Category: Venture Capital

Superfanz Launched in Vietnam with Top Actors and Live On

Liveon, one of Vietnam’s leading movie studios, partners with Superfanz to kickoff its next CJ-backed blockbuster film and give fans unprecedented access to the movie’s cast.

After the recent soft launch in Thailand and Taiwan, Superfanz is expanding its footprint to Vietnam in partnership with the upcoming big-budget film Thoat E (True Love) by Live On.

Thoat E (True Love) is based on the popular Vietnamese series called Chien Dich Chong E, which is based on popular online fan fiction. The Chien Dich Chong E series revolved around the lives of 3 attractive yet single women in their 20s. The series’ theme quickly captured the cultural zeitgeist spawning popular catchphrases such as “Single life is the new trend.”

The movie focuses again on the lives of the same 3 characters 5 years later. Thoat E boasts some of the country’s most famous actors and actresses including household names such as Minh Hang, Bao Anh, Dieu Nhi, Thuan Nguyen and Quoc Truong.

Live On is partnering with Superfanz in order to further push the envelop on what’s possible with technology for its movie. Live On is using the Superfanz platform to create the fanpage for the film, offering exclusive VIP membership packages for fan clubs of actors and actresses. Fans will be able to get perks including visit to the filmset during the shoot, join the cast for lunch, and take part in the red carpet events.

Since Superfanz takes a hyper-local approach to the markets the company enters, Thoat E (True Love) will be able to have maximum reach and conversion. This is crucial because 95% of the Vietnamese audience consume entertainment in the local language and make online payment through methods such online banking, counter-service, scratch card, and e-wallet.

“Superfanz brings a very unique proposition to the Vietnam’s entertainment industry. With Superfanz’s platform we give fans unprecedented access to our cast, open new avenues of income for the stars, and generate ongoing buzz for our film, Chien Dich Chong E (True Love),” said Tai Do, CEO of Live On. “What we are doing with Superfanz will be the first for the Vietnam film industry.”

“I see this as a fan service,” added Dieu Nhi, one of Vietnam’s top actresses who plays the lead role in the film. “It rewards my fellow cast members’ super fans and give them exclusive ability to be on this journey with us from the first day of shooting all the way to the red carpet premiere. It’s very exciting.”

“Live On and the casts immediately understood Superfanz’s vision and how the platform can bring something completely new to the film industry. Our mission is always about giving top fans the place where they can get the most exclusive perks from their idols whether that be KOL, influencers, creators or celebrities,” said Oh Thongsrinoon, Superfanz CEO/Founder. “This partnership is the perfect showcase of the benefits we can give to fans, celebrities, and movie studio.”

With the entertainment industry hit hard by the pandemic, Superfanz’s expansion into Vietnam comes at the fortuitous time. KOL, influencers, creators, entertainers and celebrities are looking for more the creative ways to monetize their personal brands. They will be able to use Superfanz social fan club platform to generate extra income on top of their existing ones starting today and this partnership with Live On and the movie Thoat E (True Love) is the perfect showcase of what’s possible.

About Live On
Live On is one of Vietnam’s top movie studios with headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Live On produces some of the biggest blockbusters and well-known movies in Vietnam including titles such as Season for Love Song, Sai Gon I Love You, Mistress, and Happy Wedding. https://www.superfanz.co/liveonmovie

About Superfanz Pte Ltd
Superfanz is the social fan club platform for Creators (KOL, Influencers, YouTubers, Celebrities) and their most loyal followers. Superfanz addresses the pain point that over 95% of the Creators do not earn enough money from their social media presence to make a living.

Visit us online: https://superfanz.co
See our new platform: https://web.superfanz.co
Watch our video: https://youtu.be/-gb04JgaCRg
And contact us! Dolly Hoang, e: media@superfanz.co, m: +66 87 706 2002, hq: Superfanz Pte Ltd, Singapore.

Wowotalent: Harvest twelve years of value over five years

The global coronavirus pandemic has cast the world economy into turmoil. Undermining the capital markets, investment institutions and investors have become more cautious. The current situation is unpredictable, say investors, and risk in new investment projects has increased significantly. At the same time, they could say that a platform that insists on being responsible for investor funds and caring about the development of entrepreneurial projects is invaluable.


There is such a platform in China, the WOWO Innovation Camp. The platform was established by WOWO (Beijing) Network Technology Company Ltd in June 2019. WOWO has more than 9 years of headhunting industry experience in the real estate and Internet sectors, accumulating significant business resources. WOWO Innovation Camps bring startup entrepreneurs together, pooling resources, providing investment funds, and guiding entrepreneurship to success.

The 1st WOWO Innovation Camp

From August to December 2019, the WOWO (Beijing) Network and Fosun Group successfully hosted the first WOWO Innovation Camp. More than 1,000 young entrepreneurs attended the orientation. 25 projects were guided by the mentors; 11 projects enrolled for bootcamp and 3 projects entered the overseas roadshow Fosun ProTech Innovation Pitch competition. More than 50 well-known Chinese entrepreneurs and investment partners participated in the program, resulting successfully in 28 cooperative commercial and public welfare projects.
During the novel coronavirus outbreak in 2020, startup staff and students worked together to equip the affected areas with more than 2,400 oxygen ventilators.

The 2nd WOWO Innovation Camp

Despite the severity of the global pandemic, WOWO holds to its intention of guiding young entrepreneurs, and the 2nd WOWO Innovation Camp held its orientation on 3 March 2020. This year we have a number of experienced mentors in the Entrepreneurship Academy, offering simultaneous online and offline guidance, along with each mentor’s ability to invest and attract investment. WOWO Innovation Camp wants every entrepreneur and investor to get the most out of this platform.

