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 | Welcome to Tech in Asia's free Saturday VC newsletter! Get full access to our subscribers-only premium content and other insightful analysis on the big and messy topics of Asia's tech and startup community by registering here. |
Hello Betamax, It's undeniable that we, and all the things we need to live our lives, have to move around, and vehicles - motorbikes, cars, trucks, and more - are an essential part of the process. It's pretty cool to see how we can leverage tech to help make this process of movement safer, easier, and more accessible to everyone. It's no surprise, then, that this week's top-funded company is a trucking tech company from China. It focuses on developing assisted-driving tech and freight solutions for heavy-duty electric trucks. Next on the list is an Australian firm offering automotive intelligence services. A different kind of "AI"? You can find all other important investment deals from the last few days in our weekly funding news wrap-up.  Let's dive into the biggest deals that have recently taken place. -- Stefanie |
THE BIGGEST DEALS BY COUNTRY🇨🇳 DeepWay, a trucking tech firm based in China, has raised US$173 million in late-stage funding ahead of its planned IPO. Participating investors were ABC Impact, AEF Greater Bay Area Fund, Lenovo Capital, Puhua Capital, Sunwoda Electric Vehicle Battery, and Vlight Capital. 🇦🇺 Headquartered in Australia, AutoGrab is a vehicle software platform that helps dealerships, as well as finance and insurance companies, improve profitability and decision-making with data-driven insights. It has bagged US$52 million in series B money from EVP, Movac, Octopus Ventures, Premier Capital, and Ten13. 🇮🇳 Juspay is a mobile payments startup from India. It has secured US$50 million in series D funding from WestBridge Capital. 🇯🇵 Space BD is a Japan-based spacetech startup. It has scored US$16.8 million in a series C round from Hulic Startup, Kiyo Capital Management, Mitsubishi HC Capital, Mizuho Capital, NEC Corporation, Spiral Capital/Spiral Innovation Partners, and Valueup Partners. 🇸🇬 HeyMax is a loyalty and travel rewards platform. Based in Singapore, it has raised US$11 million in a series A round from Betatron Venture Group and Peak XV Partners. Here's the complete list of this week's funding chart: 71 deals worth over US$557 million. |
PUT YOUR STARTUP IN THE SPOTLIGHT  Want your startup featured on Tech in Asia? We're trying something new: You share your story, and we turn it into a Startup Spotlight article using generative AI. The article is then reviewed by editors, published, and promoted like any other story. Here's a look at some of the startups we've put in the spotlight recently: - PulseTech is working to digitize Bangladesh's US$6 billion pharmacy market.
- Merra is an AI interviewer being built on actual interview data, not CVs.
- M3triq is a startup offering an AI co-pilot for scientists designing new biomaterials.
Want to see your startup or portfolio company here next? Just fill in this form. |
BEHIND THE GLASSWALL  Fundraising often involves reaching out to several contacts, many of whom founders might not have dealt with before. To provide some transparency to this process, we created Glasswall, a platform for founders to give feedback and recommendations on investors. Check out the full list here. - ✅︎ "Was a smooth process involving a number of discussions and two investments in total. The DD [due diligence] required was in line with expectations for an early-stage investor." - Read more
- ❌ "For the one call we were supposed to have, two team members didn't show up, and only one junior person appeared on the call seven minutes late after visibly just dropping out of the shower and being completely unprepared." - Read more
- ✅︎ "I was early-stage (pre-product and pre-revenue), pitched to Peak XV, and was rejected, but the partner asked insightful questions and also scheduled time to do a video call afterward to give a nuanced explanation. They were actually the only fund to do a video call for the rejection (only about 10% of funds even bother sending an actual rejection), which I appreciated." - Read more
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The future of shrimp starts hereGlobal aquaculture leaders discuss market trends, sustainability demands, and what's next.  JALA Shrimp Outlook 2026 brings together shrimp farmers, exporters, policymakers, and global experts in Yogyakarta on February 12 to unpack market shifts, sustainability demands, and data-driven strategies shaping the industry's future. Featuring speakers from Charoen Pokphand Foods, Global Shrimp Forum, Aqua Star, and Undercurrent News, Shrimp Outlook 2026 offers a comprehensive global perspective on the shrimp aquaculture sector. Get your ticket now! |
EXCLUSIVE LISTICLESLists of most active investors in the region China | India | Indonesia | Japan | Singapore | Southeast Asia List of top-funded startups in Asia China | India | Indonesia | Israel | Japan | Hong Kong | Singapore | South Korea | Vietnam |
THOUGHTFUL READS1️⃣ Aye, AI In this episode of the Rapid Response podcast, host Bob Safian sits down with Reid Hoffman, tech investor and co-founder of LinkedIn. The guest shares his thoughts on the biggest challenges and opportunities faced by businesses today, how AI is transforming everything from music to healthcare, and what it really means to be an AI-first organization. 2️⃣ Rise of the giants Many startup investors believe the greatest returns go to those who are the earliest in spotting and backing the most promising founders - but what if they all find these founders at the same time? That gives rise to jumbo rounds at seed or series A, worth US$100 million or more. They've been on the rise, especially with all the excitement around AI, and Crunchbase News goes deeper in this piece. 3️⃣ Driven to diversify Retail investors are looking to double down on VC and private equity, says global investment manager Hamilton Lane. Nearly half (47%) of private wealth funds are looking to increase their allocations to VC and growth equity funds - a move rooted in a desire to diversify and establish more liquid portfolios. Read more here. 4️⃣ Qatar's big bet Founders Circle Capital, a growth stage VC firm based in Silicon Valley, has become the seventh firm to join the Qatar Investment Authority's ambitious fund-of-funds program. This signals that the initiative is gaining traction, marking exciting opportunities in the country. Learn more from this article from Institutional Investor. 5️⃣ Ebbs and flows The South Korean government has confirmed that all sub-funds formed under the 2026 Fund of Funds will be required to invest at least 20% of their committed capital in startups outside Seoul. The question is: Will this decentralization expand innovation or simply dilute already limited resources? This piece from Korea Tech Desk dives deeper. |
EVENTS HAPPENING You can also check out our curated list of trending tech events and Tech in Asia's signature events.  | JALA Shrimp Outlook 2026 is back! The future of the global shrimp industry starts here. Shrimp Outlook 2026 by JALA returns to Yogyakarta on 12 February, bringing together 400+ farmers, feed companies, exporters, policymakers, and global industry leaders to navigate sustainability challenges, shifting markets, and the next phase of industry growth.Get your ticket now! |  | HSBC Women's World Championship Business Forum 2026 | February 27 At the HSBC Women's World Championship Business Forum, we're setting the tone with the opening session titled "Entering Peak State: What Does 'Great' Actually Require?" This is where Maria Li, COO of Tech in Asia, challenges executives to look beyond raw talent. She reframes high performance as a discipline of daily decisions, laying out the blueprint for navigating the volatile year ahead. Join us in shaping your business strategy for 2026. |
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