Starting and leading a successful company is an ambitious journey that can lead to remarkable success. As you get closer to the finish line, your company may attract interest from potential buyers who see value in what you’ve created. 

Whether it’s a full 100 per cent or majority stake sales, undertaking due diligence of the deal and understanding key considerations are important determinants of a successful merger and acquisition (M&A) transaction, and to ensure that each of their best interests is prioritised. 

The key terms in an M&A deal

When it comes to executing a successful M&A deal, there are many things to consider. 

Firstly, valuation is typically the easiest thing to agree upon. It should be agreed upon between the buyer and seller early on in the process. 

Rather than narrowing our focus on valuation, one should determine the ultimate cash consideration that will enter your pocket and the possible risk of liabilities post-closing. 

It is essential to draft commercial terms that are both beneficial and fair for both parties. Other than that, the liabilities of the company must be taken into account, as well as any warranties or guarantees that the founder is providing with the sale. With careful consideration of these factors, founders can have peace of mind knowing they are entering a fruitful transaction.

Also Read: Exit Strategies: Ways to get your money back besides IPOs and M&A

What to expect during the due diligence process

Understanding what to expect during the due diligence process is essential when a founder is looking to exit their company through M&A. The due diligence process involves financial, tax, operational, commercial, and legal aspects of the business, which will be closely assessed. 

After signing a non-disclosure agreement with the potential acquirer, financial statements and other financial documents should be prepared or used to verify financial history and status. It is also important to review tax returns in order to determine any issues that might arise. 

Moreover, potential buyers will examine all aspects of the business operations closely and review any associated contracts or documents. If there are any findings that could be less ideal, sellers could request further guarantees from sellers through representations and warranties. This part of the process can take several weeks or even months, depending on how detailed it needs to be.

How to negotiate the best possible outcome for yourself and your company

When negotiating the best possible outcome when exiting your company through M&A, it is important to recognise that every situation is unique; no two are the same. That being said, some key considerations for founders to keep in mind include understanding what you want and need from the deal and anything else that might hold value, such as continued involvement with the company or payment terms. 

It is also important to evaluate counterparty offers objectively, preparing both sides for a mutually beneficial agreement and creating an organised timeline of communications and activities. As a founder, this could be a great opportunity to create success for both yourself and your company, so striving for alignment between the goals of both parties can ensure everyone walks away happy.

Prior to entering into M&A negotiations, it is critical that you are clear on your objectives and the key terms of the deal. During due diligence, be prepared to share a lot of information about your company with the potential buyer. And finally, always remember to negotiate from a position of strength to get the best possible outcome for you and your business.

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The definition of a ‘good customer experience’ today is nowhere as simple or straightforward as it was just a few decades ago (when assessing customer sentiment was carried out through a few phone surveys, for example).

The modern consumer is multifaceted and complex, reacting to a wide range of factors: economic, social, political, and beyond, and they are more demanding than ever before.

Thus, Hire Digital provides insights into the latest customer experience trends in 2023.

Why customers are changing rapidly

Accenture’s survey reveals that 95 per cent of C-level executives believe that customers are changing faster than their businesses can keep up with. They think that their digital transformation efforts are just keeping them afloat rather than driving their growth.

So, what exactly drives these consumers to change? Here are some factors that are causing rapid changes in consumer behavior:

Looming inflation and unpredictable markets 

72 per cent of consumers state that external factors like inflation are impacting them now more than before. Meanwhile, Gartner’s research reveals that more than half of consumers feel like they have less disposable income and savings this year.

Also Read: BuzzAR is building the next big thing in Metaverse Marketing

Thus, their spending behavior has not only changed in such a way that they purchased less but in finding ways to make smarter purchases. For example, half of millennials and Gen Z are using digital tools to track coupons/discounts as a means to combat inflation.

The hybrid lifestyle

COVID-19 has opened doors for digital transformation. With a lot more products and services available online, people have adapted to the hybrid lifestyle of making purchases both online and in-person. According to Prosper Insights & Analytics, 33 per cent of adults are shopping in stores less.

Social and environmental responsibility

A Harris poll revealed that more than two-thirds of Americans are now more concerned about climate change and that they expect their peers to adjust their purchasing habits accordingly. This is supported by the aforementioned Accenture research, which indicated that 72 per cent of consumers are more impacted now by external forces – climate change being one of them. 

This leads us to our second insight into company ethics.

Company ethics influences buying decisions 

CX Network reported that customer experience practitioners observed a higher level of sustainability awareness from consumers. A lot of customers now consider companies’ level of environmental sustainability and morals in their purchasing decisions. An Aflac research supports this by showing almost eight out of 10 of consumers believe companies that stay true to their ethics/values outperform others in their field.

Meanwhile, 92 per cent of millennials are more likely to buy products from ethical companies, and over four-fifths of these consumers believe ethical brands outperform similar companies that lack a commitment to ethical principles. Thus, they want organisations they engage with to not only answer their needs but also add value to the world overall.

Customers are looking for more meaningful interactions

A Conduent report revealed that customers crave more meaningful interactions with brands. Eight out of 10 respondents would likely purchase products from the same brand if they had a great customer experience on a digital channel.

Here are factors that contribute to a meaningful customer experience:

Personalisation

Personalisation has been a marketing buzzword for a reason. A Gartner study pointed that 86 per cent of B2B and 72 per cent of B2C consumers expect companies to know their information during an interaction.

