SGInnovate launches Deep Tech for Good

SGInnovate has launched Deep Tech for Good, a new initiative that seeks to accelerate the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) and other frontier technologies such as autonomous systems, biotech, food technologies, medtech and quantum technologies to improve the human condition and drive sustainable development across different markets.

In partnership with major organisations, the initiative aims to convene global leaders across the public and private sectors committed to harnessing science and technology for social and economic good. The Deep Tech for Good initiative will also facilitate knowledge-sharing and success cases where research-based innovations have helped improve lives; help build and scale deep tech solutions and catalyse collaborations among corporates, startups and governments.

Strategic partners include the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Global Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), XPRIZE Foundation, and the NTU Institute for Science and Technology for Humanity (NISTH). A*StartCentral, an open innovation platform that incubates and accelerates the growth of deep tech startups under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Element AI and Salesforce have also joined the initiative as ecosystem partners.

“At SGInnovate, we have always looked at how we can enable the growth of a robust deep tech community and talent pool, as well as push for the commercialisation of meaningful research,” said Dr Lim Jui, CEO, SGInnovate.

Panelists at the virtual launch. Clockwise from 12 o'clock: Professor Evers, SzeKi (moderator), Banifatemi, Busetto, and Ng. Wong is in the centre.

“I am excited to elevate our work through this partnership with leading organisations that share our belief that deep tech has the power to change lives. When deep science and technology is supported by deep relationships with like-minded partners, we will be empowered to solve even the toughest challenges. And we urge more players from across the innovation ecosystem to join us and rally behind Deep Tech for Good, to create a sustainable, liveable future for everyone.”

At the virtual launch, experts also shared their perspectives on how deep tech can be advanced for social and economic good. The speakers included Amir Banifatemi, XPRIZE Chief Innovation and Growth Officer; Bradley Busetto, Director, UNDP Global Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development; Cecily Ng, General Manager, Singapore, Salesforce; Professor Vanessa Evers, Director, NTU Institute for Science and Technology for Humanity (NISTH); and Jonathan Wong, Chief of Technology and Innovation, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

Professor Subra Suresh, President, NTU Singapore said, “As a university at the forefront of cutting-edge technologies such as AI and machine learning that are part of deep tech, NTU is privileged to be a partner in this commendable initiative. Deep Tech for Good is a timely call to action for individuals and organisations to use deep tech as a force for good in society. Deep tech solutions can potentially offer better quality education to every student, reskill and upskill every worker, and mitigate the impact of climate change. These are also among our top priorities at NTU.”

“As we enter the Decade of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals, frontier technologies have the potential to accelerate progress. To realise this potential, we need to harness the collective technological intelligence of the entire region. The Deep Tech for Good initiative is a partnership between government, private sector, academic, philanthropic and multilateral organisations. My hope is that this partnership develops and scales effective tech solutions to sustainable development challenges, and demonstrates how multi-stakeholder tech collaborations can save and change lives,” said Mia Mikic, Director of Trade, Investment and Innovation, ESCAP.

“We want to harness the power of tech and innovation, especially during this pandemic, to help countries in the developing world⁠ – in emerging and frontier markets⁠ – to leapfrog in their development journeys. How can we use AI and quantum computing, as well as other cutting-edge technologies to not just build markets, but to improve lives?

"For example, through telemedicine in rural areas, or digital farming, or the production of rapid testing for a coronavirus. This launch represents a concerted effort by leading deep tech players to solve some of the biggest problems in the world⁠ – whether it is to build sustainable, liveable urban environments, or to bring lifesaving remote medical service to those that need it the most. We are proud to partner with SGInnovate on this goal, and look forward to collaborating more,” said Bradley Busetto, Director, UNDP Global Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development.

Going forward, the Deep Tech for Good initiative will sustain conversations and discussions through a series of thought leadership events, jointly hosted with partners. The goal is to reach out to at least 10,000 individuals including startup founders, investors, corporate leaders, researchers, and government representatives in 2020.

One major event will feature Professor Yoshua Bengio, Scientific Director of Mila, a research institute in artificial intelligence and Co-Founder of Element AI, and Dr Kai-Fu Lee, Chairman and CEO of Sinovation Ventures and President of Sinovation Ventures Artificial Intelligence Institute. They will be sharing their perspectives on the topic AI for Good  on 23 July, 9 am Singapore time.

Explore:

Partnered activities under the Deep Tech for Good initiative include:

- Deep Tech for Society Insights Paper: This paper will showcase the potential impact offered by emerging deep technologies and discuss issues that governments and societies should consider when regulating the scope of these technologies (e.g. in security and privacy). Through interviews with historians of science and technology, government officials, scientists and more, this paper – targeted to be released in July – will offer valuable perspectives on the evolving place of technology in our society.

- Deep tech talent programmes: Programmes such as the Infinity Series and Summation aim to match top talent with high-potential deep tech startups to explore how emerging areas such as AI, robotics and quantum computing can be utilised to solve problems.

- Innovation challenges: SGInnovate and the UNDP Global Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development are planning an innovation challenge that is seeking deep tech solutions to address the needs of our circular economy, benefit the environment and create economic opportunities. The global challenge is targeted to be launched later this year.

- Other virtual events:

22 July: Building Deep Tech Talent for Meaningful Causes

30 July: Deep Tech for Good – Business Opportunities and Collaborations between Corporates and Scientist-Entrepreneurs 

SGInnovate continues to seek international organisations, research institutions and universities, corporations and startups to be part of the Deep Tech for Good initiative. Join.

Singtel’s Dash launches insurance savings plan

Dash EasyEarn, with 2% p.a. returns, marks Dash's move towards innovation in financial services. The insurance savings solution is offered exclusively through Singtel’s Dash app and underwritten by Etiqa Insurance.

Source: Singtel. Dash EasyEarn is a fully-digital insurance product. Customers can purchase, top-up and make withdrawals on their Dash EasyEarn plan via the Singtel Dash app on their mobile phone.

Dash EasyEarn adds financial services to the existing Dash mobile app, which currently provides payments, mobile data top-ups, e-commerce, lifestyle and remittance services. This insurance savings solution is designed for investors who want to start saving regularly for their future but who may be concerned about cash flow. Dash EasyEarn plans start off with a minimum initial premium of S$2,000, up to a maximum of S$20,000. Other benefits include up to 2% per annum returns* for the first policy year, no lock-in period and unlimited withdrawals with zero penalties. 

Gilbert Chuah, Head of Mobile Financial Services, Singtel’s International Group says, “Dash EasyEarn represents the next steps for Dash as it grows to become a more inclusive everyday app that will play a bigger part in enabling our customers’ digital lifestyles. With Dash EasyEarn, customers can start growing their savings with greater convenience with a fully-digital insurance product accessible on their mobile phones. We will continue to use technology to glean deeper business insights, better understand the needs and habits of consumers and bring them the products and services that they want.” 

“Dash EasyEarn was co-created by Singtel and Etiqa to meet the financial needs of digital-savvy consumers, who increasingly seek simple and convenient solutions through all-in-one mobile apps. We are honoured and appreciate the opportunity to work with Singtel to close the distance between people, their money, and services. This strategic partnership epitomises Etiqa’s commitment to pursue financial inclusion through innovation and constantly deliver added value to our customers,” said Dennis Liu, Head of Digital and Business Transformation and Technology of Etiqa Insurance. 

