The two companies expect to see an increase in the use of information and communication technologies as a result of their efforts. They believe that it is the innovation and creativity of young businesspeople that can give the country’s economic development a boost. “This is a remarkable initiative that can be of great help to Lao startups. We are very excited that Lao Telecom, the largest telecommunication service provider in the country, has decided to step in as another key stakeholder,” the founder and CEO of TOHLAO Group, Souphaphone Souannavong, said. Souphaphone said she believed the new partnership would help more startups “disrupt and rock” Lao society. A senior executive at Lao Telecom, Mr Piyawat Jriyasetapong, said he shared the vision of TOHLAO to build a startup community in Laos. To begin this significant event, TOHLAO is running a competition called “Startup Weekend Vientiane Presented by Lao Telecom” to be held May … [Read more...] about TOHLAO, Lao Telecom help build startup businesses
Startup
Triplogic startup becomes part of East Ventures fund portfolio
Triplogic, an Indonesia-based startup company that provides end-to-end last-mile delivery services (delivery from transport hub to final destination), including logistics, goods delivery, fulfillment and distribution, announced in a statement on Tuesday that it has secured seed funding from East Ventures. Founded by Oki Earlivan, Rowdy Fatha and Krisna Adiarini, Triplogic aims to present its services to a customer base that ranges from corporate distributors, e-commerce retailers, online and offline small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to individual users who occasionally ship goods. Oki said in the statement that Triplogic is not just an ordinary logistics company that only does parcel delivery. “We are an end-to-end partner,” said Oki. "As a logistics-as-a-service (LAAS) company, we focus on creating a strong supply chain ecosystem." The company claims to be able to fulfill instant [last mile] delivery (within three hours) using drop shipping points in SMEs and local … [Read more...] about Triplogic startup becomes part of East Ventures fund portfolio
Ikea startup boot camp tests life beyond flat-pack furniture
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By Anna Molin Bloomberg Carol Matlack Thu., May 2, 2019 Sankarshan Murthy sinks into a sofa at Ikea’s conference centre in the sleepy town of Almhult in southern Sweden. The former Tesla and Apple engineer is jetlagged after flying from San Francisco to make a pitch for his startup, BumbleBee Spaces, which has developed a robotic system to maximize space in small apartments by hoisting beds and other furniture to the ceiling when not in use. BumbleBee was one of 18 companies invited by Ikea for a “startup boot camp” in late March, following a selection process that drew more than 1,100 entries worldwide. The program is part of an effort by the world’s No. 1 furniture retailer to attract a new generation of shoppers. Murthy’s robotic furniture includes sensors that can help users locate, say, a tennis racket stashed in the back of a cupboard, or put a pair of running shoes near the front door for a morning jog — all at the touch … [Read more...] about Ikea startup boot camp tests life beyond flat-pack furniture
News WeWork files for IPO, joining wave of cash-burning startups going public
Over 9 years, WeWork has grown from one work space in Manhattan into a global empire of trendily designed shared offices, business services and more. Now WeWork is hoping that public investors believe the company can eventually turn a profit from that vision. WeWork announced Monday that it filed confidentially in late December to go public, becoming the latest hot startup to consider heading to the stock markets. Should the company follow through on its plans, its initial public offering would be among the most eagerly anticipated in recent years. It was valued at $47 billion in an investment this year. The company helped take the idea of co-working — where it leases out commercial real estate, redesigns it for shared office space and sells memberships — to a new level of popularity. The business model gained cachet with trendy décor and, in many locations, beer and coffee on tap. But those ambitions have come at a steep cost. The company’s revenue doubled in … [Read more...] about News WeWork files for IPO, joining wave of cash-burning startups going public
Thai startups get chance to hitch a ride with Grab
Launched in July last year, Grab Ventures is Grab’s venture building and venture investments arm. Through GVV, Grab Ventures offers mentorship and access to the parent company’s vast customer base and technology assets, so that startups can test and scale their services via the Grab ecosystem. Following the success of its first batch graduates from the GVV programme in January this year, applications for the second intake are open until May 15. Thailand has developed around 1,000 local startups and the country expects to have 10,000 of them by 2037. With GVV, Singapore-based Grab aims to take part in enhancing the incubation ecosystem for Thai startups, connecting them to strategic partners and investors, and forging deals or business matching between startups and Grab. This aligns with the government’s goal to create a digital hub in Thailand. The theme for this second batch, which runs from June to August, is “Empowering … [Read more...] about Thai startups get chance to hitch a ride with Grab