Establishing a strong and cohesive brand identity is one of the most critical aspects of building a successful startup. Brand identity not only shapes how your customers perceive you but also builds trust, loyalty, and recognition in an increasingly crowded market.

According to Lucidpress, consistent brand presentation across all platforms increases revenue by up to 23 per cent. However, many startups fail to get it right from the beginning, leading to confusion and missed opportunities.

This post explores five common mistakes startups make when defining their brand identity and how to avoid them, along with practical steps and real-world examples from B2B companies that have succeeded by doing it right.

Mistake one: Not defining a clear brand purpose

The mistake:

One of the most frequent branding errors startups make is launching without a clearly defined brand purpose. They rush into the market with a product or service but fail to articulate why they exist beyond profits. Without a well-defined purpose, a brand lacks direction and differentiation in the market.

How to fix it:

Start by asking foundational questions:

• Why does your company exist?
• What problem are you solving, and how do you want to impact the world?
• How do you want your audience to perceive your brand?

Once you have answers, use them to build a clear brand purpose that will guide every decision.

Example:

Look at Slack, a B2B communication platform that identified its purpose as making work-life simpler, more pleasant, and more productive. This guiding purpose set Slack apart from competitors and shaped how they built their product, messaging, and user experience.

Mistake two: Choosing a complicated or inconsistent brand name

The mistake:

A confusing or overly complex brand name can confuse potential customers and hinder brand recall. Startups often choose names that are difficult to pronounce, spell, or don’t align with their mission, which leads to poor recognition and inconsistent messaging.

How to fix it:

When brainstorming a brand name:

• Keep it simple, memorable, and easy to spell.
• Ensure the name reflects your brand’s essence or values.
• Verify that the name can be legally protected and that domain availability exists.

Example:

B2B SaaS company HubSpot chose a simple, yet effective brand name. It’s easy to remember, descriptive of their service (hub of marketing and sales tools), and scalable as the company grew. Contrast this with startups that struggle to rebrand later when they realise their name doesn’t resonate with their audience.

Also Read: Beyond the pitch deck: How founders can leverage personal branding for startup success

Mistake three: Overlooking the importance of brand guidelines

The mistake:

Startups often fail to create a comprehensive set of brand guidelines, resulting in inconsistent visuals, language, and tone across different platforms. This inconsistency dilutes the brand’s identity and makes it difficult to build a cohesive brand experience.

How to fix it:

Establish clear brand guidelines from the start. These should include:

• Logo usage rules (size, placement, acceptable variations)
• Color palette and typography standards
• Tone of voice and brand messaging
• Image and graphic style

Example:

Mailchimp, a B2B email marketing company, maintains a highly consistent brand identity across its website, app, and marketing materials. Their brand guidelines emphasize a playful yet professional tone, with clear rules on visual elements. This consistency has played a crucial role in Mailchimp’s brand success.

Mistake four: Focusing only on visuals and ignoring brand voice

The mistake:

Many startups focus heavily on the visual aspects of their brand (logo, colours, etc.) and overlook the importance of a consistent brand voice. Your brand’s voice is how it “speaks” to the audience, and inconsistent tone or language can confuse customers and weaken your brand message.

How to fix it:

Define your brand voice early on. Consider:

• What personality traits should your brand convey? (e.g., formal, friendly, professional, playful)
• What tone should your communications take in various contexts (e.g., emails, social media, customer support)?
• Create a style guide that ensures consistency across all written and verbal communications.

Example:

B2B marketing automation company Drift has a distinct, approachable brand voice that is informal yet professional. Their voice is consistent across blog posts, emails, and even customer support, reinforcing their brand as friendly, accessible, and focused on customer success.

Mistake five: Neglecting to evolve the brand identity over time

The mistake:

Some startups make the mistake of sticking to their original brand identity without revisiting or refining it as the company grows. This static approach can cause your brand to feel outdated, misaligned with evolving business goals, or disconnected from customer expectations.

Also Read: Why startups should prioritise brand reputation from day one

How to fix it:

Your brand identity should evolve as your business and market conditions change. Regularly assess:

• Is your logo still relevant and resonating with your audience?
• Do your mission and vision statements reflect where your company is headed?
• Are there new products or services that require you to refresh your brand identity?

Example:

B2B giant IBM has continuously evolved its brand identity over the years. From a traditional hardware company, it transformed into a modern technology and AI leader, updating its logo, mission, and messaging to align with new market realities.

Conclusion: Build a brand identity that stands the test of time

Developing a strong brand identity is not just about creating a logo or choosing colours. It’s about building a comprehensive, cohesive representation of your company’s purpose, values, and voice that resonates with your audience and evolves as your business grows. By avoiding these common mistakes and following the right steps, your startup can craft a brand identity that sets you up for long-term success.

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This article was first published on September 10, 2024

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In the fast-growing world of startups, a polished pitch deck is often seen as the golden ticket to securing funding and forging the path to success. But while a compelling presentation can capture investor attention, it’s the founders themselves who breathe life into the vision. This is because, fundamentally, people want to do business with other people.

