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Featured articles & ghostwritten posts
by Sara El Halabi

"According to the salary data analysis from Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam, tech roles, such as product management, data science and engineering, earn 54% more than non-tech roles, including marketing, operations, sales and finance. Big tech companies now offer open contracts to attract and retain potential candidates. They were pushed into this strategy after giants from the U.S. and China, like Zoom, Alibaba and TikTok, started hiring ASEAN high performers by almost writing blank cheques. In Singapore, for example, managers now earn a monthly salary of $4,500 to $6,000 USD...

"With Covid-19 modifying the market rules and the compensation benchmark, founders and leaders have adjusted to the new norm of staggered work schedules and remote-based roles. This work style can also be advantageous when building and developing teams with diversity in skills and talents..."

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"Before the pandemic, Toyota, Mitsubishi and Honda were the ultimate brands reigning in Southeast Asia, but a greener awareness is emerging in the region after the lockdowns. Tesla is pushing swiftly into the market, ranking first in Google searches. Nonetheless, most ASEAN countries are still slow to accept battery-powered EVs and build battery production plants... 

"The EV industry may be vital for the resurgence of the region’s economies post-pandemic and already plays a significant part. In 2020, 70% of Indonesia’s foreign investment funding went into the sector as the country has a quarter of the global nickel reserves. Tesla sees investment in the country as helping the car manufacturer secure battery and power generator plant sources..."

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"Investors are willing to fund emerging products and technologies with the potential to scale the eCommerce, health, educational and financial markets. Although Southeast Asia venture debt has high risks, it also has high rewards, depending on how successful the portfolio of startups becomes. Small and medium startups promise a more dynamic market and efficient virtual products, the sweet spot for venture capital funders. Through venture debt lending or productive financing, many VCs are reaching out and assisting smaller startups as they commence their journeys, giving them the capital required to produce their product or deliver their service... "With new consumption patterns emerging in Southeast Asia, startups face more pressure to secure their competitiveness in today’s tech markets. Amit Anand, a founding partner of Jungle Ventures, is optimistic about the European investors’ growing interest in Southeast Asia startups. Nevertheless, other venture capital firms shy away from backing new startups and instead seek tech stars in their series B phase that already have a proven plan and are capital-backed..."

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"Before the second COVID wave, India and most Asian countries were already adopting more tech tools and a digitalised lifestyle. Yet, with the pandemic’s recent surge, many markets in the region realised they were not prepared enough for such a significant economic disaster, especially in India, where the implications could wreck fiscal growth in 2022.

"Nevertheless, this has opened the eyes of the tech businesses and investors looking for startup opportunities in India, acknowledging the consumer need for more innovative technologies that would help them in their daily routines. The situation has a phenomenal impact on the digital ecosystem and is driving a startup to become a unicorn every 11 days..."

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"They say, “The sky is the limit.” However, emerging space tech startups in Southeast Asia are crashing through the boundaries and gaining their spot in space beside other international giants. As the world dives deeper into the digital era, more doors are opening for ASEAN tech startups wanting to explore space’s possibilities. Singapore has become the focal point and most fertile ground regionally for spacetech startups to grow and develop satellite platforms that contribute to advancing the global communication system and blockchain. The space industry has attracted the attention of domestic and foreign investors who acknowledge the potential of a more decentralised, futuristic market..."

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"In a country where almost 70% of its adult population is unbanked, fintech in the Philippines has a fertile ground to grow and offer innovative financial solutions. The country’s high mobile penetration, its youth’s increasing access to the Internet and the growing demand for online services all make it an attractive market for financial technology.

The Philippine fintech scene promises inclusion for its socio-economically diverse population by providing emerging online payment services and facilitating other transactions. As 2021 advances, new agreements and partnerships are evolving to forge the country’s economic progress and digitalisation, while digital banks seek the opportunity to attract fresh users and investors..."

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"With teachers, students and parents overwhelmed with sudden online learning, remote working, deadlines, and at-home responsibilities, the Vietnam edtech startups are incentivised to deliver products that solve educational issues. Instructors and learners need access to digital tools that meet their needs and make distance learning more practical...

"Edtech startups are filling the gap in the education system of several ASEAN countries after the pandemic. It is the largest growing market, after FinTech and eCommerce, increasing by 32% per year and attracting domestic and foreign investments.

"To encourage innovation in the sector, the National Startup Support Centre of Vietnam and the Bach Khoa Hanoi Technology Investment and Development One Member Company Limited (BK-Holdings) launched the Edtech Vietnam Festival 2021 and the Startup Stars contest..." 

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"While traditional computers work, store and transmit information in bits—binary states of 0 or 1, quantum computers function upon quantum bits or qubits, occupying both binary forms simultaneously. They will perform on several pieces of information and throughout the information system at all levels and states. This will make computing much more complex and powerful.

Should the industry fear? Yes, if the wrong hands employ this technology. Nevertheless, it will provide a variety of positive possibilities and solutions that will enhance digital markets and tech products.

"Nevertheless, quantum computers are the end of privacy since they can break cryptographic security, leaving bank accounts and Bitcoin wallets at risk. By cracking unbreakable encryptions and exposing personal data, individuals and organisations will be open to exploitation and manipulation..."

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