Taiwan-listed SaaS provider 91APP has acquired 100 per cent stake in restaurant technology firm iCHEF in a US$32 million all-cash deal, marking its largest acquisition to date and formally signalling its expansion into the food and beverage (F&B) technology market.

The move reflects Taiwan’s rapidly evolving digital economy, where SaaS, AI, and cloud-native solutions have become central to business transformation across various sectors, particularly the F&B and retail industries.

The acquisition enables 91APP to enhance its technological capabilities while expanding its total addressable market across retailtech, F&Btech, and adtech verticals.

Also Read: The taste of innovation: Southeast Asia’s emerging F&B tech startups to watch

The transaction is pending regulatory approval.

Building a cross-industry AI and payments platform

As per a press release, 91APP will integrate iCHEF’s POS, workflow, and AI-driven restaurant management tools to create a multi-sector technology platform with three synergistic engines: retailtech, F&Btech and adtech. The integration is expected to strengthen 91APP’s third-party payments network, enhance digital advertising precision through richer consumer intent data, and expand cross-industry AI applications powered by a more diverse customer base.

Beyond technology, the acquisition gives 91APP immediate access to iCHEF’s pool of experienced F&B operators and engineers, enabling faster product development and service delivery. iCHEF currently supports more than 15,000 restaurant locations across Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

A decisive push into Taiwan’s fast-growing F&B sector

The deal comes at a moment of accelerated digital adoption in Taiwan’s F&B industry. Post-pandemic recovery has been robust, with the sector projected to grow at a compounded annual rate of 6.5 per cent from 2025 to 2033. More than 179,000 F&B establishments operate across the island, competing in a market increasingly shaped by digital ordering, data analytics, AI-powered personalisation and cloud-based operational tools.

In 2025, restaurants in Taiwan have been turning to platforms like iCHEF to optimise labour-intensive workflows, streamline reservations, improve menu profitability, and strengthen customer engagement.

Integrating these capabilities with 91APP’s payment, OMO (online-merge-offline) and digital advertising engines positions the combined company to benefit from the sector’s shift toward data-driven operations.

A signal of maturity and cross-sector integration

The acquisition is widely seen as a sign of Taiwan’s maturing startup environment. As SaaS, AI, and digital transformation become core pillars of national competitiveness, the iCHEF-91APP deal reinforces investor interest in high-growth verticals such as AI, fintech and biotech.

The move is expected to spark greater cross-sector collaboration between retail and F&B operators, accelerate the adoption of cloud-based management tools, and attract more venture capital into Taiwanese startups poised for regional expansion.

Also Read: How digital technology can transform the food and beverage industry

Such acquisitions also encourage founders to build scalable, vertically specialised solutions rather than focusing solely on consumer applications — a trend that aligns with Taiwan’s strengths in enterprise technology and smart hardware.

A landmark deal in a booming M&A landscape

Taiwan’s mergers and acquisitions market has been extremely active over the past two years, recording 252 transactions in 2024 and maintaining momentum throughout 2025. Major deals — such as the US$7.8 billion merger of Taishin Financial and Shin Kong Financial, and WPG Holdings’s US$3.8 billion acquisition of Future Electronics — highlight growing appetite from both local and international investors for technology, green energy and financial services assets.

Against this backdrop, 91APP’s purchase of iCHEF stands out as one of the year’s most notable technology transactions, solidifying the company’s strategy of using M&A to accelerate expansion. Previous deals include acquiring a Hong Kong startup to establish an overseas hub and investing in a Malaysian partner to enter Southeast Asia — each marking a strategic inflexion point.

A platform play: Retailtech meets F&Btech meets adtech

91APP says the acquisition will support its long-term ambition of becoming an “EveryTech” SaaS company — a cross-industry service provider capable of enabling digital transformation for both online and offline merchants across lifestyle categories.

By integrating iCHEF’s F&B systems with its existing retail commerce cloud and payments infrastructure, 91APP aims to:

• grow recurring revenue streams
• increase transaction volumes across payment services
• enhance retail media and advertising efficiency through deeper consumer intent signals
• accelerate AI scenario development in areas such as predictive ordering, demand forecasting, and personalised marketing
• strengthen merchant loyalty through unified analytics and customer management tools

With both companies aligned in their cloud-native, merchant-first cultures, the merger is expected to produce stable long-term synergies.

Regional ambitions and APAC leadership

Founded in 2013 and listed since 2021, 91APP is Taiwan’s first publicly listed cloud-native SaaS provider. It specialises in omnichannel retail transformation, D2C solutions, and AI-powered customer engagement tools. It has reported consistent double-digit annual growth in both revenue and profit, reaching record highs each year.

Founded in 2012, iCHEF offers a cloud-based POS and comprehensive restaurant management system covering reservations, QR code ordering, loyalty programmes, analytics and AI-driven advisory tools. It serves more than 15,000 restaurant locations across Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Both companies have footprints beyond Taiwan, with iCHEF serving F&B operators in Hong Kong and Singapore, and 91APP maintaining operations in Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Japan. By combining resources, 91APP intends to validate the replicability of its technology across markets and extend its leadership in Asia-Pacific’s growing SaaS and AI sectors.

Also Read: Why Southeast Asia’s locally owned adtech and martech industry will survive the recession

The acquisition also strengthens Taiwan’s position as a regional hub for SaaS innovation — particularly in sectors where operational complexity meets high digital transformation demand, such as F&B.

 

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Southeast Asia’s tech ecosystem is entering a phase of disciplined capital deployment, cross-border expansion and measurable productivity gains — a shift that was on full display as AppWorks Demo Day #31 made its first-ever landing at the MVCA Conference 2025 in Kuala Lumpur.

The showcase featured eight high-traction startups from Malaysia and Singapore, each tackling deeply entrenched regional inefficiencies across mobility, alternative investing, SME payments, logistics automation, robots-as-a-service and narrative intelligence.

Also Read: Echelon Singapore 2025 – Reimagining movement: The next wave of urban mobility in Asia

The eight ventures are:

1. Parkit (Malaysia): A mobility infrastructure operator digitising Malaysia’s fragmented parking ecosystem. Parkit works with property owners, transport operators and enterprises to reduce congestion, optimise utilisation and integrate digital payments at scale.
2. Carching (Malaysia): A mobile out-of-home advertising platform that transforms cars into measurable, trackable media assets. Carching enables hyper-targeted campaigns backed by driver-level data analytics.
3. Plandora (Malaysia): A travel-tech startup using AI-generated “creator twins” to replicate influencer expertise. It delivers personalised, trustworthy itineraries at scale for Southeast Asia’s booming travel economy.