As an insurance savings plan, Dash EasyEarn offers up to 105% of the account value in the event of death. The plan also offers security through its capital guarantee and allows users to withdraw their funds any time in case of emergencies, without penalties or any interest clawback. 

Dash counts over 1 million registered users, is available to everyone regardless of telco or banking relationship, and can be downloaded on any mobile platform. 

Details:

Dash EasyEarn is open to eligible residents in Singapore and is available only through the Dash app. Purchasing and managing Dash EasyEarn can be done through Dash. 

To sign up, eligible users in Singapore** need to verify their personal details before topping up using their bank account to get started. Users can also perform top-ups*** at their convenience and opt to withdraw funds directly into their bank account or Dash wallet. 

Terms apply. Protected up to specified limits by the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation (SDIC).

*Guaranteed 1.5% p.a. + 0.5% p.a. bonus for first policy year for a limited time only. 

**All applications are subjected to the acceptance by Etiqa Insurance.

***Minimum top-up of S$500 for each top-up. Minimum policy amount of S$2,000 must be maintained to earn interest. A charge of S$0.70 per withdrawal to user bank accounts applies, but is free of charge to withdraw to Singtel’s Dash.

BCB Blockchain to support Asia’s tech and Blockchain startups

- US$2.8 million set aside for game developers in the region

- Partnering  accelerators in Southeast Asia to incubate selected projects

- Collaborations with educational institutions to support aspiring Blockchain talents in Singapore

Building Cities Beyond (BCB) Blockchain has announced the launch of its BCB Innovation Grant. The Singapore-based Blockchain developers for smart city solutions plan to award US$15 million in grants to projects developed on the BCB protocol.

Source: BCB Blockchain. Gan.

The BCB Innovation Grant will target up to 1,000 projects by tech startups within Asia. Grant participants gain access to BCB workshops and facilities to assist and bolster their development capabilities. As part of its plans to attract developers to its platform, US$2.8 million of the innovation grant will be focused on funding game development projects on the BCB platform.

Douglas Gan, CEO of BCB Blockchain, said “As BCB continues to grow its ecosystem, we realise the vast potential of Blockchain technology in everyday applications. We are looking at wholistic approaches to support and reach out to existing and upcoming projects on the BCB protocol. The launch of the grant is part of this approach, as we look to support our partners in the midst of a challenging economic climate.”

As part of the company’s efforts to encourage innovation and strengthen its own ecosystem, BCB Blockchain has also announced partnerships with accelerators to co-incubate startups in Southeast Asia. Building on their earlier partnership with the Department of Science and Technology Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD), the company has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with associations such as Access Blockchain Association, a registered society under the Ministry of Home Affairs in Malaysia; as well as accelerators such as Meet Ventures and Hashed Labs.

The partners will look to identify growth-stage projects and collectively help the startups with challenges such as funding, technology, working space and business development.

BCB will also support the upskilling of existing professionals and nurture future talents in Singapore in line with Singapore’s Future Economy strategies.

The Blockchain-based smart city protocol is partnering with the Institute of Blockchain Singapore (IBS) to extend its initiatives and facilities to students and upcoming technopreneurs. Students will also be able to participate in the BCB Hackathon, set to take place in the coming months to showcase their concepts and score commercialisation opportunities. BCB is also reaching out to other higher learning institutions to co-create workshops and educational events in the region.

“The strategic partnerships with educational institutions and accelerators will seek to address gaps in nurturing future talent, and provide support for projects as well as upskilling opportunities for developers looking to step into the Blockchain space,” added Gan.

The BCB Blockchain protocol integrates artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data, virtual reality, robotics and hardware to create smart city solutions. BCB has offices in seven countries.

Details:

Sign up for the grant

Ericsson: 5G outlook continues to be buoyant

· Digital infrastructure critical to meeting communication needs in times of crisis

· 5G subscriptions forecast to hit 190 million by end of 2020; 2.8 billion by end-2025

· 5G a US$41 billion revenue opportunity for service providers in Southeast Asia by 2030

Ericsson expects the global number of 5G subscriptions to top 190 million by the end of 2020 and 2.8 billion by the end of 2025. 5G networks are forecast to carry nearly half of the world’s mobile data traffic in 2025 and in Southeast Asia and Oceania, 5G will account for 21% of mobile subscriptions by 2025.

Source: Ericsson. The Ericsson Mobility Report dated June 2020 forecasts that 5G mobile data traffic will be half of all mobile data traffic in 2025.

These predictions are from the June 2020 edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report, along with projections for data traffic growth, and regional subscriptions. The report also takes an incisive look at the role of networks and digital infrastructure in keeping societies running, and families connected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nunzio Mirtillo, Head of Ericsson South East Asia, Oceania and India, said, “The current COVID-19 pandemic has challenged us to do many things differently and to move activities online to different digital platforms. This has led to data proliferation as well as a geographical shift of data traffic from downtown business and public areas to residential areas on both fixed and mobile networks. The crisis has also demonstrated the critical importance of connectivity.”

While 5G subscription growth in some markets has slowed as a result of the pandemic, this is outweighed by other markets where it is accelerating, prompting Ericsson to raise its year-end 2020 forecast for global 5G subscriptions.

Mirtillo added, “5G is a platform for innovation. Unlike previous generations centred around consumer and personal communications, 5G will serve both consumers and enterprises, 5G will take IoT to the next level where superior connectivity is a prerequisite.”

Changes in behaviour due to lockdown restrictions have caused significant changes in the usage of both fixed and mobile networks, Ericsson said. Data traffic increased due to more bidirectional and streaming services, for example.

The largest share of the traffic increase has been absorbed by fixed residential networks, which have experienced 20-100% growth. Some providers experienced an up to 90% increase in voice-over-Wi-Fi calls.

"People needed to stay connected because they could not meet face-to-face," noted Mirtillo, who shared that more calls were made during the pandemic, and that calls were also longer than before - providers experienced 20% to 70% higher voice traffic.

In a recent study conducted by Ericsson Consumer Lab, 83% of the respondents from 11 countries claim that ICT helped them a lot to cope with the lockdown. Among the findings:

- Seventy-four percent of respondents aged 60+ agree that ICT has helped them stay connected to family and friends during the crisis

- One in five has started to adopt new Internet activities, mostly just one, but some more than one

- Two in three workers said ICT has helped them significantly for doing their job

- Mobile broadband usage increased by an hour a day, while fixed broadband use increased by 2.5 hours a day

The results also show an increased adoption and usage of ICT services that have helped consumers adapt to new realities, such as e-learning and wellness apps.

While 57% say they will save money for financial security in the future, one-third plan to invest in 5G and an improved broadband at home to be better prepared for a potential second wave of COVID-19.

Respondents were also asked about their attitudes to 5G. Forty-four percent of respondents said society will benefit hugely from 5G. "This has become more obvious now," said Mirtillo. "The more we launch 5G the more it becomes obvious. Very very few strongly disagree. The majority agree or are neutral."

