Press in 2020 - Quest Ventures
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创业行动社群（ACE）主席兼求索创投（Quest Ventures）合伙人陈中说，由创新推动的企业需要集合五个元素，即企业家、合作、大学、风险资本（risk capital）和政府， ...
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2020December10Bigfirmswillacquireaggressivelyafterthepandemic,saysQuestVenturesJeffreySeahKrASIA
QuestVenturehassincemadeitsforayintoKazakhstan,thelargesteconomyinCentralAsia.InJune,itkickedoffanacceleratorprograminKazakhstantodiveintothelandlockedcountry’sgrowingtechecosystemandconnectlocalstartupstotheglobalmarket.QuestVenturesrecentlyledaUSD750,000fundingroundinKazakhstan-basedHRtechplatformClockster,acloud-basedsystemtocoordinateemployees’workschedulesacrossdifferenttimezones.
“AfterninemonthsofCOVID-19andwiththevaccinecomingsoon,thelearningphasefortheworldwillgoonforthenextoneandahalfyear.Bigcorporatecompaniesthathavesurvivedthepandemicwillacquireaggressively,becausethosewhohavemoneywillbuyeverything.Iwouldbetthatcompaniesabletosurvivearetheonesequippedwithgoodtechnology.
Meanwhile,therewillbealotofcorporateguystryingtobuildnewcapabilities.Thiswillbethebesttimetoacquirenewcapabilities,oreventalents.Youcouldgetabunchoftalentswithafairerpricecomparedtoayearago,sothere’llbealotofstreamliningandequityacquisitions,whichalsomeanthatstartups’founderswilllevelupandraisethequalityoftheirpeople.COVIDisaperiodofmarketvalidationforstartups’businessmodels.ItmakesiteasierforVCslikeustoassesstheirgo-to-marketviability.Theywillbeabletomaintaintheirvaluationsiftheythriveduringthisperiod.Welooktoinvestinsuchbusinesses.”
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2020December08ДесятьлучшихIT-стартаповопределиливКазахстанеForbes
КрупнейшийтехнопаркIT-стартаповЦентральнойАзииAstanaHubобъявилТОП-10лучшихказахстанскихIT-компанийистартапов2020года.РейтинглучшихIT-стартапов–ежегодныйобщенациональныйсписоклучшихказахстанскихIT-стартапов,разрабатывающихинновационныеитехнологическиепродуктыиуслугиирешающихважныепроблемныевопросынарынке,передаетРИАНовости.
РейтингпозволяетопределитьуспешныхигроковсредиотечественныхIT-стартаповнарынке,стимулироватьразвитиеIT-предпринимательстваиобозначитьвекторразвитияинновацийвКазахстане.
Списоклучшихстартапов:
Cerebra–системапозволяющаяпоснимкамкомпьютернойтомографиинараннихстадияхвыявлятьстепеньинсультаучеловекасиспользованиемсистемыискусственногоинтеллекта;
Clockster–HRдлямикро,малогоисреднегобизнесов,помогаетклиентамулучшитьдисциплину,сократитьупущеннуювыгоду,автоматизироватьсозданиерабочихрасписанийиулучшитьвнутренниекоммуникации.
OKOO–образовательнаяонлайн-платформадляшкол,котораяпомогаетучителямлучшепроводитьурокиинформатики,адлядетей–сделатьпроцессобученияинтересным;
Campeat–маркетинговаяплатформанаосновеискусственногоинтеллектадляпредприятий,позволяющаяпривлекатьпочасовойтрафиквнепиковыечасыиувеличиватьпродаживмагазинах;
ЖюриконкурсавыступилиизвестныеIT-предприниматели,венчурныеинвесторыибизнес-ангелы:ОльгаАфанасьева(UVCA),МуратАбдрахманов,АнуарСейфуллин(QuestVentures),СанжарСулейманов(TechGardenVentures),АрташесГригорьян(CentrasVentures),МиратАхметсадыков(MOSTVentures),СерикШакарим(SeedstarsKazakhstan),ТарасВолобуев(AIFCFintech),ДиасКажахметов(QazTechVentures).
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2020December07ДесятьлучшихIT-стартаповопределиливКазахстанеKazinform
НУР-СУЛТАН.КАЗИНФОРМ–КрупнейшийтехнопаркIT-стартаповЦентральнойАзииAstanaHubобъявилТОП-10лучшихказахстанскихIT-компанийистартапов2020года.РейтинглучшихIT-стартапов–ежегодныйобщенациональныйсписоклучшихказахстанскихIT-стартапов,разрабатывающихинновационныеитехнологическиепродуктыиуслугиирешающихважныепроблемныевопросынарынке.
ЖюриконкурсавыступилиизвестныеIT-предприниматели,венчурныеинвесторыибизнес-ангелы:ОльгаАфанасьева(UVCA),МуратАбдрахманов,АнуарСейфуллин(QuestVentures),СанжарСулейманов(TechGardenVentures),АрташесГригорьян(CentrasVentures),МиратАхметсадыков(MOSTVentures),СерикШакарим(SeedstarsKazakhstan),ТарасВолобуев(AIFCFintech),ДиасКажахметов(QazTechVentures).
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2020December06放弃总裁职位创办科技公司蔡财宝推动船运行业数码化LianheZaobao
30多年前，蔡财宝远赴英国伦敦学习当船运经纪时，发现这些项目主要是西方人的“游戏”。
他心中有个疑问：“为什么亚洲人不能主导呢？”当时在本地一家小型船运经纪公司工作的他，于是立志要当亚洲船运经纪领域的龙头。
为了推动数码化，蔡财宝与本地风险创投公司求索创投（QuestVentures）合作，投资船运业起步公司。
他说，很多船运起步公司无法获得很好的资源，因为投资界并不了解这个领域。
新加坡企业发展局（ESG）也发现了这点，去年透过SEEDSCapital与新加坡海事及港务管理局推出了联合投资伙伴招标，投资海事业起步公司，今年委任了六家投资合作伙伴。
船狂是其中唯一的小型公司，和求索创投联手设立了1000万元的海运基金，投资起步公司。
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2020December02HR-techплатформаClocksterпривлекла$750тысячотмеждународныхинвесторовRusbase
Clocksterпредставляетсобойплатформудляавтоматизацииучетарабочеговременисотрудниковдлямалогоисреднегобизнеса.ПоданнымClockster,сервиссокращаетупущеннуюприбыльна10-15%,повышаетэффективностьсотрудниковна20%,сокращаетзатратынауправлениекорпоративнымрасписаниемиприводитвпорядокдокументацию.
«Уплатформыестьпотенциалдлярынканашейстраны,помимоинвестициймыпредоставилиэкспертизуинетворкдлямасштабированиявРоссии.ПоисследованиюDeloitteConsulting,67%российскихкомпанийподтверждают:нарынкеотсутствуютсистемысбораиобработкиданныхосотрудниках»,—пояснилауправляющийпартнерHR&ED-techОксанаПогодаева.
СтартапClocksterбылзапущенв2018году.Заэтовремяонпривлек$100тысячотчастногоинвестора,$240тысячотказахстанскоговенчурногофондаABC-I2BFSeedFundибизнес-ангелаОлжасаЖиенкулова,сооснователяидиректорасингапурскогофондаPaladigmCapital.
ПолученныевтекущемраундеинвестициикомпанияпланируетнаправитьнамасштабированиебизнесавЮго-ВосточнойАзиииСНГ,R&Dимаркетинг.
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2020December02ClocksterbagsfundsfromQuestVenturesDealStreetAsia
HRtechplatformClocksterhassecuredaninvestmentof$750,000inafinancingroundledbySingapore-basedventurecapitalfirmQuestVentures.
OtherparticipantsinthefundingroundincludeacceleratorHR&ED-tech,ABC-I2BFSeedFundandPaladigmCapitalCEOOlzhasZhiyenkulov,accordingtoapressstatementfromClockster.Singapore-basedClockster,85percentofwhoseclientsareinKazakhstan,providessimple,easy-to-usetimetrackingapplicationforemployees,helpingenterprisestoautomatetheirbusinessroutinesandsavetime,itswebsiteshowed.
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2020December02HRTechspecialistClockstersecures$750KSeriesAtoexpandintotheSoutheastAsiamarketTechNodeGlobal
HRTechstartupClocksterraiseda$750,000SeriesAfundingroundledbyQuestVentures,anotedinvestmentfirmanchoredbysovereignwealthfundsQazTechVenturesinKazakhstanandPavilionCapitalinSingapore.
OksanaPogodaeva,ManagingPartneratHR&ED-TechAccelerator,expressedconfidenceinthefutureofthecompany,sayingthat“Clocksterisabouttofly.”PogodaevatooknoteofhowthecompanyhasshownvisibletractionwiththefirstclientsintheAsia-Pacificmarket.“They’realsogoodatsolvingmarketproblems:accordingtothelatestHRresearchdonebyDeloitteConsulting,67percentofsurveyedcompaniespointoutthelackofsystemsforcollectingandprocessingdatainthatsphere.And88percentofrespondentssaythatinvestmentsinHRautomationhavepaidoff,”theHR&EDmanagingpartneradded.
DiazBeksoltan,DeputyChairmanoftheManagementBoardofQazTechVenturessimilarlyexpressedhighhopesforthefutureofClockster.“MybestwishestotheClocksterteamastheyscaleintonewmarkets.WeeagerlyawaittheirtransformationfromanAstanastartupintoafull-fledgedmulti-market“unicorn”business,”Beksoltanenthused.
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2020December02КазахстанскийстартапClocksterпривлек$750тысячKapital.kz
КазахстанскийстартапClocksterпривлек750тыс.долларовотсингапурскогофондаQuestVentures,якорнымиинвесторами,которогоявляютсяАО«QazTechVentures»иPavilionCapital–дочерняякомпанияTemasekHoldings,российскогоHR&ED-TechAcceleratorисерийногоангела-инвестораТалгатаИсмаила.
КаксообщаютвQazTechVentures,сотрудничествоссингапурскимфондомQuestVenturesначалосьвмарте2020года,послеподписаниясоглашенияосозданиисовместногофондаскапитализациейв50млндолларов.Согласноусловиямсоглашения,фондвближайшиепятьлетрассмотритипрофинансируетперспективныестартап-проектыКазахстанаиЦентральнойАзии.
ДляClocksterданныйинвестиционныйраундявляетсявторым.Осенью2018годабылипривлеченыинвестициивразмере340тыс.долларовотказахстанскоговенчурногофондаABC-I2BFSeedFundибизнес-ангелаОлжасаЖиенкулова,которыйявляетсясооснователемидиректоромсингапурскогофондаPaladigmCapital.
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2020December02QuestVenturesleadsUS$750,000investmentinKazakhHRstartupTheBusinessTimes
SINGAPORE-BASEDQuestVentureshasledaUS$750,000SeriesAinvestmentroundintoClockster,aKazakhstanhumanresources(HR)techstartup,theventurecapital(VC)firmannouncedonWednesday.
TheroundwasjoinedbyHR&ED-techaccelerator,aRussianacceleratorthataimstobuildscalableHRtechventuresinCentralAsiaandEurope.Clockster’sotherearlyinvestorsaretheABC-I2BFSeedFundandangelinvestorOlzhasZhiyenkulov.
ThestartupspecialisesinHRtoolsdesignedformicro,smallandmedium-sizedenterprises(MSMEs),whichcanautomatepayrollandtimesheets,managestaffschedulingandfacilitatecommunicationbetweenemployeesandtheiremployers,independentoftimezones.
Clockstersaysthatithasmorethan160clients,ofwhom85percentarelocatedinKazakhstan.ItissteppingupclientacquisitionsfromRussia,Ukraine,Uzbekistan,thePhilippines,IndiaandSingapore.
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2020December01QuestVenturesleads$750kroundinKazakhstanHRtechstartupClocksterTechinAsia
Clockster,aKazakhstan-basedHRtechplatform,hassecuredaninvestmentofUS$750,000inafinancingroundledbyQuestVentures.
OtherparticipantsinthefundingroundincludeacceleratorHR&ED-tech,ABC-I2BFSeedFund,andPaladigmCapitalCEOOlzhasZhiyenkulov.
ClocksterprovidesadvancedHRtoolsdesignedformicro,small,andmedium-sizedenterprises(MSMEs).Theserviceallowscompaniestoautomatefunctionslikepayrollandtimesheetsandsimplifiesandmanagesstaffscheduling.
ThecompanyplanstousethefundingtoexpandintoSoutheastAsianmarkets,aswellastheCommonwealthofIndependentStates.Itwillalsohirego-to-markettalentanddevelopitssoftware-as-a-serviceplatform.
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2020November13ScaleUp马来西亚宣布第二期加速器启动，20家初创企业入选TechNode
新加坡风投支持的加速器计划近日宣布启动第二期项目。
该计划是求索创投总额100万美元的外商直接投资协议的一部分。
根据协议，QuestVentures将向入选加速器的其中最高12家公司投资6万美元。
ScaleUp马来西亚表示，该计划吸引了来自多个国家的200多家公司报名。
根据产品与市场的契合度、盈利模式和产品的可扩展性等标准，共有20家企业入选本次加速器项目。
该加速器旨在帮助初创企业开发适应市场的产品，为成为具有高收入增长和盈利能力的企业而努力。
入围者将开始为期3个月的小组强化培训计划，重点培训领域包括产品管理和财务经营。
此外，他们还将参加为期一个月的训练营，以帮助他们筹集资金。
计划完成后，20家初创企业将向投资委员会介绍他们的产品。
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2020November11ScaleUpMalaysiaAcceleratorCohort2OnA#Quest2Scale20CompaniesDigitalNewsAsia
ScaleUpMalaysiaofficiallylaunchedCohort2ofitswellregardedScaleUpMalaysiaacceleratorprogramme,basedinKualaLumpur,poweredbyQuestVentureson22October2020.ThelaunchwasvirtualandattendedbypartnersandrepresentativesfromQuestVentures,ScaleUpMalaysia,media,togetherwiththeparticipatingcompanies.
The20participatingcompanieswillundergoa3-monthintensivedeepbusinesscoachingthroughgroup-basedtrainingonproductmanagement,finance,strategicplanning,valuation,marketaccessandmore.Theywillalsobepartofamonth-longinvestorreadinessbootcamptopreparethemforfund-raisingbeforepresentingtheirsolutionstoanInvestmentCommitteeattheendoftheprogramme.
JeffreySeah,PartneratQuestVentures,said“WeareimpressedbythementalityanddexterityofthestartupfounderswemetinScaleupMalaysiacohort2.Theentrepreneursdemonstratedanincisivereadoftheirmarketsandbusinesstargets,andcriticallytheirinternationaloutlooktoscalingisinspiring.WebelievethatmanyfromCohort2–besidestheshortlisted–willbeabletobuildscalable,multi-marketgoingconcernbusinesses.Weareexcitedbytheirrealisablepotential.”
InearlySeptember,ScaleUpMalaysiaannouncedtheirpartnershipwithQuestVentures,aSingapore-basedventurecapitalfirmtoinvestandscaletheregionalgrowthoftopMalaysianstartupswhichwillseeaForeignDirectInvestmentdealworthUS$1,000,000(RM4,150,000)todevelopandgrowMalaysianstartups.Aspartofthepartnership,QuestVentureswillinvestatleastUSD$60,250(RM250,000)inupto12companiesparticipatingintheaccelerator.
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2020November09KazakhstantechnologystartupsshowcasetheirglobalambitionsatKDADemoDayAdoboMagazine
TopKazakhstanandCentralAsiastartupspiquedtheinterestofinvestorsacrosstheglobeatashowcaseoftheirtechnologiesonNov3rd(Tuesday).
Thedemodaywasorganisedbythe KazakhstanDigitalAccelerator(KDA),aninternationalcollaborationbetween QazTechVentures –theventurecapitalarmofBaiterekHoldings,Kazakhstan’ssovereignwealthfund;and QuestVentures,atop-rankedventurecapitalfirmbasedinSingaporeandbackedbyinvestorsincluding PavilionCapital.
Startupshad40+hoursofmasterclassesandfiresidechatswiththebestexpertsandentrepreneurs;13weeksofpersonalandindividualtrackingandmentorshipfromQuestVenturesteam;andaccesstoQuestVenturesecosystemthroughnetworkingandpartnerbenefits.
MrJamesTan,ManagingPartneratQuestVentures,said,“TheKazakhstanDigitalAcceleratordemonstratesthatamazingtechnologyexistsanywhereintheworld.Weareprivilegedtohavethehelpoftheentireecosystem,especiallyQazTechVentures,inthisprogram.Welookforwardtothesestartupschangingtheworldintheirchosenfields.”
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2020November06KazakhstanstartupsshowCentralAsiaisnextfrontierDigitalLifeAsia
TopKazakhstanandCentralAsiastartupspiquedtheinterestofmorethan150investorsandpartnersacrosstheglobeatashowcaseoftheirtechnologiesonNov.3.
Theglobaldemodayhighlightedapplicationsofartificialintelligence(AI),energymonitoring,andeducationinthefast-emergingmarketsofCentralAsia.ThedemodaywasorganizedbytheKazakhstanDigitalAccelerator(KDA).KDAisaninternationalcollaborationbetweenQazTechVentures—theventurecapitalarmofBaiterekHoldings,Kazakhstan’ssovereignwealthfund—andQuestVentures,atop-rankedventurecapitalfirmbasedinSingaporeandbackedbyinvestorsincludingPavilionCapital.
“QazTechVenturesisextremelydelightedwiththeshowcaseofamazingtechnologyfromtheKazakhstanDigitalAccelerator.Thetransformationofthesestartupsandtheirfoundersoverthepastthreemonthshasbeennothingshortofinspirational.QuestVenturesisanimportantpartnerandfirstmoverinthisexcitingemergingmarket,”saidDiasBexoltan,actingCEOatQazTechVentures,inapressstatement.
“TheKazakhstanDigitalAcceleratordemonstratesthatamazingtechnologyexistsanywhereintheworld.Weareprivilegedtohavethehelpoftheentireecosystem,especiallyQazTechVentures,inthisprogram.Welookforwardtothesestartupschangingtheworldintheirchosenfields,”saidQuestVenturesManagingPartnerJamesTan.
ThegoalsofKDAaremultifaceted.Itacceleratesglobal-readystartupsfromCentralAsiaforinternationalinvestmentandmarketaccess.Itisalsotaskedwithjump-startinganddevelopingthestartupandinnovationecosystemofKazakhstan.
StartupsintheKDAreceivedseedfundingofUS$50,000eachandhadindustrymentorsworkwiththemforaperiodofthreemonths.Coveringareassuchasmarketing,operations,andtechnology,startupfoundershadtheopportunitytointeractwithdozensofindustryveteransandfounders.Startupshadmorethan40hoursofmasterclassesandfiresidechatswiththebestexpertsandentrepreneurs;13weeksofpersonalandindividualtrackingandmentorshipfromQuestVenturesteam;andaccesstotheQuestVenturesecosystemthroughnetworkingandpartnerbenefits.
TheKDAalsomarksthefirsttimeaneconomiccorridorforstartupsandinnovationhasbeencreatedbetweenthefast-growingregionsofSoutheastAsiaandCentralAsia.
Thestartupsareatseedstage,post-productanddemonstratetraction.
ThedemodayalsoincludedapaneldiscussiononthedevelopmentofventurefinancinginCentralAsia.
ApartfromQazTechVentures’Bexoltan,thespeakersincludedEnterpriseSingaporeAssistantCEOEdwinChow,AstanaInternationalFinancialCenterChiefDevelopmentOfficerKairatKaliyev,AstanaHubCEOMagzhanMadiyev,andEnterpriseSingaporeRegionalGroupDirectorfortheMiddleEast&Africa,C&EEurope&CentralAsiaYogeindranThiyagarajah.
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2020November0550тысячдолларовдлястартапа.КакХолдинг“Байтерек”помогаетзарабатыватьнаперспективныхидеяхInformБЮРО
Иностранныминвесторампредставили10казахстанскихстартапов,которые,помнениюэкспертов,имеютсерьёзныйпотенциалдляразвития.
Вчёмзначимостьэтогособытия?Во-первых,онопоказало,чтоКазахстанможетразрабатыватьвысокотехнологичныеиконкурентоспособныеIT-продукты.Во-вторых,основателистартаповубедились,чтоперспективнаяразработкавполнеспособнапривлечьденьги:каждыйизфиналистовполучилпо50тысячдолларовнаразвитие.В-третьих,венчурноефинансированиевнашейстранестановитсяреальнойвозможностьюдлявоплощенияинтересныхидейвжизнь.
KazakhstanDigitalAccelerator(KDA)
Этомеждународныйакселератор,запущенныйврамкахсотрудничествамеждуАОQazTechVentures(дочерняяорганизацияХолдинга“Байтерек”)иведущегосингапурскогофондаQuestVentures.
ЦельKDA–воказаниипомощистартап-компаниямповыходунамировыерынки,приэтомheadoffice–производственнаябазаитрудовыересурсы–остаютсявКазахстане,апродажатоваровиуслугпродвигаетсянарынкахдругихстран.
ВтечениенесколькихмесяцевврамкахпрограммыKDA10стартап-финалистов,выбранныхэкспертамииз200подавшихзаявки,работалинадсвоимипроектамиподруководствомзарубежныхиотечественныхопытныхтрекеров,ментороввобластиинновационногоразвитияиполучилиинвестициивразмере50тысячдолларовнадальнейшееразвитиестартапа.
Всёбыловпервые
Венчурноефинансирование–явлениевнашейстраненовое.Ипотомубольшинствоновостейвэтойобластисословом“впервые”.
3ноябрявпервыепрошелDemoDayфиналистовакселерационнойпрограммыKDA.Впрограммебылапрезентацияпроектовстартапов-финалистовпрограммыпередпуломинвесторовисериямастер-классовотведущихспикеров.
“Первыйразтакаямассоваярегистрация–сразу10компаний,изакрытиесделкивхождениявдолю.Ивсёэтонаказахстанскойтерритории,вказахстанскиестартапы,сиспользованиеминструментов,которыениктодосихпорнеприменялздесь.Этовсёоченьпримечательныевещи.Мытутпионеры”,–отметилуправляющийдиректорхолдинга“Байтерек”АдильНургожинвходеонлайн-брифинга,организованногопоитогамDemoDay.
Сделкиповхождениювдолюс10финалистамиKDAбылиоформленыпоанглийскомуправунаплощадкеМФЦА–этотинструменттожебылиспользованвпервыевнашейстране.
“50тысячдолларовинвестицийдлястартапа–этоуникальныйкейсдляКазахстана.Первыйразна“посевной”стадииврамкахакселерациистартапыполучаютнепростоинвестиции,адовольносущественныесуммы.Болеетого,врамкахсамойпрограммыуучастниковбылавозможностьполучитьпрактическиезнания,советыиопытотмеждународныхиказахстанскихменторов.ВитогеонисталичастьюинвестиционногопортфелякрупногосингапурскоговенчурногофондаQuestVenturesиполучилидоступкширокимбазамегосервисов.Тоестьобразовательнаяитехнологическаяподдержкасталадляфиналистоввесьмаважнымбонусом,–говоритспециалиствобластивенчурных,прямыхинвестиций,инвестиционныйдиректорQuestVenturesАнуарСейфуллин.–Мысчитаем,чтопрограммаудалась,исейчасзапускаемвторойпоток,регистрациядоступнаунаснасайтеqaztech.vc”.
Идеинаши–деньгиваши
Венчурноефинансирование–оченьэффективныйспособпривлеченияденегдлястартапов,хотяунасвстранеонтолько-толькоразвивается.Многиекрупнейшиекомпании,вродеAmazonиAlibaba,наразныхэтапахсвоегостановленияпривлекалиденьгивенчурныхинвесторов.Еслиговоритьпростымисловами,тоинвесторыдаютденьгиподинтереснуюидею,предполагая,чтоунеёестьшансывырастивсерьёзныйбизнес.Этонеблаготворительность,абизнес,инвесторырассчитываютвернутьсвоисредствасприбылью,потомуубедитьихпрофинансироватьпроектдовольносложно.
“Продаватьсвоисервисы,искатьпартнёровнетаклегко,ноэтонеозначает,чтомынедолжныпробовать”,–замечаетинвестиционныйдиректорQuestVenturesАнуарСейфуллин.
Проекты,желающиепривлечьсредства,должныдоказать,чтоунихестьреальныеперспективыразвития.10финалистовKDAсумелиэтопродемонстрировать,поэтомуименноонииполучилипо50тысячдолларов.
“Отобранныенамистартапы–достаточнозрелые,опытныекоманды,которыезанимаютсяэтимнеодиндень,–отметилАдильНургожин.–Эторадует,посколькураньшепроектыбылинамногопрощепотехнологиям,большеориентированныенакакие-томаленькиерешения,проблемыкоторыхсложнобыломасштабировать.Ихсложнопотоминостранцамдальшеоцениватьивнихсложнодальшепривлекатьпрофессиональныевенчурныеинвестициинаследующихэтапахроста.Адлянас,длянашейдочернейорганизацииQazTechVentures,дляколлегсQuestVenturesстоитследующаязадача–помочьнашим“выпускникам”привлечьужебольшиедополнительныеденьги,потомучтоонивсерастутиимнеобходимофинансирование:кому-то300тысячдолларов,кому-тобольше”.
Кслову,пандемиянеособенноповлияланарыноквенчурныхинвестиций.Втовремякогдадругиеотраслиэкономикипросели,туткризиснеотмечен.КакзаметилинвестиционныйдиректорQuestVenturesАнуарСейфуллин,инвестиционнаястратегиянепоменялась.Болеетого,вусловияхпандемииускорилисьпроцессыцифровизациивобластяхздравоохранения,медицины,оказанияуслуг.Меняютсяпотребительскиепривычки.Ивозникаетдополнительныйпластвозможностейдлястартапов.
Экспертыкто?
ПартнёрамипопрограммеKDAсталисингапурскиеэксперты–фондQazTechVenturesсоздансовместноскрупнойвенчурнойкомпаниейQuestVenturesисингапурскимгосударственнымхолдингомTemasekчерезегодочернююкомпаниюPavilionCapital.
“Сингапур–этостранасбурноразвивающимисятехнологиями,гдеприветствуютновыеIT-решенияиищутихповсемумиру.Казахстанскиеидеивызвалиусингапурскихпартнёровинтерес,ионисогласилисьихпрофинансировать.Ониобладаютдостаточнообширнымпортфелемиумеютработатьстакимипроектами,–сказалисполняющийобязанностипредседателяправленияАОQazTechVenturesДиасБексолтан.–Нашейзадачейбылоначатьсотрудничать,привлечьихэкспертизуиденьгивнашуэкономику”.
Вмарте2020годасингапурскаясторонаоткрыласвоепредставительствовНур-Султане,ипривлекласвоюкоманду,котораяделалаанализучаствующихвпрограммеKDAпроектов.Икритериемтутбылаименновостребованностьказахстанскихразработокнамеждународныхрынках,возможностьихмасштабированияипотенциалразвития.
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2020November04КазахстанскиестартапывыходятнамировойрынокКараван
АкселерационнаяпрограммаKDA–этосовместныйпроектАО«QazTechVentures»–дочернейорганизациихолдинга«Байтерек»иведущегосингапурскогофонда«QuestVentures»,инвестирующеговстартапыповсейАзии.Оназапущенавиюле2020годаинацеленанапродвижениеотечественныхстартаповнаглобальныйрынок,приэтомпроизводственнаябазаитрудовыересурсыдолжныоставатьсявКазахстане,апродажи–выходитьнамеждународныйуровень.
Научастиевэтойпрограммепоступилооколо200заявок,вфиналвышлитолько10стартапов,всеказахстанские.Половинаизних–резидентыAstanaHab,остальныепредставляютНазарбаевУниверситетиАлматы.Каждый–ссерьезнымпотенциаломтехнологическогоростаивозможностьюпривлеченияновыхинвестицийвкомпанию.Проектыпредставленывсамыхразныхотраслевыхнишах.
–Кпримеру,приложение«1Fit»навсефитнес-центрывКазахстане.Этоединственныйстартапввидеприложения,посредствомкотороголюдимогутполучитьдоступковсемфитнес-центрамстранынезависимоотгеографииистоимостиуслуг.Команде«1Fit»удалосьсовсемидоговоритьсяисовсемиинтегрировать.Этобыласложнаязадача,таккаквсеклубымеждусобойконкурируютинаходятсявразныхценовыхсегментах.Теперьжеможноодинраззаплатитьииметьдоступковсемфитнесам,вплотьдозанятийгрупповых,индивидуальных,–рассказалуправляющийдиректорАО«НУХ«Байтерек»АдильНургожин.
Авхолдинге«Байтерек»заявилиоготовностиидальшеинвестироватьвразвитиеперспективныхказахстанскихстартапов.ТамужеобъявилионачалеотборанавторойпотокпрограммыKDA.Приемзаявокначался3ноябряипродлитсядоконца2020года.Вянваре2021годапройдетотборфиналистов,аужевфевраленачнетсяобучение.
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2020November04СтартапыучастниковМФЦАначалипривлекатьинвесторовPROFIT
Вонлайн-форматепрошлоключевоемероприятиедляинвесторовистратегическихпартнеров—DemoDayакселерационнойпрограммыKazakhstanDigitalAccelerator.
ПрограммаDemoDayвключалавсебяобсуждениевопросовразвитиявенчурногофинансированияцентральнойАзии,презентациипроектовстартапов-финалистовпрограммыKDAисериюмастер-классовотведущихспикероввобластиинновационногоразвития.Вработемероприятияпринялиучастиеболее150международныхэкспертов,инвесторовибизнесангелов.
KazakhstanDigitalAccelerator—этомеждународныйакселератор,запущенныйврамкахсотрудничествамеждуАО«QazTechVentures»иведущимсингапурскимфондомQuestVentures.Впервыенапостсоветскомпространствеподписанысоглашенияоконвертируемомзаймепопринципаманглийскогоправа.ПриподдержкеFinTechHubМФЦА10стартап-финалистовбылизарегистрированывМФЦАиструктурировалиинвестиционныесделки.Каждыйизпроектов-финалистовранееполучилинвестициивразмере50тыс.долларовнадальнейшееразвитиестартапа.
«ВюрисдикциипространстваСНГвпервыебылпримененинструментконвертируемогозайма.Английскоеправодаетдополнительноепреимуществопривыходенамеждународныйрынокимеждународныхинвесторов.Такиепрецедентыстанутбенчмаркингомдлябудущихвенчурныхсделокрегиона»,—отметилКайратКалиев,директорпоразвитиюМФЦА.
Такжепрошлаонлайн-презентацияпередпуломмеждународныхинвесторов,гдеоснователипроектоврассказалиосвоихпродуктах,показателяхбизнеса,достиженияхзавремяакселерацииKazakhstanDigitalAcceleratorипланахпоразвитиюипривлечениюинвестиций.Средистартап-проектов:«1Fit»,«Aero»,«Campeat»,«RetailAnalytica»,«ApartX»,«SmartGas»,«Egistic»,«Okoo»,«QLang»и«Cerebra».
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2020November04Вхолдинге“Байтерек”намереныпродолжитьпрограммупоотборуKDAстартаповZakon.kz
Планируетсяпродвинутьнамеждународныерынкиоколо30казахстанскихстартап-компаний.
ВАО“НУХ“Байтерек”отмечаютуспехзапущенноголетомэтогогодапервогопотокаакселерационнойпрограммы“KazakhstanDigitalAccelerator”(KDA)попродвижениюказахстанскихстартаповнамировойрынок.ВгородеНур-Султанеподвелиитогизавершающегодняпрограммы–DemoDay,передаетzakon.kz.
Напомним,KDAстартовалавиюлеэтогогода–этомеждународныйакселератор,запущенныйврамкахсотрудничествамеждуАО“QazTechVentures”(дочерняяорганизацияАО“НУХ“Байтерек”)иведущегосингапурскогофондаQuestVentures.QuestVentures–этокрупнаявенчурнаяфирма,основаннаяв2011году,соштаб-квартиройвСингапуре.ОнаинвестируетвстартапыповсейАзии.
ВсегонаучастиевпрограммеKDAпоступилооколо200заявокотказахстанскихстартапов.Основнаяцель–воказаниипомощистартап-компаниямповыходунамировыерынки,нотак,чтобыheadoffice–производственнаябазаитрудовыересурсы,оставалсявКазахстане,аужепродажатоваровиуслуг,продвижениеиразвитиенарынкешлософисоввдругихстранахмира.Сегодняможносуверенностьюсказать,чтоэтогоудалосьдостичь.Основателистартаповужеполучилиинвестициивразмере50тысячдолларовкаждый,итеперьсмогутреализоватьключевыенавыкиизнаниядлядальнейшегоразвитияиуспешнойэкспансиинарынкиЮго-ВосточнойАзии.
Междутем,вхолдинге“Байтерек”ненамереныостанавливатьсянадостигнутомиужеобъявленвторойпотокпрограммы,которыйсостоитсявследующем,2021году.ПословамУправляющегодиректорахолдинга“Байтерек”АдиляНургожина,видеале,чтобытакиемероприятияпроходилиежегодно,нуапокачтоестьпланынаближайшиетригода.
Вэтомгодумыпрофондировали10стартапов.Онибудутрасти.Мыимибудемдальшезаниматься,показыватьихдругиминвесторам.Янадеюсь,чтокто-тоизнихпривлечетдополнительноефинансирование.Наследующийгодмыужеобъявилиовторомпотоке.Такбудетичерезгод.Получается,мырассчитываем,что,сможемпрофондировать30компанийврамкахэтойпрограммыиврамкахФондаужеотдельнонаболеезрелыхстадиях.Янадеюсь,чтомыещеваспорадуемминимумоднойсделкойвэтомгодуиещесделкамивследующемгоду.Тоестьэтаработабудетпродолжаться,–заверилон.
ВтожевремяисполняющийобязанностипредседателяправленияАО“QazTechVentures”ДиасБексолтанобъяснил,почемупартнерамипопрограммеKDAсталСингапур.Какизвестно,этостранасбурноразвивающимисятехнологиями,гдеприветствуютновыеIT-решенияиищутихповсемумиру.Поэтомуказахстанскиеидеивызвалиусингапурскихпартнеровнеподдельныйинтерес,ионисогласилисьихпрофинансировать.СингапурскийгосударственныйхолдингTemasekтакжезашелвфондчерезсвоюдочернююкомпанию“PavilionCapital”.ОнитакжеуспешнозакрылинесколькосделоквЮго-ВосточнойАзииивИндии,ит.д.,поэтомуобладаютдостаточнообширнымпортфелемиумеютработатьстакимивещами.
Нашейзадачейбылоначатьсотрудничатьисовместноихинвестировать,атакжепривлечьихэкспертизуиденьгивнашуэкономику.Втомчислеипосредствомсозданиясовместногофонда.Врамкахтакойстратегическойзадачинашадочерняякомпаниясоздалатакойсовместныйфонд.Сказахстанскойстороныот“QazTechVentures”былопроинвестировано10млндолларовиоколо20млн–ссингапурской.Целевойразмерфондасоставляет50млндолларов,–сообщилД.Бексолтан.
Болеетого,порезультатамсоглашениявмарте2020годасингапурскаясторонаоткрыласвоепредставительствовНур-Султане,привлекласвоюкоманду,котораяделалаанализучаствующихвпрограммеKDAпроектов.
Этапрограммасозданадляподдержкинашихказахстанскихстартап-проектов.Когдавиюнемыобъявилиотборпервыхпроектовпрограммы,амыпланируемподдержатьпорядка30проектоввтечениетрехлет,тонапервомэтапемыполучилипорядка200заявокотнашихпредпринимателей.МывидимзаинтересованностькпрограммеKDA.Невсепроекты,правда,подходятподкритерии–навторомэтапемыотобрали33проекта,укоторыхестьстратегияикоманда,атакжевозможностьмасштабированиянадругиерынки.Послеэтого,порезультатамочередногоэтапаотбораибылиотобраны10победителей-участниковэтойпрограммы,которыеполучили50тысячдолларовнадальнейшееразвитиесвоихпроектов,–сказали.о.председателяПравленияАО“QazTechVentures”.
