Regeneration-as-a-service startup Handprint raises US$2.2M from Thunes, others
Handprint, a Singaporean startup building sustainability infrastructure for the digital world, has raised US$2.2 million in seed funding, led by leading payments network Thunes, with participation from unnamed angels.
The funding will be used to build Handprint’s technology further and expand its network of impact partners. The startup aims to advance its mission to transform the extractive economy into a regenerative economy — making it simple, easy and impactful for companies of all sizes to protect and regenerate the planet.
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The strategic investment will also combine the Thunes global payment network with Handprint’s technology, allowing funds to reach unbanked and hard-to-reach communities worldwide and cutting the cost of intermediaries.
Launched in Singapore in 2020, Handprint allows companies to select from verified impact projects, embed impact into their business functions (like payments processes and e-commerce tools), track how their positive impact grows over time, and create opportunities for customers engagement.
Its clients include Lazada, the healthy food chain SaladStop, and global media platform Teads for its Asia operations.
Do Ventures backs South Korean edutech startup Ringle
Early-stage VC firm Do Ventures has invested in South Korea’s edutech startup Ringle, a premium online English tutoring service that connects learners with tutors from leading universities in the US and the UK.
The edutech startup will use the funding to expand in the Vietnam market. The capital will also be used to enhance its AI-based platform.
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Founded in 2015, Ringle claims it helps learners achieve a high level of English proficiency. During the lessons, tutors use Ringle Docs, a tool developed by Ringle that enables tutors to correct the users’ English in real-time. The corrections are available both throughout and after the lessons, helping the users with initial comprehension and post-class review.
After each lesson, Ringle generates a script of the conversation using speech-to-text technology and provides a recording of the conversation to help students review.
The company also leverages AI to analyse students’ speech pace, vocabulary range, and frequently-used words and phrases, assisting with diagnosis and maximising learning efficiency.
Most of Ringle’s current users are professionals seeking career advancement and aspiring high school students looking to study abroad.
The platform has over 1,300 active tutors, 950 lesson materials, and an extensive video and snackable content library. Ringle has earned over 100,000 users worldwide since its launch.
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