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SF Intra-City reduced losses by over 50% year-over-year in 2022, Increasing benefits from scale effect

HONG KONG, Jan 30, 2023 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Hangzhou SF Intra-City Industrial Co., Ltd. ("SF Intra-City" or the "Company", together with its subsidiaries the "Group"; stock code: 9699), the largest third-party on-demand delivery service platform in China(1), announced today that the Group expects the consolidated net loss attributable to the owners of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2022 (the "Year") to decrease by more than 50% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. These results reflect the increasingly apparent benefits of the Group's diversified service landscape and technology-driven efficiency improvements.During the Year, the Group strived to provide high quality, efficient and stable instant fulfilment services, achieving good revenue growth and enhanced economies of scale and network effects thanks to its efforts to build a healthy and robust business structure and its in-depth cultivation of diversified service scenarios such as delivery in a broad range of sectors, including the food and beverage and retail sectors, its expansion in lower-tier cities and personalised services. Furthermore, the significant improvements in the Group's gross profit and gross profit margin for the Year are attributable to differentiated services driving high-value orders, comprehensive planning and scheduling driven by technology to achieve better delivery network efficiency and various measures to continuously refine management and enhance operation quality, which led to improvement in the efficiency of resource allocation and utilisation.SF Intra-City's gross profit has turned positive since FY2021's annual results, and gross profit and net profit improved further in the first half of FY2022, achieving a gross profit of RMB180.2 million and a gross profit margin of 4.0% in the first half of FY2022. In addition, the Group previously entered into a delivery partnership with Douyin Life Service, which is now available on a trial basis in a number of cities. With the accelerated development of Douyin's live e-commerce ecosystem, this segment will contribute considerable incremental order volume to SF Intra-City in the future. As the largest third-party on-demand delivery service platform in China, the Group continues to achieve benefits from the scale effect, and both the fundamentals and the overall trend continue to improve, driving stronger earnings performance.Mr. Sun Haijin, CEO of SF Intra-City said, "Merchants' and users' demand for on-demand delivery has clearly increased over the last year, and the value of third-party on-demand delivery services is being realized. In order to enhance the service experience for our merchants and users, we have further developed and strengthened our technology capabilities, operational infrastructure and business layout over the years, driving high levels of revenue growth and continuous improvements in profitability. Looking ahead, we will continue to broaden our range of service scenarios and industry solutions, optimize our business structure, and enhance our value by creating differentiated service capabilities, so as to ensure a high-quality and stable consumer experience and empower merchants' business operations. We firmly believe in the long-term value of local lifestyle services and on-demand services, and we will strive to achieve profitability and create long-term value for our shareholders."About Hangzhou SF Intra-City Industrial Co., Ltd. (stock code: 9699.HK)SF Intra-City focuses on the emerging opportunities of intra-city on-demand delivery services. Since 2019, SF Intra-City has operated as an independent legal entity to capture the growth opportunities arising from the new consumption trends. SF Intra-City adopts a multi-scenario business model, providing full coverage of delivery scenarios for all types of products and services. The Company's extensive service coverage, ranging from mature scenarios such as food delivery to growth scenarios such as local retail, local e-commerce and local services, has enabled it to respond to the evolving customer needs resulting from the development and upgrade of the local consumer market. For more details, please visit company's website: https://ir.sf-cityrush.com/en/investor-relations/.(1) Ranking is based on independent third-party order volume in China in 2021, according to iResearch. The calculation of order volume takes into account the number of orders sourced independently by the market players, excluding orders from related parties. Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Mitsubishi Corporation and ENEOS launch a Joint Venture for Last One Mile Delivery Business based at Gas Stations

TOKYO, Jan 5, 2023 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Mitsubishi Corporation and ENEOS Corporation are pleased to announce our agreement to establish a joint-venture company (JV) aimed at optimizing delivery operations by leveraging gas stations (service stations/SS).The business shall take advantage of ENEOS's SS network, which spans more than 12,000 locations across Japan, to improve overland shipping throughout the country. With each SS functioning as both a last-mile distribution point and temporary storage facility, this new business promises to shorten the final legs of transport, which is from the final delivery point to the final destination. The analysis results(1) has already shown that using SS as distribution points can reduce the overall mileage of overland deliveries compared to direct delivery from large warehouses, which should also reduce the burden on drivers and delivery costs.Furthermore, the fact that SS tend to be already optimized to accommodate smooth inbound and outbound traffic makes them ideal logistics hubs. Using ENEOS's existing SS network should also help to minimize any additional costs associated with setting up the delivery points.In the delivery industry, the growth of online shopping has increased home deliveries, which has led to greater demand for more efficient last-mile services. Meeting that demand will require more final distribution point and flexible logistics frameworks. MC and ENEOS have been conducting trials that use some of ENEOS's SS as distribution points. We have now agreed to establish a JV with the aim of clarifying the business entities and accelerating the verification of commercialization, and we will conduct demonstration as a JV with shippers (including EC companies, delivery companies) and delivery partners at SS, with the aim of launching the business. A large-scale demonstration project is now in the works to assess the business's feasibility and scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2023, it shall concentrate on 100 SS located in Tokyo and its surrounding three prefectures, where high demand for home delivery is expected. The plan is to grow the business to cover between 500 and 1,000 SS by fiscal year 2025 and commence work in fiscal year 2026 to expand operations nationwide. Our joint venture also plans to develop a delivery solutions app, which shall leverage data and expertise gleaned through the trials in connection with delivery-management systems used by shippers to promote smooth last-mile operations. We are confident that successful rollout of this app should help to further ease the burden and raise efficiency throughout the industry. MC has made digital transformations (DX) a key objective in Midterm Corporate Strategy 2024. During that time, MC aims to enhance its cross-industry DX functions and parlay real-world DX projects into greater business value. By effectively combining analog and digital operations, MC hopes to develop a wide range of societal solutions, thereby growing industry at large and paving the way to more richly and regionally flavored future communities. One of the ENEOS Group's envisioned goals stated in its Long-Term Vision to 2040 is to create value by transforming our current business structure. ENEOS is working to create lifestyle support services and grow nationwide SS network into a platform that provides total services for all needs, according to the customer's stage of life. Through this delivery optimization business model using ENEOS's SS network, we are taking an important step towards raising the efficiency of last-mile deliveries, which will also contribute to promote a low-carbon society. (1) Analysis by HERE TechnologiesInquiry RecipientMitsubishi CorporationTelephone:+81-3-3210-2171Facsimile:+81-3-5252-7705 Copyright 2023 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Sri Trang introduces new Super Driver jobs for traditional natural rubber planters

BANGKOK, Dec 6, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Sri Trang Agro-Industry Plc. (SET: STA), the world's leading fully integrated natural rubber company, has opened registration for "Super Drivers" to create extra income for rubber planters from a secondary career as rubber transporters, building a rubber delivery network from plantations to factories in the Sri Trang Group. This will connect stakeholders in the rubber industry ecosystem, and drive the industry towards digitalization.Mr. Veerasith Sinchareonkul, President & Executive Director of Sri Trang Agro-Industry (STA) explained that following the Company's launch of "Sri Trang Friends", the first App. to combine support services for farmers, trading partners, and related services across the digital platform, recently expanding with the new "Sri Trang Friends Station" App, which offers a rubber sales and trading platform, and allows interested natural rubber planters across the country to apply for membership, facilitating a more transparent and professional rubber trading business. This is a major development that will propel the Thai rubber industry towards digitalization, connecting networks of stakeholders across the natural rubber industry ecosystem in Thailand.Most recently, the Sri Trang Group initiated the new "Super Driver" service, "heroes" to fellow farmers, providing rubber delivery services to Sri Trang rubber factories for fellow rubber planters who may be constrained by distance. The "Super Drivers" will pick up the rubber from plantation owners who require this service, then deliver the products to Sri Trang factories, thus alleviating the problems associated with approaching the factories and the delivery of rubber. Initially, the program is being launched as pilot projects in Loei and Ubon Ratchathani provinces, and will soon be introduced throughout the country.The main differences that makes the "Super Driver" model special are the approach and the application process. The main target groups are the rubber planters, or those with families in the rubber plantation or rubber delivery business, with their own delivery trucks, who would like to earn extra income, and be ready to represent the senders and various types of natural rubber, such as fresh latex, cup lump rubber, raw rubber sheets and ribbed smoked rubber sheets from plantations in nearby vicinities, to be delivered to factories in the Sri Trang Group. The main purpose of "Super Driver" recruitment is to create an additional income stream for rubber planters and their relatives, along with helping rubber planters with direct access to the factories, as if having the factories right on the gates of their plantations. This is also in line with the Company's policy to conduct its businesses sustainably by caring for the stakeholders in all sectors.There are no application fees for the applicants. Moreover, they will receive the following benefits: 1) The ready-for-use POS with the downloaded App., 2) A floor-stand weighing scale, and 3) A gift set for Super Drivers, etc. Income from the delivery of rubber to the factory plus the diligence bonus for each "Super Driver" is expected to amount to approximately 18,500 baht per month."Our big mission is to create an additional income stream for people in and around rubber plantations by their becoming Super Drivers so they can elevate their quality of life. In addition, the model will provide easy access and opportunities for plantations that are located far away, to access the factories more readily, while connecting all the people involved in the rubber industry ecosystem through the App. which has been specially developed by the Company. In the near future, the "Sri Trang Friends" and "Sri Trang Friends Station" Apps that support the two groups of users - rubber traders and the Super Drivers - will have some connected functions that are aimed at positive and sustainable development towards the "Sri Trang Friends Ecosystem", Mr. Veerasith concluded.Released by Public Relations Dept., MT Multimedia Co., Ltd. for Sri Trang Agro-Industry Plc.For additional information, please contact: Wasana 'Jeab" WongsiriT: +66 84 359 0659, +66 2 612 2081 ext.131; E: wasana.w@mtmultimedia.comSri Trang Agro-Industry Plc. https://www.sritranggroup.com/en/home[SET: STA; STA-R; STA/F] [SGX: NC2; STA] [XTR: YTAA] [OTCPK: SRGPF] Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Sri Trang introduces an alternative job “Super Driver” to traditional natural rubber planter

