AI, EVs & More: The Trends Driving Southeast Asia’s Growth
- Shivirta C.
- Jun 14
- 2 min read
14 June 2025
👋 Welcome to the first edition of the A2D Weekly Wrap!
"We’re excited to launch our newsletter — a fresh way to keep you in the loop on what’s happening across our startup and investor community. We’ll share early-stage deals we’re seeing, insights for founders and angels, and ecosystem news from Southeast Asia. Whether you're here to invest, build, or just stay informed — this is built for you." — Ankit Upadyay, Founder & General Partner, A2D Ventures
Fresh insights, emerging trends, new opportunities, and tips to help founders thrive.
HOT NEWS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
🇸🇬 Atome – BNPL arm of Advance Intelligence Group secured asset-backed funding from Lending Ark to boost financial inclusion in the Philippines.
🇸🇬 DayOne Data Centers – Secured multicurrency financing to expand sustainable digital infrastructure across the region. DayOne Data Centers
🇸🇬 Sleek – Raised Series B funding led by Ellerston Capital, with participation from Money Forward.
TREND TO WATCH
These sectors are where innovation, investment, and competition might heat up next.
McKinsey highlights 18 fast-growing industries that could reshape the global economy by 2040.
Key sectors to watch:
AI software & services: $1.5–4.6T market, 17–25% growth
Cloud services: $1.6–3.4T, 12–17% growth
Electric vehicles (EVs): $2.5–3.2T, 10–12% growth
Digital advertising: $2.1–2.9T, 8–10% growth
Cybersecurity: $1.3–2.1T, 10–15% growth
Robotics: $1.0–1.8T, 15–20% growth
Together, these could account for up to 16% of global GDP. For Southeast Asia—especially Bangkok, Thailand—this signals big opportunities as digitalization and EVs take off.
Source: McKinsey Global Institute
FOUNDER'S CORNER
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Happenstance – A smart meeting scheduler that matches you with people based on interests for more effective networking.
Coda – Combines documents, spreadsheets, and apps, perfect for creating customizable workflows.
ScribeHow – Automatically creates step-by-step guides, helping teams document processes and onboard quickly.
Quick hits of knowledge—because learning should never stop.
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