Sticking up for the little guys in Vietnamese pharmacies

More: The latest financials of Sea Group and GoTo Group. [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 spotlight: - [The Vietnamese startup looking out for the little guy in the pharmacy vertical]( - More layoffs, this time at Indonesian audio-streaming platform Noice - Other newsy highlights such as the contrasting financial performances of Sea Group and GoTo Group --------------------------------------------------------------- Hello {NAME} I rely on Western medicine most of the time, but if there’s one thing about traditional Chinese medicine that I swear by, it’s the treatment for sprained ankles. Turn away now if you’re squeamish, but it involves using a suction cup and needle to suck out the blood clot from the affected area. This lessens the swelling significantly - I’ve done it twice and got instant relief. I’ve also tried acupuncture in Melbourne for the same ailment. A friend referred me to a doctor whose clinic was in a relatively dingy building, but the treatment worked immediately. I didn’t do follow-up sessions, though, so my ankle is still a little weak. What I’ve realized is that sometimes, the best treatments can come from more traditional avenues or a little closer to home. Today’s premium story is about Buymed and how it’s helping mom and pop drugstores in Vietnam manage inventory, pricing, and customers’ shift to online shopping to fend off drugstore chains. -- Winston  ---------------------------------------------------------------  THE BIG STORY [How this UOB-backed startup disrupts Vietnam’s retail pharmacy]( Buymed, which primarily serves mom and pop drugstores, secured the country's largest tech deal in the first half of 2023. --------------------------------------------------------------- TRENDING NEWS [Sea Group logs minimal revenue growth in Q2, misses estimates]( At time of writing, the company’s pre-market share prices are down about 11%. [GoTo on track to profitability, loss narrows 56% in Q2]( The group’s net revenue also increased 87% to reach US$232 million in the quarter. [ID audio startup Noice lays off staff amid restructuring efforts]( It last raised US$22 million in April 2022 from investors such as Northstar, Alpha JWC, and Go-Ventures. [Atome renews $100m debt facility, eyes further expansion in the Philippines]( The country is a strategic market for Atome’s services, which target unbanked and underbanked consumers. ---------------------------------------------------------------  VISUAL STORY OF THE DAY [Surviving the funding game: how timing can make or break your startup]( Industry realities, economic conditions, and market volatility can affect the time gap between funding rounds. --------------------------------------------------------------- TECH IN ASIA CONFERENCE 2023 Happy Independence Day, Indonesia! I’m sure there’s much to celebrate, as there have been many wins for the country over the years. Not least among these is the local tech scene, which has produced veritable regional titans like GoTo, Bukalapak, and more. Several verticals do stand out - such as ecommerce and fintech - but what’s next on the horizon? You can learn more about that at this year’s Tech in Asia Conference, where AC Ventures founder and managing partner Adrian Li, along with other investors, will discuss which vertical will be the next rockstar of Indonesia’s tech scene. First-release tickets are sold out, but you can get your second-release tickets at 40% off [here](. ---------------------------------------------------------------  EVENTS HAPPENING You can also check out a curated list of trending tech events [over here](. - [AD] [FIDO APAC Summit 2023]( on 28 August The event aims to highlight the importance of secure, phishing-resistant authentication methods, specifically focusing on FIDO standards and passkeys. Register now! Click [here]( to get your seats! - [Tech in Asia Conference]( from October 18 to October 19 Do you see the light at the end of this funding winter’s tunnel? We do, and we believe Southeast Asia is that very light. That’s why this year’s Tech in Asia conference’s theme is Southeast Asia: A Bright Spot in the Tech World - signaling how the region can provide hope and guidance for the tech sector amid some troubling times. Hosted in Jakarta from October 18 to October 19, we’re excited to bring you a great lineup of speakers, thought-provoking sessions, and other activities. Click [here]( to get your limited first-release tickets. - [Tech in Asia’s Founders Meetup: India on August 25]( Explore Singapore’s evolving news landscape at this curated fireside chat with Tech in Asia's in-house veterans, COO Maria Li and tech editor Collin Furtado. Uncover the city-state’s latest news and market trends to gleam actionable insights for your startup journey. Mark your calendar for August 25 at Byg Brewski (9, 36, 4th Floor, Vaishnavi Sapphire Centre, Tumkur Rd, Yeshwanthpur Industrial Area, Phase 1, Yeswanthpur, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560022) from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm and connect and collaborate with fellow startup leaders. Avoid FOMO – [sign up now]( ---------------------------------------------------------------  WHO'S HIRING You can post a job [here]( or search for jobs [here](. - [Public Relation KOL]( at Rocketindo Jakarta, Indonesia - [Senior Backend Developer (NodeJs)]( at Member.id Jakarta, Indonesia - [Front-End Developer]( at Kobi Education Bandung, Java, Indonesia - [Marketing Communication Specialist]( at Arupa Cloud Nusantara Jakarta, Indonesia - [Data Engineer]( at Bina Nusantara Group Jakarta, Indonesia - [Backend Engineer]( at Bangunindo Teknusa Jaya Jakarta, Indonesia [ADVERTISE]( | [SUBSCRIBE]( P.S. 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