Aonic raises Series A funding to scale Malaysia-built drone platform
Aonic, a Malaysia-based drone technology company, has raised USD 10 million in a Series A funding round led by Kairous Capital, with backing from Jelawang Capital.
Founded in 2016, Aonic designs and manufactures drones and proprietary software for agriculture and industrial clients across Southeast Asia. In a company statement, it said it operates more than 50 sales, service, and spare parts centers across the region. It added that it has been profitable since 2023 and generates more than USD 60 million in annual revenue.
The funding will support international expansion, deepen R&D, and scale manufacturing in Malaysia. Aonic said its integrated ecosystem spans drone hardware, financing, training, and after-sales services, with a focus on labor-intensive agricultural operations.
Dyna.Ai snags Series A funding to expand agentic AI in financial services
Dyna.Ai, a Singapore-based developer of agentic artificial intelligence systems, has closed a Series A round led by Lion X Ventures, raising an undisclosed eight-figure USD sum. The round included participation from tech company Adata, an unnamed South Korean financial institution, and several finance industry veterans.
Founded in 2024, Dyna builds AI systems designed to move enterprises beyond pilot programs into full-scale deployment. The company said its model centers on measurable revenue outcomes, combining domain expertise with AI agent builders, task-specific agents, and workflow-based applications. These systems operate within defined compliance and governance frameworks, an important consideration for regulated industries.
According to the company, its solutions are already deployed across financial services and enterprise environments in Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East.
The new capital will support the rollout of Dyna’s agentic AI platform across global banking and financial services markets. The funds will also be used to advance product development, strengthen governance capabilities, and expand enterprise-scale delivery.
MyFirst raises over USD 8 million to expand kids’ tech ecosystem
MyFirst, stylized as “myFirst,” has raised over USD 8 million in a Series A round led by Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India.
The Singapore-based company develops watchphones, cameras, headphones, and a family-focused social platform designed as a closed, ad-free environment for children. In a statement, it said it operates in more than 60 countries and serves over one million families.
The capital will be used to deepen its integrated ecosystem and support expansion across North Asia, the Middle East, the US, and Europe through retail and telecommunications partnerships. The company said it aims to build foundational infrastructure for children’s early digital identities through devices, connected services, and parental controls.
Icon1c raises SGD 10 million to expand premium experience platform
Icon1c, stylized as “ICON1C,” has raised SGD 10 million (USD 7.9 million) from stakeholders and members to accelerate expansion and acquisitions.
Founded in 2025, Icon1c builds and operates brands in live events, hospitality, private members’ clubs, and experiential lifestyle assets. Its portfolio includes Amber Lounge and Mandala Club, and it recently acquired the private club brand 1880. The company said about 20 longstanding clients joined the round as partners, opting for community capital rather than institutional funding.
Proceeds will be used for targeted mergers and acquisitions, platform capability development, and geographic expansion. Icon1c said it aims to complete five to six additional acquisitions over the next 24 months as it works toward a potential IPO.
IFC invests MYR 155.6 million in Zetrix AI to scale digital public infrastructure
The International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, has invested MYR 155.6 million (USD 39.6 million) in Malaysia-based Zetrix AI to support the rollout of blockchain-based digital public infrastructure applications. The equity investment is intended to expand digital inclusion and improve service delivery in Malaysia and across ASEAN.
Zetrix AI develops digital public infrastructure applications spanning digital identity verification, trade digitalization, and tokenization of real-world assets. In Malaysia, its services integrate with MyDigital ID and the Malaysia Blockchain Infrastructure, the country’s national blockchain network. IFC said the investment aligns with Malaysia’s 13th national plan covering 2026–2030, which emphasizes digital transformation and economic competitiveness.
The capital will fund product development and regional expansion into emerging ASEAN markets and beyond. Zetrix AI said it aims to accelerate cross-border blockchain and AI use cases, including digitized customs clearance, large language models, and stablecoin applications.
Veremark acquires Singapore’s RMI to expand APAC footprint
Veremark, a workplace screening and credentialing company, has acquired Singapore-based Risk Management Intelligence as part of its international expansion strategy. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Founded in 2012 by recruitment veteran Matthew Beath, Risk Management Intelligence provides background verification services across APAC, working with university registrars, employment record teams, and business registration authorities. It also uses public records, global sanctions databases, enforcement actions, and watchlists to deliver screening services. Its team will be integrated into Veremark.