ВсвоюочередьАдильНургожиндобавил,чтодлительностьсамойпрограммысоставлялатримесяца.Врамкахнееотобралипроекты,которыеподходилиподпараметрыпартнеровизСингапураивкоторыхимелсязначительныйпотенциалростабизнеса,технологийивозможностипривлеченияновыхинвестицийвкомпанию.Какизвестно,стартапвтечениесвоейжизнидолженпривлекатьвсеновыераундыинвестиций.Именновэтихкомпанияхувиделитакойпотенциалиспособностьбытьинтереснымидлявенчурныхинвесторов.Такженачинающиепредпринимателиполучилипомимосущественнойсуммыденегвозможностьобрестизнания,практику,полезныесоветыотмеждународныхиказахстанскихэкспертов.Приэтомвсе10стартаповявляютсяказахстанскимиизарегистрированывКазахстане.Половинаизних–резидентыAstanaHab,остальныеизНазарбаевУниверситетаиАлматы.Касательносамихстартапов,тоэтовсеIT-решения,направленныенаразныенишинарынке.
Естьребята,которыеделаютуниверсальныевещи.Кпримеру,этоприложение“1Fit”навсефитнес-центрывКазахстане.Этоединственныйстартапввидеприложения,посредствомкотороголюдимогутполучитьдоступпрактическиковсемфитнес-центрамАлматыиНур-Султананезависимоотстоимостиуслуг.Команде“1Fit”удалосьсовсемидоговоритьсяиинтегрировать.Этобыласложнаязадача,таккакклубымеждусобойконкурируютинаходятсявразныхценовыхсегментах.Теперьжеможноодинраззаплатитьииметьдоступкбольшомучислуфитнесов,вплотьдозанятий–групповых,индивидуальных.Мызаэтойкомандойдавнонаблюдали.Унихполучаетсяработать.Болеетогоониуже“генерят”довольновысокуювыручку.Конечно,немного“просели”завремялокдауна,сейчасвосстанавливаютсяиактивноработают.Унихнеплохойпотенциалростанасоседнихрынках,началиужеотрабатыватьсРоссией.Уэтойкомпаниинеплохойпотенциалдляроста,–полагаетУправляющийдиректорхолдинга“Байтерек”.
Такжеизобщеймассывыделаетсякомпания“Egistic”,разработавшаяпрограммудлянуждсельскогохозяйства.ИхIT-продуктпредлагаетиспользоватьснимкиизкосмосаимониторитьсостояниеполя.Автоматизированныйсервиспозволяетопределятьпроблемныезоныполейистепеньзаражениясорнякамипосевов,классифицироватьразличныевидырастенийикультур,проводитьагрохимическийанализполейпонесколькимпараметрам,имеетболеекачественныйпрогнозпогоды.Помимоэтого,сервиспредоставляетфермерамисторическиеданныенаосновекоторыхможновидетькакиеизмененияпочвыикультурпроизошлизанескольколет.Вкупевсеэтопомогаетпрогнозироватьурожайность.Наданныймоментэтосамаядоступнаяпрограммадляфермеров–уточнилАдильНургожин.
Специалиствобластивенчурных,прямыхинвестиций,инвестиционныйдиректорQuestVenturesАнуарСейфуллинвкачествепримерапривелещеодинстартап-проект.Он,наеговзгляд,будеточеньполезенширокимслоямнаселения–этоавтоматизированныйсервисдиагностикиишемическихигеморрагическихинсультов.Весьпроцессдиагностикизанимаетменее1,5минуты,апациентуназначаютлечениенемедленно.
Этоинтересныйавтоматизированныйсервискомпании“Cerebra”–оченьсложныйтехнологическийпроектвсферездравоохранения.Оченьдалекопродвинулисьвсферекомпьютерного“зрения”,машинногообучения.ПрограммаанализируетКТ-снимкимозгаипозволяетдиагностироватьинсультнараннейстадии.Анализируетбольшоеколичествоснимковитемсамымпомогаетврачуопределитьвероятностьнаступленияинсульта.Получается,чтоэтоалгоритм,машинаучитсяраспознаватьснимкизасчетихбольшогообъема,инаблюдатьвнекаких-тозакономерностей,отличатьодноотдругого,–пояснилон.
ПословамАдиляНургожина,всеучаствующиевпрограммеKDAстартап-проектыинтересныеиимеютправонавоплощениевжизнь.
Поостальнымсемистартапамможнотожесказать,чтоонидостаточнозрелые.Вообщенамудалосьсобратьболее-менеезрелыекоманды,которыезанимаютсяэтимнеодиндень,этонестуденты,этолюди,которыепыталисьсделатьужекакие-топроектыдоэтого,–указалУправляющийдиректорхолдинга“Байтерек”.
Вцелом,взавершениеонотметилоднутенденцию,характернуюдлянынешнихстартапов–инициаторыбизнес-проектовсталиразрабатыватьсвоиидеисрасчетомнабольшуюаудиторию,сучетомеебудущейвостребованности,супоромнатехнологичностьпроцесса.Тоестьеслираньшепроектыбылинамногопрощепотехнологиям,большеориентированынакакие-томаленькиерешения,проблемыкоторыхсложнобыломасштабировать,потомдальшеиностранцамсложноихоцениватьивнихпроблематичнопривлекатьпрофессиональныевенчурныеинвестициинаследующихэтапахроста,тосейчасситуацияиподходвотечественнойстартап-индустрииизменился.Этоихорошо,потомучтомировыеинвесторывпервуюочередьориентируютсянаприменимостьпроектавдальнейшеминаегодоходность.Сдругойстороны,казахстанскиестартап-компанииполучаютстольнеобходимуюимфинансовуюподдержку,ивыходнамировыерынки.Амолодежьсегодняразрабатываетдействительнополезныепродукты,которыемогутдостойнопредставитьКазахстанназарубежномрынке.Вдобавоквхолдинге“Байтерек”продолжаютоказыватьподдержкуталантливыминициаторамбизнес-проектовинапоследующихэтапах.
Длянас,для“QazTechVentures”,дляколлегсQuestVenturesстоитследующаязадача–помочьнашим“выпускникам”привлечьужебольшиедополнительныеденьги,потомучтоонивсерастутиимнеобходимофинансированиекому-то300тысячдолларов,кому-тобольше,–заключилАдильНургожин.
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2020November04КакпрошелDemoDayстартаперовиинвесторовКараван
3ноября2020годапрошлоключевоемероприятиедляинвесторовистратегическихпартнеров—DemoDayакселерационнойпрограммыKazakhstanDigitalAccelerator.Рассказываемостартапах,прошедшихвфинал.
ГлавнымитемамивстречибылиразвитиевенчурногофинансированияЦА.ТакжесостоялисьпрезентациифиналистовпрограммыKDA–KazakhstanDigitalAccelerator—ипрошлимастер-классыотведущихспикероввобластиинновационногоразвития.
Всеговмероприятиипринялиучастиеболее150экспертов,инвесторовибизнес-ангелов.
KazakhstanDigitalAccelerator—этомеждународныйбизнес-акселератор,запущенныйврамкахсотрудничествамеждуАО«QazTechVentures»иведущегосингапурскогофондаQuestVentures.
KDAзанимаетсяпродвижениемстартап-проектовнаглобальныйрынок,развиваетцифровуюэкосистемуКазахстаначерезобъединениесферыстартаповсдругимиинститутами.
ВсепроектыявляютсярезидентамиМФЦА(Международныйфинансовыйцентр«Астана»).
Лучшиемеждународныементорыипрофессионалысвоегоделаподелилисьсвоимопытомсучастникаминапротяжениинесколькихмесяцев.Финалистыжеучилисьукоуч-трекеров,менторовиэкспертоввразныхсферах.Такжедлядальнейшегоразвитиястартапакаждыйпроект-финалистполучил50тысдоллароввкачествеинвестиции.
Окончаниеобученияподытожилапрезентациясвоихпродуктов,достиженийиплановпередмеждународнымиинвесторами.
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2020November0410казахстанскихстартап-проектовполучилиинвестициина$50тыс.ипривлекливниманиеиностранныхинвесторовForbesKazakhstan
Вовторник,3ноября,состоялосьзнаковоемероприятиедляказахстанскихразработчиков,атакжеинвесторовистратегическихпартнеров–DemoDayакселерационнойпрограммыKazakhstanDigitalAccelerator.
KazakhstanDigitalAccelerator(KDA)–этомеждународныйакселератор,запущенныйврамкахсотрудничествамеждуАО«QazTechVentures»(дочерняяорганизацияАО«НУХ«Байтерек»)иведущегосингапурскогофондаQuestVentures.ГлавнойцельюKDAявляетсяпродвижениеотечественныхстартап-проектовнаглобальныйрынокиразвитиецифровойэкосистемыКазахстана.
Вкачествеоднойизмерпореализацииэтойстратегиивиюне2020былобъявленнабороприемезаявокотстартаповнаучастиевакслерационнойпрограмме.Всегобылопринятоболее200заявок,изкоторыхдовторогоэтапаотборадобралось33стартапа,авфинальнуюстадиюпробились10проектов,которыепоказалисьнаиболееперспективнымикомандеKazakhstanDigitalAccelerator.ПрактическивсеониужеявляютсядействующимибизнесамииимеютбольшойпотенциалдлядальнейшегоразвитиянетольковрамкахКазахстана,ноинадругихмеждународныхрынках.Кслову,именнонакачествоиуникальностьпредставленныхпродуктов,атакженавозможностьмасштабированиявразныхстранахвпервуюочередьиобращалавниманиеконкурснаякомиссия.
–Мыпринялиоколо200заявокнаучастиевDemoDayкакотказахстанских,такизарубежныхразработчиков.Врешающуюстадиювитогеотобралось10проектов–ивсеони,чтовесьмарадует,оказалисьотечественными.Хотелосьбыотметить,чтодажетепроекты,которыенепрошливфинальныйпул,получилиотнашихэкспертовответынасвоивопросыирекомендацииподальнейшемуразвитию.QazTechVenturesставитпередсобойцельпродвиженияказахстанскихцифровыхпродуктовнамировомрынке,иврамкахразвитиянашейпрограммымырассчитываем,чтотечениетрехлетсмоментастартамысможемпродвинутьнаглобальныерынки30казахстанскихстартап-проектов.Первыедесятьизнихужепрошлиэтотэтап.Имыобъявляемнаборновыхучастниковвовторойпоток.Сборзаявокстартовал3ноябряипродлитсядоконцатекущегогода.Мынадеемся,чтопослеподдержки,оказаннойврамкахпрограммыKDA,стартапысмогутоткрытьдлясебяещебольшевозможностейкмасштабированиюпроекта,привлечьинвестицииивыйтинановыйуровеньсвоегоразвития,–рассказали.о.председателяправленияQazTechVenturesДиасБексолтан.
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2020October26EntrepreneurstrytofindopportunityamidtheCOVID-19uncertaintyCNA
Notingthatentrepreneurscantake“abroaderperspective”,MrJamesTan,chairmanofSingapore’sActionCommunityforEntrepreneurship(ACE),said:“Takeagrowingindustrylikefoodtech,itdoesnotnecessarilyhavetobeaboutstartingaverticalfarm.Whatabouttheotheraspects,suchasstorageanddelivery?
“Youcantakeapartofitandaskyourselfifthisisbeingtackled.Iftherearetoomanyverticalfarms,maybeyoucanlookatsupplychainanddistribution,”addedMrTan,whoisalsomanagingpartneratQuestVentures.
Sectorsthatarebeingbatteredbythepandemicalsobearopportunities,althoughonewillneedtotimeforarecoveryandbemoreselective.
MrTanfromACEthinksthatmorepeoplecouldturntoentrepreneurshipamidtheuncertaineconomicclimate,withsomebeing“drivenbynecessity”giventhegrimlabourmarket.
“Whetherthisisapositivething,itremainstobeseenbecausetherecouldbemorepeoplewiththesameideaandnoteveryonewillsucceed.”
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2020October14AnewadventurebeginsforSingaporeanstartupsinVietnamKrASIA
VietnamGlobalInnovation(VGI),poweredbyQuestVentures,concludeditsextensivethree-monthprogramlastweek.FocusedonprovidingSingaporeanstartupsanacceleratedentryintoVietnam,VGIhaspushedthroughthechallengesbroughtonbyCOVID-19toprovideits12participantswithknowledgeandinsightsfortheirnextstageofgrowth.
VietnamhashadaGDPgrowthrateabove5%forthelasttenyearsandwithapopulationpredominatelymadeupofthoseagedunder35,thelocalmarketpresentsopportunitiesforSingaporeanstartupstoventureinto.The12startupshavelearnedmanyvaluablelessonsaboutthelocalbusinessecosystem,infrastructure,andculturaldifferencesthatwillnodoubtbeextremelyusefuloverthenextfewmonths.
TheVietnamGlobalInnovationisaninitiativeunderEnterpriseSingapore’sGlobalInnovationAlliance,poweredbyQuestVentures.ItisscheduledtohaveitsnextruninNovember.
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2020October11Experts:RobustventurecapitalecosystemcanboostemploymentDhakaTribune
Expertsurgedforbuildingarobustventurecapitalandstartupecosystem,whichcouldincreaseemploymentopportunitiesinthecountry.
Toachievethis,policysupportisessential,andsubsequentturnaroundofthecountry’sstartupscouldthenenablethemtocontribute2%totheGDPby2025,theyfurthersuggested.
TheywereexpressingtheirviewsatawebinarorganizedbytheBangladeshSecuritiesandExchangeCommission(BSEC)andVentureCapital&PrivateEquityAssociationofBangladesh(VCPEAB)onSaturday.
BSECChairmanProfShibliRubayat-Ul-Islamattendedthewebinaraschiefguest,whileBSECCommissionerProfMizanurRahmanandProfShaikhShamsuddinAhmedwerepresentasspecialguests.
“Weallaspiretohaveavibrantventurecapitalandstartupecosystemandthegovernmentcanplayanimportantroletoachievethis.ThegovernmentcanintroducefavourablepoliciesandsubsidizecreditsforstartupsandSME,”saidJamesTan.
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2020September28GurihnyaBisnisCloudKitchendiIndonesiayangDibidikSoftBankKatadata
SoftBankVenturesAsiaKoreaSelatanmemimpinpendanaanseriBUS$12JutaatausekitarRp175miliarkepadastartuppenyediasolusikateringYummyCorpakhirpekanlalu.Perusahaanrintisaninimenyediakanlayananrestoranberbasiskomputasiawan(cloudkitchen),yangjugadirambaholehGojekdanGrab.
YummyCorpmengoperasikan70dapuryangdisebutYummykitchen,diJakarta,BandungdanMedan.Layananinidikembangkansejakpertengahantahunlalu.
Yummykitchenmemposisikandirisebagaioperatorpenuh.Tidakhanyamenyewakandapurbersama,tetapijugamengerjakanoperasionaldariberbagaipemegangmerek(brand).
Adalebihdari50merekkulineryangbergabungdenganYummykitchen.BeberapadiantaranyaIsmayaGroup,SourSallyGroup,PadangMerdeka,HongTangdanDailybox.
MarketingDirectorYummyCorpRaetedyRefanathamenjelaskan,layananyangditawarkanmeliputiperalatan,karyawanhinggamemprosespemesanandanpengirimanmakanankepadapelanggan.Selainitu,perusahaanmenyediakananalisisdata.
PerusahaanmenggandengGojekdanGrabuntuklayananpesan-antarmakanan.“Makamitrabrandbisaberfokuspadastrategipengembanganbisnismereka,”katanyakepadaKatadata.co.id,Senin(28/9).
YummyCorpmemilikiempatlayananutamayaknimanajemenfasilitas,gerai,paketacara,danYummyBox.
PerusahaaninimemperolehpendanaanseriBpadapekanlalu.SelainSoftBank,VectrVenturesHongkong,AppworksVenturesTaiwan,QuestVenturesSingapura,CocaColaAmatilXAustralia,sertaPalmDriveCapitalAmerikaSerikat(AS)berpartisipasi.
IntudoVenturesdanSovereign’sCapitalyangterlibatdalampendanaansebelumnya,jugaikutserta.
YummyCorpjugamemperolehpendanaanseriAUS$7,75jutaatausekitarRp110miliarpadaOktobertahunlalu.InvestoryangterlibatyakniSinarmasDigitalVentures(SMDV),EastVentures,AgaetiVentures,PrasetiaDwidharma,danSeleraKapitalbySourSallyGroup.
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2020September26YummyCorpkantongiinvestasiRp175miliarIndoTelko
JAKARTA(IndoTelko)–YummyCorpmengumumkanmemperolehpendanaanseriesBsebesarUS$12jutaatausenilaiRp175miliardariberbagaiventurecapitalglobalyangdipimpinolehSoftBankVenturesAsiaKoreaSelatandenganpartisipasidariVectrVenturesHongkong,AppworksVenturesTaiwan,QuestVenturesSingapura,CocaColaAmatilXAustraliasertaPalmDriveCapitalAmerikaSerikatdiikutidenganinvestoryangtelahberpartisipasidipendanaansebelumnya,IntudoVenturesdanSovereign’sCapital.
Investor-investorglobalbarutersebutakanbergabungdenganinvestoryangsejakawalsudahberinvestasidiYummyCorpsepertiSinarmasDigitalVentures(SMDV),EastVentures,AgaetiVentures,PrasetiaDwidharma,danSeleraKapitalbySourSallyGroup.
PendanaanlanjutaninimelanjutkanmomentumpositifdaripendanaanseriesAsebesarU$7,75jutayangdiperolehYummyCorppadaOktober2019lalu.
“DidukungolehpasarfooddeliveryyangberkembangpesatdiIndonesia,YummyCorpkinimenjadipelakucloudkitchenterbesardiIndonesia.DisertaikeahlianperusahaanyangkuatdalamindustriF&Bsertakeunikanproposisinilaipadabrandmereka,kamiyakinYummyCorpakanterusmenjadipemimpindiindustriini.Kamisangatsenanguntukmendukungdanmembantumerekameningkatkanbisnisdisektoryangsedangberkembangini,”kataHarrisYangdariSoftBankVenturesAsia
SalahsatuunitbisnisYummyCorpadalahYummykitchen,satu-satunyacloudkitchendiIndonesiayangmemposisikandirisebagaioperatorpenuh,dimanaYummykitchentidakhanyamenyewakandapurbersamanamunjugamengerjakanoperasionaldariberbagaibrandsehinggadapatmelakukanekspansilebihcepatdanmenjangkaukonsumenlebihluas
“Kamisangatbersemangatmenyambuthadirnyainvestor-investorglobalyangbergabungbersamaYummyCorp,hariinimenjadisebuahmilestonepentingbagikamiterutamadikalasemuaindustriberjuangditengahresesiglobalkarenapandemi.Denganpendanaanini,kamiterusfokusuntukmengambilperananaktifdalammembantupemain-pemainindustriF&Buntukmengembangkanbisnisnyamelaluichanneldeliverysebagaisolusimenghadapisegalaketerbatasandikalapandemi.KamimengundangsemuapemilikusahaF&B,baikbrandbesarmaupunUMKMuntukbekerjasamadanberkembangbersamakami,”tambahCEOYummyCorpMarioSuntanu.
YummyCorpsejakawalberoperasitelahbersertifikasiHACCP(HazardAnalysisdanCriticalControlPointyaitusistemjaminanmutuprosespenangananmakanantertinggi,sehinggamenegaskanpentingnyakeamananproduksimakanandanmenjawabisumasalahyangseringkalimunculterkaitfooddeliverymulaidarimasalahkebersihandapurmaupunkedisiplinanpekerjaterutamadimasapandemiini.
Yummykitchenmenjaminpelaksanaanoperasionalsehari-hariuntukselalumengutamakankeamanandankebersihansertamenerapkanberbagaiprotokoltambahanhinggamakananditerimaolehpelangganuntukmendukungupayaPemerintahmenekanpenyebaranvirus.
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2020September26YummyCorpKantongiPendanaanSeriesBSenilai175MiliarRupiahpadaMasaResesiGlobalIndustry.co.id
INDUSTRY.co.id–Jakarta–YummyCorpmengumumkanmemperolehpendanaanseriesBsebesarUS$12JutaatausenilaiRp175MiliardariberbagaiventurecapitalglobalyangdipimpinolehSoftBankVenturesAsiaKoreaSelatandenganpartisipasidariVectrVenturesHongkong,AppworksVenturesTaiwan,QuestVenturesSingapura,CocaColaAmatilXAustraliasertaPalmDriveCapitalAmerikaSerikatdiikutidenganinvestoryangtelahberpartisipasidipendanaansebelumnya,IntudoVenturesdanSovereign’sCapital.
Investor-investorglobalbarutersebutakanbergabungdenganinvestoryangsejakawalsudahberinvestasidiYummyCorpsepertiSinarmasDigitalVentures(SMDV),EastVentures,AgaetiVentures,PrasetiaDwidharma,danSeleraKapitalbySourSallyGroup.
PendanaanlanjutaninimelanjutkanmomentumpositifdaripendanaanseriesAsebesarU$7.75jutayangdiperolehYummyCorppadaOktober2019lalu.
“DidukungolehpasarfooddeliveryyangberkembangpesatdiIndonesia,YummyCorpkinimenjadipelakucloudkitchenterbesardiIndonesia.DisertaikeahlianperusahaanyangkuatdalamindustriF&Bsertakeunikanproposisinilaipadabrandmereka,kamiyakinYummyCorpakanterusmenjadipemimpindiindustriini.Kamisangatsenanguntukmendukungdanmembantumerekameningkatkanbisnisdisektoryangsedangberkembangini,”ujarHarrisYangdariSoftBankVenturesAsiamelaluiketeranganyangditerimaredaksipadaSabtu(26/9).
SalahsatuunitbisnisYummyCorpadalahYummykitchen,satu-satunyacloudkitchendiIndonesiayangmemposisikandirisebagaioperatorpenuh,dimanaYummykitchentidakhanyamenyewakandapurbersamanamunjugamengerjakanoperasionaldariberbagaibrandsehinggadapatmelakukanekspansilebihcepatdanmenjangkaukonsumenlebihluas.
Sejakdiluncurkanpertengahan2019lalu,Yummykitchentelahmengoperasikan70cloudkitchen/dapurbersamayangtersebardiJakarta,BandungdanMedan.Saatinilebihdari50brandfoodandbeverage(F&B)telahbergabungbersamaYummykitchendiantaranyabrandyangtelahberoperasicukuplamadenganskalabesarsepertiIsmayaGroup,SourSallyGrouphinggabrandyangbarumunculdenganpertumbuhantinggisepertiPadangMerdeka,HongTangmaupunDailybox.
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2020September25インドネシア拠点のクラウドキッチンスタートアップYummyがソフトバンク・ベンチャーズ・アジア主導で12.6億円調達TechCrunchJapan
インドネシア拠点のYummyCorporationは9月24日、SoftBankVenturesAsia（ソフトバンク・ベンチャーズ・アジア）が主導するシリーズBの資金調達で1200万ドル（約12億6500万円）を調達した。
同社は、インドネシア最大のクラウドキッチン管理会社をうたうスタートアップ。
共同創業者兼最高経営責任者のMarioSuntanu（マリオ・サンタヌ）氏は「調達した資金はより多くの主要都市への進出と、データ分析を含む技術プラットフォームの開発に充てる」とのこと。
このラウンドのほかの参加者には、IntudoVenturesとSovereign’sCapital、新規投資家としてVectrVentures、AppWorks、QuestVentures、CocaColaAmatilX、PalmDriveCapitalが含まれる。
シリーズBにより、YummyCorporationのこれまでの調達総額は1950万ドル（約20億5600万円）になる。
2019年6月にサービスを開始したYummyCorporationのクラウドキッチンのネットワークは、Yummykitchenと呼ばれ、現在ジャカルタ、バンドン、メダンに70以上のHACCP認定施設が含まれている。
IsmayaGroup（イスマヤグループ）やSourSallyGroup（サワーサリーグループ）などの現地の大手ブランドを含む50社以上の食品・飲料企業と提携している。
インドネシアでサービスを提供しているほかのクラウドキッチンのスタートアップには、HangryやEverplateなどがある。
そして、これらの企業とYummyCorporationは、主要な2社のプレーヤーと戦っている。
もちろんそれは「スーパーアプリ」を擁するGrabとGojekであり、どちらも大規模なクラウドキッチンのネットワークを運営し、オンデマンド配信サービスと統合できるという強みを持つ。
サンタヌ氏は、他のクラウドキッチンと比較したYummyの最大の強みは「キッチン設備に加えて、完全に管理されたロケーションやキッチン運営サービスを提供している点」を強調する。
つまり、レストランやF&Bブランドを含むYummyのパートナーは、自分たちのチームを雇う必要がなく、料理の準備と配送はYummyの従業員が担当する。
また同社は、クライアントにデータ分析プラットフォームを提供し、ターゲットを絞った広告キャンペーンや、フードデリバリーアプリ上でのリスティングをより目に見えるものにするための支援も実施している。
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2020September25IndonesiancloudkitchenstartupYummygets$12millionSeriesBledbySoftBankVenturesAsiaTechCrunch
YummyCorporation,whichclaimstobethelargestcloudkitchenmanagementcompanyinIndonesia,hasraised$12millioninSeriesBfunding,ledbySoftBankVenturesAsia.Co-founderandchiefexecutiveofficerMarioSuntanutoldTechCrunchthatthecapitalwillbeusedtoexpandintomoremajorcitiesandondevelopingitstechplatform,includingdataanalytics.
OtherparticipantsintheroundincludedreturninginvestorsIntudoVenturesandSovereign’sCapital,andnewbackersVectrVentures,AppWorks,QuestVentures,CocaColaAmatilXandPalmDriveCapital.TheSeriesBbringsYummyCorporation’stotalraisedsofarto$19.5million.
LaunchedinJune2019,YummyCorporation’snetworkofcloudkitchens,calledYummykitchen,nowincludesmorethan70HACCP-certifiedfacilitiesinJakarta,BandungandMedan.Itpartnerswithmorethan50foodandbeverage(F&B)companies,includingmajorbrandslikeIsmayaGroupandSourSallyGroup.
ThenumberofcloudkitchensinSoutheastAsiahasgrownquicklyoverthepastyear,drivenbydemandforfooddeliveriesthatbeganincreasingevenbeforethepandemic.ButforF&Bbrandsthatrelyondeliveriesforagoodpartoftheirrevenue,runningtheirownkitchensandstaffcanbecost-prohibitive.Sharingcloudkitchenswithotherbusinessescanhelpincreasetheirmargins.
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2020September25KazakhstanDigitalAcceleratorProjectInvests$500,000Into10NewStartupsTheAstanaTimes
TheKazakhstanDigitalAccelerator(KDA)programhanded$50,000investmentchecksto10startupsduringtheSept.22launchingceremonyinNur-Sultan,forbes.kzreported.KDAreceivedaround200applicationsfromKazakhstan,theU.K.,India,Singapore,SouthKorea,andUzbekistan.
ThefirsttenKDAfinalistswilldevelopprojectsinEdtech(Aero,Okoo,Qlang),Agrotech(Egistic),MedTechandHealthTech(Cerebra,1Fit),Consumerdigitalandretail(Campeat,RetailAnalytica,ApartX)andPayments(SmartGas).
QazTechVenturesandQuestVentures,aleadingSingaporefund,launchedtheKDAandchosethetenstartupsonAug.14.Theventurefundsandstartupshavehadtoholdtheirmeetingsvirtuallytomaintainsocialdistancing.
“Alotofworkhasbeendone,andtodayweofficiallycongratulatedthefinalistsonbeingincludedinthefirststreamoftheKDAprogramandonreceivingtheirfirstinvestments.WeseeagreatpotentialintheKazakhstartupcommunity.Therewasreallystiffcompetitionintheselectionforparticipation,”saidQuestVenturesInvestmentDirectorAnuarSeifullin.
QazTechVenturesisasubsidiaryoftheBaiterekNationalManagingHolding.VenturecapitalistslaunchedtheKDAtodevelopandpromotestartupprojectsandthedigitalecosysteminKazakhstan.
“Wehopethattheknowledgeandfinancialsupporttheyreceivewillhelpstartupsgetontherighttrackwhenbuildingtheirbusinessmodel,”saidQazTechVenturesDeputyChairpersonDiasBexoltan.
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2020September25IndonesiancloudkitchenYummyCorpbagsUSD12millionfromSoftBank,othersKrASIA
IndonesiancloudkitchenplatformYummyCorponFridayannouncedthatithasraisedUSD12millioninaSoftBankVenturesAsia-ledSeriesBround.OtherbignamessuchasAppworks,CocaCola’sVCarmAmatilX,andQuestVenturesalsoparticipated,alongwithexistinginvestorssuchasIntudoVenturesandSovereign’sCapital.
“WehaveseenunprecedentedgrowthforYummykitchen,”saidCEOMarioSuntanu.“Withthisfunding,wewillfocusonourmissiontotakeanactiveroleinhelpingtheF&Bindustrygrowtheirdeliverybusiness,especiallyduringthispandemic.”
SantanufurthertoldKrASIAthattheywillusethefreshcapitaltoexpandtomoremajorcitiesinIndonesiaandtoinvestintechnology.AIandanalyticswillbeamajorfocusforbusinessdevelopment,Santanusaid.
Foundedbackin2017,thecompanyprovidescloudkitchenandcateringservices.In2019,itlaunchedYummykitchenwhichnowrunsover70outletsacrossJakarta,Bandung,andMedan.Thecompanyrentsoutsharedkitchenspacetolocalculinarybrandsanddeliveryplatforms.Yummykitchenclaimstopartnerwithmorethan50F&Bbrands,includingpopularnamessuchascolddessertsellerSourSally.
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2020September25EndonezyamerkezlibulutmutfakgirişimiYummy,12milyondolaryatırımaldıWebrazzi
Endonezya’nınbulutmutfakgirişimiYummy,SoftBankVenturesAsia’nınliderliğiüstlendiğiBSerisiyatırımturunda12milyondolaryatırımaldı.YatırımturunaIntudoVenturesveSovereign’sCapitalileyeniyatırımcılarVectrVentures,AppWorks,QuestVentures,CocaColaAmatilXvePalmDriveCapitalkatıldı.BSerisiilebirlikteYummy’ninbugünekadaraldığıtoplamyatırımmiktarı19,5milyondolaraulaştı.
Yummy’ninkurucuortağıveCEO’suMarioSuntanu,Covid-19dönemindeYummy’ninişininbüyümegösterdiğinisöyledi.YeniyatırımındaözellikleCovid-19’undevamedenetkisiylebaşaçıkmakiçinoperasyonlarınıdijitalleştirmekveteslimatlarıgenişletmekisteyenmarkalarbaştaolmaküzeredahafazlaortakeldeetmekiçinkullanılacağıbelirtiliyor.
Yummy,bulutmutfakkonusundaEndonezya’daHangryveEverplateadlıgirişimlerlerekabetiçerisinde.Suntanu,Yummy’nindiğerbulutmutfaklarakıyaslaanaavantajının,mutfakolanaklarınınyanısıratamolarakyönetilenkonumvemutfakişletimhizmetlerisunmasıolduğunusöylüyor.Budarestoranlarınveyeme-içmemarkalarınınkendiekipleriniişealmalarınagerekolmadığıanlamınageliyor.Bununyerine,yiyecekhazırlamavedağıtım,Yummy’ninçalışanlarıtarafındanyapılıyor.Şirketayrıcamüşterilerinehedeflireklamkampanyalarındayardımcıolmakvelisteleriniyemekdağıtımuygulamalarındadahagörünürkılmakiçinbirverianaliziplatformudasağlıyor.
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2020September25Carousellaimsforexitwithin4years,possiblyatvalueofUS$1.1bormoreTheBusinessTimes
Carousell’spreferenceshareholdersincludeearlybackersRakutenVenturesandSequoiaIndia,aswellaslaterinvestorsTelenorGroup,OLXandmostrecently,theconsortiumcomprisingNaver,theMiraeAsset-NaverAsiaGrowthFundandNHInvestment&Securities.
AccordingtoCarousell’sfiling,itsexitoptionsincludeaninitialpublicoffering(IPO),tradesale,secondarysaleorsharebuyback.Theexitpriceisdefinedasatleast1.25timesthesubscriptionpricepaidpershare.
GoingbyCarousell’slatestvaluationofaboutUS$900million,thiscouldimplyanexitvaluationofUS$1.13billionattheveryminimum.
OnlyaportionoftheUS$80millionNaverdealappearstohaveinvolvednewly-issuedshares.AccordingtoregulatoryfilingsuptoSept18,Naverandtwoothervehicles,MiraeAsset-NaverAsiaGrowthInvestmentandNewHorizonInvestmentI,boughtaboutUS$23millioninnewshares,payingUS$12.75apieceforordinarysharesandUS$15.94apiecefor“sub-classC”preferenceshares.
Naverandtwoothervehiclesthenboughtover4.3millionordinaryandpreferencesharesfromearlierinvestors.
ThesellersincludedRakuten,SequoiaIndia,500Startups,GoldenGateVentures,QuestVentures,angelinvestorDariusCheung,aswellasCarousellco-foundersQuekSiuRui,MarcusTanandLucasNgoo.
Noneoftheshareholderscashedoutcompletely,thespokespersonnoted.
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2020September25YummyCorpbagsUS$12MSeriesBtogrowitscloudkitchenbrandinIndonesiae27
YummyCorp.,whichrunsacloudkitchenmanagementcompanyunderthebrandnameYummykitcheninIndonesia,hasraisedUS$12millioninSeriesBfunding,ledbySoftBankVenturesAsia.
OtherparticipantsintheroundincludeVectrVentures,Appworks,QuestVentures,CocaColaAmatilX,PalmDriveCapital,aswellasexistinginvestorsIntudoVenturesandSovereign’sCapital,alsoco-invested.
ThiscomeslessthanayearafterthestartupreceivedatotalofUS$7.75millioninSeriesA,ledbySMDV(SinarmasDigitalVentures)andIntudoVentures.
LaunchedinJune2019,YummyCorp.isacloudkitchenandonlinecateringbrandYummykitchen,focusedonusingthelatesttechnologytodevelopinnovativesolutionsforcorporatesandF&Bbrands.
Thestartupnotonlyrentsoutsharedkitchenspacebutalsocarriesoutoperationalproceduresonbehalfofpartnerbrandstohelpthemacceleratetheirexpansionandreachwiderconsumers.
Todate,YummyCorp.claimstohaveservedoverfivemillionmealsandhasover70kitchensservingmorethan50brandpartnerstomanagetheirdailyF&Boperations.
“WehaveseenunprecedentedgrowthforYummykitchen.Withthisfunding,wewillfocusonourmissiontotakeanactiveroleinhelpingtheF&Bindustrygrowtheirdeliverybusiness,especiallyduringthispandemic,”MarioSuntanu,CEOofYummyCorp,said.
Theyear2020hasbeenarelativelydifficultyearformanyindustriesinIndonesia.Variousrestrictionsplacedintheefforttosuppressthegrowthofpandemiccaseshavehadmanyimpactsacrossdifferentsectors,includingF&B.
However,someF&Bbusinesses—especiallythosewhohavefocusedondigitalchannels—haveactuallyshownapositiveincrease.
InMarchlastyear,YummyCorp.acquiredonlinecateringservicepioneerBerrykitchenforanundisclosedsum.