The WOWO Innovation Camp

Participants:
– Entrepreneurs and projects with original and sustainable or socially minded ideas
– Investor Mentors with time and investment or investor raising ability

Schedule:
– Mar to May 2020: Preliminary screening of the project – Online assessment
– May to July 2020: Guidance for offline Enterprises
– Aug to Sept 2020: Project investigation

Venue:
– China (Beijing or Shenzhen)

Projects:
Business innovation award: Sustainable business projects
– Scientific and technological innovation and entrepreneurship projects
– Medical technology innovation and entrepreneurship projects
– Commerce and industry innovation and entrepreneurship projects
Public innovation award: Public welfare projects that solve new social problems

Benefits:
– For entrepreneurs: capital injection, resource allocation, growth and expansion
– For investors: invest in high-quality projects, achieve financial growth, and the honor of investment achievement

Registered:
– Beijing Tiantian Wisdom Technology Co., Ltd. – Chaired by Liang Xiao, a well-known Chinese investor.
– Zhejiang Yiwu Baode Real Estate Development Co., Ltd. – Leading real estate company in Zhejiang, China.
– Henan Dacheng Grain & Oil Group Co., Ltd. – Products sold in China, SE Asia, U.S., Israel and other countries.
– Apollo Box – Building cross-border e-commerce platform, technology to distribute quality products worldwide.
And more…

Replace the traditional ’10 + 2′ model with the innovative ‘5 + 2’, even ‘3 + 2’, model for rapid and stable financial growth. [‘5 + 2’ : Capital invests in a project for 5 years, capital exits from a project for 2 years.]
China’s top startup projects and unicorn projects are waiting for investors!

Global investment institutions are welcome to join WOWO Investment Camp.

Media contact:
E: li_wang@Wowotalent.com
WeChat: wo15600657291
Telephone: +86 15600657291
U: https://www.Wowotalent.com

Developing the Intelligent Commercial Vehicle Business Jointly with a Strong Partner, Wuling Motors Will Have a Promising Future

The outbreak of COVID-19 impacts the global economy unprecedentedly. In this epidemic, the state has repeatedly stressed the investment plan of “New Infrastructure Construction”, which aroused strong response.

The “New Infrastructure Construction” is comprised of seven major sectors, including charge stations for new energy vehicles (NEVs), which also highlights the importance of NEVs.

The industry of new energy intelligent cars is also included in the development strategy of the automobile industry, so major global technology companies are investing a huge sum of money in its research and development.

On April 9, Alibaba DAMO Academy announced that they have independently developed an ISP (Image Signal Processor) for on-board cameras, which can greatly improve the safety of autonomous driving. At present, ISP has been applied to autonomous driving logistics vehicles, and the performance in drive test reaches at the industry-leading level.

From the trend of major companies like Alibaba, we can see that the development of intelligent commercial cars is stepping up.

Recently, Wuling Motors and UISEE joint together to manufacture higher-quality products of intelligent new energy commercial vehicles. Liuzhou Wuling Motors Co.,Ltd., a holding company under Wuling Motors Holdings (HK0305), announced that it has entered into a “Letter of Intent for Strategic Cooperation” with Uisee Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. The Parties will cooperate on a multi-scene, high-level intelligent autonomous driving system to jointly promote business. The main subjects of the Parties include their subsidiaries, joint research center and joint R&D projects. The Parties are willing to establish a long-term strategic cooperation relationship and become strategic partners in the development of automobile business. Beyond doubt, this is a great step for Wuling Motors towards the development target of intelligent commercial cars in intelligent, connected and dynamoelectric trend of automobile industry.

UISEE, the target of Wuling Motors’s strategic partner, is the leader in the commercialization of unmanned driving in China, with significant technical advantages in the research and development (R&D) of autonomous driving core components such as automatic driving algorithm, full-function automotive grade intelligent driving controller and intelligent driving service cloud platform.

Meanwhile, UISEE is also active throughout the country. Its headquarters is in Beijing with a R&D center, and its branch company is in Shanghai with a R&D center, and test and application innovation center in Zhejiang. In addition, there are many offices in Shenzhen, Liuzhou and Chengdu.

Currently, UISEE has formed an L 3-L 4 intelligent driving system that can be deployed on a large scale in business, and collaborated with many important customers to innovate and apply intelligent driving in a variety of business scenes. In 2019, UISEE will cooperate with SGMW to operate normal unmanned logistics in Baojun Base. The unmanned logistics project at Hong Kong International Airport has also been operated normally, which is the first unmanned logistics vehicle operation project at an airport in the world.

We are familiar with Wuling Motors’s high-level technology and rich experience in traditional automobile manufacturing, but few of us know that Wuling Motors is also a leading enterprise in developing unmanned sightseeing cars. In August 2018, Wuling 5G remote control autonomous vehicle was put into trial operation in Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications for the first time and succeed. Wuling 5G intelligent driving car was developed based on 5G mobile communication platform. As one of the important achievements of the national 5G network construction and application demonstration project, Wuling 5G remote control autonomous driving sightseeing car was unveiled and operated at the 12th China (Nanning) International Garden Exposition in December 2018. In the Exposition, the tourists have opportunities to drive and ride the car. By the first week of the opening, the 2-hour live video streaming of autonomous driving car has gained million views!

