We’ve hit our #100 milestone!

And we couldn’t have done this without you. Before you read on, we want to thank our founders for continuing to contribute stories to our digest, our LPs and investor network for investing in and building meaningful relationships with our portfolio companies, and our press network for your uplifting storytelling in making sure this region gets the attention it deserves.

But we’re not stopping here. Much more is yet to come. And we’re starting by deepening the 500 Durians team stack in Malaysia and Singapore

Help spread the word!

• To do more for our founders, companies, and the overall SEA startup ecosystem, we’re looking for fellow human beings — who are just in love with our startup ecosystem as we are — to fill seven positions across Malaysia and Singapore.
• From People Ops to Data Analysts, the roles will not only give you first-hand, valuable insights into the inner workings of a venture capital firm, but also promises you a rewarding experience of supporting and growing alongside the region’s best entrepreneurs.

• To have the vacancies filled by next year, the first batch of candidates will be shortlisted by end-October.
• Please help share the news with someone you know or via your social media channels.
• Or maybe, the person is you? If that’s the case, head on over to our Jobs page to apply!

More scooters

• 500-backed and Singapore-based e-scooter company Neuron Mobility announced it has secured US$12 million for a Series A round, bringing the total sum to US$30.5 million.
• This new injection was co-led by existing investors Australian VC firm Square Peg Capital, and GSR Ventures, according to TechCrunch.
• With new capital, Neuron plans to accelerate its international expansion, particularly in Australia and New Zealand.
• Zachary Wang, Neuron’s CEO, said, “Cities across the world are rethinking their transport systems and increasingly people are looking for a safe, inexpensive and socially-distanced way to travel post COVID-19. This presents a great opportunity for micromobility providers. Our experience of operating in Australia, combined with fresh funding, will help us accelerate our growth across the region and beyond.”

• Neuron is also entering the UK with trial runs approved by the local government. Slough, the largest industrial centre outside London, is the first UK location for launch.
• Painted in striking orange, Neuron scooters are built with rider safety in mind. Some features include a 999 emergency button which tells if someone has had a fall and helps the rider call the emergency services and “Follow My Ride”, a real-time location-sharing feature that provides added security while riding alone.
• Founded in Singapore in 2016 by Zachary Wang and Harry Yu, Neuron operates e-scooter sharing services across Singapore, New Zealand, and Australia.

Driving socially responsible consumerism

• Vikas Garg, founder and CEO of 500-backed and leading aggregator for all things plant-based, abillionveg, got on Singapore’s Money FM to talk about sustainable living and responsible consumerism.
• Vikas left a lucrative hedge fund career in the US to start abillionveg in Singapore with a mission to provide a platform that helps people across the world find and share insights on plant-based menu items, packaged foods and cruelty-free consumer products.
• “One of the defining ways that we can all be more sustainable is looking at the things we do every single day, multiple times a day. And that is food,” Vikas said.

• Currently, abillionveg has members in 131 countries. The most engaged community being Singapore.
• Vikas also touched on the partnership with Impossible Foods, in which abillionveg will help to market its meat alternatives to thousands of F&B establishments across Singapore.
• “Our partnership for the next year or two is to help them get their products into more businesses, into more restaurants around Singapore and hopefully, sooner around the world.”
• The collaboration with Impossible Foods was announced in September, alongside a partnership with restaurant booking platform Chope and US$3 million in pre-Series A funding.
• Hear Vikas speak more about abillionveg and his vision for a more sustainable future here.

Missed out the last Daily Markup? Go here to check it out.

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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.

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. Information about portfolio companies’ markets, competitors, performance, and fundraising has been provided by those companies’ founders and has not been independently verified. 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 provide any investment advisory service with regard to securities by 500 Startups. No content or information in this post should be construed as 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. One or more 500 Startups fund may have a financial interest in one or more of the companies discussed.