IN FOCUS
Hello Betamax,
Last week, I was at my sister-in-law’s farm near Melbourne, where I caught a glimpse of what a self-sufficient household could look like.
The farm is home to alpacas, deer, sheep, peacocks, cows, and hens. Every morning, we would walk down the trail laden with eucalyptus trees to reach the hens’ coop to collect fresh eggs for breakfast.
Rainwater is harvested in two tanks, with all water supplied to the house passing through filters before reaching the taps. The house runs entirely on solar energy.
It’s a reminder that sustainability isn’t always about grand infrastructure. Personal efforts like these also deserve highlighting.
As the world pushes towards a greener future, it’s worth taking a look at the cleantech players leading the charge in Southeast Asia. Their solutions range from big swings at big problems to more local efforts.
The map also highlights the most active investors and the investment trends shaping the sector. If you want to understand Southeast Asia’s cleantech space, start here.
Meanwhile, tech looks like it could be a big loser in the US midterm elections. With the Democrats taking control of the House and Senate, stronger AI and crypto regulation could be on the cards.
Data centers also took a beating. Of the local ballot measures to restrict them, 33 had passed or were leading late Tuesday (US time), against one pro-build win.
With US voters so clearly against data centers in their backyards, more projects could end up in Asia.
Samreen Ahmad, journalist
TOP STORY
Mapping SEA’s leading cleantech players
The 37 cleantech startups in our list focus on a range of verticals, from green energy to electric vehicles. Together, these companies raised US$167 million across nine funding rounds in the past 12 months, a stark drop from the US$350 million raised across 45 deals in 2023.
More than half of that money went to startups offering renewable energy solutions. Most notably, Singapore-based power infrastructure firm Amperesand raised US$80 million in a series A round co-led by Temasek.
FROM OUR ARCHIVES
AI voice generating startup ElevenLabs crosses $300m in ARR
Photo credit: ElevenLabs
London-based voice AI firm ElevenLabs may begin preparing for an IPO in 2028, according to its CEO.
It’s another milestone to add to its list. Our story from November 2025 reported that ElevenLabs had crossed US$300 million in annual recurring revenue two months ahead of schedule.
The piece also examined the company’s expanding enterprise business, growing traction in Asia, and efforts to develop more humanlike voice agents. Since then, ElevenLabs’ valuation has climbed to US$22 billion.
TRENDING NEWS
1️⃣ Singapore’s PDG secures $1.3b for Johor data hub
The funds will go to the development of its JH1 campus in Sedenak Tech Park, which is planned to have a capacity of 200 megawatts. PDG previously secured a US$280 million green loan for the facility.
2️⃣ Canva restructuring to hit 22% of staff after growth slows
As part of the exercise, nearly 1,271 employees will lose their jobs, change roles, or relocate to central offices. The company experienced its first growth slowdown in a decade.
3️⃣ Meta launches $15b bond sale to fund AI infrastructure
The sale comes days after Meta expanded plans for what could become a US$97.5 billion equity raise, as the company pushes to secure funding for AI-related infrastructure investments.
4️⃣ Taiwanese VC firm Ondine Capital opens third AI, chip fund
Ondine Capital plans to invest across the AI stack, from foundation models and chips to infrastructure, software, and physical AI applications.
5️⃣ Indian consumer AI firm EloElo secures $80m in series C
Founded in 2020 by former Flipkart executive Saurabh Pandey, EloElo said its apps have more than 40 million monthly active users.
PRESS PEEKS
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