Category: Digitalization

2022’s First SPAC and Metaverse Investment Opportunities Virtual Investment Conference in Hong Kong

LBS (Leverage Big Strategies) Communications Consulting Limited (“LBS”), a professional strategy-based investor relations consulting firm based the Greater China region with global presence, today successfully organized the first Virtual Investment Conference, “Invest For a Better World With Innovation – from SPAC to the Metaverse” in 2022, along with New Vision Asset Management and Mileage Communications from Singapore and under the support from our media platform partner, Futu and Hong Kong Economic Digest.

Over 20 industry leaders and professional institutional investors analysed the listing overview and options of Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (“SPACs”) in the United States, Hong Kong, and Singapore, and explored the winning strategy of digital asset investment in Metaverse via a virtual forum and exhibition booths. The forum was supported by Futu as the platform partner and Economic Digest as media partner.

LBS invited a number of speakers to tap into the two hottest topics in the capital market – SPAC and the market development of Metaverse through multiple subdivided presentations. In the morning session, Mr. Claudius Tsang, CEO at A SPAC (Holdings) Group Corp., Mr. Robson Lee, Partner at Gibson Dunn, Mr. Gordon Tsang, Partner at Stevenson Wong & Co. analysed the listing mechanism and risk factors of SPAC in the United States, Hong Kong and Singapore, and Mr. Yiu Ting Tsoi, the CEO of HB Ventures to explain the successful IR strategy in SPAC and De-SPAC process as well as the successful positioning and investment strategy of SPAC.

In the afternoon session which focuses on Metaverse investment, Mr. James Lei, Chief Technical Adviser of Joint Labs in Asia at Ether Data explained the effective strategies for the real economy to master the wave of virtual reality; Mr. Gilbert Ng, Founder at Mura Capital described the compliance trend and regulatory direction of the virtual market; Mr. Robert Luo, Co-founder at NVC Media introduced GameFi, the most advanced virtual development trend and Mr. Evan Auyang, the Group President of Animoca Brands unveiled the unique investment strategies of Animoca Brands which is not only limited to the hottest metaverse – Sandbox.

In addition, the forum included two panel discussions, during which panelists explained to participants the composition of SPAC and De-SPAC, the key strategies to maximizing the return on investment of investors and start-ups, and the winning strategy of investing in Metaverse. The panelists actively shared their own experiences and unique insights in a welcoming and inquisitive meeting atmosphere. More than 300 professional investors, institutional investors, executives of listed companies and representatives of start-ups attended the virtual forum, and many of the participants gathered in the virtual lounge area afterwards to further exchange their thoughts and experiences in these important subject areas.

Ms. Joanne Chan, Managing Director at LBS Communications Consulting Limited stated: “The Metaverse has inevitably become a hot topic in the investment community, as it’s a new field that Big Tech and gaming companies are competing to develop. Even international renowned sports brands have taken the opportunity to acquire virtual shoe brand companies to tap into the market. At the same time, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange has formally implemented the SPAC listing mechanism. In other words, many emerging and innovative companies may become targets of mergers and acquisitions, providing an additional financing channel for start-ups that are interested to enter the Metaverse.”

Taking advantage of this market trend, LBS held the first online forum on Metaverse in Hong Kong and invited many senior experts and investors to share their own experience and first-hand industry insights from a forward-looking perspective. This created an effective communication platform for the capital market and disseminated investment information that keeps pace with the times, gaining high recognition from the industry. In the era of diversified development of capital markets, we are happy to see more opportunities relating to the development of the market and enterprises. We are also glad to see that potential start-ups or enterprises in emerging industries can gain more sustainable development momentum and achieve a win-win situation.

“As the organizer of this Metaverse investment forum, LBS will continue to leverage on its objective and original aspiration of “Leverage Big Strategy” after 11 years of development. LBS will bolster its traditional financial communications and investor relations services by aligning with clients’ strategies and maximizing results, so that investors around the world can keep abreast of the latest developments of their clients and be apprised of market trends to continuously expand business coverage and services. For example, ESG helps companies to explore and take advantage of exploring new opportunities beyond traditional investment areas in the field of sustainable development and to create more opportunities for customers to communicate with investors. With the rapid recovery of the global economy in the post-pandemic era, LBS also hopes that, apart from Greater China, this forum will also look ahead to other international markets and develop diversified information dissemination channels,” she said.

List of honorable speakers in the SPAC session
— Mr. Claudius Tsang, CEO, A SPAC (Holdings) Group Corp.
— Mr. Robson Lee, Partner, Gibson Dunn (Leading law firm in Singapore)
— Mr. Gordon Tsang, Partner, Stevenson, Wong & Co. (Leading law firm in Hong Kong)
— Mr. Yiu Ting Tsoi, CEO of HB Ventures
— Mr. Gary Chan, CEO – Greater China, The CFO Centre

List of honorable speakers in the Metaverse Digital Asset Allocation Strategy
— Mr. Evan Auyang, Group President, Animoca Brands
— Mr. Ben Caselin, Head of Research & Strategy, Atom Asset Exchange (AAX)
— Mr. Wuszt Wu, Head of Huobi Key Account, Asia Pacific, Huobi Global
— Mr. Fred Wong, Founder and CIO, eFusion Capital
— Dr. James Lei, Chief Technical Adviser of Joint Labs in Asia, Ether Data
— Mr. Kenneth Wang, CPO and Investment Manager, New Vision
— Mr. Gilbert Ng, Founder, Mura Capital (Experienced legal consultant on crypto)
— Mr. Robert Luo, Co-Founder, NVC Media

Featured HK Unicorn and Startups
— Avalon Biomedical Management – Public health and infection control
— RV Auto Tech – Automation robotics technologies and SaaS platform for global
— Prenetics – A major global diagnostics and genetic testing company with a team of over 700 employees and operations across 9 locations and will list on Nasdaq following merger with Artisan Acquisition, a SPAC founded by Adrian Cheng.
— iRecycle – AI and big data analysis to maximize coverage and efficiency in recycling business.
— ESG Growth – First of its kind in HK for in-house ESG data management SaaS platform
— Neufast – multi-lingual AI Video Interview cloud solution provider with 50 years in data science, recruitment & I/O Psychol
— Digit Sense – digitial transformation total solutions provider with global presense

Featured Digital Assets Investment
— New Vision – One-stop digital asset platform encompassing brokerage, fund management, fintech trading solutions and VC investment opportunities
— NVC – GameFi Investment
— Animoca Brands – Well-known globally as Sandbox’s parent company, it owns a broad portfolio of blockchain games and is a prolific investor with over 150 investments in NFT-related blockchain companies
— Huobi Global – World-leading cryptocurrency exchanges & digital asset management services for tens of millions of users in over 170 countries and regions
— Huobi Tech – Leading provider of compliant, safe and reliable virtual asset services for professional individuals and institutional investors around the world.
— AAX – A borderless exchange that caters to a global audienceand the first exchnage to be powered by LSEG technology, and offer high-yield savings packages, 100 spot pairs, deeply liquid futures markets, regular discounts on major tokens and a range of on-ramps.
— Ether Data – A decentralized all-purpose computing system based on the technology of the Ethereum Smart Contract and Disk Storage Banking (DSB) distributive storage.

