In Asia 10 Hottest Startups in Asia 005
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13.736717 10 HOTTEST STARTUPS 100.523186 IN ASIA A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO TOP STARTUP CITIES IN ASIA ENDLENESSDLESS OPPOR OPPORT UNIT UNIT IETS IES THE NEW THRIVING JOURNEY CONTENTS BANGALORE 004 INMOBI FUKUOKA 006 SKYDISC SINGAPORE 008 SOCASH BANGKOK 010 LOCAL ALIKE STARTUP, START HERE! 013 TAIPEI 021 91APP JAKARTA 022 TALENTA KUALA LUMPUR 024 BOOKDOC SEOUL 026 KSV ESPORTS HO CHI MINH 028 LOZI BEIJING 030 FARMFRIEND Thailand’s economy is expected to Since its founding, the NIA The Asian startup ecosystem today rapid growth. Attractive factors, achieve a steady and sustainable growth has designed programs that is not simply a hub of opportunities, such as Asia-wide government over the near future. Apart from an have provided endless opportu- steadily pacing its way to saddle up support, innovation, comprehensive advanced and successful innovation nities for all startups. Its pub- alongside other regions. This optimised internet penetration and a diverse development plan — particularly for the lication, 10 Hottest Startups in land continues to grow and attract more talent pool are keys to keeping economic and social sectors — the Asia, will be your guide to investment seemingly without limit. these hubs dynamic. 10 government’s National Innovation Agency the startup world. Meet the Crowded with private unicorn companies The Asia startup scene has (NIA) has continuously provided endless 10 successful startups across valued collectively at US$81 billion, seen tremendous growth, with HOTTEST opportunities as well as supportive actions Asian cities and find out more Asia hosts more than one-third of the Singapore — one of the world’s to encourage Thai startup companies — about how Bangkok, a city of world’s unicorn startups, according financial centres — already the key driver of Thailand’s economic endless opportunities, has been to the recently updated report “Global recognised as a “Silicon Dragon”, STARTUPS landscape — to make the giant leap ranked as No. 7 among globally Unicorn Club” by CB Insights, the New and Bangalore, India’s Silicon to successfully join the global startup recognised startup locations. York-based data analytical software Valley, is being celebrated for ecosystem. company. Tencent, Grab and Traveloka its innovative technology industry. IN ASIA The NIA was assigned by the Ministry have all been globally recognised as Asia Other cities, like Bangkok, are of Science and Technology to spearhead startups crowned with unicorn status. poised to take their place along- the startup business development and Their achievements also serve as in- side the other startup stalwarts. promotion project as part of the goal to spiration for those who wish to start off make Thailand a hub of startup business small but later grow bigger and faster. development and innovation. Inspired Asia is rising and its outstanding by the progressive advancement of startup ecosystem ensures continued innovations, Thai startup entrepreneurs are invited to come together to raise awareness on startup development and actualise their potential and competitiveness in order to advance the expansion of emerging markets at the international level. By promoting the development of innovation and technology to maximise potential and competitiveness of Thai businesses, the NIA was entrusted with the responsibility to lead the Thai innovation industry by providing technical support and services — with the cooperation of the private sector — for several innovative development projects. 004 10 HOTTEST STARTUPS IN ASIA 10 HOTTEST STARTUPS IN ASIA 005 Business Why Bangalore? Most How do you see Inspiration WHERE TO EAT OR DRINK competitive your business in I & Monkey Restopub challenges the next 5 years? "The entrepreneurial bug When we moved to 968, 12th Main, HAL, Indira Nagar, 2nd Stage, Bangalore, had hit me early, and we Bangalore, it was to fuel Karnataka, India 560038 Our competitive challenges In the next five years, were trying to catch on our dream of building The minimal designed dining place offers lunch and dinner of have largely revolved we want to become an to the early trends that something big. One of the Kerala and Western cuisines without any monkey business. around our efforts to stay end-to-end platform with had the potential to be key components of this at the top of our game consolidated offerings game-changers, one such dream was to have easy across multiple markets. across both AdTech and was the mass access to mobile access to the finest tech Being able to identify trends MarTech to cater to any phones. We were fortunate talent not just from before they become one, CMO across the globe. that our entrepreneurial Bangalore but also from is the key to accepting those journey coincided with this neighboring states. The city competitive challenges. emerging trend. Being able