BANGKOK, Nov 23, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Sri Trang Agro-Industry PCL (SET: STA) opens Aappplications for whom is interested to become "Super Drivers", creatipng a secondary career and extra income for rubber planter and building rubber delivery network from plantations to factories of the Sri Trang Group. In order to connect all stakeholders in the rubber industry ecosystem and for STA to play a part in the drive towards the digital age.Mr. Veerasith Sinchareonkul, Managing Director & Executive Director of Sri Trang Agro-Industry PCL (SET: STA), one of the world's biggest leaders in the integrated natural rubber business, revealed that following the Company's launch of the "Sri Trang Friends" Application, which was the first and the main Application that integrated various services to support plantation owners and trading partners, as well as other related services through the digital system, until recently when the new "Sri Trang Friends Station" was launched as the rubber trading program to allow interested natural rubber planters across the country to apply to join, to facilitate a more transparent and professional rubber trading business. This is a major development that will propel the Thai rubber industry towards the digital age, connecting all the people involved in Thailand's natural rubber industry ecosystem.Most recently, the Sri Trang Group initiated the new "Super Driver" model, acting as "heroes" of the rubber planters to provide rubber delivery services to Sri Trang rubber factories for fellow rubber planters who may be constrained by distance. The "Super Drivers" will pick up the rubber from plantation owners who require this service and then deliver the products to Sri Trang factories, thus alleviating the problems associated with approaching the factories and the delivery of rubber. Initially, the program is being launched as pilot projects in Loei and Ubon Ratchathani provinces and will soon be introduced throughout the country.The major differences that makes the "Super Driver" model special are the approach and the application process. The main target groups are the rubber planters or those with families in the rubber plantation or rubber delivery businesses with their own delivery trucks and who like to earn extra income while being ready to be the representatives for delivery, and collect various types of natural rubber, such as fresh latex, cup lump rubber, raw rubber sheets and ribbed smoked rubber sheets from plantations in nearby vicinity to be delivered to factories in the Sri Trang Group. The main objective of the "Super Driver" recruitment is to create an additional income stream for rubber planters and related people, along with to help the rubber planters to have direct access to the factories as if having the factories located right on the gates of their plantations. This is also in line with the Company's policy to conduct its businesses sustainably by caring for the stakeholders in all sectors.There are no application fees for the applicants. Moreover, they will receive the following benefits : 1) the ready-for-use POS with downloaded Application; 2) a floor-stand weighing scale; 3) A gift set for Super Driver, etc. The income from the delivery of rubber to the factory plus the diligence bonus for each "Super Driver" is expected to approximately amount to18,500 baht per month."Our big mission is to create additional income stream for people in and around rubber plantations by they becoming 'Super Drivers' so they can elevate the quality of life. In addition, the model will provide easy access and opportunities for plantations that are located far away to be able to access the factories more readily while connecting all the people involved in the rubber industry ecosystem through the Application that has been developed by the Company. In the near future, the 'Sri Trang Friends' and 'Sri Trang Friends Station' Applications that support the two groups of users - rubber traders and the 'Super Driver' applicants - will have some connected functions that are aimed to be a positive and sustainable development towards the 'Sri Trang Friends Ecosystem'", Mr. Veerasith concluded. Visit Sri Trang Gloves PCL (SET: STGT) (SGX: STGT) at https://www.sritranggloves.com/en.Released for Sri Trang Gloves PCL by MT Multimedia Co LtdWasana "Jeab" Wongsiri, T: +66 (0) 84 359 0659, +66 (0) 2 612 2081 ext. 131; E: wasana.w@mtmultimedia.com Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Ev Dynamics Signs Largest Ever Supply Agreement with Bimbo for Electric Delivery Vehicles

HONG KONG, Nov 7, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Ev Dynamics (Holdings) Limited (the "Company", Stock Code: 476, together with its subsidiaries, collectively "Ev Dynamics" or the "Group"), a leading developer and manufacturer of new energy vehicles (NEVs), has signed a definitive agreement to supply electric last-mile delivery vehicles to the world's largest bakery company Grupo Bimbo, S.A.B. de C.V. ("Bimbo"). The first 10 testing units delivered in the first quarter this year match all requirements of Bimbo in meeting daily last mile delivery needs.With Ev Dynamics chassis fitted with its rear body, the delivery vehicle of Bimbo, the world's largest bakery company, has the private label "VEKSTAR Electric Vehicles" boldly displayed on the exterior. The contract has been signed for a period of five years, with the first batch of 200 vehicles expected to be shipped to Bimbo's Mexico City distribution center in the first quarter of 2023, and subsequent quantities to be determined by separate purchase orders. In total, no fewer than 1,000 vehicles are expected to be delivered under this master contract, making it the largest order in the Group's history. The vehicles will have an e-platform chassis that houses the drivetrain, battery and vehicle control unit, and the cab to be fitted with Bimbo's existing delivery vehicle rear body. They will serve Bimbo's distribution channels in the Mexico City metropolitan area as well as the central and southern regions of Mexico.Miguel Valldecabres Polop, CEO of Ev Dynamics, said: "We are proud to support Bimbo's strong and long-standing commitment to environmentally friendly solutions. This new major global supply agreement from a leading multinational corporation is solid proof of the endorsement our B2B new energy vehicle solutions enjoy. With them, our customers can significantly reduce development costs and hasten regulatory approvals typically required for new vehicle designs, hence be able to quickly deploy electric vehicles." With the first 10 testing units delivered in the first quarter this year found meeting Bimbo's daily last mile delivery needs, the Group is now focusing on mass production to warrant the status as one of the main electric van platform suppliers of Bimbo.The new Ev Dynamics electric vehicles give a welcomed brace to Bimbo, which recently announced its commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and its plan to add 4,000 NEVs to its fleet next year. Bimbo currently operates the largest fleet of electric distribution vehicles in Mexico and one of the largest distribution networks in the world. It has more than 3.3 million points of sale in 33 countries, and over 138,000 associates servicing more than 55,000 delivery routes. Miguel Valldecabres Polop continued: "There is a huge demand for electric vehicle customization solutions in Latin America, Asia, and Europe. Proven capable of offering high-tech, sustainable and innovative electric vehicle solutions, we are optimistic about achieving fruitful results as we speed up promoting business and sales, capitalizing on our distinctive presence in the international electric vehicle segment."About Ev Dynamics (Holdings) Limited (Stock Code: 476)Ev Dynamics (Holdings) Limited is a pioneer and an emerging prominent player in the world's new energy commercial vehicles market. It is a component and whole-vehicle manufacturer of specialty passenger vehicles and new energy passenger vehicles. It provides integrated driving and logistics solutions backed by its solid technological foundation in areas including new energy platform power systems and key components. Its NEV R&D center is in Shenzhen and manufacturing base is in Wulong, Chongqing, China, and has a sales network covering Mainland China, Hong Kong, Asia Pacific and South America. To learn more, go to evdynamics.com.About Grupo Bimbo, S.A.B. de C.V.Grupo Bimbo, S.A.B. de C.V. is the leader and largest baking company in the world and a relevant participant in snacks. It has 203 bakeries and other plants and more than 1,600 sales centers strategically located in 33 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa. Its main product lines include sliced bread, buns & rolls, pastries, cakes, cookies, toast bread, English muffins, bagels, tortillas & flat breads, salty snacks and confectionery products, among others. Bimbo produces over 10,000 products and has one of the largest direct distribution networks in the world, with more than 3.3 million points of sale, more than 55,000 routes and over 138,000 associates servicing those routes. Its shares are traded on the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV) under the ticker symbol BIMBO, and in the United States over-the-counter market with a Level 1 ADR under the ticker symbol BMBOY. To learn more, visit grupobimbo.com. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Co-Led by Legend Capital, Top Gene Delivery Enterprise VectorBuilder Secures CNY410mn in Series C Round