In today’s competitive landscape, founders who have cultivated a strong personal brand can make a significant difference in attracting talent, securing funding, and building trust with shareholders, investors and potential customers.

Personal branding for founders goes beyond simply having a social media presence. It’s about strategically crafting a narrative that showcases your expertise, story, founder journey, and the unique value that YOU bring to the table. Investors are increasingly looking for founders who possess not just a great idea but also the leadership qualities and experience to turn it into a reality.

A strong personal brand allows founders to establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry. Social proof is incredibly powerful because it is a way to “show, not tell.” This level of credibility attracts not only investors but also potential employees who are looking to work with an inspiring and authentic leader.

Crafting a strategic narrative

Building a personal brand takes time and consistent effort. Platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter are the best places for founders to position themselves and build a personal brand. There are three keys to success with personal branding on LinkedIn: consistency, content and engagement.

Being consistent with your personal branding is important because it enables you to build a routine that you can follow and capitalise on. Ensure that you are posting at least three times a week; five is recommended. Most personal branders often credit consistency as the key to success because the power of simply showing up every day and creating and delivering output is extremely underrated and undervalued.

Also Read: How to create a great thought leadership article even though you suck at writing

For those who are feeling extra ambitious, contributing to LinkedIn articles within a certain niche – five articles per day – will enable founders to earn “Top Voice” badges, which further cement credibility and status in their network and community.

Balanced content across the funnel

Personal branding content should be balanced across the content funnel. This means that it should consist of a mix from the Top of the Funnel (ToFu), Middle of the Funnel (MoFu), and Bottom of the Funnel (BoFu).

In ToFu posts, you share informative content like blog posts, infographics, and social media snippets that address your target audience’s pain points and introduce them to your brand as a potential solution.

In MoFu posts, you provide more in-depth content like ebooks, webinars, and case studies. This stage is all about showcasing your expertise and establishing yourself as a thought leader.

In BoFu posts, you offer targeted content like product demos, free trials, discovery calls and discounts to convert those leads into loyal customers.

Simply put, think of the content layers this way: awareness interest conversion.

Beyond online

Beyond online forums, attending and speaking at industry events is a great way for founders to connect with a wider audience and showcase their knowledge and passion about their field and their business. Founders should be open to speaking with anyone and take advantage of making high-value connections, ensuring that they then follow up with said connections online.

However, simply putting out content online is not enough. It’s only 50 per cent of the job. The other 50 per cent, and arguably more important, is engagement. While posting high-value content is essential, engaging with those who follow, like or comment on any posts and articles are a great way to expand the founder’s network and grow their following.

Founders should focus on sharing valuable insights and perspectives that can benefit their audience, while also using language that is relatable, authentic and natural.

Also Read: Autistic founders, advocates share their vision of a more inclusive workplace

Authenticity is key

Social media can be a powerful tool for personal branding, but founders need to be strategic in their approach. Authenticity is key. Founders should share their stories, challenges, and even failures in a relatable way. This humanises them and allows them to connect with their audience on a deeper level. Building an online community around the brand fosters a sense of loyalty and excitement, which can be incredibly valuable in the early stages of a startup.

Final thoughts

All in all, while a polished and well-designed pitch deck remains an essential tool to secure funding for a startup and forge the path to growth and success, founders who underestimate the power of personal branding miss out on a golden opportunity.

A strong personal brand can be a game-changer for startups, attracting the right talent, securing crucial funding, and building a loyal customer base. By establishing themselves as thought leaders and engaging with their audience in a genuine way, founders can take their startup ventures beyond just the pitch deck.

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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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This article was first published on July 22, 2024

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In a world where news of layoffs are reported every now and then — be it in newspapers, news channels or on websites — identifying a trend in hiring seems offbeat. Yet, even now as I write this, organisations across the globe are moving towards a new operating framework — one where skills matter.

This is where the role of cross-industry hiring comes into play. Now, who exactly are these individuals, and why are their talents so important to organisations?

Naturally, there is comfort in bringing same-industry professionals into the team, considering they have the required knowledge, understand the rules of the game, and fit right in the ‘business as usual’ ecosystem. However, these aspects can also be problematic in industries facing a rapidly changing landscape.

Fresh perspectives and innovation

Creativity and innovation are the two pillars that companies lean on to thrive. Diversity in an organisation covers more than just gender, faith or color; it also includes diversity in employees’ experience, expertise and strengths across various industries and domains.

Traditional succession plans such as appointing a top executive’s heir apparent or attracting talent from direct competitors may not be the right approach anymore.

As opposed to a same-industry hire, cross-industry talent — from grassroots level to CEOs and CXOs — get you that zest and zeal with their diverse skill sets, experiences, and perspectives from outside the traditional boundaries of a specific industry.

In practice, organisations may employ a combination of both approaches, depending on the nature of the position, industry dynamics, and their specific hiring needs. What should matter the most to employers is the candidate’s ability to perform the job duties effectively, their relevant skills and qualifications, attitude, and potential for growth and contribution to the organisation.

Take the example of Ulf Mark Schneider. The Chief Executive Officer of Nestle was brought in from the European healthcare company, Fresenius, as he aligned with Nestle’s growth strategy to focus more on healthier products.