Also Read: What travel tech can look like for the travel industry’s revival

1. Singular (Malaysia): A Web3-enabled private markets platform offering fractionalised access to elite global private equity deals, widening participation for mass affluent investors and retail allocators.
2. Farmio (Singapore): An AI-led operating system for Asia’s food supply chains, digitising procurement, logistics and quality control for growers, distributors and F&B buyers.
3. Fluid (Singapore): A B2B payments and embedded credit platform automating reconciliation, collections and underwriting for SMEs facing cash flow volatility across Southeast Asia.
4. Hivebotics (Singapore): A robotics company deploying AI-powered commercial cleaning robots for labour-constrained industries, including airports, malls, transit and facilities management.
5. Alpha Story (Singapore): A strategic storytelling and narrative intelligence firm helping tech companies, funds and startups craft investor-ready narratives and forecast narrative risks.

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When Bangkok’s first generation of fintech founders began raising money a decade ago, few imagined that the country’s future startup ecosystem would be bankrolled not by venture funds, but by the banks themselves. Yet in 2025, corporate balance sheets — not Sand Hill Road — underpin the Thai innovation economy.

Across industries, from banking to petrochemicals, conglomerates have built corporate venture capital (CVC) arms that now dominate Thailand’s deal flow. These funds, structured, cautious and strategically motivated, have become both patrons and gatekeepers for a generation of entrepreneurs navigating one of Southeast Asia’s most idiosyncratic markets.

Corporate cash ascendant

The rise of corporate capital is both pragmatic and cultural. Traditional venture funds remain scarce, limited in size, and hesitant beyond Series A. Corporate treasuries, by contrast, are deep and patient. “We realised innovation was too important to outsource,” says an executive at Krungsri Finnovate, the venture arm of Bank of Ayudhya. “If we waited for foreign investors to fund Thai fintechs, they would build elsewhere.”

Krungsri Finnovate is one of several Thai CVCs reshaping the local funding map. The bank launched Finno Efra in 2024 to back pre-A startups, writing cheques up to US$1.2 million, a rarity among local lenders. Kasikornbank’s Beacon VC, with roughly US $185 million under management, has broadened its mandate to climate and impact tech. SCB X’s Digital Ventures, along with its sister arm SCB 10X, runs Thailand’s most global portfolio, stretching from Singaporean deep-tech to US blockchain infrastructure.

Industrial and energy groups are equally active. Siam Cement Group’s AddVentures hunts logistics, materials and circular-economy startups across ASEAN. Sansiri’s SiriVentures explores proptech and “living” platforms for Thailand’s urban middle class.

Then there is PTT Group, the state-linked energy conglomerate whose sprawl mirrors the Thai economy itself. Through GC Ventures (chemicals), ORZON Ventures (mobility and retail) and PTTEP VC (energy technology), PTT controls an estimated US$445 million in corporate venture allocations, the country’s largest combined pool of CVC capital. Bangchak Corporation, another energy major, runs BiiC, investing in hydrogen, carbon capture and new bio-materials. Intouch Holdings’ InVent, one of Thailand’s earliest CVCs, continues to back ICT and deep-tech plays, often co-leading later rounds.

Collectively, these vehicles form a dense corporate lattice, one that reflects Thailand’s economic structure: conglomerate-heavy, export-linked, and strategically cautious.

Also Read: Inside Thailand’s EV and battery push: Balancing growth with sustainability

The CVC mindset

Unlike Silicon Valley’s venture funds, which chase outsized financial returns, Thai CVCs invest to serve the parent’s transformation agenda. “It’s less about the next unicorn, more about the next capability,” says a Bangkok-based venture partner at a manufacturing CVC. “We look for startups that can plug into our operations or help decarbonise supply chains.”

That focus offers founders distinct advantages. Corporate investors can open distribution networks, pilot projects and procurement pipelines that pure financial VCs cannot. The trade-off is strategic alignment: founders must tailor products to corporate timelines and compliance regimes.

Energy conglomerates, for instance, want measurable emissions reductions; banks want tested cybersecurity and risk models. “The bar for diligence is higher, the runway longer, but the doors are bigger once you get in,” says one fintech CEO who has raised from both Thai and Singaporean investors.

New platforms, old bottlenecks

Parallel to corporate capital, a handful of digital platforms are trying to democratise early-stage access. A2D Ventures allows retail investors to co-invest from as little as US$3,000, pooling small cheques into pre-seed rounds. WOWS Global connects Thai startups with regional investors and provides digital cap-table management, a rare back-office innovation in a paper-heavy market.

Government support has expanded modestly. The National Innovation Agency (NIA) co-funds early projects; the Board of Investment (BOI) continues to subsidise EV and creative-tech ventures; and the SMART “S” Visa streamlines work permits for founders. The LiVE Exchange, a junior bourse under the Stock Exchange of Thailand, now lists seven firms worth about THB 5 billion (US$154 million), giving SMEs a quasi-public exit path.

Yet the structural limits remain visible. Thailand still lacks depth beyond Series A. Large international VCs typically step in only once regional traction is proven. Venture debt is minimal, and true growth-stage funds are scarce. “There’s a funding valley between A and B that corporates can’t fill alone,” notes an adviser at Beacon VC.

Also Read: How Thailand’s NIA is driving global collaboration for Thai innovation

The missing exits

Liquidity is the quiet constraint on Thai innovation. M&A volumes remain low, and IPOs are infrequent. Without robust exits, valuations stay conservative and reinvestment cycles stall. Silicon Valley’s perpetual motion (founders becoming angels, angels becoming LPs) has yet to take hold in Bangkok.

CVCs, for their part, measure returns differently: strategic impact trumps headline valuations. The result is stability but not dynamism. Few Thai startups have achieved unicorn status; fewer still have scaled globally without foreign backing. The national ecosystem produces capable companies, not yet category killers.

The regional path forward

Founders are responding by thinking outward. Many designs for ASEAN markets from inception, using Thailand as an operations base and Singapore for later-stage fundraising. Cross-border syndication is becoming standard practice.

PTT and SCG are also pushing beyond domestic boundaries, co-investing with Japanese and Middle Eastern partners in energy transition technologies. Bank CVCs are scouting Vietnam and Indonesia for portfolio synergies. The next phase of Thai corporate capital will likely be regional rather than purely national.

A disciplined future

Corporate venture capital has given Thailand’s startup scene what it long lacked: consistent funding, industrial expertise, and institutional credibility. It has also imposed its own logic: structured, strategic, and risk-averse.

For founders, success in this ecosystem requires fluency in both startup agility and corporate patience. For corporates, the challenge will be to preserve speed while protecting strategic interests. If those two cultures can meet halfway, Thailand’s CVC era could evolve from cautious patronage to a genuine innovation engine.

Until then, the country’s most important venture funds will remain headquartered not in co-working spaces, but in the marble lobbies of its biggest conglomerates.

—

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Indonesia’s agricultural sector is one of Southeast Asia’s most promising investment opportunities, valued at US$43.9 billion in 2024 and projected to reach US$56.3 billion by 2033. Yet the country faces deep structural challenges that threaten long-term food security. Fragmented smallholder farming, climate risks, supply chain inefficiencies and persistent financial exclusion create vulnerabilities across the food system.