HONG KONG, Oct 20, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - VectorBuilder Biotechnology (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "VectorBuilder"), a top gene delivery enterprise, recently announced the completion of its Series C round with CNY410 million, co-led by Legend Capital. The proceeds will facilitate VectorBuilder in continuously promoting the upgrading and capacity expansion of the gene delivery R&D and production technology platform, further accelerate the global business presence, and boost the R&D of life sciences and genetic medicines. VectorBuilder was founded by Dr. Bruce Lahn, a world-renowned molecular biologist who was a tenured professor at the University of Chicago and a researcher at Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). The company provides services such as scientific research and clinical carrier CRO, gene-drug CDMO and gene delivery IP out-licensing, covering the entire field of life science and gene medicine. VectorBuilder has provided more than 1.2 million gene delivery solutions to more than 4,000 scientific research institutes and pharmaceutical companies worldwide, and its gene-drug CRO and CDMO projects are spread all over North America, Europe, Japan and South Korea.Dr. Bruce Lahn, Founder and Chief Scientist of VectorBuilder, said: "I'd like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude to investors for the support and trust. Due to a robust technical accumulation and an excellent business model in the gene delivery industry, VectorBuilder enjoys the highest market share in the global gene carrier scientific research market, and we jointly launched the construction of a 45,000-square-meter gene delivery R&D and production base with Guangzhou Development District Investment Group in April 2022. We hope to take this financing round as an opportunity to further accelerate the comprehensive upgrade and optimization of the technology platform and promote the expansion of production capacity and global presence. VectorBuilder has become a pioneer in the entire gene delivery industry chain by empowering basic scientific research and accelerating the clinical application of gene drugs. We believe VectorBuilder will enter thousands of life science laboratories worldwide and become a well-known brand in the field of life science. We will empower the gene-drug industry through core technologies and help China to "overtake" on the genetic drug track. At the same time, we hope to overcome genetic diseases, improve human health, and provide irreplaceable value to the industry and the world."Jeff Wang, Managing Director of Legend Capital, said: "VectorBuilder is the world's leading gene delivery company, providing full-chain solutions from basic scientific research to clinical application of gene delivery. It is an honor to participate in the future development of VectorBuilder. Dr. Bruce Lahn is an expert in the field of biotechnology innovation, and we are optimistic about VectorBuilder's comprehensive ecological service platform for gene delivery in life science and biomedicine. VectorBuilder has developed the world's first system providing online design, offline production carrier construction and downstream application service, serving thousands of top biopharmaceutical companies and research institutes. We believe VectorBuilder has a promising future as the genetic medicine industry develops." About Legend CapitalFounded in 2001, Legend Capital is a leading VC&PE investor focusing on the early-stage and growth-stage opportunities in China, with offices across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Seoul, Korea. It currently manages USD and RMB funds of over US$10 billion in commitments, and has invested in around 600 companies, covering technology, healthcare, consumer, enterprise service and intelligent manufacturing sectors. Rooted in China, Legend Capital participated in the rise of many world-leading companies by solid investment coverage and systematic post-investment value-add. Over the years, Legend Capital has also become a widely recognized name in bridging key resources in China and overseas through cross-border activities, and a valuable partner to Chinese and overseas investors. Legend Capital values long-term sustainable investment and incorporates ESG into its long-term development strategy. As a UNPRI signatory since November 2019, Legend Capital is among the first group of top VC/PE firms in China to join the initiative. For more information, please visit www.legendcapital.com.cn/index_en.aspx and follow us on LinkedIn @Legend Capital (https://www.linkedin.com/company/legend-capital). Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Spartan Capital: Society Pass (Nasdaq: SOPA) 10Q Shows Early Progress for Four Verticals

SINGAPORE, Aug 22, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Spartan Capital Securities LLC ("Spartan Capital") issues Equity Research Report on Society Pass Inc. (Nasdaq: SOPA) ("SoPa").Click Here (on Society Pass website) to view the full Spartan Capital Equity Research Report. https://tinyurl.com/SocietyPassSummary Points:- Vietnamese e-commerce luxury goods retailer Leflair generated 92% of revenue and has strongly rebounded since being purchased out of bankruptcy and relaunched last year. Leflair posted a minor gross loss and a $694k operating loss. We look for four major catalysts for Leflair for the remainder of 2022: first, the launch of a new app, second, re-entry into the Philippines market, entry into the Indonesian market and the 4Q holiday shopping season.- The second largest contributor was online grocery and food delivery comprising 5% of revenue. This included both Pushkart, which offers supermarket delivery in the Philippines and Handycart which offers restaurant delivery in Hanoi, Vietnam. We suspect that Pushkart generated the bulk of this revenue. During 3Q, the company acquired Mangan, a restaurant delivery company in the Philippines, which should substantially increase segment revenue.- The telecom segment is represented by Gorilla which was acquired in May. It generated $5.6k in data sales revenue, versus our estimate of zero, ahead of the relaunch of its app planned for late 3Q.- Both telecom and merchant POS had modest positive gross income, while the other two did not, netting to effectively zero. The operating loss was $7.6 million, with the vast majority of this related to G&A. As revenue ramps, we expect each unit to first turn a positive gross margin, then cover operating expenses. As is normal for a growth company, we expect costs related to growth to keep operating income negative for at least the next year.- Lastly, EBITDA came in at negative $4.4 million and the company ended June with $28 million in cash. Our model has the company generating $10 million more in EBITDA losses through the end of 2023 before turning positive in 2024, so cash appears more than adequate. The Q also provided details on recent acquisitions, which are being done with modest cash outlays -- all seven closed acquisitions were done for about $1.2 million in cash, plus stock. So we see the opportunity for many more acquisitions as well with the cash on hand.About Society PassAs a digitally-focused loyalty and data marketing ecosystem in Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand and with offices located in Angeles, Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, and Singapore, SoPa is an acquisition-focused e-commerce holding company operating 6 interconnected verticals (loyalty, lifestyle, F&B, telecoms, digital media, and travel), which seamlessly connects millions of registered consumers and hundreds of thousands of registered merchants/brands across multiple product and service categories throughout SEA.SoPa's business model focuses on analysing user data through its Society Pass loyalty platform and circulation of its universal loyalty points or Society Points. The Society Pass loyalty platform drives customer acquisition and increases customer retention for merchants. Since its inception, SoPa has amassed over 3.3 million registered consumers and over 205,000 registered merchants/brands onto its platform. It has invested 2+ years building proprietary IT architecture with cutting-edge components to effectively scale and support its consumers, merchants, and acquisitions.Society Pass leverages technology to tailor a more personalised experience for customers in the purchase journey and to transform the entire retail value chain in SEA. SoPa operates Leflair.com, Vietnam's leading lifestyle e-commerce platform, Pushkart.ph, a popular grocery delivery company in Philippines, Handycart.vn, a leading online restaurant delivery service based in Vietnam, Mangan, the leading local restaurant delivery service in Philippines, Gorilla Networks, a Singapore-based, web3-enabled mobile blockchain network operator, Thoughtful Media Group, a Bangkok-based, a social commerce-focused, premium digital video multi-platform network, and NusaTrip ("NusaTrip"), a leading Jakarta-based Online Travel Agency ("OTA") in Indonesia and across SEA. For more information, please check out: http://thesocietypass.com/.Media Contacts:PRecious Communicationssopa@preciouscomms.com Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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SF Intra-City Delivers Outstanding Annual Results, Highest Revenue In Third-party On-demand Market

HONG KONG, Mar 30, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Hangzhou SF Intra-City Industrial Co., Ltd. ("SF Intra-City" or the "Company"; stock code: 9699), the largest third-party on-demand delivery service platform in China , today announced its annual results for the year ended 31 December 2021 (the "Year"). Revenue continued to rise with gross profit and gross profit margin turning positive for the first time. The inspiring set of results demonstrates the successful implementation of its business development strategies.Results Highlights-- Revenue surged by 68.8% YoY to RMB8.17 billion-- Gross profit and gross profit margin turned positive, successfully achieving a gross profit of RMB94.8 million and gross profit margin of 1.2% YoY-- Revenue from intra-city delivery service increased by 58.1% YoY to RMB5.09 billion-- Non-food delivery scenarios achieved YoY revenue growth of 105% to RMB1.87 billion-- The number of active merchants increased 54.5% YoY to over 258,000-- The number of active consumers increased from approximately 5.1 million in 2020 to approximately 10.6 million in 2021, doubling YoY. The Company has achieved over 150% YoY growth in terms of revenue for intra-city delivery service to consumers for three consecutive years-- Revenue from last-mile delivery services increased by 89.3% YoY to RMB3.07 billion, accounting for 37.6% of total revenue. The number of cities and counties increased to over 1,900-- With further optimization of scale and efficiency, diversified product coverage and multi-scenario business model, SF Intra-City reported an inspiring set of resultsDuring the Year, revenue surged 68.8% year-on-year ("YoY") to RMB8.17 billion, underpinned by a strong performance from non-food delivery scenarios , diversified product coverage and multi-scenario business model, further expansion of active merchant and active consumer bases, and expansion of service network into lower-tier markets with huge growth potential. The Company achieved higher operational efficiency and lower delivery costs through the continued expansion of its scale and continued investment and optimization of big data and AI technologies in its City Logistics System ("CLS"). As a result, the Company achieved gross profit/loss margin improvements for three consecutive years, recording a gross profit of RMB94.8 million and a gross profit margin of 1.2%. The net loss ratio narrowed to 11% from 15.6% last year.SF Intra-City said, "We are pleased to report an inspiring set of annual results this year. Following our successful IPO at the end of last year, the impressive annual results represent another outstanding milestone in our business development. Over the past year, we have achieved significant growth by expanding our multi-scenario, customer base and geographic coverage. Not only did we continue to grow revenues, but we also managed to achieve positive gross profit and gross margin. This is an excellent result among peers."Business ReviewHigh Growth in Intra-city Delivery ServiceRevenue from Intra-city delivery service increased by 58.1% YoY to RMB5.09 billion, underpinned by a strong performance from non-food delivery scenarios, diversified product coverage and multi-scenario business model, further expansion of active merchant and active consumer bases, and expansion of service network into lower-tier cities with huge development potential. The revenue of non-meal delivery scenarios increased by 105% YoY to RMB1.87 billion, accounting for 37% of the total revenue from intra-city delivery, and the revenue from lower-tier cities increased by 89% YoY to RMB1.67 billion.Intra-city Delivery to MerchantsSF Intra-City empowers merchants with its open and inclusive on-demand delivery network as well as its professional and comprehensive solutions. The number of its active merchants increased 54.5% YoY to over 258,000. SF Intra-City has become the preferred third-party on-demand delivery service provider for its merchant customers. It has achieved remarkable revenue growth in local retail, local e-commerce and local services, with over 165% YoY growth in revenue for merchants deliveries in the pharmaceutical, apparel and 3C electronics industry, as well as over 95% YoY growth in revenue for merchants deliveries including fresh produce, flowers, cakes and desserts and other groceries. In addition, the Company continued to deepen cooperation with leading brands during the year and established friendly business relationships with over 2,300 merchant brands. With the Company's commitment to quality, stability and customer-focused service, the retention rate for Top 100 accounts reached 86% during the year.Intra-city Delivery to ConsumersRevenue from intra-city delivery service to consumers has grown by more than 150% YoY for three consecutive years, driven by a rapidly expanding consumer base. The number of active consumers doubled YoY from approximately 5.1 million in 2020 to approximately 10.6 million in 2021 driven by the professional, reliable, and 24/7 real-time service across all scenarios. The Company's specialized "pioneer riders" continued to improve its delivery standard for consumers, achieving order-pick-up rate of no less than 99% and fulfillment-in-time rate of no less than 96% at the end of 2021.Last-mile Delivery Advantage Further StrengthenedRevenue from last-mile delivery services increased significantly by 89.3% YoY to RMB3.07 billion, with the number of cities and counties covered by last-mile services expanding to over 1,900, underpinned by increasing demand and the Company's efficient fulfillment capabilities to take on more orders. The last-mile delivery service business has further expanded its network and enhanced network efficiency and economies of scale, increasing rider income and loyalty and effectively reducing delivery costs.Technology Empowering Improvements in Riders' Ability to Perform High-Quality ServiceThe Company has made continuous investments in technology to further optimize operational efficiency and reduce delivery costs. Through the utilization of CLS, real-time analysis can be performed on order volume and order density enabling precise adjustments such that riders can deliver orders for different service scenarios throughout the day and cope with real-time order volume volatility, resulting in rider efficiency enhancement.During the Year, the number of our active riders increased 32% YoY to over 606,000. The increase in rider base has enabled SF Intra-City to further expand its existing business while exploring and taking on new business initiatives, including the development of a night-time (24-hour) delivery service network, allowing better service performance and responses to specific customer needs. The Company also maintained its high quality of service, with a fulfillment in-time rate of 95%, successfully driving impressive revenue growth. Particularly for food delivery scenarios (which time is of the essence), SF Intra-City have achieved an average delivery time of 26 minutes per order in 2021. During the Year, the number of cities covered by night-time (24 hours) delivery service network amounted to 693 cities. The Company concluded, "In order to drive business and revenue growth and maintain above industry average growth rates, we have devoted ourselves to cultivating different delivery service scenarios and actively expanded our coverage network and customer base over the years. To reach more merchants and consumers, we expanded our service network from first- and second-tier cities into lower-tier cities that have large growth potential, abundant rider resources and rich sales channels. At the same time, we are actively responding to the ever-changing, complex and diversified needs of consumers, insisting on enhancing customer loyalty through high-quality services, as well as improving customized service and enabling technology empowerment to further optimize service quality. Through efficiency improvements from business optimization and operational refinement as well as deeper market penetration, we believe going forward SF Intra-City will achieve greater economies of scale and network effects, realize profitability and create long-term value for shareholders."About Hangzhou SF Intra-City Industrial Co., Ltd. (stock code: 9699.HK)SF Intra-City focuses on the emerging opportunities of intra-city on-demand delivery services. Since 2019, SF Intra-city has operated as an independent legal entity to capture the growth opportunities arising from the new consumption trends. SF Intra-City adopts a multi-scenario business model, providing full coverage of delivery scenarios for all types of products and services. The Company's extensive service coverage, ranging from mature scenarios such as food delivery to growth scenarios such as local retail, local e-commerce and local services, has enabled it to respond to the evolving customer needs resulting from the development and upgrade of the local consumer market. For more details, please visit company's website: https://ir.sf-cityrush.com/en/investor-relations/.For media enquiries:Christensen China LimitedSuri ChengPhone: +86 185 0060 8364Jenny LamPhone: +852 2232 3928 / +852 6312 2027Email: SFIntracity@christensenir.com Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Society Pass (SoPa) Adds Vietnam’s Handycart To Its Next-Generation Digital Ecosystem and Loyalty Platform

