Hong Kong sees surge in startups; entrepreneurs say climate remains competitive

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RECORD HIGH STARTUPS

Uncle2 is among a surge of new firms shaping Hong Kong’s entrepreneurs environment. &nbsp,

Last year, the town saw 4, 694 new companies, up 40 per cent from about 3, 400 in 2020.

These companies employed 17, 651 employees, a 65 per cent leap from four years ago, according to a record by InvestHK, a government agency that helps organizations set up in Hong Kong. &nbsp,

Officials have touted the state’s corporate site as a gateway to Asia, particularly mainland China, for the record number of startups. &nbsp,

Another important attractions for investors included a small income level, accessibility to funding and an accessible pool of bilingual talent, the report said.

The best sectors with new ventures were generally modern – monetary technology, information technologies and e-commerce. There has also been progress in the health and medical area, as well as the conservation sector. &nbsp,

Hong Kong citizens made up 72 per share of the business owners. Among foreign members, 40 per cent were from mainland China, followed by the United Kingdom, United States, France and Australia. &nbsp,

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By being like Silicon Valley used to be, East Asia challenges it – Asia Times

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Silicon Valley has for centuries been a widely recognized technology image. Governments around the world have tried to develop their own variations by investing strongly in tech hubs in recognition of its popularity.

These initiatives, including Silicon Beach in Los Angeles, Silicon Island in Malaysia, and Silicon Roundabout in the UK, have not always succeeded. However, some regions, especially south Asian regions, have experienced the growth of their own Silicon Valleys.

With a number of businesses and cutting-edge technology to issue Silicon Valley, China has the second-largest venture capital market in the world. Additionally, Japan and Korea have developed into some of the world’s most effective business venture capitalists.

These contender ecosystems also possess some of the characteristics of Silicon Valley in its early years, more in some ways than Silicon Valley itself does today.

Silicon Valley’s size is still, at least for the time being, unmatched. The state’s market capitalization ( the value of publicly traded company stocks ) totaled US$ 14.3 trillion in 2024. This is comparable to China’s complete GDP, the second-largest economy in the world.

Silicon Valley is no longer a multicultural society of businesses built in cars, where little, destructive businesses create world-changing products at a price point. It has changed into a David-like property, not a land of Behemoths.

Some people have switched from instant noodles to aça bowls, and work all-nighters with wellness workshops and modern detox retreats. Silicon Valley technical employees have become “lazy and entitled,” according to Sequoia’s Mike Moritz, according to Skullwart owners.

However, other tech personnel ‘ work ethic and focus have improved. Chinese technology’s working days were referred to as “996” for around ten years, working six times a week from 9am to 9pm. People now go by the name “007,” which means working from midnight to evening, seven days a week.

Great painters steal, fine artists copy, and so on.

Wikimedia Commons Silicon Valley image

The story of Silicon Valley’s history is one of eager rivals destroying the big, dull incumbents. Apple used the exposure to Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center to draw inspiration from the company’s ideas for a computer with a graphical user interface after raising equity from Xerox, a top print production company. Eventually, Apple made the program for the Macintosh more sophisticated, giving it a distinct edge.

Work once reportedly said in 1996,” Good musicians copy, great performers steal,” and we have never been shameless in stealing great ideas.

The Goliaths in Silicon Valley today have significant intellectual property portfolio to protect. And they are angry when their technology is stolen. The US government has yet asked OpenAI, the British company that created ChatGPT, to label Chinese AI firm DeepSeek” state managed” and forbid its use there. Related names have been made to Huawei and Bytedance’s TikTok in the past.

The impact of DeepSeek’s disruption of the AI scenery on Silicon Valley has been the subject of much of Eastern media’s attention. However, less attention has been paid to how it has created moment rivals in China.

Alibaba, a Chinese tech company, announced that its AI model was better times after Deepseek’s launch. Additionally, China just introduced Manus, a completely automatic AI agent that completely replaces rather than repairs people.

On March 5, 2025, Butterfly Impact co-founder Xiao Hong explains Manus. Photo: Manus. am

Japanese business Kai-fu Lee refers to “gladiatorial entrepreneurship,” or China’s” smartphone.” Because they are aware that their product will be copied and reverse engineered as soon as it is released, they continually innovate in this tradition. The entire system gains from the fierce competition, just like Silicon Valley did in its rise.

The kids have acted as the instructors.

Silicon Valley is renowned for its antiquated tradition and expansive understanding of how technology can change the world. This is exemplified by Masayoshi Son, a former Silicon Valley student from East Asia who is the founder and CEO of the Chinese company SoftBank.

He immediately adapted to the Silicon Valley way of doing business once he arrived in the early 1980s. When he returned to Japan, Son founded his personal company, based on what he learned during his brief time living in California. With this, Softbank became a technology seller.

Masayoshi Son ( Left ) speaking at a 2011 luncheon to promote a brand-new iPhone app. Danny Choo of Wikimedia Commons and Flickr

With over US$ 100 billion in cash, SoftBank’s Vision Fund is the largest venture capital fund in the world right now.

Silicon Valley has experienced a change thanks to Son’s enormous finance and anxious investing strategy.

Soaring valuations and the use of exploding word sheets ( expense offers that expire in a few days ) are becoming more commonplace.

Child is portrayed as a traditional stranger. Lionel Barber’s most recent book, Gambbling Man, details Son’s ethnic Asian background and how he has much touted this opponent narrative.

Child is now one of the biggest buyers in Silicon Valley and is aggressive and aggressive. He has a big idea about how artificial intelligence and other solutions may alter the planet. He is the author of that great vision and a proponent of risk-taking in Silicon Valley that is” traditional.”