A new extensive report by Foundry Collective, released in Jakarta on Wednesday, argues that the key to overcoming these weaknesses lies in one central force: technology. Its analysis highlights how digital innovation and new business models can build food resilience in Indonesia through a three-part framework known as the 3R Pathways: Robustness, Recovery and Reorientation.

These pathways envision a food system that is stronger, quicker to bounce back and capable of transforming itself for long-term sustainability.

The report likens food resilience to preparing a boat for rough seas. Robustness is strengthening the hull before departure, Recovery is the ability to respond quickly when the storm hits and Reorientation is redesigning the ship for the future.

Applied to Indonesian agriculture, each phase shows how technology can enable efficiency, stability and innovation.

Building Robustness: Strengthening production at the farm level

The first pathway, Robustness, focuses on reinforcing the foundation of Indonesia’s food system: its farms. Most of Indonesia’s farmers are smallholders, often operating with limited resources and traditional methods. Technology offers tools to increase productivity, optimise resource use and better prepare farmers for climate change.

Also Read: From agritech to AI ops: 15 startups driving Philippines’s innovation shift (Part 2)

Precision agriculture plays a central role in this shift. AI-driven farming systems use real-time data to guide decisions on fertiliser use, irrigation timing and pest control.

Studies referenced in the report show that precision agriculture can lead to substantial gains: up to 27.6 per cent water savings, 57 per cent energy savings and higher crop yields. These measurable efficiencies demonstrate how digital tools directly contribute to food resilience in Indonesia.

Smart farming and IoT technologies further enhance farm operations. IoT sensors enable precision irrigation through reducing water usage by 20 to 60 per cent–a critical advantage in areas vulnerable to drought. Drone technology can lower chemical use by up to 40 per cent, while automation and robotics help bridge labour shortages that have challenged the sector for years.

The Indonesian government is also pushing for agricultural modernisation through mechanisation and digital farming programmes. Its strategy includes strengthening research and development, particularly in biotech, resilient seeds and post-harvest technologies. These efforts signal growing national recognition that resilience begins with tech-ready farms.

Enhancing Recovery: Using tech to withstand disruptions

Indonesia’s food supply chains face frequent disruptions, whether from climate events, transport bottlenecks or logistical inefficiencies. The Recovery pathway focuses on building the capacity to bounce back quickly when shocks occur.

Digital supply chains form the backbone of this strategy. Supply chain digitisation and traceability tools enable real-time monitoring of inventory, demand and product movements. This data helps redirect goods during disruptions, prevents stockouts and supports crisis response. Traceability systems, which track produce from farm to table, also make it easier to identify and address issues rapidly.

Logistics optimisation technologies—including route planning algorithms, warehouse-as-a-service platforms and IoT monitoring for perishables—help reduce losses and improve distribution. These tools are vital in a country where post-harvest losses remain high due to inadequate infrastructure.

Also Read: The agritech challenge in Indonesia: Can AI and mobile apps enhance productivity?

The report emphasises the importance of cold chain tech, particularly solar-powered cold storage, smart warehouses and modular units. These innovations stabilise supply and reduce spoilage, ensuring that perishable goods remain market-ready even during disruptions.

Another key component is digital surplus redistribution. Via digital dashboards, food can be redirected efficiently during supply shocks, reducing waste and improving supply stability across communities.

Together, these technologies strengthen the country’s ability to absorb shocks and maintain food availability, reinforcing the broader goal of food resilience in Indonesia.

Driving Reorientation: Transforming the food system for the long term

The Reorientation pathway looks beyond immediate challenges toward building a future-proof food system. This phase focuses on circularity, sustainability and the transformation of waste into value.

Indonesia generates large volumes of food waste, much of which can be repurposed. Technology enables this through innovations in waste-to-value systems, including composting, bioenergy and waste-to-feed solutions. The report highlights Black Soldier Fly (BSF) bio-conversion as one proven approach. BSF larvae convert organic waste into nutrient-rich animal feed, supporting a circular, regenerative food economy.

Digital tools also contribute to long-term system transformation. Digital dashboards and climate zone management tech allow policymakers and businesses to track environmental shifts, resource flows and emissions. These insights inform decision-making and long-term planning, ensuring that future food systems are more resilient, efficient and sustainable.

Closing the financial gap: Agri-fintech and digital marketplaces

Beyond production and logistics, tech also helps solve one of Indonesia’s biggest structural issues: the financial exclusion of smallholder farmers. Limited access to capital restricts investment in modern tools, seeds and machinery.

Also Read: Why agritech is the key to Asia’s food security

Agri-fintech solutions address this gap through digital lending platforms, which provide microloans for input purchases via crowdfunding; mobile payments, which reduce cash risks and build financial histories; and weather-indexed insurance, which offers automatic payouts during climate events. These tools give farmers the financial stability needed to adopt new practices and withstand shocks.

Digital marketplaces also strengthen food resilience in Indonesia by improving market access. From direct-to-consumer platforms to B2B supply chain networks, technology connects farmers directly with buyers, increases price transparency and reduces inefficiencies.

Tech as the foundation of Indonesia’s food future

The Foundry Collective report makes one conclusion clear: technology is not merely a tool for optimisation. It is the fundamental building block of a resilient, sovereign food system. By deploying technology across the 3R Pathways—strengthening farms, stabilising supply chains and transforming waste—Indonesia can build a food system ready for the challenges of the future.

In a world of rising climate risks and global uncertainty, food resilience in Indonesia depends on how quickly and effectively the country can embrace digital innovation. The potential is vast, and with strategic investment and coordinated action, technology can help secure a stable and sustainable food future for the nation.

—

Image Credit: Qonita Afnani Firdaus on Unsplash

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The Southeast Asian tech ecosystem demonstrated formidable resilience in November 2025, recording a total funding injection of US$328 million across 21 documented rounds.

This robust figure represents a staggering 203.7 per cent increase compared to November 2024 and marks a substantial month-on-month growth of 21.91 per cent compared to October 2025.

Also Read: SEA startup investments rise for second month, totalling US$287M in Oct

The data from Tracxn highlights a significant concentration of capital efficiency, revealing that the top 10 recorded deals alone accounted for approximately 81.43 per cent of the total funding secured for the month.

Stage-wise distribution reveals early-stage momentum

While the US$328 million total was dispersed across 21 individual funding rounds, an analysis of the deal volume reveals that investors are keenly focused on nurturing scaling startups.

Of the 21 recorded rounds for November 2025, the early stage accounted for the highest volume, securing 10 rounds, representing approximately 47.62 per cent of the total deal count. Seed-stage activity followed closely, registering eight rounds (approximately 38.10 per cent). Late-stage rounds constituted the remainder, securing three rounds (approximately 14.28 per cent).

The high volume of early-stage and seed-stage deals indicates sustained investor confidence in the pipeline of new ventures across the region. With US$328 million raised across 21 rounds, the average deal size for November stands at approximately US$15.62 million.