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2020September25“新加坡x亚洲创新合作论坛2020”第二场活动回顾KrASIA
作为全球领先的金融和贸易中心，新加坡在金融创新领域也一马当先。
政策的优待、资本的加持还有创业公司的崛起，都让新加坡乃至整个东南亚的金融科技市场，呈现广阔的前景。
为了全面呈现东南亚金融科技领域在当下和未来所面临的机遇和挑战，9月23日，新加坡经济发展局（EDB）和KrAsia联合举办了“新加坡x亚洲创新合作论坛2020”第二场金融科技专场线上活动。
这场活动邀请了来自新加坡经济发展局和新加坡金融管理局等政府机构领导层，活跃于中国和东南亚的投资机构启明创投和求索创投（QuestVentures），以及众安科技国际、GrabFinancialGroup、SeaGroup、腾讯微保、微众信科等在各国金融科技领域首屈一指的企业。
他们结合自身的业务特色和实践经验，围绕中国和东南亚金融科技市场的异同、新加坡和东南亚金融科技领域所面临的机会和风险、以及未来保险创新等主题，从不同角度勾画了新加坡和整个东南亚的金融科技图景。
长风破浪会有时，让我们一起来回顾这场观点盛宴里的精彩洞见！
黄佩华，启明创投，Partner
在金融科技领域，中国已经进入相对成熟的阶段。
尽管信用卡在中国的渗透率不高，但是支付宝和微信等在线支付工具已经高度渗透到人们的生活当中。
并且，支付宝和微信的出现不仅教育了消费者的用户习惯，也给其他金融科技领域的参与者树立了榜样。
相比之下，东南亚地区还处于初期，银行账户的渗透率也不高（不到50%），但这也意味着潜力巨大。
随着来自世界各地越来越多的资本进入东南亚，对于塑造东南亚整个创业系统帮助也很大。
来自中国的VC可以跟东南亚地区的创业者分享中国公司成功的经验。
而东南亚地区的创业者也要明确，创办公司的愿景到底是什么，独一无二的特点在哪里。
优势是过去的经验，还是自己现在的资源。
吴谊平，QuestVentures,Partner
中国的金融科技公司是东南亚公司很好的参照点，像支付宝最初利用电商场景来推进在线交易就是非常好的一种方式，在东南亚也可以看到许多CopyfromChina的模式。
在线支付领域，一些互联网公司如Grab和Gojek等已经有了自己的钱包。
当更多的公司进一步开放自己的API接口，强强联手或许会做得更好。
许多中国VC来东南亚也是很好的趋势，我们作为东南亚本土VC，可以利用我们在本土的资源和网络，和中国VC实现合作共赢、互相学习。
对于创业者来说，东南亚各个国家国情各不相同，每个市场也都有各自的领头羊。
我们喜欢的创业者，是有雄心壮志的，同时又能接地气的。
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2020September22Стартапыполучилипо$50тысячнаразвитиебизнесаKapital.kz
ВНур-СултанесостояласьофициальнаяцеремониязапускапервогопотокамеждународнойакселерационнойпрограммыKazakhstanDigitalAccelerator.ОбэтомцентруделовойинформацииKapital.kzсообщиливпресс-службеQazTechVentures.
KazakhstanDigitalAccelerator(KDA)–этомеждународныйакселератор,запущенныйврамкахсотрудничествамеждуQazTechVentures(дочерняяорганизацияхолдинга«Байтерек»)иведущегосингапурскогофондаQuestVentures.ЦельKDA–продвижениестартап-проектовнаглобальныйрынокиразвитиецифровойэкосистемыКазахстана.
ВтечениечетырехмесяцевучастникипервогопотокаKDAбудутобучатьсяумеждународныхменторов,получатьконсультацииипрезентоватьсвоипроектыинвесторамизЮго-ВосточнойАзиидляпривлечениядополнительныхинвестиций.
Поусловиямпрограммыкаждыйиз10проектов-финалистовполучитинвестицииотKDAвразмере50тыс.долларовнаразвитиестартапа.
Всегонаучастиевпрограммепоступилооколо200заявокотказахстанскихимеждународныхстартапов.
ГлавнымикритериямиотбораприоценкепроектадляэкспертовQazTechVenturesисингапурскогоQuestVenturesбыли:команда(ManagementTeam),постановказадачисуществующиерешения(Problemstatementandexistingsolutions),бизнес-идея(Businessidea)ирыночнаяценность(Marketvalidity).
ПорезультатамконкурсногоотбораучастникамипервогопотокаKazakhstanDigitalAcceleratorстануткомандывследующихотраслях:edtech–трикоманды(Aero,Okoo,Qlang);agrotech–однакоманда(Egistic);medtechandhealthtech–двекоманды(Cerebra,1Fit);consumerdigital&retail–трикоманды(Campeat,RetailAnalytica,ApartX);payments–одинпроект(SmartGas).
«Яхотелбыпоздравитьвсехучастниковпервогопотокапрограммыакселерации–KazakhstanDigitalAccelerator.Мынадеемся,чтознанияифинансоваяподдержка,которуюониполучат,помогутстартапамвыйтинаверныйкурспостроениябизнес-модели.Основнаяцельпрограммызаключаетсявформированииконкурентоспособногостартап-сообществастраныиегодальнейшегопродвижениянаглобальныйрынокзасчетобширноймеждународнойпартнерскойсети.Вместестемврамкахпрограммымыпредусмотрелинетолькометодологическуюподдержку,ноиденежныеинвестициивразмере50тыс.долларовСШАдлякаждогоучастникаKDA»–пояснили.о.председателяправленияДиасБексолтан.
«Работаакселератораначаласьещевавгустеэтогогода,ноиз-запандемиивсенашимероприятиябылипереведенывонлайн-формат.Проделанаоченьбольшаяработа,исегоднямыофициальнопоздравилифиналистовсвключениемвсоставучастниковпервогопотокапрограммыKDAиполучениеминвестиций.Мывидимбольшойпотенциалказахстанскогостартап-сообщества,ведьприотборенаучастиебыладействительнобольшаяконкуренция.Поэтому,пользуясьслучаем,хотелбыпригласитьстартапы,которыехотятпродвинутьсвойпроект,получитьинвестицииииметьвозможностьобучатьсяулучшихмеждународныхэкспертов,кучастиювконкурсномотборенавторойпотокпрограммыKDA,которыйстартуетужевоктябреэтогогода»–прокомментировалинвестиционныйдиректорQuestVenturesАнуарСейфулин.
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2020September22QazTechVenturesподдержал10казахстанскихстартаповForbesKazakhstan
22сентябрявгородеНур-СултансостояласьофициальнаяцеремониязапускапервогопотокамеждународнойакселерационнойпрограммыKazakhstanDigitalAccelerator.
KazakhstanDigitalAccelerator(KDA)–этомеждународныйакселератор,запущенныйврамкахсотрудничествамеждуАО«QazTechVentures»(дочерняяорганизацияАО«НУХ«Байтерек»)иведущегосингапурскогофондаQuestVentures.
ЦельKDA–продвижениестартап-проектовнаглобальныйрынокиразвитиецифровойэкосистемыКазахстана.
Втечение4месяцевучастникипервогопотокаKDAсмогутобучатьсяулучшихмеждународныхменторовипрофессионаловсмноголетнимстажем,получатьконсультации,атакжепрезентоватьсвоипроектыинвесторамизЮго-ВосточнойАзиидляпривлечениядополнительныхинвестиций.
Болеетого,согласноусловиямпрограммы,каждыйиз10проектов-финалистовполучитинвестицииотKDAвразмере$50тыс.наразвитиестартапа.
Всегонаучастиевпрограммепоступилооколо200заявокотказахстанскихимеждународныхстартапов.
–ЯхотелбыпоздравитьвсехучастниковпервогопотокапрограммыакселерацииKazakhstanDigitalAccelerator.Мынадеемся,чтознанияифинансоваяподдержка,которуюониполучат,помогутстартапамвыйтинаверныйкурспостроениябизнес-модели.Основнаяцельпрограммызаключаетсявформированииконкурентоспособногостартап-сообществастраныиегодальнейшегопродвижениянаглобальныйрынокзасчетобширноймеждународнойпартнерскойсети.Вместестем,врамкахпрограммы,мыпредусмотрелинетолькометодологическуюподдержку,ноиденежныеинвестициивразмере$50тыс.длякаждогоучастникаKDA,–пояснили.о.председателяправленияQazTechVenturesДиасБексолтан.
–Работаакселератораначаласьещевавгустеэтогогода,ноиз-запандемиивсенашимероприятиябылипереведенывонлайн-формат.Проделанаоченьбольшаяработа,исегоднямыофициальнопоздравилифиналистовсвключениемвсоставучастниковпервогопотокапрограммыKDAиполучениеминвестиций.Мывидимбольшойпотенциалказахстанскогостартап-сообщества,ведьприотборенаучастиебыладействительнобольшаяконкуренция.Поэтому,пользуясьслучаем,хотелбыпригласитьстартапы,которыехотятпродвинутьсвойпроект,получитьинвестицииииметьвозможностьобучатьсяулучшихмеждународныхэкспертов,кучастиювконкурсномотборенавторойпотокпрограммыKDA,которыйстартуетужевоктябреэтогогода,–прокомментировалновотьинвестиционныйдиректорQuestVenturesАнуарСейфулин.
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2020September22ВстолиценаградилифиналистовмеждународнойпрограммыKazakhstanDigitalAcceleratorAstanaTimes
AstanaTVcoverstheofficiallaunchoftheKazakhstanDigitalAccelerator.
ВстолиценаградилифиналистовмеждународнойпрограммыKazakhstanDigitalAccelerator.
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2020September14‘No-brainer’toinvestinMalaysia,saysSingapore’sQuestVenturesDigitalNewsAsia
Only11monthsintoitsfoundingasanacceleratoraimingtoidentifypromisingstartupsandturbochargetheirgrowth,ScaleUpMalaysiapulledoffquiteacouplastweek.TheopeningofapplicationsforitsCohort2wasaccompaniedwiththenewsthatSingapore-basedregionalventurecapitalfirm,QuestVentureshascommittedtoinvestUS$1millionfromitsnewAsiaFund2thathasraisedUS$30millionsofar,intoMalaysianstartupsfromCohort2thatwilllaunchnextmonth.
TogetasenseofhowwellScaleUpMalaysiahasdoneintheshortperiodithasbeeninexistence,youonlyhavetohearfromJamesTan,foundingpartnerofQuestVenturesandoneofSingapore’sleadingstartupentrepreneurs,whoactuallycofoundedane-commercestartupinChinain2009,listedinontheNasdaqin2015andexitedin2017.
TanwhofoundedQuestVenturesin2011ashisvehicleforangelandcorporateinvestments,tellsDNAthathisphilosophyininvestingispremisedonthebeliefthatthebestdealsinanymarketareideallymadebylocals.“Ireallydon’tthinkyoucanfindabetterteaminMalaysiathanthepeoplewhorunScaleUpMalaysiaandthatshouldhelpthemattractthebeststartupsaswell,”hesays,lookingforwardtoworkingwithStartUpMalaysia–“thebestpeopleweimagineworkingwith.”
WhileQuestVentureshaspartnershipsinothermarketsaswell,TannotesthattheengagementwithScaleUpMalaysiaisdeeperwhereQuestVentureswillworkwiththecompaniesfromCohort2fora12weekperiodduringthefirstpartoftheprogrammeandforanother21monthsafterthisperiod.“WereallyappreciatethisopportunitytoworkcloselywiththestartupandScaleUpMalaysia,”hesays.
“Ibelievethereisalotofvalueinworkingwithearlystagecompanies,”saysTanwhoinworkingwithScaleUpMalaysiahashadtobeflexibleandcreativetoaccommodatethelowerinvestmentsScaleUpMalaysiamakes.TheRM250,000thatwillbeinvestedintoeachofthe12startupstranslatestoUS$60,000,asignificantlyloweramountthattheusualUS$1millionchequesQuestVenturesisusedtocutting.
ArealisticTanexplains,“ThispartnershipatleasthelpsusgetintothemarkethereandwereservetherighttoinvestmoreintothemlateratournormalUS$500,000orUS$1millionamount.”Nodoubtaremarkthatwillgetmanyentrepreneursexcited.
Meanwhile,eagertogetstarted,TanhighlightsMalaysia’strackrecordofproducingregionalchampions,“evenifsomeofthemendupinSingapore”andsays,investingintothecountry’sstartupsis“ano-brainer”.
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2020September10ScaleUpMalaysiapartnersAsia’sQuestVenturestoglobaliselocalsolutionsNewStraitsTimes
KUALALUMPUR:ScaleUpMalaysiahasenteredintoanexclusivepartnershipwithQuestVentures,aSingapore-basedventurecapitalfirm,toinvestandscaletheregionalgrowthoftopMalaysianstart-ups.ThepartnershipwithQuestVentureswillbringinaForeignDirectInvestmentdealworthUS$1,000,000(RM4,150,000)todevelopandgrowMalaysianstart-ups.
AccordingtoScaleUp,inordertoqualifyfortheCohort2programme,scale-upsmustbeoperatingonbusinessmodelsthathavethepropensitytodisruptexistingmarketsorhavesolutionsthatareabletonavigatefuturechallengesandtakeadvantageofopportunitiesbroughtaboutbythecurrenteconomicclimate.
Atotalof24companiesshortlistedfromtheCohort2applicationswillbegintheiracceleratorjourneyinOctober2020beforepresentingtheirsolutionsinfrontoftheInvestmentCommitteeattheendoftheprogramme.Aspartofthepartnership,ScaleUpMalaysiaCohort2,poweredbyQuestVentures,willinvestatleastUS$60,250inupto12ofthesecompanies.
Meanwhile,QuestVentures’managingpartner,JamesTan,saidbeyondthetraditionalinvestmentroleofVCs,thecompanyseesitasitstechecosystemdutytodriveaspeedieradoptionoftheDigitalEconomy.
“OurpartnershipwithScaleUpMalaysiawillenableustosupportthetoptechtalentteeminginMalaysiaandprovidenecessaryandtimelysupporttopowertheirdisruptivebusinessestobreakintothepost-pandemicemergingAsiamarkets,”hesaid.
“Inthissecondcohort,wewanttoempowersolutionsthattapintothebuy-inofthedigitaleconomyandprimethemthroughourrigoroussyllabusdesignedtotakelocalcompaniestotheglobalstage.OurpartnershipwithQuestVentureswillenableourscaleupstoquantumleaptheirgrowth,accessadjacentmarketsandunlockawealthofeconomicpossibilitiesthroughvaluecreation,needednowmorethaneverwithourcollapsingglobaleconomybroughtaboutbyCovid-19,”saidScaleUpMalaysia’sseniorpartner,DrV.Sivapalan.
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2020September08QuestVenturestonurtureMalaysianstartupsinpartnershipwithacceleratorTheBusinessTimes
SINGAPOREventurecapitalfirmQuestVentureshasenteredanexclusivepartnershipwithacceleratorScaleUpMalaysiatoinvestinandhelpwiththeregionalgrowthoftopMalaysianstartups.
InaTuesdaystatement,QuestVenturessaidthatthepartnershipwillbringinUS$1millioninforeigndirectinvestmenttonurtureMalaysianstartups.Applicationsfortheprogramme,whichisthesecondintakeofScaleUpMalaysia,startonTuesday,Sept8.
Underthepartnership,theprogrammewillinvestatleastUS$60,250(RM250,000)inupto12ofthesestartups.ScaleUpMalaysiapreviouslylauncheditsfirstcohortinDecember2019with20companies,ofwhich10receivedaninvestmentofUS$48,283(RM200,000).
JamesTan,managingpartnerofQuestVentures,said:”BeyondthetraditionalinvestmentroleofVCs,weseeitasourtechecosystemdutytodriveaspeedieradoptionofthedigitaleconomy.
“OurpartnershipwithScaleUpMalaysiawillenableustosupportthetoptechtalentinMalaysiaandprovidenecessaryandtimelysupporttopowertheirdisruptivebusinessestobreakintothepost-pandemicemergingAsiamarkets.”
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2020September08ScaleUpMalaysiapartnersSingaporeVCfirmtotakelocalsolutionsglobalTheSunDaily
PETALINGJAYA:ScaleUpMalaysia,anacceleratorwhichfocusesongrowthstagecompaniesinMalaysia,haspartneredSingapore-basedventurecapitalfirmQuestVenturestoinvestandscaletheregionalgrowthoftopMalaysianstartupsthatwillbringinaforeigndirectinvestmentdealworthUS$1million(RM4.16million).
ToqualifyfortheCohort2programmelaunchedtoday,scaleupsmustbeoperatingonbusinessmodelsthathavethepropensitytodisruptexistingmarketsorhavesolutionsthatareabletonavigatefuturechallengesandtakeadvantageofopportunitiesbroughtaboutbythecurrenteconomicclimate.
Twenty-fourcompaniesshortlistedfromtheCohort2applicationswillbegintheiracceleratorjourneyinOctober2020beforepresentingtheirsolutionsinfrontoftheinvestmentcommitteeattheendoftheprogram.Aspartofthepartnership,ScaleUpMalaysiaCohort2poweredbyQuestVentureswillinvestatleastUS$60,250inupto12ofthesecompanies.
“Inthissecondcohort,wewanttoempowersolutionsthattapintothebuy-inofthedigitaleconomyandprimethemthroughourrigoroussyllabusdesignedtotakelocalcompaniestotheglobalstage.OurpartnershipwithQuestVentureswillenableourscaleupstoquantumleaptheirgrowth,accessadjacentmarketsandunlockawealthofeconomicpossibilitiesthroughvaluecreation,needednowmorethaneverwithourcollapsingglobaleconomybroughtaboutbyCovid-19,“saidScaleUpMalaysiaseniorpartnerDrV.Sivapalan.
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2020September08ScaleUpMalaysiaPartnersSingapore’sQuestVenturestoTakeM’sianSolutionsGlobalDigitalNewsAsia
Leadingaccelerator,ScaleUpMalaysia,todayannouncedthatithasenteredintoanexclusivepartnershipwithQuestVentures,aSingapore-basedregionalventurecapitalfirmthathascommittedtoinvestUS$1million(RM4,150,000)intoscalingtheregionalgrowthofupto12Malaysianstartups.
Toqualifyfortheprogramme,scaleupsmustbeoperatingonbusinessmodelsthathavethepropensitytodisruptexistingmarketsorhavesolutionsthatareabletonavigatefuturechallengesandtakeadvantageofopportunitiesbroughtaboutbythecurrenteconomicclimate.
24companiesthathavebeenshortlistedfromtheCohort2applicationswillbegintheiracceleratorjourneyinOctoberbeforepresentingtheirsolutionsinfrontoftheInvestmentCommitteeattheendoftheprogramme.Aspartofthepartnership,ScaleUpMalaysiaCohort2poweredbyQuestVentureswillinvestatleastUSD$60,250(RM250,000)inupto12ofthesecompanies,anincreasefromCohort1where10companiesreceivedaninvestmentofUS$48,000(RM200,000)each.
AccordingtoJamesTan,ManagingPartnerofQuestVentures,“BeyondthetraditionalinvestmentroleofVCs,weseeitasourtechecosystemdutytodriveaspeedieradoptionoftheDigitalEconomy.OurpartnershipwithScaleUpMalaysiawillenableustosupportthetoptechtalentteeminginMalaysiaandprovidenecessaryandtimelysupporttopowertheirdisruptivebusinessestobreakintothepost-pandemicemergingAsiamarkets.”
“Inthissecondcohort,wewanttoempowersolutionsthattapintothebuy-inofthedigitaleconomyandprimethemthroughourrigoroussyllabusdesignedtotakecompaniestotheglobalstage.OurpartnershipwithQuestVentureswillenableourscaleupstoacceleratetheirgrowth,accessadjacentmarketsandunlockawealthofeconomicpossibilitiesthroughvaluecreation,needednowmorethaneverwithourslowingglobaleconomybroughtaboutbyCovid-19,”saidDrV.Sivapalan,seniorpartnerofScaleUpMalaysia.
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2020September08QuestVentures,ScaleUpMalaysiateamuptoinvestuptoUS$1MinMalaysianstartupse27
Singapore-basedventurecapitalfirmQuestVenturesofficiallyannouncedapartnershipwithScaleUpMalaysiatoinvestinandscalethegrowthofMalaysianstartups.ThedealbroughtinMYR4.1million(US$1million)inForeignDirectInvestmenttodevelopMalaysianstartups.
Theprogrammewelcomesstartupsthatareoperatingonbusinessmodelsthat“havethepropensitytodisruptexistingmarketsorhavesolutionsthatareabletonavigatefuturechallengesandtakeadvantageofopportunitiesbroughtaboutbythecurrenteconomicclimate.”
Intotal,24companiesshortlistedfromthesecondcohort’sapplicationswillstarttheprogrammeinOctober,whichisculminatinginthepresentationoftheirsolutionsinfrontoftheInvestmentCommittee.
Aspartofthepartnership,theprogrammewillinvestatleastUS$60,250inupto12ofthesecompanies.
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2020September08FoundersoffoodorderingappOddlelookfortheexitTaipeiTimes
FoundersoftheSingaporeanfoodorderingappOddle,whichofferschoicesfromMichelin-starredrestaurantstobubbleteaconcoctions,areworkingwithanadvisertoexitthecompany,peoplewithknowledgeofthemattersaid.
Thestart-up,cofoundedbyJonathanLim(林澤延),PuaYongXiang(潘永祥)andJeremyLee(李俊輝),hasreachedouttopotentialsuitorstogaugeinterest,saidthepeople,askingnottobenamedastheprocessisprivate.
SaledocumentsshowthatOddlehasraisedtotalfundsofS$5million(US$3.7million)overthepastthreeyearsandisprojectingagrossprofitofS$8millionforthefiscalyearendingMarchnextyear,thepeoplesaid.
OnlinefoodorderingfrompeoplestuckindoorshastakenoffsincetheoutbreakoftheCOVID-19,boostingrevenuesatcompaniessuchasOddle.
Deliberationsareatanearlystageandthefounderscoulddecidetokeepthebusiness,thepeoplesaid.
ThefirmdeclinedtocommentwhencontactedbyBloombergNews.
Thestart-upcountsSPHVentures,RBInvestment,FidelisCapital,WavemakerPartnersandQuestVenturesamongitsbackers,accordingtoitsmostrecentfilingswithSingaporeregulators.
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2020September08ScaleUpMalaysiaentersintoexclusivepartnershipwithQuestVenturesBusinessToday
ScaleUpMalaysiahasannouncedthattheyhaveenteredintoanexclusivepartnershipwithQuestVentures,aSingapore-basedventurecapitalfirmtoinvestandscaletheregionalgrowthoftopMalaysianstartups.
ThepartnershipwithQuestVentureswillbringinaForeignDirectInvestmentdealworthUS$1,000,000(RM4,150,000)todevelopandgrowMalaysianstartups.ToqualifyfortheCohort2programwhichwasalsolaunchedtoday,scaleupsmustbeoperatingonbusinessmodelsthathavethepropensitytodisruptexistingmarketsorhavesolutionsthatareabletonavigatefuturechallengesandtakeadvantageofopportunitiesbroughtaboutbythecurrenteconomicclimate.
24companiesshortlistedfromtheCohort2applicationswillbegintheiracceleratorjourneyinOctober2020beforepresentingtheirsolutionsinfrontoftheInvestmentCommitteeattheendoftheprogram.Aspartofthepartnership,ScaleUpMalaysiaCohort2poweredbyQuestVentureswillinvestatleastUSD$60,250(RM250,000)inupto12ofthesecompanies.
AccordingtoJamesTan,ManagingPartnerofQuestVentures,“BeyondthetraditionalinvestmentroleofVCs,weseeitasourtechecosystemdutytodriveaspeedieradoptionoftheDigitalEconomy.OurpartnershipwithScaleUpMalaysiawillenableustosupportthetoptechtalentteeminginMalaysiaandprovidenecessaryandtimelysupporttopowertheirdisruptivebusinessestobreakintothepost-pandemicemergingAsiamarkets.”
“Inthissecondcohort,wewanttoempowersolutionsthattapintothebuy-inofthedigitaleconomyandprimethemthroughourrigoroussyllabusdesignedtotakelocalcompaniestotheglobalstage.OurpartnershipwithQuestVentureswillenableourscaleupstoquantumleaptheirgrowth,accessadjacentmarketsandunlockawealthofeconomicpossibilitiesthroughvaluecreation,needednowmorethaneverwithourcollapsingglobaleconomybroughtaboutbyCovid-19,”saidDrV.Sivapalan,SeniorPartnerofScaleUpMalaysia.
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2020September08ScaleUpMalaysiasasarbimbing24syarikatpemulaBeritaHarian
KUALALUMPUR:ScaleUpMalaysia,melancarkanprogramScaleUpMalaysiaCohort2danmencari24syarikatpemula(startup)tempatanberpotensiuntukdibimbingdalamprogramberkenaan.
ScaleUpMalaysiaakanbekerjasamadenganQuestVentures,firmamodalterokayangberpangkalandiSingapura,bagimenjayakanprogramyangmemasukitahunkeduapenganjurannya.
RakanPengurusanQuestVenturesJamesTan,berkatakerjasamaituakanmembawamasukurusniagapelaburanlangsungasingbernilaiAS$1juta(RM4.15juta)untukmembangunkandanmengembangkansyarikatpemulaMalaysiadalamprogramberkenaan.
“Untuklayakmenyertaiprogramini,syarikatpemulaperluberoperasiberdasarkanmodelperniagaanyangmempunyaikecenderunganuntukmengganggupasaransediaadaataumempunyaipenyelesaianyangdapatmenghadapicabaranmasadepandanmemanfaatkanpeluangdaripadaiklimekonomisemasa,”katanyadisini,hariini.
Jamesberkata,sebanyak24syarikatyangdisenaraipendekdaripadapermohonanCohort2akanmemulakanperjalananmerekapadaOktobersebelummengemukakanpenyelesaianmerekakepadajawatankuasapelaburanpadaakhirprogram.
PesertaperlumendaftarsebagaisebuahsyarikatMalaysiadanakandisenaraipendekberdasarkanempatkriteriautama—penjanaanpendapatan,keupayaanuntukmenunjukkanprodukyangbersesuaiandenganpasaran,potensiprodukatauperkhidmatandenganprospekpertumbuhanyangbesardankemungkinanpengembanganglobal.
SementaraituRakanKananScaleUpMalaysia,DrVSivapalan,berkatakerjasamnyadenganQuestVenturesakanmembolehkansyarikatpemulatempatanuntukmelonjakkanpertumbuhanmereka.
“Selainitu,merekajugaberpeluanguntukmengaksespasarannegaralainmenerusirangkaianyangdimilikiolehQuestVentures,”katanya.
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2020September08ScaleUpMalaysiapartnersQuestVenturestonurtureMalaysianstartupsTheEdge
ScaleUpMalaysiahasenteredintoanexclusivepartnershipwithQuestVentures,aSingapore-basedventurecapitalfirm,tohelptopMalaysianstart-upsscaletheirbusinessesregionally.ThepartnershipwillbringinaforeigndirectinvestmentdealintoMalaysiaworthUS$1million(RM4.15million)todevelopandgrowMalaysianstart-ups.
OnlycompaniesregisteredinMalaysiaqualifyandtheywillbeselectedbasedonfourkeycriteria—revenuegeneration,abilitytodemonstrateproduct-marketfit,potentialofhighlyscalableproductsorserviceswithlargegrowthpotentialandpossibilityofglobalexpansion.
Fromthelistofapplicants,24companieswillbeshortlistedtobegintheiracceleratorjourneyinOctoberthisyear,beforepresentingtheirsolutionsinfrontofaninvestmentcommitteeattheendoftheprogramme.Aspartofthepartnership,theprogramme,poweredbyQuestVentures,willinvestatleastUS$60,250(RM250,000)inupto12ofthesecompanies.
“Inthissecondcohort,wewanttoempowersolutionsthattapintothebuy-inofthedigitaleconomyandprimethemthroughourrigoroussyllabusdesignedtotakelocalcompaniestotheglobalstage.OurpartnershipwithQuestVentureswillenableourscale-upstoquantumleaptheirgrowth,accessadjacentmarketsandunlockawealthofeconomicpossibilitiesthroughvaluecreation,needednowmorethaneverwithourcollapsingglobaleconomybroughtaboutbyCovid-19,”saidDrVSivapalan,seniorpartnerofScaleUpMalaysia.
JamesTan,managingpartnerofQuestVentures,saidthepartnershipwithScaleUpMalaysiawillenablethemtosupportthetoptechtalentinMalaysiaandprovidenecessaryandtimelysupporttopowertheirdisruptivebusinessestobreakintothepost-pandemicemergingAsiamarkets.
“BeyondthetraditionalinvestmentroleofVCs,weseeitasourtechecosystemdutytodriveaspeedieradoptionofthedigitaleconomy,”hesaid.
Sivapalanaddedthattheyarecurrentlylookingfortechnologyinvestments,suchashealthtech,andencouragetechcompaniestoapply.“Ifyou’reanimpactcompanythatalso[uses]technology,wewillencourageyoutoapplyaswell.”
Touchingontheprogramme’smodulesandsyllabus,ScaleUpMalaysia’smanagingpartnerAndreSequerahsaidduringthepressconferencethatthesyllabushastakenintoaccounttheCovid-19pandemic.
HeexplainedthattheCohort2programmeisafundamentalbusinessprogrammeandbasedonallthebestpracticestheyhaveexperiencedovertheyearswhencoachingcompanies.However,thepandemichasbroughtinnewvariables,whichhavebeenaddedtothelatestprogramme.
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2020September07FoundersofSingaporefoodorderingappOddlelooktoexitTheStraitsTimes
SaledocumentsshowthatOddlehasraisedtotalfundsof$5millionoverthepastthreeyearsandisprojectingagrossprofitof$8millionforfiscalyearendingMarch2021,thepeoplesaid.
OnlinefoodorderingfrompeoplestuckindoorshastakenoffsincetheoutbreakoftheCovid-19,boostingrevenuesatcompaniessuchasOddle.Deliberationsareatearlystageandthefounderscoulddecidetokeepthebusiness,thepeoplesaid.ThefirmdeclinedtocommentwhencontactedbyBloombergNews.
Thestart-upcountsSPHVentures,RBInvestment,FidelisCapital,WavemakerPartnersandQuestVenturesamongitsbackers,accordingtoitsmostrecentfilingswithSingaporeregulators.Thecompany’sordermanagementsystemisusedbysome3,000brandsinmorethan10countries,itswebsiteshow.
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2020September07FoundersofSingapore’sFoodOrderingAppOddleLookfortheExitBloomberg
FoundersofSingaporefoodorderingappOddle,thatofferschoicesfromMichelin-starredrestaurantstobubbleteaconcoctions,areworkingwithanadvisertoexitthecompany,accordingtopeoplewithknowledgeofthematter.
Thestartup,co-foundedbyJonathanLim,PuaYongXiangandJeremyLee,hasreachedouttopotentialsuitorstogaugeinterest,saidthepeople,askingnottobenamedastheprocessisprivate.SaledocumentsshowthatOddlehasraisedtotalfundsofS$5million($3.7million)overthepastthreeyearsandisprojectingagrossprofitofS$8millionforfiscalyearendingMarch2021,thepeoplesaid.
ThestartupcountsSPHVentures,RBInvestment,FidelisCapital,WavemakerPartnersandQuestVenturesamongitsbackers,accordingtoitsmostrecentfilingswithSingaporeregulators.Thecompany’sordermanagementsystemisusedbysome3,000brandsinmorethan10countries,itswebsiteshow.
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2020September06Fearsoverforeignprofessionals:HowbesttoputS’poreansfirstwhenitcomestojobs?TheSundayTimes
SharingthesentimentsofchamberleadersthatSingaporeansarenotlackingintechnicalability,inareassuchasscience,bankingandinformationtechnology,MrJeffreySeah,partneratventurecapitalfirmQuestVentures,highlightsthatthereasonforSingaporeansnotlandingthesejobsisthemismatchinculturalfitandmindset.
“Singaporeansarenotgoodatbeingcomfortableinuncomfortablesituations,”saysMrSeah.
Buttheinabilitytofitintothecultureofcertainfirmsmaybeanissuethatisoutofthehandsoflocaljobseekers,hesuggests.
HecitesahypotheticalexamplewhereasmalltechcompanystartswithhiringthreeforeignerswithskillsetsnotavailableamonglocaljobseekersinSingapore.
Duringthecompany’sgrowthstage,theywillhirenon-techstaffinareaslikefinanceandsales,whichisalsowhenthecompany’scultureandmindsettakeroot.
“Thisisalsowhenthebalancingofhires(betweenlocalsandforeigners)shouldbeactivelyencouraged,”MrSeahsays.
Ifbythetimethecompanyhas20employees,andthesuper-majorityarefromoneethnicityoraforeigncountry,itwouldbedifficultforthecompanytohireothers,likeSingaporeans,whoneedtoadapttotheexistingworkculture.Butimportantly,itwouldalsobedifficultforpolicyinterventiontoenforceahiringratiowithoutaffectingthecompany’soperatingculture,headds.
Incasesoftechstart-upsthattendtoinvolvealotofteamwork,thatculturalfitisintegral,MrSeahemphasises.
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2020September01QuestVenturestargetsfinalcloseforsecondfundinMarch2021DealStreetAsia
Singapore-basedventurecapitalfirmQuestVenturesexpectstoholdthefinalcloseofits$50-millionfundinMarch2021,accordingtoatopexecutiveofthefirm.
Thevehicle,whichtargetsearly-stagedigitalstartupsacrossSoutheastAsia,scoreditsfirstcloseinApril2020.Limitedpartners(LPs)comprisingTemasek’sPavilionCapital,Kazakhstan’ssovereignwealthfundsubsidiaryQazTechVenturesandmultiplefamilyofficesandentrepreneurshavecommittedmorethanhalfofthefund’stargetcorpus.
“SoutheastAsiaandIndiaarestillwhereweandtheLPscontinuetoseethegrowthisin,”JamesTan,managingpartneratQuestVentures,toldDealStreetAsiainarecentinterview.
“KeymarketsforusareIndonesia,Malaysia,SingaporeandVietnam.TherestofSoutheastAsiawillbewhatwecallsecondarymarkets,”headded.
Geographically,theSingaporeVCfirmhasastrongfocusonVietnam,whereithassetaside$10milliontoinvestinearly-stagestartups.TansaidthatQuestVentureshasbeenevaluatingatleast80-100dealsonamonthlybasis.
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2020August27JeffreySeah,partneratQuestVentures,speaksonhowauthenticityandbeingvaluedriveniscrucialtomarketdisruptionKrASIA
JeffreySeahispartnerforFundIIAsiaatQuestVentures,aleadingventurefundfortechnologycompaniesthathavescalabilityandreplicabilityinlargeinternetcommunities.Priortothis,Jeffreyco-foundedatransformationadvisorypartnershipwithservicesingo-to-market,corporateventurecapital,digitaltransformationandcorporatereorganizationstrategy&implementationforAsia-basedMNCs.Beforethat,JeffreywasCEO,SoutheastAsiaandchair,AsiaDigitalLeadershipTeamofStarcomMediaVestGroup(SMG).
KrASIA(Kr):HiJeff,Iknowthatyoucamefromanadvertisingbackground.Howdidyoujumpfromtheadspacetotheventurecapitalspace?
JeffreySeah(JS):Theadvertisingandmarketingworldusedtobetheoriginalplacefordisruption.Everyonetriestogetthebigbrandstotrynewthings,butoftentheydon’tspeakthesamelanguage.Theolder,establishedfolkswillsay,“Hey,we’vegotthisprocessrunning.Everything’sperfect,butthenewguyswillsaythatthey’vegotthisnewwayofdoingthings.”Youtrytogetthemtounderstandeachother.Inthatway,therewasagenesisofunderstandingdisruption,andovertheyears,Igavealotofprojectstonewgeekoutfits—today,they’recalledstartups.
Asaresultofthoseyears,Ilearnedhowtoguidestartupsonhowtospeakproperly,soasnottooffendolder,establishedfolks.Throughthat,Ibecameanangelinvestor.Alongtheway,manyVCsstartedaskingmetojoinbecausetheywantedmetousetheirstartups.Soitwasallthesamething,justinadifferentform.
Kr:Withyourbackgroundinadvertisingandmarketinganddisruption,howareyouhelpingentrepreneurscreateamoreauthenticbrandandvoice?
JS:Everyoneneedstobeauthenticandreal.Youneedtoseethesweat,themessyhair,andpeopleinfrustrationtryingtogetthingsdone.Thisistoday’sbrand.Manystartupsbelievestronglyinwhattheycando,butsomepushthemselvesasiftheyarethebestthingsinceslicedbread.Communicationisveryimportant.It’snotaboutmarketingorbranding.It’sjustaboutsimplecommunication—Whataretherealbenefitsyoubringtothetable?Manyfailtoaddresstheunmetneedsofthemarket.Ifyourunaprocessoftryingtounderstandpeoplethroughfocusgroups,you’regettingtheanswersyouwanttohear.You’renotgettingtherealstuff.