China’s AI warriors continually innovate in an effort to beat the once-hungry American goliaths who are now forced to call on the condition to help them maintain their position. The opposing trajectories raise questions about who needs to change to become more like whom if they want to dominate the world’s technological civilization.

Robyn Klingler-Vidra is King’s College London’s evil professor for global commitment and associate professor of political economy and innovation.

The Conversation has republished this essay under a Creative Commons license. Read the text of the content.

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NUS expands startup hub in Tokyo to propel deep tech innovation

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  • Block71 Tokyo may foster development with three key collaborations
  • Aims to support businesses, experts &amp, individuals by connecting them with shareholders

NUS Organization, the enterprising arm of the National University of Singapore ( NUS), is expanding its presence in Japan with the release of its second Block71 company in Tokyo, following its initial location in Nagoya in November 2024.

In partnership with key Japan technology money, Kyoto University, and TIS Inc., NUS Enterprise aims to support businesses, experts, and students while connecting them with investors. These partnerships coincide with Japan’s attempts to promote the development of its business ecosystem.

Located at Takanawa Gateway Link Scholars ‘ gateway, Block71 Tokyo will support Southeast Asian technology-driven businesses grow in Japan, contributing to urban development in environmental sustainability, freedom and technology, and intelligent wellbeing. It will also give Chinese companies with tools to grow into Southeast Asia and above.

” Japan’s solid foundation in technology and study makes it an excellent environment for business growth. It ranks among the world’s top three places for trademark applications and invests over three percent of its GDP in R&amp, D, one of the highest internationally. This creates enormous possibility for innovation”, said doctor Tan Eng Chye, NUS leader, at the beginning of Block71 Tokyo.

” With Block71 Tokyo located in the government’s latest innovation gateway, we have a proper program to join companies and travel cross-border engagement. To intensify our impact, we are partnering with one of Japan’s major universities, a big corporation, and a leading venture capital firm, all sharing our vision to foster deep digital innovation and build a strong global ecosystem”, he added.

Building on the success of its globally recognised Block71 model, Block71 Tokyo will promote knowledge exchange, cross-border innovation, and new opportunities for startups entering the Japanese market. To deepen its impact, NUS has signed three key partnerships:

NUS-central Japan innovation capital collaboration: Under a memorandum of understanding signed by associate professor Tee and professor Kazuya Takeda, CJIC CEO, CJIC will invest up to five percent of its assets under management in NUS-affiliated deep tech startups. The fund aims to raise approximately US$ 33 million ( RM138 million ) by November 2025. A subsidiary of the Tokai National Higher Education and Research System, CJIC supports university startups focused on deep tech innovation. NUS and CJIC will also explore broader collaboration opportunities to help startups from both ecosystems expand into the Japanese and Southeast Asian markets.

NUS-Kyoto University collaboration: NUS is strengthening entrepreneurial support for deep tech startups through a partnership with Kyoto University, formalised by an MOU signed by professor Tan and Dr Nagahiro Minato, Kyoto University president. Kyoto University will send startups to join the NUS graduate research innovation programme and will be the first overseas university partner in a localised version of the programme. This initiative will empower Kyoto University’s graduate students, researchers, and alumni to transform research into impactful deep tech ventures.

&nbsp, Both universities will also offer exchange programmes, enabling Kyoto University students to intern at NUS GRIP startups, while NUS GRIP startups gain hands-on experience from Kyoto University innovation capital co., ltd, the university’s venture capital arm. This partnership enhances the flow of entrepreneurial talent and strengthens innovation ties between the two countries.

NUS-TIS Inc. collaboration: NUS is expanding its global entrepreneurship efforts through a partnership with TIS Inc., one of Japan’s leading IT companies, to build a globally connected startup ecosystem. This collaboration, formalised through a collaboration agreement signed by professor Tan and Yasushi Okamoto, TIS Inc. group president, launches the deep tech seed to A growth expansion programme ( Deep-SAGE ), a startup acceleration initiative to help seed-stage startups scale towards pre-series A and series A funding.

TIS Inc. will commit a total of US$ 5.6 million ( RM25 million ) to support Deep-SAGE over three years, funding three cohorts of up to 10 startups each. TIS Inc. plans to invest a minimum of US$ 367, 000 ( RM1.6 million ) each in at least two startups per cohort. Block71 will design and deliver the programme, providing structured support through virtual mentorship, workshops, and incubation opportunities at its offices across 11 cities, including Singapore, Silicon Valley, Saigon, and Suzhou.
 

Through these strategic collaborations, NUS reinforces its position as a leading startup university in the global innovation landscape, nurturing entrepreneurial mindsets and empowering the next generation of technology entrepreneurs.

Following the success of its second Japan immersion programme in Nagoya in 2024, where startups gained insights into Japan’s manufacturing powerhouse, Block71 Japan will launch the third edition in Tokyo in May 2025. The 2024 programme helped startups navigate Japan’s culturally distinct business landscape, build local partnerships, secure customers, and develop proof-of-concept projects.

The 2025 edition will focus on Takanawa Gateway City’s key themes: environmental sustainability, mobility and robotics, and smart health. Five Southeast Asian startups will have the opportunity to showcase their solutions at the upcoming Gateway Tech Takanawa event, a platform for corporations and startups to exchange innovative ideas and solutions. This immersive experience will further strengthen ties between Southeast Asia and Japan, equipping startups with the knowledge and networks needed to expand into new markets and drive innovation.

” As a sub-subsidiary of the Tokai National Higher Education and Research System, CJIC has a strong commitment to support university startups focused on deep tech innovation and enhance the central Japan economy. NUS and CJIC will also explore broader collaboration opportunities to help startups from both ecosystems expand into the Japanese and Southeast Asian markets”, said Dr Kazuya Takeda, CJIC CEO.

