that actually scales fintech: licences, local compliance, and settlement rails. Coming on the heels of its US$330 million Series G, the deal signals a clear strategic pivot — capital is being deployed to lock in regulated infrastructure, not just chase user growth.

Korea is a logical next frontier. It is a sophisticated, high-volume market with demanding regulators, strong domestic incumbents, and businesses that increasingly sell beyond national borders. For Korean merchants riding the K-wave — from e-commerce to entertainment — cross-border payments are no longer a “nice to have” but a margin issue. FX spreads, slow settlement, and fragmented providers quietly tax growth. Airwallex is positioning itself as the layer that removes that friction.

Buying Paynuri accelerates this ambition. Rather than entering Korea cautiously and negotiating licences over years, Airwallex gains speed, legitimacy, and local operational grounding. That matters in a market where regulators expect compliance first and iteration second.

For customers, the promise is straightforward: fewer intermediaries, cleaner FX, and faster access to global markets — whether you’re a Korean brand selling overseas or a foreign company localising into Korea. The bet is that payments infrastructure, not consumer-facing apps, will capture the most durable value.

Viewed through that lens, Korea isn’t a side quest. It’s a test of whether Airwallex can turn regulatory complexity into competitive advantage — and scale globally without losing its infrastructure-first discipline.

REGIONAL

Why Airwallex chose acquisition over patience in Korea: The purchase provides Airwallex a faster path to operate locally, at a time when cross-border commerce is rising and Korean businesses are trying to sell overseas without getting strangled by FX spreads, settlement delays, and fragmented payment rails.

Danantara to deploy US$14B this year: Launched in February 2025 with an initial US$20B, Danantara aims to support Indonesia’s economic transformation by investing in renewable energy, digital infrastructure, healthcare, and food security over the next 12 to 24 months.

Salesforce’s startup push in ASEAN is really a customer acquisition engine: Salesforce has rolled out its Startup Program in Malaysia and the Philippines as it looks to turn fast-growing local founders into long-term platform users. The program was started in 2021 and now supports a community of over 435 startups.

What Toku’s IPO reveals about demand for enterprise AI in Asia: The AI CX platform raised US$11.86M. Toku enters the market on a credible growth trajectory. It reported revenue growth of 47% and net revenue retention exceeding 150% over the past three years for its subscription and licensing revenue stream.

SCBX brings Korea and China’s digital banking playbooks to Thailand: The collaboration combines SCBX’s domestic banking muscle with KakaoBank’s mobile‑first product playbook and WeBank’s heavyweight tech stack, including AI and cloud‑scale infrastructure, to launch a new virtual bank in Thailand.

Vietnam fines TikTok over data privacy violations: In addition to TikTok, the commission also fined Zalo, a messaging platform operated by VNG Corp, US$30,900 for failing to provide mechanisms for users to control the scope of personal data they share.

Indonesia’s Hypefast plans 2027 IPO after rebrand: Hypefast positions itself as a full-stack operator managing brand manufacturing, distribution, and D2C sales, with over 10,000 retail points across Indonesia. Hypefast reported positive EBITDA and cash flow since 2024.

FEATURES & INTERVIEWS

Why Nansen believes AI agents are the future of on-chain markets: CEO Alex Svanevik talks about what this shift says about the maturity of crypto markets, the evolving role of AI in trading, and how access to institutional-grade workflows could reshape who gets to move first on-chain.

INTERNATIONAL

JP Morgan acquires WealthOS in landmark Sri Lanka startup exit: This acquisition signals global validation for Sri Lankan fintech, unlocking liquidity, talent flywheels, and confidence in product-led exits. UK-incorporated WealthOS builds software that helps financial institutions run wealth management digitally.

OpenAI’s Altman said to meet Middle East investors for US$50B round: OpenAI has previously raised billions to fund infrastructure costs such as chips and data centres and has committed to spending over US$1.4T on AI infrastructure in the coming years.

Jungle Ventures joins Indian travel tech startup Escape Plan’s US$25M round: Escape Plan sells luggage, backpacks, and travel accessories, with a strong focus on offline retail in non-metro markets. It aims to open over 200 stores across India and follows an inventory-led model.

Australia watchdog orders Airwallex audit over compliance issues: The regulator expressed worries that Airwallex’s transaction monitoring system may not fully address the risks, especially as it facilitates fund transfers across multiple jurisdictions.

