The Gregorian year of 2012 started with an ominous ring to it. But 2012 waltzed along anyway, and so did December 21. And here we are, at the cusp of a global new year.
Before you young folks party the night away, we thought it good to school you in the happenings of the Asian tech startup scene over the last 12 months. Or, if you’re reading this in 2013, welcome to the past.
JANUARY saw the launch of the iPhone in China. Chaos followed.
One of the world’s largest technology launch platforms, DEMO, came to Asia in late FEBRUARY. Myanmar hosted yet another Barcamp while Rocket Internet continues its blitzkrieg in Asia with a Pinterest clone. And full-fledged e-commerce comes to LiveJournal.
TREND ALERT: Crowdfunding starts to take off in Asia.
Singapore’s today’s almost legendary reputation of funding-overflow saw new private investors join hands with the government to start more VC funds. And MARCH also saw some of the world’s best iOS developers gather in Australia while Apple CEO Tim Cook visits an Apple store in China.
US’ Square also gets more competition in Asia with Swiff and PayPal Here.
Things were really starting to get heated up in Philippines in APRIL, as the country rises. And Evernote gets serious about Asia.
Things didn’t look too well as once-promising Chalkboard deadpooled but NASA Whirlpool-Galaxied its way into Indonesia with the International Space Apps Challenge.
And in more physics: Technology + Coca Cola’s Marketing poweress = Hug a Vending Machine.
Wrapp returns fire against Rocket.
Southeast Asia’s first Y-Combinator style incubator, JFDI.Asia, welcomed its first batch of startups and culminated with a demo day after 100 days of bootcamp in MAY. With Singapore’s first nation-wide tech company open house taking place a few days after.
TREND ALERT: Rise in startup accelerators in Asia.
One of Asia’s largest telcos, SingTel, goes on a shopping spree. While the company’s home country of Singapore tops the Mobile Payments Readiness Index study by MasterCard across the world.
JUNE saw three key startup events in the region: Echelon, beLAUNCH in South Korea and Startup Asia Jakarta. (Read: 4 things you must know to tackle the “Wild West of tech entrepreneurship” that is Indonesia.)
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