Presenting the winner of Startup Arena 2023

We recently wrapped up the 2023 edition of our annual Tech in Asia Conference in Jakarta. It was an exciting two days, jam-packed with great panel sessions, insightful discussions, and valuable networking opportunities.

This year’s conference marked another year of Startup Arena, our yearly pitch battle competition. Organized in partnership with East Ventures – the third time we’ve worked with the firm for the competition – the event saw, six amazing startups battle it out for a slew of exciting prizes.

After an intense competition, our four esteemed judges selected Singapore-based sustainability firm Handprint as the winner. The company walked away with over US$850,000 in prizes.

Melisa Irene, partner at East Ventures, with Handprint CEO Mathias Boissonot / Photo credit: Tech in Asia

Healthtech startup Nexmedis came in second, while AI-powered interior design firm Spacely AI took third place.

Here’s a look at Handprint’s winning pitch.

Driving impact

“Over US$8 trillion.” That’s how much humanity needs to invest into nature to tackle the environmental crisis, Handprint CEO Mathias Boissonot said to start his pitch.

This startling figure certainly caught everyone’s attention. Boissonot then set up the problem that Handprint wants to solve: helping companies tap into the business opportunity that lies in impact-driven initiatives.

While most firms engage in impact projects either because they have to or for purely altruistic reasons, the CEO posited that there is a third option.

Boissonot making his pitch / Photo credit: Tech in Asia

“Imagine a world where investing in nature and engaging in climate action was not only the right thing to do, but was also return-on-investment positive,” he said. From here, Boissonot introduced what Handprint does: working with businesses to empower impactful, planet-positive action that leads to business growth.

For instance, the company worked with ecommerce retailer Ultra Football to create a popup on the retailer’s website revealing the impact of a customer’s purchase. For example, each item bought would mean a tree would be planted. This drove greater conversions and revenue growth.

Handprint also curates impact projects from across the world, digitizes them, and equips them with reporting tools for science-based reporting. This ensures that the company supports both ends of the equation.

Boissonot concluded his presentation by touching on Handprint’s business model. Ultimately, it’s a SaaS tool, and it operates on a subscription.

After Boissonot’s pitch, he fielded questions from the judges. Rayn Group’s Mo Aidrus prodded for more details on Handprint’s business model, especially on the ecommerce front. Jeffrey Seah of MSW Ventures, meanwhile, asked about the firm’s clients and how they felt about Handprint. Seah also dug into where the firm saw more opportunities for profit.

Handprint faced tough competition from the other participants, but it ultimately took the crown.

The top three winners of Startup Arena 2023 / Photo credit: Tech in Asia

“As a sector-agnostic venture capital firm, we believe that numerous problems persist across all sectors, which require the role of startups to come in and provide innovative solutions,” says Melisa Irene, partner at East Ventures. “We are delighted to again support the Tech in Asia Conference Startup Arena 2023, and we congratulate Handprint’s team for the inspiring achievement. Although the arena has concluded, the spirit endures. We encourage everyone to reach out to us with your ideas for future collaborations,”

To a better and brighter future

While Handprint walked away with the grand prize, the six startups in this year’s Startup Arena are all working toward driving some kind of good in the world.

Tackling issues on the environmental, social, and governance front – even if it’s not the direct focus of the business – is crucial for startups on their growth journeys, giving them a competitive advantage while also enabling them to create a positive impact in the world.

From mental health, electric vehicles, healthtech, and sustainability, it’s clear that startups will play a crucial role in driving not just economic growth for Southeast Asia but also in building a better future.

East Ventures is a sector-agnostic venture capital firm that has invested in over 300 tech companies across Southeast Asia.

Learn more about the projects and initiatives that East Ventures powers in the region on its website.

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This content was produced by Tech in Asia Studios, which connects brands with Asia’s tech community. Learn more about partnering with Tech in Asia Studios.