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Hello readers,
When Gorilla Mobile introduced itself to the media in June, it drove home the point that Singapore telcos are on a different level compared to the Philippines, where I’m from.
While consumers in the Lion City have close to a dozen mobile provider options, those in the Philippines only had two options until recently. OpenGovAsia also ranked the city-state on top of its Southeast Asian peers in terms of mobile internet speed, while my home country leads the bottom half.
Telco envy aside, our follow-up story on Gorilla Mobile was supposed to focus on its blockchain use’s merits, and on not its founder and CEO’s previous venture. But silence about her former firm Infinitus and a couple of tips convinced us to probe further.
Image credit: Timmy Loen
After writing the Gorilla Mobile piece, I’m left with two questions: Will its CEO’s past weigh the telco startup’s future down? Also, will we ever get faster, reliable mobile internet in the Philippines?
— Roehl Niño Bautista, journalist at Tech in Asia
Top stories this week
1️. Gorilla Mobile CEO’s past, blockchain issues throw monkey wrench into its plans
The new Singapore telco made a splashy debut, but it faces controversy from its founder’s previous venture and questions about its use of blockchain.
2. Org Chart: The people driving Grab
Org Chart maps out the people at the top of Asia’s most prominent tech companies. Who are the key decision-makers? How are the teams organized? What does it tell us about the company’s priorities? We kick off this new series with Southeast Asian super app Grab.
3. Ruangguru becomes profitable, revenue grows by 4x
The valuation of Indonesia’s largest edtech startup has exceeded US$800 million, according to a source.
4. Carousell acquires streetwear marketplace ahead of IPO
Following the deal, Ox Street will continue to operate as its own brand and retain its team.
5. India halts Lalamove, but ex-staff launch similar app
The directors of Uncle Delivery are ex-Lalamove India employees, as are many other workers who have joined the new Indian logistics platform.
6. The enigmatic unicorn behind BNPL firm Atome
Advance Intelligence Group has quietly grown in six years, and its headcount now stands at 1,500. We unpack what makes the Singapore-headquartered firm tick.
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