ESG moves beyond hype, gains more acceptance from SE Asian firms, investors

As environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles gain acceptance in venture investing and building sustainable businesses, SE Asian firms are taking steps to stay ahead of the curve. Several SE Asian companies and investment firms, especially in Indonesia, have beefed up their ESG team and initiated the release of annual sustainability reports. Go to Source

China EV maker Leapmotor launches up to $1b Hong Kong IPO

Chinese electric vehicle maker Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology is aiming to raise $1.03 billion in a Hong Kong initial public offering, according to regulatory filings, that would be the largest in the city in 2022. The company is selling 130.82 million shares in the deal that will be sold in a price range of HK$48 to HK$62 each,… Continue reading China EV maker Leapmotor launches up to $1b Hong Kong IPO

Malaysia’s respond.io scores $7m in Series A and other SE Asia deals

Malaysian commerce platform respond.io announced raising $7 million in a Series A funding round anchored by early-stage venture investor Headline. The startup, which enables messages from any channel to be responded from one centralised dashboard, added that the funding round was also backed by AltaIR Capital, Smart Partnership Capital, Sterling Oak Group, and Calendula Ventures.… Continue reading Malaysia’s respond.io scores $7m in Series A and other SE Asia deals

Microsoft eased up on one DRM hurdle for disc games on Xbox

/ The mandatory internet check-in on the Series X is gone. Put a disc in and play.Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Microsoft is making it easier to play games on your Xbox Series X, even if it’s offline — as of the 2208 update released earlier this month, you won’t be forced to… Continue reading Microsoft eased up on one DRM hurdle for disc games on Xbox

Why Ford will have to eat an extra $1B in supplier costs this quarter

Ford said Monday that supplier costs will be $1 billion higher in the third quarter than expected due to rising inflation and persistent supply chain problems. Ford also disclosed that supply shortages have caused a backlog of thousands of assembled, yet incomplete vehicles. Ford anticipates that between 40,000 and 45,000 unfinished vehicles — most of… Continue reading Why Ford will have to eat an extra $1B in supplier costs this quarter

Ford drivers could get alerts from nearby pedestrians’ phones

Ford is working on a mobile app designed to alert drivers to pedestrians and bicyclists nearby. The app, scheduled to debut at the Intelligent Transportation Society of America’s World Congress in Los Angeles this week, uses Bluetooth Low Energy to send a location alert from a pedestrian or cyclist’s smartphone to passing Ford vehicles equipped with… Continue reading Ford drivers could get alerts from nearby pedestrians’ phones

Investors prove that insurtech isn’t dead, thanks to e-bikes and pre-fab homes

The ways in which we live and get around have evolved over the past few decades. For example, sales of e-bikes are outpacing sales of electric cars in the U.S., according to recent research. And pre-fabricated and manufactured homes are gaining in popularity as housing shortages persist globally. It appears that their popularity is no… Continue reading Investors prove that insurtech isn’t dead, thanks to e-bikes and pre-fab homes

How do you fix a hack like Uber’s?

Ride hailing giant Uber says its services are operational following a “cybersecurity incident” last week that saw a hacker break into the company’s network and access systems that store vast troves of customer data. Uber said little about the incident until Monday. Screenshots of inside Uber’s network posted to Twitter by security researchers in conversations… Continue reading How do you fix a hack like Uber’s?

Tesla is aiming for massive sale ramp-up in Germany

Tesla is reportedly aiming for a massive sale ramp-up in Germany to 80,000 vehicles in 2022, powered by Gigafactory Berlin. Germany is an important auto market in Europe and one that is difficult to penetrate for foreign automakers because of the strong local industry with companies like Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. Tesla has made some… Continue reading Tesla is aiming for massive sale ramp-up in Germany