In October 2019, Wuling Motors’s 5G intelligent driving sightseeing car was put into trial operation in Banbianshan Intelligent Scenic Zone, Xiangshan County, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province. The customers purchased services of unmanned sightseeing car and Wuling Motors provided customers with multiple security services in vehicles, technology, network, on-site safety officer training. By this way, Wuling Motors can promote the introduction of 5G intelligent driving sightseeing cars into the tourism park and realize the commercial operation of intelligent driving sightseeing car. According to the news on its official WeChat, Wuling Motors’s another operation site was located at Liyuan Resort, Nanning in May 2020. The new-type ring-seat Wuling intelligent sightseeing cars have undergone multiple technological upgrades: the new model, without traditional steering wheel but equipped with the handle remote control function allowing people to drive the car instantaneously under special road conditions, can be operated by the remote control handle to start, move forward and backward, turn and stop. Moreover, anti-epidemic devices such as intelligent face temperature measuring equipment are also arranged in the car to ensure the safety of passengers.

It is reported that Wuling Motors has been committed to the commercial operation of unmanned technical products under closed scenes, so the company has strong resource advantages in intelligent driving vehicle manufacturing, operation service and after-sales guarantee. Now, Wuling Motors is also developing intelligent driving commercial vehicle models and innovating scenes modes with partners including Nankai University, Roadover Technology and China Mobile.

It is said that Wuling Motors is planning to expand the applied range of unmanned vehicle products into the field of commercial logistics through this cooperation, i.e. distribution scenes of production materials such as raw materials, semi-finished products and products for large-scale factory areas and logistics parks. What is more, UISEE has rich and successful experience in the technical research and commercial operation of unmanned logistics vehicles in the factory. Thus, the cooperation between the Parties will contribute to flexible deployment and quick application of unmanned logistics solutions in the factory area, so as to introduce more efficient, economical and safe unmanned logistics vehicles and enable enterprises to improve production capacity and gain more benefits in development.

We believe that Wuling Motors will not only realize the operation of Wuling intelligent sightseeing car, but also show striking performance in intelligent logistics products and provide intelligent driving experience soon after.

The “New Infrastructure Construction” is driving China’s economy to release new momentum, and the new four ways for realizing modernization (“industrialization, informatization, urbanization, agricultural modernization”) also draw higher requirements for traditional car companies. In the good external development environment of intelligent new energy commercial vehicles, whether Wuling Motors can be a dark horse in the intelligent commercial vehicle market with the positive market guidance of the state and its own efforts? We are always looking forward to the answer.

Skin Elements Enters Binding Agreement with Holista Colltech To Launch All Natural Skin-Friendly Sanitiser

Australian-listed companies Skin Elements Limited (ASX: SKN) (‘Skin Elements’) and Holista Colltech Limited (ASX:HCT) (‘Holista’) announced today a Binding Collaboration Term Sheet (Agreement) to launch a natural alcohol-free hand sanitiser that combines Skin Elements’ new skin-sensitive anti-microbial formula with the Path-Away(R) active ingredient distributed by Holista.

Skin Elements is leveraging on its research into skincare formulas which has already achieved global market recognition. This will make the Invisi Shield(R) Natural Hand Sanitiser a world-first in combining advanced natural skincare formulations with the Path-Away(R) active ingredient.

Skin Elements’ Invisi Shield(R) Natural Hand Sanitiser will hit stores in Australia and New Zealand this month ahead of other global markets as part of an accelerated collaboration between both companies to meet the increased global demand for sanitizers.

The all natural product will address a major concern faced by the repetitive use of alcohol based sanitisers. Many Australians are increasingly concerned about skin sensitivity due to high alcohol content in sanitisers. Invisi Shield(R) Natural Hand Sanitiser does not use alcohol.

Skin Elements’ Invisi Shield(R) Natural Hand Sanitiser is a plant based formula incorporating the Path-Away(R) active ingredient. The Invisi Shield(R) Natural Hand Sanitiser is currently being formulated by Skin Elements using third party independent test results on ingredients. Once this product has been finalised the assessment of applicable regulatory framework and further appropriate independent laboratory testing will be undertaken as required.

The Invisi Shield(R) Natural Hand Sanitiser is not required to be registered by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) as it is deemed personal cosmetics products which comply with the Therapeutic Goods (Excluded Goods) Determination 2018.

The Path-Away(R) active ingredients are listed as Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS) under the Code of Federal Regulations and Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and have been successfully tested at several laboratories approved by the World Health Organisation.

Holista has exclusive rights to distribute in Australia the Path-Away(R) sanitiser ingredient developed by Global Infection Control Consultants LLC based in South Carolina in the United States. Holista also sells under the brand Natshield.

Skin Elements has the capacity to initially produce up to 20,000 100ml bottles Invisi Shield(R) Natural in the first month at its West Perth facility, and will review quarterly its capacity to assess if additional contract facilities are required to increase production to meet increased future demand.

As part of the Agreement, Holista will ship Path-Away(R) as a concentrate to be included in the manufacture of the Invisi Shield(R) Natural sanitizer. This will be made in Australia by Skin Elements in accordance with the unique dilution recommendations for the Path-Away(R) concentrate provided by GICC. Skin Elements will allow its production outputs to be independently verified by competent auditors of HCT, or as the case may be, by GICC.

The initial order of the Path-Away(R) ingredient under the Agreement is for a minimum of $600,000 in the first year. Payment terms will be 50% on order and 50% before shipment. The minimum order quantities will be reviewed on a quarterly basis, in order to assess capacity to increase order quantities as required to meet increased demand.

It will be available in Australia and New Zealand through its network of four distributors which service in excess of 10,000 retail outlets. It intends to introduce other bottle sizes for handheld or table-top use and can increase production to meet demand in Australia and New Zealand and from the global markets.

“We are excited by the collaboration with Holista and the launch of Invisi Shield(R) Natural which will position Skin Elements as a global leader in providing high-quality hand sanitisers. This new sanitiser significantly strengthens our range of existing sanitisers which is being unveiled after two years of product development and test marketing to independent pharmacies, and selected schools and day-care centres in Western Australia,” said Skin Elements’ Executive Chairman Peter Malone.

