BBT is back in Singapore, thanks to Grain.

Funding amidst Covid-19

• 500-backed RaRa Delivery, Horangi and Naluri has made it to Tech in Asia’s rising startups list.

• All three companies have found funding despite the ongoing global health crisis. RaRa Delivery had secured seed funding from 500 Startups earlier this month. Nearing the tail-end of March, SaaS cybersecurity firm Horangi raised $20 million in a series B round. Most recently, Naluri disclosed $1.1 million in pre-series A funding.

Grain brings back BBT in Singapore

• Bubble tea is now a precious commodity in Singapore since the closure of outlets in line with stricter social distancing measures.
• Some good news! KOI, one of the nation’s most beloved bubble tea brands, is making a virtual comeback through a collaboration with 500-backed food delivery startup Grain.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_fDamvnNpj/

• The reception was swift and overwhelming, even crashing Grain’s website a few hours after the launch.
• If you’re in Singapore and craving for some BBT, go here or you could also order through GrabFood. Word to the wise: Place your orders ahead of time.

Football clubs x startups

• Persija Jakarta is Indonesia’s most successful football club, having won 11 league titles. Adding to that esteemed line of accolades is a successful fundraising campaign to help alleviate the Covid-19 situation in the country.
• Initially targeted to raise Rp200 million (~ $12,900), the campaign hosted on 500-backed fundraising platform Kitabisa raised Rp310 million (~ $20,000) in total.
• Titled “Satu Hati Lawan Corona” (One Heart To Fight Coronavirus), the funds will be channeled towards helping the city of Jakarta fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

They saw it coming or did they?

• What do The Eyes Of Darkness, Contagion, and The Masque of the Red Death have in common?
• The events and writings in them, while fictional, are resonating with people in these truly remarkable times we’re living in.
• Newsweek’s list comprises of books and movies that have resurfaced on social media and TV screens since the pandemic took a toll.

• While some fictional pandemics are too implausible to grasp, some are so close, you’ll be left scratching your head after viewing or reading, thinking if the predictor really could see into the future.

Stay tuned to tomorrow’s Daily Markup!

Missed out on the last Durian Daily? Go here for a full recap.

You can also find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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.

This post is intended solely for general informational or educational purposes only. 500 Startups Management Company, L.L.C. and its affiliates (collectively “500 Startups”) makes no representation as to the accuracy or information in this post and while reasonable steps have been taken to ensure that the information herein is accurate and up-to-date, no liability can be accepted for any error or omissions. All third party links in this post have not been independently verified by 500 Startups and the inclusion of such links should not be interpreted as an endorsement or confirmation of the content within. Under no circumstances should any content in this post be construed as investment, legal, tax or accounting advice by 500 Startups, or an offer to sell or solicitation of interest to purchase any securities advised by 500 Startups. Prospective investors considering an investment into any 500 Startups fund should not consider or construe this content as fund marketing material. The views expressed herein are as at the date of this post and are subject to change without notice. A 500 Startups fund may have a financial interest in one or more of the companies discussed.