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Welcome to another edition of 🔍 Startup Researcher - Asia, 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 has agreed to sell its U.S. operations to a joint venture controlled by American investors, including Oracle and Silver Lake.
- KPay partnered with Hong Kong taxi fleet Amigo to introduce digital payments, allowing passengers to use over 50 local and overseas methods.
- Rapidus launched AI chip design tools, aiming to halve 2nm chip design time and cut development costs by 30% starting next year.
- China plans to tighten platform pricing rules from April 10, banning high fees and coercive tactics that force merchants to lower prices.
- Momenta partnered with Grab to introduce autonomous driving technology across Southeast Asia’s urban mobility markets.
💸 Top Funding Rounds
- MoEngage added a $180 million to its Series F in a tranche led by ChrysCapital and Dragon Funds, taking the round total to $280 million.
- RedotPay has secured $107 million in a Series B funding round from investors including Pantera Capital to pursue acquisitions and expand its teams.
- Digantara raised $50 million in a Series B, expanding from space situational awareness into space-based missile tracking and defense technology.
- Allink Biotherapeutics secured $47 million in a Series A extension round led by Legend Capital to advance two leading ADC programs.
- Singaporean deeptech startupGalatek has landed $30 million in Series A funding to expand its product development and global teams.
💰️ Notable Exits
- Zepto is preparing to file a $500 million IPO in India to fund expansion, signaling a major liquidity milestone for the grocery delivery startup.
- Turtlemint secured SEBI approval for its proposed IPO, clearing a key regulatory hurdle toward a public listing in India.
- Grab acquired China’s Infermove to boost AI-enabled robotics for food delivery, strengthening its automation capabilities.
- Flipkart acquired a majority stake in AI startup Minivet to enhance generative AI and turn product catalogs into videos.
- Jobkorea acquired Jobplanet’s operations, integrating job listings with reviews, salary data, and interview insights.
🏦 About Investors
- Krafton, Naver, and Mirae Asset launched a $666 million South Korean fund to invest in India’s tech and startup ecosystem.
- Speciale Invest is launching a new fund targeting $154.7 million to back Series A and later-stage deep-tech startups.
- January Capital closed a $130 million APAC private credit fund to provide senior secured loans to growth-stage tech firms.
- DEG committed $12.6 million to Endiya Partners Fund III to support B2B digital health, life sciences, and enterprise startups.
- Rajasthan Venture Capital Fund launched its fourth fund with $16.5 million plus an $11 million option to back early-stage tech startups.
🚀 Startup of the Week
Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆
MoEngage
Founded in 2014 in Bengaluru by Raviteja Dodda and Yashwanth Kumar, MoEngage has grown into a global customer engagement platform helping brands unify product, marketing, and customer data across channels. The company delivers AI-powered analytics, personalization, and transactional messaging to enterprise clients worldwide. MoEngage recently closed its Series F round at $280 million, adding $180 million led by ChrysCapital and Dragon Funds, with Schroders Capital, TR Capital, and B Capital participating. The round included secondary liquidity and a $15 million employee tender offer, reinforcing its people-first culture. With over half of revenue from North America and EMEA, MoEngage is scaling globally while building infrastructure that enables brands to deliver connected, data-driven customer experiences.
💼 Investor of the Week
Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆
Unicorn Growth Fund
Launched in 2025, the $666 million South Korean–backed fund pairs three heavyweights with complementary strengths. Krafton, the PUBG maker, is using its operator DNA and India presence to diversify beyond gaming into broader tech bets. Naver, Korea’s dominant internet and platform group, brings product, data, and distribution know-how from search, content, and fintech-style services. Mirae Asset, a global financial services leader, anchors the capital base and will manage the fund via Mirae Asset Venture India, giving it on-the-ground deal execution. The vehicle is set to start operating in January 2026, positioning South Korea as a serious, long-term capital bridge into India’s startup ecosystem.
🤑 Opportunity Radar
Call for Applications: The Startup Innovation Challenge 2026
Applications are now open for the Startup Innovation Challenge 2026 by Energie AG Oberösterreich, a global opportunity for startups building solutions in energy, AI, and sustainability. Apply by 4 January 2026 to compete for up to $50,000 in PoC funding, hands-on collaboration with an energy utility, and access to technical experts and real-world data; collaboration is primarily remote, with optional engagement in Austria. The program targets early- to growth-stage startups and professional teams ready to pilot validated solutions, with Pitch Day scheduled for March 2026. Apply now to partner with an established energy group and accelerate your path to enterprise deployment.
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