Manytimes,whenstartupsgotothemarket,theydon’treallyfeeltherealneed.Sowhentheypitchaproduct,itiseithertooearlyortoolate.Youhavetobeverygenuine,andtellpeoplewhatyouareallaboutandwhatyourbenefitsare.Thesebenefitsarerealneedsthatmanypeoplewant.Becausetheywantandneed,theywillunderstandthevalue.Withthevalue,theywillgiveyouthevalue-basedpricing,whichwillgivetherealmargin.Youneedtohaveaverygoodawarenessofyourselfandtheoutsideworld,andbeabletoseethechanges,notjustpushyouragenda.
Kr:HowdoyoubringyourglobalperspectiveofevaluatingstartupstoQuestVentures?
JS:Theworldtodayisalotmoreglobalized.EspeciallyafterCOVID-19,Ithinktheworldhaschanged,andeveryonehasnewskills.OneofthebestthingsIlearnedfromworkingatmultinationalcompaniesistonotsee[amarket]asamarket,butasasocietyoracommunity.Howdoyoucustomizeyourproductforallthedifferentcommunitiesandsocietiesintheworld?That’sachallenge.Onlywhenyouhavebothagutviewandanempiricalfeelofallthemarketsthatyougoto,willyouunderstandhowtorunabusinessacrosstheworld.Learningtotranscendbothvaluesandeconomicconsumptionisprobablyoneofmy[moreimportant]lessons.Todothat,Ilearnedaboutthepowerofgeographyandpsychology.Ithinktheworldgoesthroughtrends,likebubbletea.AsImovedacross,Irealizedthattherearemanywaystoskinacat.Withthatkindofexperience,Itellstartups:don’texpecttheworldtowelcomeyou.Bepartoftheworld,beauthentic.
Kr:CanyoutalkabouttherelationshipbuildingthatyoubuildasaVC?
JS:Themissionofventurecapitalhasalwaysbeentomaximizereturnoninvestment(ROI),butthejourneytotheROIisverydifferent.SometimestheROIthatiscreatedisnotjustfinancialROI,butalotofsocialgoodtoo.ManyoftheunicornsinSoutheastAsia,likeGojek,hadaverysocialROI.Theybroughtalotofpeoplerealemployment.Youhavetounderstandthemotivationbehindthefounders,andalongthewayisajourneyofthemfulfillingapotential.AtQuest,webuildourecosystemstructuresandconductalotofmentorshipsessions.Weareverygoodatearlychildhooddevelopmentonastartup,andwecoachandguidepeople,butwedon’tspoon-feedthem.Wearmthemwithskillsand[knowledge]abouttheworldtofulfilltheirpotential.Thechallengeforalotofstartupsisalwaystomaintainwhattheyoriginallystandfor.Theraisond’êtreofthebusinessmustalwaysremain.Weliketoseefoundersthatareabletocarrytheirvaluesanddoresponsible,scalable,andprofitablebusiness.Then,ROIwillcome.
Kr:AtQuestVentures,howareyoubringingthosevaluesinrelationship-buildinginternallywithinthecompany,notjustyourportfoliocompanies?
JS:Valuesmustbebelievedinandespousedeveryday.Atthattime,[thefoundersofQuest]startedthevalueofQuestbeingaboutthisjourneyofimprovement.Overtheyears,thisthinkinggotdevelopedmoreholisticallyandcomprehensivelyandbecamemoremultifaceted.Questbuiltafamousinternsystemwherewehavealotofpeoplecomingthroughandweexpecttoseevaluesfromallofthem.Sometimesyougetdisappointed.Sometimesyougetover-excitedbecausethey’resomuchbetterthanus.Wehavethebeliefthateveryonehaspotentialthat’sevenbetterthanus.We’realwayslookingforpeoplethatarebetterthanustohelpbuildonthevalues.Ifyougettherightpeoplein,thevaluesgetstronger.Itbecomesamovement,anenergy,thatdrivesthesystem.Ourpartnersindifferentmarketsthinkthesamewayasus,fromVietnamtothePhilippines,toKazakhstan.Werealizethatsomeofthesevaluesofdisruption,growth,andrespectareactuallyquiteuniversal.IthinkQuestvaluesareasummationofeveryonethatwentthroughit,notjustthefounders,anddefinitelynotjustme.
Kr:Whatpersonalvaluesdoyouholdcloselythatyouhopetoseeandtranslateoverinthecompaniesthatyou’reinvestinginrightnow?
JS:OneofthebiggestthingsIaskfrommyselfandcompaniesisrespectfornon-livingthings.Manysocietieshavemanytrendsandmovements—they’renotliving.Theydon’tcallouttoyouandsaythatthey’reatrend.Butifyouhavethatkindofawarenessandhumilitytounderstand[whatisgoingon]aroundyou,youwillsenseandseizemarketsizemuchbetterthanmostpeople.Inthemarketingandadvertisingworld,everydayIseetennewguyscomingtosellmesomekindof“BS.”ButIknowthatoneofthesethingswillbecomethenextbigthing.SoImakesurethatIspendtimewithalltenandhearthemoutbecausethat’sthepurposeofdisruption.Thosetwovaluesremainimportanttome:Stayhumblewhileyou’reaware,andallowyourselfsomevulnerabilitytoacceptthingsthatyoudon’tknow.Itellthattostartupfounders:Ifyoureallywanttoexpandoutofyourcomfortzone,youneedtodropthatshell.Inyouractualthinking,youmusthavehumilityandshowsomevulnerabilitytoyourselfattheleast.
Kr:Theseareallgreattakeawaysforanyonelisteningtothispodcast,especiallythosewhoarelookingtobecomeamorevalues-drivencompany.Thanksforyourgreatinsight.Forthosereading,youcangetintouchwithQuestVenturesforyourbusinessideabyemailing[email protected]
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2020August21陈振声：起步公司已更多元若成经济新引擎有助加强我国韧性联合早报
我国起步公司的生态，已从第一代以数码科技和互联网平台为主，进入到多元化的阶段。
贸工部长陈振声昨天谈到他对本地起步公司生态的观察时说，起步公司更加多元化，若能以起步企业作为新加坡经济的新引擎，我国经济体系接下来将更有韧性。
不同起步公司生态的代表，昨天也同贸工部长陈振声和人力部长杨莉明，参与了记者会。
创业行动社群（ACE）主席兼求索创投（QuestVentures）合伙人陈中说，由创新推动的企业需要集合五个元素，即企业家、合作、大学、风险资本（riskcapital）和政府，才能取得成功。
他指出，我国风险资本存在的风险很多都因政府措施减缓或去除，例如资金配对和加强版的起新—先锋计划等。
本地也是蓬勃的创投与私募基金枢纽，培养许多“独角兽”。
此外，政府也积极参与和推动起步公司生态。
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2020August21Biggergrants,morementoringfornewentrepreneursTheStraitsTimes
Morecashisonhandtohelpfirst-timeentrepreneursgettheirbusinessideasoffthegroundandgeneratejobsamidthepandemic.
Theycanapplyforcapitalgrantsof$50,000,upfrom$30,000nowaspartofenhancementstotheStartupSGFounderprogramme.
Thechangesalsoincludeathree-monthventurebuildingschemetohelpnewfirmsgettheirinnovativeideasupandrunning.
TheenhancementsweredetailedbyTradeandIndustryMinisterChanChunSingandManpowerMinisterJosephineTeoduringavisittoTheGreenhouse,SingaporeManagementUniversity’sInstituteofInnovationandEntrepreneurship.
TheyfollowDeputyPrimeMinisterHengSweeKeat’sannouncementonMondaythat$150millionhasbeensetasidetobolstertheStartupSGFounderprogramme.
Theprogramme,whichisoverseenbygovernmentagencyEnterpriseSingapore(ESG),beganin2017toprovidementorshipandstart-upcapitalgrantstofirst-timeentrepreneurswithinnovativeideas.
MrJamesTan,chairmanoftheActionCommunityforEntrepreneurship,aprivatesector-ledorganisation,notedthatmorefreshgraduateswanttoformstart-upssotheventurebuildingprogrammewillprovideastructurewheretheycanaddressspecificproblems.
“This…potentiallymassivegroupofpeoplearegoingtobefunnelledthroughtheventurebuildingprogrammeand(theycan)focus(their)energiesonsolutionsthatareactuallyaproblemtosolve,andnotcreatesomethingthattheworldisnotlookingfor,”headded.
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2020August20ESGraisesStartupSGFoundergranttoS$50,000,setsup3-monthventurebuildingprogrammeTheBusinessTimes
ENTERPRISESingapore(ESG)willraisethegrantsupportoftheStartupSGFounderprogrammetoS$50,000fromSeptemberonwards,inordertohelpextendtherunwayforstartupstodeveloptheirbusinessideasinachallengingbusinessclimate,MinisterforTradeandIndustryChanChunSingsaidonThursday.
ThisfollowsDeputyPrimeMinisterandFinanceMinisterHengSweeKeat’sannouncementonMonday,wherehesaidthegovernmentwillpumpuptoS$150millionintotheprogrammetocontinuespurringinnovationandentrepreneurshipduringtheCovid-19pandemic.
Aspiringentrepreneursmayapplythroughtheuniversities’callapplicationsontheirwebsites–whichwillbeupbyend-August–followingwhichappointedaccreditedmentorpartners(AMPs)willfilterapplicantsbasedontheuniquenessoftheirbusinessconcept,feasibilityofbusinessmodel,strengthofmanagementteamandpotentialmarketvalue.
AMPsundertheprogrammeincludedeep-techtalentinvestorEntrepreneurFirst,venturecapitalfirmQuestVenturesandtheSMUInstituteofInnovation&Entrepreneurship(IIE).
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2020August20Highergrants,morementorshipsupportforfirst-timestart-upfoundersunderenhancedprogrammeCNA
SINGAPORE:Thegrantsupportforfirst-timestart-upentrepreneurswillberaisedtoS$50,000,aspartofenhancementstoasupportprogrammeaimedatspurringmorenewinnovativestart-upsinSingapore.
TheStartupSGFounderprogrammewillalsohaveathree-monthventurebuildingprogrammetogroomaspiringentrepreneurs,saidEnterpriseSingapore(ESG)onThursday(Aug20).
ThesedetailscomeafterDeputyPrimeMinisterHengSweeKeatannouncedinhisministerialstatementonMondaythatuptoS$150millionwillbepumpedintotheStartupSGFounderprogramme,aspartofeffortstocontinuetospurinnovationandentrepreneurshipinSingapore.
MakingtheannouncementduringavisittoanincubationcentreattheSingaporeManagementUniversityonThursday,TradeandIndustryMinisterChanChunSingsaid:“WearedeterminedtogrowanewgenerationofcompaniesfromSingaporetoservenotjusttheSingaporemarket,butalsotheregionalandglobalmarkets.
“Ineverycrisis,therearealwaysopportunitiesforustogrowanewgenerationofcompanies.Andthiscrisisisnodifferent.”
WiththeCOVID-19pandemic,theGovernmenthasacceleratedsomeofitsinitiativestohelplocalstart-upsgrowandpenetratenewmarkets,headded.
MrChansaidSingaporenowhasaveryvibrantstart-upscene,withseveralencouragingdevelopmentsinrecentyearsincludingamorediverserangeofstart-upsbeyondInternetplatformsandthehiringofbothyoungandmatureworkers.
AccordingtotheActionCommunityforEntrepreneurship(ACE),Singaporenowhas3,600techstart-upsemployingabout18,000peopleacrossvariousindustries.
Manyofthesestart-upsareformedinthelastfiveyears,saidACEchairmanJamesTan.
The“veryvibrantecosystem”alsoincludesabout150venturecapitalfirmsand100incubators,headded.
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2020August18WhenFilmmakingMeetsTech:SheCreatedAPlatformForS’poreansToBookCelebVideoMessagesVulcanPost
ManyknowLowSerEnasanaward-winningfilmmaker.Afterall,shewasthefirstSingaporeantowinaBritishAcademyofFilmandTelevisionArts(Bafta)awardin2018forheranimatedshortfilmPolesApart.
ShehasalsoproducedlocalmoviesandTVshowslikeZombiepuraandFriedRiceParadise,andcoordinatedvisualeffects(VFX)forHollywoodfilmslikeGodzilla,TheExodusandTheMuppets.
The30-year-oldPrestige40Under40awardeehassincechannelledherstorytellingskillstoSendjoy,astartupthatshefoundedrightbeforethecircuitbreakertookplacethisyear.
Sincethestartup’slaunchinmid-June,thenumberoftalentsontheplatformhasgrownfrom20to70.
ArtistesontheplatformrangefromhouseholdnameslikeGurmitSinghandNatHo,topeoplewithuniquetalentslikeillustrators,artists,designersandmagicians.
Therehasalsobeenasteady10percentweek-on-weekgrowthinthenumberofvideosbooked.
ThestartuphasalsojoinedQuestVenturesasaportfoliocompanyinJune.
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2020August06CambridgeUniversityFinance&InvestmentSocietyInterviewsJamesTanCUFIS
TheCambridgeUniversityFinance&InvestmentSociety–CUFIS–thelargestfinanceandinvestmentsocietyattheUniversityofCambridge,didaninterviewwithQuestVenturesJamesTan.
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Inourthirdepisode,ZhouYanginterviewsQuestVentures,aleadingventurecapitalfundinAsiathathasinvestedinsomeoftheregion’smostsuccessfulstart-ups,includingCarousell,aecommerceplatformcurrentlyvaluedat$850milliondollars.
BeforefoundingQuestVentures,MrJamesTanwasanentrepreneurhimself,havingfoundedWowo,aNasdaqlistedplatform.Inthisepisode,JamesshareshisinsightsonthecurrentclimateofventurecapitalandadviceforstudentskeenonacareerinVC.
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2020July30Lifeafteradvertising:JeffreySeahMarketingMagazine
MarketingMagazineinterviewsQuestVenturesJeffreySeahonhislifeafterasuccessfuladvertisingcareer.
Beforehewasaventurecapitalist,JeffreywasCEOofSoutheastAsia&Chairman,AsiaDigitalLeadershipTeam,StarcomMediaVestGroup.Hebringsdecadesofexperienceandrelationshipstoportfoliocompanieslookingforgotomarketstrategies.
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2020July24StartupsareexcitedaboutaccessingthehottesteconomyofSoutheastAsia:Q&AwithQuestVentures’MichelleNgKrASIA
Vietnam,withitsyoungandtech-savvypopulation,ispartofEnterpriseSingapore’sGlobalInnovationAlliancenetwork.
“Vietnam’sstartupsceneisnowmovingintotheglobalizationstage.”QuestVentures’managingpartnerJamesTantoldtheaudienceatEnterpriseSingapore’sfirstSGInnovationCommunityDaythatcompaniesoftheyounganddynamiccountryarenowlookingforglobalscale.QuestVenturespartneredwithEnterpriseSingaporeinthe“GlobalInnovationAlliance”toconnectSoutheastAsianstartupswiththeecosysteminVietnam.
Attheevent,TanintroducedQuest’sVietnamGlobalInnovation(VGI)programforpost-seedandSeriesA-stagestartups.MichelleNg,SeniorAssociateofQuestVentures,issheddingsomemorelightontheinitiativerespondingtoKrASIA’squestions.
KrASIA(Kr):Youjustkickedoffyouraccelerationprogramforpost-seedandSeriesA-stagestartupsintheVietnamesemarket.WhatexcitesQuestVenturesaboutVietnam?Whyshouldthestartupsbeexcited?
MichelleNg(MN):VietnamisoneofthemostdynamicemergingeconomiesinSoutheastAsia.Itsrobusteconomyissupportedbystrongdomesticdemandandanexport-orientedmanufacturingsector.Ithasapopulationof100millionwith70%belowtheageof35.Ithasanemergingmiddleclassthatstandsat13%andisexpectedtoreach26%withintenyears.
Atech-savvypopulationcoupledwithapropensitytospendprovidesmanyopportunitiesandchallengestosolvefortechstartupsexpandingintheregion.StartupsareexcitedaboutaccessingthehottesteconomyofSoutheastAsia,oneofthefastestgrowingdigitaleconomies,withopportunitiesforstartupsinthee-commerce,softwareoutsourcing,AI,fintech,andhealthtechspace.
Kr:Whocanapply?
MN:QuestVenturesislookingforalltechstartupsandSMEswhich(1)haveanMVP,withexistingcustomersandpartners;(2)areatseedstageandbeyondintermsoffundingraised;(3)arestronginMAU,GMV,orrevenuetractionand(4)havethepotentialtoaddressmarketneedsinVietnamandtheregion.
Kr:Pleaseguideusthroughtheprogramthattheselectedstartupswillrunthrough.Whatcantheyexpectandwhatarepitfallstheyshouldpreparefor?
MN:QuestVenturessupportsstartupsthroughawidenetworkofmentorsanddomainexperts.Startupswillalsohaveaccesstohighqualityandcomprehensiveonlinetrainingmoduletopics,and—ifglobalhealthsituationallows—anin-marketimmersioninVietnamtomaximizeexposureandestablishlong-termpartnershipsbetweenstartupsandecosystemplayers.Inourexperiencemanagingmarketaccessprograms,themostcommonpitfallisalackofunderstandingofthemarket,followedbyalackofsupportnetwork.TheVGIchangesthesedynamicsandplacesstartupsonbetterfootingtobegintheirexplorationofthemarket.
Kr:Manye-commercestartupshavebeenverysuccessfulduringthepandemic.Asidefrome-commerce,doyouseeanyothersectorsthatmightofferpromisingproductsfortheVietnamesemarketandwhy?
MN:Weseeexcitementinsectorssuchaslogisticsandsupplychain.Thesearealsocloselylinkedtothedigitaleconomywhichwefocuson.ExamplesincludePostCothatQuestVenturesintroducedtotheVietnammarket.TheyhavepartneredwithSendo,oneofthebigfourmarketplacesinVietnam,andevenduringCOVID-19,areontracktooutperform.
Kr:AttheeventyoumentionedthatyouwerestilllookingforstrongpartnersoutofSingaporeforthisprogram.Whocanbeapartner?Howcantheyhelpandwhatarethebenefits?
MN:QuestVenturesislookingforcorporationsandindividualswhoarekeyindrivingentrepreneurshipandinnovationinVietnam.TheycanhelpbyworkingwithourhighlyinnovativestartupstobringthemintoVietnamthroughmutuallybeneficialpartnerships.BenefitstothemwouldbetobepluggedintotheSoutheastAsianstartupecosystemandinnovation.
KrASIAisamediapartneroftheSGInnovationCommunityDay.
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2020July23SingaporeanstartupPartipostgets$3.5milliontoletanyonebecomeaninfluencerTechcrunch
Partipost,aSingapore-basedmarketingstartupthatletsanyonewithasocialmediaprofilesignupforinfluencercampaigns,hasraised$3.5millioninnewfunding.TheroundwasledbySPHVentures,theinvestmentarmofpublisherSingaporePressHoldings,withparticipationfromQuestVenturesandotherinvestors.
ThefundingwillbeusedtogrowPartipost’scurrentoperationsinSingapore,IndonesiaandTaiwan,andexpandintoVietnam,thePhilippinesandMalaysia,otherSoutheastAsianmarketswithheavysocialmediausage.Sincelaunchingitsmobileappin2018,Partipostsaysithasaddedabout200,000influencerstoitsplatform,andthatoverthepast12months,ithashelpedconduct2,500socialmediamarketingcampaignsformorethan850brands,includingAdidas,Arnott’s,RedBull,ChopeandGojek.
AccordingtobenchmarkreportreleasedinMarchbyInfluencerMarketingHub,theinfluencermarketingindustryisexpectedtobeworthabout$9.7billionin2020,withcompaniesspendingincreasingamountsonsocialmediacampaignsandworkingwithmore“micro-influencers.”Toservethem,thereportsaidthatmorethan380newinfluencermarketingagenciesandplatformswerelaunchedlastyear,joiningarosterofcompaniesthatalreadyincludeAspireIQ,Upfluence,BuzzSumo,SparkToroandInzpsire.me,tonamejustafewexamples.
Whilemostofthesecompaniesfocusonhelpingbrandsidentifytheinfluencerswiththewidestsocialmediareach,Partipostletsanyonesignuptotakepartinacampaign.
“Partipost’smaindifferenceisthatwebelievethateveryonecanbeaninfluencer,”founderandchiefexecutiveofficerJonathanEgtoldTechCrunch.“Evenifyouhave200followers,youcanbeone.Wewanttocreateanewmarketthatwebelievewillbethefuture.Everyonecanpostonsocialmedia,writearevieworgivesomefeedbackandbepaidforit.”
“Wewanttoempowereveryonetomonetizeofftheirowndataandinfluenceandnotjustallowthebigtechcompaniestodoso,”headded.
Aspartofthefunding,SPHVentureschiefexecutiveofficerChuaBoonPingwilljoinPartipost’sboard,whileQuestVenturespartnerJeffreySeahwillbecomeanobserver.
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2020July23AnApprenticetakedownforOneChampionship?TheBusinessTimes
VenturecapitalistJeffreySeah,amediaandadvertisingveteran,said:“InmarryingtheChatribrandwithTheApprentice’sestablishedfranchise-machine,thecollaborationcanpotentiallyunlockthecommercialpotential…andmightbringinthequalitycashrevenuestreamsONEChampionshiphasbeenseekingthepastfewyears.”
Thechallengewilllieindistinguishingtheshowfromnewercontentformats.“Digital-economycontentmodelsmightcastashadowontheagedmediamodelofTheApprentice,”MrSeahadded.”
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2020July23PartipostbagsUSD3.5millionfundinginaSPH-ledSeriesAroundKrASIA
InfluencermarketingplatformPartipostannouncedJuly22thatithasraisedUSD3.5millioninanSPHVentures-ledSeriesA,withparticipationfrominvestorsincludingQuestVenturesandothers.
“OurlatestfundraisingroundwillenablePartiposttodevelopevenbettertechnologyandcollectmoredatatohelpusachieveourgoalsofhelpingbrandsconnecttotherightcrowdofinfluencersaswellasempoweringtheseinfluencerswithabilitytoberewarded,”saidthecompany’sfounderandCEOJonathanEginastatement.
TheinfluencermarketingindustryissettogrowtoUSD9.7billionin2020accordingtoareportbyInfluencerMarketingHub,awebsitededicatedtoinfluencermarketing.PartipostalsoaimstoacceleratebusinessexpansionintoVietnam,Philippines,andMalaysiawhilestrengtheningthecurrentoperationinSingapore,Indonesia,andTaiwan.
Inadditiontothefunding,SPHVenturesCEOChuaBoonPingwilljoinasadirectorinPartipost’sboardofdirectors.QuestVentures’partnerJeffreySeahwillalsoboardasthecompany’sobserver.
Foundedin2016,Partipostactsasamatchmakerforbrandsandinfluencersrangingfromafewhundredtomillionsinfollowersize.Utilizingdatainsightscollectedthroughitsin-apppollsanduserbehaviour,thecompanyhelpsfindinfluencerswiththehighestbrandaffinity.
SincethelaunchofthePartipostmobileappin2018,thestartuphasseenanaverageofdoubletotriple-digitpercentagemonth-on-monthgrowthtomorethan200,000influencers,andhasfacilitated2,500influencermarketingcampaignsforover850brandsaroundtheworldinthepast12months.
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2020July23Partipostraises$4.81mfundingledbySPHVenturesSingaporeBusinessReview
CrowdinfluencermarketingandcommerceplatformPartiposthassecuredaninvestmentof$4.81m(US$3.5m)ledbySPHVentures,accordingtoanannouncement.QuestVenturesandotherinvestorsalsoparticipatedinthefunding.
Partipost’sfounderandCEO,JonathanEg,hasassembledaninvestorbasewithdeepdomainknowledgeincontent,artistemanagement,dataandadvertising,aswellasextensiveindustrynetworkswhicharecriticalformarketexpansionplans.PartipostcountssingerandcelebrityWillPanasoneofitsearliestinvestors.
Inconnectionwiththisinvestment,ChuaBoonPing,CEOofSPHVentureswilljoinPartipost’sboardofdirectorsasadirectorandJeffreySeahofQuestVentureswilljoinasanobserver.
ThefundsraisedaresaidtofurtherdevelopPartipost’stechplatformandacceleratebusinessexpansionintoVietnam,PhilippinesandMalaysia,aswellasstrengthencurrentoperationsinSingapore,IndonesiaandTaiwan.
JonathanEgaddsthatthislatestfundraisingroundwillenablePartiposttodevelopevenbettertechnologyandcollectmoredatatohelpbrandsconnecttotherightcrowdofinfluencersaswellasempoweringinfluencerswithabilitytoberewarded.
SincethelaunchofthePartipostmobileappin2018,thestartuphasseenanaverageofdoubletotripledigitpercentagegrowthMoMtomorethan200,000influencers.Withtherapidtraction,Partiposthasbeenabletoseethrough2,500influencermarketingcampaignsforover850brandsacrossgeographicalmarketsinthepast12months.
Critically,themobileappissaidtoallowPartiposttoactivatethousandsofinfluencersforasinglecampaignwithin24hours.Partipostissettohitover1,000,000influencerswithinthenext18months.
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2020July23SPHVenturesleadsUS$3.5mSeriesAfundraiseforPartipostTheBusinessTimes
CROWDinfluencermarketingstartupPartiposthasraisedUS$3.5millioninaSeriesAfundingroundledbySPHVentures,thecorporateventurearmofSingaporePressHoldings,thestartupannouncedinaThursdaypressrelease.
ThefundraisewasjoinedbylocalventurefirmQuestVentures,amongotherinvestors.SPHVentureschiefexecutiveChuaBoonPingwilljoinPartipost’sboard,whileJeffreySeahofQuestVentureswilljoininasanobserver.
Partipostsaidthatitslatestinvestorshave“deepdomainknowledgeincontent,artistemanagement,dataandadvertising,aswellasextensiveindustrynetworkswhicharecriticalformarketexpansionplans”.
JonathanEg,Partipost’sfounderandchiefexecutive,saidthathisfirm’slatestfundraisingroundwillenableittodevelopbettertechnologyandcollectmoredatatohelpbrandsconnecttorightinfluencers,aswellastoempowertheinfluencers.
“Havingstrategicinvestors,suchasSPHVenturesandQuestVentures,willprovideuswithdomainexpertiseandmarketnetworkstorealiseourgrowthvisionfaster,”MrEgadded.
JulianTan,chiefofdigitalbusinessatSPH(whichpublishesTheBusinessTimes),saidthecompanyisconstantlylookingtoinvestindigitalbusinessesthatcan“addvalueandsynergy”toitsmediasegment.
“Partiposthasbuiltupastrongcrowdinfluencerplatformandweareworkingwiththemtoseehowbesttooffertheiruniquesolutiontofurtherenhanceourofferingstoourusersandclients,”hesaid.
MrChuaofSPHVenturesadded:“WeareimpressedbyPartipost’sstrongtractioninSingapore,IndonesiaandTaiwanasayoungstartupandlookforwardtopartneringittoscaletonewmarkets.”
MrSeahofQuestVenturesbelievesthatPartipostwillbeabletoexpanditsbasebeyondthetraditionalinfluencercrowd,toincludeotherpublic-facingfigures,to“createverticalunlimited-volumecontentchannels”.
“Partipost’spotentialresidesinitseaseofonboardingqualitycontentinfluencerswithloyalfollowerbases.Besidesmillennialsocialites,webelievePartipostwillbeabletoonboardandscalethefollowerbasesforestablishedcelebrities,newsanchors,societyspokespersonsandliterarywriters,”hesaid.
“Partipostwilldriveaneweraofcommercialcontentmonetisationpartnerships.Theyareanexcellentteamofpassionatetechnologyentrepreneursandhaveourfullsupport,”MrSeahadded.
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2020July22SPHVenturesleads$3.5mfundingininfluencermarketingfirmPartipostDealStreetAsia
SPHVentures,thecorporateventurecapitalarmofSingaporePressHoldings(SPH),hasleda$3.5millionfundingroundininfluencermarketingstartupPartipost,accordingtoastatement.
ThefinancingwasjoinedbyQuestVenturesandothersundisclosedinvestors.
Partipostmatchesbrandswithinfluencerstodriveword-of-mouthmarketing.Itusesdatainsightsthroughitsin-apppollsanduserbehaviourtocrowdsourceinfluencers.
Partipostoperatesintheinfluencermarketingindustry,whichisforecasttohit$9.7billionin2020,accordingtoareportbyInfluencerMarketingHub.TheindustryhasseenaspikeinthelasttwoyearsasbrandsandgovernmentsshifttheirmarketingeffortsonlinetotargetMillennials.
InSoutheastAsia,theinfluencermarketingsectorwasbelievedtohavereached$638millionlastyearandisexpectedtoquadruplewithinfiveyearstoreach$2.6billionby2024,accordingtoinfluencermarketingagencyIMA.
QuestVenturespartnerJeffreySeahsaidPartipost’spotentialresidesinits“easeofonboardingqualitycontentinfluencerswithloyalfollowerbases.”
Followingtheinvestment,…SeahwilljoinPartipost’sboardasanobserver.
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2020July21凭AI搜索本地公司要当法律知识界谷歌联合早报
今年4月，INTELLLEX获本地风险投资者QuestVentures所领导的几个基金联合注资210万美元，成为相信是本区域首家获得这等投资额的法律科技公司。
公司创办人深知搜索资料的不易，立志于运用人工智能技术（AI）改善法律知识管理领域的运作。
新加坡法律采纳普通法系，特点是需要反复参考判決先例，但要如何从海量的普通法文献和判词中，找出一份包含信托、地皮公司、私生子和遗产继承几个元素的判例？
立杰律师事务所的前律师曾子谦（34岁）深知搜索资料的不易，立志于运用人工智能技术（AI）改善法律知识管理领域的运作。
2015年，他与四名好友李剑欣（32岁）、陈峙汎（34岁）、黄怡慧（32岁）和许展阁（35岁），联合创办AI法律科技公司INTELLLEX，成立专业知识管理系统，并设下目标，要成为“B2B（企业对企业）专业领域的谷歌”。
几经耕耘，这家也服务金融业、企业和税务领域的科技起步公司，团队已扩大到16人，并在英国伦敦设分公司。
公司逐渐赢得口碑，客户包括本地大型律师事务所、政府机构和国际律所。
今年4月，INTELLLEX甚至获本地风险投资者QuestVentures所领导的几个基金联合注资210万美元（约292万新元），成为相信是本区域首家获得这等投资额的法律科技公司。
曾子谦说，公司准备用这笔资金扩大亚太和欧洲的服务，并研发新产品。
“资讯的爆炸及人工成本的提高，促使专业知识领域未来必须依靠人工智能的辅助。
风险投资者的注资，证明了他们认可法律科技领域是方兴未艾的领域，日后仍有发展潜力及增长的空间。
”
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2020July09Intelllexsaveslawyersfrom‘reinventingthewheel’TheEdgeSingapore
Theglamourandbigbucksofthelawhaslongbeenakeypillarofthe“SingaporeDream”,butthetrialsandtribulationsofthelegalprofessionhaveoftenbeencauseforsecondthoughts.Adayinthelifeofahigh-flyingattorneyinvolvesporingthroughpilesoflegaldocumentswritteninarcanelanguageunderseveretimepressure.Smallwonder,then,thatthreeoutoffourlawyersleavetheprofessionwithin10years.
Memoriesofstressfulall-nighters,dealingwithdifficultbossesandhavingmealsatoddhoursremainvividinthemindofoneyounglawyer.“Youwillalsobecomeheavilyreliantoncoffeeorenergydrinks,anddrinkcopiousamountsofalcoholonnightsofftocombatthestressandcalmthenerves.Yoursociallifewillsuffer.Andtrustme,youaregoingtobecancellingalotoflunchanddinnerappointments,”saysRV,amemberoftheLawSociety’sYoungLawyer’sCommitteeinanop-edforitsLawGazettepublication.
Muchofthisstressstemsfromhowlawfirmsmanagethereamsofinformationthatcometheirway.AsSingapore’scommonlawlegalsystemrequireslawyerstocitelegalprecedentfrompastcases,attorneysneedtodealwithlargeamountsofinformationgleanedoverseveralyears.
BorrowingalinemadefamousbyformerUSdefencesecretaryDonaldRumsfeld,formerlawyerChangZiQiansaysthatattorneysoften“don’tknowwhattheydon’tknow”.Theprocessbywhichtheyobtaininformationfromdatabasesandcolleaguesisoftenuncoordinatedandmanual.
Intelllexhasmetwithsignificantsuccesssofar,winningUS$2.1million($2.9million)instartupfundingdespiteweakinvestorconfidencefollowingCovid-19.LedbyQuestVentures,investorsincludeThomsonReuters,CreativeTechnologyfounderSimWongWoo,andearlyRazerinvestorsChandraMohanandChongChietPing.“WelikethatIntelllex’s‘brainswithAIbrawn’offeringiswell-positionedtoresolveage-oldproductivityanddeliveryproblemsacrossmultipleB2Bindustries,”saysQuestVenturespartnerJefferySeah,whowilljoinIntelllex’sBoardafterthefundinground.
Thelegalindustryappearstoagree,withIntelllexboastingastar-studdedportfolioofclients.BesidesgovernmentbodiesandseveralofSingapore’s“BigFour”lawfirms—AllenandGledhill,DrewandNapier,RajahandTann,andWongPartnership—IntelllexalsoworkswithoneofBritain’sprestigious“MagicCircle”lawfirmsintheUK,HongKongandSingapore.Smallerlawfirmsarealsowell-representedamongthestart-up’sclientele,withsuchoutfitsconstitutingthebulkofitsearliestclientssinceitsfoundingin2015.
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2020July07USBigTechbuildsappetiteforstartuppieinSouth-eastAsiaTheBusinessTimes
Morehigh-profileinvestmentsinregionalstartupsareemerginginaspacealreadyfamiliartoChinesetechfirms
UStechgiantshavemadesomerecenthigh-profileinvestmentsintoSouth-eastAsianstartups,thelatestbeingGoogle’splanstojoinIndonesiane-commerceplayerTokopedia’sfundinground,whichaimstoraiseUS$500milliontoUS$1billion.Whethertheseinvestmentswillturnintoproxywars–asithaswithChinesetechmajors–isstillaquestionupfordebate.
ThestrategicmovesbyUStechmajorssuchasFacebookandVisaarelikelytobefuelledbytheriseofSouth-eastAsia’sInterneteconomyandfavourabledemographicsforgrowth.
“TheUStechgiantsareactivelysearchingforfriendlyfrontierpasturesincomparisontowhattheyarefacingathome,withTrumpconservatism,andinChina,theirpreviousfrontierlandthatisnowmadeunfriendlybyinter-governmentaltensions,”saidJeffreySeah,apartneratearly-stagetechinvestmentfirmQuestVentures.
“South-eastAsiaandSouthAsiarepresentscale,infrastructure-poorbutaspiration-richmarketplacestoconquerandbringdevelopmenteconomicbenefitsthatarewelcomebyhostgovernments.”
ForChinesetechgiants,thebattlelineshavemostlybeendrawninthee-commerceande-walletlandscapes.Forinstance,areportfromDealStreetAsiafoundthatAlibaba(oraffiliateAntFinancial)andTencentarebackingatleast11e-walletplayersinSouth-eastAsia,inadditiontoexpandingtheirrespectiveAlipayandWeChatPay.
ForUSfirms,thestrategyfornowlookstobegainingexposuretoopportunitiesinemergingmarkets.Heritas’MrChiknotedhowsomeUSandChinesetechfirmsarecommonshareholdersinSouth-eastAsianstartups.GoogleiswithTencentandJD.cominGojek,forinstance.
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2020July06WhyisVietnamgoingtoemergethestrongestpost-COVID-19?e27
TherearethreereasonswhyVietnamisoutshiningitsneighbouringcountrieswhenitcomestohandlingtheaftermathofCOVID-19
VietnamisoneofthefirstcountriestoeasesocialdistancingmeasuresandreopenitssocietyasearlyasApril2020,wheremostcountriesareonlystartingtograpplewiththeseverityandspreadofCOVID-19.
Alsoknownasthelandofthe‘AscendingDragon’(duetothegeographicalshapeontheworldmap),itthefirstinSoutheastAsiatoemergefromtheglobalpandemic,allowingforbusinessesanddomestictravelstoreopen.VietnamisalsoidentifiedasoneofthefirstcountriesinSoutheastAsiawhenSingaporereopeneditsbordersfortravellers.
