MAROKO133 Update startup: Living Lab Ventures doubles down on innovation 🇯🇵, Grab posts pr

📌 MAROKO133 Hot startup: Living Lab Ventures doubles down on innovation 🇯🇵, Grab p

Dear subscriber,

The past week have brought a wave of momentum across Indonesia’s innovation and digital economy. New cross-border partnerships and funding—from Living Lab Ventures’ Japan Thematic Fund to VENTENY’s social-impact investments—highlight how collaboration and purpose are shaping the next phase of growth. At the same time, companies like Grab, Blibli, and Telkomsel are proving that scale and technology remain central to market leadership, from profitability milestones to AI integration. The fintech, e-commerce, and digital infrastructure sectors continue to attract global attention, while online consumption shows no signs of slowing—BPS reported a 6.19% rise in e-commerce spending in Q3, with record-breaking campaigns already setting the tone for year-end optimism.

Best regards,
The DailySocial Team

What’s New

1. Living Lab Ventures launches Japan‐Thematic Fund

Living Lab Ventures, based in Indonesia, has launched a new “Japan Thematic Fund” in partnership with Japan’s Cool Japan Fund and other backers. The fund is designed to help startups from Japan and Southeast Asia access capital, cross-border business connections, and real-world trial opportunities. For the Indonesian market this means more chances for local ventures to link up with Japanese firms, transfer technology, and expand beyond domestic boundaries.

2. Grab Holdings posts strong Q3 2025 revenue growth
Grab recorded Q3 2025 revenue of US$873 million, a 22% increase from last year, marking another profitable quarter with US$17 million in net profit. Growth was fueled by strong demand across its ecosystem — on-demand services rose 24%, deliveries jumped 23% to US$465 million, and financial services surged 39%. The company also achieved US$136 million in adjusted EBITDA, up 51% year-on-year, supported by steady operational efficiency. With US$7.4 billion in cash reserves, Grab continues to strengthen its position as one of Southeast Asia’s leading digital platforms, reflecting the region’s growing reliance on ride-hailing, delivery, and payment services.

3. Grab–GoTo Merger Talks: State Palace Confirms Negotiations
Indonesia’s State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi confirmed that Grab and GoTo are in the process of negotiating a potential merger, which could lead to the creation of a single entity combining both platforms. The state-owned investment management agency Danantara is reportedly involved in the discussions to oversee the corporate asset arrangements. The merger plan is also being reviewed as part of a draft Presidential Regulation that will set clearer rules on the status, protection, and fare structure for online drivers and delivery partners.

4. VENTENY Secures Dual Funding to Advance Financial Inclusion and Women’s Empowerment

VENTENY Fortuna International (VTNY) has secured two new funding rounds to strengthen its mission of promoting financial inclusion and worker welfare in Indonesia. The company received US$5.5 million from the Women’s Livelihood Bond 7 (WLB7), managed by Impact Investment Exchange (IIX), to expand working-capital financing for women-led MSMEs in underserved regions. Around the same time, VENTENY also gained strategic investment from Japan’s Better Place Co. Ltd., aimed at enhancing its B2B financing services and employee well-being programs through the VENTENY Employee Super App. With this support, the company plans to scale up financing for MSMEs, improve employee wellness benefits, and build a more inclusive and sustainable business ecosystem.

5. Living Lab Ventures Invests in INCREASE to Strengthen Indonesia’s Clinical Research Ecosystem
Living Lab Ventures (LLV), the corporate venture arm of Sinar Mas Land, has made a strategic investment in INCREASE Laboratorium Indonesia, a clinical research and laboratory services company based in BSD City. The funding will help INCREASE expand operations, build global partnerships, and obtain international certifications such as CAP and ISO standards. INCREASE already works with partners in Singapore, Australia, China, and Japan, including Tsinghua University and Osaka University, to advance technology transfer and local talent development.

What’s Exciting

1. Telkom Indonesia earns from data-centre business with high utilisation
Telkom Indonesia’s subsidiary has reported strong demand in its data-centre business, with utilisation reaching 89 % in the third quarter. Although revenue was slightly down compared to the year before, the high utilisation suggests robust growth potential for Indonesia’s digital infrastructure sector. It offers local companies opportunities in services, infrastructure, partnerships and talent development.

2. YouTube Festival 2025 proclaims Indonesia as growth hub
YouTube’s Festival 2025 has declared Indonesia as its next growth centre, recognising the large audience, creator ecosystem and market potential. For Indonesia this is significant: it underlines that digital content creation, influencers, video marketing and creator economy are sectors to watch and invest in. It creates new opportunities for local talent, brands and platforms to tap into global attention from within Indonesia. The festival’s focus may also bring more…

Konten dipersingkat otomatis.

