Inspired by the Nespresso coffee machine, Jeremy Tan, a former management associate of Singtel and a foodie at heart, decided to build something similar –but for desserts.

He launched Advantir Innovations in his home country Singapore after he noticed a major problem in the conventional ice cream machines. Based on his observations, the existing traditional models were bulky, inefficient, expensive, and most importantly, limited in flavour options.

He attributes this to the fact that the ice-creams are created within the machine, which is why only a few businesses with high traffic could afford to buy it.

“One has to spend a five-sum-figure to buy a desert machine that is only able to create soft serves with limited flavours. That, to me, did not make sense,” he expresses.

Like most innovators, Tan saw an opportunity to build a much sleeker, efficient, and cost-efficient version of the machine.

So instead of manufacturing the ice-cream within the machine, he decided to partner with ice cream manufacturers so that it would be much cheaper to produce more flavours.

He built something similar to a Nespresso machine that would allow people to create a wide variety of dessert experiences for themselves out of a simple capsule. After spending about two years since its inception in ideation, prototyping, and road mapping, Tan finally commercialised his product in 2020. It now has several patents pending in seven markets.

Also Read:  Today’s top tech news: Singapore takes step to stop bike-sharing litter, Go-Jek prepares to IPO

How it works

Advantir Innovation’s flagship product is Swirl Go, an ice cream-making capsule that makes sure that consumers get their favourite flavour dispensed at its finest quality.

The way that it works is that consumers pick their ice cream flavours out of a wide variety of options (also known as Swirl pods) and insert it into the machine. The machine then churns it out at its optimal consistency. Once this process is done, the user then presses a button on the touchscreen and the ice cream is dispensed into a cup or a cone for the customer to enjoy.

According to Tan, there are plenty of algorithms in place to ensure that the particular flavour of the specific brand is dispensed at its best consistency. This means that different flavours have different blends and mixes.

“The whole process takes less than a minute, so it’s actually really simple for them to serve themselves. There’s no cleaning or washing that happens between the dispense because there’s no food contact with the machine. So that’s a key element of how our design approach works,” he says.

Currently, the capsules are selling at two rates. The company implements a rent-to-purchase model (which is similar to leasing) at US$195 per month whereas the loan-with-purchase is sold at US$262, according to the website.

Market opportunity

As of now, the startup has completed trial deployments with offices, hotels and restaurants and claims to have generated a considerable amount of interest from overseas clients.

Also Read: Advantir raises seven-figure; seed funding to expand soft-serve dessert offerings

“We’ve seen interest from the Middle East and East Asia with the goal to create a wide variety of premium desserts with very low manpower. We have quite a few businesses that have reached out to us to indicate their interest, so that’s something really exciting for us now,” Tan explains.

Tan believes that Swirl Go will definitely be attractive to not only cafes and restaurants, but also to offices and co-working spaces.

Future plans

While the machines are currently offered only to B2B consumers, Tan plans to offer a “miniaturised” version of the machines to the general mass, in addition to producing machines for businesses. This machine is scheduled to launch by the end of 2021.

In an interview with TechInAsia, he mentioned that his goal is to make the capsules much more environmentally-friendly by using less plastic and making recyclable capsules.

The company has also disclosed plans of possibly expanding its reach to a wider number of desserts such as pastries and waffles.

Advantir is incubated by NUS Enterprise, the entrepreneurial arm of the National University of Singapore, and has raised grants from the Founders Grant, the government of Singapore, and the US.

Last month, the startup raised an undisclosed seven-figure USD in seed funding. Raging Bull Investments led the round along with participation from she1K Global, Expara Asia Ventures, Azerus, and other angels.

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Image Credit: Jeremy Tan

 

 

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TechNode Global, a Singapore-based tech media startup with a focus on the Asian market, announced today it has raised US$1 million in seed funding led by Kairous Capital, a cross-border VC firm focusing on China and Southeast Asia with offices in Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Nutty Capital Venture (Hong Kong) and SPH Ventures, the early-stage VC arm of Singapore Press Holdings (parent of Straits Times and Business Times), also joined the round.

As per a press release, the fresh funds will go towards bankrolling the media platform’s expansion in Asia. The company also plans to cover more technology stories and build a “comprehensive cross-border business” across the region.

Launched in early 2019 by Gang Lu, TechNode Global is a spin-off from China-headquartered bilingual tech media platform TechNode. The company claims it is building a technology community platform that offers news, provides fundraising and deal flow support and facilitates corporate-startup partnerships.

The deepening cross-border commercial ties between China and the rest of Asia, especially with Southeast Asia, present a huge market opportunity as Chinese tech behemoths step up their expansion and investments in the region.

By spinning off from TechNode, TechNode Global can focus its industry and regional expertise into better serving the significant Asia Pacific Market.

