Industry News

LingoAce, a leader in online education, has announced a comprehensive upgrade to its Advanced Chinese Programme, integrating cutting-edge technology to enhance precision and personalisation in Mandarin learning. The programme now includes innovative Stage Tests powered by AI diagnostics and big data analytics, which are designed to provide learners with customised learning pathways and offer teachers and parents valuable insights for targeted support.

The upgrade comes in response to the growing global interest in Mandarin as a second language. LingoAce has reimagined its programme to address the diverse needs of international learners, introducing enhancements that empower students to progress with clarity and confidence. The Stage Tests serve as strategic checkpoints, evaluating learning outcomes and guiding targeted remediation. These AI-driven insights create individualised learning blueprints, enabling focused and clear progression.

Additionally, LingoAce has introduced a Parent-Teacher Conference module, allowing teachers to collaborate with parents using Stage Test results and classroom observations to ensure aligned learning strategies. This initiative aims to strengthen the partnership between home and school, providing comprehensive support for learners.

Hugh Yao, founder and CEO of LingoAce, stated, “This upgraded Advanced Chinese Programme offers learners a more intelligent and accelerated path to fluency whilst providing parents with a clearer understanding of their child’s educational journey.” He added that the company plans to extend the Stage Tests across all Mandarin programmes within the year.

LingoAce’s commitment to innovation in education technology continues to empower learners worldwide, fostering global confidence and competitiveness.
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Five lawyers from Carey Olsen have been honoured in the Asian Legal Business (ALB) Offshore Client Choice list for 2025, highlighting their exceptional client service and strong connections within the legal community across Asia. Partners Tim Haynes, Helen Wang, and Matthew Watson, along with counsellors Kate Lan and Amelia Tan, were recognised for their expertise and dedication.

The ALB Offshore Client Choice list is based on direct feedback from clients and partner law firms, identifying lawyers who have made significant impacts in the offshore legal sector. Carey Olsen stands out with the highest number of individuals named, including the unique distinction of having both partners and counsellors recognised.

Tim Haynes, head of Carey Olsen’s dispute resolution and litigation team in Hong Kong, is celebrated for his 26 years of experience in commercial dispute resolution. Clients commend him as “a super experienced practitioner” with a balance of technical excellence and commercial advice.

Helen Wang, a partner in the Singapore office, specialises in complex commercial litigation and insolvency matters. She is praised for her “excellent legal knowledge and commercial sense,” being described as “extremely personable” and “super responsive.”

Matthew Watson, based in Hong Kong, is noted for his work in Bermuda law, particularly in insolvency and restructuring. Clients describe him as “an absolute delight to work with” and commend his attention to detail.

Counsellors Kate Lan and Amelia Tan, both based in Singapore, are recognised for their expertise in cross-border litigation and commercial disputes. Lan is noted for her “sharp” and “commercially savvy” approach, whilst Tan is described as “technically solid” and “business savvy.”

This recognition underscores Carey Olsen’s commitment to providing top-tier legal services in the offshore sector.
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Airwallex, a global payments and financial platform, has successfully raised $300m in a Series F funding round, elevating its valuation to $6.2b. This funding includes $150m in secondary transactions and brings the company’s total funding to over $1.2b. The investment will be used to expand Airwallex’s infrastructure into new markets such as Japan, Korea, the UAE, and Latin America, whilst accelerating growth in Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia.

The funding round saw participation from prominent investors including Square Peg, DST Global, Lone Pine Capital, Blackbird, Airtree, Salesforce Ventures, and Visa Ventures. Jack Zhang, co-founder and CEO of Airwallex, stated, “The global financial system wasn’t built for today’s borderless economy. At Airwallex, we’re building a new foundation for the global economy – one that’s fast, seamless, and built for scale.”

Airwallex has experienced rapid growth, with its annualised revenue reaching $720m in March 2025, marking a 90% increase year-over-year. The company now supports over 150,000 businesses globally and processes more than $130b in annualised payment volume. It anticipates hitting $1b in annual run rate revenue by the end of 2025.

