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HKTDC Maintains 3% Export Growth Forecast

– Low US market exposure dilutes tariff impacts

Hong Kong is still on course for export growth of 3% this year, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) confirmed today. This timely assessment came as the HKTDC announced the findings of two of its key metrics namely the 2025 Mid-Year Export Review and Outlook and the HKTDC Export Confidence Index 2Q25.

Strong frontloading amid tariff uncertainties
The city’s 2025 export performance is navigating a period of almost unprecedented turbulence in the global trade arena. Much of this uncertainty has stemmed from the radical shift in US trade policy – particularly the heavy reliance on substantial import tariffs – adopted by President Trump’s administration.

In anticipation of a hefty tariff regime, many of Hong Kong’s exporters opted to “frontload” their orders in the early months of 2025 before the new tariffs were implemented. This helped bolster the city’s export figures in the early months of the year and resulted in a number of other positive factors.

Low exposure to US market
First, Hong Kong has low exposure to the US market when compared with other economies. For instance, US-bound exports in 2024 accounted for just 6.5% of Hong Kong’s total exports.

By learning the lessons of previous tariff regimes, notably during the first term of President Trump (2017 to 2021), Hong Kong successfully reconfigured its trading base to reduce its exposure to uncertainties in the US market. Since 2017, Hong Kong has bolstered its trade ties with other economies, with exports to the ASEAN bloc up 38.5% and to the Middle East increasing by 58.1%. The upshot of this is that, despite a 10.5% drop in Hong Kong’s exports to the US over the last eight years, Hong Kong’s total exports for the period recorded a 17.2% increase.

This vulnerability has been further reduced by many Hong Kong exporters prioritizing the diversification of their sourcing locations in line with China+1 or China+N strategies. As a consequence, many of Hong Kong’s US-bound exports are now sourced from different locations than they were in 2017. In fact, in 2024, nearly half of Hong Kong’s US-bound exports originated from a variety of international sources, notably up from the comparable figure of 15% eight years ago.

Taken together, should a high level of US tariffs be reinstated, only about 3.4% of Hong Kong’s total exports would be affected. Any impact would then be further diminished once the products eligible for tariff exemptions were also taken into account. Collectively, these factors underpin HKTDC Research’s expectation that, even in such adverse trading conditions, Hong Kong’s exports will still expand by 3% as predicted earlier in the year.

Commenting on the HKTDC’s decision to confirm its earlier forecast, Director of Research, Irina Fan, said: “Whatever the outcome of the ongoing trade negotiations, our low exposure to the US market, robust trade ties with other markets and diversified sourcing networks are the key underlying factors that should allow Hong Kong exporters to weather the US tariffs relatively unscathed.”

Weaker export performance expected in 2H
In line with the overall expectation that export performance would weaken as 2025 progresses, the overall reading for the HKTDC Export Confidence Index in the second quarter fell below 50 for the first time in a year. This moderate decline in Hong Kong exporter confidence can be taken as aligning with the escalation in global trade uncertainty.

With the survey conducted at the height of the China-US tariff trade war (28 April-15 May), this downbeat outcome was widely anticipated. In specific terms, this saw the Current Performance Index fall to 49.6 (down from 52.1), while the Expectation Index stood at 49.0 (down from 51.0). Subsequent to the completion of the survey, new trade negotiations have emerged between Mainland China (including Hong Kong) and the US; an outcome expected to be reflected in the findings of the 3Q25 Index.

In other findings, Hong Kong exporter confidence remained high regarding prospects in both the ASEAN bloc (59.9) and Mainland China (52.6), while the corresponding reading for the US plummeted to 31.6 (down from 46.7)

The Current Performance of three of the six key Hong Kong industry sectors tracked by the Index remained positive with Jewellery at 51.6, Timepieces at 52.1 and Equipment/Materials at 50.4. In the case of the other three sectors, Electronics and Clothing (both 48.9) were marginally below the watershed level while Toys (43.1) continued its recent decline.

Putting the findings into context, Kenneth Lee, Special Project and Business Advisory Section Head, HKTDC Research, said: “Overall, the findings for the second quarter align with earlier expectations of weaker exporter confidence amid US tariff uncertainties. It is, however, heartening to see Hong Kong exporters maintain a largely positive outlook with regard to all of the city’s major markets, except for the US.”

To view press releases in Chinese, please visit http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tc

References
– HKTDC Research website: https://research.hktdc.com/en/
– HKTDC Export Confidence Index 2Q25: Exporter Confidence Weakens Amid US Tariff Uncertainties
https://research.hktdc.com/en/article/MjAyNjM4NzY1Mg
– 2025 Mid-Year Trade Review and Outlook: Global Trade Talk Progress Sees HKTDC Adhere to 3% Export Growth Forecast
https://research.hktdc.com/en/article/MjAzNDc4NjgwMw

Photo download: https://bit.ly/4n24Ds1

Media enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC’s Communication and Public Affairs Department:

Jane Cheung

Tel: (852) 2584 4137

Email: jane.mh.cheung@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 over 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.

