Who leads in Southeast Asia in digital payment adoption? - Tech for Good
July 6, 2021
Happy Tuesday!
I hope your week is off to a great start! This week I am sharing a few interesting reads on digital payment adoption in Southeast Asia, digital platforms assisting in the recovery of MSMEs from COVID-19, and a funding opportunity for startups focused on internet access.
I hope you have a great week and if you’d like to share anything with this community, feel free to email me.
Jesse
What’s interesting this week…
Who leads in Southeast Asia in digital payment adoption?
The does a good job of breaking down digital payment adoption in the region. I might be biased, but I was surprised to see Cambodia last on this list. After returning to Cambodia at the start of 2021, I’ve seen a massive shift in how Cambodian’s are using their phones for mobile payments. This will be one area to watch next year as digital payment adoption will continue to rise.
Staying connected: Digital Platforms supporting MSME COVID-19 recovery in Asia Pacific
GSMA has published their second part on digital platforms and COVID recovery. This article provides a great look into how platforms can enable recovery for MSMEs and provides a few practical examples of how this happening. E-Commerce still appears to be the main driver recovery, with many traditional merchants moving their stores online.
Surviving IDEO
I’ve been putting off this article for awhile as I wanted to send a specific “design thinking” email out, but this has weight too heavy on myself to hold back. George Aye, a former IDEO employee shares his experiences and those of 23 other alumni of IDEO on how unhealthy the IDEO workplace and culture is. This article is an important read for anyone running a company, building culture, communities, and working in design thinking culture.
$70,000 Seed Funding for Your Internet Access Ideas
ICT Works has highlighted a great opportunity for startups working on internet access and affordability issue in their country. IEEE Connecting the Unconnected Challenge is seeking innovative conceptual ideas or solutions from early-stage projects pursuing unique ways to increase affordable Internet access and usage for unconnected (or under-connected) population.
Rising Giants Podcast
Not an article, but I wanted to share a wonderful podcast and newsletter I stumbled upon earlier this year. Max and Dom are interviewing all the key players in the SE Asia startup ecosystem, with a particular focus on Cambodia. If you want to keep up-to-date and hear from some of the industry leaders on startups in SE Asia, this podcast is for you.