SINGAPORE, Feb 28, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Society Pass Incorporated (SoPa) (Nasdaq: “SOPA”), a leading Southeast Asian data-driven loyalty platform today, announced that it has acquired Dream Space Trading Company Limited (“Dream Space”), the operator of Handycart, a leading online grocery delivery service based in Hanoi, Vietnam. The newly acquired company will be integrated into SoPa’s F&B delivery vertical with SoPa’s existing merchant software platform #HOTTAB. Handycart founder and CEO, Seo Jun Ho, has been named Head of the new Business Unit managing both Handycart and #HOTTAB in Vietnam. Founded in 2019, Handycart is an online grocery delivery app with its own fleet of delivery vehicles that focuses on servicing the Korean restaurant market and F&B sector in Hanoi. Korean food and pop-culture have taken Vietnam by storm, driven by the growing “Korean Wave”, a recent survey by market research firm Q&Me found that 58 percent of Vietnamese favor Korean cuisine. Commenting on this strategic step, Ngo Thi Cham, SoPa Vietnam Country General Manager, said, “We are excited to welcome Handycart to our larger SoPa ecosystem which will enable it to harness our integrated marketing and technology proposition while also strengthening our collective senior management resources. We endeavour to combine the robust technology and operational efficiency of a specialty ecommerce brand like Handycart with our brand building experience. SoPa has witnessed, with our runaway success of Leflair, in Vietnam, that this move will lead to immediate returns in terms of cost optimisation and increased revenue generation. We are determined to increase merchant coverage to 500 restaurants in Hanoi by the end of 2022 and look to expand to HCMC in 3Q 2022.” Leveraging on SoPa’s integrated technology platform to drive operational efficiencies and business performance Handycart will focus on dramatically increasing on-demand grocery shopping services to more consumers in the country, while empowering specialty F&B restaurants to transform business models and further tap into online markets. Seo Jun Ho, CEO of Handycart said, “Handycart was established in 2019 with a mission of connecting Korean patrons seeking a taste of home through its established network of authentic Korean restaurants right here in Vietnam. Providing businesses with speedy access to authentic Korean products has helped us gather a loyal user base of over 3000 with more than 26,000 orders in 2021 alone. SoPa will now be able to accelerate Handycart’s growth given our well-established positioning as a go-to online grocery delivery service. Partnership with Society Pass will enable us to unlock growth opportunities within the industry and I am glad that Handycart can now avail itself of SoPa’s synergistic ecosystem.” Vietnam has been one of the fastest-growing economies within SEA over the past two decades. The country’s e-commerce is growing tremendously, valued at 13.2 billion USD, it is expected to grow steadily from 2021 until 2025. Focused on growing its operations in the VIP (Vietnam, Indonesia, and Philippines) markets, SoPa is an acquisition focused ecommerce holding company operating across 5 interconnected verticals (lifestyle, F&B, travel, merchant software and loyalty) with 6 unique business units connecting millions of consumers and thousands of merchants in Southeast Asia. Handycart is the group’s third acquisition in Vietnam following its acquisition of ecommerce marketplace Leflair and merchant POS and business app #HOTTAB. About Society Pass Society Pass is a loyalty and data marketing ecosystem that operates multiple e-commerce and lifestyle platforms across its key markets. Its business model focuses on collecting user data through the expected circulation of its universal loyalty points. It seamlessly connects consumers and merchants across multiple product and service categories fostering organic loyalty. Since its inception, SoPa has amassed over 1.6 million registered consumers and over 3,500 registered merchants/brands on its platform. It has since invested 2+ years building proprietary IT architecture with cutting edge components to effectively scale and support its Platform’s consumers, merchants, and acquisitions. Society Pass provides merchants with #HOTTAB Biz – a convenient order management app for business partners on SoPa.asia, and #HOTTAB POS – a specialized POS technology solution, a comprehensive system for payment, loyal customer management, user’s profile analytics, and convenient financial support packages for small and medium-sized enterprises. All tools offered above will allow businesses to attract and retain customers through personalized interaction based on analytics with a high profit margin. In addition, SoPa operates Leflair.com, Vietnam’s leading lifestyle e-commerce platform, and Pushkart.ph, a popular grocery delivery company in Philippines. For more information, please check out: http://thesocietypass.com/ Media contactPRecious Communications for SoPasopa@preciouscomms.com

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NEC and NEC Fielding Begin Testing Quantum Computing Technologies to Improve the Delivery of Maintenance Parts

TOKYO, Feb 16, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - NEC Corporation (TSE: 6701) today announced the beginning of demonstration tests using quantum computing technology to improve the delivery efficiency of maintenance parts from NEC Fielding, Ltd., a leading provider of maintenance services for ICT equipment.Delivery vehicles loaded with maintenance partsSpecifically, when customer engineers (CE) are dispatched to perform on-site repair work due to equipment failures, quantum computing technology will be used to formulate delivery plans for maintenance parts in line with CE dispatch plans. Based on past data on parts delivery in the Tokyo metropolitan area, it has been calculated that delivery costs can be reduced by approximately 30% by reducing the number of delivery vehicles and shortening travel distances. Going forward, both companies will continue with verification tests aiming for future on-site application.NEC Fielding provides maintenance services in which CE visit customer sites for repair work in the event of a breakdown in ICT equipment and non-ICT equipment manufactured by NEC or other companies. There are several hundred maintenance operations each day in the Tokyo metropolitan area, and parts are delivered from parts centers in accordance with the dispatch plans prepared based on CE's skills and arrival times, taking into account traffic conditions. However, in addition to various orders, such as emergency responses, periodic maintenance, and requests for specific times, there is an enormous combination of delivery variables, such as delivery areas, part types and sizes, truck and motorcycle use, and the number of people who can formulate an efficient delivery plan is limited.In these quantum computing technology tests, which are utilizing the NEC Vector Annealing Service that provides ultra-high-speed processing of large-scale combination problems, NEC and NEC Fielding aim to reduce costs and CO2 by improving delivery efficiency, and to eliminate the need for personnel to formulate delivery plans. In February of this year, the companies will began demonstration tests by applying quantum computing technology to some on-site maintenance services, and aim to continue improving the accuracy of delivery plans while verifying operational aspects in preparation for full-scale introduction next fiscal year.In response to increasingly complex social issues, NEC is working to develop a variety of use cases, such as optimizing production plans and improving the accuracy of machine learning in the financial domain, as attention becomes more focused on quantum computing, which is expected to enable high-speed solutions to problems that could not be solved in the past. Beginning with this initiative, NEC will promote the use of quantitative computing by companies and universities as part of helping to solve social issues.About NEC's Quantum Computing Initiativeshttps://www.nec.com/en/global/quantum-computing/index.htmlAbout NEC CorporationNEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of "Orchestrating a brighter world." NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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BYD Partners with Nuro to Manufacture All-Electric Autonomous Delivery Vehicle