CleverTap Launches “Promos” The Industry-First All-In-One Rewards Management Platform

CleverTap, the all-in-one customer engagement platform, today announced the launch of Promos — an industry-first, customer rewards management platform built to redefine how brands create, manage, distribute, and optimize rewards, promotions and loyalty programs. Powered by technology from rehook.ai (now part of CleverTap), Promos offers a comprehensive, API-first solution for managing every facet of customer incentives—from coupons and loyalty points to cashback, vouchers, and gamified rewards. By replacing a system of fragmented tools, Promos empowers marketers with a seamless, scalable, and deeply integrated alternative for driving retention, repeat purchases, and maximizing customer lifetime value.

Marketers today are often forced to rely on fragmented systems—piecing together rewards and loyalty programs, CDPs, messaging platforms, and analytics—just to deliver a single, end-to-end campaign. These disconnected workflows slow teams down, lead to inconsistent data, and cause marketers to miss critical moments for engagement, resulting in delayed rewards, irrelevant offers, and loyalty programs that fail to deliver. Promos changes that. It embeds rewards management directly into CleverTap’s engagement engine, giving brands a single platform to segment users, automate campaigns, personalize, deliver real-time incentives, and measure effectiveness effortlessly.

With Promos, marketers can now launch behavior-triggered rewards in minutes, optimize campaigns on the fly, and deliver offers that feel timely, relevant, and personalized—ultimately improving ROI and deepening brand-consumer relationships.

Anand Jain, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer, CleverTap, said, – “CleverTap Promos rewrites the rewards management playbook. Rather than tallying one-off redemptions, we’re forging lasting customer relationships—making every point, perk, and offer a personalized, memorable moment rooted in trust and authenticity. By uniting reward programs, engagement, and intelligence on a single platform, Promos truly propels our mission to becoming industry’s first end-to-end retention platform for modern marketers.”

Akhil Suhag, Co-founder and CEO, rehook.ai, added, – “Rewards and loyalty management shouldn’t force marketers to navigate a maze of siloed systems. Promos lets brands oversee loyalty, incentives, and engagement from one unified hub. This speeds up execution, clearing operational clutter and turning customer retention into a compounding engine for sustainable growth. I’m excited for marketers to experience its power and convenience firsthand.”

Learn more or request a live demo here.

About CleverTap

CleverTap is the leading all-in-one customer engagement platform that helps brands unlock limitless customer lifetime value. CleverTap is trusted by over 2000 brands like Decathlon, Domino’s, Levis, Jio, Emirates NBD, Puma, Croma (A Tata Enterprise), Swiggy, SonyLIV, Axis Bank, AirAsia, TD Bank, Ooredoo, and Tesco to help build personalized experiences for all their customers. The platform is powered by TesseractDB™ – the world’s first purpose-built database for customer engagement, offering speed and cost efficiency at scale.

Backed by top-tier investors such as Accel, Peak XV Partners, Tiger Global, CDPQ and 360 One, the company is headquartered in San Francisco, with presence across Seattle, London, São Paulo, Bogota, Mexico, Amsterdam, Sofia, Dubai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Singapore, Vietnam, and Jakarta.

For more information, visit clevertap.com or follow us on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clevertap/
X: https://twitter.com/CleverTap

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements in this press release may represent CleverTap’s belief in connection with future events and may be forward-looking statements, or statements of future expectations based on currently available information. CleverTap cautions that such statements are naturally subject to risks and uncertainties that could result in the actual outcome being absolutely different from the results anticipated by the statements mentioned in the press release.

Factors such as the development of general economic conditions affecting our business, future market conditions, our ability to maintain cost advantages, uncertainty with respect to earnings, corporate actions, client concentration, reduced demand, liability or damages in our service contracts, unusual catastrophic loss events, war, political instability, changes in government policies or laws, legal restrictions impacting our business, impact of pandemic, epidemic, any natural calamity and other factors that are naturally beyond our control, changes in the capital markets and other circumstances may cause the actual events or results to be materially different, from those anticipated by such statements. CleverTap does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or updated or revised status of such statements. Therefore, in no case whatsoever will CleverTap and its affiliate companies be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction.

For more information:

ADITYA SANYAL
Director, Digital Marketing, CleverTap
+91 9177110080
aditya.sanyal@clevertap.com

ASHMIT CHAUDHARY
Associate Consultant, Archetype
+91 8850752121
ashmit.chaudhary@archetype.co

Viva Technology 2025: Hong Kong Tech Pavilion Empowers Startups to Expand into European Market

– Impressive Results Showcase Hong Kong’s Innovation and Technology Strength

Viva Technology 2025 concluded successfully last Saturday with the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, effectively supporting local start-ups in entering the European market.
A series of events, including seminars, start-up pitching sessions, workshop and networking reception and business matching, provided a robust platform for start-ups to demonstrate Hong Kong’s innovation and technology capabilities.
The participating start-ups achieved successful outcomes, including Point Fit Technology, a Hong Kong healthtech start-up, signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Kinomap, a French indoor training platform.

Viva Technology (VivaTech) 2025 in Paris, Europe’s biggest start-up and tech event, concluded last Saturday. The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), in collaboration with Strategic Partner, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels, and Supporting Organisations including Invest Hong Kong, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), and Hong Kong Cyberport, set up the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion. The Pavilion promoted 20 Hong Kong start-ups to investors and buyers, and hosted seminars, start-up pitching sessions, workshop and networking reception, inviting representatives from various enterprises and organisations to analyse trends in Hong Kong’s start-up ecosystem. Business matching meetings were also arranged to help start-ups explore opportunities in the European market.

