AVIA hosts the Asia Video Summit in Singapore amidst a time of seismic change, competition and consolidation

The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) will be holding its second Asia Video Summit this year from 4 – 6 November at the Ritz Carlton, Millenia, Singapore.

With over 100 speakers representing 80 companies across the Asia Pacific region, the Asia Video Summit brings to its delegates a riveting line-up of sessions covering the themes of Business Models, Advertising, News, Human Capital and Policy.

With video delivery migrating on-line, monetisation becomes entirely different to traditional Pay TV, and the right Business Model remains the central question for the industry. And as the industry continues to witness major consolidation, what is not often discussed is the impact it has on the Human Capital that makes up this workforce. Also, with social media and YouTube cornering the Advertising market, how does the industry curate premium content services that attract the appropriate share of advertising for the time people spend consuming it?

But of all the content services, News is the one that is at the forefront of the most active debates in 2019. With more people relying on social media for News, the role of curated news services is more important than ever before to counter the fake news epidemic. And as curated video continues to migrate to internet delivery services, and online piracy remains one of the biggest threats to the video industry, governments are now waking up to the reality that the internet is a place that needs law and order. Do we have the right Policies in place for the curated video industry today?

Louis Boswell, CEO, AVIA commented, “I am looking forward to this year’s event. This is the one time of the year where we ask our stakeholders to come together to discuss the key issues we face as an industry. In a non-partisan and honest environment, with more to discuss than ever before, the Asia Video Summit is critical as we plot the future trajectory of our industry.”

Key speakers at this year’s Summit include:
– Saugato Banerjee, MD Asia, A+E Networks
– Roger Tong, CEO, AsiaSat
– Henry Tan, CEO, Astro
– Simon Robinson, MD, Discovery Asia Pacific and CFO, Discovery International
– Peter Bithos, CEO, HOOQ
– Mark Britt, Co-Founder & Group CEO, iflix
– Tham Loke Kheng, CEO, Mediacorp
– Datuk Kamal Khalid, Group Managing Director, Media Prima
– Tony Zameczkowski, VP, Business Development, Asia, Netflix
– Janice Lee, MD, PCCW Media Group
– Yew Weng Soo, VP, Sales & Market Development, Asia-Pacific, SES Video, SES
– Goh Seow Eng, MD, Home, Consumer Singapore, SingTel
– Thomas Ee, Chairman, Taiwan Broadband Communications
– Deepak Jacob, Chief Regional Counsel India, South East Asia & Middle East, The Walt Disney Company
– Birathon Kasemsri Na Ayudhaya, Chief Content and Media Officer, True Corporation
– Alexandre Muller, MD APAC, TV5Monde
– Paras Sharma, SVP & GM for Southeast Asia, Viacom International Media Networks
– Clement Schwebig, MD, Southeast Asia, Pacific and China, WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks

Full event details can be found at www.asiavideosummit.com.

AVIA would like to thank the Asia Video Summit 2019’s Lead Sponsor Create Hong Kong; Gold Sponsors AsiaSat, Brightcove, China Mobile, France 24, Google, Hotstar, INVIDI, MEASAT, NAGRA, PCCW Media, SES, TrueVisions ,TV5MONDE, WarnerMedia; Silver Sponsors Accedo, Applause, APT Satellite, Astro, BBC Studios, ContentWise, Discovery, Disney, FashionTV, HBO, Limelight, MediaKind, Microstocksolutions, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Ross Video, ShortsTV, SpotX, Switch Media, Synamedia, TiVo, Tubular Labs, Viacom, Vindicia, Vuulr, Zixi; and the Singapore Exhibitions & Convention Bureau for its support.

We would also like to thank AVIA Patrons: AsiaSat, ASTRO, BBC Studios, Discovery Networks Asia Pacific, Fox Networks Group, HBO Asia, NBCUniversal, Netflix, PCCW, SES, STAR India, The Walt Disney Company, True Visions, Turner, TV5Monde, Viacom International Media Networks, and our Official Media Partner, CNBC Asia Pacific.

About the Asia Video Industry Association

The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) is the trade association for the video industry and ecosystem in Asia Pacific. It serves to make the video industry stronger and healthier through promoting the common interests of its members. AVIA is the interlocutor for the industry with governments across the region, leads the fight against video piracy and provides insight into the video industry through reports and conferences aimed to support a vibrant video industry. AVIA is also committed to its mission in working with and representing the interests of the satellite industry. AVIA evolved from Casbaa in 2018.

Contact:
Charmaine Kwan
Head of Marketing and Communications
Email: charmaine@asiavia.org
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/asiavideoia
Twitter: @AsiaVideoIA

Macquarie Clinch Bloomberg Square Mile Relay Title for a Seventh Consecutive Time

Macquarie was crowned the “fastest firm in the city” following their first-place finish in the seventh running of the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay Singapore, as 147 teams took to the city’s financial district to battle it out for top spot in the annual event.