“It extends Skin Elements’ portfolio of award-winning nature-based healthcare and skincare products researched and developed over the past 20 years. These include the Soleo Organics sunscreen, which has won multiple awards as the world’s best natural sunscreen, including being rated the number one natural sunscreen by the Environmental Working Group of the United States, PapayaActivs natural therapeutic skincare, and the Elizabeth Jane Natural Cosmetics brand,” he added.

“Our partnership with Skin Elements places Australia on the global map in terms of innovation. The inclusion of Path-Away(R) combines trusted skincare solutions developed by Skin Elements with a powerful active ingredient that has been tested as a sanitiser. Life after COVID-19 will see more use of sanitsers at a personal level and I am happy to see two Australian companies take the message of “all natural and “alcohol free” to the world as an alternative to alcohol,” said Dr Rajen Manicka, CEO of Holista.

This announcement is authorised by the Board of Directors of Skin Elements Limited and the Board of Directors of Holista Colltech Limited.

For further information, please contact:
Peter Malone
Executive Chairman
Skin Elements Limited
T: +61 439 430 770
E: peter@skinelementslimited.com

Media and Investor Inquiries
James Moses
Mandate Corporate
T: +61 420 991 574
E: james@manadatecorporate.com.au

About Skin Elements

Skin Elements is an ASX listed skin care company focused on the development of natural and organic skin care products, as an alternative to current chemical-based products. It has developed a portfolio of products which includes its lead product, the Soleo Organics 100% natural and organic sunscreen, pawpaw based PapayaActivs natural therapeutic skincare, and the Elizabeth Jane Natural Cosmetics brand. The Company has completed a highly successful test marketing phase in major international markets for Soleo Organics and has regulatory approval with the USA FDA, TGA and other significant regulators. Skin Elements aims to become the number one recognised international natural products brand. Further information is available via the Company website: http://skinelementslimited.com

About Invisi Shield(R)

Invisi Shield(R) Natural is a proprietary all-natural hand sanitiser formulation which uses a combination of the key ingredient, Path-Away(R), with organic plant extracts being olive leaf, echinacea, Manuka honey, Kakadu Plum, papaya, chamomile and thyme.

About Holista Colltech Ltd

Holista Colltech Ltd (“Holista”) is a natural wellness company, the result of a merger between Holista Biotech Sdn Bhd and CollTech Australia Ltd. The company has 3 main divisions:
– Dietary supplements and personal care
– Food Ingredients
– Ovine collagen

Listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (“ASX”), Holista researches, develops, manufactures and markets “health-style” products to address the unmet and evolving needs of natural medicine. Holista’s suite of ingredients includes low-GI baked products, reduced-sodium salts, low-fat fried foods and low-calorie sugar without compromising taste, odour and mouthfeel. Holista remains the only company to produce sheep (ovine) collagen using patented extraction methods. For more information, please refer to http://www.holistaco.com

Contact:
Corporate Affairs & Business Opportunities
Dr Rajen Manicka: rajen.m@holistaco.com
General Enquiries: enquiries@holistaco.com

Media and Investor Relations:
WeR1 Consultants Pte Ltd
E: holista@wer1.net; P: +65 67374844

About Path-Away(R)

Path-Away(R) is the active ingredient in the Invisi Shield(R) Natural hand sanitiser. It is a powerful plant-based anti-microbial compound, developed by US-based Global Infection Control Consultants LLC (GICC) in South Carolina under the leadership of Dr. Arthur Martin. GICC is the premier private company in the United States that specialises in the dynamics of the pathogenic bioaerosol connection to the human infection matrix. Further information on GICC is available via the website: https://www.giccllc.com

Path-Away(R) is an all-natural, alcohol free, rinse-free multi-purpose sanitiser which is proven effective for a broad spectrum of pathogens. It is environmentally safe with a very low toxicity (especially relative to competitor products), and has been tested, proven and approved by numerous laboratories and agencies globally.

Path-Away(R) is the result of years of research leading to the company’s proprietary plant-based active ingredients. The products and processes are wholly owned by GICC. The Company’s aim to provide cutting-edge solutions organic solutions to bacteriological, biological, and viral pathogens affecting home and personal life. Further information is available via the Path-Away(R) website: https://path-away.com/

Yamada Consulting and ZICO Unveil Advisory and Consulting Services Platform To Bridge Urgent Funding Gap Between Japan and ASEAN SMEs

Targets Investments in US$10M to US$50M Range Initially

Yamada Consulting Group Co., Ltd. (“YCG”) of Japan and ZICO Holdings Inc. (“ZICO”) announced today they would offer a joint platform for advisory and consulting services to bridge a major funding gap between Japanese investors and ASEAN small and medium enterprises (“SMEs”), with initial target funding of between US$10 to US$50 million each.

The Strategic Collaboration Agreement was signed by Mr Keisaku Masuda, President and CEO of YCG, a leading independent consulting group based in Japan which is listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, and Mr Chew Seng Kok, Managing Director of ZICO, a multi-disciplinary professional services firm listed on the Catalist Board of the Singapore Exchange.

The collaboration takes place amidst economic uncertainty, worsened by the Covid-19 crisis, as many Japanese corporations accelerate transformation through acquisitions in the face of an ageing population and slow domestic growth; while ASEAN SMEs urgently need access to more sources of funding beyond traditional bank borrowings.

