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#Asia Kalaari Capital MD Vani Kola resigns from Snapdeal Board amidst distress sale talks with Flipkart

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Kalaari is one of the early backers of Snapdeal and has invested a total of US$27.5 million in the e-commerce marketplace over multiple rounds

Vani Kola, Managing Director of Indian VC firm Kalaari Capital, has resigned from the Board of troubled e-commerce company Snapdeal, amidst its ongoing merger talks with Flipkart, said multiple media reports citing regulatory documents sourced from data platform Tofler.

“I regretfully inform you that at this juncture I would be unable to continue to be a part of the board, hence, I hereby tender my resignation from the office of the director of the company and request the board to discharge me of my duties as a director of the company with immediate effect,” Kola said in a letter to the Snapdeal Board.

Kola is one of the longest-serving Board members and the sole representative for the VC firm at Snapdeal.

Also Read: No more buffering or loading issues; Greta.io can boost the performance of your website with a few simple steps

Based in Bangalore, Kalaari is one of the early backers of the Gurgaon-based e-commerce marketplace and has invested a total of US$27.5 million in the firm over multiple rounds. The VC fund holds about 8 per equity stake in the e-commerce marketplace. The VC fund has been in a tussle with SoftBank over the sale of Snapdeal to Flipkart for a proposed US$1 billion, a significant drop from its peak valuation of US$6.5 billion when it raised funding early last year.

e27 reported on Friday that the differences among the investors have been resolved and Snapdeal has accepted the terms sheet. The due diligence has already started, and Snapdeal has already sent the records (skill-set and job descriptions) of its key employees which it wants to retain post-acquisition to Flipkart.

“All investors of Snapdeal are now on board with the decision, and their differences have been sorted out. As part of the deal, SoftBank is likely to inject up to US$1 billion in the combined entity. That said, it could still take months before the deal is sealed,” said a highly-placed source had told 27.

According to this person, Flipkart and Snapdeal are yet to resolve the differences about the employee stock options (ESOPs). The ESOPs will be settled by founders in their personal capacity, presumably as part of the due diligence.

Founded in February 2010, Snapdeal was the second biggest e-commerce company after Flipkart until 2015. The company began to crash after the entry of Amazon, which ate into its market share to become a formidable force in the Indian e-commerce market. Over the past two years, Snapdeal kept losing market share to both Amazon and Flipkart, despite having invested significantly in branding and marketing.

To date, Snapdeal has raised about US$2 billion in investment, which included a US$627 million from SoftBank in 2014. Its other investors include Kalaari Capital, Nexus Venture Partners, BlackRock, Temasek, Foxconn, eBay, Premji Invest, Intel Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, and Ratan Tata. Recently, eBay invested nearly US$500 million in Flipkart and sold its Indian unit to the Bangalore-based company.

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#Asia Indonesian game studio Toge Productions expands to publishing, announces 6 new titles

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Toge Productions wants to help local indie game studios reach the international market

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Ultra Space Battle Brawl by Mojiken Studio, one of the games published by Toge Productions

Indonesian game studio Toge Productions today announced its expansion into game publishing industry with the announcement of six new game titles from four game developer studios: Mojiken Studio, Rolling Glory Jam, GameChanger Studio, and Tahoe Games.

With the aim to help Indonesian indie game developers getting into global market, Toge Productions will offer funding support; technical, art, and design consultancy; as well as marketing and PR strategy.

In a press statement, Toge Productions CEO and Founder Kris Antoni cited funding and access to distribution channels as the challenges faced by Indonesian game developers, despite the high quality of the works they produced.

“Indonesian indie devs don’t have the same opportunities as indie devs in the US or Europe; we need to work extra hard to get noticed. Toge Productions as one of the senior studio in the country want to change that and prove to everyone that games from a developing country such as Indonesia can have a place in the global market,” he explained.

The new titles will be released between August 2017 to late 2018, and it will be showcased on Toge Productions’ booth at the upcoming Casual Connect Asia 2017 in Singapore.

Also Read: Zhexin IT launches US$10M fund for Indonesian gaming startups through Discovery Nusantara Capital

The following are the new titles:

Ultra Space Battle Brawl
Developer: Mojiken Studio
Platform: PC, Mac, Linux
Release date: August 2017

A couch party game that mixes pong, fighting game, and “the spirit of having fun together” in an ’80s style, “over-the-top aesthetic infused with steroid.”

