Kentaro Iwamoto
Stories by Kentaro Iwamoto
Southeast Asia’s healthcare startups attract wary investors
Startups in health care and deliveries have managed to raise millions to accelerate their expansion.
Taxis can coexist with ride-hailers, says Blue Bird president
Once the price war is over, we can all collaborate, says Blue Bird president director Noni Purnomo.
Chinese fintech firms often tap Singapore to ramp up SEA operations
Malaysia for some firms is the likely next step as they try to escape competition at home.
E-scooter services hit regulatory bump in Southeast Asia
Singapore had in November banned the vehicles from public roads and walkways after a spate of collisions involving e-scooter drivers and pedestrians.
Alibaba becomes most valuable Asian company as market cap tops $500b
Globally, Alibaba had the seventh-highest valuation between Facebook ($588b) and Berkshire Hathaway ($554b).
Grab sees Singapore digital banking licence as key to fintech ambitions
The Monetary Authority of Singapore is expected to announce the licensees in mid 2020.
Ayala chairman says keen to replicate Yoma deal across Southeast Asia
Ayala recently announced a combined $237.5 million investment in two companies controlled by Myanmar's Yoma Group.
Profitability, margins gain urgency at Grab amid SoftBank woes, Uber losses
SoftBank has now started to make profitability a key watchword among its investments after the WeWork fiasco.
Investors hope unicorns will snap up Southeast Asian startups
Acquisitions are a way for companies to expand across Southeast Asia, a region where local needs and regulations vary widely.
Startup funding gains pace in Vietnam, stands at $246m this year
Investment is expected to top $800 million by the end of the year.
