What’s normal today could be redundant tomorrow

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Hello readers,

If you scroll down to our breakdown of the biggest deals this week, you’ll quickly see that the startups that raised the most funds in Singapore and Japan operate in the health industry.

That’s no surprise, seeing as the ongoing – but hopefully outgoing – pandemic has accelerated digitalization in areas where previously there might have been little to no tech involvement. Case in point, why risk catching the virus by going out to see a doctor if you can use an app to summon one?

And as the world eventually goes back to its usual programming (yay for vaccines), I’m certain we’ll realize that what was “normal” before doesn’t have to be the “normal” of tomorrow. Just because the pandemic is over doesn’t mean we have to trudge our way to the clinic while we’ve got a raging fever.

I can’t help but wonder what other common activities will phase out when technology finds a way to make it redundant.

This week, more than 90 deals worth over US$983 million were made, so let’s dive into the biggest deals and M&As that recently took place.

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BIGGEST DEALS BY COUNTRY

🇨🇳 Singlera Genomics: This China-based biotech startup bagged US$152 million from CICC Capital, DT Capital Partners, FTZ Fund, Furong Investment, Green Pine Capital Partners, Prosperico Ventures, Proxima Ventures, Wuxi Capital, and Zenith Ventures.

🇮🇳 LeadSquared: The India-based marketing automation and sales execution platform raised a series B round worth US$32 million from Gaja Capital Partners and Stakeboat Capital, among others.

🇯🇵 Next Innovation: The Japan-based firm, which operates healthtech platform Smaluna, got roughly US$19.4 million in a series A funding round led by JAFCO.

🇮🇱 Remilk: This Israel-headquartered foodtech startup scored US$11.3 million worth of early-stage investment from CPT Capital, Hochland, OurCrowd, ProVeg, Tnuva, and Fresh.fund.

🇸🇬 Speedoc: The Singapore-based telehealth startup received US$5 million in series A money from Decacorn Capital, Global Grand Leisure, and Vertex Ventures.

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M&A’S

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How my parents stopped my wasteful habits

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Lists of most active investors in the region

List of top-funded startups in Asia

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