Ideas

By Aaron Sarma & Jeffrey Seah Malaysian startups have shown highest investment to return ratio in the region Founders must discard mild personalities, communicate beyond-horizon growth plans So much has been said and written about the vast potential of the Malaysian tech ecosystem – and for all the right reasons. Within ASEAN, Malaysia was one of the first countries to invest in the Digital Economy with the establishment of multiple government agencies, seeding policies, industry blueprints and development acceleration programs. Coupled with its multicultural society, ease of adoption in digital economy services and a well-exposed middle class, the nation has…

A Brave New World in the COVID-19 era, with value creation in the physical and digital economies as they grow and continuously integrate We are close to 1.5 years into living with COVID-19, reacting to its multiple variants (alpha, beta, gamma, delta). The shifts in and out of lockdown across the world have been, at the very least, frustrating to individuals, communities, and businesses. But the whole point is probably for the global population to be able to toggle smoothly and efficiently between the two states – lockdown and pre-COVID-19 normal. This, perhaps, is our new normal with COVID-19 being…

Product experts share actionable insights from their years of product management. Find useful tips on different ways to structure a product team within an organization, communication amongst different stakeholders, and hiring PMs. Practical advice on beta testing and prioritization strategies will also be covered towards the end of this piece so do read to the end to absorb the learnings from top PMs in the region. This contribution was authored by Gwen Sim, Senior Analyst; and Vanessa Ho, Analyst, at Quest Ventures, with editing by Yiping Goh, Partner at Quest Ventures. Product Office Hours is a first-of-its-kind panel discussion and…

As we continue to step into the new decade in 2021, the startup and venture capital ecosystems rode out the disruptive chaos of 2020, mainly due to COVID-19, into a more predictable state of change in the coming days. Venture Capitalists (VCs) believe in capitalizing on disruptive innovation and developing technologies to displace older technologies, create new markets, and prepare the world for unexpected situations (e.g., global pandemics)–even if not all the startups and industries that VCs invest in may do so. There are many risks involved when investing in innovation, mainly attributed to the rapid pace of change, exposure…

The Demo Day of the Kazakhstan Digital Accelerator on 2020 Nov 3 marked the first time an economic corridor for startups and innovation is created between Southeast Asia and Central Asia. We are privileged to have the Hon. Anuar Omarkhojayev, Singapore’s Honorary Consul in Kazakhstan and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Baiterek National Management Holding, share the opportunities he sees between the two fast-growing regions. By Anuar Omarkhojayev The air was crackling with excitement on Nov 3, even as Demo Day of the Kazakhstan Digital Accelerator (KDA) was held online due to the pandemic. The start-up presenters from Kazakhstan…

Kazakhstan’s range of natural resources attract investments globally. While we focus on venture capital investments into Kazakhstan technologies, we observe many traditional industries increasingly infused with smart capital to tap into global demands. The macro trends are clear. We are privileged to have the Hon. Andrew Fernyhough, Kazakhstan’s Honorary Consul to Australia, share his personal journey and the opportunities he sees in Kazakhstan. By Andrew Fernyhough The biting wind swirls through the vast swathes of mountain pasture, but the black specks of life dotted across the fields of snow are hardly perturbed. They keep grazing, with an occasional moo here…

There are two key measures central to transforming the maritime industry to increase its sustainability and profitability. In this article, we introduce both of them, E’ (E prime) and C’ (C prime), and we discuss their relevance to operational efficiency, predictability, and strategic competitiveness. Managing E’ and C’ for shipping success The world consists of two major ecosystems. The natural ecosystem produces the food we eat. Humans have created a capital creation system that produces the goods and services we consume. Success in the natural system depends upon capturing and storing energy, and we measure success in terms of energy…

There are three reasons why Vietnam is outshining its neighbouring countries when it comes to handling the aftermath of COVID-19 Vietnam is one of the first countries to ease social distancing measures and reopen its society as early as April 2020, where most countries are only starting to grapple with the severity and spread of COVID-19. Also known as the land of the ‘Ascending Dragon’ (due to the geographical shape on the world map), it the first in Southeast Asia to emerge from the global pandemic, allowing for businesses and domestic travels to reopen. Vietnam is also identified as one…