Meanwhile, Dr Nagahiro Minato, Kyoto University president, said:” NUS and Kyoto University have collaborated in basic research for some time, but with this MOU, we will build a new relationship in industry-academia collaboration”.

” Our collaboration with NUS under the Deep-SAGE programme demonstrates TIS Inc.’s unwavering belief in the power of innovation. With this investment, we are poised to accelerate the growth of deep tech startups worldwide. This initiative not only reinforces our commitment to global entrepreneurship but also sets the stage for a new era of technology-driven growth”, said Yasushi Okamoto, TIS Inc. group president.

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How China plans to bounce back from more Trump tariffs – Asia Times

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China’s president Xi Jinping just held a meeting with 40 leaders of foreign firms, including BMW and AstraZeneca.

In contrast to Donald Trump’s language, Xi told the top-level managers that globalisation was never going away. Xi is attempting to boost international investment in China, which has dropped in the last few decades, and establish new connections that will compensate Trump’s levies on some Chinese products.

In the March 28 meet, Xi “vowed to boost business entry” and assured business leaders that “lines of conversation” between them and the Chinese government are available.

Xi is hoping to build on an anti-Trump jump and encourage firms to again Beijing as some evidence emerged that China’s economy was doing a much better than expected in first 2025.

Industrial production went up by 5.9 % in January and February. Credit growth, which measures the amount of loans banks give out, also appears to be picking up, suggesting that businesses might be growing in China.

Retail sales, which are a major economic marker indicating consumer spending, has risen by up to 4 % in January and February this year, compared to last year.

Beijing is also willing to create further stimulus packages to sustain China’s economic growth, which might lift consumer confidence further.

But this is hampered by a real estate crisis that began in 2021. What followed was an already high local government debt that was exacerbated by the property crisis, and high youth unemployment that has existed since 2023.

The big question then is what are the factors that could lead to a more buoyant outlook in China’s economic fortunes?

Policy resolve

According to a Bloomberg report, China has traditionally relied on cheap loans and subsidies to boost economic sectors in infrastructure, manufacturing, and the property market. However, those times are over.

The problem is China has produced more goods to sell than people are willing to buy. In the past, Beijing relied on the West to purchase its products, but with rising protectionism and looming tariffs stemming from a Donald Trump-led US, US consumption of Chinese goods is likely to fall.

And if another key market in the form of the EU were to take a cue from Trump’s economic playbook and impose more tariffs on China, then Chinese hope for sales in the west for economic growth may not materialise.

Beijing’s surest way of boosting sales is through domestic consumption. This isn’t easy as China’s domestic spending remains relatively low at 40 % of the country’s GDP, which is about 20 % lower than the global average. And if Beijing wants cautious consumers to spend amid a relatively weak economic outlook, it needs to do more to raise consumer confidence.

Although China did introduce a stimulus package in September 2024, it has resolved to do more. In an early March 2025 speech in the Chinese parliament, Chinese Premier Li Qiang promised a” special action plan” to vigorously raise domestic consumption for 2025.

Several weeks later Li reiterated in the China Development Forum that Beijing would roll out more stimulus packages when the need arose.

These assurances are likely to have helped improve market sentiment, and the fact that China’s GDP growth target was also set at an ambitious level of around 5 %, might signal Beijing’s confidence and resolve that the economy will improve.

China’s AI revolution

In the past, China was considered a copycat nation known for manufacturing shanzai, or fake and pirated products. This difficulty in innovating and reliance on the designs of others largely lay with an education system steeped in rote learning, and a top-down culture with a conformist approach.

This is why experts thought China would struggle when the US decided to introduce restrictions on Chinese access to semiconductor and AI technologies. However, despite these restrictions, China has managed to develop a highly capable AI model of its own in the form of DeepSeek, which was unveiled early this year, and immediately boosted China’s image as an innovator.

Unlike other AI models, DeepSeek was apparently made at a&nbsp, fraction&nbsp, of the cost of other traditional AI models such as ChatGPT and may have a&nbsp, more efficient&nbsp, coding scheme that allows for quicker problem-solving. This has prompted Donald Trump to coin DeepSeek’s development as a wake-up call for the US tech industry.

Many AI startups in China are now revamping their business models to compete with DeepSeek, following the widespread adoption of the latter’s technology. The AI revolution in China could potentially reduce costs and thereby boost efficiency in the financial sector.

Following Trump’s return to the Oval Office, investors across the globe have been trying to reduce their reliance on the US by looking for investment opportunities elsewhere. This isn’t entirely surprising given Trump’s knack for the unpredictable, and how new US tariffs have been applied to a host of US allies such as Mexico, Canada and the European Union.

While Trump is striking an increasingly protectionist tone, China is taking the opposite approach. Trump’s penchant for tariffs and disregard for the economic interest of US allies may mean Beijing might not need to do too much to attract more nations and businesses to consider turning towards Chinese markets.

Chee Meng Tan is assistant professor of business economics, University of Nottingham

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Petronas Futuretech 4.0 seeks innovators to drive the future of energy 

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  • Applications are open until 18 April 2025
  • Twenty shortlisted startups will undergo a 12-week accelerator programme

Petronas has launched the fourth edition of its accelerator programme, FutureTech 4.0, to scale innovative solutions that tackle real-world industry challenges and redefine the future of energy.

In a statement, the company said applications are now open for this edition, which focuses on driving innovation and sustainability across three key categories: industry and work, energy, and chemicals and materials.

Twenty shortlisted startups will undergo a 12-week accelerator programme, gaining access to masterclasses, tailored workshops, and one-on-one mentorship. The programme also offers business immersion with strategic partners, networking opportunities, new market access, funding support, and pilot testing initiatives to help scale their solutions.