Also Read: We can no longer adopt a cookie-cutter approach to marketing: Gunalan Ram of CINNOX

Thus, it’s imperative to integrate mass data available for optimal personalisation. Some organisations fail to analyse all data sources and mostly rely on customer feedback.

However, strategies for optimisation and personalisation should be taken from integrated sources of demographics, operational data, financial data, purchase history, and more to truly understand the multi-dimensional needs of consumers. This also enables an organisation’s customer experience to evolve and keep up with consumer changes.

Convenience

Gartner’s research discovered that consumers’ value for convenience has been at an all-time high over the past 12 years.

Moreover, a Hyken ACA research shows that: 

• Three-fourths of customers would pay more for a convenient experience, and would switch companies if they found out a competitor provided more convenience
• 68 per cent would return to a brand if the customer experience were convenient
• 80 per cent would likely recommend a brand or product if it provides a convenient customer experience

The banking industry poses a good example of both adding a customer-centric integration design and adhering to convenience. In the recent decade, the banks immensely transformed with the current CX trends – opening a bank account used to take a painstaking process in-person, and now you can do so online within seconds.

Omnichannel

A McKinsey study revealed that organisations intend to increase digital engagement by 1.5x in 2024, and one of the top areas for investment is improving omnichannel via tech. Omnichannel is seen to make businesses more agile.

In fact, several surveys reported that consumers already expect an omnichannel experience; it’s no longer an edge over the competition but a must-have for organisations.

Also Read: How should you engage customers in a rapidly changing market?

However, a unified omnichannel experience is something you can have the edge over your competitors. As consumers are approaching organisations across all touchpoints, companies should ensure that all channels provide a cohesive messaging and seamless experience.

AI augmentation in customer experience

Harvard Business Review discovered that a combined effort from employees and artificial intelligence (AI) enables companies to achieve significant improvements.

Likewise, Gartner states that AI augmentation enables organisations to make smarter data-driven decisions. They predict that by 2025, organisations will shift 75 per cent of their operational work from production to more strategic activities if they use AI across marketing functions.

Using AI to optimise content and journey mapping leads to better segmentation and personalisation. Customer data retrieved from AI can be used to drive more agile responses.

Gartner lists down the main impact of AI augmentation:

• Applications of AI (i.e. automation, chatbots) are set to improve KPIs of timeliness, quality, and consistency.
• Machine learning and analytics can transform metrics into operational success.
• AI management requires greater focus to upskill and empower existing talent and end-to-end consideration of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

–

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In 2014, Surasit Sachdev launched an online restaurant reservation system in Thailand. Hungry Hub, however, failed as there was no real need for such a platform since one could walk into a restaurant and get a table easily in the country.

Curiously enough, one thing struck Sachdev while building the first version of Hungry Hub: the team’s monthly dinner budget exceeded his expectations. As he studied this problem further, Sachdev realised he was onto something big.

“We realised that some of our employees couldn’t afford dining out because of their moderate lifestyle/pay level,” Sachdev tells e27. For restaurants, it meant less traffic. “While there were many online restaurant booking apps, they thrived on heavy discounts, an unsustainable prospect. So in 2017, we decided to give Hungry Hub another chance before quitting it and help restaurants boost their revenues.”

This was the beginning of Hungry Hub 2.0.

Hungry Hub 2.0 is a restaurant and hotel reservation platform for special occasions that also provides fixed-price offers and gourmet delivery services. The app lets diners know how much they will pay and what they will get before walking into the restaurant.

At the same time, it helps restaurants generate sustainable revenues.

Also Read: ORZON Ventures joins Thai restaurant reservation platform Hungry Hub’s Series A round

“Given the culture in Asia, there are situations where one person pays on behalf of the entire table during parties, business meetings, dating, and birthday celebrations. But they don’t know what the people at the other end of the table will order. We at Hungry Hub solve this problem for billpayers. Meanwhile, it increases restaurants’ average check-ins and drives more traffic through our over a million monthly active users,” Sachdev explains.

Initial challenges

The first few months of Hungry Hub 2.0 were hard; convincing restaurants about the benefits of partnering with Hungry Hub was an uphill task. Restaurants didn’t want to upset their apple cart.

As Hungry Hub managed to resolve this issue, comes COVID-19. The pandemic and the resulting lockdowns forced it to focus on delivery.

“Although the lockdowns impacted our table reservation business, our food delivery unit and staycations helped us recover 50-60 per cent during those difficult times. As the pandemic threat was gone, we started growing again. We recorded tremendous growth in every quarter in the past three years except for the lockdown periods,” Sachdev claims.

According to him, Hungry Hub grew 2.5x year-over-year before the pandemic, and it is 60-80 per cent y-o-y post-pandemic.

In the past six months alone, the startup’s restaurant base has grown by over 30 per cent. It claims to have seated over two million diners and sourced over US$50 million to its partners.

So far, Hungry Hub has partnered with 1,200 restaurants/hotels across Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Koh Samui and Phuket. Its partners include top restaurants, such as Copper Buffet, Audrey Café, The Coffee Club (Minor Group) and global hotels, such as Marriott, Anantara and Banyan Tree.

All across Thailand, there are more than 20,000 restaurants. This means Hungry Hub has only scratched the surface.

