20 6 月, 2022

UOB Malaysia and The FinLab to accelerate digital transformation for women-led businesses through Jom Transform Programme

KUALA LUMPUR, Jun 20, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - UOB Malaysia and The FinLab[1] today announced the fourth edition of the Jom Transform Programme[2]. This year's programme is set to empower women to transform their businesses through digital acceleration.Jom Transform Programme (JTP) is specially-curated to provide advisory and assistance in the areas of digitalisation for Malaysia's small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This year's programme, themed 'JTP: Womenpreneur Edition', aims to support women entrepreneurs through digital solutions that drive productivity, save costs and grow revenue. The JTP will be conducted virtually on The FinLab Online[3].Ms Ng Wei Wei, Chief Executive Officer, UOB Malaysia said, "With women entrepreneurs making up only 20 per cent of Malaysian SMEs[4], we see potential in supporting female-led businesses to thrive, particularly in e-commerce[5]. And this is why the Bank is creating an ecosystem through Jom Transform Programme to connect women entrepreneurs to one another and open doors to opportunities. As the needs of businesses evolve in line with new market realities, we want to also provide them with the right tools to future proof their businesses in this digitalised world."The first cohort of the JTP: The Womenpreneur Edition will undergo a three-week business transformation curriculum through The FinLab Online starting 28 June 2022. Apart from receiving the relevant knowledge, tools and skills to digitalise their businesses, participants will also be guided by subject matter experts and mentors from UOB and its regional ecosystem partners in the area of digital transformation. They will also have access to online workshops, video tutorials and webinars in digital marketing, business operations and e-commerce. To further accelerate their digitalisation efforts, participants will also enjoy complimentary subscriptions to JomX solution of choice including cloud accounting systems, artificial intelligence and data analytics, by a host of JTP ecosystem partners for up to 13 months[6].In the lead-up to the launch of the 2022 edition of JTP, UOB Malaysia hosted a virtual panel discussion on 14 June 2022 entitled, 'Women Entrepreneurs Making A Leap Forward'. The panel discussion featured four women leaders across industries in education, fashion, wellness, and fitness to share their first-hand experience in their professional and entrepreneurial journey to the audience. The panel comprised of Ms Anne Tham, Founder of ACE EdVenture; Ms Joan Yeoh, Country Director of Love Bonito Malaysia; Ms Melissa Tan, CEO of Getha and Ms Toh Yen Kee, Co-founder of The Playground Fitness.During the panel discussion, Ms Toh Yen Kee said, "When I first made the move to start my own enterprise, to look for the right solutions and assistance to accelerate my business transformation was a challenge. After having focused my effort to get the necessary funding, I realised that that digitalisation is crucial for my business to implement across its different functions and to analyse its market competitiveness. A platform like JTP can provide the necessary information and mentorship that may complement other programmes that are already available to support women entrepreneurs."Since the launch of JTP in 2019, the Programme has enabled more than 400 Malaysian SMEs[7] to embark on their digitalisation journey. To register interest for this year's JTP and for further information, please visit https://thefinlab.com/jom-transform-programme-womenpreneurs-edition/.UOB Malaysia: https://www.uob.com.my/[1] The FinLab is UOB's innovation accelerator.[2] JTP is an annual digital transformation accelerator programme for SMEs organised by UOB Malaysia and the FinLab.[3] The FinLab Online is a regional digital platform launched on 17 July 2020 to help SMEs and start-ups tap the expertise of industry mentors from UOB and its regional ecosystem partners virtually.[4] Source: SME Corporation Malaysia online, 30 January 2019[5] Source: International Finance Corporation (IFC), June 2022. The gap in sales between female and male vendors could be closed by 2025, Southeast Asia's e-commerce market could increase by some $280 billion US dollars between 2025 and 2030.[6] Please see news release, 'UOB Malaysia and The FinLab launch JomX to help SMEs navigate the recovery phases of COVID-19 pandemic through digitalisation', 24 August 2021. Subject to UOB Malaysia's terms and conditions. https://www.uob.com.my/about/news/2021/press-release-aug24-2021.page[7] Source: UOB Malaysia internal data as at 31 December 2021. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

