5 Singapore startups that could be the next industry darling
Whenever I go to events, the most common question I get is “what is a startup that has you excited?”. Frankly, when that question is thrown at me in a conversation I struggle to come up with a decent answer. So, I figured I would actually dive into e27 database and pick out five startups that caught my eye. I tried to find companies that seem to be in the growth stage (whether by amount raised or funding round) and where H2 2019 will be a defining moment in the company’s hist
Visa and LINE pay to partner on next-generation fintech solutions
Visa (NYSE: V), the global payments leader, and LINE Pay Corporation, operator of digital wallet and fintech services on the LINE messaging app, today announced a strategic partnership that will see them create new financial services experiences for their collective user bases of millions of consumers and merchants worldwide[1]. The two companies will collaborate across multiple areas, including: Everyday consumer payments: LINE’s 187 million global monthly active users will
NUS Enterprise, Singapore Airlines introduce five startups from SIA Accelerator
SIA Accelerator Programme, the accelerator programme initiated by NUS Enterprise and Singapore Airlines (SIA), has announced five startups graduates from its inaugural batch. The accelerator is a joint effort to boost the travel sector and its customer experience as well as open up new business opportunities for aspiring startups. The 10-week initiative took place in an incubation space at NUS Enterprise’s The Hangar and SIA’s KrisLab in January this year. Participants were t
8 common legal mistakes made by entrepreneurs
Avoid these common mistakes that might sink your startup early or cripple its growth When you start a business venture or a startup, there are 101 things that could go wrong. There is no denying to the fact that how much good the prospects of business is, there is always a chance that things might go south. One of the most common methods of that happening is to get involved in legal matters that may be out of bounds for you. Most of the entrepreneurs are not very aware of the
Upcoming events in Singapore for start-ups, SMEs and entrepreneurs
Singapore has such a dynamic ecosystem that sometimes the number of events offered can be overwhelming. Here at FirstCOUNSEL, we're going to help you out by putting together a curated list of upcoming events in Singapore for start-ups, SMEs and entrepreneurs: Jul 09 - IP in FinTech: Patentability and Allocation of Liability & Risk - Free Jul 10 - SYNC x SBO | Growing pains: Overcoming the challenges of business growth (by Singapore Business Owners) $0 - $10 Jul 17 - Digital
Singapore and UK to cooperate on cybersecurity capacity building
Singapore and the United Kingdom have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on Cybersecurity Capacity Building, in conjunction with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s visit to London for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The MoC was signed by Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, on behalf of the Government of Singapore, and The Right Honourable Matt Hancock MP, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. The MoC
STARTUPS Singapore Payments Startup InstaReM Partners Thai Banking Group
Digital remittance company InstaReM has partnered Thai banking group Kasikornbank in an agreement that would see the Singapore startup power cross-border payments for the bank’s clients in select markets, it announced in a press release on Thursday. This relationship further cements InstaReM’s position as a leading provider for cross-border transactions. With InstaReM, KBank clients will be able to realize faster turnarounds, while providing certainty on delivery times and pa
As compared to a few years ago, we don’t have to answer 'why SEA?' as much: Wavemaker's
Wavemaker Partners is probably the most active early-stage VC fund in Southeast Asia. Originally founded in 2003 by Eric Manlunas, the VC firm expanded operations into Southeast Asia in 2012. Paul Santos, a serial entrepreneur who has built half a dozen startups in the past, is heading the regional operations for the VC from its Singapore office. Wavemaker, which primarily invests in B2B and deep-tech startups, has just announced the first close of its third fund at US$60 mil
Why Singapore tech firms think Africa is the next big thing
Africa has become the new frontier for Singapore’s startup movement, as more technology and venture capital firms eye the continent’s largely untapped market for the next wave of growth despite the challenges it presents, experts say. From ride-hailing and ecommerce to trade finance and infrastructure, companies from the city-state have in recent years been drawn by the sheer size of the African market – 1.2 billion people – and the opportunities it presents as it seeks to ke
Healthtech startup Plano raises undisclosed sum from billionaire Peter Lim
Local healthtech startup Plano has raised an undisclosed sum in a new funding round from several investors, including a seven figure sum from philanthropist and investor, Peter Lim, through his investment holding company Meriton Capital Limited. Plano is a science-based parental application that aids parents in tracking a child’s usage of mobile devices to ensure healthy and smart device use. The application has more than 100,000 registered families both within and beyond Si
