The Latest from Catherine Shu
Intel suspends operations in Russia
A month after stopping shipments to customers in Russia and Belarus, Intel has now suspended all business operations in Russia. In a statement, the company said, “Intel continues to join the globa
Gotrade, the app that lets international users buy fractions of US stocks, raises $15.5M Series A
Gotrade, an app that lets international users buy fractional shares of U.S. stocks and ETFs, announced today it has raised $15.5 million in Series A funding. The round was led by Velocity Capital Fint
Philippines-based MSME platform GrowSari raises $77.5 million Series C
GrowSari, a Manila-based platform for digitizing small businesses in the Philippines, announced today it has raised a total of $77.5 million for its Series C round. Along with prior funding, including
Singapore-based esports startup Ampverse lands $12M
Singapore-based esports startup Ampverse lands $12M
Apple TV+ becomes the first streaming service to win a Best Picture Oscar with ‘CODA’
Apple TV+ has beat out Netflix to become the first streaming service to win best picture at the Academy Awards, with “CODA” triumphing. “CODA” actor Troy Kotsur also won the best supporting
Remote work platform Multiplier raises $60M Series B at $400M valuation
Multiplier, a startup that enables companies to hire and pay remote workers while complying with local laws, announced today that it has raised a $60 million Series B at a valuation of $400 million. T
Indonesian earned wage access platform Wagely raises $8.3M as it expands into Bangladesh
Wagely, an earned wage access (EWA) platform based in Jakarta and Dhaka, has raised $8.3 million in pre-Series A funding, just seven months after announcing its seed round. The new funds will be used
inFeedo gets $12M to help employers find out how their workforce really feels
Employee sentiment can be hard to gauge, even at smaller businesses. This can lead to burnout and attrition when managers least expect it. To solve that problem, inFeedo wants to act as a bridge betwe
Opaper takes the friction out of social commerce
While working her way through grad school, Opaper founder Joan McIntosh ran an online bakery. “I would wake up at 3 a.m., 4 a.m., go to a commercial kitchen and go door to door, delivering food or p
YC-backed Blocknom wants to become the ‘Coinbase Earn of Southeast Asia’
Blocknom, a crypto-earning platform in Y Combinator’s current batch, has aspirations to become the “Coinbase Earn for Southeast Asia.” Today the company announced it has raised $500,000 in pre-s
Indonesian agritech AgriAku reaps $6M in pre-Series A funding
AgriAku, a Jakarta-based B2B marketplace for farmers, announced today it has raised a pre-Series A of $6 million. The round was led by Go-Ventures, with participation from MDI Arise, MDI Centauri, Mer
Australian fintech Zeller raises $100M AUD Series B at $1B AUD valuation
Zeller, the Australian neobank for SMBs, has raised a $100 million AUD Series B (about $72.7 million USD), doubling its valuation to more than $1 billion AUD (about $727 million USD). The funding was
Philippines payment gateway PayMongo gets $31M Series B, will explore regional expansion
Philippines-based fintech PayMongo, which enables merchants to accept digital payments, announced today it has raised $31 million in Series B funding with an eye on regional expansion. Investors inclu
Backed by Accel, Minoan Experience is creating a new category of e-commerce called ‘native retail’
Imagine staying at an Airbnb and becoming so attached to a particular chair or tea set that you want to buy it. Instead of asking the property owner where it’s from and tracking it down, Minoan Expe
Employment Hero raises $181M AUD at $1.25B AUD valuation, acquires KeyPay
Human resources platform Employment Hero announced today it has raised $181 million AUD (or about $129 million USD), putting it at unicorn valuation in Australian dollars of $1.25 billion (or about $8
Appboxo raises $7M to turn any app into a super app
Mini-apps are lightweight programs that run within a larger app and serve as additional sources of user engagement and revenue. They became popularized by “super apps” like WeChat, Alibaba and Gra
SME lender Funding Societies raises $144M led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, plus $150M in debt lines
Small businesses are the backbone of Southeast Asia’s economy, but many struggle to secure working capital loans because they don’t have traditional credit records or collateral, say the founders
Singapore-based alternative protein startup Next Gen Foods gets $100M Series A for US growth
Alternative protein startups have attracted a lot of investor attention over the past couple of years, and the trend looks set to continue. The latest startup with funding news is Next Gen Foods, the
MindFi gets $2M seed to create localized mental wellness programs for APAC markets
Mental wellness startup MindFi operates throughout APAC, but wants to deliver “culturally competent” care in each of its markets. To do that, it develops programs for its app, available as an empl
Singapore-based Reebelo raises $20M to save pre-owned devices from landfills
Based in Singapore with offices throughout Asia and Australia, Reebelo wants to make buying pre-owned tech as desirable as a brand new device. “What we have seen is that many younger generations are