#LKminiblog - Are Superapps Draining our Money Pots?
Superapps and ecommerce startups snatched a big chunk of startup funding for Southeast Asia last year, especially those endorsed or lead by Softbank and BAT (Baidu, Ali, Tencent).
Superapps and ecommerce startups snatched a big chunk of startup funding for Southeast Asia last year, especially those endorsed or lead by Softbank and BAT (Baidu, Ali, Tencent).
Capturing the sizable Southeast Asian consumer market...
In 2017/2018, investors were particularly focused on startups with standardised platforms to engage with Southeast Asian consumers mainly via mobile devices. This trend is expected to continue this year, but with more coverage areas by ride hailing companies and new value added services including to businesses.
The 10 or so well backed Unicorns will continue to grow and prosper...
Plenty of capital reserve will enable companies like Grab, Go-Jek, Zalo, Bukalapak, Tokopedia, Lazada, Shoppee and others to continue improving their applications, interfaces, technology stack, talent pool and market reach. These startups can become a critical gateway to new eco systems in health, retail, and finance, not reachable by conventional businesses.
Plenty of capital reserve will enable companies like Grab, Go-Jek, Zalo, Bukalapak, Tokopedia, Lazada, Shoppee and others to continue improving their applications, interfaces, technology stack, talent pool and market reach. These startups can become a critical gateway to new eco systems in health, retail, and finance, not reachable by conventional businesses.
What about the B2B tech startups?
However, this strategic focus by major investors certainly affected tech startups on the B2B segment, especially those developing and innovating vertical solutions. Most investors, including regional financiers, simply followed the footsteps of larger investors with their bets in the past years. This drained the money pot and left thousands of B2B folks to battle it out for the leftovers.
However, this strategic focus by major investors certainly affected tech startups on the B2B segment, especially those developing and innovating vertical solutions. Most investors, including regional financiers, simply followed the footsteps of larger investors with their bets in the past years. This drained the money pot and left thousands of B2B folks to battle it out for the leftovers.
Driving the change we want...!
Hopefully investor tone will change this year with promising startups emerging for applied AI and AR in various sectors, fintech that blends several techs, healthcare innovation and smart city solutions.
Hopefully investor tone will change this year with promising startups emerging for applied AI and AR in various sectors, fintech that blends several techs, healthcare innovation and smart city solutions.
As for regional and corporate MNC investors, the former will continue to invest opportunistically or for nationalistic reasons and the later will align investment to scale the size of the community on their platform. The rigour of activities here will depend heavily on economic growth and the entrepreneurial community.
In the end, the challenge for Southeast Asian B2B startups in 2019 remains the same as the previous years. Changing the perception of stakeholders and our entrepreneurial community to break the heuristics that we are incapable of creating scalable world class solutions. Instead, we should be driving harder for excellence, up skilling, team building, task completion, coaching and envision business solutions fitting for global markets and scale.
Are we up for it?
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