Also Read: Skill-based hiring vs industry-based hiring: How should one decide?

A survey by Executive Access found that out of the 800 CXO movements seen in 2022 in India, nearly 37 per cent were inter-industry. This indicates that this trend is slowly but surely gaining traction.

Facing growth challenges head-on

With the global economy experiencing constant fluctuations, given the current geopolitical scenario and interest rate hikes by central banks across the world, staying relevant in a job requires continuous upskilling and reskilling.

Take for instance, most of us are on LinkedIn these days — trying to connect with peers from the industry and build a reliable resume for oneself. There are plenty of certificate courses, too, that we see on the feed and people have been taking them to broaden their skill sets — thanks to the time saved from commuting to work during the work-from-home period.

Reskilling not only enhances your resume, but also introduces you to a network of people from diverse backgrounds — essentially preparing you to be a cross-industry hire.

Hiring people based on their transferable skills rather than just their work history, creates a level-playing field in the industry, and helps companies build diverse talent pools.

Cross-industry hires can bring valuable knowledge and best practices from their previous industries. They can introduce new methodologies, technologies, and strategies that have been successful elsewhere. This knowledge transfer can enhance an organisation’s adaptability by introducing new approaches to problem-solving and facilitating the adoption of best practices from other industries. Such a collaborative environment can also lead to increased creativity, improved problem-solving, and the development of valuable professional networks.

It is time for companies to shed the traditional approach and blend in with this new age trend. After all, an industry can thrive when it leverages its candidates who can analyse, understand and use data to give the firm an edge. These skills are increasingly transferable across sectors.

‘Think out of the box’ is a phrase that people often use, but it’s seldom put to use. People are the key to transformation, and as a developing society, we need to look for them in a broader range of settings.

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This article was first published on July 26, 2024

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A model like DeepSeek was inevitable. The US ban on Nvidia chips forced China to innovate, and they did. Necessity is the mother of invention. When faced with constraints, people find new ways. This is one such example.

But what are the implications of DeepSeek for the generative AI as a whole? Here are some ways this might affect the industry at large.

Accelerating AI accessibility

DeepSeek doesn’t just maintain the pace of AI development; it accelerates it. By making AI more accessible, it helps reach a broader audience faster. This increased accessibility means more problems can be solved using AI, especially as the cost of AI APIs is projected to decrease by tenfold or more in the next six months.

Higher ROI for big capital spenders

For major players like Meta, Microsoft, Stargate, and XAI, the return on investment (ROI) on capital spent will be higher and realised faster. In just six months, all model developers will be able to present their own versions of DeepSeek, driving API costs down significantly.

Debunking the LLM wall myth

Just weeks before DeepSeek’s debut, there was widespread debate about large language models (LLMs) hitting a wall. The answer is now clear: they didn’t. Scaling can occur across various dimensions—compute at training, compute at inference, networking, algorithmic, data, and capital. DeepSeek exemplifies one such dimension.

Also Read: DeepSeeking the future: The ripple effect on tech, crypto, and global markets

Diverse scaling breakthroughs

Not all new scaling breakthroughs will resemble DeepSeek. Some will be significant step changes, while others will be subtle improvements that may never make headlines. However, each contributes to the overall advancement of AI technology.

China’s role in global tech innovation

China, like the US, has a substantial pool of risk capital dedicated to new tech startups, second only to the US the DeepSeek story should serve as a blueprint for other regions with limited risk capital. However, the real cost of DeepSeek will likely exceed the quoted figure of US$6 million.

Impact on GPT-wrappers and trust issues

DeepSeek enhances the margin story for so-called “GPT-wrappers,” transforming them into higher-margin businesses overnight. As scaling continues, margins will improve further, and the application layer will flourish. However, China, as a software exporter, will continue to face trust issues. Long-term adoption of LLMs from China will be hindered by these trust problems, and DeepSeek won’t change that. For more on the vulnerabilities of LLMs, search for “Sleeper Agent Attack in LLMs.”

In conclusion, DeepSeek represents a significant milestone in AI innovation, driving down costs, improving accessibility, and setting the stage for future advancements. While challenges remain, particularly regarding trust and real costs, the potential benefits are immense. The AI landscape is poised for rapid transformation, and DeepSeek is at the forefront of this exciting journey.

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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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The global financial markets have been a whirlwind of volatility this week, driven by a hotter-than-expected US inflation report for January, shifting expectations for Federal Reserve policy, and unexpected geopolitical developments. As a journalist with a front-row seat to these unfolding events, I find myself reflecting on the broader implications for investors, policymakers, and the global economy.

The US core Consumer Price Index (CPI) for January came in at 3.3 per cent year-over-year, surpassing forecasts of 3.1 per cent and inching up from the prior reading of 3.2 per cent. This stubborn inflationary pressure has sent ripples through bond markets, equities, and even the nascent crypto space, while President Donald Trump’s surprising move to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war adds another layer of complexity.

In this article, I’ll unpack these developments, explore their interconnected impacts, and offer my perspective on where we might be headed next.