For more information about the conference, please visit www.lbs-forum.com

About LBS Communications Consulting Limited
LBS Leverage Big Strategies – Sustainability Investor Relations is a strategy-based consulting company based in Hong Kong with offices in Shenzhen and Shanghai. We are also the exclusive partner of PRGN (www.prgn.com) in Hong Kong and the Greater China. Our talent is to drive change for our clients. With over two decades of experiences in investor and financial communications, we endeavour to stretch our expertise to sustainability investor relations that join hand with our clients in making a better world. Our strategies and services are tailor-made to bridge and foster the relationships between our clients and their multiple stakeholders. Our clientele spans across different industries such as power and utilities, medicare, telecommunications and IT, retail and consumer, metal and resources, education and training, hospitality and travel. We care and manage the value and brands of our clients.

Startup Funding – Wikisoft Corp. plans Digital Shake-up

Wikisoft Corp. (OTCQB:WSFT), a big data and business analytics company, today announced plans to digitize startup funding and accelerate matching startups with investors.

Once a startup’s seed investment round is secured then the fledgling company powers ahead to create a minimal viable product (MVP). Once the MVP is proven, the founders of the startup will soon require further investment to accelerate growth. They participate in a series of investment rounds – series A, B or C, depending on the maturity of the business.

This is a stressful period and an arduous process involving introductions, pitches, negotiations, term sheets, and all the intricacies that go with each stage and every round. The time is ripe to change from manual processes to digital, creating a trusted and authenticated system to bring together high-potential, dynamic, young, fully-operational startups with groups of wily discerning tech investors looking for capital appreciation.

Deloitte recently wrote that 23% of the fund order process is still being handled manually, mainly though fax orders which have a significant impact on distribution costs. PwC surveyed 100 Private Equity houses with a minimum EUR250m assets under management. The PE houses named digitization as the most important megatrend influencing new investment.

Wikisoft, listed on OTCQB, is a fast growing, international, agile, big-data-powered, company which in today’s fast-moving business world of increasing globalization leverages big data and associated insights from global business datasets to improve performance.

In line with this new phase of digitization and globalization, Wikisoft sees a growing demand for access to credible and reliable business data about startups and investors and has an ambition to digitalize the process of matching the right startup with the right investor and accelerate the investment process.

Carsten Kjems Falk, Wikisoft’s CEO, spoke about the company’s vision, “Our advancement will accelerate matching investor to startup, and vice versa, at a lower risk through credible and reliable business data. Series A, B and C investment rounds will be more efficient for all parties via digitization. It will enable startups to concentrate on scaling-up their business, becoming highly valued, and eventually opening the possibilities for even further expansion. Investors will have an efficient way of finding prospects and make the right investments.”

ABOUT WIKISOFT CORPORATION

In today’s fast-moving business world of increasing globalization, Wikisoft leverages big data and associated insights from business datasets to improve performance.

In line with this new phase of globalization, Wikisoft believes that there is a growing demand for access to credible and reliable business data. Data is essential to creating the complete view of customers, prospects, investors, suppliers, and partners necessary to power the right decisions.
Our vision is to create opportunity globally by collecting precise data, curating it, verifying it and putting it in the hands of professionals and businesses as consumable business intelligence. We believe in the power of Wikisoft to collect massive amounts of data and deliver it to businesses curated, credible and reliable.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature about the Company. You can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “is/are likely to,” “future” or other similar expressions. The Company has based these forward-looking statements primarily on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect Company’s financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. There is no assurance that the Company’s current expectations and projections are accurate. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on the Company’s information on the date hereof. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking statements. The Company operates in a rapidly evolving environment. New risk factors emerge from time to time. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements except as required under applicable law. This press release does not constitute or form part of any offer or invitation to purchase, otherwise acquire, issue, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, nor any solicitation of any offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, issue, subscribe for, sell, or otherwise dispose of any securities of the Company. The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such jurisdictions into which this announcement is released, published or distributed should inform themselves about and observe such restrictions.

CONTACT
WikiSoft Corp.
315 Montgomery Street, San Francisco,
CA 94104, USA
Phone: +1-800-706-0806
Email: investor@wikisoft.com
Investor site: www.wikisoft.com

SOURCE: WikiSoft Corp.
Plato Data Intelligence: https://zephyrnet.com

STL and Robin.io Announce Strategic Collaboration to Deliver Core Technologies to Empower 5G Stacks for Enterprises and Cloud Service Providers

Robin.io will provide the cloud-native platform for deploying applications and network functions on the STL Enterprise Marketplace Platform.

Robin.io, a leader in Kubernetes data management for enterprise applications and operator of 5G solutions, has announced a strategic collaboration with STL (NSE: STLTECH), an industry-leading integrator of digital networks, to offer an XaaS as-a-service solution. The XaaS solution will leverage the STL Enterprise Marketplace Platform with the Robin Cloud-Native Platform (CNP) to deliver enterprise applications and 5G services effectively.

“Built on the foundation of cloud-native, zero-touch automation and open architectures, the integrated marketplace solution will enable CSPs to deliver new revenue models and accelerate customer onboarding while keeping service delivery costs in check. The marketplace solution, built jointly by STL and Robin.io for service providers and enterprises, will disrupt the way XaaS frameworks are built and delivered,” said Partha Seetala, founder and CEO of Robin.io.

STL Enterprise Marketplace is a new-age, platform-based model that simplifies collaboration and has the potential to open up multi-sided marketplace opportunities. STL offers end-to-end software solutions for creating new-age digital services, building new business models, and opening new revenue streams.

The Platform brings together service providers, partners and enterprise customers from different verticals on the same Platform. Robin CNP provides storage, network management and scheduling to run complex network workloads from application vendors and partners across a wide spectrum of use cases. The synergy provides a complete platform for partnership, collaboration and co-creation targeted for enterprise telco customers.

Commenting on the collaboration, Saikat Mitra, COO of STL Network Software, said, “Extreme automation and true cloud-native platforms are key to accelerating digital transformation. In its endeavor to bring innovative XaaS offerings faster to the market, STL has been supporting a hybrid network ecosystem with its 5G Enterprise Marketplace and 5G monetization initiatives. In this strategic partnership, we are bringing our Enterprise Marketplace Platform enabling Robin.io to achieve seamless cloud infrastructure management for multi-datacenter, multi-cloud and multi-edge ecosystems and actualize their vision on 5G, IoT and WiFi.”

There is a growing trend amongst the Communication Service Providers (CSPs) to become an enterprise platform provider to leverage the massive opportunities it provides. The STL Enterprise Marketplace Platform, paired with Robin Multi-Data Center Automation Platform (MDCAP) and Robin CNP, equips service providers with the technology needed to break in and dominate the enterprise XaaS market. The collaboration announced today provides telcos an agile, scalable automation solution for 5G designed to help them reduce risk and accelerate time to value.

About STL
STL (Sterlite Technologies Ltd) is an industry-leading integrator of digital networks that helps telcos, cloud companies, citizen networks and large enterprises deliver enhanced experiences to their customers. STL provides end-to-end, 5G-ready solutions ranging from wired to wireless, design to deployment, and computing connectivity. Our core capabilities lie in Optical Interconnect, Virtualised Access Solutions, Network Software and System Integration. For more information, please visit www.stl.tech.