The programme will begin with an immersion week, coinciding with Energy Asia this June, and will culminate in a demo day in August 2025. During demo day, startups will pitch their solutions to C-suite executives from Petronas and its corporate partners, as well as investors and potential collaborators.

Petronas senior vice president of corporate strategy, Marina Md Taib, said: “At Petronas, we believe innovation is key to shaping a sustainable future. Through FutureTech 4.0, we aim to cultivate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship while nurturing a strong tech-driven startup ecosystem in Malaysia and the wider Asia-Pacific region.”

“The programme provides startups with a platform to develop solutions that address industry challenges and unlock new growth opportunities while contributing to long-term socio-economic transformation. With the support of our corporate partners, startups will have the chance to validate their innovations, scale their solutions, and make a meaningful impact on energy transition efforts,” she added.

According to Petronas, the past three cohorts have attracted over 900 applicants and supported the growth of 65 startups. In collaboration with corporate partners including S P Setia Bhd, Xplor Ventures—the corporate venture capital arm of PTTEP—and Borch, FutureTech 4.0 aims to drive innovation in the energy sector, foster the next generation of innovators, and empower startups to scale. The programme will also receive support from key startup ecosystem partners, including Malaysia’s Cradle Fund, Singapore’s SGInnovate, and the Japan External Trade Organization.

Applications are open until 18 April 2025. Interested startups can find more information at https://www.petronas.com/ventures/futuretech4.0/

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Why can’t US build a homegrown tech workforce? – Asia Times

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Two groups of followers of President Donald Trump just engaged in a heated argument. The H-1B card program, a program that allows US employers to employ highly qualified foreigners in special occupations, most notably in the technology sector, is at issue.

On the one hand, there are people like Steve Bannon, a former adviser to Donald Trump, who has described the H-1B programme as a” total and complete scam.” On the other hand, there are digital tycoons, such as Elon Musk, who believe that skilled foreign workers are essential for the US tech industry.

An annual maximum of novel permits that the H-1B card program can issue is imposed by the agency, which is 65, 000 per fiscal year. Additionally, there is an additional yearly limit of 20, 000 H-1B visa for highly qualified international students who have demonstrated their ability to succeed professionally in the United States.

After graduating, foreign grad students at US institutions can stay and work there under the H-1B system. Many of the STEM research I do at Rice University is carried out by foreign graduate students. The same holds true for the majority of the country’s institutions that focus on research.

As an expatriate and a professor of computer science who studies the interaction between technology and nation, I think the H-1B argument ignores some crucial issues. Why does the US rely so heavily on foreigners for its tech sector, and why is it unable to create a local tech workforce?

Intellect pole for the world

Since before World War II, the US has been a hotspot for international medical skills.

Many of the professionals who contributed to the creation of the nuclear weapon were immigrants from Europe. US laws, such as the Fulbright Program, opened up opportunities for international academic change after World War II.

International individuals ‘ efforts to attract Americans have been successful. 40 % of Americans who have received the Nobel Prize in science, medicine, or science since 2000 are immigrants.

Scientists Louis Brus, Alexei Ekimov and Moungi Bawendi appear in a triptych photo.
Louis Brus, a U.S. citizen, and Alexei Ekimov, a U.S. immigrant, Moungi Bawendi, both from France, shared the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2023. AP Photo

Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google, which are all digital economy giant, were all founded by primary- or second-generation refugees. Additionally, since 2018, refugees have founded more than half of the world’s billion-dollar companies.

maximizing the student flow

As some important Trump supporters have argued, restricting the access to foreign graduate students ‘ jobs in the US may significantly reduce global graduate students ‘ enrollment.

In the US’s computer science and engineering courses, there are approximately 18, 000 individuals from abroad, or 80 % of graduate students.

The absence of foreign doctoral students would drastically lessen the ability of grad programs in science and engineering to conduct research. In US universities, graduate students are primarily responsible for the majority of study in science and engineering, closely followed by main investigators.

It should be emphasized that international students contribute significantly to the US study result.

For instance, researchers who were born outside the US played significant roles in the creation of the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccinations. Therefore, making the US less appealing to international student learners in science and engineering did hurt US study profitability.

PhD alumni in computer science are in high demand. The lack of an sufficient home pipeline seems strange because the market requires them.

Where have kids from the US left?

Why do US science and engineering individuals need to study abroad, then? And why hasn’t America developed a sufficient network of students born in the US for its specialized workplace?

After talking with a number of colleagues, I’ve discovered that there are just not enough qualified local graduate applicants to fill the gaps in their postgraduate programs.

For instance, US computer science doctoral programs admitted 3,400 new kids in 2023, of which 63 % were foreigners.

It appears that many US undergrad computer science students are not interested enough in the postgraduate career path. But why?

Silicon Valley’s leading annual income for recent computer science graduates is reportedly US$ 115, 000. Prior to recently, Rice University’s computer engineering bachelor’s degree holders have reported that they were receiving starting annual salaries in Silicon Valley as high as$ 150, 000.

Unlike research universities, graduate students do not get a salary. They are rather given a allowance. These vary slightly from one school to the next, but they typically cost less than$ 40, 000 annually. Therefore, the opportunity cost of getting a doctorate is up to$ 100, 000 annually. And it normally takes six times to get a degree.

Therefore, some Americans don’t have the financial means to pursue a degree. A graduate education does, in fact, open up new career options for the holder, but the majority of those with bachelor’s degrees do not go beyond economics. Silicon Valley’s success depends a lot on intellectual computing research, but it is essential.

According to a 2016 analysis of the information systems areas with significant financial impact, scientific research is crucial to their growth.

Why so much?

China and the US are at odds with one another because they are both focused on industrial dominance. Therefore, maintaining its research-and-development advantage is in the country’s best attention.