The same research concluded with predictions for a post-COVID world:

- Three in four value network resilience and say internet connectivity will be critical during crises

- Six in 10 think automated delivery drones or fleets of driverless cars might replace delivery people.

- Sixty percent also believe working from home is the new normal.

Magnus Ewerbring, CTO, Ericsson Asia-Pacific said that Ericsson is positioning itself in new industries and businesses. “Reliable, fast and responsive, 5G has the capabilities to empower new businesses and open up revenue streams for communication service providers. At Ericsson, we have been investing actively in R&D to establish a wide portfolio of 5G products and solutions to enable our customers transition seamlessly to 5G and leverage the full benefits of 5G,” he said.

In Southeast Asia, the projected value of the 5G-enabled digitalisation revenues for service providers will be approximately US$41 billion by 2030, Ericsson said. The combination of 5G and digitalisation creates new opportunities for service providers to extend their businesses beyond connectivity into a variety of sectors ranging from healthcare, automotive to manufacturing, with use cases spanning connecting up a mine 400 m below sea level, controlling excavators in dangerous environments remotely with a system that provides tactile feedback and platooning - when a fleet of trucks moves together while only 1.5 m apart.

Ericsson now has more than 93 commercial 5G agreements or contracts with unique communication service providers, of which 40 are live networks. In MENA, Ericsson is part of commercial 5G live networks with five providers; in Northeast Asia with nine, and in Southeast Asia, Oceania and India with three. According to Ewerbring 5G networks are under implementation in Australia and Thailand, while pioneer South Korea has seen "very good takeup" since launch in April.

"Subscribers are coming in, the devices are there and the numbers keep on going up," he said, sharing that early adopters are enjoying more potent applications with immersive content with 5G.

Explore:

Download the June 2020 edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report

Read Connectivity in a COVID-19 world, an Ericsson ConsumerLab study 

*ICT refers to information and communications technologies; R&D stands for research and development; IoT for the Internet of Things.

Huawei's education strategy unveiled

Huawei’s Deputy Chairman Ken Hu has outlined the company's vision and strategy for education under its digital inclusion initiative, TECH4ALL. 

According to Huawei, digital technology plays an important role in education but 50% of the world’s population still does not have Internet access. With many people lacking the skills needed to use digital devices, the digital divide in education continues to widen.

Hu said: "We believe that everyone, everywhere has the right to education and the equality of opportunity it brings. As a technology company, Huawei wants to help with connectivity, applications and skills by focusing on two important areas of connecting schools and developing digital skills respectively.”

Source: Huawei. Hu.

Huawei will help to provide access to high-quality educational resources such as digital curriculums and e-learning applications to schools, and provide teacher and student training by connecting schools to the Internet with partners.

Huawei also plans to provide digital skills training for vulnerable groups in remote areas, especially for female students through projects such as DigiTruck. Currently active in Africa, Huawei hopes to replicate the programme in the Philippines and other countries in the next two years.

"These all solar-powered, mobile classrooms with wireless broadband access can reach even the most remote communities," Olivier Vanden Eynde, CEO of Close the Gap, a key partner of DigiTruck, said.

Huawei has stepped up its efforts through its TECH4ALL initiative in support of UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition, set up to tackle the global challenges impacting education due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This crisis has changed the face and future of education. It has demonstrated how fast change can happen through partnership, when expertise and resources are matched up with local needs to ensure learning continuity, especially for the most marginalized students,” said Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education.

At the same time, the Huawei ICT Academy launched its Learn ON programme in early April, aiming to address the educational needs of University-based ICT talent affected by the epidemic. The programme brings together global university partners and offers college cooperation incentive funds, which can be used for online courses and examinations, online experiments, etc., and provides more than 130 massively-open online courses (MOOC) resources, covering technology such as artificial intelligence, big data, 5G, and the Internet of Things.

“Many lessons have been learnt this year in low- and middle-income countries, adapting services to address the needs of users and responding to the impact of the global pandemic by evolving business and critical partnerships. The GSMA and the mobile industry are supporting the current situation, and committed to long-term support of the SDGs (the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals) in the era of ethical leadership,” said Stephanie Lynch-Habib, CMO, GSMA.

Huawei in top 10 for BCG's 50 most innovative companies in 2020

Source: BCG via Huawei. The top 50 most innovative companies of 2020, according to BCG.

Huawei has been ranked No. 6 in BCG’s list of the 50 Most Innovative Companies in 2020, a jump of 42 places. This is the highest ranking for the company since it first made the list in 2012.

According to the report by Boston Consulting Group, Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft and Huawei are the top six in the new ranking, followed by Alibaba, IBM, Sony and Facebook. The ranking is based on a survey of 2,500 global innovation executives and assesses companies’ performance on four dimensions of Global Mindshare, Industry Disruption, Industry Peer View and Value Creation. 

This year, BCG also added a new scoring dimension that captures each company’s variety and intensity of boundary breaking, by assessing its ability to breach established industry entry barriers and play in an array of markets outside its own.

As the world’s largest supplier of telecommunications equipment, Huawei has continuously invested over 10% of its annual revenue back into research and development (R&D). In 2019, the company’s R&D expenditure totaled RMB131,659 million, accounting for 15.3% of its total revenue.

Huawei invested US$4 billion in 5G over the past decade. To further commercial adoption and promote new innovation in 5G applications, the company has established 5G joint innovation centers together with carriers worldwide. According to its annual report, the tech giant is shifting itself from an innovation 1.0 model to Innovation 2.0, which means breakthroughs in basic theory and developing new basic technologies, driven by shared vision for the future.

In the global fight against COVID-19, Huawei doubled down its innovation efforts and launched the Anti-COVID-19 Partner Program that focuses on artificial intelligence (AI), remote office, smart healthcare and online education, to support the fight against the pandemic. Its AI-assisted diagnosis, for example, can output computer tomography (CT) quantification results in seconds, helping frontline medical staff detect COVID-19 cases quickly.

“When we began the research for this 14th edition of BCG’s Most Innovative Companies report, COVID-19 had not yet emerged. As we explored the data and interacted with clients, however, it became clear that this year’s core findings—about the advantages of scale and the imperative for serial innovation—may be even more relevant today as innovation leaders need to adapt to rapidly shifting patterns of supply, demand, consumer behaviour, and ways of doing business,” BCG stated in the report.

Razer teams up with Samsung, SISTIC to boost Southeast Asian e-sports event

Razer, the global lifestyle brand for gamers, is set on promoting the inclusive nature of e-sports by providing support to brands which are keen on exploring opportunities in e-sports.

Razer has teamed up with Samsung Electronics and Singapore’s largest ticketing agency, SISTIC, to elevate the inaugural Razer Southeast Asian-Invitational 2020 to greater heights. The partnerships aim to equip shoutcasters (commentators) and streamers with best-in-class technologies and broaden the reach of e-sports across the region.

“The SEA-Invitational was designed to bring countries together and recognise e-sports as a legitimate sport. The e-sports community is exhilarated to have brands like Samsung and SISTIC reaching out to express support,” said David Tse, Global Esports Director at Razer.

“Our unique standing at Razer, as a lifestyle brand for gamers and a global leader in e-sports, has provided us the positional advantage to extend our network to both organisations and the community. We will strive to fulfill this mandate.”