Each team consisted of 10 members who were tasked with running the one-mile course in the fastest possible time before passing on the baton to the next colleague. The team to complete its 10 cumulative one-mile laps in the fastest time was Macquarie with the firm crossing the line in 53 minutes and 16 seconds, just ahead of Standard Chartered Bank in second place, and Credit Agricole CIB in third.

Macquarie team captain, Cameron Brooks said: “The Bloomberg Square Mile Relay is very competitive each year, and we were not certain if we would be able to keep our title for the seventh consecutive year. In fact, it felt like we might not have been able to make first place halfway through the race, but the team persevered and we made it. We’re all very happy, of course, and Macquarie will also be donating an additional USD$20,000 to the relay’s ‘The Extra Mile’ initiative.”

The fastest runner on the day was Ashley Miles, from Macquarie, who ran his one-mile lap in a time of 4 minutes and 52 seconds, and the Fastest Mixed Team award was won by GIC Pte Ltd in a time of 1 hour 2 minutes and 10 seconds.

A new award category for the 2019 series was the Fastest All-Female Team – introduced to continue the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay’s commitment to increasing female participation across the series – which was won by Macquarie. Their team captain, Olivia Shepherd, said: “It’s amazing that the organisers are committed to encouraging female runners to be a part of the relay. We actually entered two teams last year with a total of four female runners. This year, we sent three teams with a total of 12 female runners, proving that this new award category is definitely effective.”

Through the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay’s ‘The Extra Mile’ initiative, the series aims to address unique social challenges in each city where the relay race takes place, with projects delivering lasting positive social impact long after the teams cross the finish line. Ahead of participating, all 1470 Singapore runners were asked to select one of three causes to run for, put forward by The Extra Mile Partner SportCares, with each respective lap time counting towards their chosen cause. The cause with the quickest average time was Access & Inclusion, receiving 25% of each team’s race entry fee, amounting to S$45,572. SportCares will now use this donation to deliver a year-long programme to address the winning cause.

147 teams competed in the Singapore leg of the global race series, which takes place annually in 12 cities world-wide, including Beijing and Mumbai that hosted their inaugural races this year. Headline sponsor Bloomberg returned for its seventh year of sponsorship in Singapore, joined by Pure Fitness as Fitness Partner, Conrad Centennial Hotel as Hotel & Catering Partner, and Peroni as Beer Supplier.

James Hassett, Managing Director of race organiser Square Mile Sport, said: “Thank you to all our sponsors and partners for helping make the Singapore race such a success. The Bloomberg Square Mile Relay is an unparalleled sporting event that offers the city’s leading institutions an opportunity to come together for a night of a night of camaraderie, competition, teamwork, and networking in support of a special cause. It was exciting to welcome Beijing and Mumbai to the global series of races this year, but Singapore’s business community always displays a level of enthusiasm, competitive spirit and teamwork unlike any other city and we always look forward to returning every year.”

Download the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay App via squaremilerelay.com/app (also available on the App Store and Google Play) for updates on race information, including LIVE race lap timings and results.

About Bloomberg Square Mile Relay

Website: www.squaremilerelay.com/singapore
Facebook: BloombergSquareMileRelay
Twitter: @SquareMileRelay
Instagram: @bloombergsquaremilerelay
Official hashtag: #WeRunThisCity

The Bloomberg Square Mile Relay is a one-of-a-kind, immersive team building experience, which uniquely takes place in the heart of financial districts in 12 cities around the world. Unlike other corporate events where individuals compete against one-another, this event is all about the TEAM. You and nine co-workers take it in turn to run an unconventional and exciting one-mile lap. After you’ve taken on your business rivals and earned your bragging rights for the year, your team can kick back at the after party, enjoy complimentary hospitality and celebrate with a live DJ in the Race Village.

About Square Mile Sport

Square Mile Sport is the event owner and delivery agency of the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay – a unique event series designed exclusively to provide businessmen and women with an outlet for their sporting passion. Established in 2007 in London, Square Mile Sport plans to replicate the event in cities across the world. Square Mile Sport is wholly owned by Benchmark Sport, which operates leading international brands including the Sport Industry Group and Beyond Sport. www.squaremilerelay.com

About Bloomberg

Bloomberg, the global business and financial information and news leader, gives influential decision makers a critical edge by connecting them to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas. The company’s strength – delivering data, news and analytics through innovative technology, quickly and accurately – is at the core of the Bloomberg Terminal. Bloomberg’s enterprise solutions build on the company’s core strength: leveraging technology to allow customers to access, integrate, distribute and manage data and information across organizations more efficiently and effectively. For more information, visit www.bloomberg.com

For more information, please contact:
Danielle Chow / Mervyn Lee
PRecious Communications
+65 6303 0567
yello@preciouscomms.com

LHN Limited achieves a 70.7% jump in net profit after tax of S$2.3 million in 3Q2019 on a quarter-on-quarter basis

– Revenue from the Group’s Residential Properties under the Space Optimisation Business in 3Q2019 increased by approximately S$0.8 million over the same period in 2018 due to the co-live business at 31 Boon Lay Drive in Singapore which started to generate revenue from 2Q2019.
– On 29 July 2019, the Group announced its grand opening and ribbon cutting of the 13-storey property at 137 Upper Pansodan Road, Yangon.