Nevertheless, the US has declined to invest the necessary amount in studies. For instance, the National Science Foundation’s annual budget for computer and information science and engineering is roughly$ 1 billion. In contrast, Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has spent close to$ 50 billion on annual research and development costs for the past ten years.

Colleges are paying doctoral students but less because they can’t afford to pay more.

A man on stage speaks to an audience.
Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Alphabet, addresses a Google I/O function in Mountain View, California, on May 14, 2024. Photo courtesy of The Conversation/Jeff Chiu

The US has discovered a way to meet its scientific study needs by recruiting and admitting foreign pupils, but instead of acknowledging the existence of this issue and making efforts to address it.

The US has been able to ignore the national graduate pipeline’s inadequateness due to the steady flow of highly qualified global candidates. The US has a chance to reflect on the H-1B immigration technique as of right now, thanks to the discussion.

However, the National Science Foundation’s announcement of enormous budget cuts in Washington, DC, suggests that the federal government is about to turn an chronic issue into a crisis.

Professor of Computer Science at Rice University, Moshe Y. Vardi

This content was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the text of the content.

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Kyberlife closes US mil investment round, sets sight on catalysing growth for Southeast Asia’s life science sector

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  • claims to have reduced the typical procurement day by 40 %
  • Local development and digitalization of AI-powered procurement will be funded through funding.

The Kyberlife team at their Singapore-headquartered office

In its most recent investment round, Kyberlife, Singapore’s leading B2B healthcare e-commerce platform, raised US$ 3 million ( RM13.3 million ), led by Singapore’s leading B2B venture capital firm 5I Ventures, with East Ventures, A2D Ventures, and NUS Alumni Ventures as partners. The new funding will help the startup expand its local footprint and realize its goal of reviving the heath procurement process.

The Eastern health sector is expanding, and McKinsey projects that it will account for one-third of international sales by 2025. Acquisition of crucial test technology has become more difficult and time-consuming due to changes in supply chains and fresh compliance requirements. To address these issues, Kyberlife has developed an online industry that connects international researchers and suppliers to research facilities, medical facilities, and research centers in Southeast Asia.

With its open digital marketplace concept, Kyberlife, which is based on a platform-as-a-service ( PaaaS ) model, claims to revolutionize the sourcing process. The program offers a wide range of products, including lab equipment and life-science equipment, with 1.2 million products from 160 brands.

The startup’s ability as a one-stop shop allows academic and research labs, as well as other medical institutions, to purchase important equipment, breaking the mold of drawn-out sourcing procedures, extensive lead times, and transparent pricing common of traditional procurement. The program claims that by digitizing manual processes and streamlining the supply chain, the average sourcing period has been reduced by 40 %.

The platform’s proprietary technology is built to work smoothly with existing purchasing enterprise resource planning systems and direct-to-consumer online workflows. The business has improved the buying and selling knowledge over the past year by incorporating cutting-edge technologies like AI and data analytics to create personalized product recommendations.

Kyberlife stated that its most recent funding round will encourage geographical expansion and that it will put an emphasis on expanding into Indonesia by bringing in local vendors to expand internationally. Additionally, it intends to expand its customer and dealer network in Southeast Asia, with a goal of a twofold increase in its vendor portfolio in the next three years. Also, the startup has plans to invest in AI to improve the quality of products, improve procurement, and reduce the need to rely on sourced and acquired goods for sustainability.

“Kyberlife is a program created by professionals, specifically for professionals. Our goal is to make the complicated and time-consuming steps that scientists must take to obtain lab equipment and supplies for R&amp, D in the medical sector simpler. Ryan James Lim, co-founder and CEO of Kyberlife, expressed his gratitude for the ongoing help and look forward to collaborating with more care providers to advance R&amp, D attempts in Singapore and the broader Southeast Asia region.

We invest in businesses that undermine business and offer flexible options at 5I Ventures. Dieter Schlosser, managing companion at 5I Ventures, said that Kyberlife’s revolutionary approach to purchasing is a game-changer for the life sciences sector.

In the meantime, A2D Ventures ‘ general partner Ankit Upadhyay said:” We support Kyberlife’s ability to redefine how government institutions, laboratories, and healthcare facilities access crucial supplies. Our goal is to support revolutionary startups because of their system’s capacity to grow and inspire innovation in a sector that has millions of lives in it.

Wesley Tay, the superintendent at East Ventures, stated:” We believe Kyberlife may make a difference in digitizing and streamlining procurement processes in the medical and life sciences area in Southeast Asia and above, while also bringing local medical institutions greater admittance to international suppliers. We’re delighted to have Kyberlife join the East Ventures ecosystem, and we’re optimistic about their success.

A roster of supporters has been drawn to Kyberlife since its founding in 2021, including Maya Hari, a former global vice president at Twitter, professor Jeremy Lim, a former CEO of AMiLi, and Dr. Michael Gorriz, a former global CIO of Standard Chartered Bank, all of whom have contributed significantly to the company’s expansion.

Leading suppliers like Merck, Zymo Research, DKSH, Eppendorf, and Sartorius have been signed up to date through the platform, which includes over 160 global brands and 1.2 million SKUs. It provides major clients, including the National Cancer Center of Singapore, Duke-NUS, Nanyang Technological University, and National University of Singapore.

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South Korea showing tell-tale signs of terminal decline – Asia Times

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South Korea is the country’s major central bank if it is experiencing a terrible 2025.

Between slowing growth, surging home loan, Chinese recession and Donald Trump’s fast-intensifying trade conflict, Bank of Korea Governor Rhee Chang-yong may be excused for wishing someone else was in his boots.

A gruesome social issue, which has made Rhee the de facto leader of the nation of 51 million people, only makes matters worse.

Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment on December 14 as a political reply to his ominous implementation of military rules earlier that month created the political vacuum.

As South Korea’s Supreme Court mulls Yoon’s conventional treatment from energy, Asia’s fourth-biggest business is in purgatory at the worst imaginable time.

Worldwide investors have had a hard time figuring out who is actually in charge of Seoul’s affairs, who is running the business, and whether the “lost decade” that many investors had feared for South Korea is now a foregone conclusion.

International funds score organizations are currently at a loss and are, for the time being, pulling their blows. As Fitch Ratings researcher Jeremy Zook puts it:

While Korea has sufficient additional funding and governmental buffers to deal with a period of great political volatility, persistent political gridlock could eventually lead to declines in policymaking power, economic performance, and fiscal management.

Investors are being less lenient as Kospi catalog stocks and the conquered money are being traded. In the confusion and restlessness, Seoul is confirming, day after day, why international funds much assigned a” Korea cheap” to the area.

The potential for Korea to remain blatantly uninspired in terms of technology may be the most disturbing. In a field that has outperformed all others for ten years, there are beginning to show signs of declining it competitiveness.

Korea is feeling the” China result” from both ends. China’s” Made in 2025″ it drive is gaining real grip, and China’s overcapacity is flooding Asia with low but impressive products. There is a decline in mainland desire for chips.

The recent winds that US President Donald Trump hasimposed are hardly surprising. Supply-chain doubt, also, as trade substitute relationships have Korea Inc unclear where Washington’s red ranges on business exist.

All of this is putting the central banker-turned-defacto-Korean-leader Rhee to the test as few, if any, may ever realize.

Certain, Governor of the Bank of Japan, Kazuo Ueda, has a 2025 difficult task ahead of him. Continuing to hike rates to suppress prices could tip the country’s third-biggest economy into recession. And only four months before regional elections at a time when the Liberal Democratic Party’s ruling party, led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, is losing support.

In this context, Morgan Stanley MUFG’s general Japan economist Takeshi Yamaguchi says,” we retain our see that the bank will be on hold in the near future.”

In Washington, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell faces his own Trumpian problem. It’s difficult to see the Fed giving in to Trump’s requirements for lower rates now that the price is likely to rise more and inflation is re-heating.

Emily George, former leader of the Federal Reserve’s Kansas City tree, says,” You have prices wetness on the one hand.” ” At the same time, you’re trying to look at what influence could this have on the job business, if growth begins to pull up. So it’s a difficult situation for them for certain. That is the entangled web they’re in, according to George.

Some worry the US is courting downturn as Trump, through severe political uncertainty, risks sabotaging the biggest market. Returning to the Fed’s 2 % inflation target might require tighter policy, given that Trump’s Republicans are suing for tax cuts and US unemployment is only 4.1 %. That could lead to Trump attempting to flame Powell once more.

In Seoul, while, Rhee really is the adhesive holding a big, trade-reliant business up. &nbsp,

The BOK considerably lowers its GDP forecasts as a result of the BOK’s 25 basis point reduction to 2. 75 % on February 25. Most board members agreed that Korea is losing speed faster than expected amid weak domestic spending and international challenges.

According to the moments of the BOK gathering,” The local economy is growing more slowly than we had anticipated, and upside risks are growing from US price policies.”

More price reductions may be counterproductive at the same time. For instance, it may encourage households to up loans activity.

At the end of 2024, South Korea’s home debt-to-gross domestic product ratio was the second-highest among the main countries, at 91.7 %. Among the 38 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ( OECD ) countries, that is the second-highest.

Any move lower in Bloom costs risks incentivizing households to raise bill, adding to Korea’s biggest imbalances.

Nevertheless, Yoon’s December declaration of martial law has had a dramatic impact on the country. It was” Korea’s most bizarre and violent political crisis in ages,” according to Ian Bremmer, president of Eurasia Group, a risk consultancy.

But even before then, Yoon was extremely unhappy with voters for, among other things, failing to stage playing fields, address&nbsp, near-record&nbsp, household&nbsp, debts, increase productivity, empower women or improve corporate governance.

Between Yook’s inauguration in May 2023 and his disastrous December 3 blunder, there were hardly any reformist whirlwinds. The BOK was now securely in the driver’s seat.

More and more, the central bank has taken the lead in managing what, until perhaps very recently, was one of the globe’s most open and dynamic major economies.

Rhee has been urging the government to find a way to boost fiscal stimulus and has been calling for economic reinforcements for some time.

According to Ashok Bhundia, an economist at the Institute of International Finance,” A supplementary budget is also crucial to addressing downside growth risks.” ” If the government fails to pass a supplementary budget, then a deeper rate-cutting cycle may be needed”.

Unfortunately, there were indications that Yoon’s People’s Party was trying to reinvigorate Korea’s tech industry. The next six months will be the golden age that will determine the fate of our industries, according to then-Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who spoke the day before Yoon blew up his legacy and Korea’s reputation.

Choi, who later replaced Yoon as premier, added that “given the current challenges, including global economic shifts under the incoming US administration, competition from emerging countries and the rapid reorganization of global supply chains, &nbsp, the role of the government must evolve from a supporter to a player working alongside businesses”.

Investors were anticipating Seoul’s intention to introduce a package of support measures for the semiconductor industry at the time. South Korea is more uncertain than most other countries regarding Trump’s tariff plans, thanks to Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which are world leaders in the area.

Lee Kyung-mook, co-author of&nbsp,” The Samsung Way”, notes that increasing Seoul’s commitment to research and development is “essential” given how South Korea is” sandwiched&nbsp, between more developed nations” and China, which is both catching up and lowering costs.