The largest Southeast Asian e-sports tournament of the year, the SEA-Invitational 2020 will see national athletes compete in three major titles – PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile (PUBG Mobile), Defense of the Ancients 2 (Dota 2) and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) ahead of e-sports’ inclusion in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam next year. The company said 10 countries, over 400 teams and 3,000 athletes are taking part.

Samsung is Official Smartphone Partner

With an existing ecosystem of mobile peripherals like the Razer Junglecat and Razer Kishi, Razer is onboarding Samsung Electronics as the Official Smartphone Partner for the SEA-Invitational 2020.

The partnership will ensure seamless connectivity and performance at the event. The collaboration between Razer and Samsung Electronics will arm the SEA-Invitational 2020 shoutcasters and streamers with Samsung Electronics’ latest mobile phones from the Galaxy A series – A51 and A71 devices, offering gaming-friendly features including large AMOLED screen sizes, long battery life, and intelligent Game Booster and Frame Booster technologies which enhance gaming experiences for mobile devices.

“We are honoured to be part of an event that celebrates the incredible community of e-sports talents we have across Southeast Asia, while elevating the profile of gaming as a sport. Making awesome gaming experience accessible is at the core of the Galaxy A series, and we hope that this event can bring e-sports closer to more consumers in this region,” said Suchitra Wanatanakul, Head of Mobile, Samsung Electronics, Southeast Asia and Oceania.

SEA-Invitational 2020 to be streamed on SISTIC Live

To bring the streams to a wider group of audiences, SISTIC will partner with Razer to stream the playoffs and championships for the SEA-Invitational on its newly-launched streaming platform. SISTIC Live supports broadcasts and video-on-demand of art, sports, cultural and entertainment productions.

Fans who sign up to view selected Razer SEA-Invitational matches on SISTIC Live stand to win prizes such as Razer Gold (virtual credits for games and entertainment), Razer Silver (Razer's loyalty points for gamers, redeemable for Razer products and third-party products) and Razer peripherals.

“As new forms of entertainment develop, audiences adopt new formats to be entertained. We are remodelling how SISTIC can support both physical and online events. We are extremely keen to explore e-sports, a genre that enjoys strong online viewership and live streaming globally,” said Joe Ow, CEO, SISTIC.

“The Razer SEA-Invitational is a great opportunity for us to showcase the quality of SISTIC Live’s platform and reach out to a wider audience.”

Source: Razer. Poster for the inaugural Razer Southeast Asian-Invitational 2020.

Dual-headquartered in the US and Singapore, Razer has 16 offices worldwide. The company has built the world’s largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware, software and services.

Razer’s hardware includes high-performance gaming peripherals and Blade gaming laptops. Its software platform, with over 80 million users, includes Razer Synapse (an Internet of Things platform), Razer Chroma (a proprietary RGB lighting technology system), and Razer Cortex (a game optimiser and launcher). Razer Gold is one of the world’s largest virtual credit services for gamers, and Razer Fintech is one of the largest offline-to-online digital payment networks in Southeast Asia.


Details:

The SEA-Invitational will kick off on June 26 and culminate in grand finals from July 10-12, 2020. Viewers can tune into Team Razer’s social channels on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch for the live streams. Live streams will also be available on SISTIC Live. More information will be announced closer to the date.

Explore the SEA-Invitational 2020 agenda

Hashtag: #thisisesports

Huawei invests in partner ecosystem, introduces Virtual AI Academy

Source: Huawei. Huawei has announced a new Virtual AI Academy.

Huawei has called for closer collaboration with its local partners to boost joint solution innovation as Singapore moves into post-COVID-19 economic recovery at the inaugural online Huawei Ecosystem Summit 2020. 

The summit also mapped Huawei’s vision and strategy in Singapore for working with its ecosystem partners as the nation recovers from COVID-19. In his opening address at the summit Nicholas Ma, CEO of Huawei International, said Singapore partners have helped 2019 enterprise revenue at Huawei Singapore increase by 20% year-on-year, with a 68% increase in total certifications obtained by business partners.

Huawei will invest S$5 million this year in Singapore to strengthen joint solution innovation with local partners and nurture the ecosystem. Huawei will continue to focus on ICT technologies, expanding and strengthening of the connectivity and computing businesses by providing artificial intelligence (AI) enablement across a variety of industries, with a focus on four core industries of government, finance, transportation and Internet service providers.

“Organisations will need to redesign their services to adapt to the new normal. Digital technology powered by 5G, cloud and AI will be pivotal in this transformation,” said Aaron Wang, MD of Huawei Singapore Enterprise Business Group.

“Under Huawei’s AI strategy, we will focus on connectivity and computing in Singapore by building an open ecosystem with our partners as we believe it will empower digital transformation for numerous industries, and help our ecosystem partners boost immunity eventually.”

Huawei established over 28,000 partnerships worldwide in 2019, with an annual growth rate of above 10% for the eighth consecutive year. Eighty-six percent of its Enterprise Business Group’s revenue was contributed with the cooperation of its partners.

The company further announced its new Virtual AI Academy at the summit. The facility will offer more than 140 free online courses to accelerate training and upskilling of Singapore ICT professionals and help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) digitalise.

Huawei said it has digitalised its 5G-powered AI Lab, which was launched in Singapore last year. Users will now be able to access the AI Lab’s applications easily via the cloud. Local SMEs will be eligible to access and explore industry-focused digital transformation solutions that are supported by Huawei. The AI Lab’s capabilities have been further enhanced through its integration with the Virtual AI Academy.

Huawei will offer Singaporeans free online training opportunities with over 140 sets of courses in artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, cloud computing and big data that will boost reskilling and upskilling. These courses are designed to train and certify all levels of users, from amateurs to ICT professionals.

Since the start of Singapore’s Circuit Breaker measures in April, Huawei has partnered with local firms to enroll over 300 local ICT professionals at its Virtual AI Academy for upskilling as a trial run. Following the official launch of the Academy, Huawei aims to certify 1,000 ICT engineers in Singapore by the end of 2021. In addition to online courses, the Academy also offers trainees hands-on experience through its simulation labs in AI development.

In the next quarter of 2020, Huawei plans to launch Cyber Range courses to equip SMEs and partners with necessary cybersecurity skills.

Prior to launching the Academy, Huawei had also been working with Nanyang Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic and the Singapore University of Social Sciences to help next-generation talents hone their digital skills.

“COVID-19 has illustrated the importance of digital readiness which underscores the need for business continuity. Singapore, with talent as its critical asset and competitive advantage, will continue to be a core driver of digital transformation in the intelligent era,” said Ma.

“As a member of Singapore's society, Huawei has a responsibility to deepen the long lasting collaboration with local ecosystem partners in these times of crisis. With our 5G-powered AI Lab and the new Virtual AI Academy, we will continue to double our efforts to facilitate upskilling ICT talents as well as work with SME’s on digitalisation. We believe that these efforts will help the ecosystem, as well as open up new business opportunities and emerge stronger together.”

Huawei also introduced an Asia-Pacific Ascend Partner Program to grow Singapore’s development of AI industries at the summit.