“While there are several online platforms in this space, they are either focused on the reservation system or deep discounts, which is very different from what we are doing. We are the leader for special occasion dining in Bangkok,” says the CEO of Hungry Hub, which takes a commission from diners.

Also Read: ‘Not all is doom and gloom’: Experts on the potential of AI to steal jobs in SEA

Trends

In the food ordering space, markets in Southeast Asia follow similar trends. However, Thailand has a slight edge as it attracts more tourists than others in the region.

Having said that, fine dining, omakase, and experience-based dining are the current trends in Thailand. “While people used to go out to eat to fill their stomachs in the past, today, it is more about what unique experience they can get from each meal to post on their Instagram and TikTok stories/reels,” Sachdev adds.

In July last year, Hungry Hub secured an undisclosed sum in Series A funding round from investors, including ORZON Ventures. Previously, it received its pre-Series-A stage funding from ECG Venture Capital and MOVF Media Group. In 2019, the startup bagged seed money from Expara and 500 TukTuks (a fund under Thailand’s 500 Global network). .

Hungry Hub is now in the market to raise up to US$5 million to grow its business beyond Thailand.

What is your immediate goal?

“Our immediate goal is to turn profitable within the first half of this year. We are on track to achieve this,” Sachdev concludes.

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Fundraising or preparing your startup for fundraising? Build your investor network, search from 400+ SEA investors on e27, and get connected or get insights regarding fundraising. Try e27 Pro for free today.

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Yinson Venture Capital, a subsidiary of Singapore-based Yinson Green Technologies (YGT), has made a strategic investment in Zeabuz, a Norwegian startup specialising in autonomous solutions for the maritime industry.

YGT’s strategic investments include an advanced hydrofoil system for electric vessels, e-bike and swappable batteries, autonomous and robotic technology, autonomous systems for electric vehicles, marine energy storage solutions and electric vehicle charging solutions.

Yinson Green Technologies plans to incorporate Zeabuz’s solutions in its electric vessels and utilise these technologies to boost the safety and efficiency levels of the vessels. It will also reduce the manning required during passenger and cargo transportation.

Also Read: Instill AI raises US$3.6M seed funding to make AI more accessible

Founded in 2019, Zeabuz has developed a proprietary autonomy platform suitable for both new designs and the retrofit of existing vessels. Its business model is to provide autonomy-as-a-service to operators of smaller vessels.

The startup is a spin-off of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s progressive research centre for autonomous marine operations and systems.

Zeabuz CEO and Co-Founder Erik Dyrkoren said, “Our technology enables our customers to offer safer and more efficient operations while enabling entirely new mobility concepts such as urban waterborne mobility with a reduced crew.”

YGT is the green technologies business unit of Yinson Holdings, a global energy infrastructure and technology company headquartered in Malaysia with a presence in 18 countries. YGT was established in 2020 as a green technologies solution provider delivering a clean, integrated and technology-enhanced ecosystem across the marine, mobility and energy segments.

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As we continue to explore the possibilities of Web3 and the metaverse, there are many different innovations showing up in the market. They all aim to offer something unique that can provide better experience for its users.

In the case of Netverse, that uniqueness lies in its status as a sharia-compliant metaverse that is said to be the first of its kind in the world.

Netverse is a product of the Islamic Business and Finance Network (IBF Net Group), the result of its partnership with Algorand Inc.

Similar to any other metaverse, Netverse is a shared virtual world that uses both immersive and blockchain technologies, writes IBF Net Group CEO Mohammed Alim in an email interview with e27.

The CEO explains that the use of immersive technology –such as AR/VR, mixed reality, and holography– enables users to “experience and feel” in a three-dimensional environment. But its “halal metaverse” status allows Netverse to provide a different experience.

“In a halal metaverse, users must socially interact with each other in an Islamically acceptable manner. Netverse imposes on its community a set of guidelines of social behaviour, which have been developed in consultation with Amanah Advisors, the UK-based Shariah Advisory partner of IBF Net. It sees certain forms of in-verse behaviour as inconsistent with Islamic etiquette and culture and penalises such behavior. Any complaint reported on such unacceptable behaviour is flagged and remedial or deterrent actions follow,” he said.

Also Read: Base bags pre-Series A for its organic, vegan, halal staple skincare products targeting Indonesian millennials

As the concept suggests, every transaction or financial contracting involving users inside Netverse must comply with the sharia regulations, in addition to country-specific financial regulations.

“Netverse hosts IBFNex, designed as a miniature Islamic economy on the blockchain, which comprises several platforms using smart contracts that cater to transactions in the philanthropy, not-for-profit, and commercial for-profit sectors of the Islamic economy. The smart contracts used to facilitate such transactions are free from riba (unjust enrichment), excessive gharar (fraud, deception, uncertainty, and complexity), qimar (gambling), and other elements prohibited by shariah,” Alim says.

What advantage does a sharia-compliant metaverse has?

“Ensuring Islamically acceptable behaviour by all residents of Netverse remains a key advantage of this shariah-based metaverse in addition to promoting a halal economy that is free from shariah-prohibited elements. Netverse is religiously and culturally acceptable to all users including the millennials who constitute the bulk of the community,” Alim explains.