Students of another Lee, the late Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-hee, will be familiar with this metaphor. Lee warned in 2007 that Korea must move quickly upmarket to avoid being” sandwiched” between wealthy Japan and skepticism Chinese.

These days, Trump’s tariffs and China’s overcapacity are dimming South Korea’s outlook.

According to Evans Revere, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank, “growing strategic competition between the United States and the People’s Republic of China has ended the era in which South Korea could enjoy a robust trade relationship with China and a strong alliance with the United States.”

The China effect is already obvious. Last month, Korea’s semiconductor exports to China plunged at the same moment the Trump administration is slapping export restrictions on cutting-edge chips to Xi Jinping’s economy.

In February, South Korean exports to China and Hong Kong dropped by 31.8 % year over year. That is even worse than the January decline of 22.5 %. At the end of 2024, China welcomed about two-fifths of all Korean tech exports.

Chronic complacency is the root of the issue. Yoon is the fourth Korean leader since 2008 who took power pledging to generate more economic energy from the ground up, not just the top down.

That typically involved engaging in the” chaebol system” led by family-owned behemoths like Samsung, which contributed to Korea’s rise to the top 12 economies worldwide. &nbsp,

The backdrop is that Korea Inc knows that so much of what it does well has been commoditized. In terms of cars, electronics, robots, ships, and popular entertainment, China and other emerging Asian powers are now competing.

Taiwan’s innovation rate is constantly improving, while startups like Indonesia and Vietnam are boosting the competitiveness of tech “unicorn” startups.

The best way for South Korea to maintain its high living standards is to innovate in ways that propel the economy upmarket even faster. In order to move Korea upmarket into higher-value sectors, Yoon and the three leaders who came before him pledged an innovative “big bang” in this regard.

Lee Myung-bak left the chaebol system without making significant changes between 2008 and 2013. Then came&nbsp, Park Geun-hye, Korea’s first female president.

She boldly announced her intention to create a more” creative” economy in 2013 when she took office. Park vowed to expand tax breaks for startups, strengthen antitrust laws, and fine large corporations for stealing profits that could be used to bolster paychecks.

Park ended up going easy on the chaebols. She did indeed succeed in bringing back South Korea’s startup economy. Her efforts to increase the cash flow to entrepreneurs contributed to Korea becoming one of the top 10 incubators for tech unicorns, or businesses with market capitalizations greater than US$ 1 billion.

Moon Jae-in, Park’s successor, expanded the program from 2017 to 2022. Trouble is, chaebols continue to monopolize the financial fuel startups need to become major game-changers.

That is still Korea’s current issue. And as Yoon desperately tries to cling to power, Seoul’s political paralysis couldn’t come at a worse time for its tech-dependent economy.

Follow William Pesek on X using the hashtag# WilliamPesek

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Musk’s way of streamlining tech startups is wrong for government – Asia Times

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Elon Musk has been steadily gaining political influence since being named a” unique government staff” by President Donald Trump in January. Musk has pushed for widespread layoffs of government employees and made an effort to shut down the US Agency for International Development ( USAID), and he has been appointed to lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency ( DOGE ).

Musk has excelled at Space X and Tesla with his relentless pursuit of productivity, but can the same strategy also be applied to state where the stakes are significantly higher and companies are more tightly tied to people’s lives?

Cuttings to government programs may disrupt vital services and have an impact on millions of people around the world, in contrast to the private sector, where people and investors are typically impacted by streamlining operations.

Governments are not tech companies.

Musk is unquestionably renowned for his innovative success; he has founded and taken companies from the beginning to unfathomable levels, frequently at the same time. He has been merciless in terms of performance in doing so.

In his biography of Musk, Walter Isaacson devotes several chapters to his method of creating effective process and systems, a subject that industrial and systems engineering covers.

Musk’s strategy is incredibly problematic. His default response when analyzing a set of tasks to accomplish a goal is to eliminate as many as possible, with an attempt to overcut by at least 10 %. Not enough tasks were eliminated in the first place if he doesn’t gain 10 % of the things to the process in the second half. No cutting sufficient tasks is a mistake that Musk’s “productivity algorithm” avoids.

Industrial and systems architecture is based on the idea that eliminating misuse is essential. It is a method that is frequently associated with the post-war Japan-inspired Lean Production theory. A basic tenet of Lean is that leaders should support employees in identifying waste and that workers should be supported in removing inefficient tasks. It’s designed to be a bottom-up strategy, unlike Musk’s top-down performance engine.

Musk developed his strategy for tech startups, where failing is expected, widespread, and generally unimportant for everyone but shareholders. If SpaceX doesn’t send people to Mars, it’s irrelevant for the majority of people. Choices does fill the void if Tesla, PayPal, or Twitter/X crash.

His default strategy is to eliminate as many [tasks ] as possible, with an emphasis on reducing the number by at least 10 %. Not enough tasks were eliminated in the first place if he doesn’t gain 10 % of the things to the process in the second half.

However, this design is difficult to transfer to government, where failing has more profound and profound effects on people’s lives.

People are never things.

The businesses he’s led have benefited greatly from Musk’s efficiency-driven technique. Soon after taking over Twitter/X, Musk switched from eliminating jobs to eliminating individuals. Musk fired around 80 % of Twitter’s team over the course of the course of a year.

New devices were required because identifying “wasteful” staff is more difficult than eliminating pointless tasks. Employees were given an ultimatum: those who didn’t settle in to remain at their jobs may be fired, putting the pressure on them to consider their commitment to keep. Software engineers were asked to submit script for evaluation, but this didn’t lead to significant cuts.

In February, the FBI employed a comparable strategy. Musk sent an email to federal employees outlining what they had done the previous year and outlining how non-responses may be treated as resignations. This was quashed in less than 48 days, and actions were made on a voluntary basis.