Top deals concentrate capital; Ampersand leads the charge

November 2025’s substantial funding total was buoyed by several significant individual raises, illustrating a ‘power law’ distribution where the largest deals contribute the bulk of the capital.

Ampersand topped the funding charts for November, securing a massive US$80 million round. Close behind, Roojai attracted US$60 million, and Olares successfully raised US$45 million.

Other notable transactions included Moladin, which secured US$35 million, and Paywatch, which bagged US$20 million.

Rounding out the top ten were: Transcelestial (US$9.7 million), LightSpeed Photonics (US$6.5 million), FeedMe (US$5 million), OneLot (US$3.3 million), and Anomaly Bio (US$2.6 million).

In total, these ten documented companies successfully raised US$267.1 million, which is calculated to be over 81 per cent of the US$328 million total recorded for November 2025.

VC activity and funding volatility analysis

Several prominent venture capital firms were active across Southeast Asia during the period. SEEDS Capital was among the most active, participating in two rounds, specifically those for Transcelestial and Moon Technologies.

Other key investors cited include Asia Partners, which participated in a round for Roojai, and the SMBC Asia Rising Fund, which backed Wiz AI. Walden Catalyst was also identified as an active VC during the month.

Also Read: What drives Filipino founders? A deep dive into the 2025 startup report

When placing November’s performance within the 12-month funding trend, it appears robust compared to the region’s funding troughs but still modest compared to outlier spikes. Over the past year (December 2024 to November 2025), monthly funding totals have exhibited extreme volatility, ranging from sharp lows of US$92 million (February 2025) and US$99 million (August 2025), to massive spikes of US$1.7 billion (December 2024) and US$1.7 billion (July 2025).

The November total of US$328 million signifies a solid recovery from the recent dip seen in August, September (US$231 million), and October (US$269 million).

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Sometimes life takes us where we never plan to go. My journey into the creator economy was one such surprise.

In January 2025, a few close friends and I met at our usual spot to celebrate turning sixty. Jalil, Jai, and Chin Leong have known me since childhood. The evening began like all our other gatherings, filled with laughter, food, and easy talk. Then Jai asked, “What are we doing with the rest of our lives?”

We fell silent. Each of us had worked hard, raised families, and saved for retirement. Yet none of us had really thought about what came next.

The simple plan

“We should give back to society,” Vincent said.

That set us thinking. We talked about volunteering, helping the elderly, or supporting environmental causes. Then Jai mentioned education. The table went quiet.

We all knew why. Each of us owed our lives to it. I was the first in my family to go to university. Chin Leong’s parents sold vegetables to pay his school fees. Jalil studied in a one-room flat with five siblings and still completed polytechnic. Jai, too, came from humble beginnings and knew the power of education.

Education had lifted us from struggle to stability. Without it, we would not have been sitting there that night.

“That is what we should do,” Jai said. “Help children get the education we were lucky to have.”

It was decided. We would set up an Education Trust for underprivileged children and give ourselves five years to plan it well.

My own beginning

Five years felt long, and I wanted to begin right away.

I had always enjoyed writing. After retirement, I promised myself I would finally put the stories in my head onto paper. I brought my plan forward. What if my writing could help a few children go to school?

I knew nothing about publishing. I searched online and found a maze of new terms. Print on demand, ISBN numbers, Amazon KDP. It felt like learning a whole new world.

Also Read: Laws, capitalism, creators and AI

Learning as I went

My first attempt was messy. The formatting broke, the cover looked poor, and the description was too short. But people online were kind. In forums, strangers answered my questions. YouTube became my Guru. Slowly, I learned.

My first book, I Am the River: A Story of Singapore Before Singapore, came from childhood memories. I had seen the river change from a polluted canal into a lively part of the city. The writing was rough, but it was mine.

To my surprise, it sold more than a hundred copies. When the National Library Board accepted it into its collection, I felt deeply moved. My book was now in the same library where I once studied.

Encouraged, I wrote Black Swan, White Swan. My children helped design the cover. I worked on a better description. It was launched on 24 October 2025 and sold more than fifty copies. The National Library has agreed to take two print editions and the digital version.

Each sale meant more than money. It meant real help for a child’s education.

Whenever a copy was sold, I thought of that evening with my friends. Maybe this was how our Education Trust would begin, one small effort at a time.

The technology struggle

No one warned me how much technology comes with writing. I began with Word, then tried a program called Scrivener. I opened it, stared at it for an hour, and quietly went back to Word.

Amazon KDP seemed simple until I reached the tax section. W-8BEN, EIN, TIN. After hours of confusion, I found that most of it did not apply to me.

Social media was another challenge. My son created an Instagram account for me. “Post regularly, Pa,” he said. I posted once, forgot the password, and ended up with two accounts and one lonely photo.

Marketing puzzled me even more. I listed The Singapore River under History and wondered why no one found it. Later, I learned about sub-categories and something called algorithms. I still do not fully understand them.

What came next

I thought I was just writing books. Then my daughter told me I was part of the creator economy. I laughed, but she was right.

I am not trying to be famous. I only want to write stories and help children. But I have learned that even simple dreams need modern tools.

The best part is meeting others like me. Retired teachers writing textbooks, engineers sharing their knowledge, grandmothers publishing recipe books. We are all learning together, fumbling through the same tools, and cheering one another on.

Also Read: The evolution of influence: The next chapter of creator leadership

Small steps forward

Ten months later, I have two published books and more than 150 sales, along with recognition from the National Library. The money raised has helped a few children. It may not be much, but it matters.

My friends and I are still working on the Education Trust. We have met several times, drafted papers, and even argued over the name. Setting it up is harder than we thought. There are forms, rules, and new terms to learn. But we are making progress, one meeting at a time.

What I learned

We are not special people, just a group of old friends who believe we should give back. There must be many others like us, people with time, experience, and a desire to help.

We may never build the next big business or master every new technology, but we can still create small things that matter.

My books may never top charts. Our Trust may help dozens, not thousands. But that is enough. A few children getting a chance to study is worth it.

A gentle invitation

If you want to do something meaningful but feel unsure about technology, you are not alone. I still ask my children how to post a photo.

Start small. Start unsure. Start anyway.

Ten months ago, I was just turning sixty. Today, I have published two books and a small project helping children stay in school. I am now working on my third book and still learning every day.

Not bad for someone who once had to search online to find out what KDP stood for.

Along the way, I discovered something larger than writing. I had built a small, independent publishing ecosystem of my own. Every book I release, every page I design, and every conversation I start online adds to it.

My journey is less about selling books and more about proving that one storyteller, using today’s digital tools, can build meaningful cultural bridges, one story at a time.

—

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Asian universities are racing to integrate AI across their campuses, with Hong Kong and Singapore moving fastest through bold, multi-million-dollar initiatives that are already redefining how students learn and how industries hire.

From Singapore’s financial hub to Vietnam’s fast-growing consumer markets and Malaysia’s industrial corridors, AI is no longer just a tool for technologists. It’s becoming the foundation of how Asia trains the next wave of digital talent and a key advantage in the global education race.