About Robin.io
Robin.io provides cloud-native capabilities that automate deployment, scaling and lifecycle management of enterprise and 5G applications on Kubernetes. The company’s core technology uses application bundles and application pipelines, which are automated through patented infrastructure and application-topology awareness technology. Robin.io allows developers and platform engineers to deploy and easily manage data rapidly- and network-centric applications-including big data, NoSQL and 5G-independent of underlying infrastructure resources. Robin is used globally by companies including BNP Paribas, Palo Alto Networks, Rakuten Mobile, SAP, Sabre and USAA.

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, Robin.io solutions are recognized by Gartner, IDC, GigaOm and others for their innovation and reliability. More at www.robin.io and Twitter: @robin4K8S.

Media Contact:
Vijayalaxmi Shinde
vijaya@robin.io

15th Asian Financial Forum attracts 63,000+ views

43% of participants show optimism on outlook for 2022 economy

A highlight event celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the 15th Asian Financial Forum (AFF), organised by the Government of the HKSAR and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), came to a successful conclusion yesterday (11 January). Running on the theme Navigating the Next Normal towards a Sustainable Future, the online-only AFF 2022 featured real-time polls to gauge the views of participants on a spectrum of topics, including the global economic outlook, environmental, social and governance (ESG), climate risks and green investment trends. This year, over 700 one-on-one matchmaking meetings between investors and project owners have been arranged in the three-day AFF Deal Flow Matchmaking Session. As of 11 January, the AFF virtual platform had seen more than 63,000 views from 80 countries and regions.

Mark Carney, United Nations Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance, shared his insights on how to build a sustainable financial system as a way of mitigating the liability and transitional threats posed by climate change.
Jean-Claude Trichet, Former President, European Central Bank, offered his views on how the financial industry, regulators and policymakers should step up their concerted efforts in addressing key issues related to monetary stability in times of uncertainty.
This year’s AFF Deal Flow Matchmaking Session was held over three days with over 700 one-on-one matchmaking meetings arranged between project owners and investors.

Delivering his remarks on the second morning of AFF 2022, Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR, noted the tremendous opportunities for Hong Kong’s financial market created by Mainland China’s continued development. “The national 14th Five-Year Plan sets out the long-range objectives of the country through the year 2035, and strategically affirms the role and positioning of Hong Kong in the overall development of our country, presenting opportunities in various areas of importance. Of all the specific roles for Hong Kong that have been reaffirmed or established, the one of particular relevance to us on this occasion is Hong Kong’s continued expansion as an international financial centre, encompassing the strengthening of our status as a global offshore renminbi business hub as well as an international asset management and risk management business centre,” Mr Chan said.

43% of poll respondents optimistic on global economy; 33% say lack of unified ESG standards as top challenge of businesses
Online polls have been conducted during the AFF to gauge participants’ views on a range of issues including the global economic outlook and ESG. It found that 43% of respondents were optimistic about the outlook for the global economy in 2022 – a significant increase from 32% in the poll at AFF 2021 – while 33% of respondents had a neutral view and 24% expressed pessimism. The results indicate a generally more positive sentiment towards economic prospects in 2022.

When asked about the most significant barrier preventing their companies from implementing more ESG-friendly policies, 33% pointed to the lack of unified, easily understandable ESG standards and 22% cited the difficulty in balancing ESG practices and business goals. As for the sectors with the most opportunities for green investment in Asia, 45% identified green energy, followed by real estate and construction (16%), transportation infrastructure (14%) and agriculture and food (14%).

Pulse survey says neglecting ESG will lose business opportunities and clients
PwC and the HKTDC jointly presented a pulse survey, “ESG Investing: Challenges and Opportunities for Hong Kong”, during AFF 2022. Speaking at the forum, Elton Yeung, Vice Chairman of PwC China, said the survey indicated that more than half of the respondents believed that neglecting ESG factors could affect organisations’ ability to attract business opportunities and retain clients. Nearly 40% said it could affect their organisation’s reputation and the sustainability of their operations in the long run.

The report also pointed out that the involvement of boards and executive directors in ESG matters is effective in encouraging companies to move towards sustainability. The green bond market and unified carbon emissions trading market in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area provides significant opportunities for the development of ESG investing in Hong Kong. However, respondents said they see the lack of a homogenous framework or standardised guidelines for measuring ESG factors as a challenge to implementing ESG practices and measures, corresponding with the result of the AFF online poll.

Heavyweight speakers share views on a range of topics
Several keynote speeches were featured at AFF 2022, including an address by Mark Carney, United Nations Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance. Mr Carney shared his insights on how to build a sustainable financial system as a way of mitigating the liability and transitional threats posed by climate change. He said that governments need to step up with “ambitious, credible and predictable” policies that match their pledges. “Very importantly, countries are encouraged to enact ‘deep decarbonisation’ policies such as the phase-out of internal combustion engine vehicles by 2030 and legislate carbon pricing to deliver certainty. This is about giving greater certainty to investors and businesses, so they can pull forward with investment, smooth adjustments and drive jobs and growth upwards while they force emissions downwards. Finance is stepping up, the system is being changed, and there are enormous opportunities now for countries and companies, from affordable green power to zero-emission steel to low-carbon hydrogen and beyond. The financial sector has moved from being a mirror that reflects a world that hasn’t been doing nearly enough to becoming a window through which ambitious climate action can deliver a sustainable future.”

Another distinguished keynote speaker was Jean-Claude Trichet, Former President of the European Central Bank. He noted that the financial industry, regulators and policymakers should step up their concerted efforts when it comes to addressing key issues related to monetary stability in times of uncertainty. “[Macroprudential regulations] are more important than ever. We have to be very careful with regard to these buffers, countercyclical buffers, the systemic risk buffers, et cetera. We have to be very attentive to the loan-to-deposit ratio, to all these kinds of macroprudentials that are of extraordinary importance. It’s clear that the advanced economies have to be particularly cautious today and particularly attentive to their risks. Because if all that turns out to be a hard landing, every country in the world will pay a very high price for that. And, as always, the least developed, the poorest, the developing economies – they will have the most difficulty,” said Mr Trichet.

Looking at the financial world from a different angle, Michael Milken, Chairman, Milken Institute, shared on the positive changes that his philanthropic work has created for communities, “There is no substitute for continued investments in education. One of the things we learnt from COVID is that we need to provide knowledge and education, as it relates to the environment, to nutrition, and to the promise of science. Just developing new technologies and new techniques that are effective, COVID has shown us it’s not enough. We have to make sure that it is communicated so the billions of people on the planet can fully understand and have access to these technologies.”

Tian Guoli, Chairman, Executive Director, China Construction Bank, said: “In 2022, Asia will likely become a force to boost the development of sustainable development in a world full of uncertainties. Hong Kong will certainly play a more crucial role as an international financial centre.”

Ju Weimin, Vice Chairman, President & CIO, China Investment Corporation, a sovereign wealth fund, offered his analysis of the current macro investment trends in Asia and China, noting that sovereign wealth funds are a key source of global investment capital. “They have been the key players in developing the global financial market; they have grown rapidly and are making a bigger impact on the international market and capital flow. Especially since the global financial crisis, the total size of the sovereign wealth funds worldwide has doubled and is approaching the global size of alternative investment,” Mr Ju said.