Real estate management services group LHN Limited (“LHN”, and together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”) reported revenue of approximately S$27.8 million in the three months ended 30 June 2019 (“3Q2019”), representing an increase of 5.6% from approximately S$26.3 million in 3Q2018. Such increase was mainly attributable to the increase in revenue from the (i) commencement of operations of a new premise under the co-live business under the Residential Properties; (ii) management of new carparks under the Facilities Management Business; and (iii) Logistics Services Business.

The Group achieved a net profit after tax of approximately S$2.3 million in 3Q2019, compared with net profit after tax of approximately S$1.3 million in 3Q2018. The increase in net profit after tax of 70.7% over the same period in 2018 was mainly attributable to the gain on disposal of our security business, which was partially offset by the increase in administrative expenses.

Table 1 - Key Financial Highlights
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
S$'000                  3Q2019  3Q2018  Change(%)  9M2019  9M2018  Change(%)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Revenue                 27,824  26,339     5.6     81,423  82,543    (1.4)
Gross profit             6,615   6,637    (0.3)    18,792  22,086   (14.9)
Administrative expenses (5,934) (5,699)    4.1    (17,107)(18,727)   (8.7)
Share of results of associates and joint ventures
                           345     152    >100      2,298     800    >100
Profit after tax         2,265   1,327    70.7      5,361   3,723    44.0
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Table 2 - Segmental Revenue Breakdown
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
S$'000                                             3Q2019  3Q2018  Change(%)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industrial Properties                               9,717  10,070    (3.5)
Commercial Properties                               5,307   5,169     2.7
Residential Properties                              1,226     400    >100
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Space Optimisation Business                        16,250  15,639     3.9
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Facilities Management Business                      5,063   4,539    11.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Logistics Services Business                         6,511   6,161     5.7
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                                              27,824  26,339     5.6
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Space Optimisation Business revenue increased by approximately S$0.6 million or 3.9% from approximately S$15.6 million in 3Q2018 to approximately S$16.2 million in 3Q2019, mainly attributed to (i) the co-live business at 31 Boon Lay Drive in Singapore which started to generate revenue from the second quarter of our financial year ended 30 September 2019 (“2Q2019”); and (ii) increase in rental income from the Commercial Properties as a result of higher occupancy rates. These were partially offset by the decrease in revenue from the Industrial Properties due to (i) movement of tenants due to expiry of subleases; and (ii) renewal of sub-leases at lower rental rates.

Revenue derived from our Facilities Management Business increased by approximately S$0.5 million or 11.5% from approximately S$4.5 million in 3Q2018 to approximately S$5.0 million in 3Q2019 mainly due to increase in revenue from management of new carparks in Singapore. This was partially offset by the decrease in revenue from the security services business as a result of the completion of the disposal of the business as disclosed in the announcement dated 31 May 2019.

Revenue derived from our Logistics Services Business increased by approximately S$0.3 million or 5.7% from approximately S$6.2 million in 3Q2018 to approximately S$6.5 million in 3Q2019 mainly due to an increase in transportation services provided from the trucking business and increase in demand for storage and repairs of leasing containers in Thailand.

Business Outlook

Based on advance estimates as announced in the press release dated 12 July 2019 issued by the Ministry of Trade and Industry Singapore[1], the Singapore economy grew by 0.1% on a year-on-year basis in the second quarter of 2019, slower than the 1.1% growth in the previous quarter. On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally-adjusted annualised basis, the economy shrank by 3.4%, after posting growth of 3.8% in the preceding quarter.

Given the present economic outlook, the Group continues to remain very cautious in its business outlook. As announced in The Business Times[2] dated 13 July 2019, the Singapore economy has now notched its lowest quarterly growth since 2009, and has slowed sharply from the first quarter’s 1.1% expansion. With the road ahead looking rocky, the Group is cautiously exploring new opportunities in Singapore and also other growth markets in the ASEAN region to expand its current business offerings.

For our Space Optimisation Business, the Group continues to grow its co-living space business. In May 2019, the Group was awarded a three-year lease by the Singapore Land Authority to operate a student hostel at 1A Lutheran Road, Singapore 267745. The lease includes a three years option to renew with a further option to renew for another three years.

On 29 July 2019, the Group announced its grand opening and ribbon cutting of the 13-storey property at 137 Upper Pansodan, M-8, Mingala Taung Nyunt Township in Myanmar. The 13-storey property has completed the renovation and is now fully operational to be managed as a premium serviced residence. It comprises 88 units of premium one-bedroom apartments that are equipped with smart-home features including digital lockset, smart lightings, controlled air-conditioning system, and wash-and-dry toilet system. The property is also fitted with Japanese Onsen SPA facilities and has a rooftop bar and restaurant for residents to enjoy their al fresco dining while admiring the panoramic view of the city and the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda.