13 6 月, 2022

VWO and Ematic Solutions Partner to Raise the Bar in CRO for APAC

Delhi, India, June 13, 2022 – (SEAPRWire) – VWO, the experimentation platform used by fast-growing brands the world over, recently announced a partnership with Ematic Solutions, a marketing and technology consultancy that helps businesses adopt the right technology mix for their marketing efforts. This partnership is positioned to impact brands in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Bosnia and Herzegovina; all markets where Ematic Solutions currently operates. The full-funnel marketing concept has only started to become popular in APAC over the past few years. Although a lot of businesses are still acquisition-focused, more and more far-sighted businesses are adopting data-driven growth methodologies. These companies have also started looking at ‘excellent digital experience’ as a differentiator to their competitors. VWO’s robust experimentation platform combined with Ematic’s local customer success and engineering support is set to help fast-growing Asian businesses experiment better, adopt top-notch martech tools, and in turn generate higher returns on investment. With VWO as a partner, Ematic Solutions hopes to provide a powerful weapon to its customers to optimize their end-to-end user journey and bring better results to their bottom lines. The biggest pain point in CRO that APAC businesses face is the lack of proper tools to easily conduct experiments. For every hypothesis or idea, it can take weeks or even months for testing due to the high dependency on IT. With VWO, businesses can now generate insights, build effective hypotheses, run tests quicker, and deploy much more easily than before. “VWO provides the best-in-class CRO solution that makes insight discovery and experiments super easy. We believe it is a strong addition to our martech offerings and through the partnership, we can help APAC businesses build a robust, future-proof martech stack to support their growth.”, says Brenda Tan, Head of Partnership, Ematic Solutions. Ematic Solutions was built with a mission to extract real value from digital marketing for companies large and small. The company believes in an innovative approach to the way marketing technology can deliver results. With more than 70 partners across multiple marketing disciplines, they are strategically well-placed to help businesses find and adopt the best solution based on their needs. For VWO, this partnership strengthens its position as a leading CRO solutions provider in the APAC region. With a product suite that caters to every requirement of effective experimentation – from visitor behavior insights to validating the CRO roadmap through testing – the company is adding further impetus to Ematic’s vision of helping clients drive more value from their marketing endeavors. “We’re very happy to have Ematic solutions as our strategic partner. Their experience and expertise will enable us to provide better local support in the APAC region. It will also strengthen our prospects to establish ourselves as the leading experimentation platform for Asian businesses looking at expanding their horizons in conversion optimization. When a well-known and respected consultancy like Ematic Solutions recommends VWO as an essential addition to the technology mix, it does wonders for our brand. “, says Sparsh Gupta, Co-founder & CEO, Wingify (makers of VWO). About Ematic Solutions Ematic Solutions offers technology solutions and professional services in both strategy and execution and everything combined to fuel full-funnel growth and product marketing. The company follows a data-driven, pragmatic approach to deliver positive ROI to more than 300 clients and is deeply connected in the martech ecosystem. Not only does the company help businesses to adopt the right technologies for their marketing endeavors, but also leverages this expertise to offer end-to-end services to tackle broader digital marketing problems and help businesses expand their resources and capabilities. About VWO VWO helps more than 2500 brands create and deliver digital experiences loved by their customers. It is a connected platform that offers insights into visitor behavior, planning, A/B testing capabilities, and easy deployment of changes – all within the same environment – to empower businesses to improve conversions across the entire customer journey. Conversion rate optimization experts in more than 90 countries trust VWO to perform data-driven A/B testing on their products and apps. Social Links: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vwo/ https://www.facebook.com/vwoofficial Tweets by VWO Media Contact Brand: VWO Contact: Media team Email: swati.aggarwal@wingify.com Website: https://vwo.com/ ; https://wingify.com/ SOURCE: VWO The article is provided by a third-party content provider. SEAPRWire ( www.seaprwire.com ) makes no warranties or representations in connection therewith. Any questions, please contact cs/at/SEAPRWire.com Sectors: Top Story, Daily News SEA PRWire: PR distribution in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines & Hong Kong )

19 5 月, 2022

GfK Joins World AI Show & Awards as a Gold Sponsor

DUBAI, May 18, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - World AI Show & Awards, is taking place on 25 - 26 May 2022 at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers in Dubai. Daniel Shearly, VP of Products at GfK is delivering a Tech Talk on 'Transforming businesses with Artificial Intelligence' highlighting how the changing space of AI has contributed to disruptions in businesses and how companies must derive value from predictive analytics. Speaking of the partnership, Nacho San Martin, Managing Director - ME, GfK said, "We are excited to partner with World AI Show which aims to explore the prospects of innovations in the global AI landscape. GfK is a SaaS-powered data analytics and decision support company offering consulting services globally for the consumer products industry. The company has been leading Data and Science innovation since 1934 and at World AI Show we aim to engage with the industry leaders on transforming businesses with AI.""Every day, brand, marketing and business leaders face data overload, market noise, disruption, misuse, and acceleration. Hence, it is vital in this day and age for companies to be data-driven if they want to grow revenue and profits. At GfK, we help companies to extract the right signals from the noise for confident decision-making," Daniel Shearly, VP of Products at GfK further added.According to Mithun Shetty, CEO of Trescon, "We are excited to have GfK engage with the regional tech leaders at World AI Show. GfK is revolutionizing real-time access to critical knowledge. We are enthusiastic to learn more about how their solutions can drive the future of data and analytics at World AI Show." He further added, "The show will feature keynotes, panel discussions, tech talks, and more from major technology stakeholders from critical industries such as government think tanks, healthcare, banking, and finance, to name a few."GfK. Growth from Knowledge.For over 85 years, we have earned the trust of our clients around the world by supporting them in business-critical decision-making processes around consumers, markets, brands, and media. Our reliable data and insights, together with advanced AI capabilities, have revolutionized access to real-time, actionable recommendations that drive the marketing, sales, and organizational effectiveness of our clients and partners. That's how we promise and deliver Growth from Knowledge.About World AI ShowWorld AI Show is a thought-leadership-driven, business-focused, global series of events that takes place in strategic locations across the world. The show is a one-of-a-kind gathering of pre-qualified CIOs, CEOs, CTOs, Heads of AI, Chief Digital Officers, Heads of Innovation, and International AI experts. Witness powerful keynotes, workshops, use-case presentations, product exhibitions, panel discussions, and tech talks to find solutions for issues and trends within the AI and RPA space.About TresconTrescon is a global business events and consulting firm that provide a wide range of business services to a diversified client base that includes corporations, governments and individuals. Trescon is specialized in producing highly focused B2B events that connect businesses with opportunities through conferences, roadshows, expos, demand generation, investor connect and consulting services. For further details about the announcement, please contact:Karthik A.Assistant Marketing Manager, Tresconmedia@tresconglobal.com Sameer JoshiAccount Lead for GfK, Whitelabel Mediasameer@whitelabelmedia.me Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

