Hello there,

Welcome to another edition of 🔍 Startup Researcher - Asia Pacific, your essential digest delivering the latest news and premium insights on startups and venture capital across the region 🌏️ 

If you haven't subscribed yet, now's the perfect time. Don't miss the opportunity to supercharge your understanding and stay ahead in this dynamic world.

Let's delve into the core sections of our weekly newsletter:

• 📰 Important News

• 💸 Top Funding Rounds

• 💰️ Notable Exits

• 🏦 About Investors

• 📋️ Curated Lists

• 📈 Deep Dive Bites

• 🎙️ Expert Insights

• 🤝 Diversity Spotlight

• 🚀 Startup Of the Week

• 💼 Investor of the Week

• 🤑 Opportunity Radar

📰 Important News

• Station Ai, Japan's largest innovation hub, opens in Aichi Prefecture to host 500+ startups and support funding, partnerships, and global expansion.

• Vanguard has reduced the valuation of Indian ride-hailing startup Ola to $2 billion from $7.3 billion in 2021.

• Following a meeting with Indonesia's communications minister, Yandex announced plans to invest in the country's AI ecosystem.

• Flipkart selected five startups for its third Flipkart Leap Innovation Network cohort, focusing on GenAI, omnichannel, analytics, and video commerce.

• The Australian government has canceled its $7 billion military satellite project leaving the nation more vulnerable to cyber threats.

💸 Top Funding Rounds

• Chinese cold-chain logistics unicorn Fresh Life Style has closed $126 million in an extended Series B funding round to expand its operations.

• DeepRoute.ai raised $100 million from Great Wall Motor to expand its autonomous tech aiming to deploy its systems in 200,000 cars by 2025.

• Sydney-based fintech JustFund raised $86 million to expand its legal funding platform for divorce proceedings.

• Crimson Education raised $40.04 million in Series D funding, bringing its valuation to over $600 million.

• Easy Home Finance raised $35 million to expand its home loan services across India, aiming to grow assets under management to $300 million.

💰️ Notable Exits

• Swiggy's $1.4 billion IPO was 12% subscribed on its first day with retail investors oversubscribing their portion by 54%.

• Datasonic Bhd acquired a 51% stake in AI firm Innov8tif Holdings from Revenue Group Bhd for $9.10 million to strengthen its ICT solutions.

• India-based wealthtech platform Nivesh acquired Wealthzi for 1.07 million, combining their assets to manage approximately $333.3 million.

• Mumbai-based Veefin Solutions acquired a 50% stake in Singapore's Walnut to enhance its data analytics capabilities for financial institutions.

• Bank of New Zealand has acquired fintech BlinkPay, enabling BlinkPay to expand its open banking offerings with BNZ’s resources.

🏦 About Investors

• Zhipu AI, a leading Chinese AI unicorn, has held the first close of its $211 million ecosystem fund targeting early-stage investments in LLM startups.

• Northern Arc Capital has launched its first $65 million climate fund, backed by DFC and OeEB, to support India’s green transition.

• US-based VC firm Tribe Capital, which has an investment vehicle focused on India, has raised $50 million for a new healthcare-focused fund.

• Tan Lip-Bu has launched the $37.71 million Nanyang Frontier Fund to support deep tech startups and foster innovation across Singapore.

• Inflexor Ventures has raised $33.37 million in the first close of its Opportunities Fund, with backing from HDFC AMC and institutional investors.

📋️ Curated Lists

Discover the dynamic VC landscape driving Pakistan's startup boom. From fintech to e-commerce and beyond, Pakistan's most active VC firms are fueling innovation, empowering entrepreneurs, and helping local startups make waves on the global stage. Dive into the full article to explore the leaders, strategies, and notable portfolio companies of the VC firms shaping Indonesia’s future.

🚀 Startup Of the Week

Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆

DeepRoute.ai 

DeepRoute.ai, a Shenzhen-based autonomous driving startup founded by Maxwell Zhou, raised $100 million in funding from Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor to accelerate its mission of deploying advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in China. Founded with a focus on robotaxis, DeepRoute pivoted in 2022 to develop Level 2+ and Level 3 ADAS, which require driver supervision but can handle certain driving tasks. With this funding, DeepRoute plans to enhance its AI to interpret visual and language inputs for driving decisions, scale its technology to 200,000 vehicles in China by 2025, and explore future robotaxi ventures globally.

💼 Investor of the Week

Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆

Inflexor Ventures

Inflexor Ventures, a Mumbai-based venture capital firm founded by Venkat Vallabhaneni, Jatin Desai, and Pratip Mazumdar, has achieved a first close of $33.37 million for its new Opportunities Fund, with HDFC AMC as a lead investor. The fund, targeting a total of $41.5 million by November-end, has garnered support from institutional investors, high-net-worth individuals, and family offices. This fund will be used to expand stakes in portfolio companies, reflecting Inflexor's commitment to long-term growth. Inflexor, known for its sector-agnostic approach, manages $118.5 million in assets with investments in startups like Kale Logistics, Atomberg, and BioPrime, and recently exited Steradian Semiconductors through a notable acquisition.

🤑 Opportunity Radar

Techstars Anywhere Accelerator

Apply to the Techstars Anywhere Accelerator by Nov 20th, 2024, to elevate your startup from anywhere in the world. This innovative remote-first program, designed for companies across various industries, offers access to top-tier mentorship, funding of up to $120,000, and a worldwide network of investors. With three in-person meetups throughout the Americas, you'll gain valuable insights and connections to help you succeed. The accelerator kicks off on September 9th, 2024, and culminates in a Demo Day on December 5th, 2024. Don’t miss this opportunity to join a dynamic community of entrepreneurs and accelerate your business journey.