March Tech Round-Up: Live Commerce Examined: TikTok Takes Over in Southeast Asia
The Live Commerce battle for your wallet is on. And despite its well documented challenges in the USA, TikTok is taking over across Asia. Strap yourselves in for a wild ride as we examine the rocket ship-like trajectory of TikTok and Live Commerce.
Enjoy this month’s Tech Round-Up, from all of us at North Ridge Partners.
Original Thinking from North Ridge Partners
Live Commerce – purchasing from within a video played on a social app – is experiencing explosive growth, led by that phenomenally successful enfant terrible, TikTok. Firms like BCG believe “shoppertainment” could unlock a trillion in market value for brands.
Click here to read all about its explosive growth – and how TikTok seems to have cracked the code in Southeast Asia.
Big Tech News
How fear of Google drove Sam Altman’s OpenAI and Elon Musk together. And open-source AI was always mostly a myth.
Chinese eCommerce hits America and burns cash on digital marketing - is the tail wagging the dog … or is the dog wagging the tail?
Oops! Gemini chatbot thought George Washington was an African American.
Microsoft claims the NY Times copyright suit is a doomsday scenario. Seeks dismissal.
Asia Pacific Tech News
In China, a resurgent Huawei takes a bite out of Apple.
US legislators send a clear signal on TikTok divestment. Bipartisan committee vote was 50-nil.
Chinese AI startup MiniMax hunts a US$2.5bn valuation for its $600m capital raise, led by Alibaba.
Hot on the heels of Indosat’s deal, reports suggest Telkom Indonesia is looking to sell its data centre business.
Stuff We Found Interesting
Road to nowhere. The Apple Car finally gets junked as focus switches to AI.
Breaking up is hard to do – or is it? Skift speculates about Trip Advisor’s future.
Antipodean media sector in uproar as Warner Brothers Discovery shuts its Kiwi challenger linear TV news service and Meta pulls out of Australian content deal.
Tech Investment Banking Across Asia Pacific
North Ridge Partners advises tech companies across the Asia Pacific on strategy, capital raising and M&A. We’re experienced dealmakers who have built and sold many tech companies. In partnership with GP Bullhound, we have 200 bankers in 17 global offices.
Contact us here.
© North Ridge Partners 2024
Singapore, Australia, New Zealand