Sarana AI has closed a pre-seed funding round led by Fortress Data Services (FDS), while Malaysia-based fintech firm FinKnight has received strategic investment from First Move and a Gobi Partners affiliate.
Indonesian AI startup Sarana AI secures investment
Jakarta-based startup Sarana AI has closed a pre-seed funding round led by Fortress Data Services (FDS). The fresh capital will be utilised to incept and bolster Sarana AI’s platform, ensuring it meets the needs of Indonesia’s evolving labour market.
Established to address the country’s need for advanced workforce development, Sarana AI aims to improve skills in areas like digital literacy and technical expertise, where only 27.6% of the workforce is currently proficient. The platform is designed to meet growing reskilling demands as technology advances.
Sarana AI provides an AI-based platform designed to streamline and scale the recruitment process, offer real-time metrics to assess and improve employee retention rates and support the development of workforce capabilities.
“We are immensely grateful for the confidence and support shown by FDS CEO Otto Toto Sugiri, president director Sutjahyo Budiman, and FDS. Their belief in our vision is a testament to the pressing need for innovation in workforce development,” said Aktsa Efendy, co-founder and president of Sarana AI, adding that the company’s goal is to help businesses boost revenue per employee without expanding headcount.
“We believe AI should augment, not replace, human talent, and we’re committed to helping companies build stronger, more agile teams for sustained growth,” Efendy added.
Malaysian fintech FinKnight raises funding
Malaysia-based fintech firm FinKnight, formerly known as Beetle Knight Advisory, has received a strategic investment from First Move and a Gobi Partners affiliate to strengthen its offerings for the finance functions of startups and growth-stage scaleups in Southeast Asia, the company said on Wednesday.
This investment supports FinKnight’s goal of delivering a comprehensive range of accounting and professional services to businesses in the region.
FinKnight supports startups and scaleups by managing their entire finance function, from growth strategies and fundraising to bookkeeping and data analytics. The company was founded by seasoned CFOs Chang Lih Yen and Chan Qi Yang- former executives of EasyParcel and Signature Market who spent decades in various roles spanning strategy, investment, turnaround, finance, and accounting.
FinKnight has worked with over 15 startups and scaleups in its first year, helping them navigate financial challenges and optimize operations. Their clients range from pre-seed to growth-stage companies, with revenues from pre-revenue to mid-eight figures in USD.
“[FirstMove’s partner] Joel Neoh, [Gobi Partners’ chair] Thomas G. Tsao, and we instantly connected when discussing how FinKnight could address the finance needs of startups at various stages. We share a vision of FinKnight taking a long-term partnership approach to support these businesses as they scale. We are grateful to have First Move and Gobi on board as our first investors,” said FinKnight co-founder Chang Lih Yen in a statement.