The media firm said it has worked with notable corporations including Huawei and Alibaba Cloud. As part of its Asia expansion plans, TechNode Global will set up an office in Malaysia in the near future.

Also Read: China’s tech news platform TechNode closes pre-Series B to increase global outreach

“Asia is the next promising technology innovation centre and market. With the enormous experience and resources TechNode has in China, I believe we are at the right place, at the right time to carry out our purpose,” added Lu.

“Being a regional VC investing across China and Southeast Asia, we envisage integration and collaboration opportunities in the technology and business space within the region. TechNode Global being connected with the Asia Pacific technology ecosystem coupled with the recently signed RCEP, we are positive that they will be a key player as a regional innovation enabler,” opined shared Lee, Managing Partner at Kairous Capital.

“Despite the serious impact from COVID, we do see a big innovation opportunity trending into a number of new technology frontiers. We believe it’s good timing for TechNode to expand into new markets and participate in the fast-growing Southeast Asia tech playground,” said Gilbert Lam, Executive Director at Nutty Capital.

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Image Credit: TechNode Global

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LongHash Ventures, an Enterprise Singapore-backed accelerator and investor focusing on early-stage blockchain startups, has launched a US$15 million fund, says a TechInAsia report.

The new fund will focus on investing in startups leveraging Web 3.0 infrastructure components and decentralised finance (DeFi).

DeFi refers to an ecosystem of financial applications that are built on top of blockchain networks.

Founded in 2018 and based in Singapore, LongHash Ventures seeks to build the native Web 3.0 blockchain economy through a global network across the Republic, Shanghai and Hong Kong. The company also runs a 12-week accelerator programme, which has accelerated over 30 companies and its portfolio companies have raised a combined US$25 million.

Also Read: Blockchain accelerator LongHash Ventures unveils 7 startups in its fourth cohort

Companies within its portfolio include Pravica, an emails and communications software which provides privacy and security through blockchain; ViewBase, a blockchain analytics platform for cryptocurrency traders; and Xanpool, an automated P2P crypto to fiat platform.

Besides Enterprise Singapore, LongHash Ventures is also supported by Fenbushi Capital and HashKey Capital.

“Blockchain is one of the most disruptive technologies in our generation and will have a far-reaching impact across all key verticals, with the financial industry reaping the most immediate benefits,” said Emma Cui, Co-founder and CEO at LongHash Ventures.

According to a report research firm Markets and Markets, the global blockchain market is expected to grow at an annual compounded growth rate of 67.3 per cent to hit north of US$39.7 billion in 2025.

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Image Credit: LongHash Ventures

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Days ago, Tesla listed 11 new job positions for the Singapore market on its website, giving strong hints about its impending foray into the country and sending the island’s electric vehicles (EV) enthusiasts into jubilation.

The development also brought cheers to those who already own a petrol/diesel cars in the country, as they can now look to switch to a more economical option — when Tesla starts commercial production.

At present, there are only about 1,000 electric cars on Singapore’s roads, meaning the adoption of EVs is very slow, which is attributable to inadequate infrastructure — all across the island, there are only 1,800 charging points.

Is this enough for the mass adoption of EVs?

“Singapore’s present infrastructure is not enough for the mass adoption of EVs,” opined Goh Hak Wei, Director and co-founder of LiRON LIB Power, which is focussed on the design, R&D and manufacturing of rechargeable Lithium-Ion batteries. “We can see that there is a growing number of EV charging stations — for example, at certain shopping malls, condo and car parks — but these are not enough.”

Also Read: Grab, Hyundai launches their first electric vehicle service in Indonesia

Kelvin Tay couldn’t agree more. He is, however, confident that Singapore’s plan to set up 28,000 electric charging stations by 2030 could be a game-changer.

“On October 14, Minister Ong Ye Kung had stated in Parliament that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) was reviewing the current plan with other agencies, including incorporating the significant effort of commercial entities to build up the EV charging infrastructure, with a view to bringing down the EV per charging point ratio,” added Tay, MD and Future Mobility and Advisor to CEO at Goldbell Corporation, which recently acquired electric car-sharing startup BlueSG.

“We foresee the industry picking up within the next three to five years and growing rapidly from the fifth to the tenth year when plans such as the installation of charging infrastructure in HDB and URA car parks start to bear fruit,” he noted.

In Singapore, the supply of EVs is not an issue, as many major automakers are launching a large variety of battery EVs over the next few years. “Once the “range anxiety” or “charging anxiety” issues are taken away with a combination of opportunistic fast charging and slow charging at home or at your workplace, the barriers to entry for owning an electric vehicle will go away,” he said.

Singapore in a unique position

When it comes to the EV industry, Singapore actually sits in a very unique position — while the market is too small, it greatly benefits from being a small country.

