Industry News

AGII, a leader in AI infrastructure for decentralised development, has announced the expansion of its predictive frameworks to improve the scalability and efficiency of smart contracts across Web3 platforms. This update introduces advanced models that dynamically adapt contract logic to network demands, ensuring continuous and low-latency execution.

As the complexity of Web3 ecosystems increases, the need for scalable and efficient smart contract deployment becomes crucial. AGII’s upgraded infrastructure enables just-in-time automation decisions, optimising smart contract performance across various blockchains without sacrificing security or throughput. This intelligent automation bridges traditional logic with real-time responsiveness, providing developers with greater flexibility and control.

The evolution of AGII’s platform is part of its mission to lead the smart contract revolution with self-improving AI models. The new framework offers features such as audit-ready traceability and autonomous decision trees, allowing decentralised apps (dApps) to quickly adapt to changing on-chain conditions. This results in streamlined workloads, improved latency, and enhanced transactional integrity.

AGII’s advancements in AI infrastructure are set to transform the future of contract execution in decentralised ecosystems, offering intelligent automation, scalable smart contract logic, and real-time decision-making tools. As Web3 continues to evolve, AGII’s innovations promise to empower developers and enhance the efficiency of decentralised applications.
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David He has been appointed as an emerging companies and venture capital partner at Cooley’s Singapore office, bringing over a decade of experience from New York, Silicon Valley, and Asia. His expertise spans the life cycle of high-growth companies, including venture capital and private equity funds, cross-border financings, acquisitions, and corporate governance. He previously worked at Gunderson Dettmer in Singapore.

He’s appointment is part of Cooley’s strategic expansion in Asia, where the firm operates in Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore. Matthew Bartus, co-chair of Cooley’s emerging companies and venture capital practice, remarked, “David is an excellent addition to our team and brings a wealth of experience and a strong base of connections in Singapore and across Asia.”

Patrick Loofbourrow, co-chair of Cooley’s China corporate practice, added, “David’s experience will strengthen our capabilities in our growing practice in Singapore and across South and Southeast Asia.”

Recognised as a “Next Generation Partner” by The Legal 500 and featured in the India Business Law Journal’s 2025 International A-List, He has advised on numerous venture-backed transactions globally. He expressed enthusiasm about joining Cooley, stating, “Cooley’s global platform and deep technical bench align perfectly with the needs of my clients as they continue to raise domestic and foreign capital and scale their businesses across borders.”

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Empyrion Digital has successfully integrated Nortek Data Centre Cooling’s StatePoint Liquid Cooling Technology at its KR1 Gangnam Data Centre in Seoul. This move marks a significant step in the company’s commitment to sustainable digital infrastructure, enhancing energy and water efficiency for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads.

The StatePoint system, a hybrid liquid cooling technology, offers improved thermal performance and affordability. It utilises a liquid-to-air energy exchanger with membrane-based evaporative cooling, significantly reducing mechanical cooling and water consumption. This innovation ensures the Gangnam Data Centre achieves optimal Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) and Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE), setting new efficiency benchmarks in South Korea.

Yongsuk Choi, Chief Strategy Officer of Empyrion Digital, stated, “Our collaboration with Nortek DCC signals the beginning of a long-term commitment to delivering AI-ready and green by design data centres.” The facility, spanning 30,714 square metres, is the first new data centre in Seoul’s Gangnam district in over a decade, designed to support energy-intensive AI applications with a 29.4 MW IT load.

Karin Overstreet, CEO of Nortek DCC, expressed pride in the partnership, highlighting the project’s potential to elevate data centre sustainability and performance in South Korea. The KR1 GDC is Empyrion’s second data centre project, following SG1 Dodid, and became operational in August 2025.

Empyrion Digital, headquartered in Singapore, is a portfolio company of Seraya Partners, focusing on sustainable and scalable data centres across Asia.
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MSCI Inc. has launched a Private Credit Factor Model to address the transparency challenges faced by investors in the burgeoning private credit market. Available through MSCI’s analytics platform, the model helps investors assess long-term risks by integrating private credit into a systematic, factor-based framework, providing a comprehensive view of risk across public and private markets.

The rapid growth of private credit, driven by investors seeking yield and shifts in capital markets, has outpaced existing risk management tools. This model aims to fill that gap by offering insights into how private credit exposures react to macroeconomic changes and credit conditions. It uses MSCI’s proprietary techniques to model private credit exposures despite limited data availability, addressing issues like illiquidity and sparse pricing.