“Indeed, it is a grave societal concern that young minds are exposed to a large amount of content that tacitly or explicitly encourages violence and promiscuity, given the increasing amount of time they tend to spend in a virtual environment. Netverse provides for healthy social interaction including Islamic education with gamification of contents, especially in the fields of economics and finance, in a virtual environment that the users prefer or are familiar with,” he continues.

Also Read: Evermos lands US$30M Series B to take its e-commerce platform for halal products to new markets

As a platform developed by IBF Net Group, Netverse users are mostly students, researchers, professors, scholars, and professionals interested in this field. With the growing role of technology in a halal economy, Alim says that the expanded community now includes members with a background or interest in information and web technology as well.

“Since the community in this niche area is largely dispersed across the globe, its user acquisition strategy has been and continues to be campus-focused. It has a significant presence in social media and tools of member acquisition include webinars, meetups, training events, certification courses, awards, data, and information-sharing,” Alim says.

Behind the metaverse

Netverse is developed by IBF Net Group, an online community that is focused on the field of sharia economy and finance that was founded in 1999.

Its involvement in the blockchain field includes the introduction of the IBFX token and a number of blockchain projects, which The Netverse has helped expanded by bringing them into the metaverse:

The Benevolence platform: A platform that allows project owners to mobilize donations of cash as
well as volunteer hours in a time-bound manner.

The Credence platform: A custodial service provider that facilitates conversion of various records, documents, certificates, endowment deeds, and many more into NFTs ensuring their safe storage, and perpetual and transparent access.

The Affluence platform: A marketplace that facilitates conversion of various assets into digital assets in the formof non-fungible tokens and their auction/sale in a transparent environment along with ensuring the flow of royalties and other legal payments to original creators through smart contracts. It has a unique feature of interest-free financing (qard) option based on collateral (rahn) of digital assets.

The Essence/Excellence platform: A marketplace that seeks to bring together buyers and sellers of halal goods and services including for-profit halal financial services. The Excellence platform is restricted to sale of e-learning courses.

Also Read: How blockchain can help combat ongoing fraud in the Halal food industry in SEA

IRSHAD (Intelligent Robo Shariah Advisor): An AI-powered chatbot that is well-equipped to engage with the user in a conversation regarding Zakat as an economic institution of philanthropy and empowerment of the poor and marginalised
sections of society. It is in the process of acquiring intelligence on Islamic inheritance and personal financial planning.

When asked about its plan for 2023, Alim says that a few major components of IBF Net’s plan for this year with respect to Netverse include expansion of the community, targeted to cross 100,000 mark by end of the
year covering all major university campuses that teach Islamic economics, business, and finance across the globe.

It also plans to expand beyond the existing virtual learning hub (Netversity) and virtual marketplace (Netbazaar) as a growing virtual edu-city, to be known as The Octagon (Rub-al-Hizb). The organisation also currently designs and offers learning programme in Islamic economics, business, and finance for students at senior school and pre-university levels, and conduct gamification of contents within existing portfolio of courses and certification programmes.

“The implementation of these plans would demand financial resources. IBF Net is now poised to launch a fund-raising campaign through a public sale of its in-verse token, followed by a sale and lease of virtual space and an invitation to institutional and individual investors to contribute to its capital,” Alim closes.

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Fundraising or preparing your startup for fundraising? Build your investor network, search from 400+ SEA investors on e27, and get connected or get insights regarding fundraising. Try e27 Pro for free today.

Image Credit: IBF Net Group

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In November last year, SMU Academy (SMUA) and Enterprise Singapore came together to offer a 12-day Advanced Certificate in Venture Capital programme.

The programme targets entrepreneurs, startup founders, business leaders, family office representatives and investors. The first intake of learners has already enrolled in the course.

e27 spoke to SMUA Executive Director Jack Lim (JL) and Associate Professor and former CEO of Sistema Asia Capital Edward Tay (ET) to learn more about the programme.

Below are the edited excerpts:

Hello Jack, can you share more details about this programme?

JL: Sure, it is a comprehensive VC training programme that covers portfolio management, investment & valuation, and operations & exit strategies. This course, funded by SkillsFuture Singapore, encompasses Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), sustainable finance, and impact investment.

The SMUA programme is designed and directed by Edward Tay, a VC investor who has nurtured four tech unicorns. His diverse, talented team will share their experience and knowledge to equip business leaders, entrepreneurs and finance professionals with the relevant skills and competencies to remain resilient and be positioned to capture sustainable growth.

This will be done through a structured learning approach on how ESG, sustainability/green/decarbonisation initiatives and technology impact businesses and investments.

Also Read: Temasek says FTX could have duped it

The SMUA course aims to enable mid-career individuals, including those in employment, to make career switches to joint family offices and venture capital firms.

In short, it is to get a comprehensive appreciation of the VC industry and for entrepreneurs and business professionals to equip themselves with the core skills to better prepare the companies or investments by VCs.

The real mission is to support the nation in upskilling and reskilling exercises. As adult learners, it is important to keep learning and deepening our skills throughout our lives. We want to ensure that the skills acquired throughout the course will be useful and applicable.

The first cohort started in November 2022.

Can you share more details about the course? What kind of people does the programme target? Is it online or offline?

JL: There is a massive rise in the growth of VC as an asset class globally across all jurisdictions. Due to the lack of unlimited choices in comprehensive VC training programmes in Singapore, we cover the whole VC spectrum, such as portfolio management, investment evaluation, operation and exit strategies, encompassing environment, social governance, ESG, sustainable finance and impact investment.

