Tech Round-Up: March 2020

March 11, 2020 Kevin Waller

Dear Reader, welcome to the March Tech Round-Up.

Suddenly our world is a less certain place, with COVID-19 mutating from epidemic to economic dislocation.

In this month’s edition, we think about how the technology sector is affected, and how it can help solve this problem.

Stay safe out there. Best wishes from the team at NRP.

———————

Video of the Month

This robot just taught itself to walk! Researchers at Google got a four-legged robot to teach itself to walk front and backward, left and right within a few hours - completely on its own.

Your March Update on the Coronavirus

Sequoia think it’s a Black Swan event

What the VCs are thinking and doing (podcast)

How the Cononavirus could alter the future of tech

Online learning is a massive beneficiary

Will Covid-19 accelerate the global supply chain’s migration away from China?

Asia Tech News

Huawei projects 20% drop in smartphone sales: the Chinese company’s smartphone shipments could crater in 2020 due to Covid-19 and U.S. sanctions.

The semiconductor wars are raging, and TSMC is in the firing line: If you can piece the story together, it’s potent stuff - with major implications.

Huawei’s new surprise for Google: Huawei enters the search market.

Air taxi anyone? Grab teams up with German e-chopper firm Volocopter to explore operating an air taxi service in Southeast Asia. We’re standing in line!

Indian Fintech investments double in 2019: India was #3 in global Fintech investments last year, fueled by payments.

Women in Tech: Nicole Yap is nurturing Indonesia’s next generation of startups.

Amazon launches a food delivery pilot in India: After months of planning, Amazon starts delivering food in a high-density Indian neighbourhood.

Netflix’s complicated relationship with Indonesia: With no one on the ground, Netflix generates around US$75m in revenues. It also pays no tax…for now, that is.

Tencent’s midlife crisis: Despite its massive reach, WeChat is losing its appeal among young people. Tencent is worried.

In other Tech News

Andreessen Horowitz bring us their Marketplace 100: A ranking of the globe’s largest and fastest-growing consumer-facing marketplaces.

10 bold predictions for the next 20 years: KrAsia ruminate over the impact of AI, Blockchain, IoT and other emerging technologies.

Porsche Taycan or Tesla Model S? Who’s the winner? Car and Driver votes Taycan!

Will Jack Dorsey be ousted from Twitter? If Elliott Management Corp has its way.

Why T-Mobile’s deal with Sprint could be the warm-up to a wild decade of mergers: Could this lead to some of the largest deals of all time?

From the Scary Department

When did selling a mattress become a tech business? Public investors weren’t fooled by Casper’s private Unicorn status. If it walks like a duck…

The US Navy chipped locusts and trained them to sniff out bombs: Really? Sounds weird? Read on!

Oops! Google accidentally sent users’ private videos to strangers: Google Takeout users were at risk.

5G: Apocalyptic or safe?

Malaysia says it will invest US$711m in broadband connectivity: Let’s hope Jho Lo isn’t tasked with deploying the money.

Stuff we’re involved in

Need to optimize your business ahead of its next capital raising or exit? Demand for the North Ridge Partners Deal Accelerator is brisk, and we are booked out through May. Click here to get in the queue!

Silicon Dragon Sydney 2020: Silicon Dragon Ventures partners up with North Ridge Partners on their quest to find the Next Tech Titan. Contact us for your invitation.

We are hiring in Singapore! Apply for a Corporate Finance internship here.

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.

Subscribe to the Tech Round-Up here >

View our work here >