Details:

View the list of courses at Huawei’s Virtual AI Academy

Acronis and Minterest jointly roll out Acronis #CyberFit Financing in Singapore

Acronis, a global player in cyberprotection, is now offering Singapore businesses financing through a partnership with Minterest, a Singapore-based online financial services solutions provider. The two have joined forces to launch Acronis #CyberFit Financing, Powered by Minterest to provide Singapore-based businesses with financing support to remain resilient and #CyberFit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through this partnership, Acronis and Minterest hope to empower businesses by providing easy access to customised financing solutions to tide them through this difficult period while building their cybersecurity capabilities to ringfence their businesses.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced businesses globally to operate remotely and people to work from home, Acronis observed. Very often, they work with unsecured digital networks and are vulnerable to cyberattacks. As a cyberprotection company, Acronis is dedicated to helping organisations safeguard their data, applications, and systems so they can remain productive and avoid costly downtime. During the COVID-19 outbreak, essential services will need cyberprotection to be #CyberFit, ensuring their IT infrastructure remains protected and operational.

Serguei Beloussov, Founder and CEO of Acronis, said: “Cybercriminals are ruthless— they see the coronavirus pandemic as an opportunity to target new vulnerabilities such as those caused by many staff migrating to home offices. Now more than ever, cyberprotection should be a key concern for every business, as a data breach that costs a company valuable data can cripple even large organisations.

"Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud is a solution we have developed to combat this global threat. Acronis is dedicated to doing our part to help businesses both in the digital and the real world. With support from our capable partners at Minterest, we hope to provide streamlined access to vital funding to ensure business continuity for as many Singapore businesses as possible.”

Beyond the heightened cybersecurity risk, businesses often face urgent cash flow issues. Minterest is able to bring speed to lending, as it is able to process and approve loan applications within 48 hours, upon full submission of necessary documents.
Charis Liau, CEO of Minterest, commented: “The COVID-19 outbreak has sent shock waves throughout the global economy and many companies are facing deteriorating business conditions and cash flow liquidity crunches. We are pleased to partner with Acronis to accelerate the access to financial aid for Singapore-based firms. We want to be here for them; not just get through the pandemic, but beyond that as well.”

Source: Acronis. The new Acronis #CyberFit Financing, Powered by Minterest initiative is a partnership between Acronis and Minterest.

Details:

All companies and limited liability partnerships registered in Singapore can sign up for Acronis #CyberFit Financing, Powered by Minterest

Hashtag: #CyberFit 

M1 and StarHub receive Singapore's final 5G network licence

The Singapore Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has granted M1 and StarHub the final 5G network licence award following the completion of the required regulatory processes. This paves the way for M1 to begin the rollout of its 5G network coverage across Singapore.

The regulatory processes involved spectrum seating and the completion of technical and legal due diligence. Through a joint decision with StarHub, M1 selected Nokia to build the radio access network (RAN) for the 5G standalone (SA) network infrastructure, leveraging the 3.5 GHz radio frequency.

M1 has also selected Nokia to build the network core of the 5G infrastructure. M1 will be looking to work with multiple network vendors for the deployment of localised networks operating in the mmWave spectrum, including Ericsson, Nokia and Huawei, based on specific use case requirements.

With high network speeds, ultra-low latency, enhanced network resiliency and security, as well as complex end-to-end slicing*, 5G is a new frontier in communications technology that will drive forward Singapore’s digital economy, the company said. 5G’s hyperconnectivity and ability to carry massive connections simultaneously will not only enable better connectivity experiences for consumers, but will also spur further innovative journeys for the government and enterprises.

M1 has been developing and testing the use of 5G through strategic partnerships and collaborations with various government agencies and leading players in the consumer and enterprise segments for some time. Notable examples include leveraging a standalone 5G network to livestream drone footage of the longest dragon dance at the 2020 Chingay parade and enriching the Haidilao customer experience through soup preparation and service provided by robots at Haidilao’s new smart restaurant. Most recently, M1 also established a collaboration with SGInnovate to unleash the power of 5G for deep-tech startups**, encouraging further breakthroughs and innovation in the possible uses of 5G.

On the enterprise front, M1 recently partnered with IMDA, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Airbus to conduct network coastal trials of unmanned aerial vehicles at the Singapore Maritime Drone Estate, setting the base to make urban air mobility a reality for Singapore. M1 has also embarked on Singapore’s first 5G Industry 4.0 trial with IBM, IMDA and Samsung for development, testing and rollout innovative solutions for the enhancement of smart manufacturing processes.

Additionally, M1 has worked closely with key educational institutes such as Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) to develop and test various innovative applications of 5G, ranging from the first 5G cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) communication to remote operations of robots.

Manjot Singh Mann, CEO, M1, said: “The development of Singapore’s 5G network is an exciting mission that inspires and motivates all of us at M1. We are thankful for the trust that IMDA has placed in M1 and will continue to work closely together with IMDA and StarHub to deliver a successful 5G story for Singapore.

"We are already witnessing 5G’s transformational role in various sectors, such as the manufacturing, maritime and F&B industries. Coupled with further cutting-edge technology, 5G will be the backbone and drive the next bound of Singapore’s digital economy, reinforcing its position as the region’s technology and connectivity hub.”

“The 5G rollout will also enable the delivery of new, innovative products and services to consumers, enterprise and government, which will boost the economy and lead to creation of job opportunities. Future investments will be focused to keep M1 at the forefront in Singapore’s 5G ecosystem,” added Mann.

M1, a subsidiary of Keppel Corporation, is a Singapore communications company providing mobile and fixed services to over 2 million customers.

*Network slicing refers to the ability to split network resources into 'slices' dedicated to serve individual workloads. 

**Deep tech is emerging technology that requires some work before commercialisation.

Huawei launches Ascend Partner Program

Global ICT provider Huawei has launched its Asia Pacific Partner Ascend Program as part of its aims to build an innovative and sustainable artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem that enables digitalisation and intelligent transformation in the region.

“When it comes to AI ecosystem-based collaboration, Huawei has always focused on infrastructure. We work with the academic community and industries to promote AI development, which advances both technology and industries as a whole. Ultimately, we hope to bridge the divide, and achieve shared success as quickly as possible. By leveraging our collaborative Connectivity + Computing + Cloud synergy, we are able to provide an intelligent, automated, information-driven platform for our partners’ content, applications, and algorithms. Together, we will build a thriving ecosystem and usher in a fully connected, intelligent world,” said Daniel Zhou, President of Huawei Cloud & AI Business Group, Asia Pacific Region.

The APAC Ascend Partner Program consists of three parts covering independent software vendor AI collaboration, institute of higher learning (IHL) AI talent cultivation, and government AI industry development. Through these initiatives, Huawei and its partners will support Asia Pacific countries with their strength in AI development, knowledge transfer, go-to-market and strategic resources.

The Independent Software Vendor AI Collaboration sub-programme provides ISVs, innovators and entrepreneurs with benefits such as non-recurring engineering funding (NREs), cloud resource vouchers, knowledge transfers via the Ascend AI community, Huawei HCIA-AI Certification exam vouchers, and go-to-market support.

