Startups Archives - Page 11 of 31

Incorporating AI into Your Small Business Marketing Strategy with ideas from GoDaddy

In today’s fast-paced digital world, one of the ways small businesses can stay competitive is by adopting innovative marketing strategies. Incorporating new technologies into marketing strategies can help to save time and drive engagement with current and potential customers.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the marketing landscape, making it more accessible and effective for small businesses. From generating compelling content to analyzing customer data, AI tools provide powerful solutions that can streamline marketing efforts, improve customer engagement, and help to drive growth.

By leveraging AI, small businesses can both save time and money, while also enhancing the quality and impact of their marketing campaigns. GoDaddy shares some ideas on how to use AI small business marketing tools and strategies to promote your business.

What is AI for Small Business Marketing?

Artificial intelligence has become an invaluable tool for small business marketing, offering a variety of applications that do not require extensive AI knowledge, large marketing teams, or significant budgets. These AI tools can include such technologies as: text generators that turn prompts into text and copy; graphic generators that turn prompts into custom images, videos, illustrations and presentations, and predictive analytics tools that analyze data to help make forecasts and recommendations.

The Value of AI Marketing

Small business owners have a lot to do running their business. Use of AI technologies can help them get more done and more quickly. Use of AI marketing tools for small businesses make it easier to produce higher quality work in less time and with more inspiration and richer insights. AI can help with such tasks as:

Identify Trends and Opportunities: AI helps uncover market trends and new business opportunities.Save Time: Automation of marketing tasks helps small business owners to focus on other essential areas of their business.Improve Quality: AI tools can help enhance the quality of marketing outputs, leading to better customer engagement.Cost Savings: By reducing the workload, AI can help businesses save money.Improve Customer Service: AI-driven chatbots and personalized marketing can improve customer interactions.Streamline Customer Experience: AI can tailor the customer journey, making it more efficient and personalized.Targeted Campaigns: AI helps create more precise and effective marketing campaigns.

However, AI is not without its challenges. Users should be aware of its limitations, such as potential biases, inaccuracies, and plagiarism because AI is trained on existing content. The need for human oversight to refine and personalize AI-generated content is a must to help ensure the content is true and accurate for your business.

How to Use AI for Small Business Marketing

Integrating AI into small business marketing starts with identifying the right tasks and understanding how to prompt AI effectively. AI can be utilized for competitive research, customer insights, and content generation, including drafting first copies, generating ideas, and enhancing existing content. It can expedite website creation, develop keyword strategies, and optimize web pages for SEO.

AI also analyzes data to provide valuable business insights and enhances customer service through AI-driven chatbots and automated responses, ensuring efficient and personalized customer interactions. A free resource to get prompts that help get the right responses is GoDaddy’s Prompt Library which includes dozens of customizable input options for AI tools.

Conclusion

Artificial intelligence is no longer the plotline of a story taking place hundreds of years into the future. Artificial intelligence is a present-day tool that can help to revolutionize small business marketing. It is powerful, accessible and changing the way entrepreneurs can do business. By leveraging AI, through the use of tools that already incorporate AI, are ways that small businesses can stay competitive, save time and money, and produce higher-quality marketing strategies. By embracing AI tools and strategies into your business can help to maximize your marketing efforts and drive business growth.

Find out more about how GoDaddy can help your business

About GoDaddy

GoDaddy helps millions of entrepreneurs around the world start, grow and expand their businesses. People turn to GoDaddy to name their idea, create a professional Web site, attract customers, sell their products and services, and accept online payments. GoDaddy’s easy-to-use tools help micro-entrepreneurs manage everything in one place, and its experts are available to provide 24/7 assistance. For more information about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.

Issued on behalf of GoDaddy.

For more information, contact:
Fekra Communications
info@fekracomms.com

Valuufy Established to Transform Sustainable Business and Investing

Unleashing ValuuCompass to create a new benchmark for sustainability evaluation

Valuufy, a pioneering fintech startup drawn from a decades’ work in measuring and creating sustainable value at Doshisha University’s Value Research Center, has launched with its groundbreaking ValuuCompass, a comprehensive framework set to transform sustainable business practices and sustainability investing by providing a fully transparent and actionable framework for assessing and improving sustainability performance.

The current state of sustainability reporting:
· Confusing and inefficient for companies
· Multiple different standards and metric
· Emphasis on past activities rather than future strategies
· Difficult to capture real impacts on people and the environment
· No reliable benchmark for investors to assess sustainability risks and opportunities

ValuuCompass addresses precisely these challenges.
The ValuuCompass addresses a critical gap in the market: the lack of a holistic, transparent system for assessing a company’s true stakeholder impacts and sustainability risks that arise from these. At the heart of this new product is the Value Model, which has synthesized more than 1,200 individual impact measurements from leading global ESG and sustainability frameworks into a clear goal-based model to measure stakeholder impacts and value creation.

With this new assessment system, Valuufy offers businesses and investors a clear, actionable view of value creation that goes far beyond traditional sustainability and ESG metrics. “In an era where ‘value washing’ – the pretence of sustainable value creation – poses significant financial and reputational risks, both companies and investors need a reliable compass,” said Kyle Barnes, CEO of Valuufy. “Valuufy’s products and services provide these capabilities, offering a level of transparency and insight that goes beyond all other existing solutions.”