Amazon reportedly to cut thousands more jobs: The layoffs are part of a broader effort to cut nearly 10% of its corporate workforce, affecting units such as AWS, retail, Prime Video, and HR. The company previously cut around 14,000 jobs in October, about half of its initial 30,000 target.

TikTok shifts US assets to Oracle-led joint venture: The JV, majority American-owned, will oversee data storage, content moderation, and algorithm security for US users, with Oracle managing data storage. The leadership team includes CEO Adam Presser and CTO Will Farrell.

CYBERSECURITY

AI vs AI: Inside Southeast Asia’s new cybersecurity war: As Southeast Asia’s digital economy tops US$1 trillion, escalating AI-driven cyber threats collide with rapid innovation, pushing startups and governments to build resilient, coordinated defences across the region.

Seqrite, Terrabyte Group partner to strengthen cybersecurity footprint in SEA: The collaboration brings Seqrite’s full-stack enterprise cybersecurity ecosystem to the region, enabling organisations to secure endpoints, networks cloud environments, data, users and applications through an integrated, AI-driven approach.

Super apps, fintech wallets and mobile payments: Southeast Asia’s fintech boom has driven near-universal digital payments, but super apps and mobile wallets are creating concentrated cybersecurity risks as fraud shifts decisively toward mobile-first attacks across the region.

SEMICONDUCTOR

Memory chip prices surge on AI demand, hit consumer electronics: Major memory chip producers Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron report difficulty meeting demand, driven by prioritisation of data centre components. As a result, companies like Apple and Dell may face higher costs, potentially passing them to consumers.

China, Hong Kong dominate India’s chip imports: China supplied nearly 30% of integrated circuits and microassemblies worth US$5.8B from April to November FY26. Hong Kong contributed 18.5%, amounting to US$3.7B, with both sources increasing their shipments by 3.5% and 10%, respectively.

Intel shares fall over 13% despite Q4 earnings beat: The company reported a net loss of US$600M, compared to a US$100M loss a year earlier. Intel’s revenue was US$13.7B, beating analysts’ predictions. Adjusted earnings per share were 15 cents, above the expected 8 cents.

AI

Indonesia expects to finalise AI regulations within two months: The regulations include the AI Roadmap and AI Ethics. The AI Roadmap outlines national development and utilisation strategies, while the AI Ethics regulation sets principles for responsible AI use but does not specify sanctions.

Voice does not expire: How AI helps us keep our stories alive: AI expands how stories are told, but authenticity remains human. Voices evolve through technology, preserving meaning, emotion, and legacy while enabling expression beyond fear, format, or stage limitations.

AI in recruitment: Why precision hiring will matter more than ever in Southeast Asia: Regional startups face tighter capital and higher execution pressure, making hiring strategic. AI-driven precision hiring reduces bias, shortens cycles, and improves decision quality without replacing human judgment.

How AI, AR, and live streaming are changing the online shopping experience: As e-commerce becomes dominant, brands are using AI, live commerce, AR/VR, and generative tools to deliver personalised, interactive experiences that boost engagement, differentiation, and online sales globally.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Why marketing agencies are more essential than ever in 2026: In 2026, marketing agencies thrive as strategic growth partners, blending human judgment, specialised expertise, and AI-powered execution to navigate complexity, culture, and competition beyond what tools or in-house teams alone can achieve.

Leading a multigenerational workforce: How Singapore’s employers can turn diversity into strength: Singapore’s multigenerational workforce blends Gen X resilience, Millennial adaptability, and Gen Z digital-native values, forcing employers to rethink leadership, technology adoption, communication styles, and flexible talent strategies.

Forward-looking governance: Why Asian boards must think like futurists: Asian boards must move beyond reactive oversight toward forward-looking governance, embedding foresight, adaptive structures, and strategic courage to anticipate regulatory, technological, and geopolitical shifts shaping long-term resilience across Asian markets.

Life in plastic, it’s not fantastic: Understanding the problems: Asia’s plastic crisis persists as recycling faces high costs, technology limits, quality degradation, poor traceability, and inadequate policy, limiting scale, discouraging investment, and demanding action from corporations, governments, and startups.

The data revolution: Innovation and evolution in APAC’s hospitality industry: Technology and data are transforming APAC’s hospitality industry, enabling personalised guest experiences, operational efficiency, and post-pandemic recovery—turning traditional venues into smarter, more resilient, growth-driven businesses.

