e27 (Optimatic)

This isn’t your average AI showcase. 👀 Step inside the AI Zone at Echelon Singapore 2025! From cutting-edge solutions to the minds building tomorrow—this is where AI meets action. Say hi to these exhibitors in the comments 👋 AsterSense, Soca AI, Pipedrive, Kruncher, Menlo Research, Amplified Human, Meticuly, Jaz! 🎟 Use code VISITAIZONE for a FREE Starter Pass → https://lnkd.in/gVvqXfYc . . . #e27 #EchelonSG #EchelonSG2025#EchelonSGExhibitor #AIInnovation #AI #tech #techconference #southeastasia

📣 Search is now live (in beta) on e27! Looking for something specific? Just type in a keyword and instantly discover articles that match your interests. Right now, it works with published articles only—but don’t worry, we’re working on bringing search to more parts of e27 soon. Whether you’re hunting for insights or just browsing, your next great read is only a few keystrokes away. Discover articles to read: https://e27.co

As trade tensions between the world’s largest economies continue to simmer, their ripple effects are being felt across industries — in Southeast Asia, startup founders aren’t just reacting, they’re adapting. For this piece, I spoke to leaders across fintech, hospitality, AI-powered supply chains, consulting, and legal services to understand how the region is navigating this new reality. The responses were refreshingly varied — and surprisingly optimistic. 💡 From RedDoorz seeing opportunity in budget travel to fintechs like Indepay and GHL Systems spotting room for localised innovation, many founders believe the trade wars are catalysing long-overdue resilience and strategic thinking across Southeast Asia. Read how they’re planning to weather — and possibly thrive in — the storm. https://loom.ly/wg_r5Pw #startups #SoutheastAsia #fintech #supplychain #AI #trade #resilience #geopolitics

📍From advisory to capital connections, Onzla Ventures empowers entrepreneurs to thrive—not just survive. Join them and hundreds more at #EchelonSG2025 at Suntec Singapore this June! Learn more: https://loom.ly/HgN_ZKo #EchelonSG #EchelonSGSponsor #StartupSupport #BusinessGrants #InnovationFunding

🚨 Midday check-in from Flux Series: AI Leaders Summit 2025! The energy this morning has been 🔥! From a powerful keynote, fireside session, panel discussion, and workshops, we've already covered a lot of ground on what it really takes to adopt and scale AI in business. But we’re just getting started! Our roundtable discussions kick off after lunch, and they’re designed for real talk: ✔️ AI tools for talent & workforce challenges ✔️ Getting your data AI-ready ✔️ Boosting sales with AI ✔️ AI adoption without breaking your budget ✔️....and more 📍We’re at Andaz Singapore. If you’re in the area, there’s still time to swing by and join the conversation. Let’s talk AI, solve problems, and build what’s next together. https://lnkd.in/gkTDcQ8G #FluxSeries #AILeadership #AIAdoption #AIatScale

🚀 ClickHouse is hitting the stage! Join us along with e27 (Optimatic), IMDA, Watermelon, Kong, Neo4j, and Flutterflow, for an exclusive evening of innovation, live demos, and expert discussions on how GenAI, cloud, and real-time data are reshaping the future of engineering and product teams. Register your interest today 👇 https://lnkd.in/d7UCD6id Maruthi Prithivirajan Lokananthan Rana Banerji #databaseengineer #dataengineer #dataengineering #realtimeanalytics #datawarehouse

🚨 Big news in emerging market commerce: Bangladesh’s ShopUp and Saudi Arabia’s Sary are merging to form a new powerhouse—SILQ. Backed by US$110M in equity and debt financing (led by Saudi’s Sanabil Investments and Valar Ventures), SILQ is setting its sights on transforming B2B trade across Emerging Asia and the GCC. 🧭 SILQ will retain the ShopUp and Sary brands in their home markets while building a shared infrastructure to improve sourcing, logistics, and financing for SMEs. 💸 SILQ Financial will be launched as a dedicated arm to tackle SME financing—often a huge hurdle in emerging economies where SMEs contribute 40%+ to GDP, yet remain underserved by formal financial institutions. 🗣 "We're entering what's set to become one of the world’s largest trade corridors—projected to reach US$682B," said SILQ CEO Afeef Zaman. 📦 With 600,000+ retailers served and over US$5B in transactions processed, this new alliance could reshape digital commerce across the Global South. https://loom.ly/Zfc8brA

💸 Fintech investment in Southeast Asia plunged 66% YoY to US$193M in Q1 2025, down from US$584M a year ago, according to Tracxn’s latest funding report. Even quarter-on-quarter, funding declined by 30%. 🇸🇬 Singapore remains the region’s fintech epicentre, drawing in 74% of total funding. Despite the slowdown, we saw one bright spot: the emergence of Sygnum Bank as Southeast Asia’s (and the world’s) only fintech unicorn so far this year, thanks to its US$58M Series C round. 📉 Sector performance highlights: – Cryptocurrencies led the way with US$97.5M, down 24% YoY – Alternative lending fell 47% YoY to US$34.6M – Investment tech raised US$34.3M, down 45% YoY but up 37% QoQ 💡 Seed-stage funding dropped 52%, while early-stage rounds rose 47% QoQ—though still down compared to last year. Acquisitions also dropped YoY, but edged up from Q4 2024. No IPOs have occurred in the sector in the past five quarters. What does this tell us? The region's fintech ecosystem remains resilient and innovative despite macroeconomic headwinds—especially with rising digital adoption and localised solutions continuing to drive momentum. Read more on what’s shaping Southeast Asia’s fintech funding landscape in Q1 2025👇 https://loom.ly/3OjDum0 #e27News #fintech

🚀 Scaling AI shouldn’t be a mystery. Launch JDI is making it practical, cost-efficient, and ready for SMEs. Find out how they’re doing it at #Flux2025: https://loom.ly/he6hV8I #AILeadersSummit #e27FluxSeries

📉 Still updating inventory manually? That’s a recipe for lost sales. Odoo’s Shopee Connector helps sellers manage it all from one place—no extra cost. Find out how it works here 👉 https://loom.ly/ukz5gN4 #SoutheastAsiaEcommerce #OmnichannelSelling #OdooIntegration #ShopeeSellers