The Institute of Higher Learning (IHL) AI Talent Cultivation sub-programme will support higher education institutes in building AI disciplines, cultivating AI talents, and improving academic research in AI based on the Huawei full-stack Atlas AI technological capabilities.

“In the new AI era, a strategic partnership between National University of Singapore and Huawei in research and talent development will make a great impact to society,” said Huang Zhiyong, Deputy Director, at National University of Singapore’s Business Analytics Centre.

For governments, the programme provides technical support in enhancing Asia Pacific countries’ AI innovation facilities using Ascend technology. Huawei will also share its experience in terms of industry best practices, and assist in policy matters such as AI industry standards.

“Indonesia national AI strategy, empowered by BPPT, is the most important milestone toward an innovation-driven nation, the golden vision of Indonesia 2045. Ubiquitous AI will drive our nation journey to achieve Sustainable Development Goals,” said Dr Ir Hammam Riza, head of Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT).

Finastra recognises key partners at annual Partner Day

Finastra has named Accenture Partner of the Year at its annual Partner Day, held virtually on June 9, 2020.

Accenture was honoured for its commitment to working closely with Finastra to deliver innovative solutions to the global banking industry, including the largest-ever Fusion Loan IQ deal, the first Fusion Loan IQ project in mainland China, and a record five innovation projects relating to payments in the cloud, treasury and risk-as-a-service, and more.

Accenture currently has more than 300 consultants who are certified to deliver Finastra solutions, with an additional 200 in the process of being certified.

“We have worked alongside Finastra for several years to help our banking customers improve their lending, payments and digital capabilities with innovative, easy to plug in, cloud-based solutions,” said Alan McIntyre, Senior MD and Global Head of Accenture’s Banking practice.

“Through our Accenture Finastra Innovation Center, we work together to develop solutions and build unique accelerators to quickly deliver innovations to our clients.”

“At Finastra, we recognise that collaboration is the key to innovation - it is at the heart of everything we do,” said Denise Parker, Senior VP, Partners and Ecosystem, Finastra.

“The pace at which the industry is transforming and the rate at which customers’ demands are evolving, means that partnering is, quite simply, a necessity. Through our extensive partner programme, we are able to deliver better experiences to our mutual customers. We thank Accenture - and all of our partners - who have demonstrated a shared vision for collaboration and have worked with us to deliver significant technological innovation and transformation to the global banking community.”

Other partners were also recognised for their significant roles in not only driving business, but for their collaborative spirit which has made a meaningful impact on the banking industry through innovative projects and product implementations.
These include:

Rookie of the Year: Capgemini

Within a short period after initiating a partnership with Finastra in the Middle East, Capgemini demonstrated strong commitment to collaborating to serve the region and is already working to expand the relationship elsewhere.

Ultimate Expert: Neoflex

Russia-based Neoflex, which has worked on projects in Asia and the Middle East, was the first partner to achieve advanced accreditation for Fusion Risk. It is a valuable ally in driving the implementation of Finastra’s end-to-end risk and compliance solution across an expanding global footprint.

Emerging Partner of the Year: NTT Data Asia Pacific

NTT Data partnered with Finastra on a multi-solution implementation at an Indonesian bank. Its knowledge of the bank organisation and deep relationship with the bank’s leaders have been invaluable in furthering innovation within the institution.

Best Innovation: Salesforce.com

Salesforce.com has worked in lockstep with Finastra to launch Fusion Credit Connect on the Salesforce AppExchange and Finastra’s FusionFabric.cloud. The solution re-envisions how relationship managers and borrowers connect and communicate from opportunity to origination, through to closing and booking.

Telstra named a Leader in 2020 IDC MarketScape study

Telstra has been recognised as a Leader”in the IDC MarketScape: Asia/Pacific Next-Generation Telcos: Telecom Services 2020 Vendor Assessment. For the first time, IDC identified six communication service providers (CSPs) as Leaders based on the IDC MarketScape vendor analysis model, with Telstra being the newest entrant.

According to the assessment, the last 18 months have seen Telstra move swiftly to gain the advantage in the telecom market in the Asia Pacific region (APAC), driven by key priorities such as the simplification and digitisation of its business, operational cost reduction, and driving profitable growth in its Network Applications and Services (NAS) and international portfolio. The resulting superior customer and employee experience has allowed Telstra to break into the Leader segment.

The IDC MarketScape report notes Telstra’s strengths as follows:

- Comprehensive software-defined portfolio: Telstra's software-defined portfolio, augmented by its widespread network assets, give the service provider an edge over some of its competitors in the region.

- Strong professional services capabilities under the newly-formed Telstra Purple: The formalisation of Telstra Purple lends Telstra’s professional services capabilities a structure and serves the purpose of reinforcing Telstra's focus on guiding customers on their respective transformation journeys.

“We have been building our international business over several decades, investing heavily in a unique and diverse set of infrastructure. We have established the largest wholly-owned subsea cable network in APAC, that offers access to the most intra-Asia lit capacity of any other telco in the region. Being credited as a 'Leading Next Generation Telco' by IDC is a welcome recognition of our strong and sustained growth and the brilliant work our team does every day to connect the world to Asia and Asia to the world,” said Oliver Camplin Warner, CEO Telstra International.

Alibaba Cloud announces partner investments geared for a post-pandemic world

Alibaba Cloud, the data intelligence backbone of the Alibaba Group, will invest RMB2 billion during this fiscal year to empower global partners and accelerate joint innovations in the post-pandemic era. The investment aims to bring its partners up to speed with digitalisation capabilities and create joint products and solutions to benefit even more customers across all sectors.

With the investment to be carried out in the current fiscal year, Alibaba Cloud aims to introduce new and improved work processes with partners to increase communication efficiency and agility, especially during black swan* events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Alibaba's fiscal year ends March 31.

“As Alibaba Cloud continues to expand our product and services offerings, we want to bring even more opportunities to our partners so that we can collaboratively innovate to bring the most up-to-date services to our customers, and generate business success for them,” said Lancelot Guo, VP of Alibaba Group, and GM of Ecosystem and Sales Operations, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence.

“The investment shows our commitment to help partners integrate their businesses with Alibaba Cloud, and together we will create more value for the global cloud industry.”

Alibaba Cloud is working with close to 10,000 global partners serving more than 350,000 business customers worldwide. In collaboration with partners, Alibaba Cloud delivered more than 2,000 hybrid cloud projects last year to help customers expedite digitalisation. Alibaba Cloud also conducted over 3,000 online classes with partners. The customer-directed classes were aimed at providing holistic post-migration capabilities and offered insights from proven business scenarios.

The company has invested heavily in research and development, enabling partners to integrate their products and services on its platform. In support of the “to-be-integrated” initiative, to date, Alibaba Cloud and partners such as MongoDB, Intel, VMware, Salesforce, SAP, Red Hat and Fortinet have created more than 500 joint solutions catering to industries such as new retail, fintech, manufacturing, media and entertainment.

Looking ahead, Alibaba Cloud hopes to broaden independent software vendor (ISV), managed service provider (MSP), and systems integrator (SI) partner recruitment, leveraging their innovation and technology capabilities to enhance its platform offering for customers.