With over 900 staff and offices in 13 Japanese cities, ASEAN, Shanghai and Los Angeles, YCG recorded an average of US$22.4 million in pre-tax profits for the last three financial years leading up to 31 March 2019. YCG focuses on, amongst others, restructuring and business succession consulting for Japanese corporations, many of whom seek acquisitions, alliances and extended business networks, offering major buy-side opportunities which the YCG-ZICO platform can address.

On the sell-side, ASEAN SMEs tend to be family-owned, dependent on internal resources and often lack access to bank borrowings and external investors. The Covid-19 situation may make this even more acute.

The confluence of these factors offers an exceptional opportunity for the YCG-ZICO platform to provide access to private equity and institutional investors from Japan looking for good business targets in ASEAN. While Japanese companies had made ad hoc attempts to seek such targets, the pace of transformation has accelerated recently.

YCG and ZICO will provide ASEAN SMEs with professional services support and access to these corporations as well as pre-IPO investors, and providers of mezzanine capital and private equity, initially targeting those in the range of US$10 million and US$50 million each. The platform will also leverage on YCG’s expertise to provide technical, consulting and corporate restructuring services. Projects will be geared towards achieving business succession and transformation for target companies and SMEs, eventually leading up to exits through IPOs or trade sales.

The impetus from the buy-side is driven in part by activist shareholders in Japan demanding better returns and performance. YCG’s Mr Masuda revealed that based on independent estimates[1], 63% of Japanese corporations are reviewing their direct investment portfolio every three months, with about half of them saying they intend to acquire companies over the next year.

Giving a breakdown of YCG’s investor base, Mr Masuda said the Food & Beverage and Engineering/Construction sectors each comprised 26.3% followed by Energy/Oil and Gas (15.8%), IT & Digital and Logistics (5.3% each) and Others (21.0%).

While YCG will introduce buy-side investors from Japan, ZICO will tap on its network of partners and professionals who can provide deep local knowledge and insights of target companies in ASEAN.

YCG and ZICO will help corporations seeking investments, divestment or other means to grow revenue and profitability. Both sides will develop and execute corporate finance and M&A advisory projects; identify and facilitate international buyers and sellers; create, secure and execute sell-side and buy-side mandates; and support geographic acquisition strategies of corporate finance clients.

Due to the concerns arising from the Covid-19 coronavirus health situation, the momentum to increase investment and flows and business relationships between the two regions is expected to gather pace, boosted also by the strong network and deep client relations that both parties have in their respective regions.

Commenting on the strategic collaboration, Mr Keisaku Masuda said: “Japanese corporations are more eager than before to capitalise on opportunities in ASEAN. The potential for a surge in investment flows between Japan and ASEAN, hastened by the Covid-19 situation, makes it more conducive for both parties to collaborate. We see ZICO as a partner who shares our aspirations in seeking to build economic bridges between the two regions.”

“This strategic collaboration lays the foundation of a platform to provide advisory and consulting services to Japanese investors and businesses in ASEAN. It will facilitate the provision of such services between Japanese companies who are seeking acquisition targets and ASEAN businesses, particularly SMEs, who intend to obtain investments or divest their businesses to international investors,” said Mr Chew Seng Kok.

In line with the Strategic Collaboration, ZICO also announced separate agreements with two Malaysian sell-side advisory companies. They are Sage 3 Sdn. Bhd., a leading corporate finance advisory firm offering a range of services including debt restructuring and financing, and Andersen Corporate Restructuring Sdn. Bhd., a boutique corporate restructuring firm. Both firms have an extensive client base and strong professional networks in Malaysia.

The collaboration with these leading independent Malaysian firms provides valuable access for businesses-seeking capital and investments for expansion from Japan. Consequently, this will play a key role in strengthening the collaboration between ZICO and YCG by facilitating the identification of acquisition and investment targets for Japanese investors in ASEAN.

[1] Source: EY 17 June 2019, Global M&A appetite at 10-year high fueled by portfolio reshaping (https://www.eyjapan.jp/newsroom/2019/2019-06-17-en.html)

About Yamada Consulting Group

Listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Yamada Consulting Group Co., Ltd. engages in the provision of financial consulting services. It operates through the following business segments: Business Consulting, Real Estate Consulting, Financial Planner (FP) related, and Investment and Fund. The Business Consulting segment includes business revival, operations, and financial consulting. The FP related segment includes marketing course, corporate training, and insurance consulting for financial planners. The Investment and Fund segment includes composition and management of investment partnership and investment business. The company was founded on July 10, 1989 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. For more information, please visit https://www.yamada-cg.co.jp/en/

About ZICO Holdings Inc.

ZICO, an integrated provider of multidisciplinary professional services focused on the ASEAN region, provides advisory and transactional services, management and support and licensing services. Through its multidisciplinary services, regional capabilities and local insights, ZICO enables its clients to capitalise on opportunities across Southeast Asia.

The Group currently operates two key business segments: (i) Advisory and Transactional Services (“ATS”); and (ii) management support services business & licensing services (“MSSL”).

Within the ATS, ZICO provides legal services, Shariah advisory, trust advisory, corporate services, consulting services, investor services, wealth management services, corporate finance advisory services and immigration services. ZICO provides legal services only to the extent permitted in the relevant jurisdictions. In other jurisdictions, ZICO cooperates with and supports independent and autonomous law firms who are members of the ZICOlaw Network, in compliance with local professional regulations. Presently, ZICO provides legal services in Myanmar, Lao PDR and Thailand.

For the MSSL segment, the Group provides regional management services and business support services to members of the ZICOlaw Network and certain entities within the Group.

ZICO also engages in the licensing of the “ZICO”, “ZICOlaw” and “ZICOlaw Trusted Business Advisor” trademarks to members of the ZICOlaw Network and certain entities within the Group.

