Singapore’s hospitality and tourism sectors are experiencing a significant surge in demand for workers, with job postings rising by a substantial 64.3 per cent over the past three months, according to new data published by Indeed, the global job matching and hiring platform.

This spike arrives as the overall Singapore job market shows signs of a fragile recovery, with job postings increasing in September after two consecutive months of decline.

The rapid growth in hospitality and tourism roles was mirrored by noticeable increases in human resources, which saw postings rise by 37.1 per cent, and logistic support roles, which grew by 16.7 per cent in the same three-month window.

Also Read: The invisible problem in hospitality that’s costing billions in lost revenue

In stark contrast, several highly specialised sectors recorded significant contraction in job availability. Dental roles experienced the largest decline at 27.1 per cent, followed by childcare, dropping 23.1 per cent, and insurance, which fell by 17.6 per cent.

Macro context: A moderate rebound

Overall, Singapore job postings grew by 1 per cent in September, halting the two-month downward slide. Despite this slight rebound, the current job figures remain 14.5 per cent lower than those recorded a year ago, signalling a sustained downward trend observed over the past three years.

Callam Pickering, Indeed’s APAC Senior Economist, provided a cautious assessment of the figures: “Singapore job postings rebounded slightly in September, but we expect job postings to continue to moderate going forward”. Pickering noted that despite the expected moderation in postings, the Singapore labour market remains tight, defined by a low unemployment rate of 2 per cent and skill shortages that are still common.

High retention in nursing and F&B

The data also highlighted sectors where career pathways appear longer and retention rates are notably high. Resume data collected by Indeed between 2022 and 2024 revealed that registered nurses were the least likely cohort to switch occupations when finding new employment; only 11.9 per cent of those changing jobs moved outside of the nursing profession.

Similar retention patterns were observed across the food preparation profession. Only 12.7 per cent of line cooks, 18.9 per cent of chefs, and 29.4 per cent of cooks left the food and beverage industry when seeking new roles between 2022 and 2024.

Accounting also demonstrated strong retention. Just 27.2 per cent of audit associates, 31.1 per cent of senior accountants, and 32.5 per cent of senior auditors opted to leave the accounting profession during the monitored period.

Also Read: The future of job market: Dramatic changes and cultural shifts

Pickering stated that Singaporeans are motivated to change jobs for various reasons, with “higher pay or career advancement being obvious motivations”. Other factors driving workers to switch roles include seeking to “reduce stress, improve job security, or enjoy greater work-life balance,” alongside external factors such as redundancy, health issues, relocation, or a bad experience in their existing job.

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Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are at the heart of most economies. They create jobs, support innovation, and adapt quickly to change. Yet many face a shared challenge: how to stay productive while keeping operations lean. For businesses that operate with small teams and limited resources, technology plays a defining role in enabling that balance.

As digital transformation continues, expectations around productivity have shifted. Teams are now spread across different locations and time zones. Work happens on multiple devices, both online and offline. The need for connected and efficient workflows has never been more pressing. Artificial intelligence is beginning to meet that need, making it possible for smaller businesses to achieve the kind of efficiency that was once limited to larger organisations.

To explore how AI Co-Pilot is transforming everyday workflows across devices and the cloud, join Lenovo’s webinar on 6 November. Register now for free to see how Lenovo Pro is helping SMEs work smarter and accelerate their digital evolution.

Lenovo Pro and the SME opportunity

For SMEs, managing technology often involves trade-offs. Hardware must be affordable, yet reliable. IT support must be responsive, yet not overwhelming to maintain. Lenovo Pro is designed to simplify this process by giving small and medium businesses a structured way to access business-ready technology, flexible purchasing options, and dedicated support.

This structure allows companies to focus less on the logistics of buying and maintaining equipment and more on how that equipment supports their work. It also gives them access to the newest generation of Copilot+ PCs, built with AMD Ryzen AI PRO 300 Series Processors and optimised for Windows 11 Pro. These devices bring emerging AI capabilities into daily business use, supporting a gradual transition toward more automated, data-aware workflows.

Copilot+ PCs in action

The role of the personal computer is changing. What was once a tool for typing, creating, and communicating is now becoming a partner in analysis and decision-making. Copilot+ PCs illustrate this evolution.

Compared to traditional Windows 11 Pro devices, which already provide business-grade reliability, Copilot+ PCs feature neural processing units capable of handling over 40 trillion operations per second. This capacity allows many AI tasks to run directly on the device rather than relying entirely on cloud processing. The result is faster performance and greater privacy, since more data stays within the user’s control.

AMD Ryzen AI PRO 300 Series Processors power these Copilot+ PCs by delivering instant, energy-efficient on-device AI with enterprise-grade controls. As a result, users get responsive, private, all-day AI assistance that IT teams can trust. Their efficient AI acceleration helps preserve battery life and prevent thermal throttling, allowing Copilot features to run smoothly throughout the day. At the same time, built-in security and manageability features keep data protected on-device and enable trusted, compliant Copilot deployments across business environments.