LOS ANGELES, CA, Jan 18, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - BYD Co., Ltd. announced its partnership with leading autonomous vehicle company Nuro to begin producing the company's third-generation electric autonomous delivery vehicle. The partnership is expected to scale Nuro's more affordable, eco-friendly, and convenient services to millions of people across the country.Nuro'third-generation electric autonomous delivery vehicle.Nuro's third-generation autonomous delivery vehicle features greater payload.Nuro's third-generation autonomous delivery vehicle features greater payload. "BYD will leverage the manufacturing capacity of our Lancaster plant by finishing assembly of globally sourced hardware components to support Nuro and bring more jobs to the community," said Stella Li, Executive Vice President of BYD Co. Ltd. and President of BYD North America, "Together we will build this autonomous delivery vehicle, with the mutual goal of creating a safer environment on streets across the United States." Today's announcement follows Nuro's $600 million Series D funding round which closed in Q4 2021 and was led by Tiger Global Management with participation from other investors. Combining both partners' advanced technology, Nuro's third-generation autonomous delivery vehicle will feature greater payload and new safety technologies. With twice the cargo volume of Nuro's current R2 model, the automotive production grade vehicle will also feature modular inserts to customize storage and new temperature-controlled compartments to keep goods warm or cool. Safety enhancements include an external airbag to further improve safety for pedestrians outside the vehicle, as well as a multi-modal sensing suite, including cameras, radars, lidar, and thermal cameras, creating a redundant 360-degree view of the world.Nuro was founded in 2016 by Jiajun Zhu and Dave Ferguson, former principal engineers of Google's self-driving car team. Specializing in developing zero-occupant vehicles designed specifically for transporting goods and not passengers, Nuro has launched two generations of autonomous vehicles, introduced delivery service with industry leaders including Domino's, Kroger, and 7-Eleven, and announced a multi-year partnership with FedEx."BYD is one of the largest OEM networks of electric vehicles in the world, and we are thrilled to partner with them to help us move one step closer to scaled commercial operations," said Jiajun Zhu, Nuro co-founder and CEO. "We look forward to transforming the hardware components of BYD's globally sourced electric vehicle platform into innovative autonomous vehicles capable of operating on public roads at our new facility here in America. Through our partnership with BYD, we plan to produce autonomous vehicles at scale that can improve road safety, air quality, and overall access to goods."As a leader in the NEV industry, BYD has innovated rich technologies in the field of electrification. In this project, BYD is jointly working with Nuro on vehicle development, and is responsible for vehicle manufacturing and initial vehicle testing, and provides hardware like the Blade Battery, electric motors, electronic controls, and displays for human-machine interaction. Nuro integrates technologies such as autonomous driving, control modules and sensors. BYD will finish assembly of the hardware platform at its Lancaster plant in the United States using globally sourced components. Nuro will then complete the vehicle manufacturing process by installing and testing the autonomy systems that will make the platform capable of operation at the company's new facilities in southern Nevada.About BYDBYD (Build Your Dreams) is a multinational high-tech company devoted to leveraging technological innovations for a better life. BYD now has four industries including Auto, Electronics, New Energy, and Rail Transit. Since its foundation in 1995, the company quickly developed solid expertise in rechargeable batteries and became a relentless advocate of sustainable development, successfully expanding its renewable energy solutions globally with operations in over 50 countries and regions. Its creation of a Zero Emissions Energy Solution, comprising affordable solar power generation, reliable energy storage, and cutting-edge electrified transportation, has made it an industry leader in the energy and transportation sectors. BYD is a Warren Buffet-backed company and is listed both on the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. More information on the company can be found at http://www.byd.com.Contact: Asia-Pacific: Mia Gu, mia.gu@byd.com, tel: +86-755-8988-8888-69666Europe: Penny Peng, penny.peng@byd.com, tel: +31-102070888North America: Frank Girardot, frank.girardot@byd.com, tel: +1 213 245 6503Latin America: Sofia Mardones, sofia.mardones@byd.com, tel: +56 9 9821 6851Brazil: Adalberto Maluf, adalberto.maluf@byd.com, tel: +19 3514 2554 Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Sirnaomics Ltd., the RNA Therapeutics Biopharmaceutical Company with Strong Presence in Both China and the U.S. Successfully Listed on Main Board of SEHK

HONG KONG, Dec 30, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Sirnaomics Ltd. ("Sirnaomics" or "Company", together with its subsidiaries, the "Group", stock code: 2257.HK), the RNA therapeutics biopharmaceutical company with strong presence in both China and the U.S., and the first company to achieve positive Phase IIa clinical outcomes in oncology for an RNAi therapeutics, is officially listed and commenced trading on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited ("SEHK") today.Sirnaomics's listing ceremony in Suzhou: Ms. Yun Monica Zhang, China Chief Operating Officer, Board Secretary and Joint Company Secretary (Left); Dr. Yang Lu, Founder, Chairman, Executive Director, President and Chief Executive Officer (Second left); Mr. George Ji, Chief Operation Officer (Second right); Dr. Edward Yongxiang Wang, Chief Production Officer (Right)The total number of offer shares under the Global Offering amounts to 7,540,000 shares, with the final offer price determined at HK$65.90 per offer share. The net proceeds from the Global Offering to be received by the Company, after deduction of the underwriting fees and expenses paid and payable by the Company in connection with the Global Offering, are estimated to be approximately HK$395.7 million. The Hong Kong offer shares initially offered under the Hong Kong Public Offering have been slightly over-subscribed, where the total number of valid applications amounted to approximately 5.68 times of the total number of Hong Kong offer shares initially available for subscription under the Hong Kong Public Offering. The offer shares initially offered under the International Offering have also been slightly over-subscribed by approximately 1.22 times. The product pipeline of Sirnaomics has over a dozen of candidates for a wide range of therapeutic indications across rare diseases and diseases with large patient populations covering oncology, fibrosis, medical aesthetics, antiviral, cardiometabolic diseases and other fields. Its product candidates currently span all stages from preclinical research and IND-enabling studies to Phase I and Phase II clinical trials, creating an enriched portfolio and an extended timeline of product candidates. The proprietary delivery platforms for administration of RNA-based therapeutics are the foundation Sirnaomics' pipeline, and the related proprietary PNP and novel GalNAc delivery platforms confer advantages over conventional delivery platforms. The Company believes its highly innovative RNAi delivery platforms set Sirnaomics in a class by itself. The PNP delivery platform allows delivery of both siRNA and mRNA to diseased cells via local or systemic administration, providing distinct advantages in low toxicity, easy manufacturing and the capability to reach many targeted organs and cell types. The results of Phase IIa clinical trial in oncology validate both the effectiveness of its PNP delivery platform and the therapeutic targets for isSCC, positioning the Company for accelerated development of other pipeline products using the same PNP delivery platform. The Company's core product candidate STP705, another clinical stage product candidate STP707, and at least eight other preclinical candidates all utilize the PNP delivery platform. RNAimmune, a controlled subsidiary of Sirnaomics, also applies PNP and a related proprietary delivery platform based on polypeptide-lipid nanoparticles (PLNP), to develop mRNA-based therapeutics and vaccines.Dr. Patrick Y. Lu, Founder, Chairman of Board, President and CEO of Sirnaomics said, "Today marked a significant milestone in Sirnaomics' history. Our successful debut in the Hong Kong stock market shows global investors' profound recognition for our strategic model, growth potential, proprietary and novel drug delivery platforms, rich product pipeline and experienced management team. We are so proud and would like to express our sincere gratitude to investors for their trust and support to Sirnaomics. We are committed to becoming a fully-integrated international biopharmaceutical company. Leveraging its deep experience in RNA therapeutics and novel delivery platform technologies, the Company will continuously advance the development of innovative therapeutic modalities for the treatment of a broad range of diseases and strengthen our intellectual properties to maximize the clinical potential to rapidly discover, develop and commercialize more transformative therapeutics and vaccines for patients around the world."About Sirnaomics Ltd.Sirnaomics Ltd. ("Sirnaomics" or "Company", stock code: 2257.HK) is an RNA therapeutics biopharmaceutical company with product candidates in pre-clinical and clinical stages that focuses on the discovery and development of innovative drugs for indications with medical needs and large market opportunities. The Company is the first clinical-stage RNA therapeutics company to have a strong presence in both China and the U.S, and also the first company to achieve positive Phase IIa clinical outcomes in oncology for an RNAi therapeutics for its core product, STP705. Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Sirnaomics Ltd. Announces Proposed Listing on the Main Board of SEHK