“One of the major drawbacks of EVs is the relatively short-range and the scarcity of charging points,” said Tong Hsien-Hui, Executive Director, Venture Investing at SGInnovate.

This, however, is relative. Given that the average range of a fully charged EV is about 250km, the average driver in Singapore can drive for more than four days (based on a national average of 55 km per day) between charging.

Although there are only around 1,000 electric cars on the roads today, there is a strong push to increase this number to around 200,000 by 2030.

In his perspective, the real reason for the slow adoption of EVs has to do more with the cost, lack of awareness and education on the benefits of EVs, as well as the physical constraints which limit usage to within Singapore only.

Also Read: BlueSG: Is electric car sharing really cheaper than other alternatives like Grab and Uber?

“For example, before COVID-19, many Singaporean drivers liked to drive across borders to Malaysia, an activity that would not be possible with an EV, given the lack of charging points and greater distances in Malaysia,” Hsien-Hui reasoned.

The mindset needs a change

Having to break habits and mindsets are amongst the biggest inhibitors to technology adoption.

China, which is the market leader in EVs, managed to overcome such barriers through national policies, subsidies, infrastructure investment and disincentives. Countries that want to make this push towards EVs will have to adopt similar approaches, although it is easier said than done.

“The biggest mindset barrier is the fear of not having a charging station available when the car runs out of power. This can be alleviated by installing more charging stations and greater education about the reliability of the battery packs. In my opinion, Singaporeans are pragmatic people. If an EV is cost-effective, looks attractive and comes with many cool features, then getting them on board the EV bandwagon will not be too difficult, as long as the infrastructure to support it is available,” noted Hsien-Hui of SGInnovate.

Echoing a similar view, LiRON’s Hak Wei said he believes people are more open to exploring EVs, but it will definitely have to go hand-in-hand with the costs, policies and infrastructure. “We as consumers will definitely look at the costs and also the convenience (e.g., infrastructure and charging station) and other aspects like safety, reliability and practicality. As a new battery company based in Singapore, we see interest growing, not just from EV companies but e-mobility companies as a whole.”

There is a mindset change needed for a driver used to driving a petrol/diesel-powered car to switch to an EV, according to Tay. While it was possible to drive until the tank is almost empty and then find a petrol station to top it up to full tank within five minutes, this is not a sustainable way to use an EV.

The ideal way to use an EV is to charge only ‘when needed’. In a country like Singapore, there is no need to bring the EV battery to full charge all the time if you’re travelling an average of 50km per day (currently around 20-25 per cent of full range for the EVs in the market). If every user is trying to bring the vehicle to fully charge all the time, it would not be possible to maximise the use of charging infrastructure.

“A shift in behaviour is needed to prevent ‘hogging’ of charging stations. If your vehicle is already at full charge, and it is still plugged into the charging station, you are depriving someone else of the opportunity to charge. It would take time for people to get used to EVs but I believe that the mindset/behaviour change will happen eventually,” Tay elucidated.

Hybrid is the way forward

LiRON’s Hak Wei feels that while the government is doing a lot for the industry, it can do more to promote EVs. However, given the limited infrastructure and space, it will be challenging as well as costly.

“I believe looking at ‘hybrid EV’ will be one way that we can move from the internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle to fully EV. ‘Hybrid’ without the need for a charging station will help consumers get used to electric without worrying about infrastructure. I guess the government can start from the hybrid models first (which we can see more on the road these days) before transiting into full EV down the road,” he said.

SGInnovate’s Hsien-Hui also believes ‘hybrid’ is the way forward for the time being. “What the government is to perhaps focus on education as the concerns — real or imagined — remain the key barrier to decision making by individuals. Perhaps a push towards hybrid cars might be a good intermediate stage, rather than pushing for Singaporeans to make a direct jump from an ICE to EV,” he commented.

Taking a different view, Goldbell’s Tay said: “The key in Singapore is that more than 80 per cent of the population lives in housing development board (HDB) flats. So, as long as we can increase the number of charging stations in HDB car parks, a large part of the battle is won.”

Also Read: Goldbell acquires BlueSG, to invest US$52.3M in the e-car sharing firm over the next 5 years

“What I would hope to see is some form of regulation which mandates that all private condominiums need to have a certain percentage of electric charging stations because of one major barrier: even if 10 residents in a large condo project want to buy an electric vehicle, it would be impossible for them to do so if the Management Corporation Strata Title (MCST) does not approve the installation of these stations,” he said.

Can Singapore catch up with China in EV adoption?

According to Kuo-Yi Lim, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Monk’s Hill Ventures, it will be hard for Singapore to catch up with China.