🔗 Sumber: dailysocial.id

📌 MAROKO133 Eksklusif startup: Xendit acquires Payex 🇲🇾, Danantara targets $10B de

Dear subscribers,

We’re back in your inbox with a fast, zero-fluff briefing for founders, investors, VCs, and regulators across Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and beyond. This week: Xendit’s Malaysia push, Dunkin’s new operator, Danantara’s $10B deployment plan, TikTok’s license reinstatement, HSBC’s tokenised deposits rollout, and a governance watch on P2P lending—distilled into what matters and why.

Best regards,
The DailySocial Team

What’s New

• Xendit expands into Malaysia 🇲🇾. Indonesia’s leading payment gateway has completed the full acquisition of Payex, a Bank Negara–licensed payment gateway provider, and will rebrand it as Xendit Malaysia. Announced at the Selangor Smart City & Digital Economy Convention 2025, this move follows Xendit’s initial investment in Payex in early 2023. Since entering Malaysia, Xendit has onboarded 4,500+ businesses, processed over MYR 5 billion (~US$1.1 billion) in transactions, and plans to expand its local team, partnerships, and education initiatives. The new entity will be led by Jayson Poon, former central bank official. [Read More]

• Dunkin’ Donuts Indonesia enters new era 🍩. F&B local startup, DailyCo, through its subsidiary PT Diamonds Donuts Internasional (DDI), has officially taken over the master franchise license of Dunkin’ Donuts Indonesia from PT Dunkindo Lestari, effective October 7, 2025. The first new outlet is planned for Jakarta in Q4 2025, followed by gradual expansion through both flagship and neighborhood cafés. The move marks Dunkin’s major comeback in Indonesia’s growing bakery (US$50B+, 9.4% CAGR 2025–2029) and coffee (7% annual growth through 2031) markets. [Read More]

• Danantara to deploy $10B investments in 3 months 💰. Indonesia’s sovereign investment body, Danantara, aims to channel US$10 billion by January 2026, with 80% focused domestically. Current investments include projects in Saudi Arabia, renewable energy, and waste-to-power. CIO Pandu Sjahrir highlighted Indonesia’s mix of high yield and stability supported by low inflation and a young population. Danantara also aims to boost local capital market liquidity—currently around US$1B in daily turnover—far below India’s US$10–11B. [Read More]

• TikTok back in business 🎥. Indonesia has lifted TikTok’s license suspension after the company provided aggregated operational data requested by the government, including livestream, monetization, and web traffic activity. The suspension, imposed on October 3, followed incomplete compliance during unrest linked to a delivery driver’s death. With over 100 million users, TikTok’s return underscores its reliance on Indonesia as its largest Southeast Asian market, amid ongoing debates over data transparency and user trust. [Read More]

What’s Exciting

1️⃣ HSBC tokenizes deposits in Singapore 🪙. HSBC has expanded its Tokenised Deposit Service (TDS) to Singapore after launching in Hong Kong. The service allows instant 24/7 settlement using DLT-based digital tokens representing fiat deposits. Ant International became the first client to complete SGD and USD transactions across HSBC Singapore and Hong Kong, highlighting TDS’s potential in liquidity and FX management. The bank plans further rollouts in the UK and Luxembourg, positioning Singapore as a global treasury hub.

2️⃣ SBI Holdings joins Amar Bank 🇯🇵🇮🇩. Japan’s SBI Holdings has acquired over 5% stake in Amar Bank, becoming its third-largest institutional investor after Tolaram and Jagat Raya Imajinasi. Amar Bank CEO Vishal Tulsian said the partnership will enable synergy with SBI’s vast ecosystem, furthering Amar’s mission to transform retail and MSME banking in Indonesia.

What’s Next: Strengthening Fintech Governance Before the Snowball Effect Hits ⚖️

Indonesia’s fintech lending industry continues its rapid climb — outstanding loans reached Rp 87.61 trillion as of August 2025, up 21.6% YoY, according to the Financial Services Authority (OJK). Despite a relatively low 2.6% delinquency rate, the surge signals growing systemic risk if governance gaps persist.

Several players still fall short of the minimum capital requirements (Rp 12.5B for P2P platforms; Rp 100B for multifinance firms). OJK is urging recapitalization or new investor entry to prevent potential liquidity shocks. The Dana Syariah case — where lenders faced withdrawal delays despite a 99.82% repayment rate — underscores how weak governance can erode investor trust.

OJK has intensified enforcement, issuing hundreds of administrative sanctions in August 2025 and coordinating with law enforcement to uphold compliance and solvency standards.

With fintech lending expanding fast, stronger governance and risk management are urgently needed. If capital adequacy, transparency, and compliance issues are left unchecked, isolated incidents could escalate into a systemic crisis. As Dana Syariah’s case shows, trust is fragile and rebuilding it starts with firm, proactive regulation.

🔗 Sumber: dailysocial.id