In practice, this means that someone writing a client proposal, preparing a presentation, or sorting through a busy inbox can use Microsoft Copilot to generate summaries, outlines, and suggestions almost instantly. These features are designed to remove repetitive steps, not to replace human judgment. They allow people to focus on the parts of their work that require creativity, empathy, and decision-making.

For teams that move frequently between online and offline environments, local processing also ensures continuity. Work can continue even without a constant internet connection. Copilot+ PCs are also designed to work smoothly with common business applications such as Microsoft 365, Teams, and Adobe Creative Cloud, providing a familiar environment for most users.

Making technology practical for smaller teams

Access to advanced tools only matters if they fit within the daily realities of running a small business. Many SMEs operate without a dedicated IT department. They need systems that can be deployed, managed, and secured with minimal friction. The devices and services available through Lenovo Pro aim to support that approach. They prioritise ease of setup, remote management, and compatibility with the software that SMEs already use.

The value for small businesses is not only in adopting new technology, but in adopting it with confidence. Reliable support and a clear upgrade path can help organisations plan their digital growth instead of reacting to it.

Exploring what AI can do for SMEs

To help businesses understand how these technologies come together in practice, Lenovo is hosting the webinar AI Co-Pilot in Action: How Copilot+ PCs Are Redefining SME Productivity. The discussion will explore examples of how AI tools can fit naturally into daily work, improving collaboration and simplifying routine tasks. It will also consider what these changes mean for the future of business operations, where data-driven insights and automation play an increasing role in decision-making.

Register here for the webinar.

AI-assisted work is still in its early stages, but its potential for smaller enterprises is already visible. It is making it possible to process information faster, make better decisions, and adapt more quickly to changing demands. The combination of Windows 11 Pro, Copilot+ PCs, and Lenovo Pro’s support framework gives SMEs a practical entry point into this new landscape.

For many, it represents an opportunity not to work harder, but to work more intelligently. As AI becomes part of the everyday toolkit, SMEs are well placed to shape how technology supports productivity in the years ahead.

Can’t make it to the session? Join Lenovo Pro for free and enjoy exclusive AI-powered benefits all year round.

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) has long been discussed in broad, global terms—transforming industries and reshaping economies. But across Southeast Asia, something more grounded is happening. Founders and business leaders are turning AI from a distant ideal into a practical growth driver; one that addresses local market realities while building toward global scalability.

This spirit of applied innovation took center stage at the Meta Llama Incubator Program Demo Day in Singapore, where participating startups and SMEs showcased how they are transforming AI concepts into tangible products, business efficiencies, and customer impact.  

From experimentation to execution

A few years ago, AI in the region was mostly viewed as an emerging opportunity. Today, it’s becoming a core part of how businesses operate. At the recently concluded Incubator Program, founders shared how they’ve moved from testing models to deploying real solutions: streamlining workflows, improving productivity, and unlocking new value for customers.

Whether through intelligent automation tools, localized AI copilots, or data-driven platforms, these companies are showing that AI in Southeast Asia isn’t just about technological ambition. It’s about measurable progress and practical results.

Also read: Meta accelerates AI innovation in Singapore with Llama Incubator program demo day

Empowering SMEs to scale with AI

One of the most promising outcomes of the Meta Llama Incubator is the growing participation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs)—businesses that traditionally face barriers to AI adoption due to limited resources or technical expertise.

Many SMEs have gained the capability to integrate AI into their operations through the program’s support and mentorship, turning insights into actionable outcomes. This shift signals a more inclusive wave of digital transformation, where AI is not reserved for large enterprises but accessible to all innovators across the region.

Collaboration as the catalyst

The Meta Llama Incubator Program demonstrates how innovation flourishes when startups, SMEs, mentors, and ecosystem partners come together with shared purpose. Throughout the program, participants received hands-on guidance from refining use cases and building prototypes to testing real applications of AI in their products.

This collaborative ecosystem approach enabled by Meta, program partners, and industry mentors has proven that AI innovation doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens when expertise, technology, and opportunity intersect.

Also read: The mentors behind the magic: Meet the experts guiding Singapore’s next AI breakthroughs

Building Southeast Asia’s AI future

What stood out most at Demo Day was not just the technology. It was the mindset. Founders across the cohort are designing AI solutions that are:

• Contextually relevant, built with local data and user behavior in mind;
• Scalable, with potential to expand across markets; and
• Impact-driven, focused on solving problems that matter to communities and industries.

Southeast Asia’s AI story is being written by innovators who understand that technology’s true power lies in its application.