Addressing the outlook for cryptocurrencies and blockchain, Sam Bankman-Fried, Founder and CEO of cryptocurrency exchange FTX.com, said: “One of the big goals of crypto is to be able to build an ecosystem where there is financial inclusiveness, where anyone can get equitable access to the financial markets. When you look at traditional markets, you just don’t see that ease of access. For some reason in crypto, the exchanges seem to play a very central role, whereas in the rest of the financial ecosystem they played a relevant role but a less central one. That is one big thing that really changes people’s minds on ecosystems as they walk through it.”

Bestselling author and Founder and Executive Chairman of Moven Brett King, also widely known as the “Godfather of Fintech”, offered his perspectives on how the emergence of innovative fintech solutions presents both an opportunity and a challenge to the banking and financial industries. “The first use of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) en masse will probably be the Beijing Winter Olympics this year, where we see the CBDCs incorporated into the mobile wallet for the games. This is the first major evolution of money that we have seen since we moved from coins to paper banknotes. In a historical perspective, what we see right now with the creation of CBDCs and cryptocurrencies is an incredible point of change for humanity with respect to the design and intelligence of money,” Mr King said.

Over 700 meetings in AFF Deal Flow in three days
In response to high investment demand, this year’s AFF Deal Flow Matchmaking Session, co-organised by the HKTDC and the Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, is extended by a day and held over three days from 10 to 12 January. The AFF Deal Flow has facilitated collaboration between project owners, potential business partners and investors by arranging over 700 one-on-one meetings and connecting capital with investment projects from around the world. Over 720 projects in the AFF Deal Flow Matchmaking Session covered a wide spectrum of sectors, including fintech, healthtech, deep tech, consumer goods, infrastructure and real estate, environment, energy and environmental technology. More than 230 of the projects were ESG-integrated to meet the related needs of investors.

AFF online platform runs to mid-March, showcasing technologies from 130+ exhibitors
Video playback of all the sessions and virtual exhibitions from AFF 2022 will be available through the event’s online platform until 11 March 2022. Participants can enjoy round-the-clock access to 60 keynote speeches and panel discussions as well the exhibitions of more than 130 local and international financial institutions, tech companies, start-ups and investment agencies, showcasing a plethora of advanced financial technologies and unmissable investment opportunities.

Overview of participants’ responses in AFF 2022 polls
1. What is your outlook for the global economy in 2022?
Optimistic 43%
Neutral 33%
Pessimistic 24%

2. In which sector do you see the most opportunities for green investment in Asia?
Green energy 45%
Transportation infrastructure 14%
Water and waste treatment 9%
Reforestation 2%
Real estate and construction 16%
Agriculture and food 14%

3. What is the most significant barrier preventing your company/institution from implementing more ESG-friendly policies?
The difficulty in balancing ESG practices and business goals 22%
Lack of ESG understanding among key personnel 16%
Lack of unified, easily understandable ESG standards 33%
Poor data quality and consistency in terms of ESG performance evaluation 14%
Lack of commitment to ESG practices among senior management 6%
Insufficient government support 9%

Websites
– Asian Financial Forum: https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/aff/en/
– AFF programme: https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/aff/en/programme/programme
– AFF speakers: https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/aff/en/speaker/main
– Photo download: https://bit.ly/3HRXNQo

Media enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Janet Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4369, Email: janet.ch.chan@hktdc.org
Clayton Lauw, Tel: +852 2584 4472, Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org
Agnes Wat, Tel: +852 2584 4554, Email: agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.org

About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn

15th Asian Financial Forum opens

More than 170 global business leaders and policymakers explore a sustainable future for world’s economy

Organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the 15th Asian Financial Forum (AFF) opened today as an online-only event. AFF 2022 is a highlight event celebrating the 25th anniversary of the HKSAR. The two-day forum features 60 sessions including keynote speeches and in-depth discussions along with an array of activities such as exhibitions and the AFF Deal Flow Matchmaking Session. All activities at AFF 2022 will be streamed live on the event’s virtual platform.

Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, delivered remarks at the opening ceremony of the 15th Asian Financial Forum
Mark Carney (R), United Nations Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance, shared his insights on how to build a sustainable financial system. Mr Carney was introduced by Ronnie Chan, Chair, Hang Lung Properties Limited (L)
Jean-Claude Trichet, Former President of the European Central Bank

Under the theme “Navigating the Next Normal towards a Sustainable Future”, more than 170 global business leaders, policymakers, financial and wealth management experts, entrepreneurs, tech giants and economists from 16 countries and regions speak at the AFF, and examine the key issues reshaping the economic landscape, including how industries can realise sustainable and inclusive development through impactful venture capital and business strategies.

Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, officiated at the forum’s opening ceremony. In her opening remarks she noted that: “With ‘One Country, Two Systems’ back on the right track, international investors and observers have shown confidence in Hong Kong. The latest Global Financial Centres Index, in September last year, ranked Hong Kong third globally among the more than 100 financial centres assessed, behind only New York and London. Looking ahead, beyond the pandemic and the continuing cloud it raises over global economic growth, particularly associated with the Omicron variant, we see boundless possibilities.”

In his welcome remarks, Dr Peter K N Lam, Chairman of the HKTDC, said: “This year is especially meaningful because the AFF is also the first of many events to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. While we are still tackling the pandemic, we are also looking beyond the pandemic to recovery, which is the main direction of the AFF theme this year. We have brought together policymakers and business leaders from around the world to discuss important global issues from an Asian perspective. This year, our event will again be held virtually, and I hope we can reach more people from around the world to share ideas and inspire each other.”

Three heavyweight financial ministers from Mainland China delivered special remarks during the opening session. They included Dr Shang Fulin, Director of the CPPCC Economic Affairs Committee, Former Chairman of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, and Former Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission; Dr Fang Xinghai, Vice Chairman, China Securities Regulatory Commission; and Xiao Yuanqi, Vice Chairman, China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission.

Dr Shang noted: “Global openness requires cooperation, and a rules-based multilateral trading system is the cornerstone of economic globalisation and free trade. The international community must double-down on consensus-building and actions. We must also stand firm on maintaining openness, inclusiveness, dialogue and collaboration to jointly address global issues and challenges. This will enable us to promote stronger and greener global development and champion a community with a shared future.”

Mark Carney and Jean-Claude Trichet deliver keynote speeches on first day
Mark Carney, United Nations Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance, delivered a keynote address on the first day of AFF 2022. He shared his insights on how to build a sustainable financial system as a way of mitigating the liability and transitional threats posed by climate change. “From a general perspective, the risks of future pandemics have gone up because of climate change. And what is disappointing is that we have known of these risks of pandemics for a long period of time. The upfront investment against them in terms of healthcare capacity, testing, et cetera, is extremely modest relative to the cost, and we still haven’t made those investments on the scale that we need. We have to take this seriously. It is compounded by climate change,” Mr Carney said.

Another distinguished speaker was Jean-Claude Trichet, Former President of the European Central Bank. He noted that the financial industry, regulators and policymakers should step up their concerted efforts in times of uncertainty.