And our course is funded by the government, SkillsFuture Singapore, which is part of the Ministry of Education. With the partnership with Edward, we want to develop a strong pipeline of talent for the VC sector.

We are doing a face-to-face mode for this time. But again, depending on the situation, we can quickly pivot online or do a hybrid version.

The course comprises six modules. Each module is for two days. So, a total of 12 days.

• Module I covers the market overview and global perspectives scale.
• Module II covers investment strategies, framework and techniques.
• Module III is about common valuation techniques and methodologies.
• Module IV covers due diligence techniques and methodologies.
• Module V includes portfolio management and plan and framework.
• Module VI covers exit strategies.

ET: With this SMUA programme, we target two groups: 1) startup founders, and 2) people who are already in the field of VCs/impact investments but want to upgrade themselves.

The programme also targets finance and law professionals, and those in accounting or management consultancy who want to join family offices here in Singapore. Over the last two to three years, there has been a huge growth in the number of family offices here in Singapore. And today, we have about 100 of them just in Singapore itself.

And there are huge opportunities for these professionals to equip themselves with the right skills. And number two is ensuring they are networking with the right people.

Also Read: e27’s TOP100 programme returns to bring Asia’s best startups to Echelon 2023

We structured this course by starting with a clean slate because we want it to be, first and foremost, experiential. These are all adults, visual learners, who have an X number of years of working experience; the oldest participant in our modules is 60 years old. Our youngest participant is about 29

Many of them come from good schools. We even have somebody graduating with a PhD in Artificial Intelligence in a few months. Many of them are in the business of picking up courses that are useful for them in areas of technologies such as data analytics and cloud, human capital development, human resources, or even venture capital, with very specialised courses.

What do you mean by experiential learning?

ET: It has been an exciting journey so far. When we started this, the participants had no idea what to expect from this programme.

We developed this course with a lot of interactive engagements. We have angel investors, senior corporate VC practitioners, and VC firm bosses among our participants. So, there’s a lot of peer learning and sharing, and learning from experts.

Besides Singapore, our participants come from different parts of the world, including Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, the US, and Mainland China.

And we have participants not only in the private sector but also in the government sector. For example, the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA), which has a corporate venture arm Unbox, is among our learners. The head and the whole team are also here with us.

We also have senior participants from Enterprise Singapore, SEEDS capital, NGOs, companies and startup founders from Singapore. We also have top family offices from different nationalities coming on board.

So, participants learnt from the hands-on experience and burning questions from other participants, especially about how to do valuations.

One of the hottest topics that Modules I and II covers is the FTX scam. A few months ago, FTX, the second largest crypto exchange, acquired a loss of US$300 million, and within 24 hours, it released a statement that it would write off the entire investment.

Also Read: Lessons from the collapse of FTX and why self-custody is of utmost importance

We had two group discussions with our guest speakers on what went wrong at FTX. Was it a valuation issue or a due diligence issue?

We will continue investigating high-profile cases as they develop in our different modules, especially at the portfolio management levels, because this is the world’s second-largest exchange after Binance. About five per cent of its users are from Singapore. This is the second-largest global platform. A lot of money is on the table. FTX’s infamous founder is currently under investigation.

We also have a Family Office that deals with Web3 and bitcoins. It is one of the earliest investors in cryptocurrency. So, there are many insights and many skeletons in the closet.

And everybody finds this very interesting because compared to news reports, which only scratched the surface, we are discussing it in detail behind closed doors. There is no recording, and everyone knows someone who has lost a lot of money. So, the pain is real. This typically energises everybody to want to learn more.

Do you plan to take this course to other geographies by partnering with foreign universities?

JL: We want to kick-start this journey in Singapore, and hopefully, it will propagate itself, and then we can expand to other regional markets.

We want to market this SMUA programme independently; we can work within ourselves, and we have a network to work with to bring this course to the market.

SMU is very strong in Singapore and has also strengthened in the region. We have advisory boards in many countries in the area, and we can work through our alums to promote this. We can also use our usual social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook to push us out.

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TOP100 is back! Get the chance to connect with hundreds of investors, showcase your startup at Echelon, pitch on the TOP100 stage, and access special programs. Find out what’s new in TOP100 and join here.

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How far would you be willing to go to feed your family?

Maybe you’d brave a different city for better opportunities or plunge headfirst into a high-stakes industry you know absolutely nothing about. And while you’re at it, invent something that could change your life — and the lives of millions around the world.

Well, I managed to do all three

Born into the clutches of poverty, I strived to create a job through my Electrical Engineering degree and be my family’s breadwinner. However, I quickly realised that the career progression in my chosen field was rather linear, not allowing me to quickly rise the ranks. Not having the luxury of time on my side, I had to explore other options and fast — one which allowed me to put food on the table.

The beginning of the internet

And fortunately for me, in 1996, I caught wind of the new high-risk, high-returns industry that was rapidly taking hold of the Philippines: the Internet and cybersecurity, and dove in head first.

With no knowledge of the industry, days and nights were spent pouring over the limited resources available to learn the ropes in this new industry. Countless books and a self-paid crash course later, I finally secured my first stint with an internet service provider and rose the ranks in this field.