Dr. Philip Sugai, Director of Research at Valuufy and Director at the Value Research Center, emphasized the revolutionary approach that Valuufy is taking: “The current systems underlying sustainability and ESG are fundamentally broken, focusing on backwards-looking disclosures rather than forward-looking strategies. Valuufy was established to change this paradigm, helping businesses to shift their focus to creating real, and measurable value across their key stakeholders.”

Valuufy’s ongoing activities aim to bring this important mindset to business strategy creation for businesses of all sizes. “Today, we’re not just launching a new tool; we’re setting a new standard for sustainable business and investing,” added Marco Koeder, Chief Marketing Officer. By 2030, we aim to establish the Value Model as the global benchmark for measuring and creating sustainable value.”

Benefits of ValuuCompass for Companies:
· First universal, objective standard to measure real impact on people and the planet
· Provides actionable recommendations for improvement
· Enhances performance in the sustainability reporting framework
· Transforms complex data into clear, strategic insights

Benefits of ValuuCompass for Investors:
· Enables truly informed decisions on sustainability risks and opportunities
· Offers rigorous, quantifiable metrics for portfolio assessment
· Aligns perfectly with the financial sector’s data-driven approach
· Provides a competitive edge in sustainable investing

Discover how Valuufy is revolutionizing the future of sustainability at www.valuufy.com.

About Valuufy
Valuufy Inc seeks to transform how the world understands and acts on sustainability. Founded in 2024, Valuufy is a registered Japanese startup in Kyoto, Japan, born of 10 years of academic value research at Doshisha University and the Value Research Center. Led by an international team with expertise in value research, sustainability strategies, innovative technologies, business development, and ESG assessments, Valuufy provides a suite of products and services to promote value-creation activities across stakeholders for businesses of all sizes – to set new standards in transparent, data-driven decision-making in the realm of sustainability and value creation. For more, visit www.valuufy.com.

The Value Research Center was officially established at Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan, in November 2021 to develop a system for measuring, monitoring, assessing, and reporting on organizations’ value creation and destruction impacts on various stakeholder groups. The result is the Value Model, which forms the foundation for ValuuCompass.

Contact:
Press/Media
E: news@valuufy.com
T: +81-90-9742-0860

Marco Koeder
E: marco@valuufy.com
T: +49-175-999-8647

NIA’s ‘SITE 2024’ Achieves Record Success at the MHESI ‘SCI POWER FOR FUTURE THAILAND’ Fair

The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) through the National Innovation Agency (Public Organization), or NIA, announced the success in organizing the largest Thai innovation and startup event in the country, STARTUP x INNOVATION THAILAND EXPO 2024 (SITE 2024). With the theme “Innovation for Growth and Sustainability”, the event aimed to accelerate the sustainability of Thailand’s innovative and entrepreneurial startups from every dimension.

This year, a diverse group of startups and innovators participated in the expo, the MHESI Power of Interdisciplinary Research for Sustainable Development of Thai Economy, or the MHESI Fair. The event attracted over 600,000 visitors and generated more than 500 million Baht.

Dr Krithpaka Boonfueng, Executive Director of the NIA, revealed that “SITE 2024, the largest Thai Startup x Innovation Expo in the country, took place for the first time within the MHESI Fair, which several agencies under the supervision of the MHESI, were jointly showcasing the diverse potential of science, technology and innovation to drive Thailand into the future. This made the overall event this year more dynamic and vibrant, with over 600,000 attendees and generating income exceeding 500 million baht.”

For SITE 2024, NIA organized five highlight activities that acquired significant attention from visitors including:
– Forums: Featuring seminars and workshops with leading speakers from both domestic and international backgrounds, addressing the question of creating innovative businesses.
– International Hackathon: In collaboration with King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang and other partners, the hackathons focused on “Saving the World with AI.” comprising a total of 22 activities.
– Business Matching: SITE 2024’s Business Matching sessions connected startups and entrepreneurs in business discussions with investors and large companies, totalling 34 pairs with seven-leading VC / CVC / corporations, including Beacon Venture Capital, Bangchak Initiative and Innovation Center, Y&Archer, True Incube, InnoSpace (Thailand), AIS the Startup, and ALLY Global Management.
– Marketplace: Showcasing innovative products from over 300 startups and innovative enterprises.
– Startup Thailand League 2024: National Championship Round, featured 14 teams. The winning team was “MedStream Innovations” from King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, which was recognized for designing and producing organ-on-chip devices tailored to the needs of medical and pharmaceutical researchers. The first runner-up was team “Scamtify” from Thammasat University, for its platform to easily detect online scams with a single click. The second runner-up was team “DigiPeak” from Mae Fah Luang University, for its automated unmanned aerial vehicle system designed for precision agriculture.

The event also included the presentation of the Prime Minister Award 2024, which honors individuals and organizations for their contribution to promoting and supporting the development of the country’s startup ecosystem. A total of 12 awards were given, divided into two categories:

I. National Startups 2024:
– Startup of the Year: SkillLane
– Global Tech Startup of the Year: Buzzebee
– Evangelist of the Year: Mr. Saran Sutantiwong
– Investor of the Year: CU Enterprise
– Best Brotherhood of the Year: AIS The Startup, Katalyst, KBank, LiVE Platform
– Best Contributor in Human Capital Development: Chulalongkorn University

II. Innovation for Sustainability
The winners are: Siam Commercial Bank, Kasikorn Bank, UOB Bank, and Thai Beverage Co., Ltd.