[1] https://bit.ly/33zlb20
[2] https://bit.ly/2N3q7WP

Under the Group’s Facilities Management Business, the Group announced on 31 May 2019 that it had completed the disposal of the Industrial & Commercial Security Pte Ltd (“ICS”) security services business (the “Completion Date”). As there may be additional client contracts to be novated to Prosegur Singapore Pte Ltd (the “Purchaser”), additional adjustments to the completion payment may be payable by the Purchaser to ICS on the date falling eight months after the Completion Date. With the Completion of the disposal, other than those contracts that are not novated to the Purchaser in accordance with the business purchase agreement, the Group will no longer engage in ICS security services business except for the supply, installation, and maintenance of security cameras as part of a full suite of facilities management services at premises owned or managed by the Group. Please refer to the announcement of the Company dated 31 May 2019 for further details.

Moving forward, the Group continues to provide integrated facilities management services and carpark management. On 9 July 2019, the Group announced that it had secured a third carpark contract in Hong Kong from the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Situated on an estimated land area of 19,100 square metres at Tuen Yee Street, Area 16, Tuen Mun, New Territories, the carpark offers private car parking and lorry parking of all sizes including trailer parking which is in high demand.

Under the Logistics Services Business, the Group announced on 17 May 2019 that it has received an option to purchase a property at 7 Gul Avenue, Singapore 629651, where the property will be used to operate a parking yard for our logistics vehicles, ISO tank depot and provide logistics services. The property has a total land area of approximately 22,479.7 square meters, gross floor area of approximately 8,284 square meters with a remaining leasehold life of approximately 13 years. The consideration of the property is S$13.0 million and a 5% deposit has been paid. In the event that our Group accepts the offer to purchase the property, the consideration will be funded from net proceeds of approximately S$1.8 million from the global offering of the Company in Hong Kong and the balance will be funded by internal source of funding and bank borrowings. Please refer to the announcements of the Company dated 17 May 2019 and 8 August 2019 for further details. The Company will make further announcement(s) as and when there are material development(s) to the proposed acquisition.

About LHN Limited

LHN Limited (the “Company”, and together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”) is a real estate management services group, with the ability to generate value for its landlords and tenants through its expertise in space optimisation, and logistics service provider headquartered in Singapore.

The Group currently has three (3) main business segments, namely: (i) Space Optimisation Business; (ii) Facilities Management Business; and (iii) Logistics Services Business, which are fully integrated and complement one another.

Under its Space Optimisation Business, the Group primarily secures master leases of unused, old and under-utilised commercial, industrial and residential properties and through re-designing and planning, transforms them into more efficient usable spaces, which are then leased out by the Group to its tenants. Space optimisation generally allows the Group to enhance the value of properties by increasing their net lettable area as well as potential rental yield per square feet.

The Group’s Facilities Management Business offers car park management services and property maintenance services such as cleaning, landscaping, provision of amenities and utilities, and repair and general maintenance principally to the properties it leases and manages, as well as to external parties.

Under its Logistics Services Business, the Group provides transportation services, container depot management services and container depot services. The Group transports mainly ISO tanks, containers, base oil and bitumen, provides container depot management services and provides container depot services which include container surveying, container cleaning, on-site repair and storage of empty general purpose and refrigerated containers (reefer).

The Group currently operates mainly in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Hong Kong and China.

Issued for and on behalf of LHN Limited

For more information please contact:
Jess Lim Bee Choo
Group Deputy Managing Director
E-mail: jess.lim@lhngroup.com.sg

PowerACE 2019 to ignite the vision of clean energy among promising startups

Competition to serve as a platform for clean-energy startup ecosystem players to share innovations that transform energy for the future, with shortlisted startups to be featured at ACES 2019

Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore (SEAS), in partnership with Private Financing Advisory Network (PFAN), will be staging PowerACE 2019 for the second year, providing an avenue for players in the clean-energy startup space to showcase solutions for building a robust and sustainable energy ecosystem in Singapore and the region amidst climate change and limited access to alternative energy sources. 

From now until 22 August 2019, energy startups and startups supporting the energy sector can apply for PowerACE 2019, which will give promising new energy companies exposure and opportunities to pitch to innovators at the Asia Clean Energy Summit 2019 (ACES 2019), Asia’s leading clean energy event, as part of the bigger goal to propel the sustainable development of clean energy in Singapore and the region. This year, key themes for PowerACE 2019 revolve around digital applications, decentralised systems & energy storage, clean energy, new frontier technologies and e-mobility solutions.

According to the Asian Development Bank, Asia’s demand for energy is expected to increase by 2.1 percent annually until 2035. While the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) has committed to increasing renewable energy usage by 23 percent in 2025 to combat climate change and ensure sustainable energy growth, some countries, including Singapore, face challenges around the adoption of clean energy sources such as solar power and hydroelectricity due to inadequate infrastructure and funding.

“Progressive technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence and decarbonisation are unlocking new doors and paving the way forward into a data-driven future for clean energy. PowerACE 2019 presents a great opportunity for innovators and fast-growing startups to connect with investors, business leaders and industry experts and gain new insights and mentorship opportunities for scaling up and bringing more value to the greater community,” said Kavita Gandhi, Executive Director, SEAS.

