Trial, iterate, fail fast – Lessons from Rekosistem
Before founding Rekosistem, college friends Ernest Layman and Joshua Valentino thrived in the corporate world. “Joshua is the ethical socialist, and I'm the environmentalist. We joined forces—Joshua became the truck driver,” Ernest jokes, “and I became the investor." And that was how Rekosistem was born.
East Ventures-backed founders listed in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia
With global economic uncertainty on the rise and a significant drop in VC funding, young entrepreneurs in Asia-Pacific have faced a new set of challenges in the past year. But the current environment hasn’t killed innovation. Judging by this year’s cohort of 30 Under 30 Asia honorees, creativity has proven to be a valuable asset to survive—and thrive—amid tougher circumstances.
Building Chickin: From farm to industry leader
Chickin began with three college friends sharing smashed fried chicken, an Indonesian regional cuisine called ayam geprek, and a passion for creating a real, positive impact in Indonesia: Tubagus Syailendra, Ashab Alkafi, and Ahmad Syaifulloh Imron.
Building a company culture that lasts: Tips from profitable startup founders
If an average adult works eight hours a day, five days a week, they will spend roughly a third of their lifetime, totaling 90,000 hours, at their workplace. With offices reopening post-pandemic, companies aim not only to fill seats but also to bring back company culture, which has taken a backseat for many throughout the remote-working era. During this time, workers’ attitudes and priorities have shifted, and how companies approach culture, human resources, and teamwork is entirely different than just a few years ago.
Learning from MAKA Motors: Building a viable energy transition business in Indonesia
With rapid urbanization and economic growth in Southeast Asia (SEA), the demand for energy transition is surging. This steers the region toward renewable energy sources, as countries look to diversify their energy mix and reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and their price volatility, ultimately cutting their carbon emissions.
7 keys for understanding consumer behavior by SEA women D2C founders
Direct-to-consumer (D2C) startups in Southeast Asia have not only shown resilience, but also maintained growth momentum despite the economic uncertainty. However, to stay ahead in the market and effectively reach consumers, these startups must continuously adapt to the evolving landscape.
From brick-and-mortar to AI-powered learning: The journey of Geniebook
As the world gets more digital, education is undergoing a revolution with new tools and approaches to enhance student learning. Education veterans Neo Zhizhong and Alicia Cheong began as private tutors over 10 years ago. After university, they founded School Plus in 2007, offering tailored math and science lessons. Despite early success, scaling became a challenge due to limitations in manpower and time.
Qapita’s revenue jumps to US$8.9m in FYE March 2023
Qapita, a Singapore-based equity management platform, has experienced significant revenue growth but also larger losses in its most recent financial year. The East Ventures-backed company’s revenue reached US$8.9 million in the 15-month period between January 2022 and March 2023 (FYE 2023).