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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: 
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IN FOCUS
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Hello Betamax, When Forrest Li speaks publicly, it's worth paying attention. After all, he is founder, CEO, and chairman of Sea Limited, arguably Southeast Asia's most successful tech company. Li also rarely speaks publicly, making his appearance on stage at the Singapore leg of the annual Stripe Tour a rare window into his thoughts on how companies should be run. Our senior editor Melissa Goh's story on the fireside chat is full of nuggets on everything from Shopee's "bottom up" approach in Indonesia before the ubiquity of ecommerce, how the firm approached its expansion to Brazil, and Li's views on how AI is helping the business. What intrigued me most was Li saying he still receives emails from customers daily and takes them as serious feedback on Sea's performance. It would be easy for someone in his position to dismiss criticism out of hand, but this shows just how valuable being customer-obsessed is for any leader. From a successful operator to a successful investor, we're also featuring an interview with Mekong Capital partner Chad Ovel today. Well worth a read for, among other things, the lowdown on the private equity firm's investment philosophy in the AI era and updates on the IPO plans of two of its portfolio companies. Peter Cowan, engagement editor |
TOP STORIES1️⃣ Forrest Li on scaling Sea, building smarter bots, and founder grit  Our story featuring Li ends with the simplest, but perhaps most valuable, advice for founders: Keep going. The Sea head honcho outlines how the secret sauce that has kept him going through the firm's trials and tribulations is good old-fashioned grit. If it's good enough for the leader of a company worth almost US$70 billion, it's good enough for any founder. 2️⃣ Mekong Capital shuns AI-native bets as portfolio firms near IPOs The investment firm counts fintech firm F88 and biotech company Gene Solutions among its portfolio companies, and both are gearing up for public debuts soon. Their approaches differ significantly, though. F88 plans to list at home on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange - something Ovel says has long been part of the founders' vision. Gene Solutions, on the other hand, is eyeing a listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, an exchange perhaps better suited to biotech listings. |
CAN AI COMMUNICATIONS SCALE?A curated roundtable luncheon by Sinch and Tech in Asia  As AI becomes part of live customer journeys, maintaining reliable delivery and customer trust becomes more complex. Leaders now need to consider whether their communications systems can support growing automation without compromising the experience that customers receive. Held on September 15 as part of Tech in Asia Conference 2026, "Is Your Communication Infrastructure Ready for AI at Scale?" brings together decision-makers from across Southeast Asia to examine the practical realities of scaling AI-powered customer communications. Combining research-led insights with a moderated roundtable discussion, the session gives you space to raise questions relevant to your organization, compare approaches with peers, and continue the conversation over a three-course lunch. The conversation will cover how to maintain deliverability and channel reliability as automation grows, the role of email in an AI-first world, and the strategic considerations involved in protecting customer trust across increasingly automated journeys. This session is open exclusively to Tech in Asia Conference 2026 General, Pro, and VIP pass holders. Capacity is limited, and all registrations are subject to approval. Already have a conference pass? Register your interest for the luncheon.] Not yet attending? Get your Tech in Asia Conference 2026 pass first. |
SPOTLIGHTThe evolving gig ecosystem  I'm old enough to remember when the idea of gig workers and the gig economy was an odd, new curiosity. There was even skepticism as to whether it would stick around. As if we needed another reminder that ride-hailers et al. are here to stay, this short piece on Hala Mobility's fundraising efforts does the job. The India-based firm began life as an electric vehicle rental business, but to say it's pivoted would be an understatement. Hala Mobility now says it's trying to build a "360-degree" ecosystem around gig workers, helping them access credit, insurance, and even housing. It's even launched a facility with 260 rooms in Hyderabad, complete with a cafeteria and a gym. At what point are gig workers just workers who deserve the same rights as the rest of us in the labor market? Maybe when their needs are valuable enough to build a business around. |
SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF BEING EVERYWHEREIn partnership with  According to Meta, there are more than 1 billion active threads with businesses across WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram every day. The good news: Customers can reach brands more easily than ever. The bad news: Customer intent can get lost when dealing with multiple channels. The better news: Omnichat's Omni AI platform helps brands connect customer chats, campaign planning, and execution in one workflow. With OmniClaw and Omni AI Message Flow, marketers can move from customer intent to automated journeys faster, without starting from scratch. Book a free demo to find out more. |
PRESS PEEKSThe 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.
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EVENTS HAPPENINGYou can also check out our curated list of trending tech events and Tech in Asia's signature events.
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Secure a startup booth at our conference Startup Booth, the exhibition space at Tech in Asia Conference serves as your high-velocity base to move beyond the pitch deck and into the production stacks of 1,500 decision-makers from companies like HSBC, Canva, Ferrero, and ComfortDelGro. For just US$750, you secure an exhibition slot for two days and two conference passes to bridge the gap from startup ambition to real-world results. Don't just showcase your product; start your distribution journey where Asia's tech future is built. Find out more here. |
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