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In focus
- A Chinese founder’s bet on a voice app for rural Asia
- M-Daq’s move toward enterprise clients after 2024 results
- The impact of Sirclo’s $38m funding on Indonesia’s e-fulfillment sector
Hello reader,
Even as a child, serial founder Forrest Chen saw voice not only as a means of communication but also as a source of fascination.
One simple project solidified his passion for the science behind voice: building a telephone using two cups and a string.
But instead of getting paper cups, he and his father crafted bamboo ones from stalks they had chopped in the mountains. To showcase their creation, the duo stood at opposite ends of Chen’s school, stunning everyone as their voices traveled clearly through the homemade line.
Years later, that early wonder around voice – ignited by a curious observation during a trip to India – would shape the second act of Chen’s company, YoYo.
In today’s Top Story, I take a closer look at this firm’s redemption arc, particularly how Chen found profit in the Clubhouse-like voice app for rural Asia.
In the second Top Story, my colleague Miguel breaks down startup M-Daq’s 2024 performance. The company is shifting from ecommerce to pursue steadier, more balanced revenue through larger enterprise and fintech clients.
And finally, I shine a spotlight on Sirclo’s recent US$38 million funding round as we explore why ecommerce enablers remain attractive to investors – a trend we first highlighted in our 2022 coverage.
Samreen Ahmad, journalist
Top Stories
1️⃣ Voice app by Tencent-backed Chinese founder resonates in rural Asia
YoYo founder Forrest Chen (left) while doing a market survey for the app in India. / Photo credit: YoYo
Read how pivoting from a video- to a voice-focused social media app turned stagnating YoYo into a 51-million-user, profit-making niche platform for emerging markets.
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