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In focus
- Hypefast cuts clutter, cashes in
- Rlwrld takes on robotics with new model
- Not much capital left for ecommerce in SEA
Hello reader,
Before moving to a new place last year, we did a big clean-up of our old apartment.
It was painful to toss out gadgets and clothes I’d spent good money on (goodbye, my US$5 black shirt, which I wore almost every weekend). But once the clutter was gone, I realized how much lighter my daily routine suddenly became.
That’s essentially the strategy that brought Indonesian ecommerce aggregator Hypefast back in the black, as discussed in today’s top story.
Hypefast is targeting a mid-2027 IPO. But to get there, it has shed its identity as a brand collector.
The firm recently sunset and sold off six unprofitable brands, including streetwear and children’s clothing labels. It cleaned house, leading to a revenue dip, but ultimately delivered a US$1.68 million net profit in 2024.
Achmad Alkatiri, CEO of Hypefast, says this is a move toward becoming a “full-stack operating infrastructure.” Instead of just buying brands and hoping for the best, the company is now building the factories, warehouses, and offline networks to actually run them.
In today’s second feature, my colleague Melissa highlights another shift in the market. This time, it’s in robotics.
Specifically, she looks into Rlwrld’s move into high-dexterity humanoid robots, or those that can solve labor shortages in aging economies like South Korea and Japan. And with East Asia’s deep manufacturing expertise, US robotics firms are getting a run for their money.
Miguel Cordon, journalist
Top Stories
1️⃣ Hypefast reverses loss with portfolio refresh, targets 2027 IPO
Hypefast CEO Achmad Alkatiri. / Photo credit: Hypefast
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