After four years there, I left the company as a senior field systems administrator. During this time, I was still using the Windows 95 operating system and grew curious about the cybersecurity field.

Venturing into the cybersecurity space

Joining one of the largest security technology companies in the Philippines in 2000, I dove headfirst into the cybersecurity field. There, I discovered my passion for the field through the Nimda virus — a malicious file-infecting computer worm that attacked systems through emails, open network shares, browsing of compromised websites, and exploitation of various Internet Information Services.

Also Read: Cybersecurity for retail: How to avoid e-crimes

After tackling a Russian cyberattack in Georgia, I grew to understand the growing threat cybersecurity poses to national security. Experiencing that in 2010, I started a campaign in the Philippines to combat the growing spread of cyberattacks, especially targeting vulnerable youth, through education and awareness. It was important to bring across the message that cyberattacks not only affect companies but have the potential to bring a country to its knees.

Evangelising the internet space with cybersecurity

The goals set and the steps I took were led with the thought, “How can I help people?” And this thinking has shaped my career in the cybersecurity field – protecting people against cybersecurity threats and ending the scourge of online sexual abuse and exploitation.

Additionally, the Global Chain of Trust (GCOT) is also one of the biggest driving forces in my career today to transform the internet into a safer, cleaner cyberspace for all. While this idea has been in the works since 2016, technology has not advanced far enough to breathe life into this idea. Technological advancements are not the only obstacle — meeting like-minded individuals to embark on this journey was another challenge.

Today, we can confidently say that the world has yet to see this form of cybersecurity protection, securing the DNS infrastructure against attacks as a first line of defence. This journey to create a new technology has taught me much – the amount of love I have for the community and the belief that I am part of something bigger than myself pushes me to constantly innovate.

If there is one thing I can impart, it would be this piece of advice that I have received in my years spent in the cybersecurity profession – to always think beyond yourself.

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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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Vietnam’s Masan to invest US$105M in credit scoring platform Trust IQ
With this deal, Masan aims to accelerate its application of AI in retail and consumption; Both sides will work on building a credit access platform for consumers based on loyalty programs without requiring proof of income.

Indonesia’s Moladin lays off 360 workers
The used-car marketplace said the “difficult” decision was made to improve its long-term sustainability; Moladin has so far raised US$137M from East Ventures, Sequoia, and Northstar Group.

MNC Group leads US$20M round of Indonesian content distributor Migo
Through its tie-up with MNC Group, Migo gets support for its on-demand digital entertainment services by gaining access to the conglomerate’s content library.

Digital PE investment platform Moonfare raises US$15M Series C+
The investor is 7 Global Capita; To date, Moonfare claims to have offered 69-plus private market funds from top GPs worldwide, such as KKR, Carlyle, Permira, and EQT.

Asa Ren secures US$8.15M to provide D2C DNA tests in Indonesia
The investors include Top Harvest Capital, Kejora Capital, and Marcy Venture Partners; Asa Ren’s DNA test comes with 360+ reports, including predisposed health risks, ancestry, and other reports for adults, young parents and children.

Qiming Venture-backed greentech firm goes public via SPAC
LanzaTech transforms waste carbon into sustainable fuels, fabrics, packaging, and other materials; It merged with AMCI Acquisition Corp II before listing on Nasdaq on February 10.

Grab shifts SG politician to corporate development role
In her new role, Tin Pei Ling, a member of parliament in Singapore, will help the super app forge synergies across investments and acquisitions and other strategy development efforts.

BrightChamps enters Vietnam with hybrid teaching model
The BrightChamps Next-Gen Hub programme combines online and offline lessons to teach skills related to coding, robotics, financial literacy, and communications.

Restaurant search and food-ordering unicorn Zomato leaves Indonesia
The firm entered Indonesia in 2013; In October 2020, it announced the layoff of all employees in the country amid the Covid-19 pandemic; Earlier this month, the company also exited the Philippines.

‘Collaboration with startups begins with speaking their language’
Amanda Murphy, a top exec at HSBC, speaks about how the organisation works together with startups, the milestones that they have made, and what they intend to achieve in 2023.

How this 12-day programme equips you to detect potential FTX-like scams in future
The SMU Academy course aims to enable mid-career individuals, including those in employment, to make career switches to joint family offices and venture capital firms.

ShopUp’s B2B e-commerce platform helps Bangladesh SMEs to take on big players
ShopUp partners with all major mills and FMCG companies to distribute products to 20M people through its network of 500K shops; The company has so far raised US$230M in equity and debt funding.

Eleos Labs launches with an all-star team, building anti-theft system for Web3
Called FailSafe, the solution is built based on the need to have increased regulation and consumer protection in the space, with the recent collapse of well-known crypto institutions.

The future of gaming is female and mobile
There is global consensus that the year ahead will be challenging, but emerging trends have suggested bright spots for gaming businesses.

How the need to survive pushed this founder into the depths of cybersecurity
Protecting people against cybersecurity threats and ending the scourge of online sexual abuse and exploitation shaped my career.

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Fundraising or preparing your startup for fundraising? Build your investor network, search from 400+ SEA investors on e27, and get connected or get insights regarding fundraising. Try e27 Pro for free today.

The post Ecosystem Roundup: Masan Group to invest US$105M in Trust IQ, Migo bags US$20M, Layoffs at Moladin appeared first on e27.