ThetotalnumberofCOVID-19casesinVietnamstandsat349(asof22June),withzerodeaths.Thisstandsinstarkcomparisonwithmorethan42,000casesinSingapore,30,682inthePhilippines,and8,587inMalaysia.
TheinternationalcommunityisstunnedbyVietnam’sbreakthroughduringthisCOVID-19pandemic.AnAsahiShimbunreporterassignedtocoverVietnamwasintriguedbythefollowingstatementbyaJapanesenationalwhoworksinthecountry:“EventhoughItalkedabouttheveryfewpatientsinfectedwiththenewcoronavirusandtheVietnamesegovernment’stoughmeasurestocombatCOVID-19,nooneinTokyobelievedme.”
Followingtheoutbreakofthecoronavirus,theIMF’s2020GDPgrowthforecastforASEAN-5countries–Indonesia,Malaysia,thePhilippines,Singapore,andThailand–iscutto-1.3percent(andSingapore-4-7percent),butVietnamisexpectedtostillexperiencepositive2.7percentGDPgrowth,withastrongreboundofsevenpercentprojectedin2021.PrimeMinisterNguyenXuanPhucsentapositive2020economicgrowthtargetofoverfivepercent,inspiteofIMF’sprojection.
Fromthis,wecanseeVietnamispoisedtoemergeoneofthestrongesteconomiesinSoutheastAsiaandthesearethethreereasonswhy:
Swiftactionanddigitalservices
Vietnam’sabilitytoachievesuchoutstandingresultsduetotheswiftanddecisiveactionsfromthenationalgovernment,followedbycoordinatedanddedicatedeffortsofthegeneralpopulation.Vietnamtookactionveryearlywhentherewasminimalinformationaboutthevirus.
NationwideschoolshutdownswereimplementedinJanuary,travelrestrictionsandborderclosurefollowedquickly.Vietnamalsoimplementedaggressivecontacttracingandquarantinepeoplewhoareexposedtosuspectedcasesfortwoweeks.
TheMinistryofHealthdevelopedanapp,NCOVI,healthauthoritiesdisseminatedwarningsandordersthroughZalo,ahomegrownmessagingappwithmorethan50millionusers,andtheinternetspreadacoronaviruspublicawarenesspopsongthatwentviral.
TheswiftactionanddigitalservicesenabledtransparencyandcollectiveandinformeddecisionsinVietnam’sbattleagainstCOVID-19,enablingthemtoemergefastfromthepandemic.
Resilienteconomyandstartupecosystem
TheBusinessTimesreports“MobilitymetricsshowthefastestrecoveryofactivityinVietnam,withmovementstoretailandrecreationvenueshavingreboundedtojust15percentbelowthebaseline,comparedtomorethan60percentbelowbaselinebeforemeasuresbegantolift.”
PeoplemayrememberVietnamfortheiramicablepeople,naturalwonders,andsometimestheirfightforindependenceforover30years.ThroughthisCOVID-19episode,theworldnowviewstheminanewlight,asaresilientandstablecountry,andoneofthehubsforinnovationandentrepreneurshipinAsia.
TheinnovationecosysteminVietnamisattractivetoe-commerce,softwareoutsourcing,AI,fintech,healthtechstartups.Withmorethan3,000startupsintheecosystem,totalinvestmentinVietnamstartupsincreasedsix-foldintheperiodoftwoyearsbetween2017and2019.
SomeofthetechstartupshavealsocontributedtothefightagainstCOVID-19inprovidingonlinemedicalconsultations,medicaldeliveries,andon-demandaccesstohealthcareservices.
Strongcross-bordercollaboration
“Beingaheadofthecurve,theASEANchairisingoodsteadtoleadandshaperegionalresponsesonthepandemic”,saysDrHuongLeThu,senioranalystattheAustralianStrategicPolicyInstitutetoldTheStraitsTimes.
VietnamworkscloselywiththeregionalneighboursinCOVID-19responseandalsointermsofdrivingregionalgrowthandinnovation.
Todriveregionalstartupecosystemdevelopmentandintegration,Vietnam’spublicandsectorstakeholdershavebeenactivelypartneringwithinternationalentitiesfortwo-waymarketaccessforstartupsexpandingintheregion.
QuestVentures,inpartnershipwithstatutoryboardsundertheMinistryofTradeandIndustryofSingaporeandSaigonInnovationHub(SIHUB),supportsSingaporestartupsenteringVietnamthroughVietnamGlobalInnovation(VGI)acceleration.
LeadingventurecapitalinSoutheastAsia,QuestVenturessupportsstartupsthroughQuestVentures’widenetworkofmentorsanddomainexperts.Startupswillalsohaveaccesstohighqualityandcomprehensiveonlinetrainingmoduletopics,and(ifglobalhealthsituationallows)anin-marketimmersioninVietnamtomaximizeexposureandestablishlong-termpartnershipsbetweenstartupsandecosystemplayers.
ItisnosurprisethatVietnamemergedfastestduringthishealthcrisisandthiswinningstrategyofswiftaction,resilienceandcross-bordercollaborationisalsothesameonethatwillallowtheeconomyandstartupecosystemtorisestronglyintheregion.
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2020June29Singaporetoinvest$36minmaritimetechnologystartupsSeatradeMaritimeNews
MaritimetechnologystartupsaresettobenefitfromaSGD50m($36m)fundviaSEEDSCapital,theinvestmentarmofEnterpriseSingapore,andsixco-investmentpartners.
SupportedbyESGandtheMaritimeandPortAuthorityofSingapore(MPA),thislatestinitiativebySEEDSCapitalaimstodrivethegrowthofthemaritimesectorthroughtechnologyandinnovation.
ThesixpartnersareInnoport(capitalarmofSchulteGroup),KSLMaritimeVentures(venturecapitalunitofKuokSingapore),PSAunboXed,Rainmaking,ShipsFocus-QuestVenturesandTecPier.
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2020June26SEEDSCapitalandsixpartnerstoinvestS$50minmaritimestartupsTheBusinessTimes
ENTERPRISESingaporeinvestmentarmSEEDSCapital,togetherwithsixappointedco-investmentpartners,willpumpacombinedS$50millionintomorethan50maritimetechnologystartupsinSingapore.
Theco-investmentpartnersare:Innoport,thecorporateventurearmoffamily-ownedshipownerandmanagerSchulteGroup;KSLMaritimeVentures,theventurecapital(VC)unitoftheKuokfamily’sinvestment-holdingcompanyKuok(Singapore)Limited;PSAunboXed,theexternalinnovationandVCarmofportoperatorPSAInternational;corporateinnovationandventuredevelopmentfirmRainmaking;ShipsFocus-QuestVentures,acollaborationbetweenmaritimeinnovationfirmShipsFocusandVCfirmQuestVentures;andTecPier,aVCinvestorinearly-stagemaritimeandsupplychainstartups.
Theco-investmentinitiativeissupportedbytheMaritimeandPortAuthorityofSingapore.SEEDSCapitalandtheappointedpartnerswillinvestinstartupsthatdevelopsolutionstoimproveoperationalefficiencyandsafetyacrossthedifferentsegmentsofthemaritimesector.
EnterpriseSingaporesaidthatstrengtheningthecapabilityofthemaritimesectorwillinturnenhancetheresilienceofkeyeconomicpillarssuchasthelogistics,manufacturingandwholesaletradesectors,whicharereliantonsmoothandefficientglobalsupplychainroutes.
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2020June26EnterpriseSingaporeventurearmSeedsCapitalandpartnerstoinvest$50minmaritimestart-upsTheStraitsTimes
EnterpriseSingapore(ESG)investmentarmSeedsCapital,togetherwithsixappointedco-investmentpartners,willpumpacombined$50millionintomorethan50maritimetechnologystart-upsinSingapore.
Theco-investmentpartnersare:Innoport,thecorporateventurearmoffamily-ownedshipownerandmanagerSchulteGroup;KSLMaritimeVentures,theventurecapital(VC)unitoftheKuokfamily’sinvestment-holdingcompanyKuok(Singapore)Limited;PSAunboXed,theexternalinnovationandVCarmofportoperatorPSAInternational;corporateinnovationandventuredevelopmentfirmRainmaking;ShipsFocus-QuestVentures,acollaborationbetweenmaritimeinnovationfirmShipsFocusandVCfirmQuestVentures;andTecPier,aVCinvestorinearly-stagemaritimeandsupplychainstart-ups.
Theco-investmentinitiativeissupportedbytheMaritimeandPortAuthorityofSingapore.SeedsCapitalandtheappointedpartnerswillinvestinstart-upsthatdevelopsolutionstoimproveoperationalefficiencyandsafetyacrossthedifferentsegmentsofthemaritimesector.
EnterpriseSingaporesaidthatstrengtheningthecapabilityofthemaritimesectorwillinturnenhancetheresilienceofkeyeconomicpillarssuchasthelogistics,manufacturingandwholesaletradesectors,whicharereliantonsmoothandefficientglobalsupplychainroutes.
Eachco-investmentpartnerwillhelpthestart-upstofast-tracktheircommercialisationofsolutions…ShipsFocus-QuestVentureswillfocusbroadlyonsolutionsindigitalisation,sustainabilityanddeeptechformaritimecommerce.
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2020June26CentralAsiagoodexpansionoptionforSingaporestartupsTheBusinessTimes
WhenSingaporestartupsarelookingtoexpandoverseas,thego-todestinationhasalwaysbeenitsbackyardinSouth-eastAsia.Butinanincreasinglycompetitiveandmaturemarket,wherethefightfortoptechtalentisintense,thisreflexstrategyrequiresarethink.
FastmaturingHanoiandJakartahaveseenstartupsgrowatarapidpace,andhaveattractedsignificantventurecapitalfunding.Thereisnotalotofroomlefttoplayforlatecomers.
AttheotherspectrumareCambodiaandLaos,whichlookedreadyforSingaporestartupstoexploreandexpand.ButVCs’experiencesreflectmarketswhicharestillatanearlystageofbuildingtheirstartupecosystems,andnotquitereadyforsignificantventurecapitalinvestments.
Theneedforstartupsheretolookforfreshpasturesfartherafieldisurgent,especiallyinapost-pandemicworldwherethesearchforopportunitiesrequiresgreatercreativity,commitmentandcourage.
Insteadofbeingcontenttobenearhome,taketheleapintolessfamiliarterritories.AgoodnewlandingpointwouldbeCentralAsia.Theregionprovidesstrongconditionstodevelopastartupecosystem.
Wearetakingaction.MycompanyQuestVentureswillrolloutastartupaccelerationprogrammecalledKazakhstanDigitalAcceleratorbytheendoftheyear.ItaimstonurturetechstartupsinKazakhstanandCentralAsiaoverthenextthreeyears.
ThiscameafterfundingintoQuestbyQazTechVentures,theventurearmofKazakhstan’ssovereignwealthfund,inAprilthisyear.Ourtargetistogroom30startups,or10ayear.
Suchoptimismisnotbasedonapunt.CentralAsia,withKazakhstanatitsheart,isthenewfrontierforstartupsandiswellequippedtotakeoff.
AsthemosteconomicallydevelopedmarketinCentralAsia,KazakhstanhassoughttocreateafinanceandinvestmenthubinitscapitalcityofNur-Sultan.TheAstanaInternationalFinancialCentre,establishedinthecapitalin2018,usesEnglishastheworkinglanguageandoffersvisaandtaxwaiverstowooinvestorsandglobalfinancialplayers.
Onthetechfront,thecountryhasshownsignificantcommitmentindevelopingafuture-readyinfrastructure.Forinstance,severaloftheirgovernmentserviceshavegonedigital–residentscanregisterthebirthofachild,orreportalostvehicleconvenientlyonlineviaacentralisedwebsite.
ThisinitiativewasdevelopedundertheDigitalKazakhstanprogramme,agovernment-ledefforttotransformthecountrytoadigitaleconomy.Lastyear,theprogrammecreatedsome8,000jobsinthecountry.
Also,morethan75percentofitspopulationhaveaccesstotheInternet.Itstelcosectorishighlydeveloped,withanextensive4Gnetworkandhighmobilepenetrationrate.
Alargesegmentofthepopulationownsmartphones,andhaveaccesstomobiledata.OnChocolife,ahomegrownecommercestartupinKazakhstanthatoffersfooddeliveryservices,youngstersregularlyspendtheequivalentofS$4orS$5toorderbeveragesforthemselves–similartoSingaporeanyouthswhoarefrequentconsumersofgourmetcoffeeandbubbleteadrinks.
Thisisgoodnewsforstartups.ConsumersintheyoungCentralAsiancountry,where45%ofitspopulationareagedunder30,arehungryfornewexperiences,curiousabouttheworld,andhavethespendingpowertoboot.
SomemightpointoutthattheKazakhmarket,readyasitmaybe,issmallandhenceofferslimitedopportunities.Indeed,thesprawlingcountryhasjustabout18.7millionpeople.ButjustlikehowSingaporeisoftenseenbyindustryplayersasagatewaytoSouth-eastAsiamarkets,KazakhstanisabridgethatconnectsinvestorstoCentralAsia.
Theregion,whichincludesKazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan,Tajikistan,TurkmenistanandUzbekistan,ishometo72millionpeople.Infact,ifweexpandtherangetoincluderegionswithina2,000kmradiusfromKazakhstan,wearelookingatapotentialmarketof3.3billionpeople,includingalargeswatheofRussiaandEasternEurope.
IcanthinkoftwoimmediateopportunitiesinKazakhstanforSingapore-basedstartups.
First,tohuntfortechtalentintheCentralAsianregion.WhilestartupsherehavetypicallyrecruitedtalentfromVietnamandIndonesia,thebraindraininSouth-eastAsiaisagrowingconstraint.Kazakhstan’semergingtechsceneoffersarichtalentpoolofyoung,tech-savvypeopleseekingwhite-collarcareers.Theyareeducated,creativeandmodern.
TheKazakhgovernmenthasinvestedsignificantlyindevelopingandpromotingSTEMeducation.Studentsatthesecondaryeducationlevelareexposedtocoding,roboticsandevenvirtualrealitytocultivateaninterestintech.
Thecountryalsowantstogrowitsstartuplandscape.AstanaHub,agovernment-runtechnologyparksimilartoSingapore’sBlock71,offerssupporttostartupsintheformoftrainingprogrammes,mentorshipsfromentrepreneurs,officespacesandnetworkingopportunities.
Second,Kazakhstan’sambitioustaskofbuildingadigitalSilkRoadprovidesopportunitiesfortechplayers.Thegovernmentispouringsignificantresourcestodevelopthecountry’sinformationandcommunicationstechnologyinfrastructure.Itwillrequiresupportinfieldssuchasdigitalliteracyeducation,cybersecurityanddataanalysis,tonameafew–areasthatSingaporestartupsarewell-placedtobeapartof.
CompaniesheremaybereluctanttoventuretotheCentralAsianregion,duetodifferencesincultureandlanguage.Butthelongerwestaystagnantandsticktooldformulasforgrowth,theeasieritisforsomeoneelsetostealourlunches.
ThewriteristhemanagingpartnerofQuestVentures,aSingapore-basedventurecapitalfirm.
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2020June18StartupecosysteminSGgetsnewvoice,directionDigitalLifeAsia
ThestartupecosysteminSingaporewillrecoverfromtheCOVID-19crisisandthecommunitywillemergestronger.ThisisaccordingtoJamesTan,whohasbeenappointedasthenewChairmanoftheBoardofDirectorsofActionCommunityforEntrepreneurship(ACE).
Withmorethan3,600startupsemploying18,000people,morethan100incubators,acceleratorsandventurebuilders,and150venturecapitalfundsinSingapore,ACE’sscopehasincreasedtremendouslysinceitsinceptionin2003bytheMinistryofTradeandIndustry.
“ThisisanopportunetimeforACEtorevalidateandexpandtheroleitwassetupfor—tosupportthestartupecosystemintheirjourneytobecomeviablebusinessgoingconcerns.Inthisdifficultperiodforstartups,ACEprovidedground-upsupportthroughpublicwebinarsandprivatematchingactivitiessuchastheCOVID-19SeminarSeriesandMeet-The-VCSessions,”Tansaidinapressstatement.
Theglobalrecessionisinforce.Singapore’sgrossdomesticproductisforecasttoshrinkbybetween4percentto7percentthisyear.Assuch,consumerspendingbehaviorwilltakeasharpturntoacashpreservationmindset.Startupsfaceconsiderablymorechallengesthanlegacybusinessesinthiscommercialnewnormal.
ACEhasbeenworkingcloselywithcommunitystakeholders,especiallygovernmentagencies,innovationenablers,andstartups.ItsgoalistodriveentrepreneurshipandinnovationinSingaporeandbeyondaggressively.ACEalsohelpsfacilitatedisbursementofgovernmentgrants.OneoftheseistheStartupSGFoundergrant.AnotheristheGlobalTalentReadygrant,whichsawasurgeininquiriesduringthispandemic.
“TheInnovationIsland”isthevisionthatMr.TanhassetforSingapore.
“Thewhole-of-economydigitaltransformationmomentumfromCOVID-19providesanimpetusfortheSingaporeeconomytobecome‘TheInnovationIsland’.
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2020June18SingaporestartupgetsfundingforsociallydistancedkaraokeTechNodeGlobal
Pilingintoasmall,sweatyroomthat’sjustbeenvacatedbyabunchofstrangerstobeltoutsomebangerssoundslikeabadidearightnow—andthat’spartofthereasonaSingaporestartupnamedPopsicalhassecured$5millionfrominvestorstoexpandthereachofitssociallydistancedkaraokegizmo.
Popsical’sseriesAfundingwasledbylocaloutfitQuestVentures,reportsTheBusinessTimes.TheaimistoexpandsalesacrossSoutheastAsiaaswellasCentralandSouthAsia,includingthemassiveIndiamarket.
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2020June17KaraokestartupPopsicalgetsS$6.9minfundingledbyQuestTheBusinessTimes
SINGAPORE-BASEDPopsical,astartupthathascreatedahomekaraokesystemcombiningacompactpalm-sizeddevicewithamobileapp,hasraisedS$6.9millioninaSeriesAroundledbyQuestVentures,withparticipationfromgovernment-ownedinvestorSEEDSCapital.
Popsical’snotableearlyinvestorsincludeApricotCapital,TeoHengKTV,CashStudiosKTV,OMGVenturesandMediacorp.
JeffreySeah,apartneratQuestandanindustryveteranfromthedata-marketinganddigital-transformationdomain,willjointhestartup’sboardofdirectors.
Thefreshfundswillbeusedformarketexpansion,hiringgo-to-markettalentanddevelopingPopsical’sroadmapofproductsandsoftware-as-a-serviceofferings.
Unlikeconventionalkaraokesetsthatrelyonasingleremote,Popsicalcanpairupwithanunlimitednumberofmobiledevicesatthesametime.Itusesalicensedcloud-basedstreamingsystemthatincludesa14-languageinterfaceandalibrarywithover200,000songs,updateddailywithlatesthitsandsongrequestsfromitsusers.Thesystemalsohasvocaleffectstomakeonesoundlikearockstar–orachipmunk.
Theextendedstay-homeperiodduringtheCovid-19pandemicledtoanuptickindemandforPopsicalviaitse-commercewebsite.AveragemonthlysalesfromMarchtoMaywere47percenthigherthaninFebruary.
PopsicalcurrentlysellstotheSingaporeandMalaysiamarkets.ItplanstoexpandtoVietnam,IndonesiaandthePhilippines,aswellasoutsideSouth-eastAsia.
Co-founderandCEOFaruqMaricansaid:“Indiahasanincrediblemusictraditionandwethinkthatkaraokewouldbeanabsolutehitthere.WearealsolookingatCentralAsiaandplacessuchasKazakhstan,wherekaraokeisgrowingimmenselyinpopularity.”
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2020June17新加坡云K歌平台Popsical完成A轮融资动点科技
总部位于新加坡的智能云卡拉OK创业公司Popsical今天宣布获得490万美元的A轮投资，当地风投QuestVentures领投，SeedsCapital跟投。
这家初创公司在新闻稿中表示，这笔资金将用于市场扩张、招聘和产品开发。
刚刚加入Popsical董事会的QuestVentures合伙人JeffreySeah表示：”这家初创公司发现了市场的空白。
随着远程视频连线成为全球家庭和社区的日常，我们预计他们会有更多有趣的尝试和机会。
”
卡拉OK最早起源于日本，现在已经成为亚洲地区流行的一种娱乐方式，并扩展到世界不同地区。
2020年全球卡拉OK市场的价值已达42亿美元，预计到2026年底将触及46亿美元。
该公司表示，在大流行中，Popsical的全球需求有了很大的增长。
Popsical的早期投资人有ApricotCapital、TeoHengKTV、CashStudioKTV,OMGVentures、Mediacorp等。
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2020June17Singapore’sPopsicalraisesUS$5MSeriesAforitscloud-basedkaraokeplatforme27
Singapore-basedsmartstreamingkaraokestartupPopsicalannouncedtodaythatithassecuredUS$5millioninSeriesAroundofinvestment,ledbylocalVCfirmQuestVentures.
SeedsCapital,theinvestmentarmofEnterpriseSingapore,alsoparticipated.
Foundedin2016bythreeKaraokeenthusiasts,Popsicalmakesuseofalicensedcloud-basedstreamingsystemtocomeupwithalibraryofsongs,whichisupdateddailyinmultiplelanguages.Italsohasinbuiltfeatureslike“singlikearockstarorachipmunk”tocaptureitsGenZandMillennialsaudience.
Popsicaldeliverscompactsizeportableboxeswhichcanbecontrolledbyanapp,incomparisontooldermodelswhichusedtobeheavyandbulkyandcouldonlybefixedononelocation.
“Thestartuphasspottedaviablegapinthemarket,andweanticipateincreasinglyinterestingopportunitiesforthecompanytoexploit,especiallywiththeZoom-environmentmeetingbecomingapartoffamilyandcommunitylifeacrosstheglobe.Theyareanexcellentteamoftechnologylifestyleentrepreneursandhaveourfullsupport,”saidJeffreySeah,PartnerofQuestVentures.whohasnowjoinedthestartup’sBoardofDirectors.
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2020June17QuestVenturesleads$5mfundinginSGcloudkaraokestartupPopsicalDealStreetAsia
VenturecapitalfirmQuestVentureshasledtheS$6.9-million($5million)SeriesAfundinginPopsical,aSingapore-designedcloudKaraokebrandthatsawsharpgrowthindemandduringtheCOVID-19period.
Inastatement,PopsicalsaidSeedsCapital,theinvestmentarmofEnterpriseSingapore,alsoparticipatedintheround.Thenewinvestorsnowjoinotherearlybackersinthestartup,whichincludeApricotCapital,TeoHengKTV,CashStudiosKTV,OMGVentures,andMediacorp.
Popsicalsaidtheextendedstay-homeperiodduringtheCOVID-19pandemichasseenahugeuptakeintheglobaldemandoftheproduct,whichisavailableviaitse-commercewebsite.
ThePopsicalRemixKaraokesystem,a“cloudkaraokesystemwithSpotify-likefeatures”,hasgainedpositiveconsumerandcorporateresponsesalikeinSoutheastAsia,MiddleEast,andEurope,accordingtothecompany.
UnlikeconventionalKaraokesetsthatrelyonasingleremote,Popsicalhasthecapabilityofpairingupwithmobiledevicesatthesametimetoaddsongstotheplayqueueanytime.Itslicensedcloud-basedstreamingsystemalsoincludesamulti-languageinterfaceandalibraryupdateddaily.
ThefreshfundingwillbeusedfordigitalandgeographicmarketexpansionaswellastofurtherupgradePopsical’sproductsandservices,amongothers,thestartupsaid.AspartoftheSeriesAinvestment,JeffreySeah,PartneratQuestVentures,willjointhePopsicalboardofdirectors.
“They’vespottedaviablegapinthemarketandweanticipateincreasinglyinterestingopportunitiesforPopsicaltoexploit,especiallywiththeZoom-environmentmeetingbecomingapartoffamilyandcommunitylifeacrosstheglobe,”Seahsaid.
KaraokeoriginatedinAsiaandhasbecomeago-torecreationalactivityaroundtheworld.AccordingtoaresearchreportcitedbyPopsical,theglobalKaraokemarketwaslastvaluedat$4.2billionin2020andisforecasttohit$4.6billionbytheendof2026.
TheinvestmentfromQuestVentureswillalsopresentPopsicalamarketentrycorridorintoKazakhstanandCentralAsia–whereKaraokeisapopularsocialandbusinessevent.
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2020June15IsthepartyoverinSoutheastAsia’spost-coronavirustechscene?SCMP
“ThefirstthingVCshavedoneistostopnewinvestmentsandspendthelasttwotothreemonthsjusttryingtofigureoutwhatishappeningtoexistingportfolios,howtheyaregoingtohelpthemrestructureinadvance,”saidWongPohKam,abusinessprofessorfromNationalUniversityofSingapore.
Fornow,thepartyisoverinthetechstart-upscene.“OurinternalresearchshowsasteepdropinVCfundingforthefirstquarterofthisyear,”saidJamesTan,managingpartnerofSingapore-basedVC,QuestVentures.
“Ifthecurrenttrendshold,thelinecontinuesflatforthenexttwoquartersbeforeamildrecoverytakesplaceattheendoftheyear,andacceleratesasthenewyearbegins.”
QuestVenture’sTanagreed:“Wethinkventurecapitalfirmsthathavedrypowdertodaystandtoinvestinthegreatestgame-changingcompaniesoftomorrow.”
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2020June09Singapore’sActionCommunityforEntrepreneurshipAppointsNewChairmanDigitalNewsAsia
TheActionCommunityforEntrepreneurship(ACE)announcestodaythatithasappointedJamesTanasitsnewChairmanoftheBoardofDirectors.
Withmorethan3,600startupsemploying18,000people,morethan100incubators,acceleratorsandventurebuilders,and150venturecapitalfundsinSingapore,ACE’sscopehasincreasedtremendouslysinceitsinceptionin2003bytheMinistryofTradeandIndustry.
WiththeglobalrecessiontakinggripandSingapore’sgrossdomesticproduct(GDP)forecastedtoshrinkbybetween4%to7%thisyear,consumerspendingbehaviorhastakenasharpturntoacashpreservationmindset.Startupsfaceconsiderablymorechallengesthanlegacybusinessesinthiscommercialnewnormal.
“Covid-19hasdisruptedallbusinesses,andformanyindustries,thechangeswillbepermanentandirreversible.Businesses–GLCs,startupsandSMEsalike–havetore-emergewithviableandsustainableplanstorespondtoapost-lockdowneconomyreopeninginphasesandpepperedwithunfamiliarityastheeconomysearchesforasteady-state,”saysTan.
“ThisisanopportunetimeforACEtore-validateandexpandtheroleitwassetupfor–tosupportthestartupecosystemintheirjourneytobecomeviablebusinessgoingconcerns.Inthisdifficultperiodforstartups,ACEprovidedground-upsupportthroughpublicwebinarsandprivatematchingactivitiessuchastheCovid-19SeminarSeriesandMeet-The-VCSessions,”addedTan,whoisconfidentthatmoststartupswillrecoverandthecommunitywillemergestrongerthanbefore.
ACEhasbeenworkingcloselywithcommunitystakeholders,especiallygovernmentagencies,innovationenablers,andstartups,todriveentrepreneurshipandinnovationinSingaporeandbeyondaggressively.ACEalsohelpstofacilitatedisbursementofgovernmentgrantssuchastheStartupSGFoundergrantandtheGlobalTalentReady(GRT)grant,whichsawasurgeininquiriesduringthispandemic.
“ThedigitaltransformationmomentumfromCovid-19providesanimpetusfortheSingaporeeconomytobecome‘TheInnovationIsland’,”challengesTanwhohassetthisashisvisionforSingapore.
“Everycrisispresentsitsopportunities.Covid-19iscultivatingagenerationofresourceful,blackswan-event-smart,andresilientSingaporeentrepreneurs.Theircollectiveexperienceandwarstorieswillmoldthemintofutureleadersinourinnovationecosystem.Webelievethatsuchmarket-operatingnouscoupledwithdexterousoperatingmindsets,raisestheentrepreneurquotientoftheSingaporebusinessworld.Theoutcomeisamuchmorepermanentsystematicimpact,”hestresses.
Priortohisappointmentaschairman,TanservedontheBoardasthedeputychairmanfrom2016to2020,andasamemberoftheBoardfrom2011to2016.TanreplacesDrMarkHon,whohascompletedhistermaschairman.Hon,whowillbeappointedchairmanemeritus,laidthegroundworktodevelopACEintotheinternationalleadingstartupandinnovationecosystemdeveloperitistoday.
ACEwasestablishedin2003bytheMinistryofTrade&Industry,andbecameaprivatesector-ledorganisationin2014.ItscurrentpatronisDrKohPohKoon,SeniorMinisterofStatefortheMinistryofTrade&IndustrywhowelcomedTanastheincomingACEchairman.
“WithhismanyyearsofexperienceontheACEBoardofDirectors,IamconfidentthatJameswillbuildontheseeffortstofurtherstrengthenthelocalstartupcommunityandhelpmorestartupsachievesustainablegrowth.Together,wecanhelpourstartupsemergefromthiscrisisstrongerandmoreresilient,”saidKoh.
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2020June04Morethanjustmoving,MoovazwantstohelprebuildlifeinanewplaceKrASIA
“Becauseoftheinternetyoucanworkfromanywhere,therearealotofdigitalnomadsnow.Thisaffectshowpeoplerelocateinternationally,”saidLee.Inthepast,peopletendedtomovetoplaceswheretheeconomyisbuzzing,butnow,thistrendisshifting.
LastApril,MoovazraisedUSD7millioninSeriesAfundingledbyQuestVentures.YCHGroup,Singapore’slargesthome-grownsupplychainmanagementcompany,alsoinjectedcapitalthroughitscorporateventurearm,SCAngels.Moovazintendstousethemoneyforgeographicalexpansion.
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2020June04SG-basedlawtechstartupINTELLLEXraises$2.1MDigitalLifeAsia
Asprofessionalservicesfirmsadapttothenewnormal,theirknowledgemanagementplatformswillalsoneedtoevolve.Continuingitsmissionofmodernizingknowledge-basedindustries,Singapore-basedlawtechstartupINTELLLEXhasannouncedtodaythatithascompletedaUS$2.1Mfundinground.
QuestVenturesledthisroundoffunding.ParticipatingwereThomsonReuters,InsigniaVentures,K3VenturesandaSingaporegovernment-backedventurecapitalfund.Inconjunctionwiththefunding,JeffreySeah,PartneratQuestVentures,willjointheINTELLLEXboardofdirectors.
“INTELLLEXbelievesunderutilizedknowledgeisdeadweight.WiththeINTELLLEXplatform,weconvertsuchdeadweightintoknowledgeassetsthatyieldmultipleandrepeatedvalueforourclients.Withthisroundoffunding,wewillexpandourservicedeliveryacrossEUandAPACandacceleratedevelopmentofnewproductofferings,”INTELLLEXCo-founderandCo-CEOChangZiQiansaidinapressstatement.
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2020June04LegaltechstartupIntelllexraisesUS$2.1mledbyQuestVenturesTheBusinessTimes
INTELLLEX,alegalknowledge-managementplatformprovider,hasraisedUS$2.1millioninSeriesAfundingledbylocalventurecapitalfirmQuestVentures,thestartupannouncedonThursday.
ThefundingroundwasjoinedbyThomsonReuters,InsigniaVentures,K3VenturesandanundisclosedventurefundbackedbytheSingaporegovernment,Intelllexsaid.QuestVenturespartnerJeffreySeahwilljoinIntelllex’sboard.
IntelllexpreviouslyraisedanundisclosedsumfromangelinvestorsthatincludedCreativeLabsfounderSimWongHoo;TanKimSengandJeffreyKhooofprivateequityfirm3VSourceOneandKelvinChan,aformermanagingdirectorofPartnersGroup’sAsia-Pacificprivateequityteam.
ItsotherearlybackersincludeChandraMohan,apartneratlawfirmRajahandTann;andChongChietPing,managingpartnerofSmallWorldGroupIncubator.MrMohanandMsChongwerealsoearlyinvestorsingaminghardwarefirmRazer.
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2020June04LegaltechplatformINTELLLEXraisesUS$2.1MfundingroundledbyQuestVenturese27
INTELLLEX,alegal-focussedknowledgemanagementplatform,hasclosedaUS$2.1millionfundingroundledbyQuestVentures.
ThisroundalsowelcomedparticipationfromThomsonReuters,InsigniaVentures,K3Ventures,andaSingaporegovernment-backedVCfund.
OtherearlybackersofINTELLLEX,includingSimWongHoo(CreativeTechnologies),TanKimSengandJeffreyKhoo(3VS1),KelvinChan(Ex-PartnersGroup),andChandraMohanandChongChietPing(EarlyinvestorsinRazer),alsotookpartinthefundinground.
ChangZiQian,Co-FounderandCo-CEOofINTELLLEX,saidthatthecompanyplanstousethefundingfortheexpansionofitsservicesacrosstheEUandtheAsiaPacific,aswellasforaccelerationofitsnewproductofferings.
Inconjunctionwiththefunding,JeffreySeah,PartneratQuestVentures,willjointheINTELLLEXboardofdirectors.
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2020June03Singapore’slogisticsstartupMoovazacquiresSPHpublicationTheFinderDealStreetAsia
Singapore-basedlogisticsandinternationalrelocationserviceproviderMoovazsaidThursdayithasenteredanagreementwithmediagroupSingaporePressHoldings(SPH)toacquireitsexpatpublication,TheFinder.
Theacquisition,whichwascompletedinMay,willaddcontentandcommunity-buildingtoitsservice,Moovazsaidinastatement.
Moovazannouncedtheclosingofits$7-millionSeriesAroundinAprilledbyQuestVentures.
Aspartoftheacquisition,MoovazwilltakeovertherunningofTheFinder’sassetsincludingitsquarterlyprintanddigitalmagazines,TheFinderKidssupplements,webcontent,socialmediacontentinSingaporeandMalaysia,itsaidinastatement.
And,SingaporeExchangeMainboard-listedSPHwillbecomeashareholderofMoovaz.
“Globallocalsareacommunityofpeoplewithfreedomimbuedwithintheirsouls.WhatstruckusthemostaboutTheFinderishowauthenticallyitsbrandandcontenthasresonatedwiththiscommunityforthepastquarterofacentury,”saidMoovazco-founderandCEOLeeJunxian.
TheFinderisafreequarterlymagazineaimedathelpingexpatsandSingaporeanslivewellinSingapore.At27years,itisthelongest-runningpublicationforexpatriatesinSingapore.
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2020June03LogisticsstartupMoovazacquiresSPH’sTheFinderTechinAsia
Singapore-basedstartupMoovaztodayannouncedthatithasenteredintoanagreementtoacquireSingaporePressHoldings’(SPH)expatpublicationTheFindertoaddcontentandcommunity-buildingtoitsrelocationservice.
TheFinderprovidesexpatswithtips,ideas,andinspirationforwhattodoandbuyandwheretogoinSingaporeandaroundtheregion.Ithasmorethan300,000“global-local”usersandiscirculatedinmorethan400locations,accordingtoastatement.
Followingtheacquisition,Moovazwillbetakingoverthepublication’sassetsincludingitsquarterlyprintanddigitalmagazines,TheFinderKidssupplements,webcontent,andsocialmediacontent,amongothers,inSingaporeandMalaysia.
Moovazsaidthedealwillhelpthemagazinereachitsrelocationclientsandbuildanecosystemofend-to-endlogisticsandlifestyleservices.Atthesametime,thestartuplookstocatertoglobal-localsastheyrelocateandsettleintolocalcommunities.
Aspartofthetransaction,themagazine’seditor-in-chiefSaraLyleBowwillbejoiningMoovazasdirectorofTheFinderandheadofcommunity.SPHwillalsobecomeaMoovazshareholderandhelpwiththestartup’sregionaloutreacheffortsviaitsmediaplatforms,accordingtothestatement.
Foundedin2017,Moovazaimstooffertransparencyandopenaccesstomobilityservicesworldwide.Thecompanysaiditcurrentlyhasaglobalnetworkofmorethan2,000certifiedpartners.
