Dear Reader, it has been a year since we launched our monthly Tech Round-Up. Today is also this year’s 286th day in a pandemic. The science community increasingly believes that safe and effective vaccines will be with us in 2021. How good it will be to leave 2020 behind!

During COVID-19, the Tech Round-Up’s readership has doubled, with all key metrics looking promising. If you have feedback or suggestions for improvement, please let us know here.

And from all of us - thanks for reading the Tech Round-Up.

Original Thinking from North Ridge Partners:

India’s proxy battle for Southeast Asian Tech. Our roving investigative reporter Shauraya Bhutani examines India’s rising influence in Southeast Asia.

Our technology webinar and podcast series has also hit a milestone: it’s 10 episodes old. You can also listen to them on Spotify and register for the next one here.

COVID-19 is Changing Everything, Forever:

It’s fast, it’s deep, and it’s consequential: Fast Company’s take on COVID’s impact on business.

It’s also pushing companies over the technology tipping point: It’s here for the long haul and the winners will take all.

Because of COVID, your tech workforce may just get cheaper: That is if your team is willing to trade lower pay for a better location. People are starting to do just that.

And, as if to reinforce the last point, only 8% of Googlers want to return to work every day.

Quote of the Month:

This is news hyperinflation: “Journalists are wandering around with wheelbarrows full of news but it’s all worthless because it now costs one million news to buy a loaf of bread”.

Tech News from Asia:

Paytm takes on Google in India. Can it beat Google Play?

Stand by for the Clash of the Titans:: It’s Ant Group vs JD Digits.

Indonesia’s Waresix closes Series B round: US$100m raised - we’d call that a successful year.

Taking on the furniture giants: Fabelio shows us how it’s done.

Hyundai think flying cars will be a reality by 2028: Will flying cars hit the airways before self-driving cars hit the streets?

Fun Stuff:

How AI is being used in the creative industries: To create movie trailers, for starters.

“Honey, the coffee maker just sent me a ransom note!”: Did you ever imagine your coffee machine could get hacked?

Shared ownership of cars, art, memorabilia, and wine has arrived: And here’s how it works.

Buy your own personal security drone! It’ll watch all corners of your home. Creepy.

Bringing the catwalk to your bedroom: Twitch ventures into live-streaming. Even creepier.

Tech News from the Rest of the World:

Big Blue is Soon to be Two: Arvind Krishna wastes no time in looking for ways to create value. IBM will spin off its cloud business.

Airbnb burns buckets of bucks: US$1.2bn and counting in the past 12 months! Er…no wonder its IPO looms.

Kaching! Peter Thiel and Alex Karp unload more than $400m in shares after Palantir’s direct listing.

Global App revenue rises 23% to hit $50 billion in H1: Nice work if you can get it.

Inside the problem child that is Uber: Uber invents the self-diving car (get the pun, anyone?) and loses $2.5 billion.

From Your Health Reporter:

The EU approves Google’s acquisition of Fitbit, and what it means: Third parties will have access to Fitbit users’ data, with user consent.

Strava hits unicorn status: Our favourite fitness app is seeking new investors at a $1 billion-plus valuation.

How AI is being used to detect COVID-19: AI could just help to address two of the main challenges in combating the pandemic.

The Space Race:

Musk heads for Mars: Another moonshot from the man who defies logic - time and again.

3D printed houses on the moon? Creating accommodation for Earthlings headed to space.

Equity Markets:

IPOs are broken: Barron’s take on how to fix them.

Are direct listings better than IPOs? The tech world says direct listings.

Meanwhile, Silicon Valley is about to get its own Stock Exchange: Welcome to the LTSE.

Other Stuff We Liked:

The rise of the robots: Need someone to take care of essential services? Bring on the bots!

Streaming (continues to) crush free-to-air TV: COVID-19 continues to play a part in the changing landscape.

Klarna is now EU’s most valuable fintech: Backed by the likes of Silver Lake, GIC, and BlackRock. Yadda yadda yadda.

Podcast of the Month:

In this “must-listen”, Andreessen Horowitz deconstruct the Tik Tok algorithm.

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Build, fund, and exit your technology company with North Ridge Partners

North Ridge Partners works with technology companies across the Asia Pacific to achieve transformational outcomes through advice on strategic positioning, raising third party funding, M&A, and direct investment. We’re experienced deal-makers who have built, run, and sold numerous technology companies.