Singaporean telehealth startup ORA nets $10M in Series A funding

Melita BreenPress Releases

It is now looking to expand into other regions such as the Middle East. Singapore-headquartered telehealth company ORA has raised $10 million in a Series A funding round – touted to be the largest telehealth funding in Southeast Asia to date – led by TNB Aura and Antler. The round was also participated by Gobi Partners, Kairous Capital, and GMA …

Ayala group, Singapore firm plan large data center

Melita BreenPress Releases

THE Ayala group and the local unit of a Singapore-based service provider plan to build a 124-megawatt data center that they claim to be the largest in Metro Manila. In a launching event on Thursday, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (Philippines) — a joint venture between Globe Telecom, Inc., Ayala Corp. and Singapore’s ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) …

Vietnam & Philippines target boosting two-way trade to $10bln

Melita BreenPress Releases

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh meets President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. in Indonesia on May 10. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. agreed to raise two-way trade turnover to $10 billion through measures to facilitate the opening of markets for each other’s key exports, including agricultural products, food, and rice. During their meeting on …

Singapore tech startups Krosslinker and Luminis win awards at US pitching competition

Janette BarraPress Releases

SINGAPORE tech startups Krosslinker and Luminis Water Technologies won awards at the 2023 SelectUSA Investment Summit startup pitching competition in Maryland last week. A total of 79 international startups took part in the competition. Deep-tech advanced materials startup Krosslinker clinched the top prize in the Cleantech category, while microbiome analytics firm Luminis Water Technologies clinched the equivalent in the Regional …

Singapore’s GIC invests in Vietnamese pediatric chain Nhi Dong 315

Janette BarraPress Releases

Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC has invested in Vietnamese healthcare services provider Nhi Dong 315, according to regulatory filings seen by DealStreetAsia . The Vietnamese firm operates at least 60 pediatric and maternity clinics in Ho Chi Minh City. Ardolis Investment, a unit of the Singapore wealth fund, invested $30 million in the Singapore-registered holding company og Nhi Dong 315, …

Vietnam startup valuations could fall 50%, leading investor says

Janette BarraPress Releases

TOKYO — Startup valuations in Vietnam could fall 50% from their recent peaks as company founders adjust to a decline in venture capital investments, a partner in the country’s oldest private equity firm says. Chad Ovel of Mekong Capital said during a recent visit to Tokyo that his firm sees a “massive opportunity” to profit from the change and is …

Singapore VC closes $90m fund for fintech, insurtech, digital health

Janette BarraPress Releases

Singapore-based Integra Partners has closed its second venture fund at US$90 million, bringing the firm’s total committed capital to over US$140 million. Integra Partners Fund II is backed by institutional investors such as DEG, the US International Development Finance Corporation, Norfund, and Tikehau Capital. The fund focuses on early-stage investments in the fintech, insurtech, and digital health sectors. It aims …

Dyson unveils plans for SG battery plant

Janette BarraPress Releases

Global consumer tech firm Dyson has announced that it is building a battery plant in Singapore and research and development campuses in the Philippines and the UK. The Singapore facility will be completed this year and be fully operational by 2025. The city-state – where the firm has its global headquarters – will play a part in producing battery cells …

Outdated regulations continue to impede Philippines’ digital readiness — experts

Janette BarraPress Releases

The information and telecommunications technology (ICT) sector needs more reforms and updated regulations to boost inclusive digital connectivity, according to experts. “In a dynamic sector such as ICT, there is a need to upgrade the regulatory framework for telecommunications, which underpins the digital economy,” Ramonette B. Serafica, Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) senior research fellow, said during a webinar …

South-east Asia deal-making slows in 2022, but energy transition sparks investor interest: Bain report

Janette BarraPress Releases

DEAL flow in South-east Asia slowed in 2022, with a sharp decline in the second half of 2022, according to data from a Bain & Company report. However, the regional energy transition is a bright spot attracting more investor interest. There were 176 private equity investment deals in 2022, a drop from 207 in 2021. Deal value also fell from …