Tech In Asia raises $6.6M led by Korean conglomerate Hanwha

 Tech In Asia, the Singapore-based media and events startup, has closed $6.6 million in fresh funding. The lead investor is a name that may not be too familiar to regular readers (yet) and that’s Hanwha, a Korean conglomerate which started out in explosives in 1952 but has since expanded into a range of verticals including (now) a focus on tech in emerging markets. With $55.5 billion… Read More

View More Tech In Asia raises $6.6M led by Korean conglomerate Hanwha

Southeast Asia’s aCommerce lands $65M led by KRR-backed Emerald Media

 Southeast Asia-based aCommerce, a startup that helps brands get into e-commerce and digital media in the fast-growing region, has pulled in $65 million in new funding led by Emerald Media, an Asian firm backed by global investor KKR.
The Series B deal takes Bangkok-based aCommerce to $94 million raised to date. Existing backers Blue Sky, MDI Ventures and Switzerland-based DKSH also took… Read More

View More Southeast Asia’s aCommerce lands $65M led by KRR-backed Emerald Media

Get your tickets for the TechCrunch Meetup in Singapore on November 23!

 Last week we announced our upcoming Meetup in Singapore on November 23, and now here comes the all-important ticket information. Head to this link HERE and fill out your details to apply for one. Admission is free but unfortunately we can’t guarantee that everyone who requests a ticket will get one. That’s because we are limited on space, but we do plan to release videos of the… Read More

View More Get your tickets for the TechCrunch Meetup in Singapore on November 23!

Uber’s new Asia chief wants to work with governments and taxi firms not against them

 New CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has been vocal in pledging to reform Uber’s toxic culture to take the business to the next level — and ultimately an IPO — but, over in Asia, another recent arrival is presiding over a revamped approach which includes turning those who were once enemies into friends. Brooks Entwistle, a former Chairman of Goldman Sachs Southeast Asia, joined… Read More

View More Uber’s new Asia chief wants to work with governments and taxi firms not against them

Announcing the TechCrunch Meetup in Singapore on November 23

 Here at TechCrunch we serve a global audience which is why we’ve held casual meetup events across many different parts of the world. Now we’re excited to add a new region to that list: Southeast Asia. As someone who has watched the region’s startup ecosystem grow in recent years, I’m delighted to announce that we’re teaming up with Google and VC firm SeedPlus to… Read More

View More Announcing the TechCrunch Meetup in Singapore on November 23

ShopBack raises $25M for its cash back shopping service in Southeast Asia

 One of Southeast Asia’s lesser-known startups has come out from under the radar today after ShopBack, a cash back-focused e-commerce service, announced it has raised $25 million. Founded in 2014, the Singapore-based startup helps users shop ‘smarter’ using a selection of curated deals and cashback offers through partner merchants across seven countries in Southeast Asia… Read More

View More ShopBack raises $25M for its cash back shopping service in Southeast Asia

People stood outside the Apple store to resell their brand new iPhone X within minutes

Just minutes after they got their hands on their new iPhone X devices, resellers were taking to the streets to sell them to the highest bidder.
People began queueing at the Apple store in Singapore from as early as Thursday, with hundreds camping out…

View More People stood outside the Apple store to resell their brand new iPhone X within minutes

Grab, the Uber rival in Southeast Asia, is now officially also a digital payments company

 Grab is best known for rivaling Uber in Southeast Asia, but today the company took a major step into becoming a fintech player, too.
That’s because the ride-sharing firm, which recently raised $2 billion from SoftBank and China’s Didi Chuxing, rolled out support for its GrabPay service among third-party merchants for the first time today.
Grab is present in seven markets across… Read More

View More Grab, the Uber rival in Southeast Asia, is now officially also a digital payments company

Grab, the Uber rival in Southeast Asia, is now officially also a digital payments company

 Grab is best known for rivaling Uber in Southeast Asia, but today the company took a major step into becoming a fintech player, too.
That’s because the ride-sharing firm, which recently raised $2 billion from SoftBank and China’s Didi Chuxing, rolled out support for its GrabPay service among third-party merchants for the first time today.
Grab is present in seven markets across… Read More

View More Grab, the Uber rival in Southeast Asia, is now officially also a digital payments company