• New Zealand: An intro to Kara, building accessible global communications system for the deaf using motion capture, AI, and neural network algorithms to drive digital avatars
• Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu is building a digital replica of itself in the metaverse, seeking to preserve its history and culture in the face of rising sea levels
“Satellite monitors discovered two vessels with their trackers turned off in the area of the [Nord Stream 2 gas] pipeline prior to the suspected sabotage in September.”
• ‘Digital currencies, monetary sovereignty, and US–China power competition’
• Australia: Telstra gov’t-backed bid to purchase Digicel Pacific gains credit guarantees from US Int’l Development Finance Corp and Japan Bank for Int’l Cooperation
• How North Korea became a mastermind of crypto cyber crime: “Cryptocurrency theft has become one of the regime’s main sources of revenue and underlines the lack of regulation of digital assets…”
“Crypto is the commoditization of populist anger, gambling and crime.” Stephen Diehl
• Australian Cybersecurity Centre steps in to assist Vanuatu government in rebuilding entire IT system following cyber attack and ransom demand
• Thailand: Beam raises $2.5M seed funding led by Sequoia Capital India with one-click payment solution for social commerce sellers, streamlining forms completion to boost conversion rates
• Indonesia: Privy raises $48M with universal ID and digital signature services, providing cross-platform signature audit trailing on digitally-based activities
• Taiwan-US firm, GoFreight, looks to become the ‘Shopify of freight forwarding’, providing backend software to streamline freight operations alongside front-end storefront provision
“By 2024, the fintech market in Vietnam is expected to grow to USD $18BN…”
• Singapore’s AnyMind Group, end-to-end commerce enablement firm, approved by Tokyo Stock Exchange for listing of the Company’s shares
• South Korea: A brief intro to Asleep, AI-powered software which interprets smartphone-collected sound clips, matching them with corresponding brain wave patterns to help users get better rest
• Taiwan’s coffee startup, Femobook, launches single-serve grinder, targeting home use for those seeking full control over their coffee grind
• Vietnam: Google launches digital wallet in Vietnam, allowing Android users to add Visa credit and debit cards to their phones for payment, replacing physical cards
• A brief look at the Google Asia Women Startup Forum, the first women entrepreneur-centered startup pitching program hosted by Google for Startups
• AWS has announced the AWS Healthcare Accelerator Aged Care and Digital Health cohort in Australia and New Zealand to drive innovation that improves the delivery of services offered by aged care providers and in turn those in their care
• South Korea’s Perigee Aerospace inks MoU with Philippine Space Agency, seeing opportunity to become ‘SpaceX of Asia’
• South Korea: Poen, which started as a Hyundai venture project, takes event win with refurbishment and renewal method to bring new life to used electric vehicle batteries
• China: Activision Blizzard and NetEase end 14-year deal, with China’s gamers to no longer be able to play titles including World of Warcraft, Hearthstone and Overwatch
• Vietnam: Rootopia secures $1M to connect students seeking education loans for tuition fees with angel investors in Vietnam
In other news…
Wider-world technology news with broad Asia Pacific relevance, or simply providing larger points of reference and food for thought.
» Microsoft and Nvidia announce ‘multi-year collaboration’ to build an artificial intelligence supercomputer, for use by enterprises to train, deploy and scale AI models
» Sony publishes details of 2021 patent for system using NFTs and blockchain to create, modify, track, authenticate, and transfer unique in-game digital assets like characters, costumes and items
» Pinktada secures $975K with blockchain-based hotel marketplace, including traveler ability to book a specific room and then swap or sell their reservation
More of Asia’s tech news headlines:
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