How Southeast Asia’s Supermom retains its Fortune 500 clients: Supermom is Southeast Asia’s leading parenting data platform, connecting millions of moms, empowering peer influence and income creation, while supplying global brands with unique first-party consumer insights and client retention.

Profitable e-commerce: Making real money in the new year: Online sellers should focus on profitable growth, not raw revenue, by leveraging shopping tailwinds, preparing for stockouts, optimising pricing, and applying proven e-commerce best practices instead of chasing growth hacks.

Trump’s Davos reversal sparks massive relief rally in global stocks, cryptocurrencies: Global markets rebounded sharply as trade tensions eased, stocks surged, gold fell, AI optimism lifted tech, and crypto showed maturing strength amid whale accumulation and landmark institutional milestones worldwide confidence.

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India’s payments infrastructure firm Juspay has raised US$50 million from WestBridge Capital in a Series D follow-on round, valuing the company at US$1.2 billion.

The transaction combines primary capital with a secondary component that offers liquidity to early investors and employees holding ESOPs — the second such liquidity event Juspay has facilitated within a year.

Also Read: Juspay’s Nakul Kothari on building, scaling, and the future of fintech

That structure matters almost as much as the cheque size. Across Asia, secondary investments (purchases of existing shares rather than new issuance) are growing quickly as late-stage startups stay private for longer and IPO windows remain inconsistent. For investors, secondaries offer exposure to more mature businesses with clearer unit economics and governance; for founders, they can reduce pressure to “time the market” for an IPO; and for employees, they convert paper wealth into cash without waiting years for a listing.

In Juspay’s case, the deal also signals a shift in how late-stage capital is being deployed in the region: less about subsidising growth at any cost, more about backing infrastructure companies that can scale across markets while keeping stakeholders incentivised.

Juspay in numbers

Juspay sells payments infrastructure to enterprises and banks, sitting behind consumer-facing checkout flows and routing transactions across payment methods, gateways, and networks. The company claims its annualised total payment volume (TPV) now exceeds US$1 trillion and that it processes more than 300 million transactions daily for brands, including Agoda, Amazon, Flipkart, and Swiggy.

It also states 99.999 per cent reliability and a workforce of 1,500+ across offices, including Singapore, alongside San Francisco, Dublin, São Paulo and Dubai.

What is less clear from the release is how fast those topline metrics have grown over the last two years. Juspay does not provide year-by-year TPV, revenue, take-rate, or profitability figures, which makes it difficult to benchmark performance against other infrastructure players. Still, two datapoints stand out: the claimed US$1 trillion+ annualised TPV and the fact that it has created two liquidity events within a year, suggesting confidence in internal valuations and a desire to retain talent in a competitive market.

Sheetal Lalwani, Co-founder and COO of Juspay, said: “Our focus over the last decade has been on solving the core complexities of global payments through first-principles engineering and design.”

Secondaries are gaining traction in Asia

Secondary transactions are rising across Asia for structural reasons:

• Longer private-company lifecycles: strong companies are delaying IPOs, either by choice (more private capital available) or necessity (volatile public markets).

Also Read: Secondaries take centre stage: How VCs are navigating the exit drought

• Tighter growth funding: as primary rounds become more selective, secondaries help balance stakeholder needs without forcing aggressive expansion.
• Talent retention: periodic ESOP liquidity is increasingly used to retain senior engineering and product talent, especially in fintech.
• Cleaner cap tables and price discovery: secondaries can consolidate early positions and create a reference price without a full fundraise.

In India, in particular, where many startups built large ESOP pools during the boom years, employee liquidity is becoming a recurring feature rather than a one-off event.

India’s fintech growth in Asia — and the constraints

India remains one of Asia’s most influential fintech markets, driven by UPI, widespread smartphone adoption, digital-first merchants, and the broader “digital public infrastructure” stack that reduces friction in onboarding and payments. Indian fintechs are also increasingly exporting capabilities — especially in payments orchestration, risk, reconciliation, and compliance tooling — to Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

But growth is shaped by countervailing forces: regulatory scrutiny, persistent concerns around fraud and consumer protection, shifting economics across payment rails, and intense competition among infrastructure and aggregator layers. In short, the demand is massive, but sustainable scale increasingly requires compliance maturity and strong operational controls.