Hong Kong’s early lead: Turning policy into practice

Few places are moving as quickly as Hong Kong. The University Grants Committee (UGC) has launched a territory-wide Community of Practice on Generative AI in Education, chaired by Prof. Cecilia K. Y. Chan from the University of Hong Kong (HKU).

“AI isn’t just transforming Asia’s top universities; it’s reshaping education at every level, from primary schools to professional learning,” says Chan. “Every university and school is engaging with AI in some capacity. We see it as a future skill, one that’s evolving so rapidly that if we don’t prepare students and educators now, we’ll fall behind.”

Chan, who bridges engineering and education, says the real shift is in mindset. “This isn’t about letting students use AI freely without responsibility. It’s about educators understanding its potential, its limits, and its ethical impact. AI is already automating assessment and personalising learning, but our job is to ensure it enhances, not replaces, critical thinking and creativity.”

Collaborative by design

What sets Hong Kong apart is coordination. “Unlike many regions still debating AI’s role in education, Hong Kong has taken decisive action,” Chan says.

The UGC’s Community of Practice brings together public universities, private institutions, and industry partners to build frameworks for responsible AI use. “We’re not just hosting workshops,” she explains. “We’re shaping policy and rethinking assessment for a world where AI can generate an essay in seconds.”

Chan also leads the Generative AI Assessment Project (GAP), a network of over 500 members worldwide focused on practical solutions for evaluating students in the AI era. “It’s about developing guidelines, tools, and literacy programs that make AI integration responsible and effective,” she says.

At HKU, her team has launched AI Clinics for teachers, AI literacy courses, and an AI Expo connecting educators and startups. Beyond universities, they work with Hong Kong’s Education Bureau Science Division to train school teachers. “We want readiness at every level — school, university, and workforce,” Chan adds.

Also Read: The future of work is here: The role of edutech in an AI-ready workforce

Singapore: A workforce-ready model

In Singapore, the National University of Singapore (NUS) is taking a whole-of-institution approach.

“NUS prepares graduates to thrive in the digital economy,” says an NUS spokesperson. “AI is now embedded across our curriculum, from data analysis and problem-solving to innovation in healthcare and finance.”

Since 2020, NUS has revamped more than 130 courses to integrate AI across disciplines. It has also rolled out ethics frameworks, faculty forums, and internal AI policies to ensure that adoption comes with accountability. The goal is to turn every graduate into a future-ready problem solver who can apply AI in any field.

Vietnam and Malaysia catch up

Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, universities are moving fast to close the gap.

At RMIT University Vietnam, a proprietary AI system called Val was developed to safeguard academic data. “Inputs aren’t shared with OpenAI or any external organisation,” says Sasha Stubbs, Manager of Learning Design. “It lets us innovate without compromising privacy.”

In Malaysia, the University of Malaya (UM) faces a more cultural challenge. “We must ensure both students and faculty are equipped to use AI responsibly,” says Dr. Aznul, highlighting the tension between technological acceleration and educational tradition.

These parallel efforts reflect a region scaling AI literacy while staying true to local educational values, a balance that’s becoming central to Asia’s global positioning.

From lecture halls to boardrooms

The private sector is already feeling the ripple effects of universities’ AI push, and it’s transforming how companies operate.

“At Maestro Equity Partners, we’ve seen how AI is transforming both investment operations and portfolio management,” says Giovanni Zangani, Founder and Managing Partner. “In the past, our team’s time was heavily split between back-office tasks, investor relations, and post-investment work. With AI tools now supporting HR management, data reporting, and analytics, we’ve been able to shift much more of our bandwidth toward value creation. It’s allowed us to focus on what truly matters, the strategic growth and operational excellence of our F&B and consumer brands.”

Also Read: In this age of digitalisation, is edutech a bane or boon for educators?

AI is also reshaping how Maestro supports its portfolio companies. “In brick-and-mortar retail and F&B networks, site selection and pricing decisions that used to take weeks can now be completed in hours through AI-assisted predictive analytics,” Zangani adds. “This not only improves accuracy but also empowers management teams to make faster, more data-driven decisions.”

For Zangani, this new efficiency highlights a shift in workforce dynamics. “The new generation of graduates is entering the workforce with capabilities that didn’t exist five years ago. They can harness AI in analysis, communication, and decision-making, becoming productive much faster. What we look for today are people with strong business judgment and leadership, because in markets like Vietnam, where data can be limited, sound judgment still drives performance. AI amplifies capability, but human insight remains the foundation.”

Challenges: Integrity, equity, and ethics

The rush to adopt AI also brings new challenges. A recent 2025 State of Higher Education report found that in Australia and New Zealand, only 54 per cent of students believe their universities are preparing them for an AI-powered future, even as 74 per cent of educators claim they are. That confidence gap is emerging across Asia, too.

“AI can personalise learning and automate grading, but without clear guidelines, it risks over-reliance and diminished critical thinking,” Chan warns. “Universities need structured strategies — policies, AI literacy programs, and responsible assessment design — to ensure AI supports, not replaces, human learning.”

She’s explored this in her work on AI Guilt, AI-Giarism, and GenAI in Higher Education: The ChatGPT Effect, arguing that the focus shouldn’t be East vs West. “It’s not about copying Western models or defending Asian ones. It’s about a global effort to harness technology responsibly while respecting cultural context.”

Why this matters for Asia’s future workforce

Across Asia, the race to integrate AI into higher education isn’t just academic; it’s about future-proofing the region’s talent pipeline.

Graduates from AI-forward institutions like NUS, HKU, and RMIT are entering the workforce ready to design, manage, and evaluate AI systems. For investors and founders, this means a new generation of professionals fluent in both data and judgment, the dual currencies of the modern economy.

As Chan puts it, “The question isn’t whether AI will shape education, it already has. The real question is whether we can shape AI’s role in a way that strengthens creativity, authenticity, and human connection.”

Asia’s education edge

The next year will be pivotal. Governments and universities are moving from pilot projects to institutional policy, and the divide between early adopters and laggards is widening fast.

Asia’s education systems, long known for discipline and rigour, now have a chance to lead in something new: agility. If the region gets it right, its classrooms could become the blueprint for how the world learns in the age of intelligent machines.

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As conscious consumerism rises, people are finding it harder to trust environmental claims. Labels like “eco-friendly,” “carbon neutral,” “reduce carbon footprint,” “100 per cent traceability to plantation,” or “sustainable” are everywhere. But a lot of these claims don’t have third-party certification or proof behind them, so they end up sounding vague or even misleading.

Words like “environmentally friendly” don’t mean much without real evidence, and sometimes companies highlight a “plant-based” cap while the rest of the packaging is still just regular plastic, which only adds to the confusion. If brands want to be credible, broad claims like “sustainable” should be backed up with transparent data about materials, production, and certifications.

