Singapore-based MVLLabs, the operator of car dispatch service TADA, has raised US$5 million. MVLLabs is a company that operates a mobility ecosystem based on the blockchain protocol. TADA, a no-fee car dispatch platform built on MVL’s blockchain, launched in Singapore in 2018.
In 2020 they are also expanding into Cambodia and Vietnam. MVLLabs plans to use the funds raised to facilitate continuous expansion and further develop the mobility ecosystem.
According to them, mobility data such as transactions, journeys, accidents and vehicle maintenance are recorded and connected within a single MVL ecosystem. Users can interact with the MVL ecosystem on the blockchain through connected services such as TADA and other upcoming services. Operating in Singapore, Cambodia and Vietnam, TADA has over 50,000 drivers and more than 500,000 users.
Source: BRIDGE (The original article was partially revised by the author.)
PSR Analysis: Unicorn companies in Southeast Asia have been raising large amounts of capital. Tech companies are solid. They are cleverly combining sophisticated business strategies with promotion to attract investors.
There has been a noticeable trend in the past for foreign companies with huge capital to invest in Southeast Asia, and the Southeast Asian governments have also been eager to attract factories in the region in anticipation of this. But now, in addition to that trend, homegrown companies are making their presence felt by challenging the local market. As COVID-19 is bringing globalization to a standstill, the trend of local companies growing as a local economic base will accelerate further.
Three-wheeled taxis with various names such as Tuk, Bajaj, Tricycle, etc. can be found in many cities in Southeast Asia. For example, there are about 22,000 registered tricycle taxis in Thailand. In the Philippines, there are an estimated 2.5 to 3 million tricycle taxis. However, air pollution due to exhaust emissions and noise pollution due to engine noise are two of the main problems, and there are calls for the adoption of EVs as a solution to these problems.
Several companies have carried out test deliveries of EV Tuk Tuks, but there have been a number of breakdowns in the past because of exposure to heavy rain during the rainy season. It will be interesting to see what strategies companies with no previous experience in vehicle development will adopt to enter this field, where durability is strongly demanded. PSR
Akihiro Komuro is Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia, for Power Systems Research
