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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 🌏️ 

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📰 Important News

• TikTok and ByteDance have appealed to the US Supreme Court to block a law mandating TikTok's sale by January 2025.

• StartupWA is urging the WA State Government to extend the New Industries Fund beyond 2025 to support the state's innovation ecosystem.

• Shenzhen's government announced its plans to allocate $68.6 million over two years to support AI development.

• India's InspeCity and Japan's Orbital Lasers are collaborating to develop a laser system to clear space debris, with plans for a demonstration after 2027.

• The ELO2 Consortium has secured $26.3 million from the Australian Space Agency to develop Australia’s first lunar rover.

💸 Top Funding Rounds

• Chinese AI startup Zhipu raised $412 million in funding at a $3 billion valuation, building on previous support from Alibaba and Tencent.

• Insurtech unicorn Bolttech announced a $100 million Series C round, led by Dragon Fund, valuing the company at $2.1 billion.

• Zetwerk raised $70 million in funding from Khosla Ventures and Rakesh Gangwal at a $3.1 billion valuation to fuel growth in the manufacturing sector.

• Australian EV charging company Jet Charge raised $45 million in equity funding to expand its infrastructure across Australia and New Zealand.

• Myriota obtained $31.3 million in funding, half of it from Australia's National Reconstruction Fund, to expand its IoT nanosatellite technology.

💰️ Notable Exits

• MobiKwik's shares surged 82% on its market debut, reaching a market cap of $464 million, falling short of its $250 million IPO target.

• Reckon acquired Adelaide-based Cashflow Manager and OKKE for $8.8 million, aiming to enhance its SME cloud accounting solutions.

• Catcha Digital’s subsidiary iMedia Asia is acquiring a 60% stake in Drive 2 Digital for $3.4 million, marking its entry into the automotive media sector.

• NODWIN Gaming acquired 93% of AFK Gaming for $894,617 strengthening its esports content, marketing, and PR services.

• Vietnam’s OnPoint has acquired Thai ecommerce service provider Crea to strengthen its Southeast Asia presence.

🏦 About Investors

• SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son announced a $100 billion US investment in AI and emerging tech over four years, with potential to create 100,000 jobs.

• Alibaba's Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund launched the $150 million AEF NextGen Fund to support growth-stage AI startups.

• India's Velocity launched a $23.5 million fund to support cloud kitchens and restaurants on food aggregator platforms with revenue-based financing.

• India Accelerator's Cohort’25 program, launching in early 2025, will support 30 to 35 tech startups with investments of $8 million to $10 million.

• Japanese venture capital firm Global Brain is set to expand its Southeast Asia investment focus through a partnership with Singapore-based SEEDS Capital.

📋️ Curated Lists

Explore the vibrant venture capital landscape of Vietnam, where key players like Ascend Vietnam Ventures, Do Ventures, and VinaCapital Ventures are shaping the future of innovation. Uncover their leadership, investment milestones, and portfolio highlights that reflect Vietnam's emergence as a regional startup hub. Delve into the full article for an in-depth look at these influential VCs.

🚀 Startup of the Week

Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆

Zhipu AI

Zhipu AI, a leading Chinese AI startup and major challenger to OpenAI, has raised $412 million in a new funding round. The investment, supported by strategic investors and state-owned enterprises, will help enhance its AI base model and expand its multi-modal capabilities. Founded in 2019 by Tang Jie and Li Juanzi, Zhipu has experienced over 100% growth in commercial revenue in 2024, with its enterprise MaaS platform's API revenue surging by 30 times. Its conversational AI, Qingyan, has already attracted more than 25 million users since its launch. With technology developed at Tsinghua University, Zhipu is also innovating in the developer space with tools like CodeGeeX NANO.

💼 Investor of the Week

Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆

SoftBank

SoftBank, founded in 1981 by Masayoshi Son, is a Japanese multinational investment holding company headquartered in Tokyo. Initially a software distributor, it has since expanded into a diverse range of sectors, including internet services, telecommunications, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Known for its aggressive investment strategy, SoftBank has made significant moves in global tech, including its Vision Fund, which has backed numerous high-profile companies. Son’s leadership has been pivotal in SoftBank’s transformation into one of the world’s largest and most influential investment firms. Its recent commitment to invest $100 billion into the U.S. over the next four years, aimed at creating 100,000 American jobs, underscores its continued focus on emerging technologies and innovation. This announcement builds on a 2016 pledge to invest $50 billion and create 50,000 jobs, further solidifying SoftBank's role as a key player in global investment and technology development.

🤑 Opportunity Radar

Call for Applications: Spartners Incubator

Apply to the Spartners Incubator Program in Paris-Saclay by December 29th, 2024, to accelerate your biotech or human health startup. Access state-of-the-art labs, modular workspaces, and a collaborative ecosystem powered by Servier’s scientific expertise and BioLabs’ operational excellence. Designed for startups addressing unmet medical needs, the program offers expert support and strategic networking opportunities. Don’t miss this opportunity to drive your innovation in oncology, neurology, or drug discovery platforms. Start your application today and take the next step in transforming health innovation.