She and the Light Bearer
Developer: Mojiken Studio
Platform: PC, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS
Release date: Early 2018

The title is a blend of music album and adventure game that borrows its aesthetic from storybook and fairytale. It puts emphasize on the art, poem, dialogue, and music to deliver the experience.

A Space for The Unbound
Developer: Mojiken Studio
Platform: PC, Mac, Linux
Release date: Q3 2018

The title is “a melancholic tale about bullying, trauma, and friendship presented in a surreal and fantasy storytelling accompanied with beautiful visual, music, and story that represents Indonesia in pixel art form.”

My Lovely Daughter
Developer: GameChanger Studio
Platform: PC, Mac, Linux
Release date: August 2017

The game tells a story about a grieving father and his intense love of his late daughter. Players will play the role of an alchemist trying raise “varieties of homunculus” to help growing the soul to revive the daughter.

Rage in Peace
Developer: Rolling Glory Jam
Platform: PC, Mac, Linux
Release date: Q1 2018

In this game, players will play as Timmy Malinu, a guy that tries to achieve his sole dream to die peacefully while sleeping in his pyjamas. To fulfill his simple dream, Timmy has to travel all the way from his office to a “dreamy, surreal world” before eventually reaching his house and go to bed.

Hellbreaker
Developer: Tahoe Games
Platform: PC, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS
Release date: Q3 2017

The game is a vertical platformer, rogue-like game about a man that is trying to escape from the depth of hell.

Also Read: “Indonesia’s gaming industry needs to be king in its own homeland”

Founded in 2009, Tangerang-based Toge Productions is best known for its Infectonator series. It has produced games for Flash, mobile, and desktop.

The company recently raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Discovery Nusantara Capital (DNC), and claimed to have generated profits annually.

Image Credit: Toge Productions

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#Asia What are the latest trends in mobile payments?

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Things are moving so swiftly that it’s often challenging to keep up, but here are a few of the latest trends in mobile payments

Mobile payment technology has received a lot of attention over the past couple of years – particularly since large tech corporations like Apple and Google have gotten involved. We’ve seen new apps, platforms, and hardware come about, but where do things currently stand and what are some of the trends that you need to be made aware of?

3 trends in mobile payments

The way in which people purchase goods and services has changed a lot over the years. Centuries ago, you either bartered with goods that you already had or forked over actual gold and silver to make a purchase. Then coins were made so that business owners didn’t have to weigh precious metals at the time of purchase. Then paper money was developed to serve as a representation of the underlying currency (i.e. gold and silver).

In the 1950s and 1960s, we saw plastic enter the marketplace. Known as charge cards, these cards had to be paid off by the end of the month. Progress a few more years and credit cards became popular. Now customers could buy something on credit and don’t have to pay it off for months (as long as they paid interest). Now we’re in the process of doing away with plastic. In fact, if tech companies had it their way, money would change hands with nothing more than a mobile device or embedded chip.

Things are moving so swiftly that it’s often challenging to keep up, but here are a few of the latest trends in mobile payments:

Mobile wallets

You’re probably familiar with the term “mobile wallet.” If nothing else, you likely know about Apple Pay and other mobile wallet technologies that allow customers to make purchases by simply touching their smartphone to a sensor.

Also Read: Is Singapore tech ecosystem sustainable? Report shows half of startups operating at loss

But what you may not know is that mobile wallets are still a relatively unknown commodity. Not only is security a concern for some, but many believe it makes impulse shopping easier. Both of these factors could negatively impact credit scores.

There isn’t anything inherently wrong with using mobile wallets, though. As long as you use them responsibly, there won’t be any problems. As Credit.com expert Jill Krasny explains, “Credit bureaus can’t tell when you’re using a mobile wallet to make your purchases, just like they can’t tell whether someone is swiping your credit card or punching in its number, said the experts we spoke with. The same goes for credit scoring models that calculate your credit score.”

Bitcoin adoption

Anytime you discuss mobile payments, the term Bitcoin is going to come up with. A Bitcoin is a measurement of currency that’s stored in a digital wallet and exists in the cloud or on a user’s computer. The wallet acts as the bank, and the Bitcoin acts as the money. It’s a bit confusing to understand, but Bitcoin is essentially a digital currency in which different encryption techniques are used to facilitate online transactions.