Hong Kong tech ventures were the recipients of VivaTech awards including Ailytics Limited, which developed AI-Powered Video Surveillance Systems (AI-VSS) for operations, was awarded among the Top 30 of VivaTech Innovations of the Year Award and was also selected as one of the Top 5 winners of the Startup Challenge organised by Électricité de France (EDF). Imsight Technology, OKOsix, and Vismed Training were nominated as finalists in the VivaTech Tech for Change Award, recognising their positive impact respectively in cancer diagnostics, biomaterial composition, and medical training and care. Braillic Limited, specialising in Augmented Reality (AR) guided surgical navigation systems, was nominated in the Top 12 AI Tech Trail. AQUMON and Midas Analytics, which developed AI-driven wealth management and data analysis solutions, were nominated as the Top 12 FinTech Trail.

The Hong Kong Tech Pavilion also achieved notable success. Point Fit Technology, a healthtech start-up signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kinomap, a French indoor training platform. Point Fit’s sweat sensor continuously monitors muscle fatigue without invasive blood tests, will integrate their sweat biomarker data into Kinomap’s platform. This will enhance indoor training experiences and expand Point Fit’s sales channels through Kinomap’s global partner network. During VivaTech, Point Fit Technology’s research attracted international interest. Kenny Oktavius, Co-founder & CEO of Point Fit Technology Limited, said: “Apart from signing an MoU with Kinomap, we also linked up with a top European football club, and secured key partners that will help us to further penetrate the European market.”

Founded in Singapore with an international office in Hong Kong, Ailytics’ AI-VSS products are used to enhance safety and maximise productivity by leveraging existing cameras. The company is in discussion with EDF and will conduct a trial run at EDF’s new power plants in France. Wei Zhuang Tan, CEO, Ailytics said: “We received enormous resources and support in Hong Kong, especially from HKTDC and HKSTP to expand into the international market. Through joining the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion at VivaTech, we have met customers and partners and have a deeper understanding about the requirements of French companies.”

Midas Analytics, which introduced its newly launched Asia Market Intelligence platform and AI Agent at VivaTech, drew strong interest from investors, analysts, and strategic partners. Founder Michele De Flippo said: “We have connected with a high-caliber audience that included institutional investors, corporate venture leaders, innovation executives from major banks and consulting firms, and decision-makers from government ecosystems. Through curated business matching sessions organised by the HKTDC and meeting with high-calibre audience, we identified multiple potential partners and expansion opportunities. The interest reinforced both the commercial potential of Midas Analytics and the clear demand in Europe for better visibility into fast-changing Asian markets.”

Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, attended the workshop and networking reception themed under “From Hong Kong to the World: Embarking on the New Journey of Innovation” last Friday. Highlighting that Hong Kong being an ideal gateway for global enterprises to enter the Mainland market, Professor Sun said the HKSAR Government has been actively attracting overseas and the Mainland I&T enterprises to set up or expand their businesses in Hong Kong. Companies choosing HK for the international headquarters exemplify Hong Kong’s important role as a “super connector” and a “super value-adder” between Mainland China and the rest of the world, serving as a two-way springboard for attracting overseas enterprises and helping Mainland enterprises to “go global”.

The subsequent discussions explored the strengths of Hong Kong’s innovation ecosystem, and how to leverage Hong Kong’s advantages to seize new opportunities. Cindy Chow, Executive Director & CEO of Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, together viAct, Sandbox VR, and Orcauboat founders, shared their success stories leveraging Hong Kong as the platform for global expansion. Chapman Lee, Director of Imsight Technology Co., Limited, highlighted the strengths of Hong Kong’s R&D capabilities and access to international investment.

According to the Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2025 by Startup Genome, a research institute, during VivaTech 2025, Hong Kong entered the Top 40 ranking for the first time. The ecosystem jumped 20 positions to 27th in the 2025 ranking.

The HKTDC continues to lead Hong Kong businesses in participating in major international tech exhibitions, helping local start-ups expand overseas and reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as a global innovation and technology hub. Following the Consumer Electronic Show 2025 in Las Vegas and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona earlier this year, HKTDC once again organised the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion at VivaTech in Paris, providing an effective platform for start-ups to showcase innovations, attract investment, and explore the European market.

The 9th edition of VivaTech attracted more than 14,000 start-ups, 180,000 visitors, and 3,600 investors from 171 countries and regions. Industry leaders from around the world shared unique insights, further making the event a key highlight of the global tech ecosystem.

Websites: https://vivatechnology.com/partners/hong-kong-tech-pavilion

Media enquiries

For enquiries, please contact HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:

Katy Wong

Tel: (852) 2584 4524

Email: katy.ky.wong@hktdc.org

Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com

10 winners selected at 8th edition of Start-up Express

– Multiple winners incorporated AI, highlighting the innovation within Hong Kong’s start-up ecosystem

– On the Final Pitching Day of Start-up Express, 10 winners were selected, with xxx and AniTech Limited receiving the ESG Award and the My Favourite Start-up Award respectively
– More than 200 industry players attended, helping start-ups to establish connections and increase exposure, and continue to promote Hong Kong’s entrepreneurial ecosystem
– Majority of the 10 winners are health tech start-ups, while others represented sectors such as green tech, smart city and AI Solutions

10 start-ups were selected as winners at the eighth edition of Start-up Express, an entrepreneurship development programme organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) which came to a successful conclusion. The ESG Award was presented to Green Vigor Limited in recognition of the best sustainable and socially impactful business solution, and AniTech Limited won the My Favourite Start-up Award as determined through audience live polling. The 10 start-ups will participate in a series of local and overseas business events organised by HKTDC to develop their profiles through building connections, exploring markets, seeking partners and enhancing brand awareness.

