DailyCo acquires Waku to boost institutional catering footprint in Indonesia
DailyCo, an Indonesian food and beverage operator, has acquired Wadah Kuliner (Waku), a company that provides institutional catering across 20 cities. Waku’s business focuses on B2B meal solutions for corporate and government clients, including pantry services and event catering.
As part of the deal, Waku’s CEO Anthony Gunawan will become chief human resource officer at DailyCo. The acquisition allows DailyCo to deepen its presence in the institutional dining sector. Waku will remain a wholly owned subsidiary, with integration underway across kitchen operations, procurement, and enterprise sales.
Neufast lands USD 1.1 million to scale “bias-free” hiring tech
Neufast, a Singapore-headquartered startup, has landed USD 1.1 million in a pre-Series A funding round led by Wavemaker Ventures, with additional capital from Wings Capital Ventures. The startup runs a platform that automates job interviews and language assessments to reduce hiring bias, and it’s reportedly already in use across industries like insurance, healthcare, and government.
The fresh funds will support Neufast’s proprietary artificial intelligence development, team expansion, and further penetration into highly regulated industries.
Co-Axis raises SGD 1.25 million to connect impact funders with climate and health ventures
Co-Axis, a digital marketplace for impact investments, has raised SGD 1.25 million (USD 966,130) in catalytic capital from the Richardson Family and Catalytic Capital for Climate and Health (C3H), a Temasek Trust initiative. The platform links funders to vetted climate and health ventures that align with the UN SDGs (sustainable development goals).
Launched in April 2024, the funding will help Co-Axis speed up deployment of capital across Asia’s emerging markets.
Krenovator gets seed funding to tackle Southeast Asia’s tech talent gap
Krenovator, a Malaysia-based tech talent platform, has closed an undisclosed seed funding round led by Singapore-Malaysia venture capital firm Ignite Asia. The capital will go toward platform enhancements, team growth, and market expansion across Southeast Asia.
Founded in 2019, Krenovator matches tech professionals with enterprise clients in sectors including finance, logistics, and telecommunications. Its tools streamline sourcing, training, and placement—addressing the region’s tech talent shortage.
Xweave raises USD 3 million to build cross-border stablecoin rails
Xweave, a cross-border payment startup operating out of Singapore, has raised USD 3 million in seed funding to develop its non-custodial platform for stablecoin-based transactions. The investors include Jungle Ventures’ First Cheque program, Lightshift, Temasek-backed Menyala, and others such as White Star Capital, Fabric Ventures, and DCG.
Founded in 2024, Xweave enables real-time, compliant transfers using stablecoins across Asia and the Middle East. It plans to expand into markets like the UAE, Japan, and Indonesia, and deepen fintech integrations.
Yarken raises new funds to expand IT spend management in North America
Yarken, an IT financial management platform for enterprises, has raised an undisclosed amount in a funding round led by 1982 Ventures, with participation from Maryville Consulting. The company will use the capital to scale in North America, bolster its AI features, and form new partnerships.
Yarken’s platform helps enterprises manage cloud and on-premises IT expenses, offering real-time analytics, forecasting, and compliance. The firm said its design reduces deployment and maintenance time by up to 50%.
Manabie nets USD 23 million to grow hybrid education model in Asia
Manabie, a Singapore-based edtech startup, has raised USD 23 million in a Series B funding round led by JIC Venture Growth Investments, the investment arm of Japan Investment Corporation. Other backers include Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Hulic Company, and founders from Japan’s education sector.
Manabie provides digital learning tools across Japan and Southeast Asia. The company will use the funding to enhance its platform, broaden regional reach, and build new institutional partnerships.
AiSeed Tech banks USD 6 million to bring AI-powered drones to US and Europe
AiSeed Tech, which develops AI-driven navigation for drones, has banked USD 6 million in a pre-Series A round of financing, according to e27. The round was co-led by Pegatron Corporation and SparkLabs Taiwan. The funds will support market entry in the US and Europe and enhance manufacturing and AI capabilities.
AiSeed’s system enables drones to navigate without GPS, making them suitable for defense, infrastructure inspections, and urban mobility. The tech has reportedly passed military-grade tests and secured procurement contracts. Monica Lee has been appointed COO to guide the company’s global expansion.
Recent deals completed in China:
- Zhongwei Semiconductor Materials, a Fujian-based advanced materials company, has secured RMB 5 million (USD 700,000) in angel funding from Xiamen Hi-tech VC. The capital will be used to build production facilities and equipment for high-purity lithium sulfide, a solid-state battery electrolyte material. Founded in 2021, the company focuses on semiconductor-grade metals and compounds. Its materials serve a range of sectors including electric vehicles, aerospace, medical diagnostics, and infrared chip manufacturing. Zhongwei expects to raise a larger Series A round next year. —36Kr
- Qianjue Technology, an embodied intelligence company, has raised an eight-figure RMB sum in its latest funding round. Oriza Seed led the investment, with participation from Gobi China and Langcheng Capital. The funding will go toward product development, R&D, and accelerating mass production. Founded in May 2024, Qianjue specializes in tactile sensing and multimodal manipulation technology for precision robotics. Its offerings include high-resolution multimodal tactile sensors and intelligent modules for perception and control. —36Kr
Flash Coffee, Secai Marche, Manus, and more made recent headlines:
- Flash Coffee, a coffee chain based in Indonesia, raised USD 3 million in an additional round of funding led by TA Ventures, with returning investor White Star Capital also participating.
- Secai Marche, a Tokyo-based logistics and supply chain company, reportedly received a USD 4 million grant. The funding was awarded by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) under its “Global South Future-oriented Co-creation Project.”
- Butterfly Effect, the Chinese startup behind the agentic AI platform Manus, raised USD 75 million in a funding round led by venture firm Benchmark, according to media reports. The round also included follow-on investments from Tencent, ZhenFund, and HongShan.
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