Dear Readers,
While Covid-19 has upended the lives of people worldwide, tech companies in Asia have stepped up to roll out free products and services to address their needs, ranging from educational resources for children and adults to free business tool upgrades for employees who are working from home.
We have compiled them in a list featuring four categories:
We hope you find this list useful during these troubled times. It will be updated every week, so if you are doing something cool and would like it to be included, please fill up this form. Hopefully, seeing this will inspire more people to contribute by helping out in whatever way they can.
Positive vibes ✨
- Singapore companies have come together to launch #SGPAYSITFORWARD, which aims to help vulnerable communities in Singapore strengthen their defenses against Covid-19. You can purchase a pay-it-forward care pack via the website, and these essential items will be delivered to them.
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China tech heavyweights Tencent, Squirrel AI Learning, Alibaba, Baidu, Bytedance, Meituan-Dianping, and more have donated a combined US$560 million to fund the fight against Covid-19.
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South Korean chaebol Samsung has donated US$29 million worth of funds and goods to governments and communities that have been hardest hit by the pandemic.
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Gaming company Razer has committed plans to set up Singapore’s first fully automated mask production and packing line to address the shortage of masks in the Southeast Asian region.
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The Jack Ma Foundation has collaborated with a Zhejiang-based hospital to publish a guide about its best practices in treating Covid-19 patients.
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Super app Grab has partnered with Indonesian billionaire and philanthropist Tahir and five Community Development Councils in Singapore to provide SG$660,000 worth of GrabFood vouchers to more than 12,000 primary and secondary school students.
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And like its Indonesia-based archrival Gojek, Grab’s management has also taken a pay cut. Both companies are working to support their riders and partners, whose incomes have taken a nosedive because of the pandemic.
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Japanese giant Sony has set up a US$100 million Global Relief Fund to support medical frontliners and first responders, children and educators who now work remotely, and creators, artists, and other members of the entertainment industry.
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SEAcosystem, a community-led initiative by Southeast Asian venture capitalists, aims to help people who have been laid off find new jobs as well as connect growing startups to potential hires.
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East Ventures has led a crowdsourcing campaign for developing test kits and genetic testings to fight the Covid-19 outbreak in Indonesia.
Resources for individuals 💪
Resources for businesses 💻
Resources for students 📚
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