The European Commission found that 53 per cent of green claims are vague, misleading, or unfounded, and 40 per cent don’t have supporting evidence. This growing gap between what brands say and what they actually do has eroded public trust. It’s getting harder for people to tell the difference between real sustainability efforts and corporate greenwashing. Because of this, credibility is now one of the most valuable but fragile assets in sustainability communication.

The era of ‘false green promises’ is ending

By 2025, the landscape of sustainability communications has fundamentally shifted. For PR, brand, and marketing professionals, this is no longer about telling “nice environmental stories” but about demonstrating traceable impact. Every green claim must now be verifiable, backed by data traceable to its origin, and independently certified. The future of brand trust will belong to those who can prove, not just promise, their environmental responsibility.

In global agriculture and food, being authentic, traceable, verifiable, and accountable are now must-haves for communication. I’ve noticed a clear shift this year—from just telling stories to actually proving them. This change is being driven by new rules, higher expectations from stakeholders, market pressure, and new traceability technology across supply chains. Brands are now expected not just to tell good sustainability stories, but to back them up with clear, verifiable data.

Across Asia Pacific’s agrifood industries, from Indonesia’s palm oil, cocoa, and coffee to Vietnam’s timber, Thailand’s rubber, and the Philippines’ coconut, businesses are realising that credibility can no longer rely on words alone. The expectation for traceable, data-backed sustainability claims has become the new norm. For professionals in Public Relations (PR) and brand communications, this marks a defining shift: success now depends on proving impact rather than promoting intent, and on demonstrating measurable progress.

Also Read: The agritech challenge in Indonesia: Can AI and mobile apps enhance productivity?

To reinforce this shift, the European Union has introduced the green claims Directive, an initiative designed to ensure that environmental and circularity claims are reliable, comparable, and verifiable. By amending the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, this law aims to curb greenwashing and empower consumers through the Green Transition, promoting transparency, accountability, and fair competition among genuinely sustainable businesses.

With 94 per cent of Europeans saying that protecting the environment is personally important and 68 per cent acknowledging that their consumption habits harm the planet, the need for trustworthy, verifiable sustainability information has never been greater. This moment represents more than a regulatory turning point; it’s a cultural one, where consumers, brands, and communicators must collectively shift from believing in good intentions to demanding proven impact.

How regulation and technology are rewriting the rules of PR in sustainable agriculture

Regulation and technology are coming together to create a turning point for sustainable agriculture—one that brings both challenges and opportunities. If brands and agribusinesses can show real, credible sustainability, they can reach better markets, build investor trust, and make their supply chains stronger. But the time for easy, feel-good sustainability messaging is over. Companies that stick with nice-sounding slogans and don’t back them up with proof are now risking their reputations and could even lose out in markets where traceability is a must.

For PR and communications teams, sustainability isn’t just a marketing trend anymore—it’s a core part of business. Claims like “our palm oil is 100 per cent traceable to the plantation” or “we reduce CO₂ emissions” aren’t enough by themselves; they need to be backed up with traceability data, audit trails, and verified reports. When supply chains stretch across different countries and products—like rubber, cocoa, vanilla, and palm—communications teams have to work closely with operations, procurement, and tech to make sure every message matches the facts. The story is shifting from “Look how sustainable we are” to “Here’s how we prove it.”

This change isn’t just about keeping up with new rules. It’s about rethinking how we communicate, tell stories, and manage risks. In this new era, you don’t just claim credibility—you show it through data, teamwork, and real proof.

How our PR and Brand Team Avoids Greenwashing

For PR and brand professionals in sustainability-driven sectors like agritech and agri-food value chains, the rules of communication are changing fast. Sustainability can no longer be treated as a “nice-to-have” narrative; it must be embedded into the very architecture of your communications strategy. Here’s how PR teams can adapt:

• Embed data-backed verification into your narrative. Before any sustainability claim goes public, ensure it aligns with your operations, product, and business team, and ask: What’s the data? Where’s the traceability? What audit or third-party verification supports this? Every message must be anchored in evidence, not intention.
• Align communications with operational milestones. Use real achievements, like traceability dashboards going live, supplier audits completed, the number of farmers onboarded, total farmers trained, or new tech integrations, as story triggers. Build your content around verified progress, not afterthoughts.
• Shift your tone from declaration to transparency. Replace “We are sustainable” with “We’re on a journey.” Share verified milestones, measurable results, and even gaps that remain. Transparency builds far more credibility than perfection claims.
• Tailor messages for different stakeholders. Align your narrative with each audience’s priorities. If you’re speaking to investors, highlight compliance, audit results, and risk management. For consumers, focus on traceability, product origin, and measurable impact. Regulators, meanwhile, require clear evidence of accountability and verification. In today’s landscape, one-size-fits-all messaging no longer works—precision and relevance are key to building trust.

These shifts aren’t simple; they demand cross-functional collaboration between PR, operations, technology, and compliance teams. But PR professionals who move from promotion-first to proof-first will be the ones leading credible, resilient sustainability communication in this new era.

Also Read: Unlocking agritech’s potential: Can Southeast Asia rise to the challenge?

From consumer demands to regulation push and technology: Where the ecosystem is headed

Looking ahead, it’s clear that sustainable agriculture,  especially across Asia, has reached a turning point. For those of us working in communications, brand, and sustainability, the signals are hard to miss. The way we talk about sustainability is changing just as fast as the way we’re required to prove it.

• Transparency will no longer be optional. Businesses entering global markets will need to show verifiable sustainability data, not just well-crafted narratives. With the rise of the EU Green Claims Directive, EUDR, CSRD, CSDDD, and even the US Food Safety Modernisation Act (FSMA), the burden of proof now falls on companies. Every environmental or ethical statement must be backed by traceable data, third-party audits, and supply chain visibility. Words alone can’t win trust anymore.
• Technology will become the backbone of credibility. We’re seeing a rapid convergence between digital tools and sustainability storytelling. From blockchain traceability systems and digital product passports to IoT-based farm monitoring and satellite verification, technology is quickly becoming the truth enabler. What was once a marketing claim is now a data point that can be verified, tracked, and challenged — and that changes everything about how we communicate impact.
• Communications will get more cross-functional. Gone are the days when PR teams could operate independently. Communicators now need to collaborate closely with sustainability, procurement, operations, and tech teams to ensure alignment between what’s said and what’s proven. The most credible stories will come from these collaborations — where facts and functions meet to form transparency.
• Risk management takes centre stage. Sustainability claims that can’t withstand scrutiny pose real reputational, financial, and even legal risks. This means PR and communications professionals must now think like risk managers,  carefully weighing every statement against potential exposure. Communication isn’t just about opportunity anymore; it’s also about protection.
• Data will define differentiation. As sustainability becomes a baseline expectation, measurable impact will set brands apart. Verified carbon reductions, traceable supply chains, and third-party certifications are not just compliance checkboxes — they’re emerging as competitive advantages and powerful marketing assets.
• Expectations are rising faster than ever. Consumers, investors, and regulators are moving in the same direction, demanding greater transparency and accountability. The margin for error is shrinking, and the gap between what’s said and what’s proven is becoming the most important credibility test of all.