HONG KONG, Dec 19, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Sirnaomics Ltd. ("Sirnaomics" or "Company", stock code: 2257.HK), the RNA therapeutics biopharmaceutical company withs strong presence in both China and the U.S., today announces the proposed listing of its shares on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited ("SEHK").Sirnaomics plans to offer an aggregate of 7,540,000 Offer Shares under the Global Offering (subject to the Over-allotment Option), consisting of 6,786,000 International Offer Shares (subject to reallocation and the Over-allotment Option) and 754,000 Hong Kong Offer Shares (subject to reallocation), at a price range between HK$65.90 and HK$72.70 per share.The Company will start its public offering in Hong Kong at 9 a.m. on December 20, 2021 (Monday) and end at 12 noon on December 23, 2021 (Thursday). Dealings in shares on SEHK are expected to commence on December 30, 2021 (Thursday), with the stock code of 2257.HK in board lots of 50 shares each.China International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited is the Sole Sponsor, Joint Global Coordinator and Joint Bookrunner. The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Nomura International (Hong Kong) Limited, China Merchants Securities (HK) Co., Limited, and China PA Securities (Hong Kong) Company Limited are the Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners. The Global Offering introduced Kunming Jiashiqing and Innoforce Pharmaceuticals as the cornerstone investors. Strong presence in both China and the U.S., with product candidates in a broad range of therapeutic areas Sirnaomics is the first clinical-stage RNA therapeutics company to have a strong presence in both China and the U.S which is also the first company to achieve positive Phase IIa clinical outcomes in oncology for an RNAi therapeutics. The Company's product pipeline has over a dozen product candidates for a range of therapeutic indications across rare and large market diseases covering oncology, fibrosis, medical aesthetics, antiviral, cardiometabolic disease and other fields. Its product candidates currently span all stages between preclinical research and IND-enabling studies to Phase I and Phase II clinical trials, creating an enriched portfolio and an extended timeline of product candidates. The Company utilizes the complementary regulatory systems in China and the U.S. to accelerate development and attain regulatory approvals, including by pursuing candidates and indications where orphan drug designation can be achieved in the U.S., which can shorten the review period from 1-2 years to 6-12 months. Significant advantages in proprietary and novel drug delivery technology platform to improve the continuous development of RNA therapeutics and mRNA vaccines The proprietary delivery platforms for administration of RNA-based therapeutics are the foundation of the product pipeline of Sirnaomics, and the related proprietary PNP and novel GalNAc delivery platforms confer advantages over conventional delivery platforms. The Company believes its highly innovative RNAi delivery platforms set Sirnaomics in a class by itself. The PNP delivery platform allows delivery of both siRNA and mRNA to diseased cells via local or systemic administration, providing distinct advantages in low toxicity, easy manufacturing and the capability to reach many targeted organs and certain cell types. The results of Phase IIa clinical trial in oncology validates both the effectiveness of its PNP delivery platform and the therapeutic targets for isSCC, positioning the Company for accelerated development of other pipeline products using the same PNP delivery platform. The Company's core product candidate STP705, as well as other clinical stage product candidate STP707, and at least eight other preclinical product candidates utilize the PNP delivery platform. RNAimmune, a controlled subsidiary of Sirnaomics, also applies PNP delivery platform, and a related proprietary delivery platform based on polypeptide-lipid nanoparticles (PLNP), to formulate mRNA-based therapeutics and vaccines. Besides, the proprietary GalNAc RNAi delivery platforms, GalAhead(TM) and PDoV-GalNAc of Sirnaomics, enable specific delivery to liver hepatocytes with enhanced endosome escape properties and dual siRNA target design, resulting in high potency. The GalNAc-conjugate delivery platforms rely on peptide conjugates and/or unique RNA structures that allow knockdown of single or multiple distinct mRNA targets. The GalAhead(TM) delivery platform conjugates GalNAc moieties to unique RNAi trigger structures that can target one or more genes simultaneously. In PDoV-GalNAc RNAi platform, GalNAc is conjugated to a peptide linker and up to two siRNAs are also conjugated to the same peptide. The Company has three pipeline products utilizing its GalAhead(TM) delivery platform quickly approaching IND-enabling studies. The Company is currently developing several delivery platforms, including different approaches of siRNA/chemo-drug conjugates, peptide ligand tumor targeting and respiratory virus treatment via airway delivery. The Company is committed to investing in research and development in its advanced delivery platforms to enable the expansion and refinement of the range of organs and tissues that can be targeted by its pipeline products and to drive future growth opportunities. Potential first-in-class dual-targeted RNAi therapeutics for the effective treatment of cancer and fibrotic diseases STP705 and STP707 are the Company's lead product candidates, which are dual-targeting RNAi therapeutics based on more than a decade of experience researching TGF-beta1 and its synergistic effects when combined with COX-2 for tumor suppression and fibroblast. Currently, the mechanism of action for both TGF-beta1 and COX-2 in tumor biology and fibrotic disease is widely recognized. Both act as gatekeeper genes, where their inhibition blocks a downstream cascade of events that would otherwise lead to tumor cell proliferation, survival, invasion, angiogenesis and immune evasion. Moreover, by silencing TGF-beta1 and COX-2 simultaneously, Sirnaomics' product candidates achieve a higher potency than inhibiting either alone. The therapeutic effectiveness for STP705 has been confirmed by the successful Phase IIa results of Sirnaomics. No currently marketed drug product utilizes this molecular targeting approach. Comprehensive intellectual property portfolio driven by independent research and development capability Since inception, Sirnaomics has set strategic focus in developing innovative technologies and seeking protection using a comprehensive strategy for filing for patent protection across markets and technology areas. All of the pipeline products have been developed primarily in-house in its research centers in the U.S. and China such that the development of its product candidates is initiated and directed by in-house team and the Company does not rely on third party in-licenses for its product pipeline. As of 10 December, 2021, Sirnaomics owned 20 issued patents (9 in China, 9 in the U.S. and 2 in Europe) and have filed 119 patent applications that are currently pending (19 in China, 43 in the U.S., 6 in Europe, 8 under the Patent Cooperation Treaty and 43 in other jurisdictions). Sirnaomics' patent claims cover the siRNA and mRNA drug composition in its pipeline products, delivery platforms, modes of delivery for pipeline products, manufacturing technology, and methods of use in various therapeutic areas. Senior management and experienced outside intellectual property counsels collaboratively craft the globally-integrated intellectual property strategy with an eye to broad protection in China, the U.S., Europe and other key jurisdictions. In addition, based on the Company's independent research and development capabilities and the development potential of its core candidate product, STP705, Sirnaomics has been cooperating with other well-known Chinese pharmaceutical companies in recent years, including Innovent, Shanghai Junshi, Walvax and Guangzhou Xiangxue, etc., covering the therapeutic areas of multiple cancer, influenza virus, and hypertrophic scar. Seasoned management team and world-class industry expertise Sirnaomics is led by the management team with deep experience and capabilities in discovering, developing, manufacturing and commercializing RNA therapeutics. Dr. Patrick Y. Lu, Founder, Chairman of Board, President and CEO, has over 28 years biopharma research and development experience in China and the U.S. Dr. Lu has led the teams building up a robust technology platform and an enriched RNA therapeutic product pipeline. Dr. Lu is an inventor on 53 patents with over 55 authored scientific publications, and has been recognized with multiple awards and grants in China and the U.S. for his innovative research and entrepreneurship. In addition, the management team and scientific advisory board have on average more than 20 years of pharma research and development experience at the world's leading pharmaceutical companies and research institutions in China and the U.S. Looking forward, Sirnaomics is committed to becoming a fully-integrated international biopharmaceutical company. Leveraging its deep experience in RNA therapeutics and novel delivery platform technologies, the Company will advance the development of innovative therapeutic modalities for the treatment of a broad range of disease states and strengthen its intellectual property position, accelerate the commercialization of its core product candidate STP705, develop and commercialize a diverse portfolio of transformative RNA products in a broad range of therapeutic areas, including both rare diseases and diseases with large patient populations. In additions, the Company also plans to expand its internal GMP manufacturing capabilities, develop commercialization abilities, and selectively pursue synergistic collaboration opportunities to maximize the potential of its clinical product candidates to rapidly discover, develop and commercialize a portfolio of transformative therapeutics and vaccines for patients suffering from a wide range of both rare and large market diseases. About Sirnaomics Ltd.Sirnaomics Ltd.("Sirnaomics" or "Company", stock code: 2257.HK) is an RNA therapeutics company with product candidates in pre-clinical and clinical stages that focused on the discovery and development of innovative drugs for indications with medical needs and large market opportunities. The Company is the first clinical-stage RNA therapeutics company to have a strong presence in both China and the U.S, and also the first company to achieve positive Phase IIa clinical outcomes in oncology for an RNAi therapeutics for its core product, STP 705.This press release is issued by Porda Havas International Finance Communications Group for and on behalf of Sirnaomics Ltd. For further information, please contact: Porda Havas International Finance Communications GroupEmail: sirnaomics.hk@pordahavas.com Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Legend Capital’s Portfolio Company SF Intra-city Successfully Listed on HKEx

HONG KONG, Dec 16, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - On December 14, Legend Capital portfolio company SF Intra-city (09699.HK) successfully listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEx). SF Intra-city issued a total of 131 million shares at an issue price of HK$16.42 per share. The net proceeds from the global offering are approximately HK$2031.3 million.SF Intra-city, the largest all-scenario third-party intracity delivery platform in China, has focused on the field of on-demand delivery services since 2016 and realized independent operations in 2019. It covers various distribution needs in the new consumption industry, including customized and standardized on-demand delivery services to merchants, and errands services to consumers, such as Deliver for Me, Fetch for Me, Purchase for Me and Solve for Me services. Leveraging on the open ecosystem and the intelligent information system integrating smart logistics and data, as well as the efficient transportation networks that covers the entire city, SF Intra-city is keen to meet diversified needs by providing users with on-demand logistics solutions featuring commercial distribution and daily pickup-delivery services.Legend Capital invested in SF Intra-city in 2020 and has proactively provided value-added services in the improvement of SF Intra-city's operation management and external resources matching.Legend Capital stated that, "SF Intra-city is an indispensable infrastructure service provider in China's on-demand delivery field. Led by Haijin Sun, the CEO of SF Intra-city, the team has achieved excellent growth in the past five years. SF Intra-city's core competence lies in highly efficient business matching and coordination satisfying 'multi-scenario demand' as it enjoys a core business model as 'technology-driven resource sharing platform'. Given that SF Express's nationwide delivery network is high capital and technique-supported and the company has taken decades of efforts to establish the image of 'high-quality service' among merchants and individuals, SF Intra-city, as a subsidiary has the innate advantage with well-developed foundation. We strongly believe that SF Intra-city's going public will be conducive to corporate governance, talent development and capital usage in the future, and provide a broader development space for SF Intra-city." Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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NEC: Technology Leaders Partner to Conduct Groundbreaking Drone Tests in Japan