ZICO has business operations in Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia (including Labuan), Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand. The Group augments its existing regional presence with that of the ZICOlaw network to extend its reach to all 10 countries in ASEAN. For more information, please visit http://www.zicoholdings.com.

For media queries, please contact:

WeR1 Consultants Pte Ltd
3 Phillip Street #12-01, Royal Group Building
Singapore 048693
Tel: +65 6737 4844
Email: zico@wer1.net

Yamada Consulting Group Co., Ltd. Singapore Branch
78 Shenton Way #24-01
Singapore 079120
Tel: +65 6221 7727
Email: asean-support@yamada-cg.co.jp

Superfanz Closes 7-figure Seed to Solve Creators’ Pain Points

New platform empowers Asian creators with revenue from fan club memberships, crowdsourcing, event ticketing and social commerce

Superfanz has announced that it closed a 7-figure Seed Round shortly before Lunar New Year. The investment follows a 6-figure Angel Round with a prominent investor and tech entrepreneur in July 2019.

The company makes the announcement after completing and launching the Superfanz platform. Their roster of investors, advisors and strategic partners includes some of the most impressive names in the Southeast Asian region, while their latest valuation at $4 million marks one of the highest pre-launch valuations for an Asian startup.

“Superfanz is a unique startup in the best sense,” said Raymond Chang, CEO of NXT Ventures, the lead investor in their latest round. “When Oh first approached me, he’d already completed a self-funded proof-of-concept. While I love Superfanz’s vision of solving creators’ pain points, it’s their core management team that sets them apart. Their management team are battle-tested with successful track records in the digital entertainment and influencer space.

“It’s not often you can claim to be number 1 in a market, and both co-founders have taken the previous startups they were involved with to no 1 position in Taiwan and Vietnam respectively. This is what ultimately won me over. The fact that they have just launched their platform below budget and ahead of schedule is testament to their ability to execute,” added Chang.

Superfanz is not your usual startup helmed by young, bright-eyed entrepreneurs. Their core executive team averages 20+ years of experience in venture capital, platform growth, gaming, social media and digital entertainment with a couple of successful exits to boot.

The startup quietly launched its Android app of the same name on Dec 29, 2019. The company is officially soft-launching a Pan-Asian fan club platform for creators and special interest groups after Lunar New Year across 3 countries; Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Superfanz plans to announce key partnerships in follow-up releases.

“We are excited that the investors trust our world-class team to execute on our vision of helping Asian Creators create additional income streams so they can do what they dream of doing. Beyond money, this latest investment also opens additional markets in Asia for Superfanz, all the Creators, and their fans. We are already seeing the fruit of this investment with several initiatives aimed at bridging creators across different Asian countries. We can’t wait to share more details in our upcoming announcements,” said Oh Thongsrinoon, Superfanz CEO/Founder

About Raymond Chang
Raymond Chang is the current CEO of NXT Ventures, an active angel investor, co-founder of GigaMedia, and Adjunct Professor at Babson College and at Yale School of Management. https://nxtventures.com/

About Superfanz Pte Ltd
Superfanz (https://web.superfanz.co) is the social fan club platform for Creators (KOL, Influencers, YouTubers, and similar) and their most loyal followers. Superfanz addresses the pain point that over 90% of the Creators do not earn enough money from their social media accounts to make a living.

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/-gb04JgaCRg

PR Contact: Dolly Hoang, media@superfanz.co, +66 87 706 2002, Superfanz Pte Ltd, 68 Circular Road 02-01, Singapore

S-Cube Smartboard with UC.NOW Meeting Software Launched for Sudden ‘Work-At-Home’ Staffing Needs

Hong Kong-based software developer UC NOW Communication Limited and audio visual computing equipment provider S-Cube today announced the launch of their collaboration: an upgraded version of Model UP inclusive of UC.NOW online communication & collaboration software.

“While the timing of this new product was not by design, we are nevertheless grateful that it can be launched at a time when businesses and institutions alike are all seeking cost-effective, quick-turnaround and easy to use online meeting solutions, to minimize unnecessary closed-environment multi-party contact, or for Greater China regional operations to ease disruptions to inter-office communication and training as a result of border closures and mandatory quarantine measures,” said Mr. Simon Tsoi, Director of S-Cube.

The UC.NOW real time communication and collaboration software included with the enhanced Model UP provides a comprehensive meeting scheduling and management workflow. After inputting details of the invited participants and selecting meeting start time, the software will automatically process the scheduling workflow, from issue of email invitations, seek confirmation or enable change of start time, automatic schedule update and send out of pre-meeting reminders with one-click-to-start meeting URL link.

“The meeting can begin directly on the Model UP board at the scheduled starting time, while the other participants can join on their computers, smart phones or tablets using popular browsers such as Chrome, Safari and Mozilla Firefox. For PRC users, they can also join using QQ and 360,” Mr. Tsoi added.

The Model UP Interactive smartboard has rapidly gained popularity in recent years, thanks to its versatility and feature-richness versus traditional projection equipment. The incorporation of UC.NOW software quickly elevates it from use in a single meeting room to becoming a multi-party online meeting solution that easily connects off-site participants at different locations into the same “virtual face-to-face” session to discuss and to collaborate by sharing files and viewing the same Model UP white board screen in real time.

“We chose to bundle UC.NOW partner in our enhanced product, not only because of its high-quality text, voice and video communication, but more importantly because of its ease of use. Time is of the essence in today’s business environment. We want the ramp-up time for using this new solution to be as little as possible. We also provide delivery, installation and introduction on how to start using UC.NOW,” Mr. Tsoi added. “No additional apps or plug-ins installation are required to use UC.NOW, and invited meeting guests do not need their own UC.NOW account to participate in the online session.”