The company’s proprietary global network allows customers to generate local account numbers in over 60 countries and move funds across more than 150 markets, with 95% of transactions settled within hours. This expansion is set to redefine global banking, providing businesses with the tools to operate seamlessly across borders.
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Elivity®, a wellness brand with roots in Australia, is making waves in Singapore by offering affordable, science-backed supplements aimed at promoting healthy ageing. With prices starting at $61 (S$83) per month, the brand’s products, including NMN and Spermidine supplements as well as oral sprays, are now available at Guardian outlets across the island. These offerings are designed to fit seamlessly into the busy routines of Singaporeans, providing benefits such as increased energy, improved focus, and enhanced cellular repair.

The brand’s approach focuses on making premium wellness accessible to a broader audience, addressing the needs of younger adults, busy professionals, caregivers, and seniors. Elivity® emphasises the importance of starting early with daily supplements to maintain energy and focus, whilst also supporting long-term wellness. The products are developed with global research expertise and manufactured in Australia, ensuring credibility and effectiveness.

As the demand for practical wellness solutions grows in the Asia-Pacific region, Elivity® positions itself as a leader in the market. The brand’s commitment to affordability and efficacy makes it a strong contender among competitors, catering to the increasing interest in healthy ageing. With its innovative approach, Elivity® aims to make youthful vitality financially sustainable for consumers of all ages.
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California Wine Month is set to make a vibrant return to Singapore from 1 to 30 June 2025, marking its annual celebration since its inception in 2022. This event, which highlights California’s rich winemaking heritage, will see over 100 online and physical retail locations, including RedMart, FairPrice, and Cellarbration, offering enticing discounts on a wide array of wines. Wine enthusiasts can also look forward to exclusive tasting events at select FairPrice outlets, 75cl.sg, and Wine Hours.

The month-long celebration is a testament to California’s commitment to sustainability and innovation in winemaking. Christopher Beros, Greater China and Southeast Asia director of the Wine Institute, emphasised the importance of these principles, stating, “We want to communicate these efforts and our focus on leaving our world sustained for future generations.”

During the event, FairPrice will host free wine tastings at various locations, allowing customers to sample a diverse selection of wines. Meanwhile, 75cl.sg will offer tastings of wines from renowned producers like Sand Point and LangeTwins. Wine Hours will feature wines from J Lohr, providing a unique opportunity for wine lovers to explore different flavours and styles.

Retailers such as Bottles and Bottles, Redmart, and Malt and Wine Asia will participate by offering discounts on popular labels, including The Prisoner Wine Company and Louis M. Martini. This initiative aims to make California wines more accessible to Singaporean consumers, showcasing the state’s diverse offerings and sustainable practices.

As California Wine Month continues to grow in popularity, it not only celebrates the state’s winemaking prowess but also reinforces its dedication to sustainability, ensuring that future generations can enjoy the fruits of these efforts.
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Singapore’s economy expanded by 3.9% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, according to the latest figures released by the Department of Statistics.

Despite this growth, the GDP forecast for the entire year remains unchanged at a range of 0.0% to 2.0%.

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The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) has announced a leadership transition with S.S. Teo taking over as Chairman from Lim Ming Yan, effective today. Teo, who previously held the position from 2014 to 2020, is the Executive Chairman of Pacific International Lines and brings extensive experience in internationalisation and regional business engagement.

Lim Ming Yan, who led SBF through significant challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic, has been praised for his contributions to digitalisation and workforce development. He expressed gratitude for the support received during his tenure, stating, “It has been an honour to serve as Chairman of the Singapore Business Federation over the past five years. I am deeply grateful to our members, the Council, partners, and the SBF Secretariat for their unwavering support and collaboration.”

Teo, who also chairs SBF’s Internationalisation Action Committee, aims to continue advancing SBF’s strategic priorities. “Under Ming Yan’s leadership, SBF strengthened its advocacy and broadened its partnerships across sectors. I thank him for his steady hand and service to the Federation,” Teo remarked.

Kok Ping Soon, CEO of SBF, highlighted the importance of this transition, noting, “Mr Lim’s leadership has been instrumental in steering SBF through a time of profound change. His guidance has been invaluable to the Secretariat.”

This leadership change is expected to bring continuity and renewed momentum as SBF continues to support Singapore’s business community in navigating the global economic landscape.
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GlobalFoundries (GF) has announced a strategic partnership with Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) to advance semiconductor packaging technologies. This collaboration, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), will see GF leveraging A*STAR’s state-of-the-art research and development facilities and technical support to enhance its capabilities in advanced packaging.