Alibaba Cloud is also committed to deep-dive into retail, financial services, healthcare and life sciences, and education with partners. The company plans to enhance its partner go-to-market (GTM) incentives to bring the best offering and innovation for customers to accelerate their digital transformation objectives.

Alibaba Cloud provides a suite of cloud computing services to businesses worldwide, including merchants doing business on Alibaba Group marketplaces, startups, corporations and government organisations. Alibaba Cloud is the official Cloud Services Partner of the International Olympic Committee. It is also is among the world’s top three infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) providers according to Gartner, and the largest provider of public cloud services in China, according to IDC.

*Black swan events refer to rare events with unpredictable outcomes.

Postgres adoption up during COVID-19 pandemic

The majority of users surveyed* by EnterpriseDB (EDB) have projected an unchanged spend, or only a few months of spend affected, as a result of COVID-19. The top areas where spend is expected to change are in the areas of Postgres, replatforming, and operating system (OS) contracts.

PostgreSQL is a relational database management system that has been an active open source project since 1996. It is one of the oldest and most stable open source projects due to the commitment of its members and its independence as a standalone community. 

Highlights from the data included:

- The pandemic is having minimal impact on PostgreSQL downloaders. That said, Frank Days, Senior VP, Marketing, said in a blog post that the respondents are mainly application developers who may not have budget control or broad visibility.

- Expenditure for Postgres, replatforming, and OS contracts are less affected by the economic situation.

Source: EDB blog post. The top areas of spend change are Postgres, replatforming, and OS contracts.

- Areas of spend seeing greater reductions include the overall IT budget, IT staffing, and new application development.

"During these uncertain and trying times, it's necessary to start rethinking spend—while maintaining effectiveness," Days said.

EDB is a global provider of Postgres and co-founded the Postgres Global Development Group. The company has 16 offices worldwide. EDB services that can help those considering Postgres include migration services and Remote DBA services.

*EDB surveyed 2,190 people who downloaded PostgreSQL in early April 2020. It included 527 organisations with more than 100 employees. The top three industries affected are information technology, banking/finance, and government, and the majority of respondents are developers.​

HKTDC's Start-up Express names 3rd batch of winners

The pitching contest for the third Start-up Express, an entrepreneurship development programme organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), has concluded.

The contestants proposed innovative and disruptive solutions to transform business and social ecosystems. ICT-related startup winners include Arical, Arovia Hong Kong, Gense Technologies, imBee, Inovo Robotics, Open Ocean Engineering, Return Helper, Shopkyo, and Wineworld Xplorer. MICology won the My Favourite Start-up Award in a live poll.

- Arical offers geospatial artificial intelligence (AI).

- Arovia produces collapsible displays which can be connected to mobile devices.

- Gense Tech makes a home-based device that scans cross-sectional images of a person's lungs, abdomen, or limbs in real-time for diagnostic screening.

- ImBee, a Twilio partner, enables customer relationship management (CRM), lead generation, sales boosts and customer service excellence on messaging platforms such as WeChat, WhatsApp and Line with its software-as-a-service (SaaS) platforms.

- Inovo Robotics produces robot arms.

- MICology provides predictive simulation in interactive 3D environments that are remotely streamed.

- Open Ocean Engineering's Clearbot is an autonomous, solar-powered swarm of trash-collecting robots that use AI vision to detect and collect trash from bodies of water.

- Return Helper has a SaaS platform that leverages big data and machine learning to help online retailers handle e-commerce returns effectively, efficiently and in an ecofriendly way.

- Spaceship.hk from Shopkyo is the first mobile platform in Hong Kong that allows users to compare and book global door-to-door courier shipments online.

- Wineworld Xplorer is a global wine trading and asset management platform.

Financial services conglomerate AMTD Group has been the strategic partner of Start-up Express for two years. With the support of AMTD Group, the SpiderNet Award was established to recognise the top performer selected by AMTD in the Pitching Final. The award will provide winner imBee with an opportunity to access the resources and network of the AMTD SpiderNet ecosystem.

Stephen Liang, Assistant Executive Director of HKTDC said: "Startups have been affected by the economic downturn like much of the world but the true essence of entrepreneurship is persistence in the face of adversity. There can always be opportunities found amid what otherwise appears to be a crisis.

"Traditional business and consumption models are seeing a new normal amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which can in turn increase receptiveness to new ideas. With outstanding achievements in innovation and technology, local startups launched products and services to fight against the pandemic.

"The HKTDC will continue to support local startups in exploring business opportunities amid the pandemic-struck economy, and to promote the city's capabilities in innovation and technology to overseas buyers."

Calvin Choi, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO, AMTD Group - and one of the judges - said: "I am impressed by the innovative ideas and practical solutions presented by our city's young entrepreneurs in this year's Start-up Express Pitching Final presentation. This recurring programme serves as a valuable platform for participants to showcase their unique business ideas and demonstrate the innovative power of the young generation in Hong Kong.

Jason Chiu, Chairman, Hong Kong Startup Council, said: "In every entrepreneurial journey, there are bound to be challenging times and the strength of a true entrepreneur is the ability to fight through the hard times and learn from each setback. This year has been especially trying due to the health situation that has impacted businesses globally but these startups have shown the resilience to fight through the adversity and succeed.

"It has been great to see how this batch of startups have navigated the past few months to present themselves in a shining light, ready to embrace new opportunities on the international market through Start-up Express' unique support system."

The startups will be invited to exploratory sessions, power meet-up sessions with successful business leaders, business-matching sessions and local events organised by the HKTDC. The HKTDC will also bring the startups to the international stage by organising overseas missions and setting up Hong Kong Pavilions at international technology exhibitions - including CES in Las Vegas and MWC in Barcelona.

A key driver for Start-up Express participants has been the opportunity to enhance brand and media awareness, while also connecting with mentors, partners and investors through HKTDC-organised local and overseas events.

Past winners of Start-Up Express include Miscato, whose aromatherapy solutions can be controlled with a mobile app, and Quikec International, which developed a one-stop cloud-based supply chain management solution.

Michelle Fno, Founder & CEO of Miscato said: "HKTDC's strong network has helped us land interview opportunities with local and overseas media outlets, which in turn allowed me to share how my company developed our new series of antiviral smart aromatherapy products. Thanks to this increased exposure and HKTDC's support, we've since been able to capture new business opportunities and expand our clientele."

Peter Li, President and Co-founder of Quikec International said: "Start-up Express has provided us an opportunity to participate in different exhibition and international exchange events. This has helped us expand our client base and find excellent partners despite operating on a tight budget. For example, meeting with Duncan Chiu, a well-known investor, offered many valuable lessons for us as he offered suggestions on business-development strategy."

The HKTDC will continue to support the city's entrepreneurial ecosystem. To support enterprises, the HKTDC has launched the HKTDC Transformation Sandbox (T-box), offering free support on branding, e-commerce, manufacturing relocation and new market development. A Voice of Start-ups series has been launched on the HKTDC online platform to promote the success stories of local startups. In addition to organising Start-up Express, HKTDC will support startups by hosting an annual Entrepreneur Day in July.

Source: HKTDC. Start-up Express Pitching Final winners photographed with jurors and guests.