Eligible clean energy startups around the world who have been registered for up to five years and who have received up to S$5 million in funding are welcomed to apply. Participants in PowerACE 2018 are welcome to participate in PowerACE 2019 as long as they meet the qualifying criteria.

12 startups will be selected from the pool of applications to pitch and display their solutions at innovation pods in the Innovation Arena at ACES 2019, which will be held from 30 October to 1 November 2019. Aside from being featured on ACES’ website and networking opportunities with industry experts, the shortlisted startups will also have the opportunity to gain visibility, avail of a free booth at ACES 2019, get mentorship for refining their business models and pitches over a period of one month, and win cash prizes. To top it all, the winning startup company will receive a S$50,000 grant and an invitation to participate at Asia’s international startup pitching competition SLINGSHOT 2019, which will be held from 11 to 13 November, during the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH).

The PowerACE 2019 pitching session will be held at Level 4 of the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore on 31 October 2019. The shortlisted PowerACE 2019 participants will be exhibiting their ideas and innovations for two days, 30 October to 31 October 2019.

A total of 60 startups participated in PowerACE 2018, with 13 startups showcasing their innovations at ACES 2018. These include Advanced Vision Analytics Pte Ltd (AVA Asia), a data analytics company developing turnkey solution for autonomous drone data analytics solution for the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry; Positive Energy Limited, a platform for simplifying renewable energy finance; and V-Flow Tech Pte. Ltd, a uniquely designed, long-lasting and reliable energy storage solution for the utility and renewable energy industry. 

AVA Asia, which bagged the first prize at PowerACE 2018, has since managed to scale its operations and successfully commercialised its innovations following the competition. “PowerACE 2018 opened up new opportunities for us to realise our vision of revolutionising solar PV plants through leveraging autonomous drones and artificial intelligence. We have benefited a lot from the support and mentorship received and this has since enabled us to scale our business,” said Wei Yik Lee, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, AVA Asia.

PowerACE 2019 is supported by Enterprise Singapore (ESG), Startup SG and EcoLabs Centre of Innovation for Energy (EcoLabs) at Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

“Enterprise Singapore is excited to support PowerACE 2019 to provide a platform for startups in the clean energy ecosystem to showcase their innovation. Following the momentum of PowerACE 2018, we hope to create synergies among investors, large companies and startups as Singapore continues to develop into a global sustainable energy hub,” said Geoffrey Yeo, Director, Urban Solutions, Enterprise Singapore.

Interested participants may apply to participate in PowerACE 2019 here. http://bit.ly/2N0zQxb

About Sustainable Energy Start-Up Network (SESUN)

SEAS Sustainable Energy Start-Up Network (SESUN) was established in August 2018 which saw the sustainable energy industry and many new start-up companies coming together to brainstorm and share their feedback on the various challenges they face as start-up companies. This new group provides the members an opportunity to seek market exposure, strategic partnerships and investments and is mostly focused in the area of digital applications, decentralised and off-grid system, clean energy (renewables, energy efficiency) and new frontier technologies (AI, blockchain, IoT).

About Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore (SEAS)

The Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore (SEAS) represents the interests and provides a common platform for companies in Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, e-mobility, smart grids and Financial Institutions to meet, discuss, collaborate and undertake viable projects together. The Association is a non-profit, non-government business association, and its mission is to assist its members in achieving sustainable growth locally and regionally through business and market development. SEAS plays a strategic role in supporting and promoting Singapore’s vision to be a global centre for sustainable energy, where products and solutions are developed and exported. For more information about what the association does and its services, please visit www.seas.org.sg

Contact
PRecious Communications for PowerACE 2019
Charlene Pe / Terence Ong 
aces2019@preciouscomms.com
+65 6303 0567

Press release (PDF): http://www.acnnewswire.com/clientreports/598/PowerACE.pdf

Thailand’s Finance Ministry Has Granted the 5th Digital Asset Trading License to Huobi to Operate Crypto Business

Thailand’s Ministry of Finance has officially granted the 5th digital asset trading license, which makes Huobi the fifth licensed digital asset exchange in Thailand to operate digital asset trading in compliance and permits it to start local fiat trading and token trading services. [www.sec.or.th/digitalasset]

Huobi Thailand is built on Huobi Cloud, which provides a one-stop solution for global digital asset exchanges. Huobi Thailand will provide Thai users with secure and reliable digital asset trading services through Huobi Cloud’s verified technical capabilities. In the field of digital asset trading, Huobi is one of the largest exchanges in the world by trading volume and has accumulated six years of experience in safe operation. After entering Thailand, Huobi will also actively cooperate with the government and local enterprises to explore the application scenarios of blockchain.” said by Sakda, head of Huobi Thailand.