TheacquisitioncomesafterMoovazraisedUS$7millioninaseriesAfundingroundledbyQuestVenturesinApril.ItpreviouslysecuredUS$1millioninseedfundingfromMojoPartnersin2018,followedbyanundisclosedamountofinvestmentfromHustleFundandtwoformer500Startupspartnerslastyear.
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2020June03DailyBriefing:MoovazacquiresSPHpublicationTheFinderSingaporeBusinessReview
DailyBriefing
FromDealStreetAsia:
LogisticsandinternationalrelocationserviceproviderMoovazhasenteredanagreementwithmediagroupSingaporePressHoldings(SPH)toacquireitsexpatpublicationTheFinder,accordingtoanannouncement.
Theacquisition,whichwascompletedinMay,willaddcontentandcommunity-buildingtoitsservice.
Aspartoftheacquisition,MoovazwilltakeovertherunningofTheFinder’sassets,includingitsquarterlyprintanddigitalmagazines,TheFinderKidssupplements,webcontent,aswellassocialmediacontentinSingaporeandMalaysia.
FromTechinAsia:
AI-poweredknowledgemanagementplatformIntelllexhassecured$2.94m(US$2.1m)inafundingroundledbyQuestVentures.ThomsonReuters,InsigniaVentures,K3Ventures,andaSingaporegovernment-backedventurecapitalfundalsoparticipated,accordingtoastatement.
QuestVenturespartnerJeffreySeahwilljoinIntelllex’sboardofdirectorsfollowingthestartup’slatestfundinground.
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2020June02FirstAlibabaCloud-SUSSOnlineDemoDaycrownsthreestudentstartupsaswinnersSingaporeUniversityofSocialSciences
AstudentstartupthatdesignedamobileappwhichreadsalltypesofbarcodesandQRcodes,andthenautomaticallysendscustomisedpromotionalertstocustomerswontheAlibabaCloud-SingaporeUniversityofSocialSciences(SUSS)OnlineDemoDayrecently.
ProfessorCheongHeeKiat,PresidentofSUSS,said:“SUSSisproudtopresentanotherbatchofentrepreneursfromourAlibabaCloud-SUSSEntrepreneurshipProgramme.WebelieveinhavingmultiplelearningpathwaysatSUSSandthisprogrammedepictsoneoftheUniversity’smanyofferingsforourstudents.Sinceitstartedin2017,thisProgrammehashelptocreateabout35studentstartups,outofwhich14securedfundingofmorethan$8million.Welookforwardtohelpingmoreaspiringentrepreneurs–winningVCfundingistheultimateprizebutgoingthroughtheprocessisthetransformationthatwehopewilltakeplace.”
MrJeffreySeah,PartnerofQuestVentures,andoneofAlibabaCloud-SUSSDemoDay2020’spanelofjudges,said,“Successfulenterprisesarebornintimesofscarcity.Thisisagoodtimeforstartupsasthelegacyadvantageenjoyedbyincumbentshasbeengreatlyeroded.Victorywillbelongtothosewhodare,andmovewithspeedandpurpose.”
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2020May28S$285msupportforstartups:Willvettingbestringentenough?TheBusinessTimes
QuestVenturesJeffreySeahcommentedthat“withinvestorsallocatinglessmoneytonewinvestmentsandsomestrugglingwithcapitalcalls,evengoodstartupsmightnotbeabletosecureenoughfunding.Agovernmentco-investmentschemecouldhelpfillthegap.”
Itiscrucialthatthestandardsforassessingsuchstartupsbeextra-stringent.Thosemillionsofdollarscouldhavebeendirectedtowardsmoreworthycausesduringadownturn,insteadofanecosystemthatinrecentyearshasfavouredblitz-scalingandcash-burningcompanies.
JoelShenofDWFadds,“Ifthestartupcan’traisemoneyorfinanceitsoperationsusingitsowncashflow,thenitfails–justlikeanyotherbusiness.Whatmakesthestartupmoredeservingofgovernmentsupportthanotherbusinesses?”
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2020May22QuestVenturestapstwosovereignwealthfundstohelpbackregionalstart-upsTheEdge
VenturecapitalfirmQuestVentures’firstfundhashelpedbacknewdigitaleconomystart-upslikeCarousell,ShopBack,Carro,StyleTheoryandeventhepopularfamilyofmemecreatorSGAGanditsMalaysianandPhilippinesversions,MGAGandPGAG.Citingpubliclyavailablerankings,QuestVenturessaysthatthisfund’sperformancehasputitinthetopdecile.Thefirstfundhasalsoreturnedmorethan40%ininternalrateofreturnsofar.
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2020May18SoftBankconcentrationriskcomestotheforeinAsiatechecosystemTheBusinessTimes
Afewyearsago,theentryofSoftBank’sVisionFundintoAsiaheraldedhopeofatechboom.Buttoday,alleyeswillbeonhowdeeptheVisionFund’slossesruninSoftBank’sfull-yearresultsannouncement,andwhethertherecouldbeanyrolloverimpactonitsiconicportfoliocompaniesinAsia,rangingfromsocialmediadarlingByteDancetoembattledhotelchainOyo.
Lastmonth,SoftBankrevealedthatitexpectsamassive1.8trillionyen(S$24.2billion)lossinitsUS$100billionVisionFundfortheyearendedMarch,pushingthegroupintotheredforthefirsttimein15years.
JamesTan,managingpartnerofQuestVentures,added:“Concentrationriskisrealandfounderswillnowbeforcedtode-riskthemselvesandtheirshareholdersbydiversifyingtheirinvestorpoolwithmoredomain-knowledgeinvestorsforgo-to-marketchallenges.”
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2020May10MBA经历助我创立风险投资公司——记MBA2008级校友陈中清华大学经济管理学院
陈中(JamesTan)对创业情有独钟。
早在上世纪90年代第一次互联网泡沫时期，他就创建了自己的首个技术公司——一家库存图像平台公司。
当时他还不能在祖国新加坡以外的地区扩展业务，公司发展遭遇了阻碍。
30年后，陈中成为亚洲领先的风险投资公司之一——求索创投（QuestVentures）的创始人和合伙人。
在成立不到10年的时间里，求索创投建立起遍布亚洲大陆150多个城市50多家公司的投资组合。
2019年，求索创投开始募集两笔新资金，总额达1.2亿美元。
陈中(JamesTan)把公司业务顺利拓展并成功进入获利颇丰的中国市场归功于他申请的清华全球MBA项目。
该项目由清华大学经济管理学院和麻省理工学院斯隆管理学院联合办学。
“如果你希望像我一样进入一个新市场，我找不到比读MBA更好的选择，”他说。
陈中（JamesTan）创立的首个公司被一家希望进军亚洲市场的美国公司收购。
陈中说当时他对中国的情况不了解，也没有相关的人脉网络，不具备带领企业进入中国市场的能力。
陈中具有创业天赋，但他首先需要建立起在中国开展业务的人脉网络。
为此，他知道自己要到中国去，花时间建立和发展人脉网络，然后才能尝试再次创业。
清华MBA是实现这个想法的完美机会，他说。
除了忙于课程和项目，陈中积极与同学和老师们交往。
“你可以学到很多东西，和大家一起玩，结交到很多朋友”。
通过MIT斯隆管理学院和清华经管学院联合开展的“中国实验室”项目，清华MBA的同学们与MIT斯隆管理学院的同学们联合组队，为中国的企业做为期半年的咨询项目，陈中参与其中并较为深入地了解了企业是如何在中国进行运营的。
“做生意同人脉息息相关，读MBA为建立人脉网络提供了环境，”陈中说。
陈中获得MBA学位后，在创办求索创投之前，他参与创建了窝窝营销（55tuan），这是一家纳斯达克上市的电子商务平台公司。
窝窝营销的第一批总经理中有一位是陈中在清华MBA的同班同学，公司里还有很多其他清华大学的校友。
陈中意识到很多中国初创公司最初都以模仿美国商业模式为主，如微博（中国版推特）和滴滴（中国版优步）等公司都以美国模式为起点，同时适应中国的实际情况。
陈中也同样以美国风险投资公司红杉资本（该公司已投资了苹果、Stripe和爱彼迎等公司）作为范例，希望求索创投能够效仿其模式并取得长期成功。
但最重要的是，他希望自己的公司聚焦亚洲市场。
“我想在亚洲、为亚洲市场建立一个非常强大的风险投资公司，”陈中说。
求索创投最大的一个成功投资案例是旋转拍卖（Carousell）。
旋转拍卖是电子商务平台公司，创设于新加坡，目前估值约8.5亿美元，业务已扩展到越南和整个东南亚。
陈中曾把公司业务只限于电子商务领域，现在他已将投资扩大到更广泛的数字经济领域，投资了诸如Haulio和Glife等初创公司。
其中，Haulio专注于货运业数字化，而Glife专注于农产品在线贸易。
从MBA的学习以及在企业实践的头几年里，陈中对规模效应及其对初创企业成功的重要性深有体会。
他把规模定义为两部分。
首先，这与市场复制有关，陈中解释说：“中国有400个大城市，一旦一个模式在北京推出，接着就可以在上海、天津等地复制。
”
其次，是就规模本身而言，他继续说：“例如，如果你的业务在北京每月能够产生100万美元收益，那么您需要问自己一个问题，如何把在北京的收益迅速扩展到1000万美元？”
陈中说，他从MBA毕业时，就有了创立窝窝营销的计划并继而为创立求索创投奠定了基础，这两个初创公司的产生都受益于他读MBA期间建立的人脉网络。
“要进入一个崭新的市场，尤其像中国这样充满未知的市场，进而深入其生态系统，如果没有我在清华结识的朋友们，我是不可能成功的，”他说。
如今，陈中仍对清华大学的企业家精神记忆犹新。
现在，与同学和老师们的往来联系仍影响着他，这持续终生的友谊也是他未来商业投资事业中不可或缺的一部分。
谈及他对创业者们的建议，他鼓励道：“如果你决心开始创业，志向一定要远大！”“要敢于将你的小型快闪店发展为7-11连锁店。
”
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2020May07QuestVenturesเปิดระดมทุนAsiaFundIIตั้งเป้า50ล้านเหรียญสหรัฐพร้อมรับทุนจากรัฐครั้งแรกTechsauce
QuestVenturesบริษัทกองทุนventurecapitalในเอเชียประกาศการรับสนับสนุนส่วนแรกของกองทุนที่สองของบริษัทที่ชื่อว่าAsiaFundIIที่ตั้งเป้าไว้ในมูลค่า50ล้านเหรียญสหรัฐซึ่งการระดมทุนส่วนแรกนี้ได้ร่วมระดมทุนไปเกินกว่าครึ่งของเป้าหมายแล้ว
กองทุนFundIของQuestVenturesได้ร่วมลงทุนในบริษัทStartupประกอบด้วยCarousell,ShopBack,99.co,Carro,StyleTheory,SGAG/MGAG/PGAG,Glife,Xfersและอื่นๆโดยผลประกอบการของกองทุนFundIอยู่ในอันดับต้นๆเมื่อเทียบกับกองทุนร่วมลงทุนอื่นในอันดับที่เปิดเผยต่อสาธารณะสำหรับFundIIปัจจุบันQuestVenturesได้รับการสนับสนุนจากผู้ประกอบการผู้บริหารระดับสูงสุดผู้ก่อตั้งธุรกิจครอบครัวในเอเชียสำนักงานครอบครัวและนักลงทุนสถาบันในอุตสาหกรรมและสัญชาติต่างๆมากมายในหลายประเทศ
ครั้งนี้นักลงทุนสถาบันที่มีชื่อเสียงสองแห่งได้เข้าร่วมในกองทุนนี้นั่นคือPavilionCapitalจากกลุ่มTemasekของสิงคโปร์และQazTechVenturesจากรัฐบาลคาซัคสถานPavilionCapitalเป็นบริษัทลงทุนที่ตั้งอยู่ในสิงคโปร์ซึ่งได้ลงทุนในกองทุนในเอเชียเหนือและเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้
“เราเชื่อว่าโอกาสในเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้กำลังเติบโตเป็นอย่างมากและเราตั้งเป้าหมายที่จะมีบทบาทสำคัญในระบบนิเวศของventurecaptitalในภูมิภาค(ร่วมกับQuestVentures)”Mr.TowHengTan,CEOของPavilionCapitalกล่าว
โครงการเศรษฐกิจระดับชาติของคาซัคสถานได้เห็นโอกาสทางธุรกิจที่เพิ่มขึ้นระหว่างเอเชียกลางและเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้การลงทุนครั้งนี้ถือเป็นการลงทุนครั้งแรกของกองทุนความมั่งคั่งแห่งชาติของประเทศคาซัคสถาน(SovereignWealthFund)ในกองทุนventurecapitalในเอเชียและเห็นว่าประสบการณ์ของQuestVenturesในการพัฒนาระบบนิเวศนวัตกรรมจะเป็นส่วนสำคัญในการพัฒนาความร่วมมือระหว่างประเทศเอเชียที่กำลังพัฒนา
“การร่วมมือกันของคาซัคสถานกับกองทุนร่วมลงทุนชั้นนำของสิงคโปร์ถือเป็นขั้นตอนสำคัญในการรวมระบบนิเวศที่เป็นนวัตกรรมใหม่ของเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้และเอเชียกลางการที่เราได้เป็นหุ้นส่วนกับQuestVenturesและPavilionCapitalนี้จะช่วยให้สตาร์ทอัพในคาซัคสถานมีโอกาสในการได้รับกาลงทุนมากขึ้นได้รับความช่วยเพิ่มขีดความสามารถจากประสบการณ์ของQuestVenturesและยังมีโอกาสเข้าถึงตลาดโลกได้มากขึ้น”Mr.AdilNurgozhin,ประธานกรรมการบริหารของQazTechVenturesกองทุนความมั่งคั่งแห่งคาซัคสถานกล่าว
ปัจจัยที่สำคัญที่ทำให้venturecapitalของเราต่างจากกองทุนอื่นๆคือประสบการณ์ทำงานในฐานะผู้บริหารชั้นสูงของgeneralpartners“เราได้พิจารณาในเรื่องการเลือกนักลงทุนของเราอย่างละเอียดรอบคอบเนื่องจากเราให้ความสำคัญกับทั้งผลการดำเนินงานและผลทางการเงินในฐานะที่เราเองเป็นผู้ประกอบการและผู้บริหารมาก่อนที่จะมาเป็นผันตัวเองมาเป็นนักลงทุนทำให้เรามีประสบการณ์ที่หลากหลายอุตสาหกรรมและสาขาอาชีพเราหวังจะนำเอาทักษะที่แตกต่างรวมถึงประสบการณ์และความสัมพันธ์ต่างๆมาช่วยพัฒนาบริษัทที่เราเข้าไปลงทุนด้วย”Ms.GohYipingหุ้นส่วนของQuestVenturesกล่าว
กองทุนที่สองของQuestVenturesจะลงทุนในธุรกิจสตาร์ทอัพในเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้และตลาดเกิดใหม่ในเอเชียที่ระดับPost-SeedและSeriesAซึ่งปัจจุบันเราได้ลงทุนไปแล้วในประเทศที่มีการเติบโตของเศรษฐกิจอย่างรวดเร็วเช่นเวียดนามและทางกองทุนจะการสร้างความแข็งแกร่งและขยายการลงทุนไปยังประเทศอื่นๆในเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ต่อไปเช่นประเทศไทยอินโดนีเซียพม่าและฟิลิปปินส์นอกจากนี้ยังจะเปิดตัวacceleratorในคาซัคสถานเพื่อให้การสนับสนุนการเริ่มต้นเศรษฐกิจดิจิตอลในภูมิภาคให้เป็นไปอย่างก้าวกระโดดทั้งนี้QuestVenturesจะสนับสนุนผู้ก่อตั้งที่มีความตั้งใจที่จะขับเคลื่อนเศรษฐกิจด้วยโมเดลธุรกิจแนวใหม่ที่สามารถสร้างคุณค่าและมูลค่าอย่างยั่งยืนให้กับลูกค้าปลายทางได้
“จากที่ตัวผมมีประสบการณ์จากธุรกิจสื่อและการโฆษณาผมได้เห็นอุตสาหกรรมของโลกการสื่อสาทางการตลาดและการโฆษณาที่ได้ถูกดิสรับมาก่อนอย่างต่อเนื่องผมเห็นว่ามุมมองที่แตกต่างระหว่างภาคธุรกิจของใหญ่และสตาร์ทอัพเป็นความความแตกต่างในเชิงมุมมองมากกว่าความเป็นจริงที่QuestVenturesเราสนับสนุนและเน้นให้ธุรกิจใหญ่ๆทำงานเป็นพันธมิตรกับสตาร์ทอัพมากกว่าproofs-of-conceptเพราะเราเห็นว่าแม้จุดเริ่มต้นอาจแตกต่างกันแต่วัตถุประสงค์ของทั้งสองฝ่านคือความอยู่รอดและรูปแบบธุรกิจที่ยั่งยืนที่สามารถขยายเติบโตได้อย่างต่อเนื่องเราเห็นว่าเรื่องนี้เป็นสิ่งที่ทางฝ่ายธุรกิจเห็นพ้องต้องกันเนื่องจากทางQuestVenturesได้การสนับสนุนจากผู้บริหารC-suitesในธุรกิจใหญ่และธุรกิจครอบครัวมากมายในเอเชียในฐานะนักลงทุนเพื่อหวังผลตอบแทนทางการเงินและการเปลี่ยนแปลงทางธุรกิจในโลกธุรกิจดิจิตอลที่ซับซ้อนและมีความผันผวนสูง”Mr.JeffreySeahหุ้นส่วนของQuestVenturesกล่าว
แม้จะมีการเรียกกองทุนนี้ว่าQuestVenturesAsiaFundIIแต่มันเป็นกองทุนแรกที่ได้รับการสนับสนุนจากนักลงทุนสถาบันของQuestVenturesโดยเงินทุนก้อนแรกเป็นเงินลงทุนที่ได้มาจากเงินทุนส่วนตัวของหุ้นส่วนและผู้จัดการใหญ่Mr.JamesTan
“เนื่องด้วยเศรษฐกิจดิจิตอลกำลังเติบโตทั่วโลกทำให้ปัจจุบันอุตสาหกรรมกองทุนร่วมลงทุนventurecaptialในเอเชียเข้ามามีบทบาทสำคัญในการทำให้ภาครัฐและเอกชนมีความใกล้ชิดกันยิ่งขึ้นนอกจากผลตอบแทนทางการเงินที่ดีแล้วนักลงทุนยังมองหาการสร้างมูลค่าที่ได้จากโมเดลธุรกิจใหม่ที่สร้างขึ้นบนพื้นฐานที่แข็งแกร่งอีกด้วยโดยถือแนวทางการลงทุนของเราได้รับการตอบรับเป็นอย่างดีจากการที่ทางQuestVenturesได้ร่วมลงทุนในบริษัทสตาร์ทอัพมากว่า50รายผ่านกองทุนแรกของเราทางเราขอขอบคุณในความเชื่อที่นักลงทุนมีต่อเรา”Mr.JamesTanหุ้นส่วนผู้จัดการของQuestVenturesกล่าว
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2020May02QuestVentures宣佈其五千萬美元風險投資基金的第一次的閉市联合日报
QuestVentures宣佈其五千萬美元venturecapitalfund風險投資基金的firstclose。
QuestVentures為亞洲的頭號創業投資公司。
第一次的閉市（firstclose）代表於第二筆基金的逾半數目標。
QuestVenturesFundI第一筆基金包括Carousell,ShopBack,99.co,Carro,StyleTheory,SGAG/MGAG/PGAG,Glife,Xfers,andothers第一筆金喏與公開列級的創業投資比較，可視為首選。
至於第二筆基金（FundII），QuestVentures如今得到各企業家的支持。
支持者也包括以下階層：C-suiteexecutives,Asiafamilybusinessfounders,familyoffices,andinstitutionalinvestorsacrossmorethanadozenindustriesandnationalities。
有兩家有名望的投資者參與QuestVentures的基金。
其一為PavilionCapital（新加坡）與QazTechVentures（哈薩克斯坦）。
PavilionCapital在北亞與東南亞有基金的後盾，而這是Qaztech在亞洲的首次投資風險創業投資。
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2020April27Singapore’sQuestVenturesleads$7mSeriesAroundinMoovazDealStreetAsia
Singapore-basedlogisticsstartupMoovazhasofficiallyannouncedthatQuestVenturesledits$7millionSeriesAroundthatwasannouncedearlierwithSupplyChainAngels,SGInnovate,otherstrategicinvestorsaswellasearlierconvertibles.
Accordingtoanannouncement,QuestVentures’slatestfundwhichisparticipatingintheMoovazinvestmentisbackedbyinstitutionalinvestorsthatincludethesovereignwealthfundsofSingaporeandKazakhstan.
Foundedin2017byLeeJunxianandJerryChua,Moovazspecialisesinrelocation,logistics,freightandalsowarehousingsolutions.
Usingsmarttechnologyandthroughitsglobalnetworkofover2,000certifiedpartners,Moovazisdesignedtooffercustomersanunprecedentedleveloftransparencyandopenaccesstoglobalmobilityservicesworldwide.
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2020April27LogisticsstartupMoovazraisesUS$7minSeriesAroundledbyQuestVenturesTheBusinessTimes
SINGAPORE-BASEDMoovazhasraisedUS$7millioninaSeriesAfundingroundledbyventurecapitalfirmQuestVentures.
Thefundingroundsawtheparticipationofotherinvestorssuchasgovernment-owneddeep-techinvestorSGInnovateandSupplyChainAngels(SCAngels)–thecorporateventurearmofhomegrownlogisticsplayerYCHGroup.
Bothhadpreviouslymadeinvestmentsofundisclosedamountsinthelogisticsstartup.
ThestartupwillusefundsraisedtotaptheburgeoningAsiarelocationmarket.Italsolookstodisruptthetraditionalmovingindustry,MoovazannouncedonMonday.
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2020April27Moovaz：服務全球流動人士的物流初創企業進行700萬美元A輪融資Yahoo!新聞
一旦流動性強的專業人士在人口結構中居於主導地位，那麼外籍人士群體的面貌就會發生很大的變化，這個群體幾乎可以吸納所有人，包括富有自由精神、精通科技、四海為家、渴望體驗全世界的新一代冒險家，而Moovaz能夠幫助他們夢想成真。
在智能技術的支持下，Moovaz能夠憑藉面向新一代外籍人士的簡單和高效搬遷服務，對物流予以重新想像，該公司為了實現這一點，已經進行了總金額為700萬美元（包括之前的可轉換債券）的A輪融資。
在智能技術的支持下，Moovaz能夠憑藉面向新一代外籍人士的簡單和高效搬遷服務，對物流予以重新想像，該公司為了實現這一點，已經進行了總金額為700萬美元（包括之前的可轉換債券）的A輪融資。
由于客户主要是来自于亚太地区，Moovaz计划迅速扩大规模与扩展合作基础。
现在，在QuestVentures（求索创投，由新加坡主权财富基金支持）、供应链企业集团叶水福集团(YCHGroup)和深科技投资者SGInnovate等机构的支持下，这一点能够实现，而且还能有所突破，Moovaz坚定地着眼于加强其服务和设施，以便成为搬迁领域的行业领导者。
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2020April27QuestVenturesleads$7mroundforlogisticsstartupMoovazTechinAsia
Themobilityindustry,whichisestimatedtobeworthUS$80.2billionglobally,isplaguedbyopacity,manualprocesses,andaconvolutedsupplychain,accordingtoMoovaz,aSingapore-basedlogisticsstartupthataimstorevolutionizethesector.
Fortherelocationindustry,customerstendtogetprice-discriminatedduetothelackoftransparency.Processesarealsocumbersome,expensive,andslowduetoalackofdigitalization,JunxianLee,thefounderandCEOofMoovaz,toldTechinAsia.
ThestartupjustformallyannouncedthatithasreceivedbackingfromventurecapitalfirmQuestVentures,theleadinvestorinitsUS$7millionseriesAfundinground.OtherinvestorsincludeSupplyChainAngelsandSGInnovate,amongothers.
MoovazjoinsQuestVentures’portfoliowhichincludesfamiliarstartupssuchasCarousell,ShopBack,99.co,Carro,StyleTheory,Glife,Xfers,andothers.TheSingapore-basedVCfirmrecentlyhitthefirstcloseofitsUS$50millionfundaimedatpost-seedandseriesAopportunitiesacrossSoutheastAsia.
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2020April27Moovaz：服务全球流动人士的物流初创企业进行700万美元A轮融资精明理财
Moovaz联合创始人、首席执行官李俊贤表示：“从一个国家搬迁到另一个国家，是一项很大的物流工作。
你必须将所有东西都‘连根拔起’，处理好食宿和旅行计划问题，申请签证，开立新的银行账户。
基本上你的整个生活都要进行迁移。
尽管现在出现了各种技术上的创新，但是搬迁服务依然出了名的慢，而且代价不菲，缺乏效率。
当全世界实现开放之际，这些挑战需要加以妥善应对。
我们的目标是利用创新，为世界公民提供完整的搬迁解决方案，消除搬迁时所带来的令人头痛的问题。
”
由于客户主要是来自于亚太地区，Moovaz计划迅速扩大规模与扩展合作基础。
现在，在QuestVentures（求索创投，由新加坡主权财富基金支持）、供应链企业集团叶水福集团(YCHGroup)和深科技投资者SGInnovate等机构的支持下，这一点能够实现，而且还能有所突破，Moovaz坚定地着眼于加强其服务和设施，以便成为搬迁领域的行业领导者。
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2020April24QuestVentures,UmumkanPenutupanPertamaModalVentura50jutaUSDKatakini
QuestVentures,perusahaanmodalventuraternamadiAsia,mengumumkanpenyelesaianpenutupanpertamauntukdanamodalventura50jutaUSD.Penutupanpertamainimencakuplebihdarisetengahtargetdanauntukdanakeduanya,yangbernamaAsiaFundII.
InvestasiQuestVenturesFundIantaralainCarousell,ShopBack,99.co,Carro,StyleTheory,SGAG/MGAG/PGAG,Glife,Xfers,danlain-lain.PerformaFundIberadadiperingkatsepuluhteratasdibandingkandenganperingkatpublikuntukdanamodalventura.
DenganFundII,QuestVenturessekarangmendapatkandukunganwirausahawan,eksekutifC-suite,pendiribisniskeluargaAsia,kantorkeluarga,daninvestorinstitusionaldilebihdaripuluhanindustridannegara.
Duainvestorinstitusionalpentingberpartisipasidalamdanaini–PavilionCapitaldariSingapura,danQazTechVenturesdariKazakhstan.PavilionCapitaladalahperusahaaninvestasiSingapurayangtelahmendukungdandiAsiaUtaradanAsiaTenggara.
“KamiyakinbahwapeluangdiAsiaTenggarasedangbertumbuh,dankamiinginmemainkaperanpentingdalamekosistemmodalventuradisini(bekerjabersamaQuestVentures),”kataTowHengTan,ChiefExecutiveOfficerdariPavilionCapital.
InisiatifperekonomiandalamnegeridiKazakhstantelahmeningkatkanaktivitasbisnisantaraAsiaTengahdanAsiaTenggara.IniadalahinvestmentpertamaSovereignWealthFunddalamdanamodalusahadiAsia,dantelahterlihatdaripengalamanQuestVenturesdiperkembanganAsiadandiekosistemyginovasinyamasihberkembang.
“KerjasamaKazakhstandengandanaventuraterbaikSingapuraadalahlangkahpentingdalammenyatukanekosisteminovatifAsiaTenggaradanAsiaTengah,”kataAdilNurghozin,KetuaDewanDirekturdiQazTechVentures,danakekayaanberdaulatKazakhstan.
Katanyalagi,“kerjasamadenganQuestVenturesdanPavilionCapitalakanmemungkinkanstart-upKazakhstanuntukmengamankaninvestasipenting,meningkatkankompetensi,danmendapatkanakseskepasarglobal,”ujarAdil.
Rekamjejakoperasionalpartnerummadalahfaktorpentingyangmembedakandanainidariyanglain.“Kamitidaktergesa-gesamemilihinvestorkamikarenakamimenghargaikontribusifinansialdanoperasional,”ujarGohYiping,PartnerdiQuestVentures.
“Sebagaioperatorsebelummenjadiinvestor,kamisangatmengapresiasiapayangbisadiberikantimyangberagam.Dengandanaini,kamimengharapkanbisamembawaberbagaikeahlian,pengalamandalamdomaindankoneksiuntukmembantuperusahaankami,”kataGohYiping,PartnerdiQuestVentures.
Danaakanberinvestasidistart-updiseluruhAsiaTenggaradanAsiaberkembangditahapPostSeeddanSeriesA.SudahhadirdiekonomidenganpertumbuhanpesatsepertiVietnam,jugaakanmenguatkandanmemperluasjejaknyakenegaraAsiaTenggaralainsepertiIndonesia,MyanmardanFilipina.
JugaakanmeluncurkanakseleratordiKazakhstanuntukmemicuekonomidigitalnegara.QuestVenturesakanterusmendukungparapendiri
denganmodelbisnisdisruptifyangdapatmenciptakannilaiberkelanjutanyangbarukepadapelangganakhir.
“Datangdariindustridisrupsiaslididuniakomunikasiiklandanpemasaran,sayatelahmenyaksikanbagaimanabisnisdanstartupsalingmemandangsecaraberbeda.Jurangoperasionalantarabisnisdanstart-uplebihkedalamhalpersepsi.
“DiQuestVentures,kamimendorongbisnisuntukbekerjasamadenganstartuplebihdarisekedarbuktikonsep.Walaupuntitikawalnyaberbeda,tujuanbersamanyaadalahkemampuanuntukbertahan,danmodelbisnisberkelanjutanyangdapatdiskalakan,”kataJeffreySeah,PartnerdiQuestVentures,danveterantransformasidigital.
“KamisangatsenangbahwabanyakC-suitedanbisniskeluargaAsiatelahbergabungsebagaiinvestor–untukpengembalianfinansialdantransformasibisnisdalamduniabisnisyangsemakinkompleksdanbergolak,”kataJeffreySeah
WalaupunkendaraandananyadisebutQuestVenturesAsiaFundII,iniadalahdanadukunganinstitusionalpertamaQuestVentures.Danapertamanyadiinvestasikandarimodalpribadipartnerpengelolanya,JamesTan.
“Seiringekonomidigitalsemakindewasadiseluruhdunia,industrimodalventuradiAsiasekarangsiapuntukmemainkanperanmainstreamuntukmenyatukanpublikdanpasarprivat,”kataTnJamesTan,PartnerPengeloladiQuestVentures.
Selainpengembalianfinansialyangbesar,investormencaripenciptaannilaiyangberasaldarimodelbisnisyangdibangundiatasfundamentalyangkuat.“Pendekatankamitelahdivalidasiolehlebihdari50perusahaanportofoliodidanapertama.Kamisangatmenghargaikepercayaanyangdiberikanolehparainvestor,”kataJamesTan.
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2020April24QuestVenturesAmankanPendanaanTahapPertamauntukAsiaFundIIDailySocial
QuestVenturesmengumumkantelahpenutupanventurecapitalfundtahappertamadengandanaterkumpulsebesar$50jutaatausetaradenganRp778miliar.JumlahinidiklaimtelahmelebihiseparuhtargetpendanaanuntukAsiaFundII.
Sebelumnya,diAsiaFundI,QuestVenturescukupaktifdalammencaristartupyangberpotensiuntuktumbuh.Nama-namasepertiCarousell,Shopback,99.co,Carro,StyleTheory,SGAG/MGAG/PGAG,Glife,Xfers,danlainnyamasukdalamportofolionya.DiAsiaFundIIiniQuestVenturesmendapatdukungandaribanyakpihak,termasukPavillionCapitaldariSingapuradanQazTechVenturesdariKazakhstan.
DailySocialberkesempatanberbincangdenganQuestVenturestentangfokusperusahaan.IndonesiamasukdalamradarAsiaFundIIini.Dinilaisebagaisalahsatunegaradenganlanskapteknologiyangberkembang,Indonesiatelahberhasilmembuktikandiridenganmelahirkanunicorn.Beberapaindustrisepertie-commerce,ridehailingdanfintechsecarabergantianmulaidikenalluasdanmemberikandampakdimasyarkat.
Pemerintahyangmemasukkanekonomidigitalsebagaisalahsatupilarpertumbuhanbersamadenganindustribahanbaku,minyak,kelapasawit,dantekstiljugamenjadisalahsatusalahtandabahwateknologisedangberkembangdinegaraini.
“KamiberharapdampakyanglebihbesarakanterlihatdiEdTech,Healthcare,mungkinAgritechdanbahkantopiklamae-commercemasihmenyimpangpeluangdidalamenablerdanekosistemperdagangan,sepertiofflinekeonline,omnichannel,danlainnya.Kamitelahmelihatbeberapacontohsuksespemainsepertiitudisektor-sektoryangdisebutkandanberharapmerekaterustumbuh,”terangYiping.
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2020April23QuestVenturessecuresUS$50mtoaidinIndonesiaexpansionMarketingInteractive
VenturecapitalfirmQuestVentureshassecuredthefirstcloseofitsUS$50millionfund.Accordingtothecompany,thefundwillbeinvestedinstart-upsacrossSoutheastAsiaandemergingAsiasuchasVietnam,aswellasexpandingitsfootprintinIndonesia,MyanmarandThePhilippines.
QuestVentureshaspreviouslyinvesteditsfundswithCarousell,ShopBack,99.co,Carro,StyleTheory,SGAG/MGAG/PGAG,Glife,Xfers,andothers.Withtherecentfunding,thecompanynowhasthesupportofentrepreneurs,C-suiteexecutives,Asiafamilybusinessfounders,familyoffices,andinstitutionalinvestorsacrossmorethanadozenindustriesandnationalities.TwooftheinstitutionalinvestorsthatparticipatedinthefundincludeSingapore-basedinvestmentfirmPavilionCapital,andQazTechVenturesfromKazakhstan.
GohYiping,partneratQuestVenturessaidthecompanyaimstobringdifferentskillsets,domainexperienceandconnectionstohelpfirms.While,JeffreySeah,partneratQuestVentures,addedatQuestVentures,thefirmencouragesestablishedbusinessestopartnerwithstartupsbeyondproofs-of-concept,asthecommonobjectiveissurvivability,andsustainablebusinessmodelsthatcanscale.
“Asthedigitaleconomymaturesacrosstheworld,theventurecapitalindustryinAsiaisnowpoisedtoplayamainstreamroletobringthepublicandprivatemarketscloser.Besidesrobustfinancialreturns,investorslookforvaluecreationderivedfrombusinessmodelsbuiltonstrongfundamentals.Ourapproachhasbeenvalidatedbymorethan50portfoliocompaniesinthefirstfund.Wearehumbledbythebeliefthatourinvestorshaveinus,”saidJamesTan,managingpartneratQuestVentures.
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2020April22Asia’sQuestVenturesplanstoinvestinIndonesiaTheJakartaPost
Singapore-basedventurecapitalQuestVenturesplanstoexpanditsinvestmenttoIndonesia,amongotherSoutheastAsiancountries,afterrecentlyannouncingthefirstcloseofafundworthUS$50million.
TheamountrepresentedmorethanhalfofitstargetforthefundnamedAsiaFundII.Itwillbeinvestedinpost-seedandseriesAstagesfundinginstart-upsacrossSoutheastAsiaandemergingAsiasuchasIndonesia,MyanmarandthePhilippines.
QuestVentureshasbeendeployingcapitalinSingaporeandVietnamwithitsportfolio,includingassecond-hande-commerceplatformCarousell,propertyfindingplatform99.coandrentalfashionStyleTheory.
“Weweredeliberateinselectingourinvestorsandwehopewiththisfundwecanbringdifferentskillsets,domainexperienceandconnectionstohelpourcompanies,”saidGohYiping,partneratQuestVentures.
AsiaFundIIwasQuestVentures’firstinstitutionallybackedfund,receivingfinancingfromPavilionCapitalfromSingaporeandQazTechVentures,Kazakhstan’ssovereignwealthfundsubsidiary.
ThefundingmarkedKazakhstan’ssovereignwealthfund’sfirstinvestmentinaventurecapitalfundinAsia.