Additionally, the NIA signed agreements to establish collaborative innovation networks with 13 agencies, both domestic and international, including:

– Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) of Thailand
– National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA)
– Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB)
– Leave a Nest Singapore, Pte. Ltd.
– Techsauce Media Co., Ltd.
– IMPACT Muang Thong Thani
– The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
– Montgomery County, Maryland
– The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI)
– Kasetsart University
– Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES)
– Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand (SME Bank)

These collaborations aim to strengthen the Thai innovation ecosystem across its various dimensions and create opportunities to expand the international market for startups and innovative entrepreneurs.

Those interested in learning more are welcome to register at https://www.mhesifair.com and like us on Facebook @ NIA: National Innovation Agency, Thailand.

Source: The National Innovation Agency (NIA)

Cross-channel marketing strategies boost conversion rates by up to 31%; CleverTap Report

CleverTap, the all-in-one engagement platform, today released its market research report on “Unraveling the Cross-Channel Marketing Strategy”. The report highlights the necessity of tailoring marketing approaches to resonate with regional audiences while maintaining a cohesive global presence. It underscores the importance of understanding local and industry-specific nuances to optimize cross-channel strategies as businesses grow.

The report has looked at more than 600 businesses across the globe and examined factors that could influence or shape the omni-channel strategy such as business growth stage, geographical nuances, industry dynamics, customer lifestyle milestones, and user retention. The cross-channel strategy of a business involves selecting the right number of channels and the right mix – depending on the stage of growth the business will be in at any given point in time and where the customer is in their lifecycle. A key indicator of the stage of growth a company is at is the number of monthly active users. It is observed that businesses witness up to 49% increase in conversion rates by using four or more channels as part of their omni-channel strategies.

While email remains dominant in markets like the US and UK, SMS holds significant sway in regions like China and the US, and WhatsApp emerges as a powerhouse in South America and Asia. The report found that adopting an omni-channel marketing strategy impacted the following key areas: app stickiness, conversion rates, and onboarding rates. Key highlights include-

Engagement:

23% uptick in engagement on Fintech platforms with email, push notifications and in-app messages.
16% increase in engagement for Subscription platforms with email, while combining it with other channels can take it beyond 20%
13% elevated engagement in Gaming platforms with a combination of email, push-notifications, in-app messages and app inbox.

Conversion rates:

Up to 31% conversion rates in Fintech apps, where email, push notifications, and in-app messages are pivotal.
16% uptick in conversions in Subscription apps from push notifications and in-app messages
10% increase in conversion in the Gaming industry from push notifications and in-app messages.
6% increase in conversions in Ecommerce as a result of a cross-channel strategy incorporating in-app, app inbox, email and push notifications.

App-stickiness:

Over 28% increase for Fintech platforms with more than three channels.
30% to 70% increase stickiness in Subscription platforms, such as streaming platforms,or grocery shopping, with two to four channels.
32% increase in stickiness in Gaming platforms, with more than three channels.
26% increase in stickiness in E-commerce platforms, with more than three channels.

Commenting on the report, Jacob Joseph, VP – Data Science, CleverTap said, “Many organizations often dive into customer engagement with a narrower focus, which, while important, can limit their effectiveness. Our latest report highlights the crucial need for a holistic approach to truly drive impactful results. By strategically utilizing a mix of channels, businesses can significantly enhance their engagement efforts. The findings demonstrate that a comprehensive, all-in-one MarTech stack is vital for marketers who must navigate the complexities of diverse channels. This approach not only addresses the numerous challenges but also amplifies overall engagement and effectiveness, ensuring that no customer touchpoint is overlooked and every interaction is optimized for success.”

For more information and insights on cross-channel marketing across the industry types, download the report here.

About CleverTap

CleverTap is the all-in-one engagement platform that helps brands unlock limitless customer lifetime value by helping them create personalized experiences to retain their most valuable customers. The platform empowers businesses to orchestrate experiences for individuals across their lifecycles and design personalized journeys that span a lifetime. It offers analytics that encompasses every aspect of the lifecycle, enabling businesses to measure and optimize each experience in real-time. Its unique AI capability is insightful, empathetic, and prescriptive, facilitating smarter and faster decisions. The all-in-one platform unifies experiences from every touchpoint, paving the way for a new era of customer engagement.

The platform is powered by TesseractDB™ – the world’s first purpose-built database for customer engagement, offering both speed and economies of scale.

CleverTap is trusted by 2000 customers, including TiltingPoint, Gamebasics, MobilityWare, TED, English Premier League, TD Bank, Carousell, AirAsia, Papa John’s, and Tesco.

Backed by leading investors such as Peak XV Partners, Tiger Global, Accel, CDPQ, and 360 One, the company is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with presence in New York, São Paulo, Bogota, Mexico City, London, Amsterdam, Sofia, Dubai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Singapore, Jakarta, and Ho Chi Minh.