“I think EV adoption is harder in Singapore given we currently do not have the market size compared to China and other markets who are adopting EVs at a more significant size. At the same time, we believe that EV adoption is increasingly important for a more sustainable future. Climate change and clean energy are global concerns, and we should all be a part of it,” added Lim.

Monk’s Hill is an investor in smart electric motorbike company ION Mobility.

Climate change is a global concern and every developed country is taking steps to fight this menace. For Singapore or any other country for that matter, recognising the importance of EVs and their role in a more sustainable future is important. For the island nation to move closer towards carbon neutrality, collaboration among government agencies, the community and investors will be needed.

It is heartening to see Singapore leading the way, which will hopefully inspire other South and Southeast Asian countries to give more importance to clean energy initiatives.

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Photo by Björn Van der Auwera on Unsplash

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In the past decade, the e-mobility industry across the Asia Pacific has undergone huge developments with the region accounting for the largest share of battery manufacturing and sales globally. Sales of e-mobility in APAC have increased dramatically since 2010 with China leading in the field of electric vehicles not only across the region but worldwide.

Today, we are faced with the serious challenge of climate change and ever-increasing pollution is one of the leading causes of this global catastrophe. Last year, at the onset of the pandemic, we saw pollution levels go down significantly amidst global lockdowns and movement restrictions. This further solidifies the need for greener and more sustainable travel options.

This is where startups like Tokyo-based RESC are stepping up. With a mission to work towards the realization of resilient smart cities with zero-emission, the RESC develops an IoT battery platform for e-mobility and smart grid enabling battery sharing among users.


Revolutionising the e-mobility sector with IoT

Currently, all e-mobility vehicles are charged by plugging into electric plugs. In particular, delivery drivers have to wait for hours while a battery being charged or swap spare batteries multiple times in a day with each battery lasting just 30 to 40 kilometres. Other challenges and risks include batteries running out mid-delivery, high cost due to battery degradations, and chances of the battery catching fire due to overheating during long charging hours. With eCommerce booming, logistics and deliveries need to evolve too.

To help address these challenges, the RESC offers battery sharing for e-mobility users. Through their app, drivers can check the travel distance accurately and find exact locations to swap batteries on their smartphones. Furthermore, these lithium-type, IoT-ready batteries are cassette-shaped, light and easily swapped at battery charging lockers that are automated and remote-controlled.

Also read: Why a robust digital insurance distribution system is the future in APAC

RESC has also developed an IoT battery platform that comprises an ICT system, app, and prediction algorithms. This holistic suite of tech-enabled solutions enables battery sharing services eliminating challenges like battery run-out, long hours to charge, and the risks of over-heating or fire.

One of the most unique features of the RESC platform is the battery management prediction algorithm that helps accomplish more efficient battery charging and usage. Compatible with most e-mobility services, the RESC platform is also applicable to Smart Grid — an electrical grid which includes a variety of operation and energy measures including smart meters, smart appliances, renewable energy resources, and energy-efficient resources.

A host of energy services with sustainability at the core

In addition to the core offerings, the RESC also provides a host of energy services. The charging locker can work as an emergency power supply during typhoons or blackouts. Furthermore, the IoT batteries come with an optional inverter attachment that can supply AC power and hence, be used to power equipment. With sustainability at the very core of their business model and operations, the RESC also appoints recycling agents who help renew used batteries, wherein degraded batteries are used for stationary energy storage systems.

Also read: How collaborations between these Facebook communities yield better impact

In addition, the networked charging stations and stationary energy storages systems can be combined together to provide a virtual power plant creating a smart grid.

“At the RESC Group, we aim to build a battery platform that helps us realise our vision of a smart city, which will be a city with resilience against natural disasters like earthquakes and typhoons, has smart grids for efficient use of energy, relies heavily on renewable energy, and promotes e-mobility,” says Founder Daisuke Suzuki who comes from a background in Mechanical Engineering from MIT & an MBA from the University of Michigan.

Working towards making carbon-free energy a reality

When RESC started ten years ago, the Japanese market was not necessarily ready for IoT battery platforms. So, it was difficult to position the company’s ethos and convince investors. However, as the markets matured, key stakeholders started to realise the importance and scope of IoT, Big Data, and machine learning, and RESC was able to cement its position.

The Japanese government’s push towards digital transformation also helped push the business model. Founder Daisuke started off alone with a small team of engineers. Today, he has managed to find partners in other markets like China but still has a tight team of around seven people. RESC is ready to expand its team and operations and with the emergent trends inclining towards renewable energy and a surge in sustainability, they definitely seem to be on the right track.

Also read: User acquisition strategies to grow your app from Adjust and ironSource

“Renewable and low-cost energy is what the world needed ten years ago and also needs today. When we were new and struggling to establish as a company, my passion for the environment and faith in sustainability kept me going and it continues to motivate me even now. If anything, I believe this is more pertinent today with health pandemics, global warming, and climate change plaguing the whole world. I want to make no-carbon energy a reality so we can have a better, cleaner, greener tomorrow,” says Daisuke.

