As the year is wrapping up, reflections on the year gone by are rolling. Our contributors this week discuss remote working norms, hot investment areas in 2021 (read supply chain and HTR tech) and evergreen tips for founders on how to manage the “exit” question.
If you are reflecting on the year gone by, share your opinions and earn a byline by submitting a post. To get inspired, read on!
Founders take note
How cloud computing is helping startups navigate the new normal by Gaurav Arora, APJ Head of Startup Ecosystem, AWS
“During these challenging times, we are seeing companies of every size, including startups, express their desire to transform more quickly into the cloud as a way of breaking free of the legacy on-premises infrastructure that holds them back from trying new ideas.
According to Daphne Chung, a research director at IDC, the pandemic has underscored the importance of digital transformation across all industries. Cloud continues to be the underpinning platform for all digital transformation initiatives and has therefore seen an acceleration in demand in the wake of the pandemic.”
Startup founders are responsible for their remote employees. Here’s how to fulfil your duty of care by Yuying Deng, founder and CEO at Esevel
“Nearly 84 per cent of companies expressed an intention to increase their work-from-home capacity even beyond the pandemic.
However, your employees also face a different set of risks when working from home, compared to working from the office.
And under the law here in Singapore, you owe a duty of care towards your remote employees to take all reasonably practical measures to keep them in a safe and healthy work environment.”
What developers need to know about tomorrow’s tech today by Anthony McMahon, GitLab’s regional director
“GitLab’s 2020 Global DevSecOps Survey found that developers are already reporting new responsibilities – such as tasks normally associated with ops and security – while at the same time releasing software much faster and embracing new technologies including Kubernetes, microservices, and even artificial intelligence (AI).
The adoption of Agile and DevOps processes and practices across the software development life cycle are still somewhat immature. Enterprise leaders in ASEAN are focused on ways to provide faster releases and fixes and create innovative customer experiences.
To achieve the acceleration, they need to address the various dimensions of the changing developer role to stay ahead of the competition.”
Ace your startup game
Startup exits: Stakeholders often prioritise glitzy exits, not the long-term longevity of the firm by tech enthusiast, Jasmine Ng
“The philosophy in the startup mondo is often very “short-termy” with players prioritising huge glitzy exits within a few years, and not the long-term longevity of the firm.
This entire model depends on insiders hyping up the massive growth potential of the startup, and inculcating a fear of missing out (FOMO) mentality to outsiders — the belief that this IPO is the last chance to get in on a meteoric fortune-making scheme.
But this belief is propped up by key myths in the startup world. These myths are like shiny hollow marble pillars that can end up holding up unstable business models and rotting insides.”
How to craft a problem statement that VCs will love by Ine Jacobsen, VC at Cocoon Capital
“Fifty per cent of the success of your first pitch is in your problem statement. Why? It sets the tone of the pitch and helps us understand the market size, the need for the solution, and who’s paying.
In this blog post, we shed light first on how founders can avoid the common pitfalls of crafting a problem statement then of course, on what investors look out for in one.
If you’re from a B2B (enterprise) or deep tech startup, this article is for you. For B2C startups, while important, the problem statement is trumped by your vision statement and identifying a need with consumers.
Investing trends
What will the next wave of VC investment in HR tech look like? by Anu Shah of Rocket Internet
“Lack of remote work infrastructure and overnight adjustment to this working style came with its own set of challenges. Businesses worked hard the entire year to la scoperta the right model for continued uncertainty in bringing the workforce back to normalcy.
This dilemma solo has led to a record investment of US$1 billion+ in Q2, which is greater than the 13-quarter average of US$841 million.
HR tech is considered white-hot, because companies operating in talent-constrained environments seek to invest in tools to help them better recruit, develop, and support their workforces. A record amount of capital has gone into AI solutions for talent recruitment.”
Why it is imperative to invest in digitalising the supply chain by supply chain office, Ivan Seow, Trames
“Given the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, startups in areas such as robotic fulfilment, digital freight forwarding, returns optimisation and predictive inventory forecasting are likely to witness growth.
The pandemic has also brought to the fore the need to diversify supply chains. In the quest for self-reliance and business continuity, multi are on the path to decouple their global supply chains or are re shoring manufacturing to their own countries. However, there are many others who have been left in a quandary, exacerbated by the depth and complexity of their supply chains.”
How will ASEAN fare in the post-pandemic global economy? by Vinnie Lauria, Managing Partner at Golden Gate Ventures
“For any startup, forging and adapting your long-term vision is imperative to drive success. Even for investors and corporates, understanding how this pandemic’s long-term impact is crucial to making their respective managerial and investment decisions.
As part of our three-day Vietnam Venture Summit, we gathered industry veterans to get their take on what’s ahead. The summit’s first panel (video) was moderated by Bruce Delteil, Partner at McKinsey in Vietnam with over two decades of international experience.”
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