Singapore-based transport operator ComfortDelGro is looking to list its Australian business while Kydon Group has launched fund to address skill-gap among workers. Meanwhile, Vietnamese VC firm Next100 has launched its accelerator.
ComfortDelGro to list Australian arm
Singapore-based transport operator ComfortDelGro is looking to list its Australian business, ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia, on the Australian Securities Exchange, as per a Business Times report.
The IPO, planned for the last quarter of 2021, is expected to unlock the value of the group’s land transport business assets in Australia. For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Australian businesses chalked up revenue of S$608 million, making it the group’s best performing overseas operation, according to a statement.
ComfortDelGro is the largest transport operator in Singapore, and also one of the largest in the world. Its operations in Singapore comprise taxi, bus, and also rail operations through the separately-listed SBS Transit. The company also has operations in the UK, Malaysia, Vietnam, and in nine cities in China.
With a total investment of S$1.17 billion ($880 million) to date, Australia is ComfortDelGro’s single-largest overseas investment destination. It runs public scheduled buses, private coach charters, ambulances, taxis, and outdoor advertising operations in the continent.
Kydon Group launches $1m fund
Singapore-based learning technology company Kydon Group has announced a $1-million creator grant to rally global educators and subject experts to join the effort in creating the right learning for the Asia-Pacific workforce, according to an announcement.
“We are calling on global experts to help us connect the dots,” said Thomas Paris, Chief Learning Architect for Kydon.
ZilLearn is an innovative workforce edtech platform by Kydon Group. According to the company, with ZilLearn, knowledge experts, learners, and enterprises come together in a skills and training ecosystem that makes learning available and accessible for everyone.
ZilLearn allows knowledge experts to adapt existing learning content easily to the platform.
Vietnam’s Next100 launches NextUP Accelerator
Vietnam’s homegrown $10-million venture capital fund Next100 has officially launched the startup training programme, NextUP Accelerator, according to a statement.
This programme will be open for 10 founders of startups in the early stages pre-seed and seed across all sectors. Next100 along with strategic investors may invest up to $500,000 in the startups.
Next100, a $10 million early-stage fund operated by Vietnam technology company NextTech Group of Technopreneurs, has emerged as one of the most active local VC funds during the pandemic.
The fund has conducted seven investments with a ticket size of about $500,000 in startups pioneering digital transformation. Most recently, it had invested $500,000 in Coolmate, a Vietnamese menswear brand that sells through its own e-commerce store.