“Designed, developed and hosted in Hong Kong, UC.NOW focuses not only on technical development but also in having in place comprehensive workflows and tools to enable systematic organizing and managing of online sessions. Being a local company with on-the-ground resources, we are in a unique position to work closely with local customers and respond quickly to changing needs and circumstances by fine tuning and customizing UC.NOW to best fit evolving needs,” said Mr. Alfred Lin, UC Now Communication Limited’s Account Manager (e-Commerce Solution). “While the situation with the coronavirus is worrying and unfortunate, I am pleased the enhanced S-Cube Interactive Smart Board With UC.NOW Online Meeting Software can be market ready in time to help relieve business pressures where needed.”

About S-Cube
S-cube is a Hong Kong based company that strives to create user-friendly products to simplify human lives. We expect to bring more products to serve you on every aspect of our customer’s life moving forward.
Additional information can be found online at: https://www.scube-tech.com.
Media Contact: Mr. Joes Tsoi, +852 3104 3010.

About UC NOW Communication Limited
UC NOW Communication Limited was established in 2018, with its headquarters located in Hong Kong. We develop software and solutions for enterprises, particularly SMEs, that strive to accelerate their journey of “Digital Transformation”. Our cloud-based real-time communication & collaboration software UC.NOW provides a one-stop management platform to support enterprise unified communication and collaboration abilities. Since our incorporation, we have tailored UC.NOW into customized solutions best suited to the needs of universities, exhibition organizers, exhibitors and manufacturers. We firmly believe that the key to being successful in today’s global digital marketplace lies in how well businesses and customers are connected in a world without borders.
Additional information can be found online at: https://www.u-c-now.com/en.
Media Contact: Ms. Tiffany Leung, +852 3101 8982.

Bayer, Meiogenix Collaborate to Accelerate Agricultural Innovation Through the Development of Unique Technologies

Figure 1: Plants Genetic Diversity – To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6942/52265_3248f08fd41dbbdb_001full.jpg

Bayer and Meiogenix, a biotech company focused on next-generation breeding technologies, announced today a collaboration to advance agricultural research and development by accelerating the development of Meiogenix’s proprietary technologies related to plant breeding and genome editing applications. This new research collaboration has the potential to deliver much-needed plant health and nutrition improvements to food crops so farmers can more efficiently and sustainably grow improved plant varieties that deliver the types of foods consumers want.

“Farmers need innovative solutions as they face limited natural resources and a changing climate,” said Jeremy Williams, Head of Plant Biotechnology, Crop Science Research & Development (R&D) at Bayer. “Access to Meiogenix’s proprietary technologies could improve the precision and speed with which our breeders enhance crops, which could ultimately accelerate those solutions for the diverse needs of people and our planet.”

Meiogenix’s proprietary technologies are used to induce the exchange of genomic regions between chromosomes of plant cells during meiosis, the natural process that generates genetic diversity during plant breeding. Technologies based on meiotic recombination provide commercial crops with access to a broader genetic diversity, including complex traits for improved food quality, plants’ resistance to diseases and pests, and higher yield potential. The resulting hybrids and varieties have the potential to deliver value throughout the food chain, from farmers to consumers.

“Over the past decade, we have assembled unique know-how, intellectual property portfolio and network of experts to help generate biodiversity and accelerate breeding through modulating meiotic recombination. We are proud to collaborate with Bayer to develop the next generations of crops,” said Giacomo Bastianelli, Co-founder & CEO of Meiogenix.

“Agriculture is facing the challenge of adjusting plant physiology to rapid climate, pest and disease changes, as well as preparing the next generation of healthier food. Collaborating on these new breeding technologies will be key to bringing innovative solutions to farmers and consumers,” said Luc Mathis, strategic advisor of Meiogenix.

As part of the project, Meiogenix will collaborate with top academic institutes to advance these technologies in crops.

Bayer offers a wide range of educational materials regarding plant breeding and gene editing technologies on its website.

Find more information at www.bayer.com and at www.meiogenix.com

Press Contact
Bayer: Holger Elfes, +49 2173 38-3270, holger.elfes@bayer.com
Meiogenix: Caroline Carmagnol, +33 6 64 18 99 59, caroline@alizerp.com

Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

Related Links
Meiogenix Technologies https://www.newsfilecorp.com/redirect/bL0xiyao
Breeding and gene editing at Bayer https://www.newsfilecorp.com/redirect/3ALgsvEX

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/52265

VPower Group partners CNTIC to boost 900MW Generation Capacity in Myanmar

Hong Kong listed VPower Group International Holdings Limited (VPower Group), a leading DPG station owner and operator in Asia, announced today (10 February) that the Group and China National Technical Import & Export Corporation (CNTIC) have set up a joint venture company with nominal equity capacity, held as to 50% by each party, for the investment in, development and operation of three power projects in Myanmar with an aggregate contract capacity of 900MW.

Established in 1952, CNTIC is wholly-owned subsidiary of China General Technology (Group) Holding Ltd. which is under direct supervision of the central government of the People’s Republic of China. The main business of CNTIC includes import and export of key technologies and complete plants; domestic and overseas project contracting and project management; trade, tendering, commercial and technical consulting, investment and financing. CNTIC is an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor of VPower Group and the two groups have commenced business relationship since 2010.

“Over the past 67 years since our establishment, CNTIC has been serving the national economy and promoting international trade and cooperation with a commitment to enhance global economic development. Leveraging on our extensive experience in overseas business development and years of close cooperation with VPower Group, we invest in the fast-frack power generation industry in Myanmar for the first time to provide stable and reliable electricity supply for Myanmar people. We believe, the perfect match of VPower Group’s flexibility, adaptiveness, technical expertise and our professionalism, innovation and scale will result in a mutual beneficial partnership and lead us to a promising future.” Mr Wang Yanming, Vice President of CNTIC said.