From hype to impact

The Meta Llama Incubator Program Demo Day marked more than the end of a cohort, it signaled the start of a new chapter in Southeast Asia’s AI journey. One defined by collaboration, inclusivity, and measurable outcomes.

AI in this region is no longer theoretical. It is practical, purposeful, and here to stay.

Interested in creating impact with us? Contact Innovate here.

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Marketers across Southeast Asia face a familiar but fast-evolving challenge: turning endless streams of customer data into meaningful, human connections. Consumers expect brands to know them, remember them, and anticipate their needs. Yet for many organisations, fragmented systems and siloed teams still stand in the way of truly personalised experiences.

Taking off from a Braze roundtable hosted by e27, we learned that the real barrier to transformation is not the lack of technology but the lack of integration between data, empathy, and creativity. AI is helping marketers move closer to real-time personalisation, but success depends on how well teams align around a single goal: making every customer interaction feel intentional and human.

The next phase of customer engagement

In Southeast Asia’s fast-growing digital markets, the shift from traditional campaign planning to real-time personalisation is accelerating. Companies that once relied on demographic segmentation are now experimenting with AI-driven audience modelling and contextual engagement, where every message, touchpoint, and offer adapts to user intent in the moment.

At the roundtable, leaders across fintech, e-commerce, and lifestyle sectors discussed how intelligent orchestration is reshaping the marketing function. The conversation revealed a shared understanding: AI is not about replacing marketers. It’s about amplifying their ability to listen, interpret, and respond faster than ever before.

Also read: How e27 helps brands build personalised customer experiences with Braze

Where human creativity meets machine intelligence

While technology can unify data and predict patterns, people still drive meaning. Across every discussion, a recurring theme emerged: the brands that succeed are those that combine machine efficiency with human empathy.

AI can personalise at scale, but it cannot craft emotional narratives. Data can reveal behaviour, but it cannot understand why people care. As one attendee shared, “AI can tell us what’s working, but humans decide why it matters.”

This balance between automation and authenticity is becoming the defining skill for modern marketers. It’s also an area ripe for ongoing dialogue and experimentation, something e27 continues to facilitate through events, roundtables, and cross-industry conversations.

Rethinking how marketing innovation happens

Roundtables like these show that real progress in marketing often starts with conversation. When corporates, startups, and solution providers sit together, the dialogue moves past technology and into what actually drives impact. This means strategy, culture, and creativity working in sync.

These discussions reveal how leaders across Southeast Asia are experimenting with new ideas. They share what works, what does not, and where the next opportunities might emerge. The exchange is candid, practical, and deeply regional.

What stands out is how ready Southeast Asia’s marketing ecosystem is to evolve. From AI-enabled personalisation to data ethics and creative automation, marketers are looking for ways to connect innovation with strategy and measurable outcomes.

Also read: Empowering brands to build a personalised customer journey with Braze

Where the conversation leads next

The conversations emerging across Southeast Asia point to a marketing landscape that is becoming more connected, curious, and human. The challenge now is to turn these insights into practice, to merge intelligence with empathy and technology with creativity.

As AI continues to reshape how brands understand and engage audiences, the most valuable outcomes will come from collaboration and shared learning. Marketing innovation in the region will advance through open dialogue, experimentation, and the willingness to see data not just as numbers but as stories about people.

The bottom line: AI is not replacing empathy; it is helping scale it. The next stage of customer engagement will belong to those who use technology to listen better, respond faster, and connect more meaningfully.

If your organisation wants to spark conversations like these or bring marketing leaders together around the next wave of innovation, let’s make it happen. You can reach the Innovate team here.

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Digital PR is the practice of using online channels such as websites, blogs, social media, and online news outlets to manage a brand’s reputation, boost visibility, and build authority. Unlike traditional PR, which relies heavily on offline media like newspapers and TV, digital PR blends classic public relations principles with digital marketing strategies.

This approach involves creating and distributing valuable content, connecting with influencers and journalists, managing online reputation, and earning high-quality backlinks that improve a website’s search engine rankings.

Digital PR vs traditional PR

Digital PR: Focuses on building a brand’s presence online through content marketing, SEO-driven outreach, influencer collaborations, and placements on blogs and digital publications.

Traditional PR: Relies on offline coverage—such as newspapers, magazines, radio, and television—to build awareness and shape reputation.

While traditional PR is still valuable, digital PR is essential in today’s online-first environment.

Why digital PR is important

• Boosts online presence: Digital PR increases visibility through media features, influencer campaigns, and shareable content. By being featured on top sites, your brand attracts targeted visitors and amplifies awareness.
• Builds trust and credibility: Positive coverage in respected outlets establishes credibility. This trust translates into stronger brand authority and customer confidence.
• Drives modern marketing: Digital PR complements SEO and social media strategies by generating backlinks, managing reputation, and engaging with audiences where they spend time—online.

