Social commerce, q-commerce score big among VCs in SE Asia

If 2020 was the year we were all forced to shop online, 2021 was the year we all started enjoying shopping online. And in doing so, Southeast Asian shoppers have formed habits that VCs are lapping up. But how sustainable are these investments? That's a tricky question

Social commerce is no new feature, but the appetite for social media shopping grew substantially in 2021

Quick commerce, though becoming increasingly popular, could place additional strain on Southeast Asia’s logistics networks

Despite shortfalls, rise in e-commerce had helped fuel the growth of payment gateways, such as Nium and Xendit, which turned unicorns

Venture capitalists shine a light on the potential and take a critical lens to the challenges of each sector

Shopping will never be the same again. Right from one’s daily grocery buying habits to a sudden splurge on some fancy pet accessories, quite a lot of shopping happens online now. And the significance of this shift is most evident if you follow the money.

So, let’s look at who’s getting investor love.

In December 2021, 15-minute quick commerce startup Astro—started by former associate vice president of Tokopedia, Vincent Tjendra—raised a US$30 million Series A round led by Accel and Sequoia Capital.

AUTHOR

Sheila Chiang

Based in Singapore, Sheila began her career working in high-growth startups, including a venture-backed online fashion retailer. Fascinated by the startup culture and the rise of unicorns and IPOs in Southeast Asia, she seeks to tell compelling stories on their journeys from idea to exit. She was previously at DealStreetAsia reporting on startups and venture capital.

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