Asia's tech news weekly: January 10th 2023
In this edition: Sharing-economy surgery in Thailand; Korean sports-tech analytics; Dell's blow to China-made chips; Animoca Brands' Web3 fund; agri-tech across Asia...
• Huawei inaugurated the first Kuwait edition of the Huawei Cloud Startup Program, building on recent Saudi Arabia MOU
• Foxconn and Nvidia graphics chip maker enter strategic partnership to develop automated and autonomous vehicle platforms, alongside Nvidia offering GeForce Now cloud gaming service to automakers
OpenAI and hacking: "...lowering the bar for code generation can help less-skilled threat actors effortlessly launch cyber-attacks..."
• A video look at how Hong Kong's Archireef 'eco-engineering' startup uses 3D-printed tiles to help restore coral reefs
• ChatGPT on ChatGPT: "The potential implications of this technology for cybersecurity are alarming."
• South Korea: SeaVantage gains $1.3M funding with real-time ocean supply chain visibility, allowing better management and tracking of ocean shipments
• China: BYD electric car major has ordered its own auto transport ships, potentially to become a fully-fledged shipping logistics services provider
• Thailand: An intro to HD, sharing economy startup connecting surgeons in private practice with patients and vacant surgery rooms at hospitals
• Startup Weekend Global Web3 Edition takes place thru to March 4th, with Metaverse, NFT, DeFi and gaming streams
"Australia’s a bike-sharing graveyard but new players are betting big on Sydney."
• Download: Digital Assets in Australia, 2022 Final Report, from Accenture and Tech Council of Australia (pdf)
• Taiwan: Profet AI raises $5.6M Series A funding with machine learning solutions for semiconductor, electronics, chemicals and textile manufacturers
• South Korea: A look at UBeeslab's SoccerBee, providing pro-level sporting analysis with GPS-tracking wearables for amateur players
• China: Dell computer giant signals intent to stop using China-made chips by 2024, telling suppliers to significantly reduce amount of other 'made in China' components
• Singapore: Alterpacks raises $1M pre-seed funding, upcycling food loss in manufacturing to create a biodegradable, home-compostible material to replace plastic food containers
• Hong Kong's Animoca Brands looks to raise $1BN in Q1 2023 for new Web3 and metaverse investment fund, scaling back on last year's target
Australia: "More than 100,000 suspected login details for Australian gov't agency portals have been discovered on a dark web forum with fears they’re part of a new massive global data breach."
• WhatsApp, Meta/Facebook end-to-end encrypted messenger, to expand anti-censorship capability with proxy feature, allowing bypassing of state-level blocking
• China: Researchers' paper claiming to have found a way to break encryption using quantum computers? Debunked.
• A deep dive into the agri-tech and food-tech developments happening across Asia
• Semiconductor-related funding in December 2022: "December saw 6 rounds of $100M or more. The largest...half-billion dollars...in China."
• China: Haomo unveils Mana Oasis, the country's largest self-driving computing center to date, in partnership with Volcano Engine cloud service platform owned by ByteDance
• Highline Beta and Avery Dennison partner for AD Stretch Cohort 2, equity-free, funded pilot accelerator for startups with solutions in packaging and sustainability
Autonomous vehicle accidents: "With unclear legislation, it’s hard to rule whether the liability for the accident should be assigned to the driver, the vehicle owner, or the manufacturer."
• Australia: Techstars to join Sydney's Tech Central district, bringing mentorship, programmes, capital and global connections to Australia's startup space
• Vietnam: ABB private equity firm is raising a $100M second fund, focusing on profit-making SMEs
• Download: 'Malign Interference in Southeast Asia - Understanding and Mitigating Economic and Political Interference and Information Operations' via RUSI
TikTok's woes continue: "... only took 75 minutes of scrolling — with no interaction or cues about her interests — for the platform to serve Alice videos featuring Nazi content..."
• Taiwan: An overview of the recent Taipei Blockchain Week event, and the island nation's ambition to be a crypto hub
In other news…
» Qualcomm chipmaker unveils satellite connectivity chip for next-gen Android smartphones, Snapdragon Satellite, providing messaging in partnership with Iridium satellite operator
» Mexico's proposed central bank digital currency, Banxico, unlikely to meet 2024 launch date, with work ongoing on legal, administrative and technological requirements
» NFTs as securities: "It's inevitable and desirable, especially because once the SEC understands how the NFT market works, it’s likely to regulate with a light touch."
» Download: 'AI-based technologies in hybrid conflict - the future of influence operations' via European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats
» Meta acquires Holland's Luxexcel, startup producing 3D-printed smart-capable prescription lenses as part of AR moves
» Download: PwC Global Crypto Regulation Report 2023 (pdf)
» Microsoft is working to launch a version of Bing search engine using AI behind OpenAI's ChatGPT, seeing opportunity to better compete with Google