“ThispartnershipwithQuestVenturesandPavilionCapitalwillenableKazakhstanistart-upstosecureimportantinvestments,improvecompetenciesandgainaccesstoglobalmarkets,”saidAdilNurgozhin,chairmanoftheboardofdirectorsatQazTechVentures.
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2020April20Singapore’sQuestClosesFirstRoundof$50MillionVentureFundVenturePulse
QuestVentures,aSingaporeventurecapitalfirm,saiditcompletedthefirstcloseofaplanned$50millionfund.
Quest,foundedbyJamesTan,raisedthemoneyfrominvestorsincludingPavilionCapitalofSingaporeandQazTechVenturesofKazakhstan.It’sthefirm’ssecondventurefundanditsfirsttimetappinginstitutionalinvestors,afterTanfinancedthefirstfundwithhisownmoney.[Bloomberg]
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2020April20Singapore’sQuestVenturessecuresfirstcloseof$50mfundNikkeiAsianReview
Singapore-basedventurecapitalgroupQuestVentureshassecuredthefirstcloseofits$50millionfund,accordingtoastatement.
Morethanhalfofthetargetcorpushasalreadybeenraisedwithitslimitedpartners(LPs)comprisingTemasek’sPavilionCapital,Kazakhstan’ssovereignwealthfundsubsidiaryQazTechVentures,andmultiplefamilyofficesandentrepreneursfromaroundtheworld.
QuestVenturesAsiaFundIIisQuest’sfirstinstitutionallybackedfund.ItspreviousfundwasinvestedoutofthepersonalcapitalofJamesTan,itsmanagingpartnerandco-founderofNasdaq-listedChinesee-commercecompany,55tuan.
QuestVentureswilltargetearly-stagestartupsinSoutheastAsiaandemergingAsia,andseesitselfexpandingintomarketssuchasIndonesia,MyanmarandthePhilippines.IthasbeenactivelydeployingcapitalinSingaporeandVietnam,withitsportfolioincludingnameslikeCarousell,ShopBack,99.co,Carro,StyleTheory,SGAG/MGAG/PGAG,GlifeandXfers.
“Asthedigitaleconomymaturesacrosstheworld,theventurecapitalindustryinAsiaisnowpoisedtoplayamainstreamroletobringthepublicandprivatemarketscloser.Besidesrobustfinancialreturns,investorslookforvaluecreationderivedfrombusinessmodelsbuiltonstrongfundamentals…Wearehumbledbythebeliefthatourinvestorshaveinus,”saidJamesTan,managingpartneratQuestVentures.
QazTechVentureswasrecentlyreportedtobecommitting$10milliontothefund,makingQuestVenturesitsfirstAsianinvestmentonanLPbasis.ItsparticipationwillseeQuestVenturesrolloutaKazakhstartupaccelerationprogramcalledKazakhstanDigitalAcceleratortonurturetechstartupsinKazakhstanandCentralAsiaoverthenextthreeyears.
“ThispartnershipwithQuestVenturesandPavilionCapitalwillenableKazakhstanistart-upstosecureimportantinvestments,improvecompetencies,andgainaccesstoglobalmarkets,”saidAdilNurgozhin,ChairmanoftheBoardofDirectorsatQazTechVentures,theKazakhstansovereignwealthfund.
QuestVentureshasbeensteadilyexpandingitsteamtomanagethegrowthofitsventurebusiness.InMarch2019,itappointedtwopartners–GohYipingandJeffreySeah–tooverseeitsportfolioofover40companies.
AccordingtoQuestVentures’website,thecompanyalsorunsinnovationlabsandcorporateaccelerators,servingagloballistofclientssuchasNissanMotor,VMWare,Yahoo,HP,Tencent,andCoca-Cola.
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2020April18KazakhstaneyesAsiastart-upsVestnikKavkaza
Kazakhstan’sgovernmentwillinvestinstart-upsacrosssouth-eastAsiaaspartofeffortstodiversifycentralAsia’slargesteconomyawayfromoilandgas,wherepriceshavebeenslammedbythecoronaviruspandemic,FinancialTimeswritesinthearticleKazakhstaneyesAsiastart-upsascoronavirushitsoilprice.Thecountry’sstatewealthfund,BaiterekNationalManagingHoldings,willbetheanchorinvestorinavehiclerunbySingapore-basedQuestVentures.ThefundhasalsobeenbackedbyPavilionCapital,whichisownedbyTemasekHoldings,Singapore’sstateinvestmentcompany.
At$50m,thefundissmallbutitformspartofabroaderpushtocreateaneconomiccorridorbetweencentralandsouth-eastAsia.AdilNurgozhin,chairmanofBaitereksubsidiaryQazTechVentures,calledthedealan“importantstep”inconnectingtheregions’economies.
Kazakhstan,sandwichedbetweenregionalpowersChinaandRussia,islookingtodiversifyitsportfolioinvestmentsintodifferentpartsoftheworld,accordingtopeoplefamiliarwiththesituation.Themoveintoventurecapitalcomesasoil-richeconomies,suchasthoseintheMiddleEast,havesoughttobroadentheirrevenuesourcesagainstabackdropofvolatilecrudepricesandabroadershiftawayfromfossilfuels.
Oilandrelatedindustriesmakeupabout40percentofKazakhstan’sgrossdomesticproductanditseconomyhasbeenhitbyarecentslumpincrudepricesandthecoronavirusoutbreak.
Kazakhstan’sgovernmentwaspreviouslylinkedwithaninvestmentinJapaneseconglomerateSoftBank’ssecondVisionFund,whichcouldhavegiventhecountryexposuretotechnologystart-upsacrosstheglobe.However,thatvehiclewaspermanentlyfrozenthisweekafterSoftBankwarnedofa$16.7bnlossforitsfirstVisionFund.KazakhstanalsoheldtalksaboutaninvestmentinSoftBank’splannedmultibillion-dollarhedgefund-stylevehicle.
“DigitaltransformationhasbeengreatlyacceleratedbytheCovid-19outbreak”JeffreySeah,QuestVenturesSoftBank’swoes,coupledwithafallinstart-upvaluationsfollowingthefailedinitialpublicofferingofofficesharingcompanyWeWorklastyear,havepromptedsomebiginvestorstoturntoalternativeventurecapitalplayers.“PostWeWork,investorsareturningtoexperiencedoperatorstoidentifyandguidestart-ups,”saidQuestVenturespartnerJeffreySeah.
TheQuestVenturesfundwillinvestinstart-upsincountriesincludingVietnam,IndonesiaandthePhilippines.“Itwillbeaboutbuildingaqualitybusinessratherthan[attracting]highvaluations,”headded.ThefundhasbeenbackedbyPavilionCapital,whichisownedbyTemasekHoldings,Singapore’sstateinvestmentcompany.
MrSeahsaiditwasthe“righttime”toinvestinstart-upsintheregion,givenmanywerebeingforcedtoboosttheironlineofferingsbecauseofcoronavirusstay-at-homemeasures.“Businesses’digitaltransformationhasbeengreatlyacceleratedbytheCovid-19outbreak—whenthevirusisoverthesenewhabitswillremain,”headded.
Baiterek’sassetsequalledabout$15bn,or8percentofKazakhstan’s2018GDP,accordingtoFitchRatings.
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2020April17SG’sQuestVenturessecuresfirstcloseof$50mfundbackedbyPavilionCapital,QazTechVenturesDealStreetAsia
Singapore-basedventurecapitalfirmQuestVentureshassecuredthefirstcloseofits$50millionfund,accordingtoastatement.
Morethanhalfofthetargetcorpushasalreadybeenraisedwithitslimitedpartners(LPs)comprisingTemasek’sPavilionCapital,Kazakhstan’ssovereignwealthfundsubsidiaryQazTechVentures,andmultiplefamilyofficesandentrepreneursfromaroundtheworld.
QuestVenturesAsiaFundIIisQuest’sfirstinstitutionally-backedfund.ItspreviousfundwasinvestedoutofthepersonalcapitalofJamesTan,itsmanagingpartnerandco-founderofNasdaq-listedChinesee-commercecompany,55tuan.
QuestVentureswilltargetearly-stagestartupsinSoutheastAsiaandemergingAsia,andseesitselfexpandingintomarketssuchasIndonesia,MyanmarandthePhilippines.IthasbeenactivelydeployingcapitalinSingaporeandVietnam,withitsportfolioincludingnameslikeCarousell,ShopBack,99.co,Carro,StyleTheory,SGAG/MGAG/PGAG,GlifeandXfers.
“Asthedigitaleconomymaturesacrosstheworld,theventurecapitalindustryinAsiaisnowpoisedtoplayamainstreamroletobringthepublicandprivatemarketscloser.Besidesrobustfinancialreturns,investorslookforvaluecreationderivedfrombusinessmodelsbuiltonstrongfundamentals…Wearehumbledbythebeliefthatourinvestorshaveinus,”saidJamesTan,managingpartneratQuestVentures.
QazTechVentureswasrecentlyreportedtobecommitting$10milliontothefund,makingQuestVenturesitsfirstAsianinvestmentonanLPbasis.ItsparticipationwillseeQuestVenturesrolloutaKazakhstartupaccelerationprogrammecalledKazakhstanDigitalAcceleratortonurturetechstartupsinKazakhstanandCentralAsiaoverthenextthreeyears.
“ThispartnershipwithQuestVenturesandPavilionCapitalwillenableKazakhstanistart-upstosecureimportantinvestments,improvecompetencies,andgainaccesstoglobalmarkets,”saidAdilNurgozhin,ChairmanoftheBoardofDirectorsatQazTechVentures,theKazakhstansovereignwealthfund.
QuestVentureshasbeensteadilyexpandingitsteamtomanagethegrowthofitsventurebusiness.InMarch2019,itappointedtwopartners–GohYipingandJeffreySeah–tooverseeitsportfolioofover40companies.
AccordingtoQuestVentures’swebsite,thefirmalsorunsinnovationlabsandcorporateaccelerators,servingagloballistofclientssuchasNissan,VMWare,Yahoo,HP,Tencent,andCocaCola.
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2020April17NewventurefundwithparticipationofKazakhstan’sQazTechVentureshasfirstcloseTrendNewsAgency
NewventurefundwithparticipationofKazakhstan’sQazTechVentureshasfirstclose.
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2020April17VenturecapitalfirmQuestVenturesontargettoraiseUS$50mforitssecondstart-upfundTheStraitsTimes
PavilionCapital,asubsidiaryofSingaporestateinvestorTemasekHoldings,andKazakhstansovereignwealthfundQazTechVentureshavealreadyinvestedintheAsiaFundII,saidQuestVenturesonThursday(April16).
TheAsiaFundIIwillback40to60start-upsinSouth-eastAsiaandemergingAsiamarkets,withinvestmentsofbetweenUS$500,000toUS$1million.
Theventurefirmsaiditwillcontinuetobackdrivenfounderswithdisruptivebusinessmodelsthatcancreatesustainablevalueforcustomers.
QuestVentureshaspreviouslyinvestedinarangeofstart-ups,includingcashbackplatformShopBack,propertysearchportal99.coandonlinemarketplaceoperatorCarousell.
QuestVenturesmanagingpartnerJamesTansaid:“Asthedigitaleconomymaturesacrosstheworld,theventurecapitalindustryinAsiaisnowpoisedtoplayamainstreamroletobringthepublicandprivatemarketscloser.”
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2020April17QuestVenturesraisesUSD50millionforinvestmentsinSoutheastandCentralAsiaKrASIA
QuestVenturessaidthisisitsfirstinstitutionallybackedfund,withthenotableparticipationoftwoanchorLPs—Singapore’sPavilionCapitalandtheKazakhstansovereignwealthfund,QazTechVentures.
Withthisnewfunding,QuestVentureswillspecificallyseekoutportfoliocompaniesthatareinthepost-seedandSeriesAstages,whileexpandingitsfootprintinfast-growingSoutheastAsiancountriessuchasVietnam,Indonesia,Myanmar,andthePhilippines.ItwillalsolaunchanacceleratorinKazakhstantojump-starttheregion’sdigitaleconomy.
“WeareencouragedthatnumerousC-suitesandAsianfamilybusinesseshavejoinedusasinvestorsforbothfinancialandbusinesstransformationreturnsinanincreasinglycomplexandturbulentbusinessworld,”saidJeffreySeah,apartneratQuestVentures,inamediastatement.
SpeakingtoKrASIA,SeahsaidstartupsshouldnothibernateduringtheCOVID-19crisis.Heemphasizedthatthiscouldbeagoodtimefordirect-to-customerandSaaSbusinessestoraisefunds.
“Thefounders’mettlewillbeseverelytested,sowillthedexterityandfortitudeoftheirinvestors.Whetherthesestartupbusinesseshavebeenbuiltoninvestmenttrendsoractualcustomerbenefit,themarketwillnowdotheduediligenceontheirbusiness—inrealtime,”Seahadded.
Foundedin2011,QuestVentureshasatrackrecordofbeinganearlyinvestorofstartupsthathavebecomehouseholdsnames,includingCarousell,Shopback,99.c0,andCarro.Lastyear,Carousellmergedwith701SearchtocementitsdominantpositionintheSoutheastAsianonlineclassifiedsmarket,takingthecompany’svaluationtomorethanUSD850million.InMarch,ShopbacknotchedUSD75millioninanextendedfundraisinground.
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2020April17Singapore’sQuestVenturesClosesFirstRoundofUS$50MFundJumpstartMagazine
Singapore-basedventurecapitalfirmQuestVentureshasannouncedthefirstcloseofitsnewUS$50millionVCfundnamedAsiaFundII,inacompanystatementtoday.ThenewfundisbackedbySingapore’sPavilionCapitalandQazTechVenturesfromKazakhstan,alongwithsupportfromentrepreneurs,C-Suiteexecutives,Asiafamilybusinessfounders,familyoffices,andinstitutionalinvestorsacrossmorethanadozenindustriesandnationalities.
Alreadypresentinfast-growingeconomiessuchasVietnam,thefundwillstrengthenandexpanditsfootprintinotherSoutheastAsiannationssuchasIndonesia,Myanmar,andthePhilippines,accordingtothestatement.
Thefund’sinvestmentthesisliesinbackingemergingSouthAsianstartupsthathavescalabilityandreplicabilityinlargeInternetcommunities.Accordingtotheofficialreport,thefundwillinvestinstartupsatthepost-SeedandSeriesAstages,andbackdrivenfounderswithdisruptivebusinessmodelsthatcancreatenewsustainablevaluetotheendcustomer.
“Comingfromtheoriginaldisruptionindustryoftheadvertisingandmarketingcommunicationsworld,Ihavewitnessedhowestablishedbusinessesandstartupsvieweachotherdifferently.Thisoperationalchasmbetweenestablishedbusinessesandstart-upswasmoreperceivedthanreal.AtQuestVentures,weencourageestablishedbusinessestopartnerwithstartupsbeyondproofs-of-concept.Althoughthestartingpointsmaybedifferent,thecommonobjectiveissurvivability,andsustainablebusinessmodelsthatcanscale,”saidQuestVenturesPartnerJeffreySeah.
AccordingtoaQuestanalystMichelleQuek,thefundwillbefocusoninvestinginthedigitaleconomyincludingsectorslikeecommerce,data,deeptech,entertainment,esports,fintech,foodtech,retailtech,andothers.
AlthoughthenewfundiscalledQuestVenturesAsiaFundII,itisQuest’sfirstinstitutionally-backedfundsincethefirstfundwasinvestedoutofthepersonalcapitalofitsManagingPartnerJamesTan.
AccordingtoTheStraitsTimes,thefundwillreachitstargetof$50millionbyApril2021andwillback40to60startupsinSoutheastAsiaandemergingAsianmarkets,withinvestmentsbetween$500,000and$1million.
QuestVenturesFundIhasinvestedinarangeofstartups,includingcashbackplatformShopBack,propertysearchportal99.coandonlinemarketplaceforsecondhandgoodsCarousell,whichisvaluedat$850million.Thefirstfundhasreturnedover40%sofar,SeahtoldBloomberg.
Moreover,Kazakhstan’snationaleconomicinitiativeshaveseenincreasedbusinessactivitiesbetweenCentralAsiaandSoutheastAsia.ForQaztech,Kazakhstan’ssovereignwealthfund,thisisthefirstinvestmentinaVCfundinAsia.ItisaimingtotapintoQuestVentures’experienceinemergingAsiaandindevelopinginnovationecosystems.
“ThecooperationofKazakhstanwithSingapore’sleadingventurefundisanimportantstepinbringingtogethertheinnovativeecosystemsofSoutheastAsiaandCentralAsia.ThispartnershipwithQuestVenturesandPavilionCapitalwillenableKazakhstanistart-upstosecureimportantinvestments,improvecompetencies,andgainaccesstoglobalmarkets,”saidMrAdilNurgozhin,ChairmanoftheBoardofDirectorsatQazTechVentures.
Additionally,QuestisalsosettolaunchanacceleratorprograminKazakhstantoprovideaheadstarttothecountry’sdigitaleconomy.
“Asthedigitaleconomymaturesacrosstheworld,theventurecapitalindustryinAsiaisnowpoisedtoplayamainstreamroletobringthepublicandprivatemarketscloser.Besidesrobustfinancialreturns,investorslookforvaluecreationderivedfrombusinessmodelsbuiltonstrongfundamentals.Ourapproachhasbeenvalidatedbymorethan50portfoliocompaniesinthefirstfund.Wearehumbledbythebeliefthatourinvestorshaveinus,”saidTan.
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2020April17QuestVenturesannouncesfirstcloseofnewfundanchoredbytwoinstitutionalinvestorsBangkokPost
QuestVentures,atop-rankedventurecapitalfirminAsia,announcedthefirstclosecompletionforits$50millionventurecapitalfund.
QuestVenturesFundIinvestmentsincludeCarousell,ShopBack,99.co,Carro,StyleTheory,SGAG/MGAG/PGAG,Glife,Xfers,andothers.TheperformanceofFundIisinthetopdecilewhencomparedagainstpubliclyavailablerankingsforventurecapitalfunds.
WithFundII,QuestVenturesnowhasthesupportofentrepreneurs,C-suiteexecutives,Asiafamilybusinessfounders,familyoffices,andinstitutionalinvestorsacrossmorethanadozenindustriesandnationalities.
Twonotableinstitutionalinvestorsparticipatedinthefund–PavilionCapitalfromSingapore,andQazTechVenturesfromKazakhstan.PavilionCapitalisaSingapore-basedinvestmentfirmthathasbackedfundsinNorthAsiaandSoutheastAsia.
“WebelievethatopportunitiesinSoutheastAsiaaregrowing,andweaimtoplayanimportantroleintheventurecapitalecosystemhere(workingwithQuestVentures),”saidMrTowHengTan,ChiefExecutiveOfficerofPavilionCapital.
Kazakhstan’snationaleconomicinitiativeshaveseenincreasedbusinessactivitiesbetweenCentralAsiaandSoutheastAsia.Thisisitssovereignwealthfund’sfirstinvestmentinaventurecapitalfundinAsia,andiswidelyseentobetappingintoQuestVentures’experienceinemergingAsiaandindevelopinginnovationecosystems.
“ThecooperationofKazakhstanwithSingapore’sleadingventurefundisanimportantstepinbringingtogethertheinnovativeecosystemsofSoutheastAsiaandCentralAsia.ThispartnershipwithQuestVenturesandPavilionCapitalwillenableKazakhstanistart-upstosecureimportantinvestments,improvecompetencies,andgainaccesstoglobalmarkets,”saidMrAdilNurgozhin,ChairmanoftheBoardofDirectorsatQazTechVentures,theKazakhstansovereignwealthfund.
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2020April17LeKazakhstanenvisagedesstart-upsasiatiquesalorsquelecoronavirusfrappeleprixdupétroleUrbanFusions
LegouvernementduKazakhstaninvestiradansdesstart-upsenAsieduSud-Estdanslecadredeseffortsvisantàdiversifierlaplusgrandeéconomied’Asiecentraleloindupétroleetdugaz,oùlesprixontétéréduitsparlapandémiedecoronavirus.
Lefondsderichessed’Étatdupays,BaiterekNationalManagingHoldings,seral’investisseurpharedansunvéhiculegéréparQuestVentures,baséàSingapour.LefondsestégalementsoutenuparTemasekHoldings,lasociétéd’investissementpubliquedeSingapour.
À50millionsdedollars,lefondsestpetitmaisils’inscritdansuneffortpluslargepourcréeruncouloiréconomiqueentrel’Asiecentraleetl’AsieduSud-Est.AdilNurgozhin,présidentdelafilialedeBaiterek,QazTechVentures,aqualifiél’accordde«pasimportant»danslaconnexiondeséconomiesdesrégions.
LeKazakhstan,prisentrelespuissancesrégionalesdelaChineetdelaRussie,chercheàdiversifiersesinvestissementsdeportefeuilledansdifférentespartiesdumonde,selondespersonnesfamilièresaveclasituation.
Latransitionverslecapital-risqueintervientalorsqueleséconomiesrichesenpétrole,tellesquecellesduMoyen-Orient,ontcherchéàélargirleurssourcesderevenusdansuncontextedeprixvolatilsdubrutetd’unabandonpluslargedescombustiblesfossiles.
Lepétroleetlesindustriesconnexesreprésententenviron40%duproduitintérieurbrutduKazakhstanetsonéconomieaétéfrappéeparlarécentechutedesprixdubrutetl’épidémiedecoronavirus.
LegouvernementduKazakhstanétaitauparavantliéàuninvestissementdansledeuxièmeFondsVisionduconglomératjaponaisSoftBank,quiauraitpudonneraupaysuneexpositionauxstart-upstechnologiquesdumondeentier.Cependant,cevéhiculeaétédéfinitivementgelécettesemaineaprèsqueSoftBankaavertid’unepertede16,7milliardsdedollarspoursonpremierFondsVision.
LeKazakhstanaégalementeudesentretienssuruninvestissementdanslevéhiculedetypehedgefunddeplusieursmilliardsdedollarsprévuparSoftBank.
«Latransformationnumériqueaétéconsidérablementaccéléréeparl’épidémiedeCovid-19»
LesmalheursdeSoftBank,couplésàunebaissedesévaluationsdesstart-upssuiteàl’échecdel’introductionenboursedelasociétédepartagedebureauxWeWorkl’annéedernière,ontincitécertainsgrosinvestisseursàsetournerversd’autresacteursducapital-risque.«AprèsWeWork,lesinvestisseurssetournentversdesopérateursexpérimentéspouridentifieretguiderlesstart-ups»,adéclaréJeffreySeah,partenairedeQuestVentures.
LefondsQuestVenturesinvestiradansdesstart-upsdansdespayscommeleVietnam,l’IndonésieetlesPhilippines.«Ils’agiradebâtiruneentreprisedequalitéplutôtque[attracting]valorisationsélevées»,a-t-ilajouté.
M.Seahadéclaréquec’étaitle«bonmoment»pourinvestirdansdesstart-upsdanslarégion,étantdonnéquebeaucoupétaientcontraintsderenforcerleursoffresenligneenraisondesmesuresdemaintienàlamaisondescoronavirus.
«Latransformationnumériquedesentreprisesaétéconsidérablementaccéléréeparl’épidémiedeCovid-19–lorsquelevirusauradisparu,cesnouvelleshabitudesresteront»,a-t-ilajouté.
LesactifsdeBaiterekreprésentaientenviron15milliardsdedollars,soit8%duPIBduKazakhstanen2018,selonFitchRatings.
Lefondsaofficiellementlancésonbrasdecapital-risque,QazTechVentures,endécembreavecunaccordpoursoutenirVGlobalFund,unfondsdecapital-risquecrééparl’investisseuraméricain500Startups.
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2020April17KazakhstaneyesAsiastart-upsascoronavirushitsoilpriceFinancialTimes
Kazakhstan’sgovernmentwillinvestinstart-upsacrosssouth-eastAsiaaspartofeffortstodiversifycentralAsia’slargesteconomyawayfromoilandgas,wherepriceshavebeenslammedbythecoronaviruspandemic.
Thecountry’sstatewealthfund,BaiterekNationalManagingHoldings,willbetheanchorinvestorinavehiclerunbySingapore-basedQuestVentures.ThefundhasalsobeenbackedbyTemasekHoldings,Singapore’sstateinvestmentcompany.
At$50m,thefundissmallbutitformspartofabroaderpushtocreateaneconomiccorridorbetweencentralandsouth-eastAsia. AdilNurgozhin,chairmanofBaitereksubsidiaryQazTechVentures,calledthedealan“importantstep”inconnectingtheregions’economies.
Kazakhstan,sandwichedbetweenregionalpowersChinaandRussia,islookingtodiversifyitsportfolioinvestmentsintodifferentpartsoftheworld,according topeoplefamiliarwiththesituation.
Themoveintoventurecapitalcomesasoil-richeconomies,suchasthoseintheMiddleEast,havesoughttobroadentheirrevenuesourcesagainstabackdropofvolatilecrudepricesandabroadershiftawayfromfossilfuels.
Oilandrelatedindustriesmakeupabout40percentofKazakhstan’sgrossdomesticproductanditseconomyhasbeenhitbyarecentslumpincrudepricesandthecoronavirusoutbreak.
SoftBank’swoes,coupledwithafallinstart-upvaluationsfollowingthefailedinitialpublicofferingofofficesharingcompanyWeWorklastyear,havepromptedsomebiginvestorstoturntoalternativeventurecapitalplayers.“PostWeWork,investorsareturningtoexperiencedoperatorstoidentifyandguidestart-ups,”saidQuestVenturespartnerJeffreySeah.
TheQuestVenturesfundwillinvestinstart-upsincountriesincludingVietnam,IndonesiaandthePhilippines.“Itwillbeaboutbuildingaqualitybusinessratherthan[attracting]highvaluations,”headded.
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2020April17SingaporeVCfirmQuestVentureshitsfirstcloseof$50mAsiafundTechinAsia
Singapore-basedVCfirmQuestVentureshasannouncedthefirstcloseofitsnewUS$50millionfund,anchoredbytwoinstitutionalinvestors,PavilionCapitalandKazakhstansovereignwealthfundQazTechVentures.
QuestVenturessaiditplanstolookforpost-seedandseriesAopportunitiesacrossSoutheastAsiaandemergingAsiaforitsAsiaFundII.AlreadypresentinVietnam,thecompanyalsoplanstoexpanditsfootprinttoothercountriesintheregion,includingIndonesia,Myanmar,andthePhilippines.
Althoughit’scalledAsiaFundII,thevehicleisQuestVentures’firstinstitutionallybackedfund.ItspriorfundwasinvestedoutofthepersonalcapitalofitsmanagingpartnerJamesTan,accordingtoastatement.SomeofitsnotableinvestmentsincludeCarousell,ShopBack,99.co,Carro,StyleTheory,Glife,andXfers,amongothers.
QuestVenturessaidthatthedealmarksQazTech’sfirstinvestmentinanAsianVCfundasitlookstotapintotheincreasedbusinessactivitiesbetweenCentralAsiaandSoutheastAsia.
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2020April17部分风险创投基金疫情期间找到估值低潜能大投资项目联合早报
受到2019冠状病毒疾病冲击，本地风险创投界的投资情绪转弱，不少创投基金在募集资金方面面临巨大挑战。
然而，危机同时也是商机，一些存有较充裕弹药的风险创投基金，在市场低迷时期反而找到许多估值偏低，或因疫情而具有巨大潜能的新领域如医疗、网上教育和视讯软件等投资项目。
总部设于新加坡的求索创投（QuestVentures）宣布，吸引到淡马锡控股子公司兰亭投资国际（PavilionCapital）和哈萨克斯坦主权财富基金旗下的QazTechVentures加入投资。
这是后者首次投资亚洲的风险投资基金。
求索创投宣布，求索创投亚洲基金II筹集了5000万美元，计划投资东南亚和新兴亚洲的起步公司，主要参与种子融资之后阶段和A轮投资。
这是公司旗下首个获得机构投资者参与的基金。
索创投合伙人余庭瀚说，冠病疫情考验了每一家起步公司的产品、人才和商业基础，也考验了起步公司投资者的坚韧性和灵活性。
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2020April17新浪财经部分风险创投基金疫情期间找到估值低潜能大投资项目新浪财经
受到2019冠状病毒疾病冲击，本地风险创投界的投资情绪转弱，不少创投基金在募集资金方面面临巨大挑战。
然而，危机同时也是商机，一些存有较充裕弹药的风险创投基金，在市场低迷时期反而找到许多估值偏低，或因疫情而具有巨大潜能的新领域如医疗、网上教育和视讯软件等投资项目。
根据创投信息平台DealStreetAsia整理数据显示，目前东南亚有至少19个风险创投企业正为新基金筹集资本，集资规模从1500万美元到1亿5000万美元（2143万至2亿143万新元））不等。
一些基金固然面临集资挑战，但也一些基金成功募集部分资金，并开始进行投资运作。
总部设于新加坡的求索创投（QuestVentures）宣布，吸引到淡马锡控股子公司兰亭投资国际（PavilionCapital）和哈萨克斯坦主权财富基金旗下的QazTechVentures加入投资。
这是后者首次投资亚洲的风险投资基金。
求索创投宣布，求索创投亚洲基金II筹集了5000万美元，计划投资东南亚和新兴亚洲的起步公司，主要参与种子融资之后阶段和A轮投资。
这是公司旗下首个获得机构投资者参与的基金。
索创投合伙人余庭瀚说，冠病疫情考验了每一家起步公司的产品、人才和商业基础，也考验了起步公司投资者的坚韧性和灵活性。
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2020April17Singapore’sQuestClosesFirstRoundof$50MillionVentureFundBloomberg
QuestVentures,aSingaporeventurecapitalfirm,saiditcompletedthefirstcloseofaplanned$50millionfund.
Quest,foundedbyJamesTan,raisedthemoneyfrominvestorsincludingPavilionCapitalofSingaporeandQazTechVenturesofKazakhstan.It’sthefirm’ssecondventurefundanditsfirsttimetappinginstitutionalinvestors,afterTanfinancedthefirstfundwithhisownmoney.
Questplanstousethenewfinancingtomakeearly-stageinvestmentsinstartupsinSoutheastAsia,asprawlingregionwithmorethan620millionpeopleandafast-growinginterneteconomy.Thefirmseesopportunityinfinancingbusinessesthatarehelpingconsumersandcompaniesgodigital,althoughthecoronavirusoutbreakiscreatingsubstantialchallenges.
“TheCovid-19virusistestingthefoundationsofmanystartups,”saidJeffreySeah,apartneratQuest.“Thosewithseniorleadershipthatisdexterous,whocanadjusttomarketchangesfast,willsurvive.”
Thefirm’spreviousinvestmentsincludee-commercestartupsShopBack,StyleTheoryandCarousell,andonlinemarketplaceforsecond-handgoodsvaluedat$850million.Itsfirstfundhasreturnedmorethan40%(inIRR)sofar,Seahsaid.
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2020April17QuestVentureslookstobridgeS-EAsiaandCentralAsiawithsecondfundTheBusinessTimes
InvestorsinQuest’slatestfundincludePavilionCapital,theTemasek-ownedprivateequityfirm,aswellasQazTech,aventurecapitalfirmunderKazakhstan’ssovereignwealthfund,BaiterekNationalManagingHolding.
Foundedin2011,Questhasbackedover50regionalstartupsthroughitsfirstfund,includingCarousell,ShopBackandSGAG.ThefirstfundwasinvestedoutofthepersonalcapitalofQuest’smanagingpartnerJamesTan,aformerentrepreneurwhoco-foundedChinesee-commercefirm55tuan.
Withitssecondfund,QuestwilltargetnotjustSouth-eastAsianstartups,butalsothoseinemergingAsianmarkets,atthepost-seedandSeriesAstages.ItwilllaunchanacceleratorinKazakhstanto“jumpstarttheregion’sdigitaleconomy”.
AdilNurgozhin,chairmanoftheboardofdirectorsatQazTech,saidthathisfirm’sinvestmentinQuestis“animportantstepinbringingtogethertheinnovativeecosystemsofSouth-eastAsiaandCentralAsia”.
“ThispartnershipwithQuestVenturesandPavilionCapitalwillenableKazakhstartupstosecureimportantinvestments,improvecompetencies,andgainaccesstoglobalmarkets,”saidMrNurgozhininapressrelease.
ByworkingwithQuest,Pavilionhopesto“playanimportantroleintheventurecapitalecosystemhere”,addedTowHengTan,chiefexecutiveofPavilion.
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2020April17QuestVenturesmakesfirstcloseoffundIIatUS$50MledbyPavilionCapital,QazTechVenturese27
Singapore-basedVCfirmQuestVentureshasannouncedthefirstcloseofitssecondfundatUS$50million.
Asperapressnote,thisrepresentsmorethanhalfofQuest’sfundtargetforthesecondfund,calledQuestVenturesAsiaFundII.
Twoinstitutionalinvestors,whichparticipatedinthisinvestment,arePavilionCapitalfromSingaporeandQazTechVenturesfromKazakhstan.
ThefundIIwillinvestinstartupsacrossSoutheastAsiaandemergingAsiaatthepost-seedandSeriesAstages.
Additionally,QuestVenturessaiditwillexpanditsfootprinttocountries,suchasIndonesia,MyanmarandthePhilippines.Italreadyhasapresenceinfast-growingeconomiessuchasVietnam.
“Weweredeliberateinselectingourinvestorsaswevaluebothfinancialandoperationalcontributions.Asoperatorsourselvesbeforebecominginvestors,weappreciatewhatadiverseteamcanbringtothetable.Withthisfund,wehopetobringdifferentskillsets,domainexperienceandconnectionstohelpourcompanies,”saidGohYiping,PartneratQuestVentures.
Kazakhstan’snationaleconomicinitiativeshaveseenincreasedbusinessactivitiesbetweenCentralAsiaandSoutheastAsia.ThisisitssovereignwealthfundQaztech’sfirstinvestmentinaVCfundinAsia,andiswidelyseentobetappingintoQuest’sexperienceinemergingAsiaandindevelopinginnovationecosystems.
“ThecooperationofKazakhstanwithSingapore’sleadingventurefundisanimportantstepinbringingtogethertheinnovativeecosystemsofSoutheastAsiaandCentralAsia.ThispartnershipwithQuestandPavilionwillenableKazakhstanistartupstosecureimportantinvestments,improvecompetencies,andgainaccesstoglobalmarkets,”saidAdilNurgozhin,ChairmanoftheBoardofDirectorsatQazTechVentures.
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2020April17SG’sQuestVenturessecuresfirstcloseof$50mfundbackedbyPavilionCapital,QazTechVenturesTechNodeGlobal
ThetechinvestorsatQuestVenturestodaydebutedtheirsecondfund,worth$50million.
Focusedonmakingpost-seedandseriesAinvestments,Quests’FundIIisseekingoutstartups“acrossSoutheastAsiaandemergingAsia,”theteamsaidinastatementtoday.ThatmeanstheSingapore-basedVCiseyeinginvestmentsinnationsithasyettoexplore,suchasthePhilippinesandMyanmar.
QuestVentures’skeyfacts:
Foundedin2011byserialentrepreneursJamesTanandWangYunming
Firstfundbackedover50startups
Big-nameinvesteesincludeshoppingappCarousell,sextoystartupVibease,andpropertylistingssite99.co
QuestVenturespartnerJamesTantellsTechnodeGlobalthatthefirmisstilldoingdealswithstartups,despitetheongoingdisruptionfromtheCovid–19pandemic.
Increasingly,bothglobalandregionalVCsarechasingSoutheastAsia’sstartups.However,2019sawfewermegadealsforlate-stagestartupsandunicornsacrossSoutheastAsia,resultingintotalfundingdroppingtoUS$7.7billionfromthepreviousyear’sUS$12billion.Thisyearcouldseethetallydropfurther.
Quest’snewfundcomprisesmoneyfromtwomajorinstitutionalinvestors:PavilionCapital,aspinofffromSingaporesovereignwealthfundTemasek;andQazTechVentures,whichderivesfromKazakhstan’sownsovereignwealthfund.
ThemovewillhelpKazakhstan’snascentstartupindustryto“secureimportantinvestments,improvecompetencies,andgainaccesstoglobalmarkets,”saysQazTechVentureschairmanAdilNurgozhininastatement.