Also Read: The real story behind AI project implementation: Why it’s not (just) about technology

What do digital PR specialists do?

• Media Relations: Building relationships with journalists and bloggers and securing coverage through valuable, newsworthy content.
• Newsjacking: Leveraging trending news and events to insert a brand’s message into the conversation. Newsjacking examples show how this tactic can drive visibility.
• Content marketing: Creating not just press releases but also videos, social posts, and articles that spark conversation and provide value.
• SEO and link building: Securing editorial backlinks from authoritative publications to improve rankings and domain authority.

Steps to becoming a digital PR specialist

• Understand digital PR: Learn how it differs from traditional PR and its role in boosting visibility online.
• Build core skills: Writing, SEO knowledge, and digital communication are must-haves.
• Get educated: Consider formal PR/marketing degrees or online certification.
• Choose your PR specialty: Focus on industries such as tech, politics, fashion, or business depending on your goals.
• Build your network: Connect with journalists and bloggers on LinkedIn, join platforms like HARO, and follow industry outlets like PRWeek and Spin Sucks.

How to develop an effective digital PR strategy

• Create a media list and pitch: Develop a tailored list of journalists and influencers. Craft engaging pitches that stand out see this guide on how to pitch journalists.
• Identify your audience: Use tools like BuzzSumo or SEMrush to analyse audience behaviour, interests, and preferred platforms.
• Leverage social media: Platforms like Twitter (X), LinkedIn, Instagram, and Reddit are crucial for amplification and engagement.
• Use newsjacking strategically: Tap into trending topics to make your brand part of larger conversations. 
• Measure Results Track backlinks, referral traffic, social engagement, and rankings to evaluate campaign success.

Conclusion

Digital PR is the art of building and managing a brand’s reputation online through media outreach, influencer collaborations, content marketing, and SEO-driven strategies.

By understanding your audience, setting clear goals, crafting compelling content, and leveraging the right channels, you can build brand visibility, credibility, and long-term growth.

In today’s digital-first world, a well-executed digital PR strategy is no longer optional it’s a necessity for sustainable success.

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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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Startups move quickly. They’re focused on building products, gaining users, and staying ahead. But in that rush, it’s easy to skip over things like protecting sensitive data. Whether you’re building a software tool, running an online store, or handling payments, you’re likely storing information that needs to stay secure — customer data, business records, financial info, even internal documents.

If that data gets leaked or stolen, the damage can be serious. It can hurt your reputation, break customer trust, and lead to legal or financial trouble. In some cases, it can shut the company down before it even gets going. The good news is, keeping your documents safe doesn’t need to be expensive or complicated. With a few simple tools and habits, like encryption and better access control, you can protect what matters and set your startup up for long-term success.

Common risks: The biggest threats to sensitive documents

Startups face a unique combination of digital threats. But understanding where vulnerabilities lie is the first step toward mitigating them.

• Phishing and social engineering: Employees are often tricked into revealing passwords or access credentials through seemingly legitimate emails or messages. Startups, where formal cybersecurity training is lacking, are particularly at risk.
• Unsecured file sharing: Using free file-sharing tools or unprotected email attachments to exchange sensitive documents opens the door to unauthorised access.
• Poor access management: Allowing all employees to access all documents increases the risk of both accidental data leaks and malicious insider threats.
• Lost or stolen devices: With remote working on the rise, the risk of losing laptops or phones containing confidential files has also grown.
• Lack of encryption: If documents aren’t encrypted, they’re vulnerable in transit and at rest.
• Inadequate backups: Without regular backups, startups risk losing valuable documents permanently due to ransomware or system failures.

Startups need to be proactive. The earlier you address these issues, the less expensive and disruptive they will be to fix.

Also Read: Laws, capitalism, creators and AI

Best practices: Simple steps to secure digital files

Fortunately, you don’t need a large IT team to protect your documents. There are some basic yet highly effective steps any startup can implement, including:

• Use encryption by default:
  • At rest: Store all sensitive files in encrypted drives or cloud services that offer end-to-end encryption.
  • In transit: Use encrypted communication methods (like HTTPS or secure email services) when sharing files.
• Set up access controls:
  • Only grant access to documents on a ‘need-to-know’ basis.
  • Use role-based permissions to manage access within your team.
  • Revoke access immediately when someone leaves the company or changes roles.
• Adopt secure document-sharing tools:
  • Avoid using unsecured methods like standard email attachments.
  • Use services that offer password protection of documents, expiration dates, and tracking for shared files
• Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA):
  • Require MFA for any service that stores or accesses sensitive data as it is one of the easiest ways to prevent unauthorised access.
• Create a data classification policy:
  • Identify which types of documents are considered sensitive.
  • Train employees to handle each category appropriately, using secure methods for storage and sharing.
• Regular security training:
  • Educate employees on how to spot phishing attempts and practice good password hygiene.
  • Make cybersecurity awareness part of your onboarding and ongoing employee development.
• Backup important documents:
  • Use automatic, encrypted cloud backups.
  • Regularly test recovery procedures to ensure you can quickly restore files in case of an emergency.