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:
SONY SHETTY
Director, Communications, CleverTap
+91 9820900036
sony@clevertap.com

IPSHITA BALU
Consultant
Archetype
+91 9590111798
ipshita.balu@archetype.co

NIA’s SITE 2024 Achieves Record Success at the MHESI ‘SCI-POWER FOR FUTURE THAILAND’ Fair

The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), through the National Innovation Agency (Public Organization) or NIA, gathered to announce the recent success of the largest Thai innovation and startup expo in the country, STARTUP x INNOVATION THAILAND EXPO 2024 (SITE 2024). Under the theme “Innovation for Growth and Sustainability”, the expo aimed to accelerate the sustainability of Thai innovation businesses and startups in every dimension.

This year, a diverse group of startups and innovators gathered to participate in MHESI’s showcase of the immense potential of interdisciplinary studies to drive sustainable economic development in Thailand, or the MHESI Fair. The event attracted 600,000 visitors and generated more than 500 million Baht.

Dr Krithpaka Boonfueng, Executive Director of the NIA, explained that “SITE 2024, the largest Thai Startup x Innovation Expo in the country, took place for the first time within the MHESI Fair, which was co-organized by several agencies under the supervision of the MHESI, showcasing the diverse potential of science, technology and innovation to drive Thailand into the future. Which made this year’s event more dynamic and vibrant, with over 600,000 attendees and generating income exceeding 500 million baht.”

For SITE 2024, NIA organized five highlighted activities that enjoyed significant attention from visitors, including:
– Forums: Featuring seminars and workshops with leading speakers from both domestic and international backgrounds, addressing the question of creating innovative businesses.
– International Hackathon: In collaboration with King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang and other partners, the hackathons focused on “Saving the World with AI.”
– Business Matching: A total of 22 Business Matching activities connected startups and entrepreneurs in business discussions with investors and large companies, totalling 34 pairs. Seven leading VC / CVC / Corporates participated, including Beacon Venture Capital, Bangchak Initiative and Innovation Center, Y&Archer, True Incube, InnoSpace (Thailand), AIS The Startup, and ALLY Global Management.
– Marketplace: Showcasing innovative products from over 300 startups and innovative enterprises.

– Startup Thailand League 2024: National Championship Round, featured 14 teams. The winning team was “MedStream Innovations” from King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, which was recognized for designing and producing organ-on-chip devices tailored to the needs of medical and pharmaceutical researchers. The first runner-up was team “Scamtify” from Thammasat University, for its platform to easily detect online scams with a single click. The second runner-up was team “DigiPeak” from Mae Fah Luang University, for its automated unmanned aerial vehicle system designed for precision agriculture.

II. Innovation for Sustainability
The winners were Siam Commercial Bank, Kasikorn Bank, UOB Bank, and Thai Beverage Pcl

Additionally, the NIA signed agreements to establish collaborative innovation networks with 13 agencies, both domestic and international, including:

– Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) of Thailand
– National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA)
– Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB)
– Liveaness Singapore, Pte. Ltd.
– Techsauce Media Co., Ltd.
– IMPACT Muang Thong Thani
– Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
– Montgomery County, Maryland
– The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI)
– Kasetsart University
– Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES)
– Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand (SME Bank)

These collaborations jointly aim to strengthen the Thai innovation ecosystem across its various dimensions and create opportunities to expand the international market for startups and innovative entrepreneurs.

Those interested in learning more are welcome to register at https://www.mhesifair.com
and like us on Facebook @ NIA: National Innovation Agency, Thailand.

Please contact:
Dujrapee Chaovanapricha
The National Innovation Agency (NIA)
Email: dujrapee.c@nia.or.th

Source: The National Innovation Agency (NIA)

Verofax and NetGreen Announce Strategic Alliance to Accelerate Global Reforestation Efforts

– Expediting the Journey to Net Zero –

In a landmark initiative to combat climate change, Verofax, a leader in blockchain traceability and AI technologies, has partnered with climate tech startup NetGreen to activate retail channels to lead the change in re-greening our planet with trust and transparency.

Wassim Merheby, CEO of Verofax, with Nisreen Shadad, CEO & Co-founder of Netgreen.

This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Verofax’ advanced technological solutions and NetGreen’s platform comes at a crucial time as businesses and consumers increasingly prioritize sustainability.

In fact, 88% of consumers want to make an environmental impact, but lack a trusted platform that is easy and affordable. NetGreen’s platform meets an urgent market need where individuals can purchase a plant-a-tree service from validated reforestation projects to combat climate change.

NetGreen’s unique approach enables participants to directly engage in reforestation through everyday transactions, such as converting loyalty points into tree plantings. This model not only supports carbon sequestration but also enhances biodiversity and fosters a deeper connection between communities and their natural environments.

Preventing Double Counting & Ensuring Validation of Reforestation Projects
With Verofax validating, reforestation projects becomes seamless using Verofax’ Tree Chain technology for identifying, tracking and measuring the carbon capture from trees using computer vision, AI drone feeds, geolocation, and an immutable ledger.

These technologies will automate operations to prevent double counting and ensure their alignment with the latest international standards, including Verra and UNFCCC CDM.