As part of JETRO’s Startup City Acceleration Program and under the support of the Japan Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), JETRO and Techstars have been collaborating since 2021 to launch four cohorts of the Founders Catalyst Program.

The JETRO x Techstars Startup City Acceleration Program was built to prepare active Japanese startups for the global market. To do so, startups will access a series of masterclasses, mentoring resources, and cohort-building sessions designed to provide participating founders with the necessary knowledge and skills to establish and expand their companies in a fast-changing market and amid constantly evolving consumer needs.

Additionally, startups will have access to the tools they need to overcome the difficulties faced during the early startup development phase.

Helping disruptive startups scale to the global stage

By joining the Founders Catalyst Program, startups will become a member of a valuable network and gain exclusive access to long-term mentorship, partnership, and productive collaboration. Thanks to the collaboration with Techstars, startups can tap into the organisation’s extensive global network of business owners, venture capitalists, and corporate partners. Startups also have the opportunity to use this platform to obtain expert business counselling, laying the foundation to strengthen the relationship between founders and veteran mentors. 

As a testament to this, past Techstars Founder Catalyst programs have helped establish countless connections between participants and mentors and hundreds of business and investor relationships.

In addition, during their journey with Founders Catalyst Programs, participants can take part in various professionally organized masterclasses and cohort-building sessions. In the end, 20 companies took part in the Pitch Day event that was held virtually on Zoom last January 12th and 10 of them were selected for the immersion program in San Francisco to engage with the local startup ecosystem for their oversea expansion.

The event was not only a networking and promotional activity but also a chance for startups to receive feedback to improve their products. Hence, startups are able to leverage the tools, strategies, and insights acquired from the programs to accelerate their growth and achieve global prominence. 

A diverse cohort of 20 exciting new startups

JETRO x Techstars Startup City Acceleration Program’s current cohort consists of 20 startups engaging in the verticals relating to educational technology, new styles of social media platforms, web 3 and blockchain development, environmental and agricultural carbon-dioxide solutions, and so on. 

The selected startups present new opportunities from breakthrough technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, web 3, etc. to improve product performance, security, and usability, and meet unfulfilled market segments.   

For instance, Audiostock offers a service for aspiring musicians and artists to monetise their artwork by licensing them to others. The company has contributed to a stress-free world when it comes to music distribution as people can enjoy music without any privacy concerns and artists can reach an unprecedentedly larger audience.

Operating in the retail space, KAUCHE, Inc. is a share-buying app that allows customers to enjoy an exciting shopping experience and at a great price via group-buying with “share-buying companions” such as friends, family, or someone on SNS.

The JETRO x Techstars Startup City Acceleration Program also features a slew of women-led companies operating in diverse spaces. Empowering content creators, MatchHat helps creators find collaborators for their passion projects from any city in the world. Projects can take place remotely, enabling creators as well as researchers to work on the same creative pursuits despite being countries apart.

In the FoodTech domain with a focus on the importance of a balanced and organic diet on mental health is FRESS, also led by a female founder. What started as a mental health platform, FRESS shifted their focus to revolutionising the Japanese snack industry. They provide a variety of products, particularly plant-based and additive-free snacks such as granola bars, including hemp which has mental and physical health benefits for customers.

Another exciting startup spearheaded by a female founder is Omotete, Inc. which developed unfre., a service that makes menstrual pads retrievable in bathroom stalls everywhere. unfre. is a BtoBtoC service with their core customers being the end-users, facility owners, and advertisers/marketers.

Regarding Edtech, Progummy argues that by leveraging students’ intuitive learning mechanisms, educational program applications can be both fun and effective. Hence, Progummy offers the first visual programming application to have a collaborative editing function. The program allows students to collaborate more seamlessly with their friends to co-learn while teachers can monitor the whole process with ease. The company plans to use a subscription model to monetise the product. 

The cohort also features Pit-Step, Inc. which developed the Blockchain Novel operating within an NFT marketplace for collaborative fiction writing. Through Pit-Step, users can create stories and illustration covers and trade them as NFTs.

For social media networking, recognising a growing gap in the market for more personalised and targeted market segments, the novel social networking site artics aims to foster more genuine relationships among users based on their interests and provide a platform for users to share their work. Similarly focusing on social media networking, ikigai Tech company KJ COMMONS specialises in planning and producing projects that help maximise the ikigai of each individual.

Further diversifying the cohort is healthtech startup PITTAN, Inc., a company that lets people analyse health conditions through onsite, easy, sweat amino-acid analysis methodology. PITTAN’s machine is so compact, that it could even be used in space in the future.

To learn more about 20 startups in the current JETRO x Techstars Startup City Acceleration Programme cohort and explore their innovative business ideas, visit this site for an overview or watch their pitches videos in the links below.

AndLaw – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here.

artics – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here.

Audiostock – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here.

Blue Farm – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here.

CULTA – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here.

Equmenopolis – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here. 

FRESS – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here.

Global Stage – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here.

Goldfinch – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here.

KAUCHE – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here.

KJ COMMONS – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here.

MatchHat – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here.

Omotete – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here.

PaylessGate – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here.

Pit-Step – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here.

PITTAN – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here.

Progummy – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here.

Soundol – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here.

Specialist Doctors – Learn more by watching their pitch or talk to them here. 

ZUU IFA – Talk to them here. 

