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Hello reader,
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that AI has taken off in the past couple of years.
While it was OpenAI’s ChatGPT that brought the tech into the mainstream, there are plenty of other movers and shakers in the industry that are worth keeping an eye on.
It may seem daunting to keep track of an industry that moves at such breakneck speed, but have no fear: TIA Bot is here.
Using Tech in Asia’s data, we’ve put together a list of the most active investors in the region’s AI space. Check it out to see where that all-important AI funding is coming from, which VCs are most bullish on the tech, and more.
Today we look at:
- Where Asia’s AI startup investment is coming from
- Japan’s Smartpay US$7 million fundraise to boost its BNPL offerings
- Other newsy highlights such as the post-funding US expansion plans of Singapore-based Allies of Skin and TerraPay’s new license from the city-state’s central bank
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You can’t spell Asia without AI
Image credit: Timmy Loen
We update our list of Asia’s 50 most active AI investors daily, though when I say we, I mean TIA Bot.
The list includes only investors that have backed at least three companies in Asia within the past two years. It is also arranged by the number of deals done, which does favor early-stage investors.
- Leader of the pack: Early-stage VC Antler is atop the list, logging 37 deals within the last 24 months. The Singapore-based firm has invested in AI companies including Segwise and Emerge recently.
- From Korea, with funds: Nearly half of the investors on the list – 24 out of 50 – come from just one country: South Korea. In fact, government-backed accelerator Tech Incubator Program for Startup (TIPS) took the second place.
- YC in the house: World-renowned startup accelerator and VC firm Y Combinator also landed on the list, coming in at the 30th spot with six deals in in the last six months. Those investments include Branch AI, an ecommerce-focused platform that uses large language models (LLMs) and other related tech.
Read more: These are Asia’s most active investors in AI
Funding for Smartpay
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