Let’s start with the inflation data, which has dominated headlines and reshaped market sentiment. The January core CPI print of 3.3 per cent was a stark reminder that inflation, despite the Federal Reserve’s aggressive efforts, remains a persistent challenge. Economists and markets had anticipated a slight cooling to 3.1 per cent, but the unexpected uptick—driven in part by soaring egg prices (up 15.2 per cent in a month), rising rents, and higher gas and food costs—has forced a recalibration.

Posts on X captured the immediate reaction, with many users noting the surprise and speculating on the Federal Reserve’s next moves. One post highlighted that core CPI, excluding volatile food and energy prices, has now remained above 3 per cent for 45 consecutive months, underscoring the stickiness of underlying inflation. This data, confirmed by reports from Reuters and other outlets, has significant implications for monetary policy.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, in his second Congressional testimony this week, reiterated the Fed’s commitment to taming inflation but acknowledged that “more work” is needed. His words, while measured, did little to soothe markets, as traders pushed back expectations for the next rate cut from September to December. This shift, reflected in futures markets, signals a growing consensus that the Fed will maintain higher interest rates for longer, a scenario that could weigh on economic growth and risk assets.

The bond market’s reaction was swift and decisive. US Treasuries tumbled across the curve, with the 10-year yield rising 8.6 basis points to 4.621 per cent and the 2-year yield climbing 7.2 basis points to 4.355 per cent. The widening of the 2-year and 10-year yield spread by 2.2 basis points to 27.4 basis points suggests that investors are pricing in a more hawkish Fed stance in the near term, with longer-term yields reflecting concerns about sustained inflation. For bond investors, this is a challenging environment. Higher yields, while attractive for new buyers, mean mark-to-market losses for those holding existing Treasuries.

Also Read: The future of semiconductor manufacturing is regional: Global TechSolutions CEO

From my perspective, this dynamic underscores the delicate balancing act the Fed faces: tightening too aggressively risks tipping the economy into recession, but easing prematurely could allow inflation to spiral further. Powell’s testimony, while reaffirming the Fed’s resolve, left open questions about the pace and magnitude of future rate hikes, leaving markets in a state of heightened uncertainty.

Equities, predictably, felt the heat. US stocks initially fell sharply after the inflation data, with the MSCI US index ending the day down 0.3 per cent. The energy sector was the biggest underperformer, dropping 2.8 per cent, likely due to a combination of profit-taking and concerns about demand in a higher-rate environment.

However, tech buyers stepped in later in the session, helping to pare losses. This resilience in tech, despite rising yields, is noteworthy. It suggests that investors still see value in growth stocks, particularly in sectors like technology, which have been buoyed by strong earnings and innovation.

Yet, the broader market remains vulnerable. The S&P 500’s correlation with other risk assets, including cryptocurrencies, highlights the interconnectedness of today’s markets. Posts on X noted this linkage, with users pointing out that altcoins like Ethereum, XRP, and DOGE saw slight gains alongside the S&P 500, underscoring crypto’s sensitivity to equity market movements. For investors, this correlation is a double-edged sword: it amplifies gains during bullish periods but exacerbates losses when sentiment turns sour.

Speaking of cryptocurrencies, the crypto market has shown surprising resilience amid this week’s turbulence. Bitcoin and other major altcoins posted modest gains on Wednesday, a recovery that coincided with President Trump’s unexpected announcement of phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.

This development, reported by Bloomberg, marks a shift from previous US policy and has eased concerns about disruptions to Russian crude supplies. Brent crude, which fell 2.3 per cent to US$75.18 per barrel after US crude inventories rose, reflects this easing of geopolitical risk. For the crypto market, Trump’s move is a potential tailwind. Bitcoin, often seen as a hedge against geopolitical uncertainty, benefited from the news, with prices ticking higher. Ethereum, XRP, and DOGE followed suit, though gains were modest.

From my perspective, this recovery is encouraging, but it’s tempered by the broader macro environment. The stronger-than-expected US inflation data earlier in the week had initially pressured crypto prices, as higher rates typically weigh on speculative assets. Yet, the crypto market’s ability to rebound suggests that investor appetite for digital assets remains strong, particularly in light of institutional adoption.

On that note, Goldman Sachs’ latest filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, published on February 12, 2025, caught my attention. The investment bank reported holding US$2.05 billion in Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs as of the end of 2024, a significant increase from earlier quarters.

This move, detailed in reports from Cointelegraph and Decrypt, reflects a broader trend of institutional interest in cryptocurrencies. Goldman Sachs’ investments, split between BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund, and Ethereum-focused ETFs, signal a growing acceptance of digital assets on Wall Street.

However, it’s worth noting that Goldman Sachs has historically been critical of cryptocurrencies, with executives like Sharmin Mossavar-Rahmani comparing the recent crypto enthusiasm to the tulip mania of the 1600s. This dichotomy—between the bank’s public skepticism and its substantial investments—raises questions. Is Goldman Sachs hedging its bets, or is it simply responding to client demand?

From my perspective, this tension highlights the evolving nature of the crypto market. Institutional adoption, fueled by a more favorable regulatory environment under the Trump administration, is driving growth, but skepticism persists. For retail investors, Goldman Sachs’ involvement is a double-edged sword: it validates the asset class but also introduces new risks, as institutional flows can amplify volatility.