The industry is ripe and ready for players like RESC. According to Statista, currently, the number of battery electric vehicles in use worldwide is 4.8 million, out of which 1.03 million were sold in the APAC region in 2019 alone. It would be interesting to see how this startup grows and expands across the region to make sustainability an everyday reality.

Find out more about RESC here: http://www.rescgroup.com/index.html

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

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Antler, a global early-stage VC firm, announced today it has invested in 12 new companies from its fifth Singapore cohort.

The new entrants operate in SaaS, fintech, healthtech, Artificial Intelligence, insurtech, art-tech, and more.

The list included Singapore-based Breathonix from Antler’s COVID-19 Initiative. Launched earlier in April 2020, the initiative aims to invest in startups that are working on ideas that respond to the impact of COVID-19.

The demo day was streamed virtually to a global audience of investors, VCs and entrepreneurs.

According to Antler, 70 individuals were selected out of the 3,100 applications it received for its latest batch. The firm disclosed that the founders came with an average of 11 years of working experience, with 83 per cent having worked in a startup before.

Also Read: Meet the 15 new startups that have received funding from Antler

“The latest additions to our portfolio have built their startups to meet the needs of consumers in an increasingly digital-first world — where remote work, fintech and automated business processes have become integral to everything we do,” said Jussi Salovaara, Co-founder and Managing Partner Asia at Antler.

Launched in 2018 in Singapore, Antler has since grown to be a global early-stage VC, running programmes across a range of cities including Stockholm, Nairobi and Sydney, and investing in over 250 early-stage companies.

Notable companies from previous Antler Singapore cohorts include proptech startup Cove, HRtech platform Sampingan and fintech platforms Sama and Xanpool. The VC firm noted its companies have raised more than US$34 million in follow-on funding since graduating from its programme.

A brief overview of the 12 ventures

ArtWallSt: An art-tech company that matches artworks to bistros, retail, and work-spaces where emerging artists can reach prospective art lovers.

Bver: A platform that utilises AI to analyse voice and transcribed text from sales calls to help improve the performance of sales teams.

Bluesheets: A bookkeeping automation platform that automates manual data entry and brings financial transparency to organisations.

Brick: A fintech startup providing financial data API for tech companies in Southeast Asia to enable in-app financial services.

DayOne: A HR SaaS platform that trains frontline workers via micro-learning and micro-tasking to boost their performance.

Fighealth: A healthcare company empowering women to proactively understand and manage their reproductive health.

Forma: A no-code platform to build customised workflows for business processes.

Surer: An insurtech platform to help intermediaries work with clients and insurers with greater speed and efficiency through automation.

Locad: A cloud-based plug-and-play solution for e-commerce fulfilment, providing flexible and on-demand warehousing from a global network of logistics partners.

PocketPet: A mobile app that connects pet owners to vets and other service providers.

EatMatch: A social app that helps young adults and millennials find new connections and activities to do together.

Breathonix: A platform that uses breath tests for diseases detection by analysing small molecules in exhaled breath.

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Image Credit: Antler

 

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Cialfo, a Singapore-based startup in the international student mobility space, has raised US$15 million in an extension of its Series A round co-led by new investors SIG and Vulcan Capital

Backers also include January Capital, Bisk Ventures, Patrick Walujo and Teik Ngan Loy.

Cialfo will use the new capital for product innovation as well as expansion to India, China and Southeast Asia. It also plans on working with leading universities to help them provide open online courses and other blended learning solutions.

Launched in 2017, Cialfo’s goal is to make learning opportunities accessible to students by leveraging on data and technology to simplify college and career counselling workflows.

It does this through its AI-powered search application management tool, which allows students to apply directly to thousands of colleges across the globe.

On the other end, higher education institutions can leverage on Cialfo’s solutions to attract and recruit students through virtual college fairs, direct engagement opportunities and data analytics that give them a better understanding of the student.

Also Read: AppWorks joins Indonesian edutech startup InfraDigital’s Series A round

In 2020, the startup claims to have secured 650 partnerships with top institutions such as Cambridge, Oxford, Brown, University of Pennsylvania, University of Chicago as well as local universities like Singapore Management University and Yale-NUS.

Additionally, Cialfo is also working with more than 1,200 K-12 schools across 90 countries and claims to have grown its revenue by over 200 per cent year-on-year.

“Within a short span of time, Cialfo has made big waves in the global edutech industry,” said Tommy Teo, Managing Director of Southeast Asia, Vulcan Capital.

The company also announced that it is in talks to acquire similar firms that operate in the K-12 space, with the aim of establishing an even stronger position and greater market share in the region.

