Fatfish Group has acquired BNPL Next Limited for A$4.14 million ($3.2 million) while Foodpanda has partnered with three autonomous robot startups to advance the progress of driverless deliveries in Singapore.
Fatfish Group acquires BNPL
Fatfish Group Limited (FGL), an ASX-listed tech venture firm, has acquired BNPL Next Limited for a consideration of A$4.14 million ($3.2 million), according to an announcement.
BNPL Next Ltd, an Australia incorporated company, owns 60% of Circo, which operates the Circopay platform, an earned wage access (EWA) provider in Southeast Asia.
With this deal, Fatfish will enter the EWA sector in the Southeast Asia region. EWA is a fast-growing employee financial benefit solution that allows employees early access to earned wages. Circopay has paid out more than A$500,000 via EWA to employees in Southeast Asia.
FGL has business interests in Southeast Asia and the Nordic European region.
BNPL Next Limited currently owns 60% of Circopay while the rest is held by its founder Lim Kah Wui.
Foodpanda partners with three robotics startups
Food delivery service provider Foodpanda has partnered with three autonomous robot startups to advance the progress of driverless deliveries in Singapore.
The three startups are Nanyang Technological University’s Whizz Mobility, Singapore-based Otsaw, and Chinese autonomous vehicle firm Neolix.
Foodpanda’s autonomous delivery projects began with the rollout of Whizz Mobility’s FoodBots, which deliver across the entire NTU campus, spanning 200 hectares. The trial will run until November 21, with plans to further expand within Singapore.
Foodpanda will also partner with Camello — Otsaw’s autonomous delivery robot, to join its fleet to deliver food, groceries, and more. A three-month trial will start in August. Meanwhile, its partnership with Neolix will run from July to October 2021 at University Town and marks the Chinese autonomous vehicle startup’s debut in Singapore.