TOKYO, Nov 8, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Several leading Japanese technology firms, including BIRD INITIATIVE, Inc. (hereinafter "BIRD INITIATIVE")(1), ANA HOLDINGS INC. (hereinafter "ANAHD")(2), AIN HOLDINGS INC. (hereinafter "AIN HD")(3), and NEC Corporation (hereinafter "NEC"),(4) have partnered with the Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry (hereinafter "METI")(5) to conduct a drone operations pilot project in Wakkanai City, Hokkaido prefecture. Tests conducted examined the ability of drones to deliver pharmaceutical supplies to remote areas in accordance with the "Guidelines for Pharmaceutical Supply Delivery using Drones,"(6) and to operate at passenger airports using the decentralized UAS Traffic Management (hereinafter "UTM")(7). UTM enables multiple drone operators to operate drones safely and efficiently within the same airspace. All of the tests were held in accordance with existing Japanese regulations and guidelines for drone use.Conducted operations of the different maturity levelsThese successful pilots were conducted as part of the "Drones and Robots for Ecologically Sustainable Societies project" (hereinafter referred to as the "DRESS Project")(8), a project entrusted to Persol Process & Technology Co., Ltd. by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (hereinafter "NEDO"). With BIRD INITIATIVE acting as the representative, Digital Hokkaido Research Association (hereinafter "Hokkaido Drone Association"), FRS Corporation (hereinafter "FRS"), HELICAM Corporation (hereinafter "Helicam"), the National Institute of Informatics of the Research Organization of Information and Systems (hereinafter "NII"), and Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. together conducted the experiment from September 7 to October 30, 2021.Utilizing Drones to Address Unique Regional IssuesDrones offer exciting new possibilities, but their full potential is limited by restrictions on their ability to fly beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of their operators. BVLOS operations are currently limited to remote islands, mountainous areas, and sparsely populated areas. The DRESS project was launched in 2017 in an effort to gain approval for BVLOS flights in populated areas, also known as Level 4 flights, by FY2022. The results from the Wakkanai tests could help achieve this goal. The tests in Wakkanai each held different purposes aimed to resolve challenges that still affect drone operation - implementing new ideas to solve regional issues (seal monitoring), establishing guidelines (combatting fisheries poaching), addressing practical issues for already legalized operations (takeoff and landing at passenger airports), and improving guidelines (delivery of pharmaceutical supplies).Drone Delivery of Pharmaceutical Goods in Accordance with the GuidelineIn June 2021, the Cabinet Secretariat, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism formulated the "Guidelines for Pharmaceutical Delivery Using Drones". The use of drones to deliver pharmaceutical supplies could help provide critical medical care in remote areas. While patients can currently receive pharmaceutical supplies through traditional parcel services after receiving online medical treatment and online medication guidance, deliveries can often take several days in remote areas. AIN HD, ANAHD and the Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry partnered to conduct a pilot program that tested the effectiveness of pharmaceutical delivery via drone platforms, the first in Japan based on the Guidelines. AIN HD provided the prescribed medicines as well as online medication guidance to participating patients after the patients received online medical treatment from the Wakkanai City Hospital, while ANAHD delivered the selected pharmaceuticals by drone.The trials resulted in the codification of new guidelines that require key measures such as attaching locks to containers to ensure they are only opened by the intended recipient, and Toppan Forms Co., Ltd. provided lightweight and lockable containers.Drone Deliveries at an Airport with Scheduled Airline FlightsANAHD collaborated with the Hokkaido Airports Corporation ("HAP") to conduct Japan's first trial program to fly delivery drones to and from airports with regularly scheduled flights. The experiment explored the connection between drone logistics and airborne logistics by flying a delivery drone to and from Wakkanai Airport, as well as within and outside of the immediate airport area. As both of these formats are increasingly leveraged to provide increased logistical efficiency, drones and traditional air travel will enable rapid and consistent cargo transport from rural areas to urban areas. The trial program also highlighted the potential of new logistics networks using airports as the basis for a hub-and-spoke model.BVLOS Operation for Anti-Poaching MonitoringPoaching in Hokkaido and many other parts of Japan creates a range of negative consequences, including economic damage to the fishing industry. To address this, Helicam worked with the Wakkanai Police Station and the Hokkaido Drone Association to detect, deter and prosecute poaching using a drone with a thermal infrared camera, a spotlight and a loudspeaker. The successful tests yielded valuable information that will help the local fishing cooperatives collaborate with the police and the city government to protect their livelihood.Drone for Seal MonitoringIn Wakkanai, the fishers rely on nets to capture fish, but local seals pose a serious problem as they often chew through the nets to eat the catch for themselves. For this reason, it is critical to local industry to monitor seal movements. Researchers are typically able to only observe seals when they are on land. However, in a recently-completed pilot program, FRS operated drones were used to monitor seals both in land-based colonies and as they swam in proximity to fishing nets, with the cooperation of the Hokkaido Drone Association.Demonstration of Decentralized UTM Being Standardized GloballyIn the DRESS project, Traffic Management Function is connected to Integrated Traffic Management Function, and all available flight path information is aggregated to eliminate potential conflicts between flight plans. In addition, the project also conducted first-of-its-kind tests in Japan for decentralized UTM which is being standardized globally. In this federated system, a service provider can decide whether or not to accept a flight plan by coordinating with other service providers. BIRD INITIATIVE operates this function with the cooperation of ANRA TECHNOLOGIES, which is leading the international standardization9. NEC and NII also set up this system as Digital Twin. In addition, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. analyzed risks associated with drone flights by using UTM.Digital Twin and Automated Negotiation for Strategic NegotiationSuccessful decentralized UTM relies on the ability to automatically formulate, negotiate and adjust a flight plan that can be agreed upon with other operators. NEC has collaborated with NII to create an accurate virtual rendering of Wakkanai City as Digital Twin to develop verified autonomous route coordination between seal monitoring and logistics. NEC and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) also partnered to jointly develop the negotiation technology for logistics.Coordination of Flight Plans Between Drones and Emergency Medical HelicoptersANAHD, NEC, and NII utilized the FORSER-GA service provided by Weathernews Inc. to verify the detection and resolution of overlapping flight plans through the use of flight management services, assuming a manned aircraft flight environment. The Digital Twin was developed to coordinate flight plans between aircraft and drones, as well as between emergency medical helicopters and other manned aircraft.The participating parties will utilize the results of the above initiatives and contribute to the realization of Level 4 flights in populated areas.(1) BIRD INITIATIVE, Inc. Head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Masamitsu Kitase(2) ANA HOLDINGS, INC. Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Shinya Katanozaka(3) AIN HOLDINGS INC. Head office: Sapporo, Hokkaido; President and Representative Director: Kiichi Otani(4) NEC Corporation, Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Takayuki Morita(5) Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry Location: Sapporo, Hokkaido; Director General: Shigetoshi Ikeyama(6) "Guidelines for Delivery of Pharmaceutical Supplies Using Drones"bit.ly/3ob0VyV(7) UTM (UAS Traffic Management) is a system of systems that manages the operation of UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System, drone). For the DRESS project, an architecture is being considered in which the UASSP (UAS Service Provider), which provides operational services to UASO (UAS Operators), is centrally managed by FIMS (Flight Information Management System). In the United States, an architecture in which the USS (UAS Service Supplier), which corresponds to the UASSP, is connected to each other in a decentralized manner is being considered, and in Europe a decentralized coordination between the USP (U-Space Service Provider) is being considered as well, mainly in Switzerland.(8) Project for realizing an energy-saving society where robots and drones are active; Drones and Robots for Ecologically Sustainable Societies project (DRESS project)https://nedo-dress.jp/(9) ASTM InternationalAbout NEC CorporationNEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of "Orchestrating a brighter world." NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com. Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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APOLLO FUTURE MOBILITY GROUP announces its urban delivery vehicle UME was awarded the “Best of Best” in the “Commercial” category in the Automotive Brand Contest 2021 in Germany

