Startup Snapshot Tech in Asia

It’s undeniable – the world is in recession.
Although it took longer for the downturn to hit Asia, startups and venture capitalists have been preparing for it for months.
On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia emerging tech editor Collin Furtado discusses his insights from the ongoing article series Recession Run, where he talks to the region’s top investors about how they’re tackling the economic slump.
Featured reporter: Collin Furtado, Tech in Asia’s emerging tech editor based in Bangalore, India Essential reading: Recession Run: East Ventures’ bets during a downturn Recession Run: Sequoia’s $850m plan during a downturn Recession Run: 500 Global’s investment plan in SEA Recession Run: Quest Ventures bats for food security, sustainable solutions Recession Run: Vertex Ventures says these sectors will thrive in a downturn Recession Run: Valuation cuts don’t affect Monk’s Hill Ventures’ plans Recession Run: Wavemaker’s Santos sees a crisis as a flight to quality Recession Run: Kickstart Ventures to deploy more funding in 2023 Recession Run: Australian VC to invest 20% of new fund in SEA Recession Run: BAce Capital advises founders to chase value, not valuation Recession Run: Iterative’s $55m plan amid a downturn Recession Run: CCV says autonomous tech, AI, robotics startups are the future

Once upon a time, all it took to build a workforce was a couple of ads in the classified section of the local newspaper.
But with a global shift to remote working, companies have to consider a plethora of factors when hiring talent: Which markets should I hire from? How can I stand out from other hiring companies? What can I do to make sure the talent I bring onboard stays?
In this four-episode podcast series, G-P’s Charles Ferguson and Tech in Asia Studios’ Nathaniel Fetalvero walk listeners through the new age of hiring and how startups can navigate today’s talent economy.
This is a startup’s guide to remote talent. Listen on your podcast platform of choice or visit the Tech in Asia website to access full episodes: https://www.techinasia.com/tag/a-startups-guide-to-remote-talent 
Visit G-P’s website at www.g-p.com to learn more about the increasingly remote working world and how your business can gain an edge in the talent economy.

At the start of 2022, crypto firm Hodlnaut had the approval of the Monetary Authority of Singapore and close to US$1 billion in assets under management.
Today, the Singapore-based company has halted its operations, faces lawsuits over allegations of dishonesty, and is being probed by the city-state’s police force.
On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia journalist Scott Shuey discusses how the collapse of other crypto firms sparked Hodlnaut’s downfall, the alleged mismanagement and lies that exacerbated the situation, and what’s in store for the company’s future.
Featured reporter: Scott Shuey, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Kuala Lumpur Essential reading: Hodlnaut may have had $187m exposure to Terra collapse UST, lies, and Hodlnaut: How a rising star fell back to earth Hodlnaut can’t pay salaries, benefits for dismissed employees Hodlnaut accuses EY staff of dishonesty; EY fires back Hodlnaut founders hid financial documents, new Singapore court report says Hodlnaut assets hit by FTX debacle For more stories on Hodlnaut, click here.

Vibe Check: Mental Health in the Startup World is a Tech in Asia podcast where writer and editor Winston Zhang speaks to startup leaders and mental health professionals to see what he can learn from them when it comes to managing his mental well-being.
Listen to Vibe Check: Mental Health in the Startup World on your podcast platform of choice to catch weekly episodes of this limited series throughout the month of October.
Or visit the Tech in Asia website to access full episodes: https://www.techinasia.com/tag/vibe-check 

Once a rising fintech company that drew in investors such as Y Combinator and Stripe, Philippines-based PayMongo now finds itself in a precarious position.
Allegations of questionable spending and employee harassment from senior leaders cropped up a few months ago, leading Francis Plaza, the startup’s CEO, to go on voluntary leave.
What happened at PayMongo? And what can other fast-growing companies do to avoid the same fate? On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia journalist Melissa Goh discusses the events that led the company to its current state, how the incidents have affected PayMongo’s growth and performance, and the importance of strong corporate governance.
Featured reporters: Melissa Goh, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Singapore Essential reading: Fallout at PayMongo: alleged harassment by CEO, founder departures, growth woes PayMongo’s former CFO: ‘I never stole from any company’ PayMongo CEO goes on ‘voluntary leave’ What caused PayMongo’s crisis? Insiders tell us Tech in Asia has launched a new podcast for World Mental Health Day. Vibe Check: Mental Health in the Startup World follows Tech in Asia writer and editor Winston Zhang on his quest to better manage his mental well-being through conversations with startup leaders and mental health professionals. Weekly episodes are available throughout the month of October on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Animoca Brands is a name that is practically synonymous with the blockchain scene, with news of its acquisitions, fundraising, and expansions regularly hitting the news.
But the Web3 empire’s thrilling crypto success was sparked in a manner that is less grand than its current stature. Though it’s now valued at US$5 billion, it was actually delisted from the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) in 2020.
How did the blockchain gaming juggernaut make such a stunning turnaround? On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia journalist Deepti Sri discusses the company’s rise to prominence and its ambitions to conquer the Web3 space.
Featured reporters: Deepti Sri, a Tech in Asia journalist based in India Essential reading: Animoca’s meteoric rise from zombie to $5b Web3 empire