centers around the startup Usually, if you wait to to tap into it at the right time community. If you’re a compete with a trend that Startup gave us the edge to give technology firm focused BANGALORE your competitor has adopted, Ecosystem our entrepreneurial journey on the global market, then it's already too late. In today’s the flight that we needed." there is hardly a better place technological paced world The Indian government is "Not to say that we did to begin. It has an enabling you don’t have the liberty taking effective measures to not deal with our set of environment that includes to wait that long. The facilitate the growth of the With its large number of tech companies, challenges, like any other good infrastructural potential to become Indian startup ecosystem. Bangalore is known as the ‘Silicon Valley of startups. Our first business support and good access obsolete is no longer a Some of these include India’. IT firms in the city employ about 35% model that revolved to a global network for probability; it's an absolute measures to ease out the of India’s pool of 2.5 million IT professionals around an SMS-based seeking investment reality. bottleneck arising out of and account for the highest IT-related exports search and monetization opportunities. The challenges that we procedural clearances, in the country. Tech companies incorporated tanked miserably. We spent have faced along the way the time taken for approvals, from 2012 to 2017, India now has over 5,000 months on a product that have been to tap into those amendments to tax laws startups, making it the world’s third-largest had to be abandoned; it trends, not all of them have to provide single-window startup ecosystem. was one of the toughest been successful some have platforms and the overall decisions to give up on Nature of even failed miserably, but ease of doing business in something that we had so Business it’s only through those India. tirelessly worked on. We trials and errors that those were running low on money, InMobi is a global mobile failures have led us to our confidence, and resources advertising and discovery successes. but we didn’t give up. platform that reached over In the dynamic world It was also difficult to attract 1.6 billion unique mobile that we thrive in today investors when the product devices worldwide in 2017. future proofing your WHERE TO VISIT wasn’t even rolled out in The platform allows brands, business becomes an Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace the market. developers and publishers absolute must, the reason Albert Victor Road, But you have to fight to engage with and put for our success could be Chamrajpet, near Bengaluru through some bad days if it their products in front of attributed to our ability to medical college, Bengaluru, shows you the promise to consumers through the use identify trends before they India 560618 earn the good days in your life. of mobile advertising. could become one. Almost entirely built from Entrepreneurship is not It also enables consumers > teak wood, this late for the faint-hearted. to discover new products InMobi CEO Naveen Tewari: 18th-century palace Success stories are all about and services, as the platform “Success stories are is a must-visit for every guts and a commitment to utilizes advanced targeting, all about guts and architecture lover. never give up. You fail, you predictive marketing and a commitment to never WHERE TO MEET struggle, you change course, audience insight to deliver give up. You fail, you BHIVE Workspace but perseverance always product recommendations struggle, you change Six branches operated across India’s capital of startups, pays off. This was our on mobile apps and course, but perseverance this biggest co-working space chain regularly hosts events inspiration." devices. always pays off.” and speaking engagements at all of their locations. BANGALORE BANGALORE 006 10 HOTTEST STARTUPS IN ASIA 10 HOTTEST STARTUPS IN ASIA 007 Business Nature of What will Inspiration Business happen in the next 3-5 years? “I learned and researched These days "open innovation" on artificial intelligence in is a hot keyword in Japan. “AI will expand rapidly as a doctoral course in Ksyshu That means big enterprises many people think so, and University and wanted to team up with small startups it is happening dramatically actualize what I learned that have the cutting-edge in manufacturing. It is just at school. And this is why I technology to achieve what beginning. We will see started Skydisc.” they can't do by themselves. more and more AI needs Japan is well-known for in manufacturing during manufacturing, but the the next three-five years all FUKUOKA strength of Japanese over the world.” manufacturing is weakening gradually due to other countries such as China, Korea, and ASEAN countries catching up. Japanese manufacturing Fukuoka is one of the best places and needs a structure reforming. most innovative city in Japan.