Glints taps SMEs, AI for profit

Glints eyes SME-powered and AI-fueled growth, and SmartSolar pursues more funding. Meanwhile, capital is picking up in SEA and India.

Read from your browser Daily Newsletter Welcome to Tech in Asia's daily newsletter, your essential dose of Asia's tech and startup buzz. Subscribe to this newsletter or send story tips to editors@techinasia.com. Ensure our articles appear in your Google searches: IN FOCUS A glimpse into Glints' SME and AI future SmartSolar's sunnier disposition with US$1.3 million in new funding The numbers behind Southeast Asian tech funds' strong start to 2026 Hello Betamax, When I was fresh out of college and hunting for a job, I used to join Facebook groups to look for open positions. I then found out that it was a world of difference compared to LinkedIn. Most of the posts in these Facebook groups are for MSMEs, completely different from the multinational companies I had been spamming applications to on LinkedIn. But this makes sense: small businesses are the backbone of the Philippine economy. Online recruitment penetration in Southeast Asia is at just 3% - compared with nearly 30% in the US - Glints co-founder Oswald Yeo told me for this edition's featured story. The gap presents a clear opportunity for the company to capitalize on. Glints has already made progress on this front in Indonesia. Yeo, now the company's chairman, said the firm overtook LinkedIn and JobStreet in the last quarter of 2025 in terms of monthly Android app downloads and new job listings in the country. Building on this momentum, the company is aiming to replicate its progress in markets like Singapore and Malaysia. Whether it succeeds in these two countries will become clearer when we take a closer look at Glints' next financial update. In our other featured story, my colleague Elyssa takes a closer look at Vietnamese firm SmartSolar's plans to bring its rooftop solar product to more households. To support these efforts, the company has raised US$1.3 million in fresh funding. Also, be sure to check out our updated funds tracker, as more money is pouring into the region. Miguel Cordon, journalist TOP STORIES 1️⃣ Glints eyes 2027 profit as growth continues, losses ease in 2025 Another area of growth Glints is targeting is the wave of new roles created by the AI boom. Yeo said that the company is seeing AI drive a surge in offshore job categories, such as data annotation, content moderation, and AI training. On the product side, Glints is leveraging its large proprietary dataset to make smarter recommendations on its platform. In an era where startups can easily layer chatbots on top of databases, that data is the firm's key differentiator. 2️⃣ Vietnam-based energy firm SmartSolar raises $1.3m in debt SmartSolar has grown its client base from 15 in March last year to 80 just a year later. The company now has solar panel installations at 100 sites across southern and central Vietnam. Demand in the country still appears to be rising, and SmartSolar is looking to expand its footprint further. To support that growth, the company is seeking additional capital to bankroll its expansion. A DATA STORY YOU SHOULDN'T MISS Funds tracker: New vehicles from Singtel, ex-Peak XV executives The latest update to Tech in Asia's fund tracker suggests that, if current momentum holds, venture capital firms in Southeast Asia are on track to raise their largest pool of capital in six years. As of February 2026, regional VCs have raised a combined US$2.3 billion across 11 funds, compared with US$6.8 billion for the whole of last year. Recent additions include Singtel Innov8 and Ambition Capital, a fund launched by former Peak XV Partners executives. Both firms have raised US$250 million for their respective vehicles. While many of the new funds remain sector-agnostic, there has been a noticeable influx of AI-focused vehicles. There are now 17 funds targeting AI investments, up from just one before 2023. With the AI hype showing no signs of slowing, that number is likely to keep rising in the coming years. TRENDING NEWS 1️⃣ SG AI startup Video Rebirth raises $80m The company plans to use the new funding to bankroll the commercialization of its video generation model, Bach. It also plans to expand into international markets. 2️⃣ Unitree says humanoid robots may beat sprint record The company's founder said its robots can beat Usain Bolt's 9.58-second 100m record, adding that advancements in robotics have sped up thanks to the falling costs of core components, maturing industrial chains, and advancements in the programming behind these machines. 3️⃣ Nvidia CEO says OpenClaw agent is 'next ChatGPT' The GPU leader recently announced NemoClaw, an enterprise-focused version of OpenClaw. NemoClaw will add features like privacy protection rails and oversight tools to support this enterprise focus. 4️⃣ KKR to invest $310m in Indian e-bus platform Allfleet KKR will acquire a majority stake in Allfleet as well as a minority stake in PMI Electro, a commercial EV maker, as part of the deal. This marks KKR's first investment in India under its Global Climate Transition strategy. 5️⃣ Microsoft weighs legal action over Amazon-OpenAI deal The US$50 billion deal could reportedly breach Microsoft's exclusive cloud partnership deal with OpenAI. The partnership requires OpenAI to route all access to its model through Azure. PRESS PEEKS The following press releases were published as they were received, without any editing from the Tech in Asia team. You, too, can publish your own press release on our site by simply filling out this form. Our team will get back to you by the next business day. FM Singapore Summit - Finance Magnates Welcomes You to the First FM Singapore Summit: Registrations Now Open!: Brokers, fintech firms, liquidity providers, banks, EMIs, wealth and portfolio managers, and hedge funds have a new meeting point in APAC. EVENTS HAPPENING You can also check out our curated list of trending tech events and Tech in Asia's signature events. Southeast Asia is shaped by the generosity of ideas! The spirit of Hari Raya reminds us that generosity strengthens communities. In business, the exchange of ideas can shape industries. This June, leaders from across Southeast Asia will gather at the Asia Economic Summit (AES) to discuss the forces driving the region's economic future. From capital flows to emerging industries, the conversations at AES influence how the region moves forward. In this same spirit, bring your circle to AES and get 20% off when you purchase two delegate passes. Secure your spots here. WHO'S HIRING You can post a job here or search for jobs here. Audience Management Strategist at Kumparan | Jakarta, Indonesia Data Analyst at Cakap | Tangerang, Indonesia Quality Assurance (Automation) at Mobius Digital | Jakarta, Indonesia ADVERTISE | SUBSCRIBE | HIRE | FIND JOBS P.S. Don't miss out on the biggest tech news and analysis. Add newsletter@techinasia.com to your address book, contacts, or safe sender list. Or simply move us into your inbox. Tech in Asia thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Too many emails? Switch to a different frequency or get new content through our preference center, or unsubscribe. You can also remove yourself from all Tech in Asia emails over here. Copyright © 2026 Tech in Asia, All rights reserved. Tech in Asia (Podium Level 3), 1000 Toa Payoh North, News Centre, Singapore 318994 A member of The Business Times.