Nisreen Shadad, CEO and Co-Founder of NetGreen, stated, “Partnering with Verofax propels us towards our vision of a greener planet by enhancing the reach and effectiveness of our reforestation projects. Their advanced technology solutions will allow us to provide undeniable proof of impact to our participants, increasing trust and participation rates. This is a game-changer for environmental engagement.”

Wassim Merheby, CEO of Verofax, said, “This partnership is an excellent opportunity to showcase how innovative technology can be harnessed to address some of the most pressing environmental challenges. By supporting NetGreen, we are not only contributing to scaling reforestation but also demonstrating the potential for technology to create significant positive change.”

The MOU between Verofax and NetGreen is poised to set a benchmark for how technology can facilitate more sustainable practices across industries and communities worldwide. It underscores both companies’ commitment to leveraging strengths in promoting an environmental stewardship and global sustainability.

About Verofax
Verofax specializes in providing sustainable solutions with advanced track and trace capabilities through product serialization and blockchain technology. Their solutions enhance compliance and transparency across industries, promoting environmentally responsible practices. For further details, visit https://www.verofax.com.

About NetGreen
NetGreen is a climate action application that empowers individuals and businesses to participate actively in tree-planting projects aimed at re-greening the planet, expediting the journey Net Zero. Led by CEO Nisreen Shadad, the platform enables effective afforestation participation, enhancing biodiversity and fostering community connections to natural habitats. For more information, please visit https://netgreen.live.

For additional information, please register at https://netgreen.live/inquiry, join our community at https://linktr.ee/netgreen.live, or contact us at impact@netgreen.live.

More than eight in ten Singapore companies are using digital marketing to advertise products and services, but half face challenges measuring returns on investment: HubSpot research

HubSpot, the customer platform for scaling companies, and LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network and leading advertising partner for brands, today announced the findings of a survey, conducted by Milieu Insight, that explored how companies in Asia, Singapore included, perceived digital marketing. The survey also looked at how companies were leveraging digital marketing, and how they could revitalise and improve strategies to drive business growth.

The survey revealed that more than eight in ten (84%) Singapore respondents shared that their companies were leveraging digital marketing to advertise products and services. Among the companies engaging in digital marketing, more than seven in ten (78%) currently have a digital marketing strategy in place. For respondents in companies without a digital marketing strategy, more than half (57%) said their organisation had plans to implement one in the future.

Insufficient ability to track results may be limiting the full potential of digital marketing

Despite the prevalence of digital marketing among local companies, only 17% of all Singapore respondents strongly agreed that there was a link between a good digital marketing strategy and increased revenue. This figure is significantly below the regional average of 41%, as well as the other countries included in the survey.

A potential contributing factor could be insufficient adoption of specific tools such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms that play an essential role in tracking and measuring the outcomes of marketing campaigns. This data provides brands with an understanding of how their marketing activities may be impacting business goals, allowing them to better assess any returns on investment. Among Singapore companies engaging in digital marketing, only 41% are using CRM tools, the lowest among all countries surveyed.

Beyond the low adoption of tools to measure success, nearly a quarter (24%) of Singapore companies engaging in digital marketing are not confident in their team’s ability to effectively use digital marketing tools. Nearly half (49%) felt that their digital marketing strategies had not contributed to organisational goals in 2023. These figures are the highest across the countries included in this survey, and point to a possible skill or knowledge gap among Singapore’s marketers that is limiting the full potential of digital marketing.

Matt Tindale, Head of LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, APAC, emphasises the crucial role of learning and development (L&D) in Singapore’s digital economy, stating, “In Singapore, with the pace at which technology is advancing, there is an opportunity for marketers to enhance their skills. Upskilling and reskilling will not only help professionals adapt to changes but leverage new technology for increased productivity and enhanced outcomes.”

When asked about the measurement used to assess the impact of digital marketing efforts, more than half (52%) of Singapore respondents cited brand awareness as the primary metric. This differs from regional sentiments, where the majority consider sales or revenue as the key indicator of success.

“Findings from the survey indicate that while the majority of local companies are focusing on brand awareness, the real challenge is converting that awareness into actionable growth. With the integration of AI into digital marketing strategies — as indicated by 60% of companies in our survey — Singapore is on the brink of a transformative era in digital marketing. Success requires the use of effective measurement frameworks and tools to support data-driven decisions, which are essential for maximising ROI. One example is LinkedIn’s Revenue Attribution Report, which connects CRM data to information from marketing touchpoints across the customer journey. These can help marketers better demonstrate the impact of their LinkedIn campaigns on key metrics such as pipeline generated, deal cycles, and revenue, ultimately helping them to make better business decisions,” added Tindale.

This trend towards digital marketing is on track to continue in 2024. Among Singapore companies engaging in digital marketing, more than a third (35%) were spending S$10,000 or more on related activities each month. Most companies (28%) are currently allocating 21% to 40% of their monthly marketing budget to digital marketing, with similar levels of investment registered across all countries surveyed. Survey findings indicate that more than a third of Singapore companies were planning to maintain their current level of investment into digital marketing in 2024 instead of increasing budgets. This is the highest proportion among countries surveyed.