Also Read: The Trump effect: Steel tariffs, Bitcoin surge, and the future of crypto in Japan and beyond

Shifting focus to Asia, the latest economic data from India adds another layer of complexity to the global picture. Softer-than-expected industrial output and inflation figures have raised concerns that India, one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies, may be entering a softer growth patch.

Asian equity indices were mixed in early trading, reflecting uncertainty about the region’s trajectory. For investors, this is a reminder that global markets are interconnected, and weakness in one region can spill over into others.

From my perspective, India’s challenges underscore the uneven nature of the global recovery. While the US grapples with inflation, emerging markets like India face growth headwinds, creating a divergent policy landscape. For central banks, this divergence complicates coordination efforts, as rate hikes in the US could exacerbate capital outflows from emerging markets.

Looking ahead, the interplay between inflation, monetary policy, geopolitics, and risk assets will continue to shape markets. The US inflation data has dashed hopes for rate cuts in 2025, with traders now pricing in a more hawkish Fed stance. President Trump’s move to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war is a potential de-escalation, but its impact on energy markets and global risk sentiment remains uncertain. The crypto market, buoyed by institutional adoption and geopolitical developments, is showing resilience, but it’s not immune to macro pressures.

For investors, navigating this landscape requires a careful balance of caution and opportunism. From my perspective, the key takeaway is that uncertainty is the new normal. Inflation, while stubborn, is not insurmountable, but it will require sustained policy efforts. Geopolitical risks, while easing in some areas, remain a wildcard.

And cryptocurrencies, while volatile, are increasingly part of the mainstream financial system. As we move forward, staying informed, critically examining narratives, and remaining adaptable will be essential. The markets, as always, will test our resolve, but they also offer opportunities for those willing to navigate the complexity.

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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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HD, the Bangkok-headquartered company behind HDmall, a healthcare and surgery marketplace in Thailand and Indonesia, has secured US$7.8 million in equity funding.

The funding round included participation from US-based Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), SBI Ven Capital, M Venture Partners, FEBE Ventures, and Partech Partners.

Also Read: These former aCommerce execs are building an ‘Amazon’ for healthcare in Southeast Asia

This marks the first investment by MSD IDEA Studio Asia Pacific, an initiative by the MSD Global Health Innovation Fund (MGHIF) and MSD Asia Pacific regional team, invest in a Southeast Asian healthtech firm.

HD will use the money to develop HDmall further and invest in its artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Since its inception, HD has secured US$18 million in total funding.

HD was co-founded in 2019 by Sheji Ho, Aditya Jamaludin, Raya Chantaramungkorn (all former top executives at Thailand’s leading e-commerce enabler aCommerce), and Frankie Shum (formerly with Ardent Capital). HD connects patients to hospitals, clinics, operating rooms and surgeons while offering healthcare financing solutions to increase access to affordable care and surgeries.

HDcare works with healthcare providers – many already on the HDmall platform – to increase the utilisation of hospitals’ and clinics’ operating room capacities.

HDmall lists over 30,000 stock-keeping units (SKUs) from over 2,500 healthcare providers and several pharmaceutical partners. It has 400,000 paying customers across Thailand and Indonesia and has an annual gross transaction volume of US$100 million.

The healthtech firm targets 5,000 healthcare providers and 600,000 patients by 2025.

Also Read: ‘Airbnb for surgeries’ HDmall gets FEBE Ventures backing to deepen market presence in SEA

The firm has developed an AI chatbot, Jib AI, which uses large language models and has been trained on anonymised healthcare data, transaction data and chat commerce data. Jib AI manages approximately 60 per cent of customer interactions and provides 24/7 responses. The company plans to expand Jib AI’s capabilities to include order and refund processing, assisted checkouts, scheduling, electronic health record checks and medical information retrieval. It will also implement virtual care with expert physicians. Jib AI also helps healthcare professionals handle initial patient triaging and care navigation.

The startup plans to expand into Vietnam and potentially Myanmar, citing the similarity of their healthcare systems. The company sees a market opportunity because of the high percentage of out-of-pocket payments in the region and the increased self-empowerment of users who are searching for health information online.

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SeaX Ventures, a Thailand-based venture fund with US$100 million in assets, is making strides in fostering collaboration between deep tech startups and larger corporations or government bodies.

Founded by Dr. Kid Parchariyanon, the firm focuses on investing in early-stage companies with transformative technologies, with a dual mission: bringing Southeast Asian (SEA) investment and customers to US entrepreneurs while introducing Silicon Valley’s innovations to the SEA market.

One of SeaX Ventures’s latest investments is RyboDyn, a US-based biotech startup developing immunotherapies targeting the dark genome. The firm co-led a US$4 million pre-seed funding round for RyboDyn and is actively facilitating connections that can accelerate its growth in the region.

Dr. Parchariyanon highlights the importance of partnerships in scaling deep tech solutions effectively. “Partnerships are at the heart of what we do. With our network of over 500 corporations in SEA, we facilitate connections that go beyond introductions. These are hands-on partnerships designed to help startups scale while solving real business challenges.”

