Image Credit: Yang Shuo on Unsplash
For the Summer 2020 accelerator programme, Y Combinator may go completely virtual
Y Combinator has revealed plans to possibly make its Summer 2020 accelerator programme entirely virtual.
The Silicon Valley firm, as reported by TechCrunch, has already made its Demo Day for its Winter 2020 cohort an online-only affair and has accelerated the timeline for the Demo Day a week early.
Application for the summer programme is open now.
“This is a unique worldwide crisis, but it will not lessen the extraordinary opportunities for terrific founders to start and build epic companies,” the accelerator wrote. “We look forward to reading all your applications and wish good luck and good health for everyone.”
Tech companies in Indonesia start implementing work-from-home policy
In a bid to curb the coronavirus spread, major Indonesian companies including tech giants headquartered in Jakarta, have put in place a work-from-home policy, The Jakarta Post reported.
The report further added that some companies are even devising entirely new workflows over concerns about the spread of COVID-19. One of the large tech companies that have shared its plan is e-commerce firm Tokopedia, which has announced that it would conduct a trial period for remote work from Monday to Tuesday to assess the viability of such a plan.
Online airline ticketing and hotel booking platform Traveloka approached the situation by establishing a special team to monitor the latest developments regarding the health emergency and to ensure that the company’s day-to-day operations remain normal.
Also Read: This 4-month-old Y Combinator startup wants to be the Stripe for the Philippines
DailySocial.id, an Indonesia media covering tech and startup news, also implements the work-from-home policy and has announced the cancellation of its regular #SelasaStartup event.
“We have yet to prepare a protocol for that, but offices and companies have to prepare for the protocols and procedures. We did not wish for this to happen, but at least they will be prepared if something happens,” Anies Baswedan, the governor of Jakarta, said on Friday, a statement similar to what President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has urged.
So far, Indonesia has reported 117 confirmed cases of COVID-19, as well as six deaths. Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi was the first government official confirmed to have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Indonesian VC firm Convergence Ventures reportedly merges with Agaeti Venture Capital
At least six sources familiar with the matter have confirmed to DealStreetAsia that Indonesia-based VC firm Convergence Ventures has finalised a merger agreement peer Agaeti Ventures. Both VC firms’ General Partners and teams are now said to be working together, bringing their respective networks to a single new entity.
The merger, a source said, took place in the third quarter of last year, and saw the newly joint fresh entity looking to raise a new fund. The new fund being raised by the combined entity, according to another source, goes by the name of ACV Capital.
The merger was reportedly driven by Pandu Sjahrir from Agaeti Ventures and Adrian Li, from Convergence Ventures, who have spent time together studying at Stanford University in the US.
Blockchain platform Ziliqa partners with crypto exchange platform Switcheo to launch Zilliqa DEX
Singapore-grown blockchain company Ziliqa has partnered neo blockchain-decentralised cryptocurrency exchange Switcheo to work together in bolstering the decentralised finance ecosystem in the region through building a non-custodial, decentralised exchange (DEX).
With the new, UX-improved Zilliqa DEX, Zilliqa token holders and traders will have the ability to tap into digital assets on the Ethereum blockchain. Users and traders on Zilliqa DEX will not need to sign-up to the exchange to access trading services with its API-based mobile wallet integrations, allowing users to swap between different assets.
Amrit Kumar, President and Chief Scientific Officer at Zilliqa, said: “We believe that this partnership with Switcheo is essential to supporting the meaningful progress we’ve made for our stablecoin initiative, StraitsX, as more companies look to come on board. The opportunity to collaborate with one of the world’s leading decentralised exchanges was one that we simply couldn’t pass up as we hope to garner further ecosystem support and look to solidify our position in the global DeFi ecosystem.”
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Picture Credit: Yang Shuo on Unsplash
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