Tech in Asia

Southeast Asia has 35 startups building AI agents with $1M+ funding. Many are limiting LLMs to improve reliability in real-world deployments. Explore: buff.ly/8Kb6XjU

Vietnam’s SmartSolar raised US$1.3M in debt financing to expand its rooftop solar-as-a-service model for SMEs. ☀️ buff.ly/kGKK4e5

SG wealthtech platforms chase growth in fractional investing techinasia.com/sg-wealthtech-…

After failed US and UK IPO bids, Shein is leaning back into its China roots as it pursues a listing in Hong Kong. Full story: buff.ly/rQ3X4Ns

Singapore’s WhyQ pivoted from hawker meal deliveries to B2B corporate catering—and is now profitable. 👀 buff.ly/bEFx53l

Singapore’s PixVerse hit a US$1B valuation after a US$300M round, becoming Southeast Asia’s first generative AI unicorn. 👀 buff.ly/JzqB50k

Investors jitter as Dubai faces geopolitical strain techinasia.com/investors-jitt…

Sarvam is here, but will India’s startups use it? techinasia.com/sarvam-india-s…

Rising oil prices from the Strait of Hormuz closure are pushing up logistics, delivery, and potentially AI compute costs in Southeast Asia. buff.ly/o1ulsSi

What companies miss when scaling across cultures techinasia.com/companies-scal…

Gen Z Harvard dropout builds AI platform for architects techinasia.com/gen-harvard-dr…

Escaping the LLM bubble: AMI Labs goes the physical AI route techinasia.com/silicon-valley…

India’s HaystackAnalytics raised US$5M to scale its genomics-based diagnostics, delivering infection results in ~24 hours. Full story: buff.ly/GfOKl73

Running AI at scale is its own challenge. Rachel Lim explains what it takes to power ChatGPT behind the scenes. 👀 buff.ly/HIipqsX

Kredivo Group is set to acquire Vietnam’s Timo, deepening its push into digital banking and lending in Southeast Asia. Read more: buff.ly/uCb5WDf

China’s deeptech boom leaves Western investors playing catch-up techinasia.com/china-deeptech…

Drone strikes hit Amazon Web Services data centers in the Gulf, disrupting services and raising new risks for the region’s AI ambitions. 👀 buff.ly/3WEO2QL

How HitPay grew to $2.5b in annualized payment volumes with $18m techinasia.com/hitpay-grew-25…

Global crypto exchange Bybit is launching in Indonesia after acquiring Nobi, entering a crowded market led by Indodax and Tokocrypto. Full story: buff.ly/M9Nyss1

US startup IrisGo raised US$2.8M led by AI Fund to build a “digital butler” that automates tasks across your PC. 👀 buff.ly/D25GJqG