Dear reader,

This week, we continue to see funding flooding into various global AI startups, starting with a US$3 million funding announced by Maxim AI to help developers create reliable AI tools.

As the world reopens following the COVID-19 pandemic, we also see more and more travel tech companies entering the promising Southeast Asian (SEA) market, including RateHawk, which offers hotel bookings, flight tickets, transfers, car rentals, and other travel-related services.

On the biotech front, we also see startups such as ArrowBiome raising new funding. ArrowBiome produces and engineers lysins and offers its solutions to personal care companies and speciality chemical manufacturers, among other players.

Outside of news, our contributors also write about a wide array of topics from navigating the future of marketing with AI to the importance of privacy in the age of social media.

Anisa,
Editor.

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NEWS

From sustainable energy to fan engagement, funding flows this week
SEA startups secured significant funding, with innovations ranging from AI-driven invoicing and digital fan clubs to seaplane and green fuels

Maxim AI secures US$3M to better help developers create reliable AI tools
It will use the funds to expand its team and onboard more enterprises building AI products, Tech In Asia writes

Autonomous trucking startup Waabi raises US$200M funding led by Uber, Khosla Ventures
Also backed by NVIDIA, the company relies on its AI chips ot power its self-driving applications, according to DealStreetAsia

Traveltech firm RateHawk lands in Asia with Singapore regional HQ
The company offers hotel bookings, flight tickets, transfers, car rentals, and other travel-related services

SG startup raises US$1M to help take microbiome care mainstream
ArrowBiome produces and engineers lysins and offers its solutions to personal care companies and specialty chemical manufacturers, among other players.

Oyo finalises up to US$125M raise at discounted US$2.5B valuation: report
The fundraise comes after Oyo abandoned its IPO plans last month

KKR-SingTel consortium to invest US$1.3B in ST Telemedia Global Data Centres
Reuters reported in late May that the KKR-SingTel consortium had emerged as the frontrunner to buy a minority stake worth some US$1 billion in Singapore-based ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC)

FEATURES & INTERVIEWS

Deemples, the ‘Uber for Golfers’, aims to make tee times effortless in Southeast Asia
Deemples facilitates connections among golfers to ensure that a game can always be arranged regardless of individual schedules

These 7 tech titans are empowering your business with reliable cloud services
The popularity of cloud services stems from various factors, including cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and scalability

Navigating the AI landscape in 2024: Why there is an urgency for enhanced governance
There are two points that stand out in 2024, starting with how AI will experience a shift from a “nice-to-have” to “must-have”

FROM THE CONTRIBUTORS

How institutional investors can build a successful DMA strategy in 5 steps
With increasing competition, more institutional traders are turning to DMA for frictionless, low-latency market access

Embracing AI’s promise: Navigating the future of marketing
In an era where AI is reshaping the marketing industry, we explore how marketers, particularly in Singapore, can unlock AI’s potential

Embracing automation and phygital models: The future of mortgage companies
Automation and phygital models are reshaping the mortgage industry, enhancing efficiency, customer experience, and operational cost savings

Travel revival: Asia-Pacific on the rise!
The booming popularity of APAC as travel destinations offers abundant opportunities for travel businesses and startups

Singapore’s skills gap: How Singaporean employers can embrace upskilling
The need for upskilling in Singapore highlights the importance of addressing the skills gap and offering accessible continuous learning opportunities

The hidden price of connection: Privacy in the age of social media
By taking proactive steps to manage your privacy, you can enjoy the benefits of staying connected without compromising your personal information

How startups can overcome the AI talent death
Cloud-based AI tools allow startups to scale operations, adapt to market changes, and stay agile without extensive in-house expertise

Confessions of a founder: There’s no fun in fundraising in 2024
Wipe your tears and don’t despair too much, founder; here are some comforting words from your fellow founder

How M&A can supercharge your startup’s success
M&A is a good exit strategy for deep-tech or tech-based ICT service companies and trend-sensitive B2C consumer goods companies

FROM THE ARCHIVES

A paradigm shift on the Z axis: How Gen Z is shaping the new work culture
Gen Z, armed with digital prowess and a vision for a brighter future, is forging new paths by prioritising personal happiness over tradition

How utu aims to boost tourism by transforming the traditional VAT refunds system
utu has introduced utu Privileges, which allows tourists to upsize their tax refunds by up to 110 per cent of the GST paid on their purchases

Sustaining the work: How businesses can take a step forward in their move towards net zero
As tackling the impact of climate change becomes more urgent, the next critical decade must focus on pathways

With STEPVR, making AI-generated videos is as easy as creating PowerPoint presentation
STEPVR was part of AI Trailblazers, Singapore’s first Generative AI Innovation Sandboxes established to accelerate AI solutions development

The next big things in AI: Why Enterprise GPT and inclusion are going to take centre stage
There is a movement for organisations to go beyond ‘narrow AI’ and embrace AGI–artificial general intelligence

Why Khailee Ng puts mental healthcare support as key to successful founders-investors relationship
Based on his experience in mentoring startups, Khailee Ng shares the most common issues faced by founders –and how investors can help them

Why customer education plays an important role in Wise’s international expansion plan
For services such as Wise, there are two dimensions to international expansion

Delivering 3M martabaks in a year: How Go-Jek uses big data to run business better
When it comes to the use of data, Go-Jek SVP, Business Intelligence Crystal Widjaja says that the opportunities to grow are abundant

The state of European tech startup industry –and what Asia can learn from it
The strength of the European tech startup industry lies in its availability of talents and its ability to attract these talents

Beyond the hospital: Challenges and opportunities in Indonesian healthtech scene
Healthtech in Indonesia may have been a niche sector at the moment, but there are plenty of rooms for startups to grow

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The post Ecosystem Roundup: Maxim AI gets US$3M | RateHawk lands in Asia | ArrowBiome raises US$1M appeared first on e27.