Besides Singapore, the startup also has offices in New Delhi, Shanghai and Washington DC.

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Image Credit: Cialfo

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Communities, just like the people they are made up with, are multifaceted. Despite having central goals and objectives that it seeks to pursue, a community is strongest when it is aided by meaningful partnerships outside its defined scope and purpose.

Through collaborations, communities are able to better address problems that intersect within the different demographics each community caters to. Moreover, they are able to help provide solutions not only for their specific audiences, but for adjacent communities that share similar challenges. As such, at the Facebook Community Accelerator, collaborations between different participating communities are encouraged and supported.

Community-building itself is a challenge. Thus, for many participating communities, becoming a part of an accelerator programme under the guidance of Facebook is beneficial to their cause. Furthermore, collaborations between communities help them widen their audiences and access more to people, and through partnerships, these communities are able to share their strengths and best practices with one another.

Challenges in community-building

While discussing their community-building efforts, Filipina Homebased Moms (FHMoms), a community that helps mothers obtain financial security and personal growth by helping women find home-based livelihood opportunities, explained that “during the start of the Facebook Accelerator programme, the Philippines was in the path of 4 typhoons, which affected the access to electricity and internet connectivity of everyone in the country. This slowed our progress for a month and a half.”

Despite this, the team behind FHMoms persevered. With the help of Facebook’s growth-related training, hands-on mentorship, and funding support, FHMoms aims to reach more Filipino stay-at-home mothers who need help or access to a source of livelihood and internet connectivity.

There are a variety of challenges that hinder communities from being able to flourish. Indonesian Babywearers (IBW) says that because of the nature of the community they are building, which is to provide consultations and education on baby-wearing — even at low cost — they still face the challenge of growing their community as people were “deterred by the price, which in turn has had an impact on our goal to improve the mental health of our community, especially mothers,” they explained.

Yohana Habsari, the chief proponent of the project, elaborated “we have had to find a balance in setting a price that is between the price of a professional consultation and what is acceptable by the community to enable mass education.”

Also read: Why a robust digital insurance distribution system is the future in APAC

Just like FHMoms and IBW, many other participating communities turned to the programme to help address challenges in their community-building efforts. Thailand-based community Local Alike which focuses on empowering and connecting Thai tourism to the world and Philippine-based #MentalHealthPH whose goal is to promote and protect mental health awareness, both cited the pandemic as a key hurdle in their initiatives. Meanwhile, fellow mental health advocate, Ooca, explained that finding the right team members has been their biggest challenge.

Mental health was a big topic at this year’s community accelerator. Joining #MentalHealthPH and Ooca is MotherHope Indonesia (MHI) seeks to create a safe place for moms and promotes perinatal mental health literacy to support mothers and families affected by perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. MHI cited stigma surrounding mental health, funding, unintegrated perinatal healthcare, and untrained health workers and volunteers as some of their key obstacles.

Addressing these different challenges can be tricky and requires careful guidance from various community experts. BEAGIVER, a community that focuses on helping people create social impact, argues that it is important to keep members engaged. With the help of Facebook’s community management resources, BEAGIVER is hoping to design a chapter’s journey and membership journey, among other strategies, designs, and process, that they are coming up with to ensure meaningful experiences.

Advancement for Rural Kids (ARK), on the other hand, said that in order to address their challenges, they leveraged Facebook’s unparalleled reach into the rural areas of the Philippines. “We used the ad credits and utilised the persona analysis and other marketing skills we learned in the community accelerator to ensure we understand our target and potential partners,” they said.

These are only some of the challenges faced by the participating communities. Thankfully for them, however, apart from the programme’s arsenal of support, they can readily rely on partnerships and collaborations with one another for stronger community efforts.

Partnerships and collaborations

In building communities that can grow together, one must examine where pain points intersect so that efforts to address them can become collaborative in nature. In the case of FHMoms and #MentalHealthPH, Maria Korina of FHMoms said, “many of our moms are suffering from postpartum depression and other mental health issues but they don’t know where to go or who to ask for help. We decided to partner with #MentalHealthPH to explore ways to help our moms achieve better mental health.”

#MentalHealthPH and FHMoms offer similar forms of support to a common demographic through their various programmes such as consultation and access to mental health resources, among others. On the flip side, #MentalHealthPH acknowledges the crucial role of mothers to promote and protect mental health not only for themselves but also for their households. This easily aligns with FHMoms’ goals of empowering stay-at-home moms.

Local Alike on the other hand has partnered with YOUNGHAPPY, a community that helps seniors maintain an active lifestyle that promotes their self-esteem, keeps them engaged with their peers, and supports their wellbeing. Because this community is mostly made up of people who love to share their daily routines and special events with families and friends on social media, they are the perfect community to collaborate with for Local Alike’s goal of promoting community-based tourism.