Global financial policymakers and experts discuss green finance and sustainable growth
A plenary session chaired by Christopher Hui, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of the HKSAR, was held following the opening session. Mr Hui joined together with an international panel of financial ministers, bank governors and policymakers to examine the characteristics of the post-COVID global economic new normal and discuss how the public and private sectors can collaborate to orient the global economy towards a green future with sustainable growth. The panellists included Vincent Van Peteghem, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Belgium; Mihaly Varga, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Hungary; Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, Minister of Finance, Thailand; Wimboh Santoso, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, Financial Services Authority, Indonesia; Verena Ross, Chair, European Securities and Markets Authority; Jin Liqun, President and Chair, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank; Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, President, Islamic Development Bank; and Marcos Troyjo, President, New Development Bank.

At a policy dialogue in the afternoon, Eddie Yue, Chief Executive, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, chaired a panel featuring Ashley Alder, Chief Executive Officer, Securities and Futures Commission; Benjamin E. Diokno, Central Bank Governor, Philippines; Klaas Knot, Chair, Financial Stability Board and President, De Nederlandsche Bank; Teresa Ko, Co-vice chair, IFRS Foundation; and Dr Ma Jun, Co-Chair of G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group, Co-Chair of IPSF Taxonomy Working Group; Chairman and President of Hong Kong Green Finance Association. The panel exchanged views on how the financial system can better support a sustainable global recovery while keeping climate-related financial risks at bay.

Echoing the theme of AFF 2022, a panel discussion on “ESG & Sustainability” was also staged. Stewart James, Chief of Staff, Sustainability Policy & Regulation, HSBC, spoke with panellists including Andrew Erickson, Chief Productivity Officer, Head of International Business, State Street; Shinta Widjaja Kamdani, CEO, Sintesa Group; Amy Lo, Co-Head Wealth Management Asia Pacific, UBS Global Wealth Management; and Saker Nusseibeh, CEO, Federated Hermes International. The speakers shared their perspectives on how governments around the world, industry giants, financial institutions and philanthropists can work together towards the wider implementation of environmental, social and governance (ESG) to build a sustainable future.

Financial and business leaders examine global economic outlook
Other esteemed financial ministers and business leaders who spoke at AFF 2022 included Ju Weimin, Vice Chairman, President & CIO, China Investment Corporation, a sovereign wealth fund; Paul M Achleitner, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Deutsche Bank AG; Tony O Elumelu, Group Chairman, United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation; Bill Winters, Group Chief Executive, Standard Chartered plc; Tian Guoli, Chairman, Executive Director, China Construction Bank Corporation; Liu Jin, President, Bank of China Limited; Shriti Vadera, Group Chair, Prudential plc; and Douglas Flint, Chairman, abrdn plc.

AFF Deal Flow Matchmaking Session and fintech exhibition held online
From 10 to 12 January, the AFF Deal Flow Matchmaking Session is arranging a series of one -on-one matchmaking meetings on the virtual AFF platform to facilitate collaboration between project owners, potential business partners and investors. More than 600 investment projects, including over 200 ESG-related projects, are being showcased, covering sectors such as deep tech, digital technology and media, healthtech, education, infrastructure and real estate services.

Online exhibitions are also being held during AFF 2022. At the Fintech Showcase, InnoVenture Salon, FintechHK Startup Salon and Global Investment Zone, more than 130 local and international financial institutions, tech companies, start-ups and investment agencies are showcasing an array of advanced technologies and unmissable investment opportunities in various countries and regions. Meanwhile, the HKTDC, Mizuho Bank and Eureka Nova, a start-up incubation and open innovation platform established by New World Development, come together for the first time for AFF Accelerate. It provides a platform for entrepreneurs and innovators to bring their next-generation technology solutions from concept to fruition and adoption in the business sector.

Cryptonaire and eminent philanthropist speak on second day
Tomorrow morning will see another keynote speaker Brett King, Founder and Executive Chairman of Moven, sharing perspectives on how the emergence of new fintech developments presents both opportunities and challenges for the banking and financial industries. Sam Bankman-Fried, Founder and CEO of cryptocurrency exchange FTX.com and the richest person in crypto, who is also a Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree, will talk about his entrepreneurial journey and the outlook for blockchain and cryptocurrency. In addition, philanthropist Michael Milken, widely known as one of the most influential thinkers in US finance, will share some of the positive changes that his philanthropic work has created for communities, while Miao Jianmin, Chairman, China Merchants Group, will share his views on Mainland China’s carbon neutrality goals and green finance development.

Other highlight sessions tomorrow include “Decentralised Future – Accelerating Blockchain Innovation for Digital Assets & Transaction” and “Innovation Investment in NFT – Trends and Opportunities”, which will feature speakers such as Jason Bailey, Co-Founder & CEO, ClubNFT, and Francis Belin, President, Asia Pacific at Christie’s.

At the Family Office Symposium, co-organised by the HKTDC and the Private Wealth Management Association, Ronnie Chan, Chair, Hang Lung Properties; Adrian Cheng, Chief Executive Officer, New World Development; and Seri Cheah Cheng Hye, Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Investment Officer, Value Partners Group, will explore wealth management trends relating to family offices and discuss their development among Asian families.

Furthermore, a series of thematic workshops, “Dialogues for Tomorrow” and fireside chats will examine the future of such sectors as energy, food and agriculture, digital wealth management, cloud computing, paytech and healthcare. The speakers will also explore opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, venture capital trends and the net zero economy.

Websites

Media enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Janet Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4369, Email: janet.ch.chan@hktdc.org
Clayton Lauw, Tel: +852 2584 4472, Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org
Agnes Wat, Tel: +852 2584 4554, Email: agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.org

About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn

The Era of Accelerated Digital Innovation Among Enterprises in Southeast Asia – AIBP ASEAN Enterprise Innovation Award Winners Announced

Ten enterprises have emerged as the winners of the 2021 AIBP ASEAN Enterprise Innovation Award. The 5th annual edition of the Award saw over 130 nominations from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand & Vietnam, narrowed down to 27 finalists and 10 final winners.

Winners of the Award are as follows:
– Ayala Land Inc.
– Bangchak Corporation
– Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited
– Bank Mandiri
– Carsem M Sdn Bhd
– Mavin Group
– Manila Electric Company (Meralco)
– PT Transportasi Jakarta
– Sarawak Energy
– Tien Phong Commercial Joint Stock Bank (TPBank)

Commenting on innovation initiatives observed among ASEAN enterprises this year, Irza Suprapto, CEO of Industry Platform said, “We’ve seen ASEAN grow as a region in the past decade, and over the past two years, businesses have had to grapple with uncertertaines around the pandemic. Amidst these challenges, attitudes towards digitalisation and innovation have shifted as they take centre stage in driving growth and development for enterprises in ASEAN, one of the fastest evolving digital economies in the world.”

Among the winning enterprises, highlights from the innovation and digitalisation initiatives in 2021 include implementation of new, cutting-edge technologies and the creation of new business value.

Enhancing Processes with Advanced Technology

Key technologies highlighted by the enterprise winners across different industries include the application of blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). At Bangkok Bank, enterprise blockchain digitised the entire trade finance process, revolutionising international trade transactions. In the electric utility sector, Sarawak Energy Berhad is exploring blockchain technology to be applied in the wholesale energy market.

83% of ASEAN enterprises consider their organisations data-driven, with some going beyond to extract more value from data by incorporating AI and ML. Bank Mandiri is a pioneer in Indonesia employing AI and ML to analyse patterns in their ecosystem data for insights to provide personalised financial services. Transjakarta is also exploring the use of technology such as AI, IoT with new data structures that support streaming analytics to optimise bus dispatching services and meet passenger demand.