Luke Flemmer, Head of Private Assets at MSCI, stated, “Private credit requires enhanced analytical tools and insights as it plays an increasingly important role in diversified investment portfolios.” The model is designed to support smarter decision-making by providing transparency and consistency in understanding private credit risk.

The Private Credit Factor Model is part of MSCI’s expanding suite of private credit analytics, complementing tools like the MSCI | Moody’s Private Credit Risk Assessment. Jorge Mina, Head of Analytics at MSCI, highlighted the company’s commitment to evolving with client needs, stating, “Our platform is built to help risk teams not only keep pace with the growing complexity of their portfolios, but also deliver strategic insight to their investment teams.”

This launch marks a significant enhancement to MSCI’s multi-asset class analytics suite, available through MSCI Barra One, further solidifying MSCI’s role in advancing risk modelling across asset classes.
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Singapore Management University (SMU) has unveiled a new Cybersecurity track within its Master of IT in Business (MITB) programme, aiming to address the growing demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals. Announced at the SCIS Industry Day, the track combines technical training with business and leadership education, preparing graduates to integrate cybersecurity strategies into broader organisational goals.

The initiative comes as Singapore’s digital economy expands, intensifying the need for cybersecurity expertise across various sectors, including finance, healthcare, and telecommunications. Despite a threefold increase in the cybersecurity workforce from 4,000 to 12,000 between 2016 and 2022, talent shortages persist. Industry leaders have identified gaps in areas such as governance, cloud security, and AI integration.

The new track distinguishes itself through its interdisciplinary approach, blending technical depth with management skills. It also features industry integration through capstone projects and internships, providing students with real-world experience. Faculty from SMU’s Centre on Security, Mobile Applications and Cryptography, and Centre for Research on Intelligent Software Engineering will deliver cutting-edge insights.

Applications for the MITB Cybersecurity track open on 1 January 2026 for the August 2026 intake. The programme complements existing MITB specialisations in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science and Analytics, FinTech, and Digital Transformation, reinforcing SMU’s leadership in practice-oriented postgraduate education.
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Just On Sleep, a smart contactless sleep monitoring device developed by Sewon Intelligence, has officially launched on Shopee Singapore. This innovative product aims to enhance sleep safety and wellness by providing advanced solutions that are now more accessible to families in the region. The device offers brainwave-synchronised audio to improve relaxation and sleep quality, alongside detailed insights into sleep patterns for better daily performance.

What sets Just On Sleep apart is its real-time alert system. When abnormal signals such as irregular heartbeat, sleep apnoea, or abnormal breathing are detected, the device immediately notifies a carer via a mobile app. This feature ensures both improved rest and enhanced safety for individuals and families. “Singaporeans work hard and need quality sleep, but safety during rest is just as important,” said Sejin Park, CEO of Sewon Intelligence. “Just On Sleep delivers peace of mind by combining wellness and protection in one device.”

Sewon Intelligence, a healthtech innovator, specialises in non-contact biometric monitoring. The company is committed to integrating smart, non-invasive solutions into daily life to support both wellness and safety. With the launch of Just On Sleep on Shopee Singapore, Sewon Intelligence is making strides in redefining sleep safety and wellness for the region.
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Digital Edge Singapore Holdings and B.Grimm Power Public Company Limited have commenced construction on their first joint data centre in Thailand, marking a significant step in the country’s digital infrastructure development. The 100-megawatt campus, located in Chonburi within Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor, is part of a US$1b investment plan to establish hyperscale and AI-ready data centres across the nation. The project, announced in June, is expected to be ready for service by Q4 2026.

The data centre will serve as a critical hub for AI and cloud service providers expanding in Southeast Asia, offering high-density colocation, advanced interconnectivity, and hybrid cloud solutions. This initiative is designed to meet the growing demand for AI and machine learning capabilities, supporting enterprises undergoing digital transformations.

John Freeman, CEO of Digital Edge, highlighted the project’s significance: “Breaking ground on our first campus in Chonburi is a pivotal moment for Digital Edge. Together with B.Grimm Power, we are delivering AI-ready sustainable infrastructure at a scale and speed that matches the ambitions of our customers and the needs of the region.”

The facility will be powered by B.Grimm Power’s renewable energy portfolio, aligning with Thailand’s sustainability goals. Dr Harald Link, Group President of B.Grimm Power, stated, “Today’s groundbreaking marks the next step in our partnership to realise our shared vision of combining green energy and advanced technology to power Thailand’s digital future.”