Juspay in Southeast Asia

Juspay already has a Singapore base and counts Agoda among customers, giving it a practical entry point into Southeast Asia’s cross-border travel and commerce flows. The region’s opportunity lies in its fragmentation: multiple domestic real-time payment schemes, wallets, bank transfer rails, and differing regulatory requirements across markets. That complexity typically pushes large merchants and platforms towards orchestration and infrastructure providers that can unify routing, retries, reconciliation, and risk controls across countries.

Also Read: What stands in the way of fintech growth in Asia?

If Juspay executes well, Southeast Asia offers a route to grow beyond India-centric rails into a broader APAC infrastructure play — especially as real-time payments and cross-border linkages expand.

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SCB X Public Company (SCBX) has taken a decisive step in Thailand’s virtual banking sweepstakes by formalising a tri‑party partnership with South Korea’s KakaoBank and China’s WeBank Technology Services.

The collaboration combines SCBX’s domestic banking muscle with KakaoBank’s mobile‑first product playbook and WeBank’s heavyweight tech stack, including AI and cloud‑scale infrastructure, to launch a new virtual bank in Thailand.

Also Read: How digital banking is driving financial inclusion in SEA

The announcement is less an experiment than a statement of intent. SCBX brings deep local distribution and regulatory know‑how; KakaoBank contributes proven UX design and product innovation from running Korea’s top digital bank; and WeBank supplies the plumbing — scalable core banking, data platforms and AI capable of supporting hundreds of millions of users. Together they aim to deliver an “AI‑native” bank that promises personalisation, operational efficiency and broader access to financial services.

How this will reshape banking in Thailand

Thailand’s incumbent banks are already digitising, but a native virtual bank built on modern cloud infrastructure and AI could accelerate disruption. The new entrant will compete on speed of product delivery, hyper‑personalised services, and lower operating costs. Expect simpler onboarding, faster credit decisions, contextual product recommendations and more competitive pricing for everyday banking services.

For consumers, the immediate effect should be convenience: fully digital account opening, frictionless payments, and AI‑driven customer support. For small and medium‑sized enterprises (MSMEs), the potential gains are more tangible. AI‑powered credit scoring that ingests alternative data (invoices, payment patterns, social commerce activity) could unlock working capital to businesses that have historically been underserved by traditional credit scoring. Embedded banking services (invoicing, payments, liquidity tools) integrated with the platforms many MSMEs already use would reduce administrative friction and cost.

On inclusion, the promise is absolute but conditional. A modern virtual bank can lower the cost of serving low‑income customers through digital channels, enabling small-ticket lending, micro‑savings, and tailored financial literacy tools. However, genuine financial inclusion requires careful product design, affordable pricing, digital literacy efforts and robust consumer protection. Without those, faster onboarding risks increasing over‑indebtedness or leaving digitally excluded groups further behind.

Where Thailand fits in the regional picture

Southeast Asia’s virtual banking sector is embryonic but fast evolving. Regulators across the region have been cautiously issuing digital banking licences to stimulate competition and inclusion, but outcomes have diverged.

• Singapore and Hong Kong moved early on digital licences, but the most dynamic greenfield activity is now in Southeast Asia. Thailand’s central bank has signalled openness to new digital players, creating fertile ground for SCBX’s venture.
• Indonesia has seen notable activity from incumbent conversions and fintech collaborations, but full virtual banks have struggled with market fragmentation and distribution costs.
• Malaysia has issued digital banking licences and attracted consortium bids; the challenge remains scaling customer acquisition beyond promotional offers.

Also Read: Why neobanks are better than digital banks

• The Philippines has a vibrant fintech ecosystem and several digital banks, buoyed by remittances and mobile money adoption; regulatory sandboxes have helped innovation, but funding and trust remain hurdles.
• Vietnam is an emerging battleground, with both local banks and tech firms experimenting with digital‑first offerings; regulatory clarity is improving, but infrastructure and consumer trust will define winners.

Key regional players include SeaBank and GXS Bank backers in Singapore, CIMB’s digital initiatives in Malaysia, and a range of fintech incumbents (Grab, GoTo) that are increasingly integrating financial services into super‑apps. Korea’s KakaoBank and China’s WeBank stand out as proven playbooks for customer experience, product velocity and scale — exactly the capabilities SCBX is importing.

