= Southeast Asia / Oceania =
March 2020
&
4th quarter 2019
The 17 country-focused news collections below gather coverage of the main items in that country’s tech startup ecosystem in March 2020.
Summaries are collected at month-end, hence the lag between today’s date and the monthly startup news collections below.
For tech-specific collections – covering blockchain, fintech, artificial intelligence, and cryptocurrency news – see the Other News section.
- For monthly news specific to each country, individually, refer to the index for monthly startup news by country.
- For quarterly news specific to each country, individually, refer to the index for quarterly startup news by country.
- To view the month’s collected news, spanning countries and technologies together in a data-sortable spreadsheet, refer to the March 2020 Google Sheet (opens in a new window)
Australia
- A brief intro to the 4 Australian women on the Innovate Finance Global Top 200 Women in Fintech Powerlist
- A look at HackHunter, hard- and software startup using IoT to protect organisations from info theft by malicious Wi-Fi…
Australia: March 2020 >
Australia: Q4 2019 tech news >
Cambodia
- SHE Investments – 5 years of impact for women and communities in Cambodia
- Impact Hub Phnom Penh Impact Report 2019 – a look at the last year’s activities and successes (pdf)…
Cambodia: March 2020 >
Cambodia: Q4 2019 tech news >
China
- MAD Gaze raises $19M with augmented reality smart glasses range, online app marketplace and more
- Hunan Province to create first provincial blockchain special zone in area already home to 788 blockchain-related companies…
China: March 2020 >
China: Q4 2019 tech news >
Hong Kong
- HK’s Green Monday partners Taiwan’s FamilyMart convenience store chain to launch Omnipork instant meals across 3600 locations in the country
- HK’s AMTD Digital to acquire Singapore’s PolicyPal insurtech startup, aiming to build a SE Asia-focused fintech platform HQ’d in Singapore…
Hong Kong: March 2020 >
Hong Kong: Q4 2019 tech news >
India
- Reserve Bank to seek review of Supreme Court ruling which overturne ban on cryptocurrency trading
- Tricog healthtech startup raises $10.5M with virtual cardiology services, using AI for the diagnosis of heart failure and screening for congenital heart disease…
India: March 2020 >
India: Q4 2019 tech news >
Indonesia
- A look at the issues of gaming and gadget addiction in children and teens in the country
- Grab Ventures Velocity opens 3rd Accelerate Startups Growth program for applications…
Indonesia: March 2020 >
Indonesia: Q4 2019 tech news >
Japan
- Nulab SaaS startup raises $5M with collaboration software for international teams of all sizes
- An overview of Startup Guide Tokyo, guide book on how the tech hub is reinventing itself for a new wave of entrepreneurs, startups and more…
Japan: March 2020 >
Japan: Q4 2019 tech news >
South Korea
- Another look at Pangyo Techn Valley, the country’s startup epicenter
- An intro look at 5 Korean startups working in the beauty industry…
South Korea: March 2020 >
South Korea: Q4 2019 tech news >
Malaysia
- Dropee B2B wholesale marketplace selected for Y Combinator Winter 2020 cohort
- Malaysian Palm Oil Council and BloomBloc blockchain startup develop app enabling users to trace palm oil throughout entire supply chain…
Malaysia: March 2020 >
Malaysia: Q4 2019 tech news >
Myanmar
- An intro to Resdi, app which offering discounts for restaurant customers with 7K registered users in Yangon
- An intro to the 4 winning teams from the recent Myanmar Youth Technopreneurship Development Program…
Myanmar: March 2020 >
Myanmar: Q4 2019 tech news >
New Zealand
- Gov’t launches Elevate NZ, a $300M VC fund focusing on high-potential early-stage tech startups
- New Zealand’s fintech sector is outgrowing the rest of the world; while the global average is 31-33%, New Zealand is growing at a rate of 48.5%…
New Zealand: March 2020 >
New Zealand: Q4 2019 tech news >
The Philippines
- “Access to institutional VC funding is a major concern” in the country, says 1982 Ventures’ Managing Partner
- A look at 3 of the country’s startups, working in the on-demand, work-from-home and fintech spaces…
The Philippines: March 2020 >
The Philippines: Q4 2019 tech news >
Singapore
- ShopBack gains $75M funding with cashback app, claiming 19M users and 2K merchants
- Right-Hand cybersecurity startup gains $1M seed funding with software-as-a-service platform focusing on employee behavior…
Singapore: March 2020 >
Singapore: Q4 2019 tech news >
Sri Lanka
- A brief intro to Sixer Video, video-focused recruitment startup replacing physical interviews with video interviews
- Lankan Angel Network builds on Ford Foundation ecosystem developer partnership with launch of Sri Lanka’s first Angel Fund…
Sri Lanka: March 2020 >
Sri Lanka: Q4 2019 tech news >
Taiwan
- Startup Digest Taipei, from TechStars – a calendar of the city’s tech and startup-related events, meetups, networking opportunities and more
- Crowdfunding is having a moment in Taiwan, with campaigns growing in size and diversity’…
Taiwan: March 2020 >
Taiwan: Q4 2019 tech news >
Thailand
- Krungsri Finnovate, corporate VC firm under Bank of Ayudhya, to invest $10M across 3 startups in the first half of 2020
- Gov’t rolls out startup-produced ‘SydeKick for ThaiFightCOVID’ app as requirement for self-quarantined travellers…
Thailand: March 2020 >
Thailand: Q4 2019 tech news >
Vietnam
- A brief intro to Strawlific, manufacturing drinking straws from natural grey sedge grass
- Rens Original makes it onto Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Europe listing, a startup using residual coffee grounds as raw material for shoes…
Vietnam: March 2020 >
Vietnam: Q4 2019 tech news >
Monthly startup news across Asia: 17 countries and jurisdictions