The initiative comes as the semiconductor industry faces increasing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and data-intensive applications, necessitating compact, high-performance, and energy-efficient solutions. Under the MOU, A*STAR will provide GF with access to its R&D resources, whilst GF will supply critical equipment to bolster A*STAR’s research efforts. This partnership aims to accelerate GF’s development of advanced packaging solutions, enabling the company to offer comprehensive semiconductor chip services at its Singapore facility.

Gregg Bartlett, GF’s Chief Technology Officer, highlighted Singapore’s robust semiconductor ecosystem as an ideal environment for innovation, stating, “This aligns to our global advanced packaging roadmap and reinforces our commitment to deliver more energy-efficient essential chips that are crucial for our customers, especially in the AI era.”

The collaboration also focuses on workforce development, with initiatives to upskill GF employees in advanced packaging. Terence Gan, Executive Director at A*STAR Institute of Microelectronics, emphasised the importance of public-private R&D collaboration in maintaining Singapore’s competitive edge in the global semiconductor supply chain.

This partnership follows GF’s earlier announcement of a new Advanced Packaging and Photonics Centre in New York, marking significant progress in its strategic roadmap to meet global customer demand.
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Delta Electronics is showcasing its latest Digital Twin Solution at SEMICON Southeast Asia 2025, held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore. The solution is designed to revolutionise semiconductor manufacturing by improving efficiency, precision, and cost-effectiveness through virtual simulation and verification.

The Digital Twin Solution, featuring the DIATwin platform, allows manufacturers to simulate and optimise machine operations before physical deployment. This innovation is expected to reduce downtime and enhance accuracy, crucial for the semiconductor industry where precision is paramount. “The next era of smart manufacturing is defined by intelligence, connectivity, and sustainability,” said Jimmy Wan, Country Manager of Delta Electronics Singapore and Malaysia. He emphasised the need for manufacturers to rethink design and production processes to remain competitive.

Delta is also highlighting its advanced industrial automation and energy infrastructure technologies, which aim to optimise manufacturing processes and improve operational reliability. Among these is the High-Speed Wafer Feeder from Universal Instruments, a subsidiary of Delta, which integrates with the FuzionSC™ Platform to streamline semiconductor assembly.

The company’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its efforts to reduce environmental impact and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Delta’s participation in SEMICON SEA 2025 underscores its role in driving smart and sustainable manufacturing solutions.

SEMICON Southeast Asia 2025 continues until 22 May, offering attendees a glimpse into the future of semiconductor manufacturing. Delta’s innovations are on display at booth B2009, EXPO Hall E (B2).
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Logicap, a Singapore-based logistics and industrial infrastructure specialist, has strengthened its partnership with Mitsubishi Estate, a leading Japanese real estate group, through a second strategic investment. This move highlights the growing global investor confidence in India’s rapidly evolving logistics sector. The investment, finalised in April 2025, builds on an initial joint venture launched in September 2024, positioning Logicap as a preferred platform for international institutional capital.

The partnership aims to develop a 13.5 million sq ft pan-India portfolio, focusing on high-growth corridors such as Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, and Delhi NCR. Logicap’s development platforms, Pragati Warehousing and Ecobox, will manage the full lifecycle of these projects, ensuring ESG integration and operational excellence. “This strengthened partnership with Mitsubishi Estate reflects the strong strategic alignment between our organisations and our shared long-term vision for India’s infrastructure landscape,” said Priyank Shah, Head of Fund Management at Logicap.

Mitsubishi Estate’s continued investment underscores the strength and credibility of Logicap’s operating model, which combines institutional governance and deep local expertise. The joint venture will develop assets in strategic locations like Chennai, Sriperambdur, and Mapeddu, catering to manufacturing tenants. Abhay Goyal, Chief Investment Officer at Logicap India, stated, “With Mitsubishi Estate’s deep global experience and our strong local execution capabilities, we are well positioned to unlock value across key markets.”

This collaboration not only enhances Logicap’s portfolio but also affirms its role as a credible platform driving the next wave of infrastructure growth in India.
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