Searching for the right attitude in founders

More: Grab launches a new Web3 feature. [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: - [Kaya Founders’ startup investment philosophy]( - Whether Shopee can successfully follow in Free Fire’s footsteps - Other newsy highlights such as Grab’s new Web3 feature and OpenAI founder Sam Altman being the first person to receive Indonesia’s golden visa. --------------------------------------------------------------- Hello {NAME} I truly think that in cases where you have to exert lots of effort, having belief in your own abilities is half the battle. I often face this while I’m halfway through a bouldering session at the climbing gym. It’s been an hour or so, my fingers are scraped raw, my forearms feel like someone’s poured hot lead through my veins, I’m hanging onto a hold that’s a centimeter in depth, and I need to make the next move, which seems impossibly far. Couple that with my short stature, and I often find myself falling into the trap of thinking that I’m not tall or strong enough to clear the next move. But many times, even after I’ve taken half a dozen attempts, there’s a part of me that always says: “Who cares man, I just need to believe I can get it.” And many times - at least I think so - it does work. I “just whack only,” as I like to say, and complete the route. Similarly, bringing a startup to life takes a lot of this “can do” spirit, something that Kaya Founders is looking out for. In today’s story, we take a closer look at this Philippine VC firm. -- Jonathan  ---------------------------------------------------------------  THE BIG STORY [This Philippines-based VC eyes $25m SEA fund to target startups with ‘can do’ spirit]( Kaya Founders aims to raise US$25 million to invest in Southeast Asian startups, specifically Filipino firms. --------------------------------------------------------------- TRENDING NEWS [As Free Fire returns to India, could Shopee spark a similar comeback?]( The ecommerce app, which suddenly ceased operations in India back in March 2022, left its 300-employee team there shocked from the announcement. [Grab adds Web3 features to its app]( Users can get NFT vouchers for popular restaurants and services in Singapore. [Why did Indonesia choose Sam Altman for its golden visa?]( The OpenAI founder, who visits Bali regularly, may partner with local organizations to develop a GPT-4 model for Indonesian and regional languages. [Why ASEAN’s angel investors are hibernating amid tech winter]( A survey by AngelCentral showed that there’s an increase in the number of angels who have paused or stopped their investing activities. ---------------------------------------------------------------  VISUAL STORY OF THE DAY [Mapping Vietnam’s blockchain and crypto space]( Vietnam has over 100 organizations active in the industry, ranging from educational institutions to Web3 game studios. --------------------------------------------------------------- CONNECT AND NETWORK 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 customer journey. For a business to scale, it must be adept at personalizing that journey based not only on current customer behaviors but also in 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 in D2C product, data, growth, and marketing for an exclusive dinner and networking event at CTY Kitchen + Bar in Ho Chi Minh City on September 13. Connect with Gameloft, VNG, Lazada, and more to discover best practices in designing, implementing, and optimizing personalized customer journeys at scale. Over a hearty meal, network 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] [StartmeupHK Festival]( on November 8 to 17 Mark your calendars for the upcoming StartmeupHK Festival. Curated by InvestHK, the two-week event will feature panel discussions as well as pitching and networking sessions. The overarching theme for this year is “A Future Unlimited,” with more than 20,000 participants from around the world expected to show up. InvestHK is happy to welcome a wide range of attendees, whether you’re a startup founder, investor, government official, or any other tech ecosystem stakeholder in Hong Kong. Check out [the event page]( for more details.  - [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. - Voiro - [Voiro Launches A Complete Business Management Suite For Ad Monetisation Teams]( Voiro, an enterprise SaaS company, launches a complete business management suite for ad monetisation teams across sectors. - Smart Communications - [Experience the future of mobile streaming at FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023]( Smart and Radisys successfully ran its beta test of the Smart LiveStream App boasting groundbreaking features. ---------------------------------------------------------------  WHO'S HIRING You can post a job [here]( or search for jobs [here](. - [Commercial Data Analyst (PT SMART)]( at Dealls Jakarta, Indonesia - [Procurement Operation Associate Manager - Higher Education]( at Bina Nusantara Group Jakarta, Indonesia - [Golang Developer]( at SIGMATECH Jakarta, Indonesia - [Strategic Partnership Specialist]( at PT. Wahana Pembayaran Digital Jakarta, Indonesia - [Mobile Developer React Native]( at Scout.inc Jakarta, Indonesia - [Project Manager]( at PT Agiva Indonesia 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. Or simply move us into your inbox. Tech in Asia thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Too many emails? Switch to a different frequency or get new content through our [preference center]( or [unsubscribe](. You can also break our hearts and remove yourself from all Tech in Asia emails over [here](  ---------------------------------------------------------------  Copyright © 2023 Tech in Asia, All rights reserved. 63 Robinson Road, Singapore 068894