Sequoia Capital (Singapore) program, ​Surge* combines USD 1 to 2 million of seed capital with company-building workshops, global immersion trips, and support from a community of exceptional founders. Their stated goal is to "supercharge" startups;  and, " to give...unfair advantage, right out of the gate." 

To apply to the continuously rolling enrollment visit surgeahead.com.

​For more information in Vietnam, contact xinchao@hatch.vn.

* Surge, in English means "a sudden large increase

Discovered on Bloomberg and adapted from Think With Google.
Key points inside "e-Conomy SEA 2019"
Congratulations, Southeast Asia, you are the most engaged mobile internet users in the world. There's 360 million of you, and 90% of you connect primarily with your phone. You buy products, trips, and food online. What was unimaginable a few years ago is now your routine.

SEA "e-Conomy" hits USD 100b
Southeast Asia's internet economy rose to $100 billion for the first time in 2019, tripling over the last four years. By 2025, the internet economy is expected to grow to $300 billion.

Massive growth
Indonesia and Vietnam "lead the pack" with internet economy growth rates in excess of 40% a year; Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines are growing by between 20% and 30% annually.

Competing for users
Customer engagement is becoming more important than customer acquisition: gamifying, promos, and streaming are making choices expand, apps sticky, and competition fierce.

Outside your city
Seven SEA metros have 15% of the population, 50% of the internet economy, and people here bought 6x more online than those living elsewhere. And, that means big growth is waiting outside of the big cities.

Underbanked: next fintech wave?
By 2025, Southeast Asians might pay digitally half the time. And underbanked people will benefit big. New fintechs and old finance will both compete and partner going after opportunities. Regulatory is playing catch up: its role is critical.

Funding rolling in
SEA's internet economy pulled in USD 37 billion in the last four years. e-Commerce and Ride Hailing got the most; but big investments also went into a few thousand startups. Some are “Aspiring Unicorns” prepping for late-stage, scale-up funding. Regional / global investors actively hunt for opportunities*.

Ecosystem challenges
Internet access is affordable for many, trust in "digital" has improved. Players rushing into logistics are helping. Digital payments is growing fast. But talent remains a big gap.

Get full report and companion presentation (both published 3 October 2019) at Think With Google.

P.S. Are you hunting?
VC / FO / PE funds, Angels: subscribe to HATCH! RSS news feed, or contact us directly.
Founders / Innovators: watch our calendar (homepage) for activities for your journey!

HATCH! will visit Asia Innovates Summit that brings together leaders from the innovation ecosystems of seven countries: China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Notable innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors discuss what makes each of these seven Asian markets competitive. It will showcase sectors where Asia leads the world; and discuss challenges the ecosystems face and how they can be overcome.

The two-day summit is hosted by the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT). 

If you're going to the summit let people know in the comments below, so we can meet up!

SC Deaf, the leading company in Vietnam that's focused entirely on supporting and connecting the deaf, has completed a four weeks plan, organizing Vietnam's first startup bootcamp for deaf people.

​Deaf Bootcamp was an intensive program for the 25 participants, all who are deaf. Using the "lean" methodology for startup commercialization, teams bring innovation-based business ideas to life; which, when launched, will not only generate income for participants, but also job creation.

The program was made possible through the US Department of State's initiative "Global Innovation through Science & Technology" (GIST) Innovation Hub (iHub) program, implemented in part by HATCH! Ventures, NEU Center for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CSIE). Other sponsors include Joma Bakery Café, Bamboo Vision, UNDP, and VSVA.

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About HATCH! Ventures
HATCH! was launched in 2012 with the double mission to support individual entrepreneurs and promote the early-stage startup ecosystem in Vietnam. Since then, HATCH! activities and leadership consistently made international headlines, as an organization in Vietnam supporting thousands of individual entrepreneurs operating hundreds of startups.

About GIST I-Hub
GIST I-Hub, part of the U. S. Department of State’s Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) initiative empowers young innovators through networking, skill building, mentoring, and access to financing to develop startup solutions that address economic and development challenges.

About CSIE
CSIE is founded in 2017 with technical support from British Council Vietnam. CSIE is hub of knowledge, networks and support in social innovation and entrepreneurship in Southeast Asia.

About VSVA 
Vietnam Silicon Valley is Vietnam's leading business accelerator that also invests in its world-class, early stage startups.

About Joma Bakery Café
Joma Bakery Café is a social enterprise who's mission is to improve lives through quality food and beverages, customer service, and treating employees like family.

About Save Your Ocean
Save Your Ocean is an affordable smart water refill network that eliminates dependency on single-use plastic containers. Save Your Ocean is project of Triip.me, "the happiest way to travel" an online platform connecting travelers to local experiences that make a positive impact on the environment.

About Bamboo Vision
Bamboo Vision offers eco-friendly alternatives to everyday plastic products.

About UNDP
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life for themselves. It provides expert advice, training and grants support to developing countries, with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries. It promotes technical and investment cooperation among nations.
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Daniel Castro, Vice President of the leading U.S. think tank for science and technology policy ITIF, to speak on what policy makers around the world can do to enable digital innovation while dealing with new risks brought on by technology. During his talk, Mr. Castro will talk about the evolution of Artificial Intelligence and automation, and how they can boost productivity, improve public safety, increase environmental sustainability, and lead to more effective government. This event is part of a Department of State Speakers Program that brings U.S. experts to Embassies and Consulates abroad to speak about topics of interest.

"#AsiaRocks" is the Asia-focused startup event connecting leading ecosystem builders across Asia to exchange market insights and to provide startups a whole new gateway to Asian markets.

​This important and timely event promises to:

1. Offer unique initiatives dedicated for the ecosystem builder
2. Consolidate and push further “cross-border” startups in Asia
3. Build, empower, and boost connections in our region
4. Gather leading builders to grow bigger and go global together

If you'd like to join a delegation of people from Vietnam, contact: xinchao@hatch.vn

Learn about fundraising from real VCs. "Term Sheet Bootcamp" is a 2-day boot camp for you to interact and learn directly with real investors and legal experts so you can get knowledge and skills to successfully fundraise.

October 19–20, 2019 in Ho Chi Minh City

The program is limited, and there is an application process, so apply now to increase your chance of getting in!

Presented by: Taiwan Startup Stadium

Foreign Trade University (FTU) Innovation & Incubation Space (FIIS), "SIP-100" accelerator organized a demo day for its second batch of companies. Associate Professor Dr. Bui Anh Tuan, President, Foreign Trade University spoke at the event. FIIS is supported by Vietnam Silicon Valley Accelerator, Swiss EP, HATCH! and other startup ecosystem builders Check them all out here!