HKTDC is fully committed to supporting and promoting the development of start-ups, helping them to expand into Mainland and international markets to showcase Hong Kong’s strengths in innovation and technology.

Iris Wong, Director of Merchandise Trade and Innovation & External Relations of HKTDC said: “Start-up Express serves as the launchpad for Hong Kong’s brightest tech innovators. As HKTDC’s flagship start-up development programme, our mission is to help local tech start-ups build capability and connections, explore new markets, seek business and funding partners, and enhance their brand awareness. I am proud to share that we have already assisted 70 Hong Kong start-ups to scale-up in Hong Kong and expand into overseas markets since we first held Start-up Express in 2018. Many of these start-ups have achieved remarkable success, earning global awards, securing significant investments, and forming key business partnerships. This demonstrates how the HKTDC platform helps bring Hong Kong start-ups into the limelight and accelerate their success.”

This year’s Start-up Express attracted more than 200 applications. The majority of the 10 winners are health tech start-ups while the rest represent green tech, smart city and AI solutions. Booths were also set up during the event enabling the Start-up Express finalists to showcase their businesses to all attendees and participants.

Comprehensive range of networking and matching initiatives provided to winning start-ups
The 10 winners were chosen from 20 contestants during the final pitching round with each presenting their innovative business ideas and answering questions raised by the distinguished judging panel. The 10 winning start-ups are: ACTuWISE Limited, Decennium Platforms Limited, AniTech Limited, Digitoe Limited, CELLmeric Limited, RT Healthtech Co. Limited, Firefilm Group Limited, Albacastor Technology Limited, Entoptica Limited and Green Vigor Limited.

Click here to download the list of winners and their company profiles.

The HKTDC will arrange a series of exposure opportunities for the winning teams to interact with potential investors, buyers and partners.

Judges praised the winners for their performance and awareness of market trends
One of the judges, Herbert Chia, Senior Advisor of Alibaba Cloud (North APAC Region), said: “We are always surprised by the new start-ups in each year’s awards. In the face of rapid AI development, many local start-ups have quickly incorporated AI into their business operations, showing that they are innovative, capable and also closely following the market trend.”

Another judge, Jimmy Tao, Chairman of Hong Kong Startup Council, said: “The quality of this year’s competition is high, with products and services covering different technologies, especially artificial intelligence, green tech and medical innovation. We are pleased to see the new generation of start-ups continue to break new grounds in innovation and technology, demonstrating their unlimited potential and creativity, thereby contributing to society’s advancement. Hong Kong’s start-up scene continues to grow vigorously, with a record number of 4,694 start-ups last year, demonstrating Hong Kong’s promising outlook and increasing attractiveness to do business and as an ideal to set up a start-up. We believe that this year’s winning start-ups will gain valuable opportunities to expand their markets and build networks through Start-up Express.”

Start-up Express helps start-ups secure investment and partnership opportunitiesStart-up Express provides extensive promotional opportunities for start-ups with winners able to take part in exhibitions in Mainland China and internationally, attend meetings with investors to learn more about the industry, market trends and investors’ preference.

Libpet Tech, a Start-up Express winner in 2024, has recently completed a US$3 million seed funding, and the investment will be utilized for technology upgrades and international market expansion. Jojo Xu, CEO of Libpet Tech, said: “Participating in Start-up Express has given us more exposure and enhanced our brand awareness, as seen from the increased attention from potential customers and investors. We are grateful for the investors’ confidence in our company. We will join hands with our public and private partners to integrate robotics into daily life and promote human-centric smart mobility.”

The 4th Start-up Express International returns in December with global start-ups
The HKTDC has always given its full support to Hong Kong’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, helping to maintain the city’s status as a competitive business centre and hub for innovation. Start-up Express International was launched in 2022 for overseas early-stage start-ups to share the stage with local Start-up Express winners. The past three editions have attracted participants from around the world, including Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Turkey, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and the United States. The 4th Start-up Express International will return during Entrepreneur Day in December and the HKTDC will support the winners in setting up their businesses in Hong Kong and to explore the mainland and Greater Bay Area markets.

Start-up Express: https://portal.hktdc.com/start-upexpress/

Photo download: http://bit.ly/4jPwedc

HKTDC Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/en

Media enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Stanley So Tel: (852) 2584 4049           Email: stanley.hp.so@hktdc.org
Katy Wong Tel: (852) 2584 4524           Email: katy.ky.wong@hktdc.org
Serena Cheung Tel: (852) 2584 4272           Email: serena.hm.cheung@hktdc.org
Clayton Lauw Tel: (852) 2584 4472           Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org

SRKay Consulting Group Releases Research Report: ‘From Legal Frameworks to Successful Operations’–A Strategic Playbook for India Market Entry

SRKay Consulting Group, a trusted global advisor in GCC setup and cross-border business strategy, has released its newest white paper titled “From Legal Frameworks to Successful Operations: A Strategic Blueprint for Entering and Thriving in the Indian Market.” Anchored in deep regulatory insight and on-ground operational expertise, the research report provides a step-by-step guide for foreign enterprises navigating India’s intricate market dynamics.