This collaborative approach extends across multiple sectors. For instance, SeaX Ventures works with climate tech startups to link them with corporations that can deploy their innovations at scale. Additionally, the firm helps startups navigate regulatory landscapes by working closely with government agencies to create supportive environments for emerging technologies.

Also Read: Market wrap: Inflation surprises, geopolitical shifts, and crypto’s resilience amid uncertainty

By leveraging its extensive network and industry expertise, SeaX Ventures continues to act as a conduit between deep tech startups and established players, facilitating growth and innovation across borders. As the demand for cutting-edge solutions in fields like biotech and climate tech increases, the firm remains committed to fostering high-impact partnerships that drive meaningful progress.

In this interview with e27, Dr Parchariyanon discusses significant trends in SEA’s deep tech sector and what the firm aims to do about them.

This is an edited excerpt of the conversation.

What are the most significant trends in deep tech that you believe will shape SEA’s future in the next five to 10 years?

SEA is at a unique crossroads where rapid economic growth meets an increasing need for transformative solutions. Over the next decade, we will see deep tech advancements in climate tech, biotech, AI, and blockchain having the most profound impact.

Climate tech, in particular, is becoming increasingly urgent. As the region faces challenges like rising sea levels and extreme weather, solutions that address energy efficiency, sustainable agriculture, and decarbonisation will play a critical role.

At the same time, advancements in AI and blockchain will reshape sectors like fintech and supply chains, while biotech has the potential to revolutionise healthcare access and outcomes.

Also Read: ‘The future of semiconductor manufacturing is regional’: Global TechSolutions CEO

Are there specific industries or verticals within deep tech that you see gaining more traction in the region? Why?

Climate tech is at the forefront of deep tech innovation in SEA. The region is responsible for around seven per cent of global carbon emissions and many countries have pledged to be net-zero by 2065, which is far too late.

There is an urgent need to find solutions that address energy security and sustainability, and areas like renewable energy, carbon capture, and waste management are already gaining momentum. At SeaX Ventures, we believe strongly about this, which is why we have invested in companies like Type One Energy and Hoxton Farms that are prioritising the planet’s future.

Governments and corporations are starting to prioritise green initiatives, but we need to act faster to mitigate the environmental impact and shape a sustainable future for the region. Addressing climate risks while also creating scalable solutions for long-term economic and environmental resilience is important.

What are some of the primary challenges deep tech startups face when scaling in SEA, and how can investors or ecosystem players address these issues?

A common challenge for early-stage deep tech companies is finding specialised talent and resources to scale since niche expertise and infrastructure are often required. Investors and other players can try to address this by fostering cross-border partnerships, providing startups with the mentorship they need, and helping them tap into global networks for talent and technology.

Beyond sourcing specialised talent and resources, gaining access to customers—especially larger corporates—is also a significant challenge. It takes time to find the right decision-makers within these organisations and build the trust needed to establish lasting relationships.

That is why what we do at SeaX Ventures makes a real difference. Through our exclusive partnership with RISE, an innovation consulting firm that serves over 500 organisations, including private, public, and state-owned enterprises, we are able to bridge critical gaps. By leveraging our strong regional connections, we help startups access the right support and networks they need to thrive.

Also Read: From 8x growth to Agentic AI: Omnichat’s APAC expansion and $10M Series A+ fundraising plans

For example, we invested in Band Protocol, and through our network, we helped them connect with key technology partners and industry stakeholders that helped accelerate their integration into broader markets. By facilitating these connections, we ensure startups gain the support they need to scale effectively.

What unique strengths or opportunities does SEA offer for deep tech innovation compared to other regions?

SEA has a massive, fast-growing market of over 680 million people who are eager to adopt new solutions, which creates great opportunities for startups to test and scale their innovations. Additionally, the region’s challenges, whether it is climate change, urbanisation, or healthcare access, are driving demand for transformative technologies.

Another strength is the entrepreneurial spirit here. SEA is full of ambitious founders who are passionate about solving problems and making a difference. Pair that with increasing government support for innovation and a growing pool of private capital, and you have a recipe for impactful deep tech breakthroughs.

How does SeaX Ventures evaluate the potential of early-stage deep tech startups, especially considering the higher risks and longer timelines often associated with these technologies?

We take a very intentional approach when evaluating which early-stage companies we will invest in. For us, it is about more than just the technology – we focus on the core problem the startup is solving and the team behind it. At SeaX Ventures, we look for world-class founders who are not only technically brilliant but also driven by a mission to disrupt entire industries and solve important problems.

Given the higher risks and longer timelines, we also focus on creating strong partnerships to support these startups.

Through our network of SEA corporations, we help these early-stage companies secure early market traction and have access to the resources they need to scale faster. For example, we invested in Qvin and helped them partner with BDMS group, one of the largest healthcare networks in Asia. This bridge-building approach helps mitigate some of the risks while creating long-term value.

How do you see venture capital’s role in driving the adoption and development of deep tech solutions, particularly in addressing critical regional challenges such as climate change, healthcare, and urbanisation?