In the last two years, Thailand has improved legislation on digital assets to provide a safe investment environment for investors. In May 2018, SEC, Thailand’s digital assets regulator, announced that all companies in Thailand involved in digital asset business would only operate after receiving the license. It also required existing companies with related businesses to submit applications for licenses within 90 days. In January, after four months of the approval period, Bitcoin Exchange, Bitkub Online, Satang Corporation and a digital asset broker successfully received the licenses, while the applications of three other companies were denied.

On May 14, the Royal Decree on Digital Asset Businesses B.E. 2561 (2018) (the “Royal Decree”) went into effect. The Decree, which consists of 100 sections, clearly defines and classifies of digital assets, the business scope of virtual currency, and the subject and authority of supervision. In addition, the Decree also outlines strict prohibition against insider trading and market manipulation and sets punishments for violators.

When considering license applicants, the regulators focus on whether the applicant has a sound management system, the background of board and management team members, whether there is a monitoring system to detect conflicts of interest, and whether there is a routine cyber security check, etc. Obtaining a license requires the approval of the regulatory commission, who usually only makes it once a month.

In addition to regulated exchanges, Thailand’s government is also actively exploring other blockchain applications. In August, the Bank of Thailand announced the development of Intanon, its official virtual currency. Intanon would be based on the distributed ledger technology developed by R3 and CORDA platform, which aimed to use blockchain technology to improve the efficiency of interbank payments. Eight commercial banks in Thailand, including Standard Chartered Bank of Thailand and HSBC, announced support for the project.

As one of the world’s leading digital asset service providers, Huobi has a deep global layout with licenses and compliance teams across a number of regions. Its strategic partner in the United States holds an MSB as well as MTL licenses in 12 states. In Japan, Huobi has obtained No.0007 exchange license. In addition, Huobi has obtained one of the first DLT license under Gibraltar’s purpose build regulatory regime. 

About Huobi Group

Consisting of numerous upstream and downstream enterprises, Huobi Group is a leading global blockchain company. Established in 2013, Huobi Group’s accumulative turnover exceeds US$1 trillion. It proudly provides safe, secure, and convenient cryptocurrency trading and asset management services to millions of users in 130+ countries. For more info, visit https://www.huobigroup.com

About Huobi Cloud

Huobi Cloud is a one-stop solution provider to help partners build reliable and stable digital asset exchanges. Huobi Cloud helps partners to build the system of OTC and digital asset trading. As of December 31, 2018, more than 120 digital asset exchanges have launched. Huobi Cloud’s partners come from Russia, the UK, Africa, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Canada, Brazil, Thailand, etc. Huobi Russia, Huobi Indonesia and Huobi Thailand have built up.

Media contact: 
Huobi Global Limited 
Wu Fengheng 
E: wufengheng@huobi.com
U: www.hbg.com

MIT’s research enterprise in Singapore launches new research group, boosting nation’s cell therapies R&D

MIT’s Research Enterprise in Singapore, SMART, launches a new research group, Critical Analytics for Manufacturing Personalized-Medicine (CAMP), as part of Singapore’s National Cell Manufacturing Initiative to overcome scientific and technical challenges in life-changing cell therapies.

— S$10 million a year to be invested in SMART CAMP in a multi-year effort
— New interdisciplinary research group, SMART CAMP, will bring together 35 MIT and Singapore investigators
— Complementary and integrated programme with Singapore’s Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR) cell manufacturing effort, supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) 
— SMART CAMP deploys MIT’s innovation methodologies in Singapore’s thriving biopharmaceutical industry, tapping market potential of billions a year.

SINGAPORE, July 15, 2019 – (Media OutReach) – Cell therapies, where cellular material is injected, grafted or implanted into a patient to treat a range of illnesses and medical conditions, are a vital and integral component of medicine today – promising treatment of tissue degenerative diseases, cancer, and autoimmune disorders.

However, significant challenges currently exist to prevent its widespread adoption including problems such as safety, potency, efficacy, and costs. To overcome these challenges, the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), together with A*STAR Institutes and supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF), has launched a new national initiative in Singapore that deploys MIT’s globally renowned applied innovation methodology combined with Singapore’s dynamic and growing biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry.

As part of the national initiative in cell manufacturing, CAMP is a new interdisciplinary research group within SMART that will focus on ways to produce living cells as medicine delivered to humans, leading to improved health outcomes. The National Research Foundation will support this multi-million, multi-year project that will bring together 35 MIT and Singapore investigators. They will be recruited from researchers working in SMART and Singapore institutes including A*STAR, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, the National University Hospital and local universities. Investigators from MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts will also be recruited to support the programme.

“This is a field that is ripe for innovation, and one which we believe will benefit from both MIT’s and Singapore’s strengths,” said Eugene Fitzgerald, CEO and Director of SMART. “By applying our problem-solving research methodology, coupled with Singapore’s well-established biopharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystem, we are confident that we will be able to achieve market-ready breakthroughs.”

Since its inception in Singapore in 2007, SMART has pioneered innovations that have transformed and are transforming fields such as autonomous driving, agriculture, microelectronics, mechanics and microfluidics platforms for biology and medical diagnostics, and antimicrobial resistance.