The National Nuclear Security Administration even struggled to understand this business ethos of “failing hard,” as a result of a recent round of firings that raised concerns that federal security was in jeopardy. Most of the layoffs were canceled within 48 days, and 322 of the 350 people who had been fired were reinstated.

Similar to how DOGE-led firings at USAID “accidentally” reduce Ebola protection during an outbreak in Uganda, a error that could have had disastrous effects.

Musk’s weak productivity algorithms

The notion that fired workers can always be rehired if necessary is one of the shortcomings of Musk’s efficiency algorithm. However, people are not things that can be discarded and replaced with for good without effect.

The National Nuclear Security Administration had a difficult time reaching the fired employees. One of the fired researchers at the US Food and Drug Administration questioned,” How are you going to be able to get good citizens when you’re not offering Silicon Valley property or pay and you’ve taken their balance.”

Although this approach does have worked in the fast-paced, high-rewarding world of tech startups, its use in state has been turbulent at best and risky at worst. Additionally, beginning studies reveal that investing is not being significantly affected by the cuts.

No luxuries of failure and prosecution

Lean manufacturing has frequently been credited with revolutionary effects that transformed troubled businesses into fiercely organized competitors, but Musk’s performance engineering fails to take into account long-term effects.

Yet Lean apostles would not label it destructive or adopt an overzealous” shoot first, ask questions later” mentality. Effectiveness is not associated with cut; instead, it should be put into practice with consideration, careful consideration of value creation, and consultation with the parties involved.

In contrast to Henry Ford, Joseph Juran, or Tim Cook, the man who pioneered real-world effectiveness in his approach to government, Musk’s so much seems more like the ruthless corporate downsizer George Clooney plays in Up in the Air.

Public employees are not jobs, public services don’t have the pleasure of trial and error when national security or public health are in the public’s interests, and government organizations don’t work like technology startups.

Peter Vanberkel is a teacher at Dalhousie University’s Department of Industrial Engineering.

This content was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the text of the content.

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VentureTech backs Pomen to drive digital transformation for fleet maintenance and workforce management 

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  • &nbsp, Investment did pull expansion into SEA, improve its platforms
  • Funds will increase products, adopt new technologies, and increase reach

VentureTECH Sdn Bhd ( VentureTECH), an impact investment company, has announced an undisclosed investment in Pomen Autodata Sdn Bhd, a Bumiputera company specialising in comprehensive Software-as-a-Service ( SaaS ) solutions focused on workforce efficiency and maintenance management — connecting demand and supply in the maintenance ecosystem. This collaboration aims to promote Pomen’s growth and enhance its impressive platforms, more digitalising the ecology for related services and operations.

Established in 2018, Pomen has emerged as a key player in incorporated SaaS options with flagship systems such as Enfleet and Engarage. Enfleet is an asset maintenance procedure management system, providing companies with clarity over their asset maintenance processes, while Engarage is a workforce management platform that enables service providers to handle end-to-end service operations. Both systems function as collaborative equipment, enhancing labor efficiency.

Trusted by consumers including Petronas, Maxis, and Edaran Otomobil Nasional Berhad, Pomen connects property owners with a community of over 2, 400 separate service companies nationwide. Through its innovative platforms, the firm is continuously enhancing its data analytics package to deliver deeper insights, predicted maintenance, and advice capabilities, with empty API integrations.

VentureTEC H’s funding may strengthen Pomen’s technical skills and push its local development into Southeast Asia. The partnership also focuses on fostering creativity, enabling Pomen to enhance its current services, connect emerging technologies, and expand its platforms to satisfy the diverse needs of industries. Through this growth, VentureTECH aims to position Pomen as a leader in digital transformation, contributing significantly to Malaysia’s evolving technology ecosystem.

Ahmad Redzuan Sidek, CEO of VentureTECH, said,” Our investment in Pomen underscores VentureTEC H’s commitment to fostering transformative local companies that champion digital innovation, socio-economic progress, and environmental sustainability. Pomen’s cutting-edge platforms address inefficiencies in the fleet maintenance ecosystem and workforce management, empowering businesses to optimise operations while creating opportunities for Bumiputera entrepreneurs to thrive in high-value sectors”.

” Beyond enhancing Pomen’s market position, this partnership will generate high-value skilled jobs in technology and engineering. By strengthening the digital ecosystem and promoting advanced technological solutions, we aim to contribute to Malaysia’s aspirations of becoming a hub for innovation”, he added.

Syed Zulhilmi Tuan Sharif, CEO of Pomen, said,” This partnership with VentureTECH marks a pivotal milestone for Pomen, validating our vision to revolutionise asset maintenance and workforce management through innovative technology. With VentureTEC H’s support, we are equipped to scale our solutions, expand our reach across various industries, and meet the growing demands of clients locally and regionally”.

” As we venture further into the ports and aviation sectors— industries that face similar challenges in asset reliability, operational efficiency, and workforce optimisation — we are committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions that drive efficiency, create value for our clients and stakeholders, and contribute to broader digital transformation initiatives”, he added.

This investment aligns with VentureTEC H’s broader strategy to bridge funding gaps and strengthen the Malaysian startup ecosystem. This strategy is further reinforced through its collaboration with Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd ( Cradle ) under the Fund Funnel Programme, which aims to establish a more structured funding pathway for startups. Pomen exemplifies this initiative’s goal of making strategic investments in high-potential companies, fostering catalytic growth in high-growth, high-value ( HGHV ) sectors, particularly in digitalisation and advanced technology solutions.

By partnering with Pomen, VentureTECH strengthens its mandate to drive HGHV sectors while advancing Malaysia’s digital transformation agenda. &nbsp,

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