Odd transactions at Honestbee under ex-CEO Joel Sng

Dear readers,

Last week, our investigation into some odd transactions at Honestbee under former CEO Joel Sng finally dropped.

Such articles validate Tech in Asia’s decision to go the paywall route. To give you a sense of what it took to get this out, we had to conduct numerous conversations with sources, parse through pages of documents, do meticulous fact-checking, and vet the story with a lawyer. Having subscribers gives us the resources to pursue in-depth reporting.

But it’s not all about economics. Ex-employees have told me how their lives have been negatively affected by their stints at Honestbee, and how our coverage serves as a form of catharsis for them. It also helps them explain to others what really happened in the company. I’m glad that we’ve played a small part in helping them move on with their lives.

To support more investigative efforts like this, do subscribe to us.

Moving on to the rest of our content, Melissa Goh profiled Pomelo, an exciting startup that’s solving a problem that’s plaguing online shopping – rampant returns.

Meanwhile, as Singles’ Day rolled around, Steven Millward published his take on why the shopping festival is becoming irrelevant.

Check out more premium pieces from the past week:

Transportation moves

• Singapore’s e-scooter ban will disappoint some, but there’s a silver lining for others
• Grab’s app is better at detecting fraud, experts claim. Gojek disputes this.

Startup action

• Ex-Lazada duo focus on Vietnam with ecommerce enabler
• Rising startups on Tech in Asia: fraud detection, logistics in Vietnam, mobility OS
• Commentary: “Big bad wolf, go home!” 🐺
• Singapore’s DEXTF wants everyone to be an asset manager

Stuff you may have missed

• These are the most active investors in Southeast Asia’s startups
• Honestbee: The inside story of what went wrong and what’s next
• The irresponsible demise of Honestbee
• An analysis of Gojek and Grab’s valuations and profitability prospects

Cheers,
Terence Lee
Chief editor