Social media, content, and search engine marketing established as the key channels of digital marketing in Singapore

Among Singapore companies with digital marketing strategies, a majority (62%) identified social media as the key channel for digital marketing, followed by content marketing (50%) and search engine marketing (49%). Nearly half (42%) of these respondents also ranked social media as one of the top three critical channels for their digital marketing activities. These findings correspond with observations from a separate HubSpot study that identified social media as the preferred platform for shopping and brand discovery among global consumers, with a majority of brands surveyed attesting to the effectiveness of social media marketing for their business. In Singapore, nine in ten social media marketers predict that local consumers will increasingly choose to engage in social commerce and social search in 2024.

The rise of social media as a leading digital marketing channel can also be observed in budget allocation and tools. Among Singapore companies engaging in digital marketing, social media marketing receives the lion’s share of marketing budgets (23%), while social media management platforms are the most popular tools, in use by more than half (51%) of these respondents. This aligns with the growing adoption of social media in Singapore, where 85% of its population are estimated to be social media users according to We Are Social and Meltwater’s Digital 2024 Global Overview Report, ranking the country first in Southeast Asia in terms of social media use.

“Social selling and commerce are becoming increasingly popular in Singapore, offering a highly effective platform for brands to reach, target, and engage on a personal level with their audience. Despite the growing popularity of social media platforms, brands should avoid being over-reliant on a single channel. More than half of global customers today leverage anywhere between three to five different channels throughout their buying journey. Success will increasingly be contingent on the ability of brands to establish a presence on the channels their customers and prospects reside on, and to leverage CRM platforms to accurately measure the impact of their marketing efforts. This will be essential to actively engage and deliver frictionless experiences to audiences regardless of channel,” said Kat Warboys, Senior Marketing Director, APAC at HubSpot.

Alongside social media management platforms, other popular tools among Singapore companies engaging in digital marketing include CRM platforms (41%) and email marketing solutions (37%). An effective approach to digital marketing should also include the implementation of these tools alongside a robust marketing strategy to optimise outcomes. This enables brands to better engage customers on the various channels they reside on today. By using a CRM platform, brands can consolidate customer data from disparate channels and sources and create a single source of truth to accurately measure the impact or effectiveness of marketing activities and deliver a better customer experience.

“As the popularity of digital channels explode, the key to success will lie in ensuring customer data doesn’t reside in siloes across multiple platforms. Solutions could include the use of Conversion APIs that enables brands to accurately track and measure the effectiveness of their marketing efforts on social media platforms. As a server-side tracking option, Conversion APIs can still deliver observable data that would otherwise have been restricted by privacy controls, something marketers need to consider as third-party cookies are phased out. By adopting CRM solutions that can seamlessly integrate with such tools, marketers will be better positioned to make the most of information gathered throughout the customer journey. This unfettered information flow can empower marketers with the necessary insights to drive more targeted campaigns, automatically follow up on leads generated from social media, and clearly track ROI of every ad campaign.” said Warboys.

About HubSpot

HubSpot (NYSE: HUBS) is the customer platform that helps your business grow better. HubSpot delivers seamless connections for customer-facing teams with a unified platform that includes AI-powered engagement hubs, a Smart CRM, a connected ecosystem, and a team of over 7,600 employees. With over 1,500 App Marketplace integrations, a community network, and educational content from HubSpot Academy, that has helped over 459,000 professionals. Today, over 216,000 customers, like DoorDash, Reddit, Eventbrite, and Tumblr, across more than 135 countries use HubSpot to attract, engage, and delight customers. Learn more at www.hubspot.com.

Press contact for further information, assets and interview requests:

Yanchang Tan
Sling & Stone for HubSpot
E: yanchangtan@slingstone.com

Countdown to the first ever Thai innovation and startup network expo ‘SITE 2024’ at SCI Power For Future Thailand

The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) by the National Innovation Agency (Public Organization) or NIA is hosting “STARTUP THAILAND x INNOVATION THAILAND EXPO 2024” or SITE 2024 under the concept of “Innovation for Growth and Sustainability” to accelerate the creation of sustainability for Thai businesses and start-ups in all dimensions. There will be an exhibition of exciting innovations, a knowledge transfer session, business opportunity expansions, and cutting-edge innovative products to spark new ideas. The goal is to foster strength and sustainable growth for Thai startups and innovative entrepreneurs. This year’s event will be organized in conjunction with SCI Power For Future Thailand – an event promoting the utilization of scientific research for sustainable economic development from 22 – 28 July 2024 at Zone C, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.

Dr. Krithpaka Boonfueng, Executive Director of the National Innovation Agency (Public Organization) or NIA states that “NIA is forging ahead in its role as the “Focal Conductor” of innovation, bridging collaborations with both domestic and international partners. This effort aims to promote and support innovative entrepreneurs and startups in every dimension, leading to sustainable economic and social impacts for the country. Additionally, NIA plays a crucial role in policy formulation and facilitating the innovation ecosystem to enhance business potential and value creation. This includes fostering continuous innovation development among entrepreneurs, startups, and the public sector. The annual STARTUP THAILAND x INNOVATION THAILAND EXPO (SITE) is a key tool in this endeavour, elevating Thai innovative entrepreneurs and startups by providing them with opportunities for sustainable growth.

