A lesser-known story from Indonesia’s ride-hailing wars

More: The “largest” telehealth series A fundraise in Southeast Asia and embezzlement allegations lobbed at fintech firm Spenmo. [Read from your browser]( Daily Newsletter --------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome to Tech in Asia's free Daily Newsletter! Get full access to our subscribers-only Daily Newsletter and other insightful analysis on the big and messy topics of Asia’s tech and startup community by [registering here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- IN FOCUS In today's newsletter, we look at: - [What it was like battling Grab and Gojek in Indonesia]( - A Japanese energy firm charges up with a US$79 million series C raise - Other newsy highlights such as telehealth startup Ora’s US$10 million series A round and embezzlement rumors around fintech firm Spenmo. --------------------------------------------------------------- Hello {NAME} We’re all suckers for stories about giants, aren’t we? Big names in the headlines draw clicks and eyeballs, even if, more often than not, the news is relatively bland. (This would explain why a sports publication I read took one milquetoast interview with Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and spun it out into no less than four separate articles. And I say this as a United fan.) But stories of smaller startups and failure are also important. In fact, there’s a Chinese proverb that says “failure is the mother of success,” and we learn and grow so much more from our mistakes than we do from our triumphs. And if nothing else, failing means you were brave enough to give it an honest try, which is always admirable. Today’s premium article takes a look at Antar ID, which was part of the early ride-hailing wars in Indonesia. Suffice to say, it didn’t win against the likes of Grab and Gojek, but founder Edy Wihardja picked up many valuable lessons along the way. Read on to find out more. -- Winston  ---------------------------------------------------------------  THE BIG STORY [Going against Gojek, Grab: lessons from a defunct startup]( Edy Wihardja shares his experience building Antar ID, a short-lived motorcycle ride-hailing firm that once attempted to compete with Grab and Gojek. --------------------------------------------------------------- TRENDING NEWS [Japan-based nuclear fusion firm powers up with $79m raise]( Kyoto Fusioneering, which also operates in the US and the UK, is the first company to set up a nuclear fusion plant in Japan. [SG firm banks $10m in Southeast Asia’s ‘largest telehealth series A’]( Ora will use the fresh capital to fuel its expansion into new markets and develop new offerings. [Ex-Spenmo CPO denies firm’s embezzlement rumors]( The rumors against the Singapore-based fintech firm involve funds meant for its acquisition of two Indonesian companies. [SG outsourcing firm TDCX expands to Brazil]( The firm wants to tap into Brazil’s fast-growing business process outsourcing market, which is projected to reach a value of US$4.9 billion by 2027. ---------------------------------------------------------------  LISTICLE OF THE DAY [Vietnam’s top-funded tech companies in the last decade]( Our automated tracker can help you keep an eye on the funding activities of Japan's tech firms as they close in on the billion-dollar mark. ---------------------------------------------------------------  TECH IN ASIA'S FOUNDERS MEETUP: MALAYSIA  Join us and share the hardest challenges you’ve faced as a founder If you’re an entrepreneur based in Malaysia, you’re invited to Tech in Asia’s Regional Founders Meetup, which will be held on May 23 at WIP on the Park at Marc Residence (No.3 Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur 50450) from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Join us and share the hardest challenges you’ve faced as a founder. To help you find solutions, we’ll introduce you to fellow founders who have been there and done that. Starting up doesn’t have to be a lonely journey. [Register]( for this exclusive event today. Tickets are priced at US$12.50 per person, inclusive of light bites and one drink. Slots are limited and are available on a first come, first served basis. Thanks to our official event partners - Amazon Web Services, CleverTap, Cooley, D.Camp, Sinarmas Land, Singapore Global Network (SGN), and Quest Ventures - and our community partner, WeWork - for making this meetup possible. ---------------------------------------------------------------  PRESS PEEKS The following press releases were published as they were received, without any editing from the Tech in Asia team. You too can publish your own press release on Tech in Asia by simply filling in [this form](. 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