Also Read: Decisions made in the dark: Why founders can’t afford flawed financial data

Compliance made simple: How to stay on the right side of data protection laws

Startups that handle personal or financial information are often subject to regulations like GDPR (in the EU), CCPA (in California), or HIPAA (for health data in the US). Non-compliance can lead to heavy penalties but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

Here’s how to stay compliant without getting bogged down in bureaucracy:

• Know what regulations apply:
  • Identify where your customers are based and what types of data you collect.
  • Use compliance checklists tailored to the relevant laws.
• Maintain transparent data practices:
  • Have a clear, accessible privacy policy.
  • Explain what data you collect, how it’s used, and who it’s shared with.
• Obtain and log consent:
  • For data subject to regulation, you must get explicit consent before collecting or processing it.
  • Maintain records of when and how consent was given.
• Appoint a data protection lead (even informally):
  • This doesn’t have to be a full-time role, but there should be someone responsible for overseeing compliance.
• Enable data portability and deletion:
  • Make it easy for users to request access to their data or ask for it to be deleted.
  • Set up simple internal processes to fulfil such requests quickly.
• Use compliant vendors:
  • Choose cloud services and data processors that are transparent about their compliance measures.
  • Ensure you have proper agreements in place with third parties.

By embedding compliance into your operations early, you avoid costly retrofitting later on and show your users that you take their privacy seriously, helping to build trust from the outset.

Also Read: Anthropic data shows businesses use AI to automate, not collaborate

Conclusion: Why investing in document security is a smart move for long-term growth

For startups, data privacy is no longer optional, it’s a business imperative. Securing your sensitive documents protects your intellectual property, builds customer trust, and ensures compliance with laws that could otherwise cost you significantly.

The good news is that taking these steps doesn’t require a massive budget or advanced technical skills. Encryption, secure sharing, access controls, and basic training can go a long way. In fact, a strong data privacy foundation can become a competitive advantage as you grow, especially in industries where trust and security are key.

By making data privacy a priority, you are safeguarding what you have already built. But more than that, you’re creating the conditions for growth, resilience, and credibility in a digital world where trust is paramount.

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The Gen-Z traveller is rewriting the rules of online travel booking. Having grown up in a world of mobile-first convenience and economic uncertainty, this generation demands not only good prices but also freedom in choice, payment, and flexibility.

As their preferences dominate online flight sales, online travel agencies (OTAs) are experiencing a resurgence driven by innovation, adaptability, and trust.

For many Gen Zs, their earliest travel memories were disrupted by pandemic cancellations and refund nightmares. That period of uncertainty shaped their expectations: flexibility is now non-negotiable. Alex Yardley, CEO of FlyFairly, explains, “Some of Gen Z’s first travel experiences took place during COVID, and the lack of flexibility with some tickets was pretty shocking for them at the time. Offering flexible tickets has really resonated with that user base.”

Yardley points to research showing that Millennials and Gen Z engage with twice as many brands as older generations. “They want the ability to fly with any airline and pay however they like,” he adds. “Freedom to book and freedom to pay have both been critical to our early success.”

Not long ago, the OTA space seemed saturated. Dominated by global giants, it appeared nearly impossible for new entrants to gain ground. But changing consumer habits—particularly those of younger travellers—have opened the door for agile, tech-driven players such as FlyFairly.

Also Read: Opportunity, adaptation and the future of travel and hospitality

According to Yardley, Gen Z and millennials accounted for 62 per cent of all online flight sales last year. “They are not a minority; they are the overwhelming majority,” he says. “They have very different behavioural habits in how they discover, explore, and engage with brands. The traditional OTA ecosystem is rigid and inflexible, but a new generation of platforms is emerging to meet their expectations.”

That includes a focus on personalisation and discovery. Yardley highlights FlyFairly’s recent acquisition of social media company LFG, which bridges the gap between travel inspiration and booking.

“Gen Z does a lot of discovery online, through TikTok and other media platforms,” he notes. “By leveraging user-generated content, we build a bridge between discovery and booking.”

Flexibility beyond flights

FlyFairly’s success rests on four pillars of flexibility: booking, payment, choice, and rewards. With access to 650 airlines—about 50 per cent more than some major platforms—the company’s offering goes beyond price comparison.

“It’s not just about cheap flights,” Yardley says. “We give customers the choice to customise their travel, whether through flexible tickets or cancellation protection.”