For brands, this evolution is both a challenge and an opportunity. We’re entering an era where communication itself becomes an act of accountability.  The future lies in building narratives that are grounded in fact, verifiable, transparent, and aligned with operations. Those who embrace this shift, who see proof as the new promise, will not only comply with global standards but also lead the next chapter of sustainable business in the Asia Pacific. 

In 2026, the shift from “green claims” to “green credibility” is arguably the defining communications pivot. Embrace it, and you’ll not only help your business stay ahead, but you’ll also help the ecosystem move into a more trustworthy, transparent, and sustainable era.

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The online travel sector in Southeast Asia is experiencing a robust recovery and growth momentum, driven by a global appetite for travel and, notably, a sharp increase in accommodation pricing across key markets.

The e-Conomy SEA 2025 report, prepared by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company, highlights that the online travel sector is projected to achieve a Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of US$33 billion across the ASEAN-10 markets in 2025. This represents a steady double-digit growth trajectory.

Also Read: From US$40B to US$300B: SEA’s digital economy ends a transformative decade

Accommodation sector sees rate boost

A key contributor to the sector’s overall value growth is the accommodation market, which is enjoying strong growth underpinned by surging hotel room rates. Hoteliers, particularly in high-demand tourist destinations such as Singapore and Malaysia, have successfully raised average room rates by over 20 per cent.

This strategic increase has translated directly into healthier profit margins for hoteliers and significantly boosted the overall value of the accommodation sector within the online travel market.

Sector performance and growth metrics

Overall, the online travel sector’s GMV for the SEA-6 countries is projected at US$33 billion in 2025, reflecting 14 per cent year-on-year (YoY) growth compared to 2024.

Also Read: SEA e-commerce surges to US$185B as video commerce becomes the new growth engine

The revenue generated by online travel is keeping pace with this GMV growth, signalling effective monetisation. Revenue for the SEA-6 region is forecast to reach US$4 billion in 2025. The expansion of coverage to the full ASEAN-10 markets slightly increases the estimated GMV to US$33 billion for 2025, demonstrating stable growth across the entire Southeast Asian region.

Digital channels and monetisation models

In the online travel space, revenue is generated through two primary models: direct sales and third-party platforms. Airlines and hotels derive revenue directly through their own brand.com channels.

Conversely, online travel agencies (OTAs) function as intermediary platforms, earning revenue as a portion of the price of the sold goods or services.

This sector is crucial to maintaining the momentum of the broader digital economy. While the report notes that air passenger volume is projected to grow by 10 per cent from 2024 to 2025, the exceptional margin growth experienced in the accommodation segment (due to rate increases) provides a distinct and immediate financial tailwind for the sector, making online travel a bright spot for profitability and growth in 2025.

Strategic regional cooperation

The growth forecast remains cautiously optimistic. However, the sector’s long-term health will depend on how the region manages macroeconomic uncertainty and leverages catalysts like greater cooperation among SEA nations.

Autonomous vehicles, ads, and new dining models: The future of SEA mobility takes shape

The continued ease of travel and interoperability across borders will be essential for sustaining this recovery trajectory, particularly as the region navigates potential global headwinds.

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The world stands at an inflexion point. While mature economies debate automation’s legacy, technology giants and business leaders are keen on AI frenzy, a profound transformation beckons: the Fifth Industrial Revolution, which recalibrates industrial progress around humanity, nature, and shared prosperity.​

For Asia and developing economies, this moment is transformative. Rather than replicating the industrialisation path that prioritised efficiency over equity, emerging markets can leapfrog directly into a development paradigm harmonising economic advancement with social well-being and planetary health.​

The three pillars that define 5IR

The European Commission’s 2021 Industry 5.0 framework established three foundational principles: human-centricity, sustainability, and resilience.​

• Human-centricity repositions workers as innovation engines. Collaborative robots (cobots) handle physically demanding tasks while humans focus on problem-solving and creativity. BMW’s facilities exemplify this synergy, combining machine precision with human adaptability.​
• Sustainability moves beyond compliance to competitive advantage. Circular economy principles ensure materials either biodegrade safely or circulate indefinitely, potentially reducing global emissions by 45 per cent by 2050 while creating US$4.5 trillion in economic value.​
• Resilience builds adaptive systems that maintain prosperity amid shocks — pandemics, climate disruptions, geopolitical tensions. Supply chains incorporating digital twins and AI-powered risk modelling exemplify this principle.​

Why Asia can lead

Conventional wisdom suggests that developing economies must master 4IR before contemplating 5IR. This logic misses Asia’s distinctive advantages.

• Infrastructure flexibility: Unlike economies encumbered by legacy systems, many Asian nations build 5IR-compatible infrastructure from the ground up. Thailand strategically positions digital ecosystem development as preparation for 5IR, attracting foreign investment in data centres and analytics.​
• Demographic dynamism: Southeast Asia’s young, digitally-native population represents a massive asset. The region’s mobile-first connectivity, already established, provides a foundation for 5IR adoption, provided education emphasises critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and continuous learning alongside technical skills.​
• Green growth imperative: Climate vulnerability concentrates minds. Asian nations face immediate consequences from environmental degradation, creating political will and market pull for sustainable solutions. Green investment in Southeast Asia’s six largest economies reached US$8 billion in 2024, a 43 per cent year-over-year increase.​

Green investment distribution across Southeast Asia’s six major economies in 2024, showing Singapore and Indonesia leading regional climate finance

Also Read: How to tackle climate change by choosing a career in cleantech

Vietnam exemplifies this trajectory. Despite attracting only two per cent of regional green investment in 2024, the country expanded renewable energy to 43 per cent of electricity generation, among the highest shares in Southeast Asia. Strategic shifts toward wind power and low-carbon transportation demonstrate how targeted policy accelerates transformation in middle-income contexts.​

Biodiversity and biomimicry: Asia’s competitive edge

Asia’s rich biodiversity and agricultural heritage position the region to capture disproportionate value from the emerging bioeconomy, projected to reach US$30 trillion globally by 2050. This sector simultaneously delivers significant economic activity and regenerative environmental benefits.​

Biomimicry, drawing design inspiration from nature’s evolutionary problem-solving, offers proven pathways. Wind turbines modelled on humpback whale fins achieve greater efficiency with reduced noise. Building coatings inspired by lotus leaves repel water while minimising energy consumption. Architecture mimicking termite mound ventilation cuts cooling energy by 90 per cent.​

Indigenous knowledge systems stewarded by Asian communities for centuries provide complementary insights. Traditional resource management, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience strategies offer wisdom that purely technological approaches miss. Integrating this knowledge with modern tools creates culturally grounded solutions respecting both human communities and natural systems.​