HONG KONG, Jun 30, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Apollo Future Mobility Group Limited ("AFMG", the "Company", HKEx stock code: 860) announces today that its urban delivery vehicle - the UME, developed by its German team, was awarded the title of "Best of Best" in the "Commercial" category in the Automotive Brand Contest 2021 ("abc2021") organized by German Design Council.Highlighting the appreciation of the abc2021 judging panel members to the UME design, the panel's official verdict reads: "UME's Urban Delivery Vehicle with its holistic sustainable concept approach is an attractive solution for electric last mile transport of goods. The idea of sending the vehicle as an assembly kit to local micro-factories is truly remarkable. The modular superstructures also allow for a variety of deployment scenarios. A well thought-out, coherent commercial vehicle concept that is also convincing in its form with its modern, friendly product language."Unveiled for the first time at the Third China International Import Expo 2020 hosted in November 2020, the UME, meaning "Utility Meets Electric", is designed to be a cost and time effective tool to fulfill the last mile in the supply chain, constituting a green solutions package aiming at reducing carbon emissions of the transportation sector that is still prevalent in conventional fossil-fuel-powered light urban delivery trucks commonly used in developing countries. The UME is a L7e-CU vehicle (EU regulation) adapting a one-size-fits-all approach yet can be open to numerous use-cases depending on the customer's individual requirements. Delivering an approachable look with a minimalist design, the UME consists of symmetric parts, essentially reducing the number of parts required to increase manufacturing cost-effectiveness by allowing the same tooling for multiple uses. Key features of the UME include its Trolley Battery System that allows a Quick-Change-Charging scenario that keeps the vehicle on the road without any delivery downtime; modular cargo units that can be used as closed box or open pick-up to enable multiple usages ranging from courier to food delivery; and keyless access that is ideal for fleet and sharing usage. To achieve low-cost manufacturing, the UME can be shipped in knock-down kits that will be assembled in local micro factories in the target markets where it will also create job opportunities in the mobility industry. As the leading mobility award, the Automotive Brand Contest awards uniquely honour forward-thinking and future-oriented designs: public and individual transport innovations, top performances in communication and groundbreaking technical developments - the expert jury distinguishes projects that are clearly in the fast lane in the world of mobility.Mr. Ho King Fung, Eric, Chairman of Apollo Future Mobility Group Limited, comments, "With the UME our goal is to create a mobility tool for a shift towards green solutions. By creating an ecosystem around electric urban delivery vehicle that includes micro-factories and battery-swap stations, offering a high level of digitisation and connectivity, we not only present a vehicle, but a holistic approach for the future of urban commercial vehicles."About the Automotive Brand ContestThe Automotive Brand Contest was established in 2011. The German Design Council (Rat fur Formgebung), established by the German parliament Bundestag in 1953, honours outstanding product and communication design and draws attention to the fundamental importance of brand and brand design in the automotive industry. The interdisciplinary panel consists of members working in media, design, industrial companies, higher education institutions and architecture. The official awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Frankfurt am Main in autumn. For more details, please visit https://www.abc-award.com/About Apollo Future Mobility Group LimitedApollo Future Mobility Group Limited (HKEx stock code: 860) is a leading integrated mobility technology solution provider with proprietary and disruptive mobility technologies. It is determined to build a world-leading one-stop service platform for "future mobility" through the integration of global advanced mobility technologies.The Group focuses its business developments on three pillars, namely Engineering Services Outsourcing (ESO), Technology Development and Automobile Manufacturing through Apollo Automobil and Apollo Advanced Technologies (AAT). In addition to the development and sales of hypercars and luxury electric sports cars under the "Apollo" brand, the Group provides one-stop turnkey mobility technology solutions by integrating the Group's existing electric vehicle technologies, from ideation, design, modeling, engineering, simulation, prototype production, actual testing, to the delivery of pre-production prototypes to clients, striving to provide the global mobility market with a seamless and comprehensive solution platform. The Group also endeavors significant efforts in mobility technology development in electric vehicle technologies, like development of a new 800V SiC dual inverter and vehicle control units. The Group's subsidiaries include Apollo Automobil, Ideenion Automobil AG and GLM Co. Ltd which is a leading electric vehicle developer in Japan. In addition, the Group has also expanded its mobility technology offerings by investing in Divergent Technologies, Inc., the world's first 3D printing automotive manufacturing platform, and EV Power, a leading electric vehicle charging solutions provider.For more details, please visit https://apollofmg.com/ Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Slow business but some hawkers in Singapore still not on food delivery apps

SINGAPORE - As the number of Covid-19 cases in Bukit Merah View Market and Food Centre climbed, Mr Koh Tong Khoon sensed bad news was coming. The Mookata Eating House stall at Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre that he owns is not on any food delivery platform. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.

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Hawkers to get more help to do online food delivery: Josephine Teo

SINGAPORE - Hawkers will be given additional help by the Government to get onto online delivery platforms as more people stay home and order food online amid the Covid-19 pandemic. In a Facebook post on Saturday morning (June 5),Minister for Communications and Information (MCI) Josephine Teo said this was a new eating lifestyle which presented challenges for hawkers. Mrs Teo, who is also Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative, noted the National Environment Agency has provided incentives for hawkers to get on food delivery platforms. Mrs Teo said to organise their efforts and give it an added push, she has asked Minister of State for Communications and Information and National Development Mr Tan Kiat How to help hawkers get onto online delivery platforms. She also welcomed the support of Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Dr Amy Khor, who will work with Mr Tan to recruit partners who can bring about this digital change to improve the lives and livelihoods of hawkers. Mrs Teo added: "Just as we have overcome the challenges in helping our hawkers with e-payment, I believe we can overcome these new sets of challenges too." She said about 60 per cent of the 18,000 stallholders in Singapore now offer QR e-payment under the Infocomm Media Development Authority's Hawkers Go Digital effort. Mrs Teo said when Covid-19 first struck last year, some hawkers were initially hesitant about going digital. But the country supported them and the industry provided the infrastructure to offer hawker food on online platforms. She said the community championed and bought hawker food, and the government intensified outreach efforts. She added: "Our hawkers themselves also showed great can-do spirit, changed their mindset and took the digital leap." In her post, Mrs Teo referred to an opinion piece by The Straits Times' associate editor, Ms Chua Mui Hoong, published on Friday, which urged regulatory agencies and big food delivery industry players to provide long-term support for hawkers to go digital. Ms Chua noted the swell in ground-up and volunteer efforts to help hawkers amid Covid-19 restrictions but questioned where the state, the government agencies, and industry players were in these efforts. She had suggested setting up an alliance for action to help hawkers, which included the above partners. More on this topic   Related Story Hawkers United - but where's the coordination?   Related Story Social media abuzz with support for elderly hawkers who are not tech-savvy Ms Chua wrote: "These alliances are a new breed of private-public partnership that brings industry leaders together with government officials to brainstorm ideas and operationalise them quickly - a kind of skunkworks team that works across ministries, and with the private sector, to solve specific problems." Mrs Teo said these views were mirrored by her MCI colleagues and urged Singaporeans to keep supporting their favourite hawkers. She said: "One dabao and a kind word will mean so much to them and their business." In a Facebook post on Saturday, Mr Tan said he and Dr Khor plan to rope in public and private partners to explore ideas to help hawkers better adopt online delivery and e-ordering platforms. He added there were about 1,000 digital ambassadors on the ground and urged hawkers to look out for them if they needed help. More on this topic   Related Story 1,000 digital ambassadors help hawkers and seniors adopt technology

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Rest areas for delivery riders, private hire drivers in Punggol to be removed to prevent misuse

SINGAPORE - The rest areas for delivery riders and private hire drivers that were set up about a week ago in two Punggol coffeeshops will be removed to prevent misuse. These areas could become places where people congregate, and bring about community risk, said Ms Sun Xueling, MP for Punggol West SMC, in a Facebook post on Sunday (May 30). "I have been there a few times myself and seen some congregation of general workers which we had to rectify," added Ms Sun, who is also Minister of State for Education as well as Social and Family Development. The rest areas in the coffeeshops at Block 308C Punggol Walk and Block 269A Punggol Field were set up about a week ago. They were intended for use by delivery riders and private hire drivers to rest and have their meal, said Ms Sun in previous Facebook posts. On Sunday, she said that they can eat at open areas, such as void decks and parks, and that she had personally observed some of them taking their breaks alone in such places. "And (the places are) safe, well aerated, away from crowds," she said. Ms Sun also said the "Pay It Forward" initiative will continue at the two coffeeshops. This initiative allows residents to pay for drinks which the riders and drivers can then redeem. "There is also a box for us to express our good wishes to them and donate free masks for their use," said Ms Sun. More on this topic   Related Story Designated areas in community centres set aside for essential workers to eat at   Related Story Grace period at HDB, URA carparks will be extended to 20 minutes to help delivery drivers

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Digitally altered image of dine-in area for essential workers in poor taste: Josephine Teo

SINGAPORE - Communications and Information Minister Josephine Teo on Friday (May 28) has slammed as crude an altered image of a dine-in area set up in Lower Delta Road for taxi drivers and delivery riders. The banner in the image, which has been circulating online, was altered to say "Die-In Area" instead of the original "Dine-In Area". Mrs Teo said on Facebook that she was alerted to the digitally altered image by grassroots leaders at Beo Crescent Residents' Network, which had worked with Jalan Besar Town Council to set up the dine-in area in a pavilion at Block 48A Lower Delta Road. "The distorted wording is done in poor taste. What does the 'author' hope to achieve?" asked Mrs Teo, the Member of Parliament for Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng ward, where the designated area is located. "Beo Crescent has a very popular market and hawker centre. The stallholders are having a hard time and need all the business they can get. They welcome taxi drivers and delivery riders." She added: "So this 'author' thinks it is creative? Far from it. Please put your energies to better use. Even if you don't have the capacity to help others... don't spend your time and effort subtracting from it. They deserve better." In a separate Facebook post, the Beo Crescent Residents' Network said it set up the dine-in area so that cabbies and delivery riders had a place to rest and eat amid the current heightened alert period. With a ban on dining in at eateries and restaurants in place till June 13, public spaces such as void decks, pavilions and community centre function halls across the island have been turned into designated eating areas for essential workers such as cabbies, private-hire drivers and safe distancing ambassadors. Malls and other private establishments have also carved out areas for these workers to rest and have their meals. Said the Beo Crescent Residents' Network: "We are very disappointed that there are netizens who chose to ignore our good intentions and spread such falsehood during this period. "We hope everyone can ignore the tampered picture and give more support to our local hawkers, taxi drivers and delivery riders who continue to serve the public." More on this topic   Related Story Grace period at HDB, URA carparks will be extended to 20 minutes to help delivery drivers   Related Story Over 30 malls set up eating areas, extend grace period at carparks

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