Venture Spark is setting a new standard in Thailand’s startup ecosystem. Designed to transform early-stage ideas into impactful global ventures, this accelerator offers a sector-agnostic program providing guaranteed funding, mentorship, and unparalleled access to a global network. With the backing of prominent partners like InnoSpace Thailand, Venture Spark said it empowers founders to scale their ideas regionally and globally, according to a statement. What Makes Venture Spark...

Malaysia-based Capital A’s online travel agent (OTA) platform AirAsia MOVE has announced the appointment of Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio as its new Executive Chairman, effective immediately. AirAsia MOVE said in a statement on Tuesday that d’Ovidio is succeeding Kamarudin Meranun who has been instrumental in shaping AirAsia MOVE into a travel powerhouse in ASEAN. According to the statement, Capital A’s OTA platform, AirAsia MOVE has consistently grown its portfolio of...

Global technology solutions provider Arrow Electronics has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Asosiasi Startup for Industry Indonesia (STARFINDO) to bolster tech startups within Indonesia’s ecosystem. Arrow Electronics said in a statement on Tuesday that through this collaboration, startups will gain access to cutting-edge electronics technologies and vital engineering expertise, empowering them to drive innovations in artificial intelligence of things (AIoT) and...

Editor’s note: WORQ is a winner of the Best Community Builder at TNGlobal’s ORIGIN Innovation Awards 2021. As the year of 2024 comes to an end, we sought insights from prominent figures across the Southeast Asian tech landscape. These leaders reflected on their triumphs throughout the year, sharing valuable perspectives on their achievements and the challenges they overcame. Furthermore, they unveiled their ambitious aspirations, meticulously outlined their strategic plans for...

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) is poised to hire Bank of America Corp, China International Capital Corp (CICC), CSC Financial Co, and JPMorgan Chase & Co as lead arrangers for a second listing in Hong Kong this year, Bloomberg reported on Monday, quoting people familiar with the matter. Other banks are likely to be added for what could be one of the largest offerings in Hong Kong in recent years, the people said, asking not to be identified because the deliberations are...

The Islamic digital bank consortium led by KAF Investment Bank Berhad, together with Carsome, MoneyMatch, Jirnexu and StoreHub, announced that they have received official approval from Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and the Ministry of Finance (MoF) for its operating entity KAF Digital Berhad to commence operations as a digital bank, starting Dec 20, 2024. This approval is granted following a comprehensive and successful operational readiness review recently validated by BNM, KAF Investment Bank...

Sodion Energy, a provider of sodium-ion batteries for e-mobility and integrated energy storage solutions based in Singapore, has secured a landmark agreement for an initial 10 MWh supply of advanced sodium-ion batteries developed by UNIGRID Inc., a California-based innovator in sodium-ion battery technology. Sodion Energy said in a statement on Monday that this collaboration strengthens Sodion Energy’s ability to address the region’s rising demand for affordable, eco-friendly,...

Southeast Asia’s (SEA) Fintech ecosystem witnessed total funding of $1.6 billion in 2024, a 23 percent drop from $2.1 billion in 2023 and a significant 75 percent decrease from$6.3 billion in 2022, Tracxn said Monday. The data platform said in a statement that the funding in 2024 returned to pre-pandemic levels, reflecting challenges posed by macroeconomic conditions, rising interest rates, and geopolitical tensions. However, it noted the sector showed resilience and became one of the...

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have a growing influence on the future of work. Advancements in natural language processing and real-time data integration enable these tools to go beyond simple workflow automation. AI agents now have deeper integration across applications and data sources, delivering value through increasingly diverse use cases. As Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, aptly stated, “I’ve always thought of AI as one of the most profound things we’re...

Singapore-based property technology firm PropertyGuru Group announced Monday that Hari V. Krishnan will step down as the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The firm said in a statement that after a decade of successful leadership and significant accomplishment, Krishnan has decided to pursue new interests. According to the statement, Krishnan has played a central role in transforming PropertyGuru from a start-up into Southeast Asia’s leading PropTech company. He has been...

Malaysia-listed tech firm Green Packet has secured a digital lending license from Malaysian government. The firm said in a statement on last Thursday that its subsidiary Packet Interactive Sdn Bhd has secured the license from Ministry of Housing and Local Government. This digital lending license will enable Packet Interactive Sdn Bhd to further expand its suite of financial products and services for various client needs. With demand for flexible funding options on the rise in the digital...

Skyee Pte. Ltd. has on Monday announced that it has been granted in-principle approval (IPA) for the major payment institution (MPI) license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). Skyee said in a statement that if obtained, the MPI license will allow the firm to service its Singapore market, further enhancing the payment experience for cross-border sellers, streamlining payment processing, increasing efficiency, and reducing operational costs through account issuance, domestic money...