A measly 5.6 per cent of fintech CEOs are women. Two-thirds of local businesses are locked out of the financing they need to digitise. Among the ASEAN countries, Malaysians are the most anxious about finances. These are the statistics that the digital economy will never share with you. Beneath the fast-paced whirlwind of the digitalisation […] The post Uplifting the underserved and women in fintech: Retail technology on the frontier of equality appeared first on e27 ..read more

Southeast Asia’s thriving digital economy is priming for huge innovation in the payment services ecosystem. Across the region, everything from payment apps to wallets and even digitised national currencies are at play. However, SEA’s payments ecosystem remains hampered by a chronic lack of interoperability between different platforms. Because how can you use one payment method […] The post How interoperability can spark a payments revolution in SEA appeared first on e27 ..read more

As an entrepreneur or startup operator, navigating product-market fit (PMF) is crucial for any business’s success. PMF is the sweet spot where your product features, target customers, and business model come together seamlessly. Rather than any specific performing metric, PMF is a composite signal for a company that, based on market response and conditions, the […] The post Debunking 5 common misconceptions about product-market fit appeared first on e27 ..read more

Docquity, a healthcare professional (HCP) network in Southeast Asia, has announced a new partnership with RSUD Umar Wirahadikusumah Sumedang in West Java, Indonesia. This collaboration integrates Dx, Docquity’s AI-powered medical resource platform, into the hospital’s medical reference system, offering doctors quick access to credible research and enhancing clinical decision-making. Docquity’s partnership with RSUD Umar Wirahadikusumah […] The post Docquity expands AI-powered medical reference platform in Indonesia through hospital partnership appeared first on e27 ..read more

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has announced the ninth edition of its Elevator Pitch International Competition (EPIC 2025), offering a significantly increased targeted investment pool of US$100 million for winning startups. This figure marks a doubling of the investment amount from the previous year. Applications are now open globally until 17 June, […] The post HKSTP’s EPIC 2025 competition raises the stakes with US$100M for global startups appeared first on e27 ..read more

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has announced the ninth edition of its Elevator Pitch International Competition (EPIC 2025), offering a significantly increased targeted investment pool of US$100 million for winning startups. This figure marks a doubling of the investment amount from the previous year. Applications are now open globally until 17 June, […] The post KSTP’s EPIC 2025 competition raises the stakes with US$100M for global startups appeared first on e27 ..read more

The news that the United States appears poised to dodge a government shutdown has undeniably injected a dose of optimism into an otherwise jittery financial landscape. A stopgap funding bill, seemingly on track to pass, has eased immediate fears of fiscal paralysis in Washington, offering markets a rare moment of relief. Yet, beneath this surface-level […] The post A shifting global landscape: Trade wars, market sentiment, and the rise of crypto amid uncertainty appeared first on e27 ..read more

Dear reader, Despite the vibrancy of Southeast Asia’s tech landscape, women-led startups continue to face an uphill battle in securing funding. The latest data from Tracxn reveals a sharp decline in investment for female-founded ventures, even as overall startup funding in the region remains robust. In 2024, these startups raised just US$198 million—only 6% of […] The post Ecosystem Roundup: VC hurdles for women-led startups in SEA | GoTo narrows Q4 losses | GlobalData buys AI Palette appeared first on e27 ..read more

Addlly AI, a Singapore-based AI-powered content automation startup, has closed its seed funding round, bringing the total capital raised to over SGD 1.2 million (~US$900,000) since its inception. Neither the names of the investors nor the size of the deal was disclosed. The investment will fuel the expansion of its proprietary AI marketing content agents, […] The post Addlly AI closed seed funding round to expand AI content agents appeared first on e27 ..read more

The modern business leader is often portrayed as an unshakeable force of panache and productivity; peek behind this veneer, however, and you’ll likely come across far too many sleepless nights and scarily unsustainable stress levels. Business leaders must prioritise wellbeing and fitness to keep everything ticking along nicely — hearts included.   The corporate balancing act […] The post Why business leaders need to prioritise wellbeing and fitness appeared first on e27 ..read more