Payment options are another differentiator. Gen Z’s comfort with digital finance is reshaping travel commerce, from buy now, pay later (BNPL) cryptocurrency schemes. “Gen Z has the highest attachment rate to BNPL of any generation,” says Yardley. “It’s a more responsible way to purchase — you split payments into clear, manageable parts.”

FlyFairly currently accepts over 70 cryptocurrencies and supports more than 100 payment methods. Yardley sees this diversity as essential to capturing younger consumers. “Seventy per cent of cryptocurrency wealth is held by millennials. Offering crypto payments is not a gimmick. It is giving people the freedom to transact in the way they prefer.”

Also Read: Business travel in the new normal: Strategies and tools for SME travel programme

Later this year, FlyFairly plans to launch a flexible rewards system that Yardley describes as “open-loop loyalty.” Unlike traditional airline miles that lock travellers into one brand, this model allows users to earn and redeem points across multiple airlines or transfer them back to a preferred carrier.

“Gen Z engages with twice as many brands as other generations, so they do not earn enough miles with one airline to make loyalty programmes worthwhile,” he explains. “We’re democratising rewards so you can earn and spend points wherever you choose.”

The resurgence of OTAs reflects a shift in traveller values as Yardley puts it, “When you are creating any company, your goal is to solve a problem. For us, it is about providing flexibility and freedom for the next generation of travellers.”

Rather than racing to the bottom on price, the new wave of OTAs focuses on user experience, flexibility, and trust, qualities that today’s Gen-Z traveller prizes above all.

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Image Credit: FlyFairly

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ChatCut, a conversational AI video editing platform founded by director and producer duo Kaiwen Li and Alima Strickland, has closed a US$1.35 million seed funding round led by ZhenFund with participation from Antler.

The Singaporean startup will use the money to accelerate product development, enhance existing capabilities and invest in infrastructure. ChatCut will also expand its engineering team, focusing on hiring both AI and full-stack engineers.

Also Read: Quanten wants to help filmmakers predict failure before it happens

ChatCut aims to revolutionise post-production by translating natural-language prompts into polished, professional video edits. This enables creators and teams to accelerate the process from raw footage to published content in minutes.

Li and Strickland’s journey into entrepreneurship was driven by a persistent industry pain point. The duo– the brains behind the VICE documentaries, Discovery Channel shows, and commercials for high-profile brands such as Airbnb, Gucci, and Chanel–experienced the difficulty of the editing bottleneck firsthand. For documentaries and commercials, editing routinely takes two to ten times longer than the actual filming process. They noted that even as AI sped up other elements of the post-production pipeline, editing remained a frame-by-frame manual effort.

ChatCut addresses this issue by tackling the actual editorial work–structure, pacing, and story flow–through conversation, rather than focusing solely on surface-level fixes like trimming background noise or adding captions.

Product and traction

The platform operates on a simple premise: Chat + Cut. Users upload their footage and input conversational requests, such as “Turn this 3-hour podcast into a highlight reel,” “Find all mentions of entrepreneurship,” or “Remove all pauses longer than 3 seconds”. Tasks that typically take a professional editor a full day to complete can be finished in as little as ten minutes using the platform.

ChatCut is positioned to capitalise on the increasing market demand for faster publishing cycles and consistent brand quality, as enterprises look to standardise on AI tools to reduce manual review rounds and localise content at scale.

The company views video editing as an entry point to developing a comprehensive video creation platform that will ultimately integrate cutting-edge AI capabilities for users working with recorded footage, AI-generated content, or hybrid approaches.

Co-founder Strickland stated that the company is “democratising editing capabilities and enabling world-class editing judgment into an intelligent agent anyone can access through conversation”. She added that for teams, this means faster outcomes, whilst for newcomers, editing is “no longer a barrier to publishing”.

Also Read: Thriving in the age of AI: What the media industry must do next

Antler Partner Winnie Khoo noted that the investment will enable further market penetration: “GenAI has crossed into everyday marketing and product work. ChatCut translates that capability into outcomes teams can publish today. The next step, and what this round enables, is pushing that experience into more formats, more integrations, and more markets”.

The post Filmmakers-turned-founders raise US$1.35M for ChatCut that makes video editing as easy as texting appeared first on e27.

Singapore’s AI ecosystem just got a significant boost, and it’s powered by collaboration.

Through Meta’s Llama Incubator Programme, created with support from IMDA, GovTech, EnterpriseSG, AI Singapore, SGInnovate, and key partners e27 and Deloitte, a new wave of startups is turning frontier AI into market-ready innovation.

This initiative–Meta’s first in Asia-Pacific–goes beyond training models. It’s about building an ecosystem where startups and SMEs can experiment, deploy, and scale AI responsibly, driving real-world impact across industries.

Also Read: Meta accelerates AI innovation in Singapore with Llama Incubator program demo day

Meet the 24 startups and SMEs at the forefront of Singapore’s AI future: from early-stage disruptors to emerging scale-ups redefining what it means to innovate with intelligence.

