No VC money, no problem for this AI startup

More: iPrice expands into Australia, and PhonePe launches its new stockbroking platform. [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: - [An AI firm that said no to VC money after ‘perplexing’ experiences with them]( - An Israel-based startup building AI systems for natural language - Other newsy highlights such as iPrice’s expansion into Australia and PhonePe’s new stockbroking platform --------------------------------------------------------------- Hello {NAME} Here at Tech in Asia, we’ve been experimenting a lot with generative AI tools. We write about the tech, so it makes sense to have some familiarity with it. You’ve probably seen articles from [Grace]( our AI intern. We’ve also been exploring using Midjourney to generate images, sometimes for editorial use but also just for sh*ts and giggles. For example, [in this TikTok video]( we combined the face of our CEO, Willis, with the image of our mascot, TIA Bot. Like it or not, AI - in whatever form - is taking the world by storm. So it tracks that today’s newsletter features an AI startup that has taken no VC funding as well as the latest fundraise of an OpenAI competitor. -- Stefanie  ---------------------------------------------------------------  THE BIG STORY [This AI startup said no to VCs after ‘perplexing’ experiences with them]( "Known as a “Swiss Army knife” for hate speech and other problematic content, Singapore-based Tisane Labs bootstrapped its way to profitability." --------------------------------------------------------------- TRENDING NEWS [OpenAI rival banks $155m from Google, others at $1.4b valuation]( Israel-based AI21 Labs plans to use the funds to expand its enterprise AI offerings globally. [Bukalapak-backed ecommerce firm iPrice expands to Australia]( This marks the company’s first “significant expansion” beyond Southeast Asia, it said in a statement. [India’s PhonePe enters stock broking with new platform]( Called Share.Market, the service promises retail investors access to competitive discount broking prices and valuable market intelligence. [India’s Facets.cloud raises $4m for self-serve DevOps]( The company, which automates the last mile of cloud delivery, aims to promote the platform engineering philosophy. ---------------------------------------------------------------  VISUAL STORY OF THE DAY [Grab’s latest lineup of top executives (update)]( Co-founder Tan Hooi Ling, who oversees Grab group CTO Suthen Thomas and chief product officer Philipp Kandal, is set to leave at the end of this year. --------------------------------------------------------------- CONNECT AND NETWORK Apply to join September 13's closed-door dinner to get free-flowing drinks! Technology is rapidly evolving, and it's getting tougher to be heard in a noisy digital world. For a business to succeed, it has to master its end-to-end customer journey. For a business to scale, it must be adept at personalizing that journey based not only on customer behaviors but also the anticipation of their future needs and actions. Keen to find out how it's done? Tech in Asia and CleverTap are bringing together senior leaders and executives from B2C product, data, growth, and marketing teams for an exclusive dinner and networking event at CTY Kitchen + Bar in Ho Chi Minh City on September 13. Connect with representatives from Gameloft, VNG, Lazada, and more to discover best practices in designing, implementing, and optimizing personalized customer journeys at scale. Network over a hearty meal and engage in an interactive Q&A with our panelists from CleverTap, Fonos, Zalo, and Cho Tot. Get the full scoop on the agenda and [claim your seat here]( before it's snatched up. Sign up now to get free-flowing drinks too! ---------------------------------------------------------------  EVENTS HAPPENING You can also check out a curated list of trending tech events [over here](. - [AD] [AWS GenAI Day]( on September 14 Dive deep into the world of generative AI at Amazon Web Services’ GenAI Day. Held virtually on September 14, the event will feature leading experts and innovators. Gain insights into the impactful trends, best practices, and essential tools that can help your startup leverage this new technology effectively. - [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 x CleverTap: Unraveling the Value of Customer Engagement on September 13]( Are you looking for ways to cut through the noise and stay ahead of the curve as rapidly advancing technology transforms the digital landscape yet again? We’ve got just the event for you, where you’ll learn how experts harness AI-driven tools to craft truly personalized customer experiences and predict behavior for long-term success. Apply for a ticket to join our dinner on September 13 to uncover the power of hyperpersonalization with CleverTap so you can excel in customer engagement and retention. Limited seats available - sign up [here]( now!  - [Tech in Asia’s Founders Meetup: Philippines on September 27]( Did you miss us the first time? Great news - we’re coming back to Manila on September 27 for the eighth edition of our networking event! A shift towards digital transformation has propelled tech firms at the forefront of the Philippines’ startup ecosystem. While opportunities abound, it’s not without its challenges. Need some insights on how to navigate and thrive in this scene? Come join us at WeWork Uptown (9/F, Uptown Place Tower 3, 36th Street cor. 11th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig) from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Connect with fellow startup leaders to learn how you can grow beyond the early stages of your journey and explore solutions to pressing issues. [Sign up now!]( ---------------------------------------------------------------  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]( page](. Our team will get back to you by the next business day. - INEX Innovate - [INEX Innovate Launches Test for Early Endometrial Cancer Detection]( Launched at the Singapore International Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, epiHERA® is a PCR test for endometrial cancer. ---------------------------------------------------------------  WHO'S HIRING You can post a job [here]( or search for jobs [here](. - [Junior Solutions Engineer]( at Ematic Solutions Makati City, Philippines - [Head of Project Management]( at PT Tricada Intronik Bandung, Java, Indonesia - [Next JS Developer]( at Scout.inc Jakarta, Indonesia - [Senior Software Engineer (Develab)]( at Dealls Jakarta, Indonesia - [Creative Director]( at Bina Nusantara Group Bandung, Java, Indonesia - [Software Engineer]( at Klinik Pintar Jakarta, Indonesia [ADVERTISE]( | [SUBSCRIBE]( P.S. Don't miss out on the biggest tech news and analysis. Add newsletter@techinasia.com to your address book, contacts, or safe sender list. 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