Meanwhile, IBW sought partnerships with two participating communities. The first partnership with Ooca mutually benefits the two communities because of their intersecting interests. Members of IBW that need to seek mental health services are unable to do so due to the pandemic. Thankfully, Ooca’s services — which are mainly offered online — have become relevant and useful for their community.

Also read: Why Taiwan Matters: local and international initiatives in Taiwan startup ecosystem

Moreover, while Ooca is a platform for online consultation, IBW has can provide specialists to perform the consultation. With their collaboration, IBW can reach more users both locally and internationally on the Ooca platform, while Ooca is able to enter the Indonesian market.

Their second collaboration supports a similar community while addressing similar pain points. MHI believes that social support requires an environment in which women can learn that they are not alone, they are not to be blamed, and that recovery is possible. This collaboration is fitting since IBW operates as a strong “virtual village” of women who can empower one another — which strengthens and supports MHI’s vision.

Lastly, ARK and BEAGIVER — both based in the Philippines — saw great potential in collaborating with each other. The team behind ARK explained that “BEAGIVER serves similar profile communities that we partner with. There is a potential that they have communities who want to solve hunger and food insecurity and want to be on a path to self-sufficiency.”

Meanwhile, BEAGIVER elaborated further that “both ARK and BEAGIVER are committed to uplift the economic condition of families in the community, and the community as a whole. While our entry point approaches are unique and different, the end goal is the same — no family should go hungry and communities must have economic opportunities or alternatives to better their lives.”

Moving forward to a more collaborative future

As these partnerships continue to evolve — forged by a burning passion to pursue common goals under the expert guidance of community-building juggernauts like Facebook, these communities are well on their way to creating meaningful impact. Having already mapped out future plans of launching online and offline events, establishing larger partnerships, raising public awareness, and amplifying causes, there is much to be expected from these budding community leaders.

Also read: Are cyber attacks more life-threatening than we think?

“The problems that we are solving are big and structural. It cannot be solved by any one organisation or any one solution. It can only be solved as a large partnership or coalition of similarly intentioned individuals, organisations (public and private, for-profit, and social profit), communities that bring diverse thought, talent, and experience,” said Ayesha of ARK.

Through the Facebook Community Accelerator, these communities do not only benefit from a slew of technical support, mentorship from a team of experts, and funding; more importantly, they get to form important networks and partnerships with other communities that can collectively impact the world in much bigger ways.

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This article is produced by the e27 team, sponsored by 
Facebook Community Accelerator

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You know its a great week when one of your contributors returns after nine months and three new contributors join the bandwagon.

Well, this week they are discussing the future of AI, cultural transformation and policy making in the digital world.

Happy reading! And if you have counter perspectives to share, earn a byline by submitting a post.

The world of AI

The social dilemma: How Feed Flow AI is shaping the future of app engagement by Peng T. Ong, Managing Partner at Monk’s Hill Ventures

“The Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma highlighted the fact that a number of Silicon Valley tech companies are using Feed Flow AIs to monetise attention with many users being unaware.

For some companies, it is for the sake of corporate interests. Take a look at the social media platforms from the US, which tend to optimise for engagement to drive ad revenues. Meanwhile, platforms in China tend to drive direct revenues through methods like virtual gifting.

Indeed, the Feed Flow AI is a powerful lever for user engagement but this brings up the question of transparency. Are companies respecting users’ attention, privacy, and most of all, their free will?”

The dawn of creative AI: How this BLOCK71 startup is revolutionising the creative industry by Deon Tan, outreach executive at Block71 Singapore

“Despite the diversity, one thing remains the same: humans are the sole source of creative work – or so we arrogantly believe. What if I told you that AI can also play a part in the creative world?

Data scientists and researchers have grappled with the problem of natural language processing (NLP) for the longest time. With the continuous development of machine learning algorithms, AI has become smarter and sharper at understanding and reproducing human language. However, is AI smart enough to write original pieces that reflect a brand’s persona? Is there a limit to its linguistic creativity?

To learn more about the relationship between AI and creative copywriting, I had a chat with Joshua Wong, co-founder and CEO of Hypotenuse AI – an AI startup that employs machine learning to generate written content for e-commerce companies. Read on to find out how Wong plans to harness the power of AI to revolutionise the creative industry.”

Policy matters

ASEAN policies and developments that encourage blockchain investments by Kay Banzon, fintech and security enthusiast

“Investor interest is an important factor, but it is not going to be enough without counterpart actions from governments or regulatory bodies. In the absence of legislation or regulations that clarify the treatment of digital assets and blockchain-based transactions, tech startups that pursue blockchain applications in their business models cannot attract investors.

Investors will likely find it too risky to extend financial backing to companies that operate in markets where their businesses can face legal challenges.