In response, Mr. Rorce Au-Yeung, Co-Chief Executive Officer of VPower Group said, “It’s our honour to have CNTIC, which is a reputable international enterprise providing integrated service on technical trading, project contracting and project management, as a close partner for years. At this memorable 10th anniversary of our cooperation, we are glad to deepen our cooperation at different dimensions to enhance the win-win relationship.”

“Being one of the fastest-economies in Southeast Asia going through legal and systematic reform in recent years, Myanmar has become a popular Asian country longing by foreign investors. Since our entry in Myanmar in 2015 with a self-invested and operated distributed power station, we are pleased to have witnessed the government’s effort in improving the systems of different industries from multifaceted perspectives, especially the energy and electricity sector, to provide a friendly business environment for foreign investors like us. Joining hands with CNTIC for the addition of 900MW generation capacity, we expect that these projects will further alleviate local power deficit to support local economic development and enhance people’s living standard.”

VPower Group (1608.HK) announced in October 2019 that a consortium comprising VPower Group and a strategic partner formed for tender submission for power projects as called by Electric Power Generation Enterprise of the Ministry of Electricity and Energy of Myanmar, won three projects with an aggregate 900MW generation capacity. The parties are in negotiation for the terms in the shareholders’ agreement.

Nissin Foods Forms Joint Venture Company to Strengthen Distribution Platform in PRC Market

Nissin Foods Company Limited (“Nissin Foods” or the “Company”; together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”, Stock code: 1475) has today announced that the Group and Ms. LIU Feng have signed a shareholders’ and cooperation agreement (the “Shareholders Agreement”) to form a joint venture company (the “JV”).

Mr. Kiyotaka ANDO, Executive Director, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nissin Foods, said, “Formation of the JV is the Group’s latest initiative to diversify products and expand distribution channels in the PRC, and in the long run open new revenue streams for the Group. It will give us a stronger foothold in Shanghai, presenting us with long-term strategic value conducive to creating sustainable returns for our shareholders. It is also part of our localisation efforts to strengthen our presence and relevance in the PRC. In the way ahead, we will continue to look for opportunities in strategic partnerships or alliances, thereby fueling growth momentum.”

The JV, intended to be a holding company, will set up a PRC Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (PRC WFOE). The main business of the JV and the PRC WFOE will be to import and sell a comprehensive range of Japanese brand food and beverage products in first-tier cities including Shanghai in the PRC. The two companies target to commence business by the second quarter this year.

The shareholding ratio of Nissin Foods and Ms. LIU Feng to the JV Company is 81% and 19% respectively. Nissin Foods will contribute approximately HKD18.6 million in cash, to be financed by internal resources, to the share capital of the company. Both the JV and the PRC WFOE will be subsidiaries of the Company, the results of which will be consolidated into the financial statements of the Group.

The JV will enable the Group to expand its distribution channels and provide more diversified products to satisfy the growing demand of customers in the PRC for Japanese brand food and beverage products. Serving as an enhanced distribution platform for the Group, the JV will also create synergies with the Group’s existing noodles business in the PRC, helping bolster revenue of the Group, as well as its overall competitiveness.

Furthermore, continuing with the Group’s long term development strategy of localising the senior management, Mr. YING Li Feng, Assistant Director of Nissin Foods (China) Holdings Co., Ltd., will be appointed Chairman of the PRC WFOE. Ms. LIU Feng will be appointed a director of the PRC WFOE. The Group believes such efforts will strengthen its knowledge of the PRC market and better prepare it for braving future market challenges.

For details of the partnership, please refer to the announcement:
http://tinyurl.com/t2gmynh

About Nissin Foods Company Limited
Nissin Foods Company Limited (The “Group”; Stock code: 1475) is a renowned food company in Hong Kong and the PRC with a diversified portfolio of well-known and highly popular brands and the largest instant noodle company in Hong Kong. The Group officially established its presence in Hong Kong in 1984. The Group primarily manufactures and sells instant noodles, frozen foods and other food products under its two core corporate brands, namely “NISSIN” and “DOLL” together with a diversified portfolio of iconic household premium food brands. The Group’s five flagship product brands, namely “Cup Noodles”, “Demae Iccho”, “Doll Instant Noodle”, “Doll Dim Sum” and “Fuku” are also among the most popular choices in their respective food product categories in Hong Kong. In the PRC market, the Group has introduced technology innovation through the “ECO Cup” concept into the market and primarily focuses its sales efforts in first- and second-tier cities located in the eastern and southern parts of the PRC. For more information, please visit www.nissingroup.com.hk.

About Ms. LIU Feng
Ms. LIU Feng is the founder of Dongfeng Group, which is established in 1994, and is currently serving as the general manager and director of Dachang Dongfeng Food (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.*, which is a renowned importer and wholesaler of Japanese brand food and beverage in Shanghai.

* For identification purpose only

For media enquiries:
Nissin Foods Company Limited
Public Relations Department
Blanche Wong / Ceci Leung
Email: pr@nissinfoods.com.hk

For investor enquiries:
Nissin Foods Company Limited
Investor Relations Department
Shingo Yamazaki / Peter Kwok
Email: ir@nissinfoods.com.hk

Strategic Financial Relations Limited
Vicky Lee Tel: (852) 2864 4834 Email: vicky.lee@sprg.com.hk
Tika Lum Tel: (852) 2864 4806 Email: tika.lum@sprg.com.hk
Cara Lau Tel: (852) 2864 4890 Email: cara.lau@sprg.com.hk