27 2 月, 2022

Delayed GST hike a relief for businesses, with many already facing higher costs

23 2 月, 2022

HKTDC welcomes 2022/23 Budget

HONG KONG, Feb 23, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) welcomes the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) 2022/23 Budget, including the additional funding to the Council for a support scheme for Hong Kong businesses in Mainland China, to help them capture opportunities under the National 14th Five-year Plan. The Budget was announced by the HKSAR Financial Secretary Paul Chan earlier today with relief measures for citizens and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong to support the economy amid the continuing COVID-19 challenges, and plan for its long-term sustainable development.HKTDC Chairman Dr Peter K N Lam said: "The pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to SMEs in the past two years. The measures announced in this year's Budget, including enhancements to various export credit and SME financing schemes, can alleviate pressures on cash flow and operations. In addition, the various measures to support the IP (intellectual property) and technology sectors can also help SMEs tap into new markets and upgrade and transform their business."We are also encouraged that the HKSAR Government has allocated additional funding to support Hong Kong businesses pursuing development in the mainland. Through our network of mainland offices, we will work with partners including established Hong Kong business, professional services, and young entrepreneur associations in these cities, to organise training, exchange events, business missions and promotion campaigns."We believe this can help Hong Kong businesses in the mainland to expand and capture opportunities arising from the 'dual circulation' strategy and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, so as to better integrate into the nation's development." Dr Lam said.In addition to the mainland market, the HKTDC will continue helping SMEs capture business opportunities in mature and emerging markets. Dr Lam said: "We will continue to help Hong Kong companies develop ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and mature markets with enhancements to our flagship overseas promotions such as 'Think Business, Think Hong Kong', as well as strengthen our online and offline platforms, business matching services, SME support schemes and other training activities, to help Hong Kong businesses connect with global enterprises and target relevant opportunities effectively. We are also glad to learn that the Government will actively consider attracting more conventions and exhibition events to be organised in Hong Kong when the pandemic subsides.""Our team at the HTKDC will do all we can to create new opportunities for our industries, enabling them to diversify and find new impetus for recovery and growth amid the pandemic." Dr Lam added.Media enquiries:HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs DepartmentSusanna Sin, Tel: +852 2584 4294, Email: susanna.kc.sin@hktdc.orgAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

2 2 月, 2022

Looking Toward Strengthening our Existing Businesses and Creating of New, Highly Profitable Businesses Restructuring Hitachi High-Tech Fine Systems