Also Read: Indonesian coworking space chain EV Hive announces new management team, raises US$800K pre-Series A round

They operate independently of a central bank and no processing fees are attached.

Because the Bitcoin concept is so confusing to outsiders, those in the finance world seriously doubt it will ever take off. (Who’s going to put their money into something (a) they don’t understand and (b) that isn’t widely accepted?) While those heavily vested in Bitcoin claim it’s the currency of the future, it’s hard not to see the signs that it’s dying.

Sharing apps

If Bitcoin is in trouble, sharing apps like Venmo and PayPal have a bright future ahead. These apps let friends share money with the click of a button, making it simple to split checks and divvy up money.

Payments of the future

 

The way in which currency is spent has changed a lot over the years. Clearly, the new direction is away from plastic and towards mobile payments. But just what the future holds is anyone’s guess.

The article What Are the Latest Trends in Mobile Payments?first appeared on Geektime.

Copyright: juliatim / 123RF Stock Photo

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#Asia The real benefits of Facebook Live and how to best take advantage of the platform

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If you’re planning to make live streaming part of your social media strategy, adhere to these six Facebook Live tips

Since its inception, Facebook Live has allowed anyone and everyone to broadcast videos of what they are doing or seeing in real time — from Michael Phelps showcasing his experience in Rio, to Kobe Bryant playing in his final NBA game, to the Emmys taking us behind the scenes.

But this new phenomenon doesn’t stop at celebrities: My own newsfeed is filled with friends and family live streaming concerts, documenting their travel excursions and simply broadcasting their own digital soapbox.

As a marketing expert, I believe now is a better time than ever for businesses to jump on the Facebook Live bandwagon. Not only is it one more exciting opportunity to showcase who you are as a company and what makes you unique, but Facebook gives priority to Live videos in people’s newsfeeds. It’s an opportunity to break through the clutter.

Also Read: Indonesian P2P lending platform Taralite raises US$6.3M, aims to build “world class” R&D team

So what’s the best way to use Facebook Live? First, let’s start off with the basics:

How to get set up with streaming using Facebook Live

 

Luckily, the only tools you need to broadcast on Facebook are a phone and a good internet connection (Wi-Fi or 4G).

If you’re streaming on behalf of your business, go to your business’s page. Click “Publish” as if you were creating a post, then click on “Live Video.” You can then describe your live video in one short headline, like “Behind The Scenes at My Company.” Then click the blue, “Go Live” button.

Once you’re live, be aware that your Facebook followers will be notified of your broadcast. The top half of your screen will be what users are seeing, and the bottom half will display comments and notifications.

But before you decide to start filming, make sure you’re aware of what you want to say and showcase. Here are some best practices:

Prepare

 

You want to come across as authentic and genuine, so don’t read off a script. Prior to going live, think about what you want to accomplish and what you want your followers to take away. Are you a restaurant showcasing the prep work behind your meals?

Discuss the details behind your recipes and give us a tour of your kitchen.

Tell people you’re going live ahead of time

 

In order to increase views and engagement, let people know ahead of time that you’ll be going live.

For example, one of our clients will be rehearsing for their big show at a set date and time, so we let our followers know that we’ll be broadcasting live on Facebook so they could get a sneak peek.

Post a day or two ahead of time, explaining what you’ll be broadcasting and what time you’ll be doing it.

Pay attention to audio and lighting

 

Though I did mention you want to be authentic, it’s still important to have quality lighting and sound. If users can’t see or hear your live broadcast, they’ll stop watching immediately. Invest in a wireless lavaliere that you can plug into your phone, and record only in well-lit areas.

Show people what they normally wouldn’t see

 

People love going behind the scenes. Facebook Live is a great opportunity to showcase how your product is made or capture a day in the life at your company.

Give us something that we wouldn’t be able to see elsewhere. As a result, individuals will be more apt to watch your future broadcasts.

Keep your phone steady

 

It can be easy to constantly move around, but for the sake of your viewer’s stomach, refrain from a mobile rollercoaster ride. Be sure to hold your phone steady and make slow movements.

Open the floor for questions

 

Facebook Live allows viewers to ask questions during broadcasts. This is a great time to address them. Be sure to mention the person’s name when you address their question so you’re speaking directly to them. You also shouldn’t forget to respond to comments once the video is over.

Your live broadcast will stay on your newsfeed for others to watch, so encourage people to ask questions or comment long after the live version is wrapped.