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2020April09QuestVenturesraisesUSD$50m(£40m)VCfundTheGamingEconomy
SingaporeanventurecapitalfirmQuestVentureshasclosedaUSD$50minvestmentvehicle,termedQuestVenturesAsiaFundII,whichwillbetargetedtowardsdigital-focusedstartupsinSoutheastAsia.Thefundhasbeenbackedbytwoanchorlimitedpartners(LPs),namelyTemasekinvestmentdivisionPavilionCapital,andtheKazakhstansovereignwealthfundsubsidiaryQazTechVentures.
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2020April08Singapore’sQuestVenturesachievesfirstclosefornewfundAVCJ
QuestVentures,aSingapore-headquarteredventurecapitalfirm,hasachievedthefirstcloseforanewfund.Thetargetforthevehicleis$50million.
QazTechVentures,asubsidiaryofKazakhstanisovereignfundBaiterekNationalManagement,hascontributed$10milliontoQuestVentures’secondfund,accordingtoanannouncementonStrategy2050.
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2020April07Singapore’senhancedsupportamidtighterrestrictionsalifelineforstartupsDealStreetAsia
QuestVenturespartnerJeffreySeahdescribedthewagereliefasahugelifelineforstartupsinSingapore.Startupstypicallyraisemoneyfor12to30months’runway,heexplained.Well-runcompaniesmightseethatrunwayhalvedundercurrentconditions,whilethemoreaverageonesmightseeitcuttolessthansixmonths.
Butthewell-managedstartupscanpotentiallyextendtheirrunwaybyupto12monthsatthismomentbycuttingcostsandfindingmorecapital,whilethosethatareover-valuedandfacingcollectionissueswillstruggletogetadditionalfunding,Seahsaid.
Savingthree-quartersofwagesis,therefore,significant.
“Itallowsstartupstoconservecash,notjusttokeeptheirstaff,buttodirectthemtocapabilitybuildingworktoreturnstronger-moatedtothemarketwhenCOVID-19isfinallymanaged,”Seahsaid.“Thisislife-savingforallthestartupsdomiciledandstaffedinSingapore.ItisadeliberateandresolutedemonstrationoftheSingaporegovernment’sdeterminationtopreservethe(commercialand)startuphubthatisSingapore.”
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2020April07SG’sQuestVenturesropesinPavilionCapital,QazTechasanchorLPsDealStreetAsia
Singapore-basedventurecapitalfirmQuestVentureshassecuredtwoanchorlimitedpartners(LPs)forits$50-millionfund.
ThetwoanchorLPsareKazakhstan’ssovereignwealthfundsubsidiary,QazTechVentures,andTemasekarm,PavilionCapital,asfirstreportedbyKazakhpublicationStrategy2050.
Accordingtothereport,QazTechVenturesisinvesting$10millioninQuestVentures,whichwillalsobackastartupaccelerationprogramme–KazakhstanDigitalAccelerator–tonurturetechstartupsinKazakhstanandCentralAsiaoverthenextthreeyears.
ThisisunderstoodtobeQazTechVentures’sfirstLPinvestmentinSoutheastAsia.TheKazakhsovereignwealthfundalsorecentlyinvestedin500Startups’sfifthglobalfundbasedinSiliconValley,accordingtothereport.DealStreetAsiahasreachedouttoQuestVenturesforcomment.
ThisreportconfirmsanearlierDealStreetAsiastoryonQuestVenturessecuringLPinterestfromtwosovereignwealthfundslastyear,oneofwhichwasfromSingapore.QuestVentureshadbeenreportedtobeaiminga$25-millionfirstcloseinDecemberforthesameearly-stagefund.
AlthoughthevehicleiscalledQuestVenturesAsiaFundII,itisQuest’sfirstinstitutionally-backedfund.Itsfirstfundwasinvestedoutofthepersonalcapitalofitsmanagingpartner,JamesTan,whoisalsotheco-founderofNasdaq-listedChinesee-commercecompany,55tuan.
QuestVenturestargetsstartupsinSoutheastAsia’sdigitaleconomyinareassuchasagritech,foodchainsupply,andlogistics.Thefirmhaspreviouslysaiditplanstoinvestinabout100companiesacrossthefund’s10-yeartenure,withticketsizesbetween$500,000and$1millionandscopeforfollow-oninvestments.Since2010,Questhasaddedover40companiestoitsportfolioincludingnameslikeCarro,Carousell,99.co,ShopBack,andGlife.
TheVChasbeensteadilyexpandingitsteamsincelastyear.ItappointedtwopartnersinMarch–GohYipingandJeffreySeah–tomanagethegrowthofitsventurebusiness.AccordingtoQuestVentures’swebsite,thefirmalsorunsinnovationlabsandcorporateaccelerators,servingagloballistofclientssuchasNissan,VMWare,Yahoo,HP,Tencent,andCocaCola.
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2020April07QuestVenturesgetsPavilionCapital,QazTechasanchorLPsSingaporeBusinessReview
VenturecapitalfirmQuestVenturessecuredQazTechVenturesandPavilionCapitalasanchorlimitedpartners(LPs)forits$50mfunding,accordingtoareport.
QazTechVenturesisinvesting$10minQuestVenturestonurturestartupsinKazakhstanandCentralAsiaoverthenextthreeyears.Thiswillbethecompany’sfirstLPinvestmentinSoutheastAsia(SEA).
QuestVenturesreportedlyisaiminga$25mfirstcloseinDecemberforthesameearly-stagefund.
ThecompanytargetsstartupsinSEA’sdigitaleconomyinareassuchasagritech,foodchainsupply,andlogistics.
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2020April02First-timefundsbraceforrockystartasCOVID-19lingersonDealStreetAsia
QuestVentureswasaskedtoshareitsexperiencewithfirst-timefundsonDealStreetAsia.
“TheCOVID-19outbreak,whichcontinuestotightenitsvice-likegripacrosstheworld,hasalteredthefundraisinglandscapeforfirst-timemanagersoftenseenasmorevulnerablecomparedtostoriedinvestorsonthetrail.
“Raisingoverseascapitalisgoingtobetricky,”sharedJamesTan,foundingpartnerofearly-stageSoutheastAsianventurefirmQuestVentures.
“Itdoesn’tmatterhowwell-knownweareoutthere,aface-to-facemeetingwillstillberequired.Thisisn’tjustameetingwithoneortwopeople.Ourentireinvestmentteamneedstogothere,sayhiandshaketheirhands.Allthatisgoingtobeimpossibleinthisclimate.””
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2020April02SIHUBboostsconnectionstoformmillion-dollarstartupsSaigonOnline
SaigonInnovationHub(SIHUB),oneoftheleadingorganizationsinstartupsupportactivitiesinHoChiMinhCity(HCMC),hasbeentryingtolinkdifferentdomesticandinternationalstartuporganizations,investmentfunds,andconsultationcompaniesinhopeofcreatingmoreandmoresuccessfulstartupsinVietnam.
…AnothersuccessfulstoryunderthehelpofSIHUBisLogivan,aplatformtoofferbulkygoodsshippingservicenationwideviaconnectionsofseveraltransportcompaniesandgoodsmanufacturerstominimizeemptytruckrunning.ItattracteditsfirstUS$7.9-millioncapitalsourcefromAsianinvestorsthankstotheprogram‘RunwaytoTheWorld’toincubatepotentialstartupsbySIHUBandQuestVentures(fromSingapore).
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2020March23SoutheastAsianVCsweighinonhowstartupscansurviveCOVID-19KrASIA
Whenthegoinggetstough,thetoughgetgoing.
JeffreySeah,apartneratQuestVentures,stressesthatonlythestrongestwillsurvivethecull.
“Darwinianthinkingunderwriteseveryformofcommerce,andinthesetimesthegoingconcernofeverystartup.AstheVCmarketoperatingmindsetmatureswithmoredomainexpertsandadoptsmoremainstreambusinessmetrics,thisCovidmarketismorethanjustanacademicBlackSwanevent.
Itwillbecomethedefiningperiodofbootstrapping,scrum,andhockey-stick-growthforstartupsthathavebuilttheirfundamentalswell,andconverselytheretrogradeperiodforthoseovervaluedyetunder-built.Theywillrememberthisperiodasaseminalpivotingmoment.”
SeahfromQuestVenturesalsoagreesthatthisisabsolutelynotthetimeforbusiness-as-usual,butitalsoshouldnotbeahibernationperiodforstartups.
“AtQuestVentures,wecontinuetoevaluateourdealflowsanddisbursedueininvestments.Nowisnotthetimeforparalysis,whentheecosystemneedsthemostguidanceandsupport.Aspastoperators,weareworkinginthetrencheswithourportfoliocompanies,toextractasmuchvaluefromthisperiodofbusinessopportunity,thepreservationvaluationcomesfromqualityofrevenue,ratherthancashhoarding.
Thisisagoodfundraisingtimefordirect-to-customerbusinesses—media,content,delivery,andSaaSservices.TheirbusinessmodelsareandwillbeDarwin-validatedasthecurfewsandlockdownscontinuetodisruptthesociety,andresultantly,marketplaces.”
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2020March21Whowantstobeaventurecapitalist?TheBusinessTimes
Moreex-entrepreneurshavealsoenteredtheventurecapitalfray,notesGohYiping,apartneratQuestVentureswhowaspreviouslyco-founderofane-commercestartup.
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2020March19Meet4VCswhoareearlyadoptersofe27Proe27
QuestVenturesisproudtobeanearlyadopterofe27Pro.
“ThesefourtopglobalandregionalVCsarethefirsttosignupfore27Pro.
Whenwequietlylaunchede27Pro,ourcommunityhasbeenmostsupportive;offeringencouragementandfeedbackthathelpedusdesigne27Prointowhatitistoday:amembershipprogrammethatisdesignedtogiveyouactionableinsights,exclusivebusiness-buildingprogrammes,andtoolsthatenableyourcompany’ssuccess.
We’dliketotellyoumoreabouttheearlyadoptersofe27Prowhohavehelpedandarecontinuallyhelpingusmaketheplatformbetter.”
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2020March15东南亚女性投资者：我们才是新生力量36氪
正值国际妇女节之际，KrASIA网站采访了东南亚投资公司里几名女性明星合伙人，分享了她们对性别多样性的看法。
KrASIA调查了34家活跃于东南亚地区的风险投资公司员工名册。
调查结果很能说明问题：仅12家公司的投资团队里有一位或多位女性合伙人。
QuestVentures的合伙人GohYiping认为，人们常常对女性有太过争强好胜的偏见。
当别的投资人看到她名片上印着的“合伙人”头衔时，常常会很惊讶。
38岁的GohYiping说：“他们惊讶的原因是我看起来年纪很小——但我其实没那么年轻。
主要是在（风险投资公司）中处于管理职位的女性合伙人太少，助长了这种偏见。
”
Yiping在加入QuestVentures之前已经在科技行业工作了二十多年。
她之前也成立过几家初创公司，包括在线零售交易聚合网站AllDealsAsia，这家网站在2014年被印尼的LippoGroup收购。
去年，她被《Harper’sBazaarSingapore》杂志评为“为新加坡科技和数字化领域奠定基础”的40岁以下女性之一。
为什么决定跨行从创始人变成投资者？
Yiping在接受KrASIA的采访时表示：“因为我想知道风险投资这一行业是否适合我。
我想成为那种在我还是创始人时就想合作的投资者。
”
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2020March12InSoutheastAsia,womeninvestorsareagrowingforceinthestartupspaceKrASIA
Severalhigh-profilewomenfromtheregion’sactiveinvestmentfirmssharetheirthoughtswithKrASIAongenderdiversity.
KrASIAreviewedtherostersof34VCfirmsthatareactiveinSoutheastAsia.Theresultsweretelling.Only12firmshaveoneormorefemalepartnersontheirinvestmentteams.
GohYiping,apartneratQuestVentures,alsoagreesthatthebiascansurfacewhenwomenareperceivedasbeingtooambitious.Sometimes,peoplearesurprisedtoseeher“partner”titleonherbusinesscard.“ButmostlybecauseIlookyoung—I’mnotthatyoung,”said38-year-oldYiping.Thefactthatthereare“toofewfemalepartnersatseniorpositions[inVCfirms]probablyhelpspropagatethestereotype.”
BeforejoiningQuestVenturesin2015,Yipinghadalreadyworkedintechformorethantwodecades.Shepreviouslyfoundedseveralstartups,includingAllDealsAsia,anonlineaggregatorofretaildealsthatwasacquiredbyIndonesia’sLippoGroupin2014.Lastyear,shewasnamedbyHarper’sBazaarSingaporeasoneofthecity-state’swomenagedunder40whoare“pavingthewayinthetechanddigitalspheres.”
Whydidshedecidetocrossthelineandgofromfoundertoinvestor?“Iwantedtoknowwhetherventurecapitalcouldbemycupofteainthefuture,”YipingtoldKrASIA.“IwanttobecomethekindofinvestorthatIwouldhavewantedtoworkwithwhenIwasafounder.”
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2020March12TemasekleadsShopBack’sextendedUS$75mfundingroundTheBusinessTimes
ThelatestcapitalinjectionbringsShopBack’stotalfundingsinceitsfoundingin2014toUS$113million.ThecompanyisalsobackedbySoftBankVenturesAsiaandcountsSingapore-basedQualgroandQuestVenturesamongitsearlierinvestors.
AseniorexecutiveatTemasektoldBTinOctoberlastyearthatthestateinvestmentfirmhasitseyeonwhatitcalls“aspiringunicorns”inSouth-eastAsia–companiesvaluedbetweenUS$100millionandUS$1billion.
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2020March04ҚазақстанменСингапурбірлескенвенчурлікқорқұрдыBaiterek
Нұр-СұлтанқаласындаХолдингтіңеншілесұйымы–«QazTechVentures»АҚ-ныңсингапурлық«QuestVenturesAsiaFundII»(QVAFII)венчурлікқорынақатысудыкөздейтін,жалпымөлшері50млн.АҚШдолларынатиістікелісімжасалды.Капиталы10млн.АҚШдолларыQazTechVenturesқорға«зәкірлік»инвесторретіндекіреді.Келісімталаптарынасәйкес,бірлесеқұрғанқоралдағыүшжылдаҚазақстанменОртаАзияныңкелешегібарстартапжобаларынқарастырып,қаржыландырады.
СингапурлықТемаѕекжетекшіқаржылықдамуинститутыныңеншілесқұрылымыPavilionCapitalқұрылғанқордыңзәкірлікинвесторларыныңбіріболыптабылады.PavilionCapital–бұлАҚШпенАзиядағықарқындыдамыпкележатқанжобаларғастратегиялыққолдаукөрсететінтікелейжәневенчурлікинвестицияларкомпаниясы.Қазақстантарихындаалғашрет«Temasek»қазақстандықжобаларғаинвестициясалмақшы.
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2020March04ҚазақстанменСингапурбірлескенвенчурлікқорқұрдыAKIpress
«Бәйтерек»холдингіҚазақстанныңстартапжобаларындамытуүшіншетелдікинвестициялардытартумақсатындасингапурлықбизнеспенынтымақтастықтыкеңейтуде.
Нұр-СұлтанқаласындаХолдингтіңеншілесұйымы–«QazTechVentures»АҚ-ныңсингапурлық«QuestVenturesAsiaFundII»(QVAFII)венчурлікқорынақатысудыкөздейтін,жалпымөлшері50млн.АҚШдолларынатиістікелісімжасалды.Капиталы10млн.АҚШдолларыQazTechVenturesқорға«зәкірлік»инвесторретіндекіреді.Келісімталаптарынасәйкес,бірлесеқұрғанқоралдағыүшжылдаҚазақстанменОртаАзияныңкелешегібарстартапжобаларынқарастырып,қаржыландырады.
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2020March04KazakhstanandSingaporeestablishedjointventurefundStrategy2050
QazTechVentureswithacapitalof$10millionwillenterthisfundasananchorinvestor.…thejointlycreatedfundwillconsiderandfinancepromisingstartupprojectsinKazakhstanandCentralAsiainthenextthreeyears.
OneoftheanchorinvestorsoftheestablishedfundisPavilionCapital,asubsidiaryofTemasek,Singapore’sleadingfinancialdevelopmentinstitution.
“CollaborationwiththeleadingSingaporefundandtheopeningofajointaccelerationprogramisanimportantstepinbuildingthecountry’sventureecosystemandbringingdomesticstartupstotheglobalmarket.Today,theventuremarketinSoutheastAsiahashighpotentialandisdevelopingatarapidpace.WeexpectthatinthenearfutureprojectsfundedbythisFundwillbeabletobecompetitivebothinKazakhstanandabroad,inparticularinSoutheastAsia”,ChairmanoftheBoardofDirectorsofQazTechVenturesJSC,ManagingDirectorof“Baiterek”HoldingAdilNurgozhinsaid.
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2020February19SGBudgetaddsCOVID-19novelcoronavirusoutbreakmeasuresDealStreetAsia
QuestVenturesprovideditsopiniontoDealStreetAsiaonthemeasurestakenbythegovernmenttoaddresstheCOVID-19novelcoronavirusoutbreak.
“QuestVentures,throughaspokesperson,saidthevirusmeasureswillsoothetherightpainpoints.
NoothercountryweknowofintheworldbesidesChinaareactivelyensuringthelong-termviabilityofbusinessesandthebroadereconomyfrombothoperatingexpenditureandstaffingangles,”thespokespersonsaid.”
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2020February19PrivateinvestorseyeS$300madditionalammotofundstartupsTheBusinessTimes
QuestVenturesprovideditsopiniontoTheBusinessTimesontheStartupSGEquityandtheAngelInvestorsTaxDeductionschemeintheSingaporeBudget2020.
OntheS$300millionthatwillbeaddedtotheStartupSGEquityscheme:“Late-stagefundingishardtocomebyfordeeptechplayers,saidaspokemanforventurefirmQuestVentures.“TheSeriesBgapisrealandweexpectthistogrow…asthecommercialisationvalueofthesedeeptechstartupsisdifficulttoascertain,”hesaid.
OnthelapseoftheAngelInvestorsTaxDeductionscheme,“TheQuestVenturesspokesmansimilarlysaidthathehasrarelyseentheAITDschemetappedonbyangelinvestors.Forinstance,Quest’smanagingpartnerJamesTan,whowasanangelinvestorofstartupsCarousellandShopBack,alsodidnottapthescheme,thespokesmansaid.”
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2020February19Fundsdon’tcomeeasyforSingapore’sdeeptechstartupsDealStreetAsia
QuestVenturesprovideditsopiniontoDealStreetAsiaonthedeeptechecosystemofSingaporeanditscurrentstateofinvestment.
“Thedeeptechtop-upcomesatanimportanttimewhenthecurrentbatchofdeeptechstartupsaremostlystrugglingtoraisefunding,”saidQuestVenturesthroughaspokesperson.Questfocusesonearly-stagedigitalcommerceinvestmentsinChinaandSoutheastAsia,anditsmandatecoversdeeptech.
TheQuestspokespersonsaidthatwhileaccesstocapitalwasimportantfordeeptechstartupsinSingapore,thebiggerchallengeliesingrowingtheecosystemasawhole.
“Despitetheresourcesspent,Singaporeasanecosystemisnotaswell-knownasothercitiessuchasSiliconValley,IsraelorJapanasdeeptechhubs,”Questsaid.“Itistimetorelookatthedeeptechsectorandworkwithdifferentpartiestopushthisforward.””
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2020February13HowMyMBAHelpedMeLaunchMyVentureCapitalCompanyBusinessBecause
QuestVentures’ManagingPartnerJamesTanwasinterviewedasanalumnioftheTsinghua-MITGlobalMBAProgram.
“JamesTanfoundedQuestVentures,amultimilliondollarventurecapitalfirmfocusedontechstartupsinAsia.HesayshisMBAhelpedhimbreakintotheChinesemarket.
JamescreditsenrollingontheTsinghua-MITGlobalMBAProgram,acollaborationbetweenTsinghuaUniversitySchoolofEconomicsandManagement(TsinghuaSEM)inBeijingandMITSloan,forhelpinghimtogrowasuccessfulbusinessandexpandingintothelucrativeChinesemarket.
JamesrecognizedhowmanyChinesestartuporiginallymimickedbusinessideasfromtheUS.Morerecently,companieslikeWeibo(China’sTwitter)andDiDi(China’sUber)useUSmodelsasastartingpoint,butarebespoketoChina.
Similarly,JameslookedtoUSventurecapitalfirmSequoia—whichhasinvestedinApple,Stripe,andAirbnb—asanexampleofthelong-termsuccessthathewantedQuesttoemulate.Butcrucially,itneededtohaveanAsiafocus.
“IwantedtobuildaverystrongVCfirmbythisregion,forthisregion,”saysJames.”
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2020February10তরুণউদ্যোক্তাদেরজন্য‘স্টার্টআপকিংডম’বইয়েরমোড়কউন্মোচনDailyIttefaq
QuestVentures’JamesTanunveiledbookonBangladeshstartupsco-authoredbyQuestVentures’mentorShameemAhsan.
“পেগাসাসটেকভেঞ্চারসএরজেনারেলপার্টনারওপ্রধাননির্বাহীকর্মকর্তাড.আনিসউজ্জামানএবংভেঞ্চারক্যাপিটালঅ্যান্ডপ্রাইভেটইক্যুইটিঅ্যাসোসিয়েশনঅববাংলাদেশ(ভিসিপিয়াব)ওইজেনারেশনেরচেয়ারম্যানশামীমআহসানলিখিতস্টার্টআপবিষয়কবই‘স্টার্টআপকিংডম’এরউন্মোচনকরাহয়েছে।
শনিবার(৮ফেব্রুয়ারি২০২০)রাজধানীররেডিসনব্লুওয়াটারগার্ডেনেআয়োজিতএকঅনুষ্ঠানেবইটিরমোড়কউন্মোচনকরাহয়।গাইডলাইনমূলকবইটিতেছয়টিঅধ্যায়েপ্রচুররিসোর্সরয়েছে,যাস্টার্টআপপ্রতিষ্ঠাতাদেরসম্ভাব্যবাজারগুলোতেতারব্যবসাকেপ্রতিষ্ঠিতকরতেসুযোগকরেদেবে।
বইটিরউন্মোচনকরেনপররাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রীড.একেআবদুলমোমেনওআইসিটিপ্রতিমন্ত্রীজুনাইদআহমেদপলক।এসময়উপস্থিতছিলেনকুয়েস্টভেঞ্চারসএরব্যবস্থাপনাঅংশীদারজেমসটান,ডেফটাপার্টনারসএরপ্রিন্সিপালমাসাইসোনো,উইমেনইনটেকএশিয়ারপ্রতিষ্ঠাতাজেনিরিসকু,ওপেনস্পেসভেঞ্চারসএরপরিচালকইয়ানসিকোরা,আইআইএমএরগভর্নেন্সবোর্ডসদস্যড.সৌগতরায়,আইএফসিরকান্ট্রিম্যানেজারওয়েন্ডিওয়ার্নারপ্রমুখ।”
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2020February10স্টার্টআপবিষয়কবই‘স্টার্টআপকিংডম’উন্মোচিতJugantor
QuestVentures’JamesTanunveiledbookonBangladeshstartupsco-authoredbyQuestVentures’mentorShameemAhsan.
“পেগাসাসটেকভেঞ্চারসএরজেনারেলপার্টনারওপ্রধাননির্বাহীকর্মকর্তাড.আনিসউজ্জামানএবংভেঞ্চারক্যাপিটালঅ্যান্ডপ্রাইভেটইক্যুইটিঅ্যাসোসিয়েশনঅববাংলাদেশ(ভিসিপিয়াব)ওই-জেনারেশনেরচেয়ারম্যানশামীমআহসানলিখিতস্টার্টআপবিষয়কবই‘স্টার্টআপকিংডম’এরউন্মোচনকরাহয়েছে।
শনিবাররাজধানীররেডিসনব্লুওয়াটারগার্ডেনেআয়োজিতএকঅনুষ্ঠানেবইটিউন্মোচনকরাহয়।গাইডলাইনমূলকবইটিতেছয়টিঅধ্যায়েপ্রচুররিসোর্সরয়েছে,যাস্টার্টআপপ্রতিষ্ঠাতাদেরসম্ভাব্যবাজারগুলোতেতারব্যবসাকেপ্রতিষ্ঠিতকরতেসুযোগকরেদেবে।
বইটিরউন্মোচনকরেনপররাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রীড.একেআবদুলমোমেনওআইসিটিপ্রতিমন্ত্রীজুনাইদআহমেদপলক।এসময়উপস্থিতছিলেনকুয়েস্টভেঞ্চারসএরব্যবস্থাপনাঅংশীদারজেমসটান,ডেফটাপার্টনারসএরপ্রিন্সিপালমাসাইসোনো,উইমেনইনটেকএশিয়ারপ্রতিষ্ঠাতাজেনিরিসকু,ওপেনস্পেসভেঞ্চারসএরপরিচালকইয়ানসিকোরা,আইআইএমএরগভর্নেন্সবোর্ডসদস্যড.সৌগতরায়,আইএফসিরকান্ট্রিম্যানেজারওয়েন্ডিওয়ার্নারপ্রমুখ।”
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2020February10‘StartupKingdom’,acomprehensivehandbookforstartupbizTheFinancialExpress
QuestVentures’JamesTanunveiledbookonBangladeshstartupsco-authoredbyQuestVentures’mentorShameemAhsan.
“‘StartupKingdom’,authoredbyDr.AnisUzzaman,GeneralPartnerandCEOofPegasusTechVentures,andShameemAhsan,Chairman,VentureCapitalandPrivateEquityAssociationofBangladeshandeGeneration,wasunveiledataneventheldinRadissonBlueWaterGarden,Dhakarecently.
ThebookisacomprehensivehandbookforstartupfoundersinSouthAsiaandGlobalstartupecosystem,saidastatement.Itfeaturessixchaptersandcomeswitharangeofresourcesthatcanhelpstartupfoundersseizetheopportunitiesintheirareasofbusinesses.
ThebookwasunveiledbyForeignMinisterDr.AKAbdulMomenMP,ICTSateMinisterZunaidAhmedPalak,JamesTan,ManagingPartner,QuestVentures;MasaIsono,Principal,DEFTAPartners;JenniRisku,Founder,WomeninTechAsia;IanSikora,Director,OpenspaceVentures;Prof.Dr.SougataRay,MemberofBoardofGovernanceIIM,CalcuttaandWendyWerner,CountryManager,IFC;MahrukhMohiuddin,Director,UniversityPressLimitedwerepresentamongothersduringthelaunchingceremonyofthebook.”
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2020February10Noalternativetoskilledmanpowertoface4IR:SalmanTheFinancialExpress
SalmanFRahman,AdvisertothePrimeMinisterofBangladeshonPrivateIndustryandInvestment,metwithinternationalinvestorswhowereinBangladeshtojudgethefinalsoftheStartupWorldCup.
“PrimeMinister’sPrivateIndustryandInvestmentAdviserSalmanFRahmanonSaturdaysaidthereisnooptionbuttocreateskilledmanpowerinBangladeshtofacethe4thIndustrialRevolution(4IR).
HemadetheremarkwhileaddressingtheinauguralceremonyoftheStartupWorldCup2020,aglobalstartuppitchcompetitionwith30+regionaleventsacrossthesixcontinents,atacityhotel,reportsUNB.
Thefinalistspitchedtheirbusinessinfrontofliveaudienceandjuryatthegalafinaleheldinthecapital.
Thewinnerwasselectedbyapanelofinvestorjudges,includingJamesTan,ManagingPartner,QuestVentures.”
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2020February09Vision2025launchedtocreatestartupandVC-friendlyecosysteminBDTheFinancialExpress
QuestVentures’mentorShameemAhsanlaunchesVision2025forBangladeshstartupecosystemwitnessedbyQuestVentures’JamesTanandothers.
“Vision2025tocreateastartupandVC-friendlyecosystemhasbeenlaunchedattheBangladeshregionaleventofthebiggeststartupcompetitionintheworldStartupWorldCup.
Ithasbeentargetedthatwithin2025,Bangladeshstartupecosystemwilldevelopseventimesaccomplishing4objectivesofthevision.InthepresenttimethereisoneandonlyUSD1.0billiondollarcompany(Unicorn)andthegoalistohavefivecompanieswithbillion-dollarvaluationorUnicorninBangladeshby2025.ThecurrentStartupecosystemofthecountryisvaluedat1.45billionwithapotentialtoreach10-billion-dollarvaluation.Thesestartupshavecreatedonehundredandfiftythousandjobsandsevenhundredindirectjobscurrently.Thevisionenvisionstakingdirectemploymentto1.0millionandindirectemploymentto5.0millionby2025.
Mr.ShameemAhsan,Chairman,VentureCapitalandPrivateEquityAssociationofBangladesh(VCPEAB)andeGenerationandGeneralPartner,PegasusTechVenturespresentedthemissionatthesessiontitled“VentureCapitalforDoubleDigitGrowth”duringtheinaugurationceremonyofStartupWorldCup,2020grandfinaleeventdayheldattheRadissonBluWaterGarden,Dhaka,infrontofprivatesectoradvisertoprimeminister.Alongwiththevisionhehasplaced11pointsrecommendationtoachievethetargets.”
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2020February08BangladeshentrepreneursaresupportedatmanylevelsbytheprivateandpublicsectorsRTVNews
InDhaka,Bangladesh,MrJamesTan,ManagingPartneratQuestVentures,joinsMrAHMMustafaKamal,MinisterofFinanceofthePeople’sRepublicofBangladesh,andotherdistinguishedguestsonapaneldiscussiononventurecapitalandstartupsfordoubledigitgrowth.
JamesTansaid,“SingaporecanprovideausefulblueprintforBangladeshtoadapttoitslocalenvironment.WithangelnetworkssuchasTheAngelNetworkandBangladeshAngels;acceleratorssuchastheGrameenphoneAccelerator;ITtalentfrominstitutionsofhigherlearningsuchasBUET;andindustry-widetradeassociationssuchastheVentureCapitalandPrivateEquityAssociationofBangladesh,Bangladeshentrepreneursaresupportedatmanylevelsbytheprivateandpublicsectors.”
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2020February08Vision2025launchedtocreate$10bstartupmarketinBangladeshTheBusinessStandard
QuestVentures’JamesTanwitnessedlaunchofVision2025fortheBangladeshICTsector.
“Vision2025tocreateastartupandVentureCapitalfriendlyecosystemhasbeenlaunchedattheBangladeshregionaleventofStartupWorldCup,thebiggeststartupcompetitionintheworld,onSaturday,targetingBangladeshstartupecosystemthatwilldevelopseventimesbyaccomplishingtheobjectivesofthevision,saidapressrelease.
Atpresent,thereisoneandonly$1billionDollarcompany(Unicorn)andthegoalistohavefivecompanieswithbillion-dollarvaluationorUnicorninBangladeshby2025.
Thecurrentstartupecosystemofthecountryisvaluedat$1.45billionwiththepotentialtoreacha10-billion-dollarvaluation.Thesestartupshavecreated150000jobsand700indirectjobsrecently.
Thevisionforeseestakingdirectemploymentto1millionandindirectemploymentto5millionby2025.”
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2020January16Here’swhatyoumissedatBASEConference2020–Johor’sinauguralbusinessandtechconferencee27
RussNeu,venturepartnerforimpact,wasontheopeningpanelatBASEConference2020.
“ThelocalstartupsnowboastacombinedvaluationofRM467million(USD115million),withmorethan400jobsbeingcreatedoverthepast4years,contributinganaverageofRM160millionperyeartothelocalstateGDP.Therearealsoastaggeringnumberof46coworkingspaces,now,inIskandar,Malaysia,combiningforatotalareaof300,000squarefootage.ThesefigureswerealltakenfromtheJohorStartupEcosystemReportwhichwasofficiallypublishedon15Jan2019,inconjunctionwithIskandarSpace’sfirstyearanniversary.
RussNeu,VenturePartner,Impact,QuestVenturesbelievesthat“AlotofnewtechnologyandinnovationinthecomingdecadewillbeaddressingtheUN’sSDGs”.”
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2020January14BaiterekHoldingcreatesventurecapitalfund,pursueslong-termconstructionprojectsin2020TheAstanaTimes
“Thesigningofthepackageofdocuments,webelieve,willcertainlyleadtopositiveresults.Inparticular,investmentsofaleadingventurecompanyinKazakhprojectswillincreasetheattractivenessofourcountry’sventuremarketandattractotherkeyplayers.Inaddition,Kazakhprojectswillhavetheopportunityofinternationalaccelerationandaccesstoadvancedcompetenciesandexperience,”saidArifkhanov,reportedthepressservice.
LaterQazTechVenturesalsosignedamemorandumwithQuestVentures,aleadingventurecapitalfundinSingapore,aswellasatripartitememorandumwiththeNationalAgencyforInnovationofThailandandBaiterekHolding.
“ThecountriesofSoutheastAsiawereabletomakeasignificantbreakthroughinthedevelopmentoftheireconomiesthankstotherecentlyadoptedandsuccessfullyimplementedstrategyforthedevelopmentofinnovationsandventurefinancing.Overthepastfiveyears,Asia’sVC(venturecapital)indicatorshaveincreasedbyalmost14times,”theBaiterekpressservicesaid.
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2020January13Nomore‘burn,baby,burn’:VCsexpectmorecautionin2020TheBusinessTimes
JeffreySeah,apartneratQuestVentures,similarlythinksthat2020maybringmoremindfulnessandperhapsevenmorerationalvaluations.
“Thereisamorematureandmainstreamlensinevaluatingventureideasasgoingconcerns,versusthepastcavalier“sprayandpray”approachestodrivecoverageandseizemarketshare.”
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2020January12SingaporeansinHongKongandmainlandChina:howthe‘thirdwing’oftheLionCity’seconomytookflightSCMP
TheSouthChinaMorningPostinterviewedQuestVentures’JamesTanforhisperspectiveonhowSingaporeanfirmshave,overthedecades,movedfroma‘firstwing’–thedomesticeconomy–toasecond,namelyregionalexpansionandhowanewgroupofentrepreneursisassimilatingintoothereconomiesandbuildinglocalisedbusinessesratherthanbrandishingthecitystate’sbrand.
“DrawntoChinabythesimpledesiretofishin“abiggerpond”,hefoundedonlinedaily-dealssite55tuan.comwithfourotherschoolmatesinlate2009,aftergraduatingfromBeijing’sprestigiousTsinghuaUniversity.
ThefirmwouldgoontobecomethefirstChinesee-commercefirmlistedontheNasdaqindexintheUnitedStates,withapresenceinmorethan200citiesinChinatoday.
“ItmaybehardtobelievenowinanageofGrab,AirbnbandMeetup,butgatheringagroupofpeoplewhodonotknowoneanotherandwhowanttodosomethingsimilartogetherin2009wasdifficult,”Tansaid,notingthat55tuan.comtookoffonlyaftergroupdiscountsatrestaurantswerebuiltintotheservice.
BeingattheheartofthemassiveChinesemarketmeantTanandhisteamhadtodealwithswarmsofcompetitors,includingmanyscamcompanies.
“Chinabackthenwasnotaniceplacetokicknewbusinessideasofftheground.Peoplewouldtakeyourideaandrunwithit.Evenuptillfiveyearsago,therewasthistermcalledC2C,orCopytoChina.EverythingyoucanfindinSiliconValley,you’dbeabletofindacopycatversioninChina.”
Butalothadchangedsince,hesaid–includingChina’sbuildingupofitsowntechnologicalmuscle.
“TheChinesearenolongerjustcopycats.They’vetakenideasandmadethemevenbetter,”Tansaid.“It’snotjustAlibabaorWeChat.Justlookatride-sharingappslikeDidiChuxinganddronemanufacturerslikeDJI.There’realsosocialmediaappslikeTikTok–whoknewitwouldbecomethisbig?TheUSisnolongertheworld’sonlysourceofinspiration.”
TanfoundedventurecapitalfirmQuestVenturesin2011tofocusontheuntappedpotentialofSoutheastAsianstart-ups,insteadofthosetryingtobreakintotheChinesemarket.
“Fiveyearsago,itwouldhavemadesensetofocusonstart-upsenteringChina,butnotanymore,”hesaid.“Nowyoualsohavemanyhaigui[peoplewhoreturntoChinaafterstudyingabroad].Likeeveryoneelse,theycanseethatopportunitiesnolongerjustexistintheUS,butrightthereintheirhomecountry,inChina.””
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