This year “STARTUP THAILAND x INNOVATION THAILAND EXPO 2024” or SITE 2024 will be held under the concept of “Innovation for Growth and Sustainability” with 3 main objectives: 1) Raising awareness of innovation; 2) Driving business growth and sustainability; and 3) Creating opportunities for startups and innovation-based entrepreneurs, consisting of 5 highlighted activities:

– Forum: A stage that brings together leading start-ups and innovators in Thailand and expert lecturers from abroad who will join to update the world’s innovation trends. They are ready to exchange knowledge and inspire innovation development, including Road to Unicorn by the NIA’s executive team, Scale-up Thailand Fueling by Coach, Cash, and Connect by Assoc. Prof. Dr Natcha Thawesaengskulthai, PhD, Startup and Innovation Ecosystem in Montgomery County, Maryland, USA by Judy Costello, Global Startup Scaling for Thai Startups by Linda Nguyen Schindler and a seminar and brainstorming session on developing financial and investment capabilities for innovation projects in the area of solving environmental and climate problems in Thailand by NIA and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

– Marketplace: A comprehensive innovation marketplace featuring over 300 startups and innovative entrepreneurs who will introduce cutting-edge products and services that respond to innovation trends for business sustainability in the future world. There were also innovative products on display at the booth from international agencies, including Japan, Korea and China.

– Business Matching: A forum for meeting business cooperation, which is an important opportunity for startups and entrepreneurs to expand their ideas into innovative businesses, find partners and receive advice to grow their businesses strongly. Investors, venture capital firms and large companies joined the stage, including AIS the Startup, ALLY Global Management, Bangchak, Beacon Venture, InnoSpace (Thailand), MAX Venture, True Incube and Y&Archer.

Prime Minister Award: An award ceremony honoring and recognizing contributors who have participated in promoting and supporting the development of the country’s startup ecosystem and strengthening the business potential of Thai startups to enter the international market.

– Startup Thailand League 2024: The National Pitching of Thailand Championship round consists of the final 14 teams of the startup business idea competition activity at the higher education level. This year, it was organized under the concept “Turn your dreams to build your business with a different idea.”

“This year, SITE 2024 is especially significant as it is held in conjunction with the “SCI Power” Fair, a major event promoting the utilization of higher education, science, research, and innovation for sustainable economic development. This fair serves as a crucial platform to showcase the potential of economic development through higher education, science, research, and innovation. It aims to inspire learning in these fields to improve quality of life, aligning with lifestyles at all stages of life. We believe that SITE 2024 will spark new knowledge and ideas for creating technology and innovation, enhance commercial opportunities, and expand business prospects for promising startups. The government and relevant agencies are ready to support these efforts to increase global competitiveness, enhance the country’s reputation, and further develop the national economy.”, Dr Krithpaka concluded.

For those interested, can get more details and register at https://www.mhesifair.com and Facebook: NIA: National Innovation Agency, Thailand.

Dubai AI & Web3 Festival & Trescon Launch FutureTech World Cup to Support Global Start-ups

The first Qualifier round of FutureTech World Cup, one of the new initiatives launched by Dubai AI & Web3 Festival & Trescon to recognise and support the most promising emerging tech start-ups from around the world, was hosted successfully by the Dubai AI Campus on July 10, 2024. Ten pre-qualified global startups pitched their groundbreaking ideas to a panel of five esteemed jury members with three startups – Momint, Nettle and Orbii – advancing to the grand finale set to be held during the Dubai AI & Web3 Festival on September 11 & 12, 2024.

Momint: Recognised for its innovative approach and impactful solutions for accelerating clean energy.
Nettle, s.r.o.: Praised for its goal of redefining customer engagement with AI-Powered Digital Humans for the omnichannel age
Orbii AI: Honoured for its model of harnessing better data and intelligent AI models to help lenders make faster and more accurate credit decisions.

“The competition provides a platform for innovators to showcase ideas, gain exposure, connect with stakeholders, collaborate with peers, and access capital, while also driving advancements in AI, Web3, and global digital economies.”, said Naveen Bharadwaj, Group CEO, Trescon.

The distinguished panel of jury for the first qualifier included:

Hasan Fardan Al Fardan, CEO, Al Fardan Exchange
Ian Arden, General Partner, Mempool Ventures
Dr. Jonathan Doerr, Partner MENAP, Antler
Ahmed Refaie, CEO & Global CIO, G.P.J. Global Partners Investments
Sarah Abuagela, Partner & Head of Investment, Ceras Ventures

Serial Angel Investor & Chairman of Trescon, Mohammed Saleem said, “The FutureTech World Cup is designed to celebrate and elevate those who dare to believe they can transform the world of AI and Web3. Our goal is to support competent startups and founders from around the world with access to connections and investments that will help scale their businesses while ensuring they are solving real-world challenges”.

All start-ups qualifying to the grand finale are offered fully sponsored Start-up Pods at the Dubai AI & Web3 Festival and the penultimate winner receives fully sponsored one-year Dubai AI Campus License, Trescon credits worth USD 10,000 to be used for future events, access to mentorship by the Jury members, and networking opportunities with the industry’s finest, in addition to the coveted title of ‘FutureTech World Cup Champion’, which will help elevate their start-up’s overall journey.