TOKYO, Feb 2, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Hitachi High-Tech Corporation ("Hitachi High-Tech") today announced the restructuring of Hitachi High-Tech Fine Systems Corporation ("HFS") on April 1, 2022, as part of Hitachi High-Tech's key initiatives for our 2024 Mid-Term Management Plan. Hitachi High-Tech aims to create new businesses that will be a key part of our future, in tandem with the plans to further expand the growth and profitability of our existing businesses.Through corporate divestiture, HFS will transfer its railroad inspection, HD/FPD(1) and laboratory solutions businesses to Hitachi High-Tech Solutions Corporation ("HSL") and transfer its manufacturing functions to Hitachi High-Tech Manufacturing & Service Co., Ltd. ("HMS"). Furthermore, the prototyping, development, and other functions of HFS will be transferred to Hitachi High-Tech through an absorption-type merger, with HFS as absorbed company and Hitachi High-Tech as the surviving company.Business Restructuring GoalsThe environment surrounding society is changing every day with developments in digitization and the acceleration of innovations in technology. In order to respond swiftly to the changing market environments, the needs and business challenges of our customers in such circumstances, the Hitachi High-Tech Group is working on enhancing and integrating our core technologies, optimizing our manufacturing frameworks, and accelerating prototype development through Group-integrated business management.This restructuring is one measure of these key initiatives we are working on, and by utilizing the core competencies (analysis and inspection technologies, production facility engineering capabilities, manufacturing capabilities) of HFS, one of the major group companies, the Hitachi High-Tech Group aims to reinforce our core Measurement and Analysis technologies, further increase the profitability of our fundamental businesses and strengthen the creation of new businesses that will be a key pillar of our future. Business Restructuring Overview Summary:1. Railroad Inspection, HD/FPD, Laboratory SolutionsWe aim to integrate the laser- and magnetic-analysis technologies of HFS with the measurement and control technologies of HSL, and create new solutions that will be one of the core pillar of our future business.2. Prototyping and DevelopmentWith the integration of the prototyping and development functions of HFS into Hitachi High-Tech, we aim to improve our development efficiency in product manufacturing through accelerated prototype development.3. Manufacturing FunctionsWe will achieve high-efficiency manufacturing of Hitachi High-Tech Group products by concentrating our manufacturing functions into HMS.Through this restructuring, the Hitachi High-Tech Group is looking toward creating new, highly profitable businesses from our core technologies of "Observation, Measurement, and Analysis" along with leveraging the core competencies of HFS to bolster the existing businesses of Hitachi High-Tech. The Hitachi High-Tech Group continues to work on creation of new social and environmental value, and aim to sustainably improve our corporate value.(1) HD/FPD: Hard-Disk and Flat Panel Display About Hitachi High-TechHitachi High-Tech, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is engaged in activities in a broad range of fields, including Analytical & Medical Solutions (manufacture and sales of clinical analyzers, biotechnology products, and analytical instruments), Nano- Technology Solutions (manufacture and sales of semiconductor manufacturing equipment and analysis equipment), and Industrial Solutions (providing high value- added solutions in fields of social & industrial infrastructures and mobility, etc.).The company's consolidated revenues for FY 2020 were approx. JPY 606.3 billion [USD 5.7 billion]. For further information, visit http://www.hitachi-hightech.com/global/Corporate Communications Dept., CSR Div.,Hitachi High-Tech Corporation Contact: NishikawaPhone: +81-80-9207-5949 Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

7 12 月, 2021

Suggestions wanted for Budget 2022: How S’pore can thrive in post-Covid-19 world and go green

SINGAPORE - Singaporeans may share their views and suggestions for Budget 2022 from today till Jan 17 next year. Suggestions are being sought based on three themes. They are: thriving in a post-Covid-19 world; strengthening Singapore's social compact to build a more inclusive country; and preparing Singapore for a greener and more sustainable future. The post-Covid-19 world will be a fundamentally different one that will call for Singapore to refine its strategies and plans to seize new opportunities, said the Ministry of Finance, government feedback unit Reach and the People's Association in a joint statement on Tuesday (Dec 7). Given that context, Singaporeans are encouraged to respond to two prompts: First, what are the challenges and opportunities for families or households, workers and businesses in the post-Covid-19 world? Second, what more can be done to support families or households, workers and businesses to thrive and seize opportunities in the post-Covid-19 world? Suggestions that help workers and businesses to transform and innovate are welcome. The second theme, strengthening Singapore's social compact, also seeks to address Covid-19's impact on society. "Covid-19 has deepened social and economic inequalities in many countries," said the statement. "Across the world, Covid-19 impacted lower-income and lower-skilled workers the most. In Singapore, we will need to tackle the vulnerabilities of certain segments of our society, and redouble our efforts to strengthen our social compact." Suggestions on actions that individuals and the wider community can take - together with the Government - to build a fairer and more inclusive home, are welcome. Views on underserved needs and the concerns of the lower-income and vulnerable groups are also being sought. Finally, Singaporeans are urged to be involved in the country's transition to green energy, and to participate in and grow a sustainability movement for Singapore. "The green economy presents new opportunities for growth and job creation as well," said the statement. Along these lines, ideas on how individuals, businesses and households can contribute to a greener, more sustainable Singapore, are being sought, as well as suggestions on how the Government may facilitate these efforts. Ideas on how the Government can support businesses and workers to seize green growth opportunities are also welcome. The public may submit ideas through several channels over a six-week period. They are: The Singapore Budget website, the Reach website and its Facebook and Instagram pages, and the People's Association engagement platforms, which include social media pages and virtual engagement sessions. More on this topic Related Story President Halimah briefed on impact of Covid-19, climate change on investment returns in lead up to Budget 2022 Related Story Revised carbon tax rate for 2024 to be announced in Budget next year: Lawrence Wong

26 11 月, 2021

Singapore P2P Lender BRDGE: Flexible financing key to SME survival during pandemic-driven business uncertainty; launches F&B loans package and SME digitalisation platform