Opsis Emotion AI

Opsis specialises in facial, voice, ocular, body language and rPPG vital signals with LLMs for real-time emotional insights. Its proprietary healthcare data delivers accurate and scalable mental health.

AidMi

AidMi builds an AI-powered clinical assistant that helps doctors deliver better care before, during, and between visits. It automates pre-consult assessments, tracks patient symptoms between appointments, and offers clinicians actionable insights through smart dashboards.

ConnectingDNA

ConnectingDNA provides DNA-wellness digital infrastructure for personalised health, lifestyle, and brand optimisation. Its mission is to empower individuals and wellness providers to make smarter, faster, and safer health decisions using the power of their DNA.

Introdex

Introdex is an AI-powered sales platform that uses the largest warm connections network to help B2B companies get warm introductions to their pipeline leads.

Morpheus Labs

Morpheus Labs is an AI-powered, low-code implementation and integration platform that simplifies the process of building and deploying blockchain projects. The platform helps businesses and developers build, test, and launch applications, Web3, and AI solutions with greater speed and efficiency.

SOMIN

SOMONITOR is a platform for digital marketers that analyses competitor content to reveal communication gaps, identifies blind spots and recommends top-performing marketing strategies and content.

Smobler

Smobler is a next-gen game and frontier tech builder at the intersection of AI, blockchain, and immersive storytelling. It is a portfolio company of Animoca Brands, The Sandbox, and Brinc and is backed by Enterprise Singapore and IMDA.

CREX

CREX helps hotels build a premium guest experience through sustainability actions that genuinely drive conversions. It transforms their sustainability data into structured, AI-ready trust signals that set hotels apart, support their affiliate booking pathways, and connect them seamlessly to sustainability solution providers for measurable impact.

Addlly AI

Addlly AI offers brand-trained AI marketing agents and GEO tools to help global teams create, scale, and optimise content for AI-first platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity. Its AI Agents create high-quality, multilingual content across blogs, social posts, product descriptions, newsletters, ads, and more, at scale, and always in your brand voice.

Smart-Wares

It delivers intelligent AI-powered applications and software consultancy services that help businesses streamline operations, enhance decision-making, and drive digital transformation. It specialises in developing intelligent, AI-powered applications designed to transform operations across diverse industries, complemented by comprehensive software consultancy services.

Bitcomputing

Opencord.AI is an autonomous marketing assistant that helps SMEs scale without increasing headcount. It runs nonstop across multiple platforms and languages, engaging leads, optimising ROI, and delivering precision marketing campaigns. By automating repetitive tasks, Opencord.AI saves businesses significant costs while boosting reach and efficiency.

Sustainable Living Lab

Sustainable Living Lab (SL2) is a sustainability consultancy and innovation lab. We specialise in creating and implementing rapidly evolving, impactful solutions. Our expertise lies in leveraging technology, as a tool for sustainability, with a strong emphasis on a community-driven approach to implementation.

Glee Trees (Gleematic)

Gleematic AI is software for robotic process automation. It automates business operations by emulating mouse/keyboard strokes, text analytics, and machine learning.

Straits Interactive

Straits Interactive is an edutech company that specialises in Gen AI, data governance and data protection. It helps organisations convert their knowledge into AI Assets safely and securely.

IntentAI

IntentAI helps large, regulated enterprises take GenAI projects from proof of concept to full production. Its enterprise GenAI platform makes it easy to build, integrate, scale and maintain AI Agent workflows with strong governance, omnichannel support, and flexible deployment (cloud or on-premise).

i-Sprint Innovations

i-Sprint provides identity and access management (IAM) and mobile app protection and is used by enterprises to combat cyber threats with bank-grade security solutions.

SmsDome

SmsDome is a mobile and multi-channel marketing solutions company specialising in connecting B2B and B2C clients. The company positions itself as a mobile marketer and has served various industries, including government agencies, healthcare, education, retail, and F&B.

AgriG8

AgriG8 is an agri-fintech platform connecting financial institutions with Southeast Asian rice farmers. The platform aims to solve the problem of smallholder farmers’ reliance on high-interest informal loans (around 40 per cent per annum) and the financial challenges of adopting sustainable farming practices.

Explico

Explico is an assessment-based learning platform using AI and machine learning that identifies users’ academic strengths and weaknesses to structure their learning needs.

Good Bards

Good Bards is a marketing OS powered by agentic AI. The platform simplifies complex workflows, accelerates campaign deployment, and enables context-aware customer engagement.

Scarlett Panda

Scarlett Panda aims to reimagine how children read in the age of screens. Today’s kids spend more than six hours a day on digital devices but less than fifteen minutes reading for fun. It bridges that gap by combining storytelling, personalisation, and safe generative AI – transforming screens from passive entertainment into active imagination.