As global enterprises increasingly pivot toward India—now poised to reach a USD 5 trillion economy by 2027—the paper emphasizes the importance of aligning legal compliance, policy navigation, and cultural integration to achieve long-term operational success. With over 1,400 new foreign business entries in the past five years, India has become more than a destination—it’s a strategic necessity.

Research Insights from the Paper:

Companies with structured India entry strategies achieve operational readiness 45% faster than ad hoc setups.
Entity setup, regulatory friction, and cultural misalignment are the top three failure points during the first 12-18 months of market entry.
Localization in leadership and governance accelerates talent alignment and policy compliance by over 30%.

The paper introduces SRKay’s proprietary I.N.D.I.A.S. Playbook, a six-pillar framework guiding companies through every stage of market entry:

I – Intent: Clarifying purpose, expectations, and India’s role in the global business strategy.
N – Navigate Policy: Understanding and adapting to central/state-level laws, FDI norms, and licensing frameworks.
D– Due Diligence: Evaluating partners, regulatory risks, infrastructure gaps, and operational feasibility.
I – Infrastructure: Making informed decisions on city selection, office/plant readiness, digital ecosystem, and vendor ecosystem.
A – Activate: Streamlining the launch process across entity registration, HR setup, taxation, and stakeholder onboarding.
S – Scale: Creating long-term governance models, brand equity, and innovation readiness.

Case Examples Featured in the Report:

A European logistics player that achieved pan-India operational coverage in under 12 months through policy-aligned rollout.
A Southeast Asian technology firm that avoided multi-million dollar tax penalties through early-stage entity structuring and compliance assessments.

“Global expansion into India cannot be approached as just a legal transaction. It is a business transformation journey that requires regulatory fluency, operational agility, and cultural empathy,” said Rameez Khan, Principal Consultant, SRKay Consulting Group. “This research report is the culmination of our real-world experience supporting GCCs and enterprise market entry—and serves as a practical guide for decision-makers.”

With projections indicating over 2,000 new foreign enterprises to enter India by 2030, SRKay’s white paper urges CXOs to approach India entry as a layered strategic initiative, not just a back-office expansion.

The full report is now available for download at www.srkay.com. Enterprises exploring India as a destination for GCCs, innovation labs, or regional HQs can also consult SRKay’s expert teams via letstalk@srkay.com.

About SRKay Consulting Group

SRKay Consulting Group is a global strategic consulting firm specializing in the setup, scale, and transformation of Global Capability Centers (GCCs) and foreign business operations through its proprietary Virtual Captive model. With presence across the USA, UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, and India, SRKay delivers end-to-end services including market research, legal structuring, policy navigation, location strategy, infrastructure, talent operations, and post-entry governance.

Media Contact:
Komaldeep Kaur Dhir
Marketing In Asia
Email: Komal@mianext.com

Unlocking the Full Potential of GCCs: The Strategic Power of Cultural Integration

As India continues to cement its reputation as the global capital for Global Capability Centers (GCCs), a new strategic imperative is emerging—cultural integration. While talent, technology, and cost arbitrage remain key, it is the cultural maturity of these centers that now determines enterprise-wide success.

In a groundbreaking new whitepaper, SRKay Consulting Group makes a compelling case for why cultural intelligence must be embedded into the operational core of every GCC. Their research reveals a clear business truth: culture is no longer a soft metric—it is a measurable, high-ROI performance driver.

“Embedding cultural intelligence is no longer a peripheral initiative—it’s a strategic lever that powers agility, R&D effectiveness, and global alignment across mature GCCs in India.“— Santosh Panicker, Chief Operating Officer, SRKay Consulting Group

GCCs Are Evolving—But Culture Is Lagging

Today’s GCCs are innovation centers, managing high impact workstreams in AI, advanced analytics, and digital transformation. Yet despite this strategic evolution, many centers still struggle with the hidden costs of cultural misalignment—delayed decision-making, compliance breakdowns, communication issues, and talent attrition.

SRKay’s study, which surveyed 301 leaders across C-suite, engineering, and HR functions, found:

– 60% of Tech & IT leaders report compliance delays due to governance models misaligned with local culture.
– 65% of aviation GCCs face productivity bottlenecks from clashes between global standardization and regional work styles.
– 55–60% of engineering heads cite persistent execution hurdles caused by poor cultural synergy.

Introducing the 5-Stage Cultural Maturity Model

To tackle these gaps, SRKay proposes a 5-Stage Cultural Maturity Model, guiding GCCs from reactive problem-solving to fully institutionalized cultural fluency. The model aligns with frameworks such as Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions and Trompenaars’ Model, enabling GCCs to diagnose and address issues around hierarchy, communication styles, decision-making, and feedback protocols.

This shift, SRKay argues, transforms culture from an HR initiative into a business-critical operating system.