SINGAPORE, Nov 26, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - BRDGE Technology (BRDGE), an MAS licensed Peer-to-Peer lending platform launched in 2014, today announced the launch of a food and beverage (F&B) financing package specially catered to support Singapore's Food and Beverage (F&B) Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the current pandemic-driven uncertainty around dining-in. The loans package, with affordable interest rates from less than 1% per month and a short tenure of three-to-six-months, is specially designed to help establishments survive and potentially thrive during this period when cashflow is of importance for salaries and rentals.One unique aspect of the F&B BRDGE loan is the credit assessment process, which takes the challenging business landscape into account with a lowered and targeted criteria on credit assessment: BRDGE will assess only the latest three-to-six months of the SME's recent cashflow, bank statements and bank balance, matched against the changing dining-in rules, to identify F&B businesses which are able to survive and thrive.BRDGE offers funding support for SMEs that are non-bankable or unable to secure a loan from traditional financial institutions. Most of the time it is due to a less than two-year track record or small annual revenues, or have maxed their credit facilities or who require a Bridging Loan. BRDGE then carries out an assessment and matches SMEs with potential investors.Mr Kevin Wong, CEO, BRDGE Technology, said, "The government has been extremely supportive with the various grants and packages for businesses and their employees in Singapore since the start of the pandemic, and the community has also continued their support to Singapore SMEs. However, with the recently announced extension of the stabilisation phase, Singapore businesses, specifically F&B establishments which depend very much on dining-in for their revenues, continue to be pressured by thinner margins, tight cashflow, and the rising cost of rent and labour. With group sizes for dining-in having been adjusted more than 10 times since April 2020, F&B businesses are faced with continued uncertainty and many are on the brink of survival. This loan package is designed to help them survive and potentially thrive in the short term, with a more relevant assessment process grounded in the very different business reality today."Cashflow a priority for SMEs during COVID-19Since the start of the pandemic in April 2020 till today, BRDGE has funded more than 46 SMEs with more than S$ 11m in loans. As compared to a similar period pre-pandemic (April 2019 to April 2020), there has been a distinct reduction of 58% to the average loan size per borrower from S$352,000 vs S$836,000, alluding to a shift in borrowing for growth pre-pandemic, to survival during the pandemic with cash used to maintain operational costs.More SMEs has also requested for funding since April 2020, at 46 against 17 pre-pandemic, with companies from industries such as Arts, Entertainment and Recreation, Health and Medical, Marine and Shipping, and Beauty and Wellness, requesting for loans.Kevin added, "As the pandemic continues, more and more businesses are facing problems maintaining cashflow. We're also seeing a fundamental shift in the reasons for getting loans. Where previously companies were discussing funding to help them grow or expand, today we are speaking to business owners who are concerned about surviving to the next month. The government and consumers are surely doing their part to help businesses survive, but every little bit helps and this relook at how we assess loans is one part of our commitment to the Singapore business community."As part of its efforts to tide SMEs through this challenging period, BRDGE also recently started developing B Mart, a new e-commerce mobile app that is designed to help SMEs in Singapore digitalise and find new customers online. On the platform now are more than 7 businesses with over 500 SKUs representing B2B industries such as Creative and Marketing and B2C businesses such as Food & Beverages, Beauty & Health, Fashion, etc. BRDGE plans to increase this to 2,000 SKUs by the end of the year, with all 237 BRDGE's SME borrowers since 2014 being able to tap on this platform. All applicants of today's F&B BRDGE loans can have access to the platform and will be able to tap on the BRDGE online delivery app at a fixed and competitive 5% commission rate to help lower operational costs.F&B businesses can apply for the BRDGE F&B loan via the BRDGE website: https://register.brdge.tech/fandb-smes, while investors who are seeking to support local businesses can find out more here https://register.brdge.tech/fandb-investor or register themselves on the BRDGE website.SME owners who are interested in listing their products on the B Mart app to grow their customer base and business can get in touch with BRDGE directly at admin@bmart.sg.About BRDGE TechnologyBRDGE Technology is an MAS licensed P2P lending platform with a Capital Market Service license (CMS 100642). Founded in 2014, it is among the pioneer batch of homegrown P2P lending platforms and is the highest-rated crowdfunding platform on Seedly. Till date, BRDGE has crowdfunded a total of S$72,022,115 and has a community size of over 17,000 investors and SMEs. https://www.brdge.tech/FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIESPRecious Communications for BRDGEMartin Lim, BRDGE@preciouscomms.comFACTSHEETAddress: 57 Mohamed Sultan Rd #03-05 Sultan-Link, Singapore 238997Tel: 6916 1799Email: hellosg@brdge.techWebsite: https://www.brdge.tech/iOS App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1061018232Android App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app.brdgeSeedly Reviews: https://seedly.sg/reviews/p2p-lending/brdge-p2p-lendingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/BRDGEsgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/brdgesgLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brdgesg/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxsxymQ5CU8K0NL0thZXzrA Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

30 9 月, 2021

InvestHK: HKSAR Government’s “Report on Hong Kong’s Business Environment” highlights Hong Kong’s unique advantages and unlimited opportunities