Also Read: Indonesian coworking space chain EV Hive announces new management team, raises US$0.8M pre-Series A round

You can provide your followers with something they’ll want to engage with — and still have fun while doing it.

The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organisation comprising the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship programme that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

Lyndsi Stafford is the CEO of eLuminate Marketing, a marketing company that specializes in original, authentic, and real storytelling.

Copyright: sitthiphong / 123RF Stock Photo

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#Asia Indonesian coworking space chain EV Hive announces new management team, raises US$0.8M pre-Series A round

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EV Hive also acquired D.Lab, bringing the total number of its coworking space to four locations

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EV HIVE Management Team. Left to Right: CSO Ethan Choi, CEO Carlson Lau, and CFO Jason Lee

Indonesian VC-backed coworking space and community network EV Hive today announced the appointment of its new management team, consisting of CSO Ethan Choi, CEO Carlson Lau, and CFO Jason Lee.

Apart from taking over leadership of the company, the new management team has also invested a US$0.8 million pre-Series A funding round meant to expand its services in Indonesia.

Backed by venture capital firms East Ventures, SMDV, and real-estate developer Sinar Mas Land, EV Hive is also in the process of looking out for a property partner.

“Our team continues to push hard. We intend to roll out seven locations by the end of the year to provide Indonesia’s largest, most convenient co-working network, allowing entrepreneurs to interact, grow and innovate within a tight-knit community,” said CEO Carlson Lau in a press statement.

EV Hive also announced the acquisition of Central Jakarta-based coworking space D. Lab, bringing its total location to four. D. Lab will complement the company’s other locations in Jakarta Smart City Kuningan, Maja Kebayoran Baru, and Breeze BSD.

Also Read: BetaOut aims to dive deeper to Indonesian market with new East Ventures funding

Working hours at EV Hive, The Maja, Kebayoran, South Jakarta

After the acquisition, EV Hive claimed to be the largest coworking space operator in Indonesia based on size and number of locations.

East Ventures Co-Founder and Managing Director Willson Cuaca dubbed the appointment and acquisition as EV Hive’s step to “move to the next level.”

“EV Hive has served us well as East Ventures’ community platform for over a year-and-a-half. We have engaged with over 10,000 start-up talents, run 120 biweekly events, and hosted countless gatherings with our close partners. We also work with industry stakeholders such as Amazon Web Services, Facebook, Google, SGInnovate and the VC community,” he said.

EV Hive also introduced a new flexible coworking desk scheme. Priced at US$75, users will be able to use the membership in all EV Hive locations.

It was recently being part of a partnership between East Ventures and SG Innovate that provides support for Singapore-based and Indonesian startups that aims to expand regionally.

Despite challenges, Indonesia has been seeing rapid growth in the coworking space industry. Recent new launches including GoWork and government-owned Jakarta Creative Hub. Coworking space Rework has also recently launched its second location in Kuningan, South Jakarta.

Images Credit: EV Hive

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#Asia EV Hive expands in Indonesia amid co-working boom

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opening-EV-hive-BSD-the-breeze

EV Hive’space in Tangerang near Jakarta.

EV Hive, a network of co-working spaces in Indonesia, is expanding. By the end of the year it plans to operate three new locations in Jakarta, in addition to the four it runs now.

Originally part of venture capital firm East Ventures, the co-working space unit is preparing to spin out as an independent business. It’s target: the growing global trend of flexible office arrangements.

A new management team, headed by CEO Carlson Lau, is now in change of EV Hive’s development.

“We want to be a neutral platform,” Lau tells Tech in Asia.

While members still benefit from being part of East Ventures’ network, EV Hive is open to collaborating with other VC firms, accelerators, and startup hubs across the region.

First steps have been taken in this direction. For its location in Tangerang, a city close to Jakarta, it’s partnering with another VC firm, SMDV, as well as real estate developer Sinar Mas Land. More recently, EV Hive set up a collaboration with Singapore’s BASH co-working space.

Monetization plans

New EV Hive CEO Calrson Lau.

One of the first measures Lau introduced is a new pricing scheme for individuals who drop in and set themselves up on whatever space is available. For US$75 a month, they have access to all EV Hive locations in Indonesia.

In addition to membership fees, Lau plans to generate revenue by offering tenants deals on things like corporates services, workshops, or even gym subscriptions.