Growth patterns and choke points across SEA

Growth in virtual banking across Southeast Asia has been steady but constrained. Several issues consistently throttle expansion:

1. Customer acquisition costs. The region’s fragmented markets and low per‑user revenue mean huge marketing spends to reach scale. Free promotions and sign‑up bonuses are costly and often unsustainable.
2. Regulatory complexity. Each country has distinct licensing frameworks and consumer protection rules. Compliance costs are high, and approvals can be slow. Cross‑border scaling requires careful legal and operational planning.
3. Trust and brand recognition. Banking is a trust business. New digital players must convince customers to deposit and borrow with them, a high bar without tangible endorsements or long track records.
4. Monetisation and unit economics. Many virtual banks struggle to convert trial users into profitable customers. Low average balances and thin margins on payments make profitability elusive without scale or diversified revenue streams.
5. Infrastructure and identity. Effective digital onboarding depends on reliable digital identity systems and payments rails. Where these are immature, onboarding friction increases costs and drop‑off rates.
6. Talent and tech costs. Building AI‑native banking capabilities requires specialised engineering and data science talent, and recurring cloud costs can be sizeable unless optimised.

Why this partnership matters

SCBX’s alliance with KakaoBank and WeBank attempts to tackle several of those choke points in one go. KakaoBank’s brand and UX expertise can lower acquisition friction; WeBank’s tech offers cost‑efficient scaling; SCBX’s local footprint eases regulatory navigation and distribution. Embedding AI from day one could accelerate productisation and lower per‑customer servicing costs.

But the partnership’s success will hinge on execution. Will the joint venture convert engagement into deposits and credit customers? Can it design safe, affordable products for MSMEs and low‑income users? And will it manage the unit economics so that growth is sustainable, not subsidised?

Also Read: What are Digital Full Bank and Digital Wholesale Bank licences?

The strategic play is sensible: combine global digital banking playbooks with local muscle. If they get product market fit right — marrying trust and convenience with genuinely useful MSME and consumer products — the virtual bank could be a material force in Thailand’s financial services market. If not, it will join a growing list of ambitious but under‑monetised digital challengers across Southeast Asia.

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A quiet revolution is taking place in computing where single board computers (SBC), which in the past were mainly used for industrial automation, are now being used by tech enthusiasts to run home automation, personal web servers, and even local artificial intelligence off the cloud. SBC manufacturers are taking note, with companies like Raspberry Pi, Lattepanda, RapidAnalysis, and even large companies like Google and NVIDIA producing consumer-oriented development boards aimed at the hobbyist market. 

Due to the form factor of these boards, a legacy CPU is often used to both minimise costs and operating temperatures. However, can these boards do anything useful? Actually, they can, if accelerated with special libraries and peripherals. 

Hardware acceleration

One such peripheral is the Google Coral Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), which is a small ASIC used to accelerate mathematical computations on low-power devices. Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC) were first showcased during the crypto-mining boom when they were used as an efficient method to mine cryptocurrency.

Its superb efficiency is exploited by Google Coral to boost MobileNet V2 performance to almost 400 frames per second for image recognition, even on legacy or low-power CPUs. The Google Coral M.2 accelerator can provide 8 trillion operations per second (TOPS) of performance for just under US$40 by plugging into a PCIe M.2 port found on many high-end SBCs. 

Software acceleration

On the software side, the OpenVINO project can perform integrated GPU acceleration on older and current Intel CPUs, adding increases sometimes as much as 25 times faster. It does this by optimising operations, for example, fusing primitives like linear operations into convolutions. Projects converting Stable Diffusion models to OpenVino’s Intermediate Representation format have demonstrated GPU processing on Intel CPUs, albeit slowly. But sometimes the need for speed is not as important as the need for low power consumption, low noise, and low cost. 

Software apps

Since the Amazon Dot has snuck into our kitchens promising home automation, others who are creeped-out at the thought of Jeff Bezos listening in on their cooking conversations have opted for alternatives. HomeAssistant is an open source app that can run on your mobile device or web browser to help link wifi door locks, lights, and other home automation devices together to work through a single interface. Frigate is an open source real-time security camera video recorder built around artificial intelligence object detection.

Objects and zones for detection can all be configured and searched through a web interface. Both of these home automation apps offer a level or privacy not found in Amazon’s cloud-based devices. But the catch is that you need to run them on your own server, and setting one up can be a bit daunting and costly.