HONG KONG, Sep 30, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) announced today (September 29) a series of promotions building upon the "Report on Hong Kong's Business Environment: A Place with Unique Advantages and Unlimited Opportunities" (www.hkeconomy.gov.hk/en/environment/index.htm) published this week by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).Mr Stephen PhillipsThe Director-General of Investment Promotion of the HKSAR, Mr Stephen Phillips, said that the report, announced by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, on September 27, sets out very clearly the exciting opportunities for businesses from around the world in Hong Kong and at the same time sets the record straight about international investors' misconceptions of Hong Kong as a result of persistent biased media reports in some quarters."The report not only outlines clearly the robust strengths of Hong Kong as an international financial, aviation, innovation and technology, legal and cultural hub, but also highlights the many attractive opportunities the city has to offer multinationals and entrepreneurs who want a reliable, efficient business base in Asia," Mr Phillips said."It is very important for us to tell the real Hong Kong story to the international business community that under the Central Government's support and the 'one country, two systems' principle, Hong Kong and businesses in Hong Kong have a bright future with fantastic opportunities."Mr Phillips added, "Our pipeline remains strong with many multinationals, small and medium-sized companies and start-ups still planning to come to our city to develop their businesses and scale into Mainland China and wider Asia. Going forward, with the continued support of the Central Government, we see very bright prospects for Hong Kong's economy."InvestHK is organising a series of global webinars to be held on October 7 for business communities around the world to provide an update on Hong Kong's latest business environment and key announcements relevant to business in next week's Policy Address.A short video summarising the report can be found at https://youtu.be/zhSxxEo32l4. Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

9 9 月, 2021

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Sept 9

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Thursday, Sept 9. S'pore's new Covid-19 workplace rules challenging, say business leaders Some said that the rules could be disruptive, particularly in the face of a manpower crunch. READ MORE HERE How can firms in S'pore operate safely under new Covid-19 measures? ST addresses questions about the Ministry of Manpower's new advisory. READ MORE HERE Unvaccinated 93-year-old woman dies of Covid-19, bringing death toll in S'pore to 56 She had a history of diabetes, chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Touching vegetables could have led to Covid-19 spread: Should I wear gloves when shopping? What safety precautions should you take? We ask the experts. READ MORE HERE Beijing hints at continued regulatory crackdown on tech giants As Beijing attempts to better regulate industries, investors have been spooked by the pace of policy changes. READ MORE HERE More people killed or injured in S'pore road accidents in first half of this year This is likely due to the rise in the number of vehicles on the road as Covid-19 restrictions were relaxed. READ MORE HERE More businesses in S'pore switching to digital name cards The shift is good for the environment and saves costs but some printing businesses are badly affected. READ MORE HERE Selangor government drops plan to raze Malaysia forest reserve after uproar The affected area, slightly larger than Singapore's Sentosa Island, had been approved for a mixed use commercial development. READ MORE HERE Parents of Yale-NUS students ask to meet NUS president over college's closure More than 260 parents want a townhall meeting to discuss the reasons for the college's closure. READ MORE HERE Silver Arts festival marks 10th year celebrating seniors in the arts There will be performances, workshops and exhibitions over four months. READ MORE HERE

21 7 月, 2021

Top Tech Leaders to Convene to Drive the Adoption of AI in Malaysia

MALAYSIA, Jul 21, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The potential of AI is far from being fully exploited thus making now the best time for Malaysia to sprint to the front of the race. With the special focus on the Malaysian market, the 26th edition of World AI Show -- Malaysia is set to take place virtually on 23 July 2021.The show will feature eye-opening keynotes, workshops, use-case presentations, product exhibitions, panel discussions and tech talks to find solutions for issues and trends within the AI space.Growth of AI in Malaysia.Malaysia's digital economy is expected to contribute 20 per cent to its GDP this year. E-commerce, in particular, is expected to exceed RM110 billion, making up nearly 40 per cent of Malaysia's digital economy.According to digitalnews.com 45 per cent of organizations in Malaysia have plans to adopt AI within two years, the 2nd highest among Asia/Pacific countries. According to capco.com, 82 per cent of businesses in Malaysia prioritize skilling and reskilling of workers in the future. They plan to invest as much, or even more, in human capital as in new technology. according to capco.comThe event will focus on topics such as AI-driven innovation in the new normal; the road to efficient deployment of AI; human and machine interface to detect cyber threats and risks; how data virtualization accelerates ML and AI projects; AI framework and technological infrastructure strategies for the Malaysian and APAC Government authorities; powering data with AI and much more. The show will feature a groundbreaking collaboration of experts such as:- Shaun McGirr - AI Evangelist, Dataiku- Alex Hoehl - Senior Director, Partner Channel Sales & Business Development, APAC, Denodo- Sigrit Siht - Director of Data Policy, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, Estonia- Asif M Iqbal - Head of Advanced Analytics, Digi Telecommunication- Gerard K M Lim - CEO, Agroz Group- Dr Hazlina Selamat - Associate Professor, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)- Balaji Rajamani - Enterprise Architect - Data Management and Analytics, Tetra Pak- Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh - President, Association Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM)- Steven Wong Weng Leong - Chief Digital & Global Banking Strategist, China Construction Bank- Alan Cheah - Country GM, Carsome Certified- Karun Azhisur - CIO Gas Power Asia, GE India; to name a few."We frequently discuss emerging technologies and their implications for society. But, in terms of its impact on society and technology, we have never seen a technology evolve as quickly as AI. In today's world, the playing field is poised to become a lot more competitive. Businesses that do not use AI and data to aid innovation will be at a significant disadvantage. The 26th edition of World AI Show is designed to address these issues and pave the way to move ahead," stated Mithun Shetty - CEO, Trescon.The show will be hosted on the virtual events platform Vmeets to help participants network and conduct business in an interactive and immersive virtual environment. Participants can also engage with the speakers during Q&A sessions and network with solution providers/sponsors at their virtual exhibition booths, private consultation rooms and meeting tables.World AI Show - Malaysia is officially sponsored by Platinum Sponsor - Dataiku, Gold Sponsor - Denodo. To get your complimentary passes, visit - WAIS_MalaysiaAbout World AI Show - Malaysia World AI Show is a thought-leadership-driven, business-focused, global series of events taking place in strategic locations across the world.It connects top AI experts, enterprises, government representatives, data scientists, technology leaders, startups, investors, researchers, academicians, and global AI innovators - to discuss the impact of AI on commercial applications and the revolutionary ways it can transform businesses and government functions.For further details, please contact:Monith M Shetty Corporate Communication Executivemarketing@tresconglobal.com Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

