Robotics technology is on the rise amidst the pandemic.

The future is now

• With lockdowns easing worldwide, businesses are slowly but surely going back into the swing of things.
• Yet, the idea of a workplace will be vastly different from what it was just six months ago. New technologies have to be put in place to create an environment that’s not only safe but also provides as little disruption to workflow as possible.
• 500-backed OhmniLabs’ robots have been deployed to help people go about their daily lives — all while keeping safe and without being physically present, from attending graduation ceremonies to getting in touch with a quarantined family member.

• Could robots be part of the new workplace, post-Covid-19? In a feature by ZDNet, OhmniLabs’ teleconferencing robotics are listed as “a valuable investment in a time of remote working and social distancing.”
• And they may be right. Companies large and small are expanding how they use robots to increase social distancing and reduce the number of staff that have to physically come to work. For example, Walmart, America’s biggest retailer, is using robots to scrub its floors.

Your doctor is now online

• Access to healthcare is imperative in the battle against the coronavirus crisis. But geographical limitations prevent some from accessing crucial medical information.
• With that in mind, 500-backed Shohoz is launching “Shohoz Health”, a dedicated healthcare app connecting users from anywhere in Bangladesh to over a hundred doctors.

• Going live this weekend, the app will also allow users to receive prescription as well as medicine delivery from over 100 pharmacies.
• The Covid-19 situation has been straining the healthcare system. Attention has turned to digital solutions, like Shohoz and Alodokter, to provide possible health solutions in this time of unprecedented medical crisis to mitigate the impact of this pandemic.

Facebook taps startups to help local SMEs

• We know small businesses in Malaysia and Singapore are struggling hard but there are more ways to support them now.
• Facebook and Instagram have respectively launched new tools to show appreciation for your favorite local joint via gift cards which can be purchased at select third-party partner sites.

• Currently, Facebook is testing a feature where the public will be able to access gift cards from participating merchants in their cities through a “Support Local Businesses” promotion on its page.
• The gift cards are launched in collaboration with Facebook’s partners, 500-backed Fave and StoreHub, which will share the value of the gift card minus their transaction fee with the participating merchants.
• You may have seen the “Support Small Businesses” sticker while looping through your Instagram Stories. The eye-catching visual is an easy way to show support and give these businesses some needed exposure.

• Lately, both StoreHub and Fave have been proactively engaging SMEs with strategic initiatives to help them tide through this season.
• StoreHub launched Beep, an on-demand delivery service supporting over 3,000 F&B outlets while Fave’s Save Our Fave campaign is directing 100% of gift card sales to restaurants and retailers.

A face mask vending machine?

• Yes, that’s right. Razer, the company synonymous with its eye-catching gaming peripherals, says it will place 20 face mask vending machines in Singapore by June 1 to help the city-state with Covid-19 prevention efforts, where the company’s global operations are based.

• With its vending machines, Razer is pledging to give out 5 million masks for free to Singapore residents 16 years and older, and after the initial distribution, it will sell the masks directly.
• There’s a catch though: They must first sign up for their mobile wallet Razer Pay, which will issue a QR code upon successful identity verification. The QR code must be scanned at vending machines for mask collection.

Stay tuned to tomorrow’s Daily Markup!

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500 Startups is a venture capital firm on a mission to discover and back the world’s most talented entrepreneurs, help them create successful companies at scale, and build thriving global ecosystems. In Southeast Asia, 500 Startups invests through the pioneering 500 Southeast Asia family of funds. The 500 Southeast Asia funds have backed over 240 companies across multiple sectors from internet to consumer to deep technology. It continues to connect founders with capital, expertise and powerful regional and global networks to help them succeed.

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