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Start-ups

Start-ups
Articles about early-stage companies; pre-IPO, including those still being funded by angel investors, private equity or venture capitalists.
Buyers cleared all 66 units in Wangtianji’s first phase as soon as sales opened on July 16. Photo: Handout
China property

Tech-driven surge: new wealth fuels luxury housing boom in China’s AI stronghold

Landmark deals push Hangzhou’s luxury homes to fresh highs, powered by the country’s newly rich from start-ups and finance.

Artificial intelligence

BrainCo claims mind-to-robot link at China’s World AI Conference

Artificial intelligence

On-device models steal the spotlight as China’s edge AI sector heats up

Malaysia

Malaysia’s US$47 million investment in Indonesian start-up revealed as fraud

The finance ministry said pension fund KWAP lost the money to eFishery despite rigorous due diligence.

eFishery deploys feeders to fish and shrimp farmers in Indonesia. Photo: eFishery
Banking & finance

HKIC reports double-digit investment return as ‘patient capital’ bears fruit

The government-owned investment firm generated nearly HK$6.5 billion in its second year, as Hong Kong’s economic vision begins to take shape.

Artificial intelligence

China’s DeepSeek eyes US$70b valuation in new talks weeks after first round

Company’s fresh fundraising talks come straight off its landmark Series A, as investors scramble to back national AI champion.

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Artificial intelligence

Will a new focus help Chinese AI labs challenge Thinking Machines Lab?

AI labs Yoolee and InfiX.ai say they aim to rival US start-up with industry-specific AI solutions, reduced costs and enhanced privacy.

Two Chinese AI labs, Yoolee AI and InfiX.ai, aim to challenge the likes of Thinking Machines Lab and Palantir with a focus on AI solutions tailored for specific industries, reduced costs and enhanced privacy. Photo: Shutterstock
Singapore

Singapore’s Carousell eyes ‘bigger leap ahead’ after profitability milestone

Co-founder Marcus Tan says he is ‘excited about the growth ahead’ as years of investment in user experience begin to pay off.

China’s private sector

China records most new unicorn start-ups in 5 years as AI and robotics boom

The pace is the fastest since 2021 though momentum for some start-ups remains uncertain, according to a new report.

Mainland China

Video | This Chinese bug zapper kills mosquitoes with lasers

Photon Matrix raised US$2.8 million through crowdfunding, but mass production has been delayed until August.

Photon Matrix raised US$2.8 million through crowdfunding, but mass production has been delayed until August
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China’s private sector

China’s unicorns rise to 381 as ByteDance ranks in top 3 globally: Hurun index

The tech firm is valued behind only OpenAI and Anthropic – while DeepSeek enters the global top 15.

Unicorns typically refer to privately held start-up companies that have achieved a valuation of over US$1 billion. Photo: Shutterstock Images
Artificial intelligence

China keeps an eye on AI smart glasses as privacy concerns come into focus

Voluntary code aims to address privacy fears surrounding AI smart glasses as shipments surge and hidden recordings spark public outrage.

Artificial intelligence

How a Chinese physical AI start-up’s new paradigm bypasses US road maps

Shanghai-based Fysics AI says Fysiverse is a ‘new-generation physics-based world model that adheres to real-world physical laws’.

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China’s private sector

iPhone supplier Luxshare passes key hearing for Hong Kong listing

The firm, a key supplier for AirPods and iPhones, is a step closer to joining other mainland Chinese tech heavyweights in HKEX listing.

Luxshare Precision Industry has passed a regulatory hurdle to list in Hong Kong. Photo: Getty Images
China manufacturing

Will China’s AI-powered agribots repeat its EV success story?

Chinese tech and mass production capabilities could transform the nation’s farming industry with AI-enabled workforce.

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An AgiBot A2 humanoid robot learns to pick green leaves of Longjing tea under staff training at Longjing Tea Plantation in West Lake, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Photo: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images
Nuclear fusion

Chinese start-up tackles fusion energy software bottleneck with help of AI

FusionAlpha is a simulator designed to help developers test reactor designs on computers before committing to expensive physical experiments.

Banking & finance

Opinion | AI has been known to hallucinate. So have financial markets

Stock markets are booming on the assumption that US tech giants will deliver, but as liquidity becomes scarce, a reality check will ensue.

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Artificial intelligence

Anthropic opens powerful Mythos AI model to public – with some safeguards

Access was previously limited to organisations like the US government due to the model’s ability to unearth cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

The new Claude Fable 5 is the most powerful model ‌Anthropic has ever made for wider use, the start-up ​says. Photo illustration: Reuters
Universities in Hong Kong

Hong Kong commits US$383 million to university spin-offs in tech hub push

Launched in October 2023, the scheme requires university teams to successfully commercialise their R&D outcomes within five years.

Banking & finance

Hong Kong’s venture fund eyes bigger bankroll after double-digit return

Financial secretary says investment arm will also take lead on new offshore yuan-denominated venture capital fund.

Robotics

World of humanoid robots set for new blueprint as Nvidia teams with Asian firms

The tech trio team up to create a state-of-the-art robot reference design allowing researchers to build, fine-tune and deploy skills faster.

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Unitree robots perform dance moves at Global Sources Hong Kong Shows at AsiaWorld-Expo in Chek Lap Kok. The exhibition showcases the newest technologies in mobile accessories and AI-powered consumer electronics. Photo: Eugene Lee
Robotics

‘Arms race’: why investors can’t let go of robotic hand developers in China

Funding blitzes spotlight the dexterous hand sector, which is focused on the toughest component in humanoid hardware.

Xynova has recently completed a series A round led by the venture arms of smartphone maker Xiaomi and electric vehicle giant Li Auto. Photo: Handout
Artificial intelligence

As China’s humanoid-robot hype cools, Unitree sees profit plunge

A filing shows adjusted profit fell 53 per cent, even as revenue continued to rise, highlighting tough competition in humanoid robot sector.

Robotics

China unveils first humanoid robot for household chores, ready as early as 2027

Companies are still improving data required for robots to perform complex household tasks, some of which require embodied AI.

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Artificial intelligence

DeepSeek adds former Jane Street engineer to harness team amid agentic AI push

Move underscores start-up’s efforts to build harnesses – software that turns an AI model into a functional and autonomous AI agent.

Job postings have suggested that the harness team would be a core unit within DeepSeek. Photo: Shutterstock
Artificial intelligence

Chinese premier urges faster, broader adoption of AI in advanced manufacturing

Premier Li Qiang says boosting AI-powered manufacturing can help drive new growth for the economy.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang during a tour in Beijing on Monday. Photo: Xinhua
Artificial intelligence

China’s Moonshot AI moves to unwind offshore structure in IPO pursuit: sources

Beijing-based unicorn tells shareholders it will dismantle VIE model as regulators tighten oversight, as shift may signal new era for foreign tech investment.

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Artificial intelligence

Ex-Meta Chinese star joins race for self-improving AI with US$4.6b start-up

The funding round was led by venture capital firms GV and Greycroft, with ‘major participation’ from Nvidia and AMD.

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