Low-code platforms were key enablers of several of the winning innovation projects for enterprises like Ayala Land and Bangchak Corporation to ensure configurability and scalability of application development.

Unlocking New Business Value through Innovation and Digitalisation

In the banking and financial services sector, Bangkok Bank and Bank Mandiri seek to maximise customer value with digitalisation. Bangkok Bank is exploring commercialisation of the Distributed Ledger Technology for trade services. Bank Mandiri’s Integrated Value Chain Ecosystem enables understanding of interactions across the wholesale banking ecosystem.

With the launch of their mobile application, Transjakarta seeks to expand their service offerings by scaling the platform into a larger digital ecosystem integrating e-commerce, loyalty programmes, financial services, etc. Bangchak Corporation has also expanded its business to green energy, oil trading and natural resources among others.

As we enter 2022 with improved business processes and renewed optimism, ASEAN’s enterprise digital transformation and innovation journey will continue to scale greater heights as resilience and sustainability become cornerstones of businesses.

For any queries, please contact Vanessa Kwan, Program Lead, email: vanessa@industry-platform.com.

About AIBP ASEAN Enterprise Innovation Award

The Enterprise Innovation Award was established in 2017 by AIBP with the key objective of giving recognition to organisations which have embarked on projects to digitally transform their business through the adoption of innovative technology. The awards are held annually in the following ASEAN countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. For additional information on the Award, please visit https://iotbusiness-platform.com/award/.

About AIBP

AIBP serves as an avenue for public and private organisations in Southeast Asia to access and exchange information about growth and innovation within the B2B space. With a current network of over 30,000 stakeholders in Southeast Asia, AIBP continues to develop ecosystems by engaging in activities which create value-adding information for our stakeholders seeking to make transformative impacts within their organisations. For additional information about AIBP, please visit https://iotbusiness-platform.com/.

Verofax secures $1.5M in pre-Series A to expand its Traceability as a Service Offering

Verofax Limited, an Asset Digitization and Traceability solutions provider, today announced closing a $1.5M pre-Series A round by international investors led by Benson Oak Ventures, with 500 Startups, Wami Capital and Vernalis Capital completing the group.

Verofax utilizes patented technology incorporating Blockchain, Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence to provide ‘Traceability as a Service’, enabling brands to turn their offline products interactive, and manage their entire supply chain to trace goods, fend off counterfeit activities, and improve manufacturers’ productivity. Brands can extend their reach directly to end-consumers, thereby increasing consumer intimacy with direct engagement, and leveraging the boom in NFTs and metaverse experiences.

The funds will be used to expand the Company’s sales and marketing activities on a global level, ahead of a planned Series A round later in 2022. Verofax solutions are applicable to a wide range of industries (Retail and CPG) and are already used by leading brands such as Anheuser Busch Inc. Verofax is a Microsoft Gold partner, and has secured a global network of distributors and resellers, and co-selling on enterprise solution platforms including Microsoft Appsource, Amazon AWS and Ant Group Antchain.

Wassim Merheby, CEO of Verofax, said: “Our solution helps brands turn their products into a direct-to-consumer communication channel and deliver amazing experiences to drive growth and boost loyalty while also promoting greener product choices and ESG auditability. Verofax also helps turn give-aways into collectible and tradeable NFTs, interoperable across several metaverse environments. We are thrilled to be joined by investors that will help accelerate our growth trajectory through their collective expertise, network, and leadership.”

Robert Cohen, Managing Director of lead investor Benson Oak Ventures, said: “We have a very specific investment thesis that brands will leverage Web 3 & NFTs to reinvent their engagement & business models with consumers, creating entirely new service categories. Verofax has demonstrated early product market fit, leveraging its proprietary technology to sell its Traceability solution to many different types of brands and help them navigate this new world. We have been incredibly impressed by Wassim and the whole Verofax team, and thrilled to be making this our first investment in the UAE.”

Chetan Mehta, CEO of Wami Capital, said, “Verofax Blockchain-based traceability and validation solution empowers brands in the consumer goods and retail industry to promote sustainable products and allows consumers to choose greener brands and enjoy immersive experiences. Verofax traceability prevents counterfeiting in the supply chain across pharmaceutical, manufacturing, consumer, retail and logistics. We look forward to working with Verofax team to accelerate the adoption of their solution across our ecosystem.”

About Verofax
Verofax is a blockchain-enabled Asset Digitization and Traceability solution provider with a presence across North America, Europe, Asia and MEA regions. Verofax’s solution is available across multiple cloud environments, helping businesses transform its physical products to interactive, and enable meaningful engagements with immersive user interfaces. For technical matters, visit Verofax at https://www.verofax.com or contact info@verofax.com.

About Benson Oak Ventures
Benson Oak, with a new office in Abu Dhabi, is a venture capital firm with 20 years experience in Europe, the US and the Middle East, with an increased focus on Web3 and ‘passionware’ – where everyone is a business. Investments have included Internet security leader AVG, video marketing platform Promo.com, crypto wallet ZenGo and HCM platform Harri. http://bensonoakventures.com.

About Wami Capital
Wami Capital, a single-family fund, focuses on supply chain activities of the Transworld Group. https://wamicapital.com.

About 500 Startup Sanabil MENA Fund
500 Startups (500), one of the most active global early stage venture capital firms, has partnered with Sanabil Investments, a financial investment company focused on global private investments in venture capital, growth and small buyout. This follows the recent announcement of the establishment of 500 Startups’ new MENA regional headquarters in Riyadh. https://ecosystems.500.co/sanabil500accelerator.

About Vernalis Capital
Vernalis Capital is the family-owned investment company of Bala Chandra, founder of Vernalis. Vernalis Capital believes in providing entrepreneurs strategic leverage and seeks to build an ecosystem of synergistic companies which helps entrepreneurs pursue their own vision and goals while being supported wherever required. With a strong global network of partners and alliances, Vernalis Capital opens access to global managerial talent and mutually beneficial networking opportunities. https://www.vernaliscapital.com.

Hatten Land Signs Comprehensive Collaboration Agreement with Huawei

SGX Catalist-listed Hatten Land Limited (“Hatten” or the “Company” and together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”) is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary Hatten Edge Pte. Ltd. (“Hatten Edge”) has entered into a Comprehensive Collaboration Agreement (“CCA”) with global leading information and communications technology (ICT) provider Huawei International Pte. Ltd. (“Huawei International”).

Highlights:
– Utilising their respective capabilities in technology, operational resources and business networks, Huawei and Hatten will jointly explore and develop business opportunities in key areas such as Cloud Computing, Virtual World solutions, Digital Entertainment, Data Centres, Renewable Energy, Fintech Infrastructure, among others
– The partnership is a testament of Hatten’s ongoing efforts and commitment in its strategic pivot and it will be another important catalyst to accelerate its digital and blockchain business ventures
– Huawei endeavours to share its world-class expertise and cutting-edge technology in cloud and enterprise intelligence with Hatten to co-design and co-market innovative cloud products and services, including gaming cloud solutions
– Through this partnership, Hatten will focus on the joint development of eco-friendly data centres in Melaka to support Hatten’s ongoing digital initiatives and cater to the surging demand of data centres from cloud service providers in the region
– Both companies will also endeavor to develop large scale solar facilities and other renewable energy opportunities in the region that will be managed by the Group

Under the CCA, both companies will jointly explore and develop opportunities in cloud computing and enterprise intelligence, renewable energy, data centres, fintech infrastructure in Melaka and the region by utilising their respective capabilities in technology, operational resources and business networks.