In his past job working at a private equity firm in Jakarta, Lau says he’s evaluated hundreds of companies. Often a company couldn’t scale or failed due to the lack of a professional support network, he found. That’s where he thinks co-working spaces can make a difference.

Members aren’t isolated, can attend workshops, and learn from each other. “For all the digital disruption, at the end of the day we are social animals,” says Lau.

EV Hive isn’t targeting tech startups only but hopes to address a wider group of freelancers and small business owners.

It has two types of arrangements with landlords: it either rents the space or enters a revenue-sharing agreement with the owner.

To landlords, co-working is an attractive proposition, Lau says. The community that forms around these spaces can help attract more businesses to an office building.

Skin in the game

The new management team, which also includes Jason Lee (CFO) and Ethan Choi (CSO), says it invested US$800,000 out of its own pocket, calling this a “pre-series A funding round.”

Co-working as a business opportunity is increasingly attracting the attention of venture capital.

US company WeWork raked in a total of over one billion dollars in VC cash to scale its co-working concept across the globe. It recently launched its first locations in Southeast Asia. WeWork is now apparently raising even more.

Another international player is Flyspaces, though its concept is slightly different because it puts less emphasis on community building. It’s said to have a total revenue of US$1.8 billion per year.

In Indonesia, there’s Xwork, similar to Flyspaces. Other local co-working spaces like Freeware, which is managed by VC firm Grupara, are also gearing up for expansion, opening new locations across Jakarta.

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#Asia Indonesian P2P lending platform Taralite raises US$6.3M, aims to build “world class” R&D team

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Starting out as loan platform for personal life events such as weddings and Hajj pilgrimage,
Taralite now focusses on providing working capital for small online businesses

taralite funding_news

Jakarta-based P2P lending platform Taralite today announced that it has a raised a funding round from Japanese fintech conglomerate SBI Group.

According to a press statement, the exact valuation of the round was undisclosed, but the total commitment is US$6.3 million “including funds for Taralite’s lending services.”

Taralite plans to use the funding to build a “world class” R&D team that would build algorithm for its future plan to be a one stop shop. Some examples of the new services that the startup is building are insurance and credit card algorithm.

SBI Group is considered the pioneer of fintech in Japan and hold the country’s largest online securities trading company.

They also affiliate pure-play online bank, several type of insurance companies, biotechnology business, and a venture capital arm.

It operates a US$300 million finTech-focussed fund.

Taralite started out as a lending platform that finances personal life events such as weddings and Hajj pilgrimage, but it has now focussed on providing working capital for small businesses that operates online.

Also Read: Indonesia authority to allow on-balance-sheet lending for fintech startups

To achieve this, it partners with various online marketplaces and booking platform such as Tokopedia, Bukalapak, Lazada, MatahariMall, and Airy Rooms.

Taralite offers swift application process and affordable loans starting from 0.99 per cent per month. It claimed to have disbursed loans to 1,000 borrowers with more than 70 per cent retention rate.

It was one of the startups incubated in the second batch of Global Entrepreneurship Program Indonesia (GEPI), and has raised an undisclosed seed funding round from angel investment network ANGIN.

Taralite cited US-based Capital One as their inspiration to achieve their long-term goal.

“We are doing what Capital One and Ant Financials did few years ago. They were committed to serving an underserved segment and grew strong from there. They expanded from just one product offering into a one stop shop for the customers they are serving. We want to follow their footsteps and focus on serving the underserved segment in Indonesia,” said Taralite CEO Abraham Viktor.

Image Credit: wittaya123 / 123RF Stock Photo

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#USA reVIVE wins the Disrupt NY 2017 Hackathon Grand Prize

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 Around 750 engineers and designers got together to come up with something cool, something neat, something awesome. The only condition was that they only had 24 hours to work on their projects. Some of them were participating in our event for the first time, while others were regulars. We could all feel the excitement in the air when the 89 teams took the stage to present a short one-minute demo… Read More

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#USA ‘Elderly Alexa’ helps family care for their remote loved ones via voice

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 Last night on Saturday Night Live, a spoof advertisement for an “Alexa Silver” poked gentle fun at how an Alexa speaker could be used with the elderly to do things like listen to their long, rambling stories (and respond with “uh-huh”), as well as answer questions even when addressed as “Alaina,” “Allegra,” “Aretha,” or other names.… Read More

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