This development is expected to strengthen Thailand’s position as a leading digital hub in Southeast Asia, catering to global tech leaders and supporting the country’s rapid digital transformation.
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HubSpot has launched a new marketing playbook, Loop Marketing, to help Singaporean businesses navigate the challenges posed by AI-driven “zero-click” searches. Announced at the INBOUND 2025 conference, the playbook is designed to aid businesses in adapting to AI-driven discovery and enhancing customer engagement.

The Loop Marketing framework is a response to the growing trend of AI engines and chatbots, like ChatGPT, providing answers before users click on links. This shift has significantly impacted how businesses are discovered online. HubSpot’s Chief Marketing Officer, Kipp Bodnar, explained, “The old marketing funnel assumed customers would come to you. Now the funnel isn’t flowing, and the old playbook is broken.”

The playbook consists of four stages: Express, Tailor, Amplify, and Evolve. Each stage focuses on different aspects of marketing, from defining brand identity to leveraging AI for personalisation and diversifying content across channels. The aim is to create a seamless integration of AI and human efforts to improve customer interactions and business growth.

In addition to the playbook, HubSpot has unveiled over 200 AI-powered product updates. These updates include a new Data Hub for unifying data, specialised AI agents for various tasks, and enhancements to the Marketing Hub to streamline operations. Carol Fong, Head of Asia at HubSpot, noted, “Our latest AI-first updates provide the engine for the entire front office—sales, service, and marketing—to operate on a new level.”

These initiatives are part of HubSpot’s strategy to address the challenges identified in its Singapore State of Business Growth report, which highlighted the importance of integrated systems for business success. With these tools, HubSpot aims to empower Singaporean businesses to thrive in the evolving digital landscape.
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Digital travel platform Agoda has unveiled a curated list of Asia’s most stunning cave destinations, inviting adventurers and nature enthusiasts to explore these natural wonders. As interest in unique and immersive travel experiences grows, cave exploration offers a rare glimpse into nature’s artistry, sculpted over millennia.

Amongst the highlighted destinations is Son Doong Cave in Quang Binh, Vietnam, known as the world’s largest cave. Its vast chambers and unique ecosystems, including a subterranean river, make it a bucket-list destination for many. In India, the Borra Caves in Andhra Pradesh are celebrated for their impressive stalactites and stalagmites, offering a magical atmosphere through guided tours.

Japan’s Ryusendo Cave, famous for its crystal-clear underground lakes, provides a serene escape, whilst South Korea’s Hwanseon Cave, the largest limestone cave in Asia, boasts a labyrinth of tunnels and stunning rock formations. Malaysia’s Mulu Caves, located in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Gunung Mulu National Park, offer vast chambers and unique formations that captivate visitors.

In Indonesia, Gua Gong in East Java is noted for its mesmerising stalactites and stalagmites, making it a hidden gem for photographers. Andrew Smith, Senior Vice President of Supply at Agoda, stated, “Agoda’s curated list of cave destinations is sure to capture the imagination of nature enthusiasts.”

Agoda offers over 6 million holiday properties, 130,000 flight routes, and 300,000 activities, making it easier for travellers to plan their cave adventures. For more information, visit Agoda’s website or download their mobile app.
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Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel) is set to capitalise on several growth opportunities, according to a recent report by Maybank Research. The telecommunications giant is benefiting from a favourable operating environment in Australia, market consolidation in Singapore, and burgeoning opportunities in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital infrastructure. These factors are expected to drive Singtel’s continued success despite foreign exchange challenges.

Singtel’s Australian subsidiary, Optus, is experiencing a multi-faceted recovery. The company is seeing rational competition in the market, with broad-based price hikes and a focus on improving return on invested capital. Optus is also optimising its capital expenditure through a partnership with TPG, which is expected to enhance its earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) by 5-20%. The report anticipates Optus’ mobile revenues, EBIT, and free cash flow to grow significantly over the next few years.

In Singapore, the telecommunications market is undergoing consolidation, which is expected to rationalise competition and potentially lead to a rebound in industry revenue growth. This environment is likely to benefit incumbents like Singtel, as pricing discipline returns to the market.

Singtel’s digital infrastructure arm, Nxera, is rapidly expanding its data centre capacity across Southeast Asia. With significant pre-sales in its upcoming facilities in Singapore and Thailand, and plans to enter Japan and Korea, Nxera is positioned to capture substantial growth in the region. The management forecasts a compound annual growth rate of over 20% in data centre revenue through 2028.

The report raises Singtel’s target price by 11% to $4.75, reflecting a lower weighted average cost of capital and improved earnings prospects. The recommendation to buy Singtel shares is reiterated, highlighting the company’s strong strategic positioning in the evolving telecommunications landscape.
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