UIB Holdings

UIB has created a conversational AI platform with cognitive IoT capabilities. The platform, UnificationEngine, facilitates frictionless onboarding and seamless communications between humans, IT systems, and machines, such as connected appliances (smart homes), smart cities and smart factories (Industry 4.0).

MyRepublic

MyRepublic is a telecommunications provider aiming to redefine connectivity in the digital age. Through a continuous drive for innovation, the company delivers broadband and mobile solutions that exceed conventional expectations.

CraveFX

CraveFX is a Singapore-based creative technology studio that brings stories to life through animation, visual effects, motion graphics, and interactive experiences. CraveFX’s designers, animators, developers, and technologists collaborate to deliver visually compelling and emotionally resonant experiences that span commercial, educational, and cultural domains.

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Data courtesy: Tracxn.

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Singapore’s entertainment scene is seeing a new experiment with the launch of Superstreamer Asia, a reality TV competition where live-streamers take on challenges designed to test performance, selling skills, and audience connection. Produced by FLY Entertainment in collaboration with Synagie, Hoods Inc., IAmCasting and Shopee, the series blends entertainment with entrepreneurship.

Contestants will compete in live challenges that test not just their ability to perform, but to sell, connect, and convert in real time.

The show is the brainchild of Irene Ang, CEO of FLY Entertainment and a familiar figure in Singapore’s media landscape.

“They’re not just selling things; they’re entertaining, connecting, building communities. It’s the new stage, the new theatre,” says Ang. “Superstreamer Asia isn’t just entertainment; it’s a platform that could launch real, sustainable careers. Live-selling is not a frivolous pursuit — it’s the future of digital commerce.”

And the numbers back her up.

The business of going live

Globally, the live-streaming market is worth US$99 billion in 2024 and is projected to hit US$345 billion by 2030. In Southeast Asia alone, video commerce accounts for US$31.8 billion, or roughly 20 per cent of the region’s e-commerce GMV.

In Singapore, top live-sellers already make over SG$10,000 (US$7,720) a month, according to Superstreamer Asia’s own announcement post — a figure once reserved for senior corporate roles.

Yet, the spectrum is vast. Small streamers earn anywhere between US$50 and US$1,500 per month, while mid-tier creators average US$3k to US$5k per month. Globally, elite streamers can exceed US$1 million annually.

For some, it starts with a smartphone; for others, it evolves into a multi-camera production backed by analytics, automation, and artificial intelligence.

Also Read: Is AI the end of originality or a new dawn for creativity?

When stories sell

One example is Benjamin Wing, a storyteller, content creator, and keynote speaker. In 2025, he went live for CarTimes at The Car Expo, bringing car sales beyond the exhibition floor.

“Going live for CarTimes taught me that people don’t just buy cars — they buy confidence,” he reflects. “And when AI helps you understand what the audience feels in real time, that’s a superpower.”

Wing’s comment captures the heart of this new creator economy: Performance meets psychology, powered by technology.

The creator economy and AI

Superstreamer Asia reflects a wider cultural shift where creators are being recognised as entrepreneurs. Contestants, ranging from 18 to 80, will face challenges that test creativity, engagement, and conversion.

Among them is Belle Kwok, who sees live-streaming as a balance of authenticity and commerce. “With the right AI tools, creators like us can turn personality into greater profit,” she says.

AI is increasingly present behind the scenes: from optimising lighting and sound to analysing audience sentiment and suggesting products in real time. Beyond these support functions, some creators are also experimenting with AI avatars as virtual co-hosts, exploring how automation can extend their reach and presence during livestreams.

Also Read: Elevating your e-commerce strategies with livestreaming and hero products

In China, Baidu’s AI version of influencer Luo Yonghao hosted a six-hour livestream reaching 13 million viewers and generating RMB 55 million (US$7.7 million) in sales. Other brands, like Brother China, have reported sales lifts after using AI avatars. Research published in 2025 also suggests that virtual hosts can increase trust, responsiveness, and impulse purchases.

The human edge

Even as AI plays a bigger role, creators emphasise that technology works best when combined with authenticity. Viewers return not only for efficiency but also for emotion, connection, and relatability — qualities that are difficult to replicate artificially.

That balance between human creativity and AI-driven optimisation is what Superstreamer Asia seeks to explore.

As Ang puts it: “FLY Entertainment has always transformed with the times. This is the next shift — and I’m excited to see where it leads.”

The next stage

The future of entertainment and entrepreneurship is converging – and Singapore is positioning itself as the epicentre of Asia’s creator-commerce revolution.

AI is not replacing influence; it is amplifying it, reshaping how creators connect with audiences and sustain their work. The next generation of live-streamers may not only perform but also design and manage engagement — potentially alongside AI tools that act as co-hosts or collaborators.

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