Welcome to Tech in Asia’s Sunday newsletter, your weekend brief on the biggest moves in Asia’s tech and startup world. Not on the mailing list? Register here. Got a story tip? Send it to editors@techinasia.com.
In focus
- Terence Lee on Singapore’s supposed lack of startups
- A look at Southeast Asia’s robotics startups, and LionsBot’s growth trajectory
- Three early-stage companies you should check out
Hello reader,
It’s National Day in Singapore, and the country is wondering where the next Sea Group or Grab will come from. I believe it’s on the rise, and will look distinct from these two giants in a fundamental way.
While the country’s VCs have been looking to the US for deal flow, Singapore doesn’t lack backable startups.
Image credit: Ulla
Developer tooling company Supabase, backed by GIC and Peak XV Partners, is now valued at US$10.5 billion. Meanwhile, prominent US VC firm Andreessen Horowitz has invested in parent-tech firm k-ID, as well as Volta Infra Holdings, an AI infrastructure company that secures power, land, and connectivity for AI operators.
China-origin startups such as PixVerse, Singdata, and SapiensAI are also sinking roots in Singapore.
Compared to Sea Group and Grab, this new crop of companies is much more global. Singapore might be their starting point or headquarters, but their ambitions and operations extend well beyond Southeast Asia.
If you’re an investor seeking deals in Singapore, robotics could be a place to look. This week, my colleague Glenn Kaonang examines the physical AI landscape and peeks under the hood of cleaning robots player LionsBot.
With humanoid robots hogging headlines, Singapore’s robotics startups have one defining feature: They’re targeting specific use cases that can be profitable from the get-go.
Terence Lee, editor-in-chief and head of Tech in Asia
Editor’s picks
1️⃣ The startups behind Southeast Asia’s physical AI push
Short cuts
One data/visual story you shouldn’t miss
Startup spotlight
Celebrating SG61 with 61 special conference passes
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