SMART CAMP will be helmed by Professor Krystyn Van Vliet of MIT and Professor Hanry Yu of NUS and A*STAR. Professor Van Vliet is an engineer with expertise at the interface of materials, mechanics, and biological systems and is an experienced leader, currently serving as the Associate Provost and the Director of Manufacturing Innovation at MIT. Her current research stemming from earlier SMART collaborations is in clinical trials at the Singapore General Hospital, and the prior SMART team that she led has spun off several MedTech companies in Singapore.

Professor Van Vliet explained, “By addressing critical technology bottlenecks in how the next generation of personalised medicines is made, SMART CAMP researchers will help set the standards for innovating on quality by design. Imagine providing just the right living cells – the most sophisticated drug factories we know – to each patient, as quickly and safely as possible. Delivering on that promise requires exciting changes in the way we understand, engineer, measure, and select cells that offer a safe and effective medicine for that person’s ailment. And that goal, in turn, benefits from this investment in the research and researchers that can transform the manufacturing and analytics of biopharma products.”

Professor Yu is a physiologist with expertise interface between mechanobiology, biomaterials, imaging and AI-based data analytics. He is also a serial entrepreneur, recently forming six companies, and the founding member of the Mechanobiology Institute Research Centre of Excellence in Singapore. 

“This programme integrates experts from various disciplines, training staff and students who can think through the translational pipelines from basic knowledge and technology into commercially viable and clinically relevant solutions”, said Professor Yu. 

“There is a global need for safe and cost-effective cell therapies,” said Dr. Khiang Wee Lim, Executive Director of CREATE, NRF. “We believe that it is an area in which Singapore can provide innovation space and bring these transformational technologies to millions around the world. Advances in this area will also boost Singapore’s biopharmaceutical industry, bringing innovations and helping gain a lead in this promising market that is estimated to be worth billions.”

About Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART)

Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) is MIT’s Research Enterprise in Singapore, established by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in partnership with the National Research Foundation of Singapore (NRF) since 2007. SMART is the first entity in the Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) developed by NRF. SMART serves as an intellectual and innovation hub for research interactions between MIT and Singapore. Cutting-edge research projects in areas of interest to both Singapore and MIT are undertaken at SMART. SMART currently comprises an Innovation Centre and six Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs): Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), BioSystems and Micromechanics (BioSyM), Critical Analytics for Manufacturing Personalized-Medicine (CAMP), Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision (DiSTAP), Future Urban Mobility (FM) and Low Energy Electronic Systems (LEES). 

SMART research is funded by the National Research Foundation Singapore under the CREATE programme. For more information, please visit – http://smart.mit.edu

For media queries, please contact:
Andrew Wong 
SMART@bluetotem.co
+65 91993623 

Singapore’s GrabJobs Raises US$930K to Boost Recruitment Technology

GrabJobs, a Singapore-based mobile-first Job Platform focused on entry to mid-level jobs, today announced a round of funding in 2018 that has raised US$930k from seed funding, bringing total funding to over SGD$2.5 million.

The funds will be used for continuing product development and refinement for their
GrabJobs platform. To this end, they will be integrating Natural Language Processing
(NLP) and Machine Learning technologies into their signature interview chat bot.

This will be created in partnership with Mr. Erik Cambria, Associate Professor in Artificial Intelligence at NTU.

GrabJobs will soon launch a major product feature that aims to revolutionise recruitment by eliminating the need to apply for jobs with a CV.

Job seekers for high-volume recruitment jobs, such as retail and F&B services, will benefit from this feature as it allows them to apply for jobs quickly, without the need to create and craft a CV. Relevant questions will be managed through the chat bot in order to expedite the interview and screening process.

“We are proud to help high-volume recruiters hire faster and better. In 2019, we will also be expanding outside of our current markets in Southeast Asia by partnering with regional job sites to provide our services to recruiters in the region,” said GrabJobs CEO and Co-Founder Emmanuel Crouy.

Founded in July 2015, GrabJobs claims over 5,000 companies use its platform to simplify and cut down their hiring process from days to minutes. GrabJobs has won Best Job Portal and Best Recruitment Innovation at the Asia Recruitment Awards 2018, and Most Disruptive Innovation at the Singapore HR Awards 2018.

The company has raised a total of US$1.9 million in funding over five rounds that started in 2015. The latest funding its is biggest so far.

Also Read:
Singapore Proptech Startup Propseller Raises $731K in Seed Funding
Singapore’s Helpling Secures Funding from Tamedia AG, Enters Switzerland

Singapore Proptech Startup Propseller Raises $731K in Seed Funding

Singaporean startup Propseller has closed a S$1-million ($731,000) seed funding round from industry entrepreneurs and senior executives, the company said in a statement.

Propseller helps prospective property sellers and landlords find and compare the best property agents. It will use the fresh funds to accelerate its growth and further develop its technology focused on a “transparent approach” to select an agent using
independent reviews and agents’ track records.