“GCCs in India now function as strategic enablers, collaborating directly with global teams on breakthrough projects.”
— Darshil Dholakia, Director of Business Operations, SRKay Consulting Group

From Metrics to Meaning: Operationalizing Culture

Mature GCCs are already embedding culture into dashboards and governance scorecards:

– Cross-Team Collaboration Index: Quality of interaction between HQ and GCCs

– Resolution Turnaround Time: Speed of resolving culturally driven issues

– Culture NPS: Sentiment on inclusion and trust

These metrics are bolstered by AI-driven tools—sentiment intelligence, immersive VR learning for leadership alignment, and cultural playbooks embedded in collaboration platforms.

“Mature GCCs in India use culture as a source of operational excellence and innovation. Embedding culture transforms it into a competitive differentiator.”
— Alok Kumar, Founder & Managing Director, SRKay Consulting Group

Culture-Led Growth: The Future of GCCs in India

By 2030, India’s GCC market is expected to reach USD 110 billion. This growth won’t be driven by headcount alone—but by how effectively centers adopt cross-cultural collaboration, AI-enabled integration, and inclusive leadership.

“The next generation of GCCs in India will be led by executives who view cultural competence not as an HR initiative—but as a core business driver.”
— Vivek Dubey, Head of Strategic Consulting, SRKay Consulting Group

Download the Whitepaper Now

Unlocking the Full Potential of GCCs: The Strategic Power of Cultural Integration

About SRKay Consulting Group

SRKay Consulting Group is a global consulting firm that helps companies expand into emerging markets like India through data-led strategies, market entry advisory, and operational consulting. With deep expertise in regulatory compliance, digital infrastructure, and supply chain localization, SRKay is the trusted partner for Southeast Asian firms entering India.

For expert consultation and partnership opportunities, connect with:
Contact Information
Komaldeep Kaur
Email: Komal@mianext.com

DataBurning and Vumonic Announce Strategic Partnership for India E-Receipt Data

– DataBurning becomes exclusive GTM partner for Vumonic’s comprehensive India e-receipt panel

DataBurning, a leading alternative data and digital solutions provider for financial institutions and corporates, recently announced a strategic partnership with Vumonic Datalabs, a pioneer in e-receipt technology. Under the agreement, DataBurning will serve as the official go-to-market partner for Vumonic’s industry-leading India e-receipt panel.

The partnership combines Vumonic’s proprietary e-receipt technology and extensive India panel with DataBurning’s established distribution network and client relationships. Financial institutions and corporations will now have exclusive access to granular spending data covering over 270 companies across India’s rapidly growing digital economy.

This landmark partnership brings Vumonic’s high-frequency, low-latency e-receipt data to investment professionals for the first time. The dataset, delivered with industry-leading accuracy through Vumonic’s proprietary processing technology, is designed to meet the exacting standards of hedge funds, quantitative investors, private equity firms, venture capital groups, and major investment banks seeking visibility into India’s dynamic market.

“This partnership represents a significant advancement in alternative data on the Indian market,” said Gabriel Appleton, Co-founder of Vumonic Datalabs. “By combining our comprehensive e-receipt technology and data with DataBurning’s market reach, we’re providing unprecedented visibility into spending patterns across India’s digital economy.”

This marks the first time Vumonic’s powerful e-receipt data is being made available to financial firms, following years of development and validation. The company’s extensive panel and proprietary parsing technology have until now been reserved for select enterprise clients and internal research.

Vumonic’s e-receipt panel offers transaction-level insights for major platforms including Zomato, Swiggy, Flipkart, MakeMyTrip, and hundreds more Indian companies. The data provides valuable signals for investors and brands looking to understand market share, growth trends, and spending behavior.

“We’ve been searching for a partner that could deliver reliable, granular e-receipt data on India’s digital economy,” said Joyce Xiang, Co-President of DataBurning’s Finance Business Group. “Vumonic’s e-receipt panel offers the scale, accuracy, and coverage institutional investors demand for making data-driven investment and strategic decisions.”

The partnership delivers several key benefits tailored specifically for institutional investors:·
– Institutional-Grade Signal Quality: Transaction data with demonstrated correlation to company performance metrics, ideal for investment modeling
– Ultra-Low Latency: Data delivered with minimal lag, critical for time-sensitive investment strategies
– Comprehensive Coverage: Transaction-level data for over 270 companies, covering both public equities and private market opportunities
– Multi-Frequency Options: Data available in daily, weekly, or monthly cadences to match various investment horizons
– Ethical Data Collection: All data collected with explicit user consent and properly anonymized

“Vumonic’s technology can consistently process millions of complex e-receipts daily with 99.9% accuracy, providing the reliability that institutional investors require,” added Appleton. “Our panel’s scale and depth offer unprecedented visibility into transaction patterns across India’s most dynamic sectors.”

As part of the collaboration, the companies will jointly host regular webinars showcasing market insights and trends derived from the data. Investors interested in the webinar could register on Databurning website.

Founded in 2018, Vumonic has established itself as a leader in e-receipt technology, processing billions of transactions annually while maintaining the highest standards of data privacy and security. The company’s proprietary parsing and enrichment technology transforms raw receipt data into structured intelligence.

DataBurning, founded in early 2019 and backed by SoftBank Asia, and IDG Capital, has quickly becomes Asia’s premier provider of alternative data and digital solutions for financial institutions and corporations. By harnessing AI and other innovative technologies, DataBurning’s highly skilled data-science and analyst team turn data into actionable insights, and commentary and fundamental analysis to enhance client’s decision-making.

