Ecommece’s best friend is the MVP this week

More: Ecommerce logistics and hardware verticals topped the chart this week [Read from your browser]( FOMO Saturday Hello {NAME} Here’s a surprise: The second top-funded startup this week isn’t from China or India, but from Thailand. And the one we’re talking about is ecommerce logistic startup Flash Express, which has raised US$200 million, [zooming past]( other companies like Razorpay and Ninjacart. What makes ecommerce logistics such an attractive vertical? We lay out some resources you may need to keep track of all the trends and movements in this industry.  1️⃣ Happy ecommerce, happy logistics The rise of online shopping during the Covid-19 pandemic has ultimately accelerated the delivery and logistic industry, but only for the ones dealing with ecommerce. For example, Chinese delivery company SF Holding’s business, which focused almost exclusively on ecommerce, has [risen by almost 50%]( since the beginning of the pandemic. On the other hand, multinational delivery giant FedEx has borrowed $1.5 billion to build up its cash reserves as well as took measures to protect its cash flow and liquidity.  2️⃣ Logistics also caught the attention of an oil giant Incubated by oil and gas titans Shell, [Connected Freight]( aims to optimize deliveries and help both suppliers and buyers save time and costs. Founded in 2018, the startup brings retailers, suppliers, and third-party logistics providers under one platform so that they can interact in real-time.  3️⃣ Another best friend of ecommerce As more people look to build their own ecommerce businesses, ecommerce enablers - businesses that help brands manage and grow their online sales - are also on the rise. One such company is N-Squared, which was set up by ex-Lazadians and became [profitable in 2018]( doing so. And in China, Alibaba-backed ecommerce enabler Baozun is also profitable, listed on Nasdaq, and has a market value of about US$2.2 billion.  ---------------------------------------------------------------  FUNDING NEWS  The biggest deals by country Influx of VC money in Southeast Asian countries (2018 to 2020) [Full chart here](. 🇨🇳 [Chengrui Optics]( The Chinese startup, which provides optical products and solutions for intelligent devices such as robots and driverless cars, bagged US$244 million from CICC Capital, SDIC, and Sequoia Capital. 🇹🇭 [Flash Express]( The Thailand-based e-commerce logistics firm raised US$200 million from Durbell, Krungsri Finnovate, and PTT Public Company. 🇮🇳 [Myntra]( The Indian ecommerce fashion platform secured US$103 million from QuickRoutes International. 🇮🇱 [Augury]( The Israeli startup, which uses AI to detect the health of industrial machines, received US$55 million from Eclipse Ventures, Insight Venture Partners, Munich Re/HSB Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures, and Qumra Capital. 🇯🇵 [Astroscale]( The Japanese satellite services company, which is developing innovative solutions to manage space debris, bagged US$51 million from AStart. Here’s the complete list of this week’s funding haul: [103 deals worth over US$1.4 billion](.  ---------------------------------------------------------------  KILLER PITCH DECKS 1️⃣ The pitch deck helped Coinbase get funding during YC’s demo day Coinbase is a secure platform that makes it easy to buy, sell, and store cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and more. [This deck]( brought Coinbase US$600,000 seed funding in 2012, allowing the company to secure more than US$500 million in total funding with an existing valuation of around US$8 billion.  2️⃣ Scoring US$2.1 million with this pitch deck Plutoshift is an AI-powered analytics platform that helps water facilities prevent wastage, predict asset health, and minimize operating costs. [Using this deck]( the company raised US$2.1 million in seed money in March 2017. The investors in the round were 500 Startups, Refactor Capital, Fall Line Capital, among others.  3️⃣ Hello, it’s our own pitch deck! Since we’re featuring pitch decks from different startups, why not show our own [series A pitch deck]( too? So here we go: Created in late 2012, Tech in Asia used this deck to pitch to Simile Venture Partners and raised US$288,000.  ---------------------------------------------------------------  EXCLUSIVE LISTICLES  Lists of most active investors in the region [China]( | [India]( | [Indonesia]( | [Japan]( | [Singapore](  List of top-funded startups in Asia [China]( | [India]( | [Indonesia]( | [Japan]( | [Hong Kong]( | [Singapore]( | [Vietnam](  ---------------------------------------------------------------  IN PARTNERSHIP WITH These are some fine, fine companies Here’s a not-so-secret secret: We have a major crush on any company that supports the ecosystem of startups. By now, you’ve probably (or definitely) have heard about the [Tech in Asia Conference]( happening on October 19. As the event draws nearer, our account manager Dini Utomo has this to say: “We’re all working without breathing right now.” Yep, it may sound surprising, but running a virtual conference is as challenging as organizing a physical one. But thankfully, a couple of sponsors have graciously handed us money to make sure we brought on more people so Dini has time to breathe. And these companies aren’t just supporting us, but they’ve also prepared goody bags, startup kits, cash bonuses, and expert advice to support the tech community as a whole. One example: The founder of Telesign will talk about her founding story on October 20. And because it’s happening during lunch time, the company will be giving out S$15 meal vouchers for the first 150 participants so that you don’t go hungry. If you want to grab their freebies or speak with these sponsors, you can [get your tickets here](. Or if you’re already a Core or Live subscriber, you can [join the event]( for free.  ---------------------------------------------------------------  THOUGHTFUL READS 1️⃣ Global state of venture capital funding Even with the pandemic, investment continues to stay resilient. Case in point: Global venture funding this quarter is 9% higher compared to 2019, reaching a whopping amount of [$76.4 billion]( according to Crunchbase.  2️⃣ The future of audio? With the rise of podcasting, is audio making a comeback? A16z explores [this topic]( with Spotify’s chief research and development officer. One discussion point was how Spotify is taking inspiration from super apps as it combines podcasts, music, interactivity, and video into one app instead of building standalone platforms so they can augment consumer usage and collect data. From there, Spotify discovered that a listener’s taste in music is a strong indicator of what podcast to recommend.  3️⃣ Managing talents post-pandemic As the pandemic accelerates the shift to more flexible work, there are some trends to take note of, according to [this article](. Technology will be the key to deepen human connections, and employers will need to build culture within the employees instead of inside the office.Offering flexible hours for those who want to occasionally come to the office and those who want to come in every day will be important as well.  4️⃣ Why most analytics efforts fail Crystal Widjaja, the former senior vice president for growth and business Intelligence at Gojek, wrote [this piece]( to explain how to solve data issues, step by step.  --------------------------------------------------------------- Did these eye-popping figures shock you? Share this with a friend who would enjoy this week’s funding news as much as you do. If you liked today’s edition, give us some feedback [here](. Tech in Asia’s newsletters are handcrafted daily with love - and sometimes powered by good coffee. Today’s edition was written by Betty Chum. It’s edited by Eileen C. Ang. To ensure that you don’t miss out on the biggest tech news and analysis, add newsletter@techinasia.com to your address book, contacts, or safe sender list. Or simply move us into your inbox. Don't want to receive these emails anymore? [Unsubscribe](.  ---------------------------------------------------------------  Copyright © 2020 Tech in Asia, All rights reserved. 51 Bras Basah Rd, #05-5061, Singapore 189554