14 7 月, 2021

140,000 more locals hired under Jobs Growth Incentive scheme since November 2020

SINGAPORE - Another 140,000 locals have found new jobs since November last year under a government scheme to help employers expand their local workforce, the Ministry of Manpower said on Wednesday (July 14). As at February this year, there were 270,000 Singapore citizens and permanent residents hired by 42,000 businesses. The Jobs Growth Incentive (JGI) scheme was introduced in August last year. About half of the 270,000 workers were not employed at the point of hiring and about one-third had been out of work for more than six months. About 60 per cent were previously employed in a different sector. The JGI scheme, which is set to be extended to September this year, aims to spur firms to hire more locals, with $1 billion set aside to provide wage support for these workers. Firms that hire local workers will receive a subsidy of 25 per cent of the first $5,000 of their gross monthly salaries for up to one year. From March 1 this year, those hiring workers aged 40 and above, people with disabilities or former offenders can receive a co-payment of up to 50 per cent of the first $6,000 of their gross monthly income for up to 18 months. Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said that 99 per cent of the businesses that created new jobs under the JGI scheme were small and medium-sized enterprises. About half of the businesses hired one to two local workers, while the remaining half hired more than two workers. He was speaking to reporters at a virtual briefing after a visit on Wednesday to The Social Kitchen located at Jurong Bird Park. It is a social enterprise that hires people with disabilities as well as mature workers and received support from the JGI scheme as a result. Dr Tan said the latest figures are "very reassuring, comforting and promising". He noted that a significant number of new jobs had been created in growth sectors such as wholesale trade, professional services, and information and communications. Employers in the food services and retail sectors accounted for 20 per cent of the new hires, supporting the recovery of those sectors, Dr Tan said. "The JGI-eligible employers were successful in tapping a wider pool of job seekers, including those who were previously unemployed, as well as mature workers who may require skills top-ups for them to make mid-career switches. This is actually quite remarkable," he added. He urged employers to tap government support to reskill their workers to take on redesigned roles, such as through career conversion programmes and productivity solutions grants. Dr Tan said that in a constantly changing and evolving environment, it may be difficult to find the "perfect worker" to match a job. "But I think... when we open up our mindset, we will be able to find a lot of good matches and train them. So I believe that this is how our businesses, our workers can both grow and emerge stronger together," he said. More on this topic Related Story S'pore employment numbers exceed estimates Related Story S'pore's labour market continues recovery into 1st quarter; total employment grows by 12,200