Venture capital plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between innovation and impact. Deep tech solutions often require significant upfront investment, and venture capital firms provide the capital and strategic support to help founders navigate this journey.

Also Read: APAC’s surge in green tech is driving a global movement

At SeaX Ventures, we are especially focused on addressing challenges like climate change and much-needed healthcare breakthroughs. For example, we invest in deep tech climate startups that can help reduce carbon emissions – one of SeaX’s main goals is to reduce global carbon emissions by one per cent – or improve energy efficiency.

We then connect our portfolio companies with corporations that can adopt and scale their solutions. By fostering collaboration between startups, corporations, and even governments, we aim to drive meaningful change in the region and beyond.

What is your major plan for 2025?

In 2025, we are focused on doubling down on climate tech and other transformative areas like quantum, material science and AI. As we move through the year, we will focus heavily on investing in companies striving for carbon neutrality while also working toward our ambitious goals of reducing global carbon emissions by one per cent and driving one per cent of GDP growth for SEA through innovation.

We have already started the year off strong with our recent investment in the US-based biotech company RyboDyn, which I mentioned earlier. We are proud to back them as they expand their reach globally. With our connections in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, especially in SEA, we look forward to helping them explore new opportunities and make a real difference in healthcare worldwide.

We are always looking to expand our network of corporate partners and deepen our support for startups in our portfolio. At SeaX, our goal is simple: We bring SEA investment and customers to world-class entrepreneurs and, in return, bring breakthrough technologies to SEA to help facilitate growth in the region.

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Image Credit: SeaX Ventures

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Marketing is one of the biggest challenges that SaaS companies face. Whether you have an established SaaS business or a SaaS startup, you’d agree that SaaS marketing is an altogether different game.

SaaS businesses have a single software that they sell to their entire target market. Product limitation creates a lot of marketing-related challenges that businesses in other sectors (like retail) don’t face.

You have to maintain a high retention rate due to the subscription-based pricing model. This means you have to offer free trials to potential customers to encourage conversions. Marketing free software is easy, but converting free users to paid customers is an even bigger challenge. Limitations like these make SaaS marketing different and difficult.

Inbound marketing reduces these challenges significantly and helps you reach and connect with your ideal customers at the right time on the right channel.

Here’s a list of the major reasons why inbound marketing acts as oxygen for your SaaS company:

It’s sustainable

Inbound marketing is sustainable as it relies on content creation and publication. The content you publish on your blog (or other channels) continues to drive targeted traffic through search engines for years to come.

The life of a piece of content is potentially unlimited.

What this means is that inbound marketing doesn’t require regular investment that you do with outbound marketing.

The content you publish on your SaaS blog today will rank and drive traffic for years with minimal maintenance cost. You need to refresh and update content, maybe once a year, which doesn’t cost a lot.

Scalability is another added benefit. You need to increase publishing frequency for scaling making inbound marketing an ideal long-term marketing strategy.

It’s cost-effective

Inbound marketing is quite inexpensive in terms of customer acquisition cost (CAC) which plays a major role in SaaS growth.

Research shows that it costs US$14 less than traditional marketing to acquire a new customer through inbound marketing and it helps SaaS businesses save as much as 62 per cent in marketing when they use inbound (vs outbound) marketing.

Inbound marketing saves the cost in multiple ways:

• It doesn’t require excessive use of landing pages (which are essential for online ads). It requires publishing informative content that ranks in search engines and drives organic traffic to blog posts without any use of landing pages.
• The maintenance cost of content marketing is quite low compared to the maintenance cost of PPC ads. When you publish evergreen content on your blog, it doesn’t need regular updates which save
• Content production can be managed easily in-house. This makes it quite cheap. For instance, you can ask sales, finance, customer support, and other teams to contribute one article per month for the company blog. This is something you can’t do with outbound marketing.

High customer lifetime value

SaaS businesses have to maintain a low CAC to improve customer lifetime value (CLV) which determines the profitability. A high CLV means you make more money per paid customer than the money spent on acquiring a customer.

You must have a higher CLV than CAC to maintain a positive and profitable SaaS business model. This is where inbound marketing plays a major role as it lets you acquire customers organically with minimal investment:

It costs a lot to acquire a new customer through outbound marketing. Think of a search ad campaign on Google Ads to acquire leads for your SaaS business. The problem with outbound marketing is that it stops generating traffic and conversions as soon as you pause your campaign.

Also Read: 3 stages of marketing for your startup that can drive effective results

That’s not the case with inbound marketing.

Let’s say you spend $1,000 to publish a high quality article on your SaaS blog. It will stay there for years and will generate leads for your business without any recurring cost. This significantly lowers CAC over a period of time (not necessarily in the short run) and leads to a high CLV.

Build relationships

Building and nurturing relationships is the backbone of inbound marketing.

Your ideal customers find you through content. This improves brand awareness and brand recall. When your ideal customers find your SaaS brand for multiple search queries (and if they like your content), they will continue to engage with your blog.

If you are actively generating leads via your blog (which you should), you can nurture leads and convert them into customers.