The second qualifier round is expected to take place in August and the pre-qualification has already begun. Interested startups can apply for free on https://dubaiaiweb3festival.com/future-tech-world-cup/

About FutureTech World Cup

The FutureTech World Cup marks a pioneering endeavour to reshape the world of AI & Web3. This event kicks off with a qualifier round, spotlighting start-ups from around the globe. Held in partnership with leading organisations, these competitions provide a launching pad for revolutionary AI and Web3 concepts. Standout startups advance to the grand finale hosted at the Dubai AI & Web3 Festival. Here, global investors, venture capitalists, angel investors, and the finest minds in AI and Web3 gather to witness start-ups pitch groundbreaking ideas and compete for multiple investment funds. More than just a competition, the FutureTech World Cup cultivates connections, propels innovation, and fuels the future of AI and Web3. Join us at the Dubai AI & Web3 Festival to inspire, challenge, and connect with the future of technology.

Website: FutureTech World Cup

Shadi Dawi
Director of PR, Media Partnerships, & Communications
Global & MEA
shadi@tresconglobal.com
+971 55 498 4989

New Horizons for SMEs in the Johor-Singapore SEZ

Maybank Singapore hosted approximately 160 SME guests and business leaders at the Maybank Johor-Singapore Access conference on July 8, 2024. The event aimed to prepare attendees for doing business and to provide a platform for sharing perspectives on the expected opportunities and economic benefits within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JSSEZ).

Mr Alvin Lee, Country CEO, Maybank Singapore

Alvin Lee, Country CEO of Maybank Singapore, said: “The economies of Singapore and Malaysia are closely connected through trade, investment, tourism, and labour. With the establishment of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JSSEZ), we can expect increased cross-border trade and partnerships between the two countries. This will further enhance the economic ecosystems of both countries, foster positive synergies across various sectors, and strengthen economic connectivity and cooperation.”

He added, “Maybank sees itself as powering the continued growth of the Malaysia-Singapore corridor by facilitating cross-border business services, solutions, and digital networks to support our clients’ business needs. Maybank will have a significant role to play as the Malaysia- Singapore corridor grows and as the JSSEZ becomes a closer reality.”

Other speakers and panellists at the event include:

Dr Chua Hak Bin, Regional Co-Head, Macro Research, Maybank Investment Banking Group
Mr Samuel Tan, Executive Director, KVG International
Mr Vinothan Tulisinathanzan, Director, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA)
Mr Ang Yuit, President, Association of Small & Medium Enterprises (ASME)
Mr Kong Chee Min, CEO, Centurion Corporation
Dr Melvin Heng, Group CEO, Thomson Medical Group

The JSSEZ has strong support from both Malaysia and Singapore, as they are eager for greater economic integration, allowing freer movement of people, goods, and capital, which will create new opportunities aligning with long-term policy goals. Maybank has identified six key catalysts that will benefit the upcoming JSSEZ:

#1 Support from the Malaysian King and both Governments

The MOU for JSSEZ was signed on 11 Jan 2024 by Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and Malaysia’s Ministry of Economy. The area will possibly cover 3,505 sq km, about 3 to 4 times Singapore. Outside of Chinese investors, Singapore is the second largest foreign direct investor (FDI) in Iskandar.

#2 Greater Land Connectivity

The causeway is already the busiest border crossing in the world. The Rapid Transit System (RTS) is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026. It will integrate Immigration, Customs, and quarantine at each RTS station, making travel between the two countries seamless.

#3 Supply Chain Shifts Amidst US-China Rivalry

While China’s share of US imports has fallen significantly, US imports from ASEAN have grown. FDI into Malaysia has also grown rapidly, with many companies moving their manufacturing facilities from China to Malaysia.

#4 Lower Operating Costs & Competitive Ringgit

Malaysia offers lower operating costs for Singapore companies and enjoys a favourable exchange rate. Salaries and rentals are lower in Iskandar and suitable for factories.

#5 Easing Talent & Labour Shortage

With the RTS, Johor workers would have a shorter daily commute to Singapore.

#6 The Green Transition

Singapore aims to import 30% of its renewal energy mix by 2035. Malaysia has also lifted its renewal energy ban and will export 300 MW to Singapore.

Maybank’s specialist teams are dedicated to offering business advisory services as a one-stop solution for businesses operating across the Malaysia-Singapore borders. Maybank helps businesses navigate the complexities of conducting business across borders and offers competitive financial and payment solutions to meet their cross-border business needs.

Media Contacts

PRecious Communications for Maybank Singapore
T: +65 6303 0567
E: maybanksg@preciouscomms.com

About Maybank Singapore

Maybank is the fourth largest financial institution group in ASEAN by assets. It has been ranked the Best Bank in Asia Pacific and Singapore by The Banker in 2023; and the number one domestic bank in Malaysia for trade finance, according to the Euromoney Trade Finance survey in 2024.

Maybank Singapore is one of the Group’s largest overseas operations and a Qualifying Full Bank in Singapore. As at 31 December 2023, Maybank’s total assets in Singapore were approximately S$80.26 billion. With strategically located banking branches and over 2,000 employees in Singapore, Maybank is well-positioned to provide highly personalised services and locally oriented solutions that will deliver more value to customers.