New generation, new technology

• 500-backed rocket startup Gilmour Space, alongside other space industry experts, will be working with students in SPASE on ‘Platypus’. That is, STEM Program About Space Exploration (SPASE), for a satellite launch mission named after the egg-laying mammal!
• Yup, you read that right – 56 students from 11 high schools will be building and launching a cube satellite into space. The CubeSat is a 10cm³ satellite that will be launched next year, attached to Gilmour Space’s Eris rocket.
• It will house artificial intelligence-enabled camera and temperature sensors, and was developed to assist natural disaster management preparations.
• “The Platypus mission offers a rare opportunity for students to apply their STEM knowledge and gain hands-on experience in building and operating real tech in space,” said Gilmour Space CEO, Adam Gilmour. “It’s a great way for us to share our passion with the next generation.”
• Read the full article here.

Casting a wide net(work)

• How can fintech players capture the diverse and scattered population of Indonesia? 500-backed Bukalapak believes the answer lies in its open ecosystem and open platform.
• That, plus offering an end-to-end financial solution will address the challenge of embedding digital payments into the daily lives of users, said Victor Lesmana, President for Commerce & Fintech at Bukalapak.
• What this means is that the public-listed firm will collaborate with multiple digital banks to cover different user bases, rather than striking an exclusive partnership. Victor shared that the company is currently in the process of rolling out a new application for digital mobile banking service with Standard Chartered.
• “Certain players are strong in big cities and some players are strong in second-tier and third-tier cities. We need to partner with as many players as possible,” Victor explained.
• Read the full article on DealStreetAsia.

A fresh deal with a sweet ending

• 500-backed Escavox and Fresh Produce Group (FPG) formed a new partnership that will allow them to use their superpowers to ensure consumers bite into only the freshest fruits.
• With Escavox’s unique tracking technology, FPG gets better visibility into its products’ movements in real-time, from the farm all the way to retail stores. Their relationship began in 2020 with berries and will now expand to citrus fruits.
• What was previously a challenge, Escavox now makes easy with its low-touch, no-fuss technology, said Head of Sales & Operations Christian Patterson, adding that the data offers “a complete narrative that describes what the food has experienced, and its likely impact on quality, while in-transit to its destination.”
• “Our unique algorithms and dashboards for our customers are literally giving food a voice,” he commented.
• Get the full article here.