2 12 月, 2020

Singaporeans invited to share their views and hopes for Budget 2021

SINGAPORE - The Ministry of Finance has invited Singaporeans to share their views and hopes for the upcoming Budget, slated to be unveiled in February 2021. They can do so from Wednesday (Dec 2) until January 8, 2021 through various channels. Government feedback unit Reach will have virtual and physical listening points set up at high-traffic areas, while People's Association and its grassroots organisations will also reach out to Singaporeans via virtual engagement platforms such as Ask Kopi Kakis #shareyourviews. Details of the Reach physical Listening points can be found on the Reach Budget 2021 microsite, while details of the Ask Kopi Kakis #shareyourviews engagement can be found at the website. The themes and questions to be covered include the economy, workforce, society and community, a safe and smart nation, as well as environmental sustainability. Here are some of the details: 1. Adapting our way of life to be a safe and Smart Nation Singapore evolved and adapted its strategy to keep Covid-19 under control, and had to step up digital adoption to ensure people remain connected. Besides providing digital access for students from low-income backgrounds, the Seniors Go Digital and Hawkers Go Digital Movement helped those who are less familiar with technology. Questions include: How Singapore can continue to strengthen links with other countries while protecting its people, and how it can encourage and accelerate digital adoption, especially among those who are unfamiliar with the use of technology. 2. Emerging stronger as an economy Singapore remains in a good position to identify and respond to new economic opportunities. For example, it can invest in economic resilience and sustainability as a source of growth and competitive advantage. The Emerging Stronger Taskforce (EST) has been set up to update Singapore's economic roadmap to respond to the new realities. The taskforce has set up Alliances for Action (AfAs) in growth areas such as sustainability, enabling safe and innovative visitor experiences, and facilitating smart commerce. Questions include: How businesses can transform and thrive in a post-Covid-19 world, what help businesses need to access bigger overseas markets such as in Asean, how to build a resilient workforce to support the economy, and how the Government can partner businesses and workers to deliver support schemes better and at larger scale. 3. Emerging stronger as a workforce Covid-19 has accelerated economic transformation and the business environment has become more volatile. Older workers, lower-wage workers and gig workers have been particularly affected. Singapore needs to strengthen support for workers, including softening or lessening the impact of unemployment on the vulnerable. Questions include: How to equip the workforce with the skills to stay relevant, how to build a culture of lifelong learning and constant reskilling in the workforce, how to better support middle-aged workers who may face greater difficulty in acquiring new skills, how the Government, employers, and lower-wage workers can work together to uplift workers' incomes in a meaningful and sustainable way, and how to help gig economy and informal workers save more towards their healthcare and retirement. More on this topic Related Story Work begins on Budget 2021 as DPM Heng briefs President on economic outlook Related Story Singapore will likely see a Budget deficit next year: PM Lee 4. Emerging stronger as a society and community The pandemic has posed greater challenges to the vulnerable groups. At the same time, there has been a deepened sense of solidarity and a greater momentum for giving. If there can be more participation and resources from the community, this will lead to better support for those in need and a more inclusive and resilient society. Questions include: How to encourage stronger partnerships across the Government, businesses and the community to support vulnerable groups more effectively, how to review and improve current schemes to further support families and community in caring for one another, and how to better assist low-income households who still need further help with their cost of living. 5. Building a green and sustainable future There can be collaboration between the Government, community and businesses to make Singapore a liveable city, promote the sustainability agenda, and tackle the effects of climate change. Questions include: New areas where the Government can partner businesses and citizens to improve Singapore's liveability and promote environmental, resource, and climate sustainability; and how the Government can finance green infrastructure and initiatives, while managing costs across the different generations who will benefit. As part of the SG Together Emerging Stronger Conversations, Reach will hold a pre-Budget conversation on Wednesday, chaired by Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance and National Development Indranee Rajah. She will be joined by the Reach chairman and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office and Ministry of National Development Tan Kiat How. More on this topic Related Story Singapore is turning the corner, but long way to go still in economic recovery: Chan Chun Sing Related Story Job disruption to continue in the new 'never normal'

30 10 月, 2020

Mobile phone seller is first person to be charged with failing to register GST for online sales

SINGAPORE - A man who sold mobile phones has become the first person in Singapore to be charged with failing to register the goods and services tax (GST) for online sales. Edwin Pang Chung Jie used to own two firms - Edmobile and Moggi - through which he sold mobile phones and accessories on platforms such as Lazada, Shopee and Carousell. The 40-year-old Singaporean was also charged on Friday (Oct 30) with two counts of submitting incorrect income tax returns without reasonable excuse, as well as two counts of failing to keep proper records of the invoices he received linked to his businesses. In a statement, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras) said that the total amount of tax undercharged and tax due is $129,411. On Oct 30, 2013, Pang allegedly failed to notify the Comptroller of GST of his liability to be registered for the tax. This is said to have resulted in $118,023.23 in tax due for the period between Dec 1, 2013, and Sept 30, 2015. Pang is accused of making an incorrect return by understating his income on April 16, 2014, resulting in income tax undercharged totalling $8,792.87. On April 16, 2018, he is said to have understated his income tax return by $26,336.27. This allegedly led to $2,595.74 in income tax undercharged. Pang is also accused of failing to keep proper records of the invoices on multiple occasions between Jan 1, 2013, and July 17, 2018. More on this topic Related Story Analysts expect big drop in corporate income tax, GST collections Related Story GST rate increase cannot be deferred indefinitely: Heng Swee Keat Iras said in its statement that between 2015 and last year, it recovered more than $3.8 million in taxes and penalties from 65 audit cases on taxpayers who operate online businesses. It added that like with regular bricks-and-mortar businesses, "all income from online and e-commerce businesses in Singapore must be reported for tax purposes". "To ensure that they pay the right amount of taxes, businesses should practise good record keeping by maintaining a full and complete physical or digital record of income and expenses such as invoices, receipts, vouchers, bank and credit card statements, bills, cheques, proof of payments and other documentary evidence," Iras said. The court heard that Pang intends to admit to his offences. His bail was set at $40,000 and he will be back in court on Nov 27. Failing to register for GST is an offence and errant businesses may have to pay 10 per cent of GST due as a penalty, and may incur a fine of up to $10,000.