The idea is to convert organic visitors into leads and then engage with them via email marketing and move them down the funnel where they finally become your customers.

Better conversion rate

Inbound marketing is a non-intrusive form of marketing. Your audience visits your blog and engages with the content when they want to. This is a reason inbound marketing has a better conversion rate than outbound marketing.

When you run a social ad on Meta, your ad appears to be intrusive. People who scroll their news feeds aren’t in a buying mode. However, someone who has entered a search query in Google is looking to solve a problem – and might be in a buying mode (in-market).

Also Read: How marketing will be enhanced through generative AI

The probability of converting an organic visitor into a customer is much higher than converting a paid visitor. Statistics show that inbound marketing increases conversion rate, on average, from six per cent to 12 per cent and it’s 10x more effective for lead conversion than outbound marketing channels.

This is true for the entire funnel – not just the top of the funnel.

While outbound marketing is more effective for the bottom of the funnel as it takes a significant number of interactions for a potential customer to convert, inbound marketing works across the funnel with equal efficacy.

Inbound marketing should work with other marketing channels

The best SaaS companies distribute their marketing budget between inbound and outbound marketing – and this is what you should do. Inbound marketing sets the stage for long-term sustainable and scalable growth while outbound marketing provides your SaaS business with instant, targeted traffic and leads.

Don’t let PPC consume your entire marketing budget as you will rely on it forever without any presence of owned media across different channels. Inbound marketing should be a part of your SaaS marketing strategy from day one.

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Image credit: Canva Pro

This article was first published on October 29, 2024

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It took two and a half years for Airbnb, ten months for Facebook, and 2.5 months, for Instagram to sweep a million users.

Then there was ChatGPT.

Launched in November 2022, this technology took just five days, propelling generative AI and AI in general to the forefront.

And then the recurring question of how AI will take away all our jobs reared its head, as is the case with almost all intriguing tech innovations that changes the game.

The no-brainer short answer to the above question is: No, Nope, Nein, Nyet.

AI (and for the context of this article, ChatGPT and other generative AIs) can augment human credentials by automating specific tasks and freeing up time for more complex and creative work.

AI and marketing

The language model offers powerful capabilities for generating human-like text. 

This is a piece of old news. 

Marketers and the technology teams supporting marketing have used AI for years. It is no secret that machine-learning algorithms govern Meta and Google advertising. 

Also Read: The rise of Social+ 2.0: How in-app communities and AI are reshaping the consumer tech landscape

Even Amazon has used artificial intelligence to design personalised experiences for some time now. 

In general, however, personalisation will continue to be an area where AI can provide actual value. E.g., it can assist significantly in deciding the type of messaging and content to put in front of users. 

However, for several reasons, marketers should think twice before using it to develop strategies for embracing diversity and representation in branding.

The risk of perpetuating biases and stereotypes

Although, OpenAI, the company behind the first GPT and its subsequent versions (we are on GPT-4, in case you have missed the memo), added guardrails to help ChatGPT evade challenging answers from users asking the chatbot to, for example, take a dig or say a slur or commit crimes.

One primary concern with using generative AI models such as ChatGPT for developing inclusive branding is that the language model is trained on large datasets of human language; it can reproduce patterns of discrimination and prejudice in our society.

Woke-washing and lack of authenticity

Practices (or collaterals, campaigns, content insinuating ) in business that provide the appearance of social consciousness without any substance are labelled as woke-washing. 

Such content fails to engage authentically with issues of diversity and representation. 

Because the language model generates texts based on statistical patterns in an existing language, it may not capture the nuances and subtleties of diverse perspectives and experiences.

This results in the risk of creating content that lacks genuineness and fails to resonate with diverse audiences. 

Complex and multifaceted ethical considerations

Different generative AI types exist, such as text-to-text or text-to-essay, text-to-art or text-to-image, text-to-audio, text-to-video, etc.

ChatGPT and it’s most recent version, GPT-4, is an extensive computational pattern-matching software and data modelling apparatus, which raises critical ethical considerations when used to develop inclusive branding. 

Also Read: ChatGPT becomes the helper or killer to all occupations in Vietnam

Such tools can generate large volumes of content quickly and cheaply to the extent that the algorithm may inadvertently disclose someone’s personal information.

There is a risk that marketers may prioritise efficiency over ethical considerations, such as the need to obtain consent from diverse communities and ensure that their perspectives are accurately represented. 

The caveat

AI is powerful. It will continue revolutionising the enterprise landscape, impacting all streams, from marketing to human resources. 

However, its effectiveness relies on human intelligence. 

As a marketer, the insights provided by AI are valuable if they are fuelled by data and understanding and used to evolve marketing plans, improve communications, and drive positive change for both customers and the business. 

And, although ChatGPT and its ilk (Smartwriter.ai, Phrasee, Jasper.ai) may be entering into an eternal category of functionality, getting leveraged for varied use cases, the OpenAI admits that ChatGPT-4 still struggles with bias; it could even deliver hate speech. 

Of course, the tech still gets things wrong, as people will always cheerfully point out. It is far from perfect and most likely be a perpetual work in progress. 

But then again, so are humans. 

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This article was first published on March 27, 2023

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