Financial institutions and corporations interested in accessing Vumonic’s India e-receipt data should contact DataBurning for more information.

Website: https://www.databurning.com/en/

Email: market@databurning.com

The India Market Entry Dilemma: What’s Holding Manufacturers Back?

India is emerging as the world’s next manufacturing giant—yet global corporations still stumble at the entrance. Despite its $7.5 trillion growth trajectory, cost advantages, and policy incentives, there are still several obstacles in the way of building a long-lasting presence in India. A recent whitepaper titled “Why Do Global Manufacturers Struggle with India Market Entry?” offers a data-driven blueprint for overcoming regulatory, supply chain, and regulatory obstacles in one of the world’s complex but most promising economies.

Regional companies aiming to expand into India can find a powerful roadmap in SRKay Consulting Group’s latest release, “Why Do Global Manufacturers Struggle with India Market Entry?” This comprehensive publication outlines the key challenges that often derail even the most experienced players—including regulatory red tape, infrastructure hurdles, intellectual property risks, pricing pressures, and workforce acquisition difficulties.

The report dives deep into the root causes behind these obstacles, from fragmented supply chains to complex compliance landscapes, and presents a structured, four-pillar India entry strategy. Covering insights across seven key sectors, it serves as an essential guide for manufacturers seeking to build a resilient and scalable presence in the Indian market.

Highlights & Strategic Takeaways:

A Proven India Market Entry Framework: A four-pillar approach covering research, business setup, supply chain localisation, and long-term growth.
Real Success Stories: What global giants like Apple, Hyundai, and IKEA won in India by adapting to local demand and operational realities.
Insights for Emerging Market Entrants: UAE and Malaysia-based companies prioritise India’s growth and competitive costs, but face workforce, regulatory, and IP-related hurdles.
Digital & Trade Enablers: How UPI, ONDC, and Free Trade Agreements (like CEPA and ECTA) are creating new competitive advantages for manufacturers.

“India is not just a big market—it’s a complex one. For Southeast Asian companies, entering India without the right regulatory, supply chain, and cultural game plan is risky. This whitepaper is our answer to help them succeed,” said Alok Kumar, Founder & Managing Director

This whitepaper is an essential resource for business strategists assessing market viability or C-suite executives considering expansion to confidently and clearly navigate the India opportunity.

Download the Whitepaper Now

Why Do Global Manufacturers Struggle with India Market Entry?

VMF Focuses on Addressing Marketers’ Top Priorities

Vibe Marketing Tech Fest will take place in Manchester on July 10, 2025, and brings industry leaders to answer the pressing questions on every marketer’s mind.

Convenience comes with price, and consumers agree. Consumers are discerning, they are willing to pay more for brands that align with their values, and share more data with brands that promise to offer more personalised experiences. Brands need to keep up or be left behind. The customer’s journey is anything but linear, and the marketer’s role to navigate these market forces is increasingly complex.

But there are more challenges–with inflationary pressures, marketing and advertising spend is under severe scrutiny. Business stakeholders are keen to know where marketing dollars are being spent, if they are being optimised, and how to fine-tune that growth engine.

The opportunity of artificial intelligence and generative AI to further alter the dynamics of the marketing leader’s role is a key concern. What does it mean for tomorrow’s leaders, and what skills does one need to drive business in the immediate future?

Vibe Marketing Tech Fest promises to address these burning questions and more. Founded in 2018, VMF is one of the world’s largest and most influential marketing tech conferences.

“The balance between privacy and personalisation is a burning issue that brands need to tackle head-on. Customers are poised to align with brands that are transparent and committed to fairness. We want to take on the tough questions that marketing leaders are faced with. VMF will explore how businesses can navigate this highly competitive landscape and set them up for long-term sustainable growth,” says Sanjay Swamy, Director at Martechvibe, the media company organising VMF.

VMF 2025 will cover themes like:

Overcoming barriers to deliver hyper-personalisation
Increasing ROI on martech investments
Maximising first part data in a privacy era
Reducing churn, and driving higher CLV

Speakers like Scott Brinker, Sir Martin Sorrell, Brian Solis, Neil Patel, Darell Alfonso, Fernando Machado, David Raab, Rob Bloom, and Steve Lok have delivered rich sessions in the previous editions of the summit.

This year’s speakers include David Raab, Owner of Raab Associates and Founder at CDP Institute, Aadil Mukhtar, Head of Marketing – Growth & Technology at United Rugby Championship, Adam Azor – EVP, Global Marketing at sportradar, Adam Mills – Head of Insight, Loyalty & Strategy at The Wine Society, Charlotte Flemming – Senior Marketing Manager at Prime Time, Ian Irving – Lead SEO & ASO Specialist at BBC, Jessica Cooke – Director of Media & Loyalty at Stonegate, Karla Zaldivar – Global Social Media Insights Manager at Booking.com, Mohamed Jhummun – Head of Personalisation at Scale at Pepsico, Jamie Allen – Head of Marketing at Mettle, Emily Latham – Head of Marketing Technology Portfolio at CarWow, Sabrina Godden-Tuma – Global Creative Director at Vodafone, Anne Lathowers – Head of Growth Marketing & Communication at E.ON One, Victoria Kerr – Head of Marketing, EMEA & APAC at Uber, Gareth Maritz – Director of Marketing – Change, MarTech, Partnerships, Measurement & Effectiveness at Flutter, and many more.