Pure Storage extends use cases for FlashArray

Pure Storage, the IT pioneer that delivers storage as-a-service in a multicloud world, has announced Purity 6.0 for FlashArray, the latest release of Pure’s flagship suite of software for its FlashArray family. The data services provide customers with enhanced ways to store, safeguard, manage, access and mobilise their data, plus consumption models tailored to their needs.

Purity 6.0 further simplifies modern infrastructure with a unified block-and-file solution designed to help solve infrastructure challenges, including storage silos and sprawl*. With a Purity upgrade, Pure customers can immediately leverage two key new capabilities - unified protocol support with NFS and SMB**, along with active disaster recovery built on new continuous replication technology.
As part of the Evergreen Storage subscription model, these new features require no additional licenses, no added support costs, and zero added complexity.

“For Pure Storage, the introduction of native file system support on its FlashArray will be a boon for existing and new customers alike,” said Eric Burgener, Research VP, IDC.

“Now customers can cost-effectively consolidate multiple file servers onto this unified storage platform and get the all-flash performance, ease of use, and differentiating customer experience around which the vendor built its reputation with block-based workloads over the last decade.”

Pure’s new unified block-and-file capabilities on FlashArray enable users to merge the operations for two (formerly) incompatible environments. They are designed to simplify operations for organisations that primarily run block storage but still require or utilise separate network-attached storage. This enables customers to run the different workloads within the Purity operating environment, leveraging on the same data layer, user interface, and storage pool, while benefitting from Pure’s global data reduction capabilities.

Similarly, the new continuous replication feature, ActiveDR, helps Pure customers improve their business resiliency without the cost and complexity of third-party disaster recovery software add-ons. This new active-passive replication technology addresses a major business requirement by protecting critical applications with a near-zero recovery point objective (RPO). Now customers have the ability to leverage synchronous, active-active replication with ActiveCluster, snapshot-based asynchronous replication, and now continuous replication all on the same Purity platform.

Enterprises with big data or machine learning requirements will still assign those workloads to Pure's FlashBlade platform, but Pure Storage says that for other use cases and for many smaller businesses, FlashArray now addresses all data storage needs.

“Flexible consumption models represent the bedrock of Pure’s modern data experience,” said Prakash Darji, GM, FlashArray, Pure Storage.

“We’ve had the tremendous advantage of being purpose-built for the modern era - our solutions are designed for massive amounts of data, to be fundamentally upgradeable without disruption, and to be compatible with future innovation so that our customers never have to wait for the latest tools.

“Purity 6.0 represents the next and most logical step in delivering that continued value to our customers - services that can be consumed in whatever way best fits the customer need at any given moment.”

“Managing each file server and its data in a consistent way can be cumbersome without shared storage between them. Compromising on performance or making similar infrastructure tradeoffs is not an option for modern organisations,” said Jeff Fonke, Global Technical Solutions Architect, WWT, a technology solution provider.

“FlashArray affords our joint customers an uncompromising converged block-and-file solution capable of handling critical workloads and daily-use unstructured data.” 

In a preview of Purity 6.0, Hock Leng Chua, Regional MD, ASEAN for Pure Storage, said that the company had seen 12% year-on-year (YoY) growth in Q1FY21 due to the company's competitive differentiation. 

Subscription services were up 37% YoY as a result of “continuous, non-disruptive innovation as well as our Modern Data Experience strategy,” he said. Chua added that first-time customers typically spent double their initial purchase value with Pure Storage within 24 months, while top customers purchased as much as 10 times more. 

“They love the technology so much that they actually buy more from us,” he said. 

In ASEAN, Chua said customers buy a system as a trial, and return 12 months later to buy again. “We have customers in ASEAN who removed all legacy competitive gear to put in Pure (completely),” he shared. 

The company has about 7,800 customers globally. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pure Storage is supporting customers by: 

-  Offering Pure as a Service, or storage-as-a-service, for free for the first three months for new customers if they commit to a minimum contract term of 12 months and at least 50 T of storage. Pure calculates average usage on a daily basis, then bills monthly or quarterly. 

“It's a very attractive offer to the market and we allow our customers and prospects to manage their cash flow from this perspective,” Chua said. 

- Pure also partnered Cisco to offer preconfigured scalable virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solution bundles for up to 1,000 desktops.

- Remote installation services are available for FlashArray and FlashBlade. 

- Mobile system management and assistance is available through the Pure1 mobile app.

Pure Storage delivers a modern data experience that empowers organisations to run their operations as an automated, storage as-a-service model seamlessly across multiple clouds. The company has a certified customer satisfaction score in the top 1% of B2B companies.

*Storage sprawl refers to the need for more and more storage devices.

**NFS stands for Network File System, a way to work with files which are on different devices. Server Message Block (SMB) protocol is another standard for sharing access to files and other network resources.

PwC Singapore pledges to help individuals, organisations with digital skills

- To help individuals and organisations increase digital acumen and upskill, PwC Singapore is releasing a learning app to the public for free

- PwC also aims to provide support to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) accelerate their digital adoption with dedicated digital advisory services, solutions and upskilling programmes

- Other initiatives include providing free virtual learning workshops for charities, social entrepreneurs and social service agencies

Source: PwC. Acquire more digital skills with PwC Singapore's free learning app.

In response to calls in Singapore's Fortitude Budget for more support for upskilling, digital adoption, and financial support for vulnerable communities, PwC Singapore has launched several new initiatives to support individuals and organisations through the COVID-19 pandemic. This move is part of PwC Singapore’s commitment to be part of the solution to support groups that have been impacted by COVID-19.

Yeoh Oon Jin, Executive Chairman, PwC Singapore, said: “We want to play our part in solving some of the important problems that people may be facing now. From preparing individuals for the digital future to supporting non-profit organisations that provide meals to vulnerable individuals and families, we hope that the actions that we are taking can help our community tide through the current situation and be ready for the new normal.”

The need for continuous upskilling and reskilling to become part of the “new normal” was highlighted in the Fortitude Budget. In response, PwC Singapore is making their learning app free for all from 8 June 2020. Digital Fitness for the World will allow users to assess their digital acumen, gain access to recommended learning materials to be more digitally-aware and also gain insight on business and economic issues relevant to our evolving environment.

Fang Eu-Lin, Leader of PwC’s Academy in Singapore, said, “The Digital Fitness App was first used by PwC to help upskill our people’s capabilities in a digital and evolving world. We have updated the app so that this can be made available for use by the whole community. We hope individuals will use the app to gain good knowledge and insights on digital topics, and find it a fun way to learn!”

In addition, PwC Singapore aims to help support SMEs to accelerate their digital adoption journeys with dedicated digital advisory services, solutions and upskilling tailored for the unique needs of this segment.

PwC Singapore has also launched complimentary virtual workshops specifically for charities, social entrepreneurs and social service agencies. The firm conducted a series of four virtual workshops - on digital strategy and transformation, data and analytics, digital marketing and social media, and digital trust and cybersecurity – aimed at helping them address the challenges and opportunities of digital disruption in the social and non-profit sectors. This is part of PwC Singapore’s ongoing skills-based volunteering efforts.

Details:

The Digital Fitness for the World app will be available from 8 June 2020 until 31 July 2020.

Download the Digital Fitness for the World app. Gain free access using the promotional code LRNALL.