Also Read: Securing tomorrow’s metaverse today: Why safety in the new frontier must leverage on hardware

However, with both HomeAssistant and Frigate, a thriving market has developed where integrators and hardware vendors have started pre-configuring light-weight servers with these open source tools built in. Frigate has even implemented Google Coral integration, making a low cost AI accelerated image capturing device available to anyone interested in an off-cloud solution on their own device. 

Current cost of homelab SBC

• Google Coral Dev Board (US$169.99): Configured as a removable system-on-module (SoM) with host board, 4 GB RAM, and quad Cortex-A53. Runs a derivative of Debian Linux Google calls Mendel. Google Coral acceleration can also be run as a M.2, mSATA, or USB peripheral.
• NVIDIA Jetson Nano (US$149.00): Configured as a removable SoM with host board, 4 GB RAM, and Quad-core ARM Cortex-A57. The official operating system for the Jetson Nano is the Linux4Tegra, based on Ubuntu 18.04. This board uses the popular CUDA application programming interface.
• LattePanda V1 (US$165.00): Configured with an integrated processor, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB HD, and x86 Intel Z8350. This board can optionally come preconfigured with Windows and is the smallest x86 board available. Can run all x86 apps that can be run on regular PC platforms. Can be powered over POE with an optional Ethernet and 5V Power splitter.
• Raspberry Pi 5 (US$60.00): Configured with an integrated processor, 4 GB RAM, SD HD, and quad-core Arm Cortex-A76. Runs a derivative of Debian Linux. Is one of the most popular and least expensive boards with many peripherals and custom applications. Can be powered over POE with an optional Ethernet and 5V Power Splitter.
• RapidAnalysis Darius (US$64.82): Configured with an integrated processor, upgradable RAM (up to 8 GB), ungradable mSATA HD (up to 1T), x86 Intel N2840. Has an upgradable RAM slot that supports up to 8GB. Has two mSATA slots for SSD HD capacity up to 1T each or an optional Google Coral accelerator. Can run all x86 apps that can be run on regular PC platforms.

Sustainability

Measuring the environmental impact of cloud computing platforms compared to locally run low-power SBC alternatives may surprise you. A recent news story reported that “just one large data centre can consume the same amount of energy required to power 50,000 homes.” But what if each of these homes had an SBC powering most of their cloud-computing needs? New metrics are now focusing on “performance per watt” and efficiency is moving in the right direction. 

Graphics processors (GPU) have shown great strides in recent years against Central processors (CPU) efficiency, with NVIDIA and AMD showing the greatest gains in compute performance. However, when you compare compute power to how much electricity these processors are consuming, we can see that some processors are much more efficient.

Also Read: Embracing clean beauty: A path to conscious consumerism and sustainability

For example, the HAILO AI accelerator can perform 26 Tera-Operations per second while consuming only 2.5 watts of power, which makes it less costly, more powerful, and more energy efficient than rival NVIDIA’s Jetson Nano. In general, specialised chips like ASICs and FPGAs that perform a narrow set of functions can be useful in both conserving energy and breathing new life into older system architecture. The internet is full of new engineers turning old systems and SBCs into fully functional home labs. 

Learning curve

But even if you can’t afford the price of these low cost SBC computers, picking up a free PC from an e-waste facility or close-to-free from an eBay auction can be a viable solution to outfit a dedicated homelab. The strong-arm tactics used by Microsoft to bully its customers into upgrading to Windows 11 has pushed a lot of corporate PCs into retirement and picking up an older Windows machine from a large corporation for cheap or free off Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace is easier than ever.

Unfortunately, a learning curve still exists when setting up a Linux homelab server environment. But tools like Docker containers, Homepage Dashboard, and Webmin can provide a more friendlier web-based interface compared to the word-driven commands of the SSH Linux shell prompt. 

As homelab hobbyists and small-office IT professionals start bringing cloud services in-house, the demand for these small-footprint SBC computers will increase, creating a new market for pre-configured low-power personal servers.

Also, as more computers are deemed “worthless” by corporate IT standards, a new generation of engineers are using these systems as a playground for their own home lab versions of their work or academic networks, often with increased efficiency over their office-based counterparts. Hopefully, this will breathe new life into older hardware otherwise destined for a landfill. 

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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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