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Mythology has captured the imagination of millions since the dawn of human civilization. Classic Greek and Norse tales passed down through generations are probably the best known globally, but every culture in every country has its own unique folklore.
Yet, mythologies rarely ever share the same characters. You’d never see Thor, a popular Norse god, feature in the battle between the Titans and the Olympians – a series of battles that shaped Greek mythology – and this piques my creative interest.
The thought of powerful characters from different mythologies brawling on the big screen (or gaming universe) would probably send fans of mythology around the world into pandemonium. However, given how complex and sensitive these mythologies can be, such crossovers have rarely been attempted.
But our premium story pick today draws the battle lines in something akin to a modern-day, cross-cultural mythological tussle: the race between the tech titans of two major economic powers of the world.
Tech in Asia not only digs into the difference between India’s and China’s tech behemoths, but also explores the underlying factors behind the gap between the countries’ respective tech ecosystems.
Today we look at:
- How India’s tech titans stack up against Chinese peers
- A US$200 million series C of an Australia-based NFT unicorn
- Other newsy highlights such as Grab hopping into the live shopping space, and Singapore welcoming a women-led SaaS unicorn
Also, if you’re an entrepreneur looking for funding, fill out this form to get your company featured on our list of fundraising startups.
Premium summary
Not a level playing field
Image credit: Timmy Loen
There are more than 60,000 startups based in India currently – significantly higher than the 500 startups it had in 2017. Last year, the country also welcomed 42 new unicorns and has been minting new unicorns almost as quickly as China. Yet, there remains a gulf between the startup ecosystems of the two neighbors.
From regulatory constraints to slow-growing legacy businesses, there are many hurdles that India’s tech firms have jump over to catch up with their Chinese counterparts.
A NFT unicorn’s Temasek-backed fundraise
The female founders of Southeast Asia
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