Due to the fast-paced digital transformation and impact of the pandemic, Southeast Asia has seen phenomenal growth in digital entertainment, including the gaming and esports sector of which the Malaysian gaming market alone is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2021-2026) of 9.60%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$676m by 2026. Tapping on the high growth and profitability potentials of the digital entertainment industry, Huawei endeavours to share its world-class expertise and cutting-edge technology in cloud and enterprise intelligence with Hatten to co-design and co-market innovative cloud products and services, including gaming cloud solutions. Currently, HUAWEI CLOUD is one of the world’s fastest growing major cloud service provider.

Likewise in the cloud computing sector, the Southeast Asian cloud market is expected to reach US$40.32 billion by 2025. The Hatten-Huawei partnership will also focus on the joint development of eco-friendly data centres in Melaka to support Hatten’s ongoing digital initiatives and cater to the surging demand of data centres from cloud service providers in the region.

In addition, both companies aim to work on potential opportunities of large-scale solar facilities in the region, thereby augmenting the Group’s sustainability efforts. As a start, Hatten’s first PV project of installing over 6,000 solar panels on the roof of the largest mall in Melaka, Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall, in 2022, will be equipped by Huawei’s smart inverters.

The Company has substantial hospitality and commercial property businesses and assets in Melaka, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is a major tourist attraction in Southeast Asia. Hatten has recently had undertaken a major strategic review to re-purpose its malls and to pivot its business model towards blockchain-related and digital economy trends as well as opportunities in digital assets.

Hatten’s digital opportunities include building “Virtual” world, starting with a digital twin city of Melaka (“Digital Melaka”), which will contain NFTs, tokens and other digital assets using blockchain and initiatives. HUAWEI CLOUD will endeavour to support Hatten’s strategies and initiatives in blockchain, NFT, ‘green’ and ‘clean’ digital assets, custodian services and other digital asset creation and monetisation activities by providing its latest research and innovations on industrial-grade infrastructure architecture designed for financial institutions.

With the partnership targeted towards the regional markets, there are strong opportunities to leverage on both Huawei and Hatten’s business networks to harness the emerging trends and business opportunities in Asia’s digital economy.

Dato’ Colin Tan, Executive Chairman and Managing Director of Hatten, said: “The Huawei-Hatten partnership is a strong and uniquely complimentary combination. Huawei’s expertise in innovation, technology and complex digital product integrations, and Hatten’s established track record and business network in Malaysia and the region will allow us to build the next generation of cloud solutions, digital platforms and renewable energy solutions.

Together, working as one team, we aim to unlock the full potential of digital transformations and business opportunities within the new digital economies in Asia.”

“HUAWEI CLOUD is excited to be working with Hatten to support its digital related ventures. We believe our technology and innovation will help with the multifaceted needs Hatten has for its strategic pivot,” says Rex Lei, Managing Director of HUAWEI CLOUD Singapore.

About Hatten Land Limited

Hatten Land Limited is one of the leading property developers in Malaysia specialising in integrated residential, hotel and commercial developments. Headquartered in Melaka, it is the property development arm of the conglomerate Hatten Group, which is a leading brand in Malaysia with core businesses in property development, property investment, hospitality, retail and education.

Hatten Land Limited began trading on the Catalist board of SGX-ST on 28 February 2017 after the completion of the reverse takeover of VGO Corporation Limited.

For more information, visit: www.hattenland.com.sg

Society Pass (SoPa) Announces Inclusion in Russell 2000 Index

Society Pass Incorporated (Nasdaq: “SOPA”) (“SoPa” or “the Comapny”), the leading Southeast Asian data-driven loyalty platform, today, announced that the company has been added to the Russell 2000 Index, effective at the open of U.S. markets on December 20, 2021 and according to the preliminary list of IPO additions to the Russell indexes.

Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Society Pass, Dennis Nguyen said “Building on the momentum of our successful IPO, the inclusion of Society Pass to these highly regarded and widely used indexes will increase the visibility of our stock to the wider global investment community and attract new classes of investors to our register.”

Membership in the Russell 2000 Index, which remains in place until the next reconstitution, is based on membership in the broad-market Russell 3000 Index. The Russell US Indexes are commonly used as performance benchmarks, or as the basis for index-linked products including index tracking funds, derivatives, and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs).

FTSE Russell is a global index leader that provides innovative benchmarking, analytics, and data solutions for investors worldwide. FTSE Russell calculates thousands of indexes that measure and benchmark markets and asset classes in more than 70 countries, covering 98 percent of the investable market globally. According to FTSE Russell, a core set of universal principles guides FTSE Russell index design and management: a transparent rules-based methodology is informed by independent committees of leading market participants.

Society Pass recently also announced its ambition to accelerate its growth in Southeast Asia through the launch of its regional headquarters in Singapore on 16 December 2021. Located at Raffles Place in the heart of the Singapore central business district, the new office acts as the company’s designated Asia Pacific hub for regional business and expansion opportunities, in particular, the acquisition and acceleration of high growth ecommerce businesses in the key focus markets of Vietnam, Indonesia and Philippines.

SoPa is a loyalty and data marketing ecosystem that operates multiple e-commerce and lifestyle platforms across its key markets. Its business model focuses on collecting user data through the expected circulation of its universal loyalty points. It seamlessly connects consumers and merchants across multiple product and service categories fostering organic loyalty. From its launch in 2019, SoPa has amassed over 1.5 million registered users and over 3,500 registered merchants and brands. It has since invested 2+ years building proprietary IT architecture with cutting edge components to effectively scale and support its Platform’s consumers, merchants, and acquisitions.

About Society Pass

Society Pass’ customer loyalty and analytics platform has onboarded hundreds of thousands of registered consumers. Society Pass provides merchants with SoPa.asia – an online commerce platform for users, alongside with #HOTTAB Biz – a convenient order management app for business partners on SoPa.asia, and #HOTTAB POS – a specialized POS technology solution, a comprehensive system for payment, loyal customer management, user’s profile analytics, and convenient financial support packages for small and medium-sized enterprises. All tools offered above will allow businesses to attract and retain customers through personalized interaction based on analytics with a high profit margin. In addition, SoPa operates Leflair.com, Vietnam’s leading lifestyle e-commerce platform. For more information, please check out: http://thesocietypass.com/

Media contact
PRecious Communications for SoPa
sopa@preciouscomms.com

Singapore’s 1982 Ventures Raises US$12.5M in the First Close of Seed Fund

1982 Ventures, a leading early-stage venture capital firm in Southeast Asia, has announced the initial close of its first seed stage venture fund with US$12.5 million in committed capital. The fund is targeting to raise a total corpus of US$15 million.

Scott Krivokopich and Herston Elton Powers, Managing Partners of 1982 Ventures, Southeast Asia’s leading seed fund which is focused on fintech. (1982 Ventures)

Established in early 2020, 1982 Ventures is a Southeast Asia focused venture capital fund that invests in seed stage fintech startups in Southeast Asia. The fund was recently identified as the most active Southeast Asia based fintech investor of 2021 (UOB).