The startup’s model and progress have attracted investments from prestigious business angels. Local entrepreneurs Yang Bin Kwok and Erwan Mace, founders of two of Singapore’s most successful startups, Zopim and Muslim Pro respectively, were in the round.

They were joined by some industry senior executives. Most notably PJ Vandepitte (global COO of Foodpanda), and real estate industry veteran Yvan de Rham (former Chairman of Sotheby’s International Realty for Switzerland) who commented “Propseller is doing at scale something that the industry needed for a long time: to make agents accountable for their work, from the very first phone call until after the contract is signed.”

Only 12 months after its launch, Propseller said owners using the platform have already put up for sale or rent S$500 million in combined property value. On the agent side, the traction is just as high, with 500 handpicked agents – from estate agencies such as PropNex, ERA and Sotheby’s – embracing the transparency route, joining Propseller and allowing client to rate their services.

“We invite only the best agents to join, then we have a very clear game play with them: delivering the highest level of service is the only way for them to build and maintain a reputation on Propseller,” the startup said.

The startup sees its service as “complementary” to the property listing portals. “PropertyGuru or 99.co are presenting properties to buyers and tenants. – AsiaPEVC.com

Also Read:
Singapore Data Center Startup AirTrunk Secures $621M Funding
South Korea’s ProtoPie Raises $3.5m in KIP-led Series A

Singapore’s Helpling Secures Funding from Tamedia AG, Enters Switzerland

Helpling, a Singapore-based online marketplace for household services has expanded into Switzerland after receiving a seven-figure investment from Tamedia AG.

This step strengthens Helpling’s position as Singapore’s leading brand in the household services space, the company said in a statement.

Helpling.ch enables customers in Switzerland to find their perfect cleaner and to book cleaning services with just a few clicks. The service is available in twelve cities across Switzerland including Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Bern, and Lausanne. Helpling is now active in 10 countries on three continents.

As part of the expansion, Helpling acquired the Swiss business from its former competitor Book a Tiger, who has decided to focus on B2B customers in Germany.

The company already serves thousands of regular customers. Helpling and Tamedia AG, Switzerland’s leading Media Group, see great potential in the Swiss market and will focus on the rapid expansion of the business. To support the envisaged growth, Tamedia AG has invested a seven-figure amount.

“We have acquired a well-established business and won a great local partner with Tamedia. Helpling has made great progress over the last years and we are looking ahead from a position of strength. Further expansion to more markets and additional services are on our roadmap,” Benedikt Franke, Co-founder of Helpling, said.

Helpling was founded in 2014 and has helped hundreds of thousands of households find their perfect cleaner and has supported tens of thousands of service providers in their business.

Also Read: SoftBank Ventures Korea Co-Leads $20M Series C in Gauss Surgical

On the Helping platform, service providers are able to set their own prices and present their services through an online profile. Customers can select their cleaner based on various criteria, such as experiences from other customers, ratings or price.

Customers and cleaners both benefit from the automatic invoicing, secure online payment, customer service and a insurance against damages.

Helpling was founded in 2014 by Benedikt Franke and Philip Huffmann. Among its investors are Mangrove Capital, Lakestar, Rocket Internet, Accel, and Unilever Ventures. Helpling is active in 10 Countries on three continents: Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United Kingdom (UK). – AsiaPEVC.com

Singapore Data Center Startup AirTrunk Secures $621M Funding

AirTrunk, a specialist in hyperscale data centres, has successfully completed an AU$850 million ($621 million) financing process to fund a major expansion of its Australian data centres in Sydney and Melbourne, and across key Asia-Pacific markets.

The expansion has been driven by strong customer demand for hyperscale data centre solutions, the company said.

Deutsche Bank is the lead arranger, underwriter and sole bookrunner for the new senior secured debt facilities. The financing will be the largest by a data centre company in Australia.

AirTrunk founder and CEO, Robin Khuda, and shareholders, Goldman Sachs and TSSP, have also contributed new capital to support the expansion plans.

“We saw a substantial amount of global interest in AirTrunk throughout the process, and are delighted to complete this financing arrangement with Deutsche Bank. Together with the new capital recently contributed by our shareholders, the new funds put us in a strong position to meet the growing demand from large cloud, content and enterprise customers in the Asia-Pacific region,” Khuda said.

AirTrunk opened its two Australian data centres last year – AirTrunk Sydney in September and AirTrunk Melbourne in November. The two facilities are set to be the largest independent data centres in the Asia-Pacific region when completed at 90 megawatts and 84 megawatts respectively.

“AirTrunk continues to pursue its ambition to be the leader in hyperscale data centres for the region. The expansion in Australia will establish AirTrunk as the largest data centre operator in Australia by deployed capacity and we continue to pursue aggressive growth opportunities across the Asia-Pacific region,” added Khuda.

Also Read: Singapore: TPG Capital Asia Acquires Quest Laboratories

AirTrunk is a hyperscale data centre specialist creating a platform for cloud, content and large enterprise customers across the Asia-Pacific region. The company develops and operates data centre campuses with industry leading reliability, technology innovation and energy efficiency. – AsiaPEVC.com