Implementation roadmap: Four phases

Based on successful implementations across diverse contexts:​

• Phase one (Months one to three): Vision alignment and stakeholder mapping. Create organisational awareness about 5IR’s distinctive value proposition — not merely productivity gains but enhanced worker satisfaction, environmental regeneration, and community contribution. Meaningful stakeholder inclusion from inception reduces resistance and surfaces implementation insights.​
• Phase two (Months four to six): Capability assessment. Honestly evaluate current infrastructure, workforce skills, sustainability practices, and resilience mechanisms. Developing economies face common barriers — limited capital access, digital skill shortages, weak regulatory frameworks — requiring targeted, realistic planning.​
• Phase three (Months seven to 12): Pilot implementation. Test 5IR approaches in controlled environments. Poland-based manufacturer CAMELEO deployed virtual reality for customer engagement and training, demonstrating how focused pilots build organisational capability. Worker voice must shape technology adoption, not merely react to predetermined changes.​
• Phase four (Years two to three): Scaled deployment with continuous optimisation. Track multi-dimensional metrics: employee well-being, environmental impact, supply chain resilience, and financial performance, ensuring transformation serves all three pillars.​

Policy imperatives

Wind turbines operating near an urban skyline at sunrise, symbolising renewable energy and sustainable development 

Governments must create enabling environments through coherent policy frameworks:​

• Digital infrastructure investment: Southeast Asia requires massive grid modernisation, accommodating renewable energy, generating 200,000 jobs by 2030, while contributing US$25 billion to regional GDP.​
• Education transformation: Current curricula fail to develop 5IR-essential capabilities — systems thinking, ethical reasoning, continuous learning agility. The World Economic Forum estimates 50 per cent of employees require re-skilling by 2025, particularly acute in developing economies.​
• Innovation ecosystems: Singapore’s HSBC-Antler partnership supporting green startups and Malaysia’s Digital Economy Corporation illustrate how public-private collaboration accelerates entrepreneurship.​
• Ethical AI governance: Risk-based frameworks emphasising transparency, fairness, human rights alignment, and accountability must adapt to local contexts rather than being imported wholesale.​ Joining UN DESA and the Korean Government’s Regional Summit on Effective Governance and AI Transformation 2025, Green Transformation and Sustainability Network (GXS) opens its AI Governance Lab.

Also Read: Bridging the valley of death: How C3H is powering the next wave of climate, health tech startups

The investment case

Green investors increasingly recognise that 5IR-aligned enterprises deliver superior risk-adjusted returns. Companies prioritising sustainability, worker wellbeing, and resilience demonstrate lower volatility, stronger innovation pipelines, enhanced talent attraction, and better regulatory positioning.​

Southeast Asia’s green economy could generate US$120 billion in new value and 900,000 jobs by 2030 through bioeconomy development, grid modernisation, and electric vehicle ecosystem advancement. Measuring success through GDP alone increasingly appears anachronistic. The European Commission’s “Beyond GDP” framework incorporates human development indicators, wellbeing metrics, environmental sustainability measures, and social equity assessments.​

For technopreneurs, 5IR markets reward solutions integrating human needs, environmental stewardship, and economic viability. Singapore’s Green Li-ion and Ampd Energy exemplify how technical innovation aligned with 5IR principles captures market share while generating measurable sustainability impact.​

Navigating real constraints

Developing economies face genuine obstacles requiring acknowledgement and creative problem-solving:​

The digital divide threatens deepening inequality if access remains unevenly distributed. Deliberate inclusion strategies — such as subsidised access, culturally appropriate interfaces, and multilingual support — become prerequisites for equitable transitions.​

Resistance to change, both organisational and cultural, impedes adoption. Transparent communication, inclusive decision-making, and demonstrable early wins build trust.​

Financial gaps create genuine barriers for SMEs. Blended finance models combining public funding, private investment, and development finance can bridge gaps.​

Also Read: Beyond resilience: A call to action for a climate-proof Philippines to the tech ecosystem

How synergies embrace Asia’s fifth industrial revolution

Asia’s emergence as the global leader in the 5IR hinges on unprecedented synergies across multiple dimensions. 

First, the convergence of human capital and technology creates a distinctive advantage: the region’s young, digitally-native workforce seamlessly integrates with collaborative robots and AI systems designed for human augmentation rather than replacement. Unlike mature economies struggling to retrain ageing workforces, Asian economies would cultivate next-generation workers inherently aligned with 5IR’s collaborative paradigm.​

Second, biodiversity and innovation ecosystems synergise powerfully. Asia’s unparalleled biological richness feeds biomimicry initiatives — from whale-fin-inspired wind turbines to nature-based solutions addressing climate challenges. Simultaneously, indigenous knowledge systems stewarded by Asian communities for centuries integrate with cutting-edge technology, creating culturally grounded, holistic solutions unavailable to regions possessing only technological capacity or environmental wisdom in isolation.​

Third, climate urgency accelerates policy alignment. Unlike regions where sustainability competes with growth imperatives, Asian nations recognise existential threats from rising seas, extreme weather, and agricultural disruption, creating political will for transformative environmental policies. This urgency drives coherent government action on renewable infrastructure, circular economy adoption, and green workforce development simultaneously.​

Finally, emerging market dynamics enable leapfrogging. Unburdened by legacy industrial systems, Asian nations can build 5IR-compatible infrastructure from the ground up, capturing efficiency and sustainability advantages simultaneously. Public-private partnerships, innovation sandboxes, and blended finance models multiply impact beyond what either sector achieves independently.​

These synergies, demographic, ecological, political, and infrastructural, position Asia not merely as a participant in 5IR but as its pioneering leader, demonstrating that prosperity, sustainability, and human dignity are not competing objectives but mutually reinforcing imperatives.​

The choice before us

Asia stands at a pivotal juncture. The region can either replicate extractive, inequality-generating industrialisation patterns of the past, or pioneer a genuinely sustainable, human-centred prosperity model, becoming the global standard.

This requires courage — to invest in long-term transformation over short-term optimisation, to prioritise worker wellbeing alongside productivity, to respect planetary boundaries as non-negotiable constraints. It demands wisdom — integrating indigenous knowledge with modern technology, measuring what truly matters beyond GDP.

Most fundamentally, the Fifth Industrial Revolution asks what kind of future we choose and what we’re willing to sacrifice to protect it.

For policy leaders: create enabling environments through infrastructure investment, education transformation, and ethical governance. For technopreneurs: build enterprises solving human problems while regenerating nature. For green investors: capital toward 5IR-aligned ventures delivers superior returns and measurable impact.

Asia’s young populations, digital fluency, biodiversity richness, and climate urgency create unique advantages. The region need not wait for permission from traditional industrial powers. By embracing 5IR’s principles, Asian nations can leapfrog into leadership – not merely catching up but charting pathways others will follow.

The future we create today shapes possibilities for generations to come. Let it be one where technology serves humanity, prosperity includes rather than excludes, and progress regenerates rather than depletes. This is Asia’s Fifth Industrial Revolution to lead.

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