For more information, visit Vibe Marketing Tech Fest 2025 .

About VMF

Founded in 2018, Vibe Marketing Tech Fest (VMF) is one of the world’s largest and most influential marketing tech conferences. It is the premier gathering for marketing, technology, product, CRM, revenue, and CX leaders. Designed to explore the latest trends, strategies, and cutting-edge tools shaping the marketing landscape, VMF serves as the ultimate platform where marketing pioneers connect with technology innovators.

Join industry leaders as they network, exchange insights, and redefine the future of marketing through the power of technology.

Media contact:
Mrunalini Pol
mrunalini@vibeprojects.com

Advertising, Media and Education Sectors Lead Singapore’s Job Market Amid Modest Recovery

foundit (formerly Monster APAC & ME), one of the leading jobs and talent platform, today published the foundit Insights Tracker (fit) Singapore for February 2025. The Singapore fit report highlights growth in the Advertising and Education sectors alongside rising demand for technology professionals.

The tracker reveals an overall year-on-year (YoY) decline of 5% in hiring activity across sectors, as the index dropped from 108 in February 2024 to 103 in February 2025. However, a month-on-month (MoM) analysis indicates a 3% uptick,

Commenting on Singapore’s job trends for February 2025, V Suresh, CEO, foundit, said,

“The February 2025 foundit Insights Tracker signals a promising recovery in Singapore’s job market. While year-on-year figures reflect ongoing economic recalibration, the month-on-month growth indicates a resurgence in hiring activity. The robust expansion of sectors such as Advertising, Media, and Education, coupled with the growing demand for technology professionals, underscores shifting industry priorities and workforce evolution. As digital transformation accelerates, Singapore’s job landscape is stabilizing, with a strong emphasis on upskilling, adaptability, and future-ready talent.”

Advertising, and Education sectors lead industry growth, while Engineering and Retail sectors show strong improvements

The Advertising, Market Research, Public Relations, Media, and Entertainment sector has emerged as a frontrunner in e-recruitment activity among all monitored industries, showing a 7% MoM growth in February 2025. This growth is driven by increased digital marketing efforts and brand-building strategies.

Equally impressive, the Education sector also recorded 7% MoM growth in February 2025, reflecting a continued emphasis on workforce upskilling and professional development.

Following these leaders, the Engineering, Construction, and Real Estate sector showed positive trends with 6% MoM growth, while the Retail, Trade, and Logistics sector experienced 5% MoM growth, both driven by sustainability initiatives and evolving business needs.

Several sectors show modest growth while others remain stable

The Production/Manufacturing, Automotive, and Ancillary sector demonstrated positive hiring momentum with 5% MoM growth in February 2025.

Several sectors showed more modest growth, with Hospitality & Travel, IT, Telecom/ISP, and BPO/ITES, BFSI, and Healthcare all registering 2% MoM increases, signalling steady job creation across these industries.

Conversely, multiple sectors including Oil and Gas, Import/Export, Shipping/Marine, Government/PSU/Defence, and Consumer Goods/FMCG exhibited stagnant hiring activity with 0% MoM change.

Technology roles lead demand among functions

In terms of functions, Software, Hardware, and Telecom witnessed the highest demand in February 2025, with a 2% MoM increase. This trend underscores the growing need for tech talent amid ongoing digital transformation initiatives.

Marketing & Communications, HR & Admin, Engineering/Production, Sales & Business Development, Medical Roles, and Legal roles all showed modest but positive growth at 1% MoM, indicating broad but measured hiring activity across professional functions.

The roles in Legal experienced a robust 19% YoY increase in hiring activity, highlighting the rising need for legal professionals amid evolving regulatory landscapes, corporate expansions, and compliance requirements.

However, Hospitality Roles, Customer Service, Finance & Accounts, and Purchase/Logistics/Supply Chain roles saw no changes (0% MoM), reflecting a period of stability in workforce demand across these functions.

The foundit Insights Tracker is a comprehensive monthly analysis of online job posting activity conducted by foundit. Based on a real-time review of millions of employer job opportunities culled from a large, representative selection of online career outlets, the foundit Insights Tracker (FIT) presents a snapshot of employer online recruitment activity nationwide.

About foundit – APAC & Middle East

foundit, formerly Monster (APAC & ME), is Asia’s leading jobs and talent platform offering comprehensive employment solutions to recruiters and job seekers across APAC & ME. In addition to its innovative AI-powered job search, foundit offers e-learning, assessments, and services related to resume creation and interview preparation. foundit has connected over 120 million job seekers across 18 countries with the right job roles and upskilling opportunities.

Over the last two decades, the company has been a leader in the world of recruitment solutions and has launched cutting-edge tools to give recruiters access to passive candidates in addition to active ones. With its advanced technology, foundit is efficiently bridging the talent gap across industry verticals, experience levels, and geographies.

Today, foundit is committed to enabling and connecting the right talent with the right opportunities by harnessing the power of deep tech to sharpen hyper-personalised job searches and offer precision hiring. Additionally, foundit has been recognised as a Great Place to Work, reflecting its dedication to fostering a supportive and dynamic work culture.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact
Namrata Sharma – Namrata.sharma@adfactorspr.com
Contact number – +65 81383034