The firm’s portfolio has made a return of over 3x, with early and first round investments in Indonesian open banking player Brick, Vietnamese retail investment platform Infina (YC S21), home financing proptech Homebase (YC W21), Singaporean automated financial data platform Bluesheets and Southeast Asia’s first earned wage access platform Wagely.

Their first fund has been backed by US fintech unicorn Carta, Asia’s leading multinational Genting Group’s Venture arm, US fund of funds First Close Partners and Rally Cap and major Indonesian family office Trihill. The backers of 1982 Ventures include Southeast Asian, European and American family offices, fintech founders, senior executives of tech and financial services companies and GPs of other VC funds including Sheel Mohnot (founding GP of 500 Fintech and Better Tomorrow Ventures) and unnamed GPs at major Southeast Asian VC funds.

Herston Elton Powers, Co-founder and Managing Partner of 1982 Ventures stated, “Seed stage fintech in Southeast Asia is a clear once in a generation opportunity. Our focus and credibility with founders make us first money invested and the partner of choice for fintech entrepreneurs in the region.” He continued, “Our investors have access to the highest quality deal flow and as a result of their commitment to 1982 Ventures, have directly participated in the region’s most competitive fintech rounds.”

JunYuan Tan, Co-Founder and CEO, of Homebase (a 1982 Ventures portfolio company) stated “1982 Ventures was one of our earliest institutional investors. They have been super helpful even up till today. In fact, 1982 Ventures has by far made the most number of quality introductions to us, especially for lenders, and it’s not even close. 1982 Ventures’ investment is one of the best money we’ve ever taken.”

Southeast Asia represents a once in a generation opportunity with half a billion consumers waiting for financial services. The region is experiencing rapid urbanization and has some of the world’s highest technology adoption and mobile and internet penetration rates. Southeast Asian fintech startups represent more than US$10 billion in unrealized value, with 100 projected fintech exits in the coming years (Dealroom).

Ian Sulaiman, Vice President, of Trihill, stated “1982 Ventures is filling a critical gap in the VC market with their focus on seed stage fintech companies. The GPs understand how to invest in Indonesia and across the region. Scott and Herston have impressed us with their company selection and we have confidence in the judgement.”

Going forward, the firm is looking to invest in a total of 30 start-ups primarily in the fintech sector across Southeast Asia. The firm has a core focus on Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and Philippines with the ability invest across the region and opportunistically in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Scott Krivokopich, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of 1982 Ventures stated, “We are on track to realize our goal of becoming the best performing fund in the region and we are encouraged by the support from the global investment community in backing 1982 Ventures.” He continued, “We have seen the incredible rise of fintech in China, India, Latin America, Africa and the West — now is the time for Southeast Asian fintech to lead the way.”

Both Herston and Scott are former executives of tryb Group, a Southeast Asian fintech investor, and have each been in Asia for well over a decade. Scott Krivokopich was previously the Head of Investments at tryb Group and prior to that established Moore Stephens Corporate Finance business in China, advised on M&A for Southeast Asian fintech transactions, worked with Micro-Finance pioneer Grameen Bank. Scott started his career in New York working for PwC Structured Credit and Derivatives Advisory.

Herston Elton Powers, an INSEAD graduate in Singapore, previously led investments, operations and investor relations at tryb Group. He is credited as the first institutional investor in Indonesia’s leading fintech and Neo bank Alami. Prior to becoming a VC investor, Herston was a banker at the Bank of New York Mellon (BNY Mellon) in New York, Hong Kong and Singapore where he was Head of Southeast Asia and worked on numerous Chinese, Indian and Southeast Asian listings on NYSE and Nasdaq. He also supported the founding of a global fintech company based in Europe.

“1982 Ventures has proven its ability to source and invest in the best fintech start-ups in the region.” stated Scott Krivokopich. He continued, “Our mission is clear to back the next generation of unicorns which will come from the fintech sector in Southeast Asia.”

1982 Ventures expects to announce the final close of its first seed fund soon and is only open for investment from strategic investors to participate in a “greenshoe option” as the fund is already oversubscribed ahead of its final close.

About 1982 Ventures
1982 Ventures is the leading seed fund investing in fintech start-ups in Southeast Asia. 1982 Ventures focuses on being the first port of call for fintech founders and the first money in.
1982 Ventures investments include Bluesheets, Brick, Fundiin, Go Zayann, Homebase, Hugo, Infina, Lista, Nextpay, Pina and Wagely.
1982 Ventures is investing in and supporting the best founders to positively impact the future of financial services in Southeast Asia.
For more information visit: https://1982.vc.

For Media Enquiries:
Herston@1982.vc

Quotes From Investors And Portfolio Companies Of 1982 Ventures (In Alphabetical Order):

Carta:
Davis Thacker, Director and Head of Carta Ventures, of Carta stated “Southeast Asia is a new and critical market for Carta. 1982 Ventures is a strategic investment for Carta and the perfect partner as we look to expand our fintech partnerships in the region.

First Close Partners:
Carolina Huaranca Mendoza, General Partner of First Close Partners, stated “Our firm is always on the lookout for best in class fund managers from underrepresented backgrounds across the globe. Herston and Scott have built an impressive firm with a strong vertical focus in fintech in Southeast Asia which really stood out to us. We are proud to be investors and tremendously excited to follow their progress as they continue to build their venture franchise. Our hope is that more underrepresented fund managers follow 1982’s lead and are inspired to invest in emerging markets.”

Gavin Tan of Brick:
Gavin Tan, Co-Founder and CEO, of Brick stated “1982 Ventures led our first VC round and Brick has been incredibly fortunate to have an investor that lives and breathes fintech and is always ready to support us with investor, customer and talent introductions.”

Genting Ventures (Genting Group Corporate Venture Arm):
Josie Lai, Head of Genting Ventures, stated “1982 Ventures is a pure-play fintech investor that brings key insights and co-investment opportunities that are aligned with our group’s strategy.”

James Vuong of Infina (YC S21):
James Vuong, Founder and CEO, of Infina stated “On our first call it was clear that Herston and Scott understood our business model and what we are building at Infina. For a solo founder it is invaluable to have a team you can call for anything, has real experience and expertise, and likes to move fast and get things done.” He continued, “Even after our successive fund raising rounds they continued to support Infina by identifying and helping us recruit our Chief of Staff!”

JunYuan Tan of Homebase (YC W21):
JunYuan Tan, Co-Founder and CEO, of Homebase stated “1982 Ventures was one of our earliest institutional investors. They have been super helpful even up till today. In fact, 1982 Ventures has by far made the most number of quality introductions to us, especially for lenders, and it’s not even close. 1982 Ventures’ investment is one of the best money we’ve ever taken.”

Sheel Mohnot of Better Tomorrow Ventures:
Sheel Mohnot, Co-Founder and General Partner, of Better Tomorrow Ventures, stated “We are a global fintech fund and have seen how fintech transforms all markets. 1982 Ventures was the clear choice for a fund to provide us an on-the-ground partner that understands fintech in Southeast Asia.”

Trihill Capital:
Ian Sulaiman, Vice President, of Trihill, stated “1982 Ventures is filling a critical gap in the VC market with their focus on seed stage fintech companies. The GPs understand how to invest in Indonesia and across the region. Scott and Herston have impressed us with their company selection and we have confidence in their judgement.”