About JETRO

Founded in 1958, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) is a Japanese government agency serving the mission of promoting Japanese investment and trade between Japanese and foreign businesses. JETRO’s “Startup City Acceleration Program” is an online program in partnership with the Cabinet Office of Japan that runs from October 2022 to March 2023. In this program, JETRO collaborates with five major accelerators to cultivate overall growth across the Japanese startup ecosystem, serving as an entry for some of the best Japanese startups to take on the global market. Through the program, startups will receive first-hand mentorship, matching opportunities with foreign investors, and new business partnerships, among many other exciting opportunities.

Learn more about JETRO at: https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/ 

About Techstars

The Techstars worldwide network helps entrepreneurs succeed. Founded in 2006, Techstars began with three simple ideas—entrepreneurs create a better future for everyone, collaboration drives innovation, and great ideas can come from anywhere. Now we are on a mission to enable every person on the planet to contribute to, and benefit from the success of entrepreneurs. In addition to operating accelerator programs and venture capital funds, we do this by connecting startups, investors, corporations, and cities to help build thriving startup communities. Through its accelerators, Techstars has invested in more than 3,300 companies with a combined market cap of more than $96B.

Learn more about Techstars at:  www.techstars.com

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

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The post Explore the global market with JETRO x Techstars Startup City Acceleration Program appeared first on e27.

As the dreary funding winter continues to soar, at e27, we are kickstarting a new article series called: Line of Hire to understand an organisation’s culture and hiring philosophies to empower tech workers with the right growth tools and enable business owners to attract talent.

Zelia Leong is the Co-Founder of PraisePal. With a decade of experience in the tech industry, Leong also leads the team at PraisePal to help more companies align their culture and boost employee engagement across their global teams.

Her human resources and organisational design background contributes to the PraisePal solution of creating a long-term, scalable culture of recognition for organisations.

Before PraisePal, Leong co-founded the leading travel tech company Anywhr and was an executive at German venture builder Rocket Internet. 

She graduated with an MSc from the National University of Singapore and a BSc (Hons.) (1st class) from the University of Manchester.

Leong talks about her company’s culture and hiring philosophies in this candid interview.

What personality traits/qualities do you look for in potential employees?

We value team members with a growth mindset above all.

People whose definition of success ISN’T just “to not fail”. People who might not know what the finish line looks like in their lives or careers but who share the same values as we do to get there.

How do they fit into your company culture? Tell us a little more about your company culture.

At PraisePal, we offer a high level of flexibility to all employees regarding work arrangements, career growth, and providing the right support resources. This level of trust and freedom comes with the requirements of accountability, ownership, and responsible communication.

It’s challenging to work remotely and across time zones. With instant messaging tools such as Microsoft Teams or Slack, it can also be distracting to spam each other with messages while your teammate is trying to focus on something else.

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

Therefore, we are strict on how we use communication platforms and value clear written communication. Such as detailed workflows, guides, and updates.

How do you foster transparency and encourage achievement in the workplace?

We have a huge emphasis on clear, written communication. As much as possible, all discussions are in group channels so all parties stay updated and included. We also share our achievements and celebrate small daily wins and the bigger ones on the PraisePal platform. 

A culture of recognition is crucial for growing remote teams like ours –where no achievement is too small to be recognised, and no individual is too junior to be highlighted.

Beyond developing a culture of recognition using habits and the praisepal.com platform, we also have weekly all-hands meetings where we take turns to keep the team updated on our projects and progress and share ideas for discussion.

Do you have a mental health policy? What does that look like?

An individual’s mental health can be made worse by poor work environments. We do our best to minimise that with active communication between employees and their leaders, as well as maintaining flexible work arrangements and managing workload expectations.

WFH or WFO, or hybrid?

Work from home!

How should a tech worker prepare for the funding winter?

If you have financial responsibilities or need financial stability, it’s best to assess the company upfront and ensure your role will be essential in their upcoming business plans.

Also Read: Innovation, teamwork, open communication are valued in our culture: Farida Charania of Empauwer

In the recent tech layoffs across Southeast Asia, a bulk of the roles affected were those hired for future growth and expansion plans. Therefore they were one of the first to go during the recession when companies had to conserve resources and play it safe.

How do you measure the performance of your employees?

We look at both current work quality as well as their aptitude for growth.

Every single team member matters and creates an impact through their daily contributions. We need to ensure everyone in the company is growing because it’s the people that make up the business, and growth is essential for a healthy organisation.

Will you consider a moderately skilled person with great honesty or a highly skilled person with less honesty when hiring?

Honesty is always prioritised. The skill level depends on the role requirements.

Do you encourage ‘intrapreneurship’ in your organisation?

Yes.

How do you support upskilling for your employees?

The leadership team is clear on business outlook updates and shares constant insights on our plans and learning opportunities so that employees can understand that they are a valued part of the business and takes ownership of it. This also helps them think independently about the business and their roles and ask questions for their learning.

We also offer employees the opportunity to take courses, attend events, or be part of the local community of their career interests to expand their knowledge and learn from others.

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Fundraising or preparing your startup for fundraising? Build your investor network, search from 400+ SEA investors on e27, and get connected or get insights regarding fundraising. Try e27 Pro for free today.

The post No achievement is too small, no individual is too junior to be highlighted: Zelia Leong of PraisePal appeared first on e27.