ASEAN as a whole does not have specific policies related to blockchain and digital asset adoption. However, some member countries have introduced legislation or changes in their policies over the years in support of blockchain-based business models and innovations.”

How important is regulation for digital banks in India? by Elizabeth Barry, Finders global fintech editor

“Data from Finder shows that one in five Indians (roughly 184 million people) hold a digital bank account. A further 12 per cent of Indians plan to open a digital bank account in the next year, which will bring the total up to nearly 296 million people.

But while the growth in markets such as Asia, the UK, Europe and Australia have been bolstered by regulatory efforts of their respective governments, India’s digital bank market has largely grown without government help. It’s still not possible to get a digital bank licence in India, but there are 17 neobanks gathering funding and customers.

So, is the Indian market unique? Or will it need regulatory assistance to properly establish its digital bank market?”

All about growth

What metrics to monitor as a B2B SaaS company? by Minh Vu Hong, Investor @ Qualgro

“What are the key metrics you should be tracking to ensure right understanding of your business and sustained longevity of your company?

The following are definitions of the main B2B SaaS metrics you should be monitoring for your company in the context given above. Note that all these metrics can, and should, be tracked across various different levels: company level, product level, cohort level, customer group level, etc.

The purpose of this short article is to provide a common ground of notions and knowledge on SaaS metrics, based on the hundreds of SaaS companies we see and evaluate on a yearly basis at Qualgro.”

How can companies drive growth in a recession? by Mike Flache, entrepreneur and angel investor

“The fact is, real growth is simply impossible in some industries during a recession. Demand is almost at zero and global sales markets have collapsed. And what is made even more difficult during this pandemic and completely independent of the sales market: the procurement market and supply chains were/are completely interrupted in some cases.

In view of these extremes and looking back on my conversations, the question asked at the beginning of this article should first be answered by another question: How can companies drive growth in a recession? And only then to ask whether digital transformation can actually enable growth in times of crisis and beyond.”

Cultural transformation and digital transformation go hand-in-hand. Here’s how to get it right by Crystal Faith Neri, Marketing Manager, 10X Innovation Lab

“We live in a world where we are constantly meeting new people and exchanging ideas. With this comes the necessity of accepting others’ cultures and opinions.

It is important because to maximise the value we bring to a community, we must recognise our piece as a part of the bigger pie. Cultural transformation is an essential tool for all businesses to move forward in the working world.

Recently, 10X Innovation Lab had the pleasure of sitting down with Max Shkud, Head of Learning at Microsoft Silicon Valley. He walked us through understanding the basics of cultural transformation within a workplace, how to set yourself up for success in HR, as well as some thoughts about the coronavirus and opportunities for people working towards creating cultural change in the workplace.

In this article, we share with you his tips and tricks and that will get you to think critically about your role in your organisation.”

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing contributions from the community. Become a thought leader in the community and share your opinions or ideas and earn a byline by submitting a post.

Join our e27 Telegram group, FB community or like the e27 Facebook page

The post From our community: MHV’s Peng T Ong on the future of apps, metrics for SaaS co and more… appeared first on e27.

Today, there are 2.2 million apps on iOS and 2.8 million on Google Play. As the app stores become oversaturated, this presents a significant challenge for app marketers: relying purely on organic installs and app store or search engine optimisation, is simply no longer enough to compete. In 2021 the key to growth, scale, and profit is building a solid user acquisition strategy to acquire users who go on to generate more revenue than they were brought in for.

With a specific focus on non-gaming apps such as travel, music, shopping, and news, mobile marketing leaders Adjust and app monetisation experts ironSource have teamed up to create a report that highlights app industry user acquisition trends and strategies for staying ahead of the curve. The “Growth Strategies for Mobile App User Acquisition” ebook gives you the tips and tools required to grow your app through user acquisition.

Exploring everything from the media sources that non-gaming apps currently rely on to best practices for designing creatives that convert, the latest ebook from Adjust and ironSource is a complete guide to help you navigate every step — whether you’re just starting out and building your strategy from the ground up, or looking to optimise and improve your current strategy.

Powered by data from Adjust and ironSource, the report also includes useful case studies and benchmarks for KPIs such as CTR (Click Through Rate) and CVR (Conversion Rate), so you can see how your performance currently fares against the rest.

As the pandemic accelerates us towards a more app-focused world, 2021 will likely see businesses everywhere investing in their apps and using them as a primary channel to interact with their users. Make sure you’re one step ahead when it comes to growing your business and proactively reaching out to valuable potential users — download the Growth Strategies for Mobile App User Acquisition ebook to learn more.

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

We can share your story at e27, too. Engage the Southeast Asian tech ecosystem by bringing your story to the world. Visit us at e27.co/advertise to get started.

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