Veremark said the deal strengthens its regional capabilities, particularly in government visa checks in Singapore, and supports demand for compliant, end-to-end screening as global hiring and workforce mobility increase. The acquisition follows Veremark’s USD 26 million Series B round and its earlier purchase of UK-based Agenda Screening Services.
The Invention Lab backs RIDM in seed round
The Invention Lab, a South Korean venture studio, has completed a seed investment in Singapore-based AI computing startup RIDM, in a round jointly backed by London-headquartered quantitative investment firm Qube Research & Technologies (QRT). The investment amount was not disclosed.
RIDM is developing a computing architecture known as DODA, short for dynamically orchestrated dataflow architecture, designed to address the “memory wall” challenge in AI and high-performance computing environments. The company said its approach simplifies spatial compilation in linear time and enables development in C++, positioning it as an alternative to CUDA-based ecosystems. RIDM is conducting a proof of concept with QRT focused on FPGA acceleration use cases that require low latency and high efficiency.
The company operates an intellectual property-centric model built around three international patents, including technology licensed exclusively from the National University of Singapore. It said it plans to pursue strategic collaborations following validation of its architecture.
Recent deals completed in China:
- Spirit AI, one of China’s embodied intelligence companies, has secured nearly RMB 2 billion (USD 280 million) across two consecutive financing rounds, bringing its valuation to more than RMB 10 billion (USD 1.4 billion). Investors include Yunfeng Capital, HongShan, Chaos Investment, and industrial and state-backed funds such as Synstellation Capital, TCL Capital, Mornway Capital, Chongqing Industrial Parent Fund, and Hangzhou Finance and Investment Group. Existing backers Shunwei Capital and Prosperity7 also participated. The company said it will use the proceeds to advance product development and commercialization. —36Kr
- Galbot, a developer of humanoid robots, has raised RMB 2.5 billion (USD 350 million) in a new round. Investors include China’s National Artificial Intelligence Industry Investment Fund, Sinopec, CITIC Investment Holdings, BOC Asset Investment, SAIC Financial Holdings, and several state-backed capital groups. Galbot said it will use the capital to expand applications of its humanoid robots in the energy, manufacturing, and real estate sectors. —IPO Zaozhidao
- PureblueAI, an AI-driven marketing technology company, has completed an angel round, raising an eight-figure RMB sum. The round was led by Vertex China, with participation from Innoangel Fund, Yicun Songling, and 36Kr. The company develops hybrid AI models and digital employee platforms to optimize brand visibility through generative engine optimization, or GEO. GEO refers to techniques that improve how brands appear in responses generated by AI systems. PureblueAI said it will use the funding for product development, ecosystem expansion, and commercialization in the automotive, finance, retail, and healthcare sectors. —36Kr
- ZeroErr, a robotics components manufacturer, has raised an eight-figure RMB sum in a Series C+ round co-led by Tsinghua Holdings Capital and CDF-Capital. The company focuses on high-precision, standardized core components for robots, particularly joints used in industrial and service robotics. It said the funds will be allocated to R&D, capacity expansion, and market development. —36Kr
- QL Biopharm, a biotechnology company focused on recombinant protein therapeutics, has secured over RMB 500 million (USD 70 million) in a Series C round led by OrbiMed. Qiming Venture Partners, 5Y Capital, Apricot Capital, and Huagai Capital participated, alongside existing investors TF Capital, BlueRun Ventures, and TigerYeah Capital. Founded in 2018, the company is developing long-acting, oral peptide, and multi-target therapies for chronic metabolic diseases. It said the proceeds will support clinical development and pipeline expansion. —36Kr
- WonderLab, a digital mental health platform, has completed a Series B+ round worth an eight-figure RMB sum, with Marathon Venture Partners as the sole investor. The company has also launched a new financing round, with Index Capital serving as financial advisor. WonderLab operates a database containing more than 300,000 real-world mental health patient records and says it provides integrated services across 16 provinces and more than 100 cities in China. It will use the capital primarily for product development. —36Kr
- Appsofs Technology, a Beijing-based technology company, has completed a Series B round backed by the Beijing Advanced Manufacturing and Intelligent Equipment Industry Investment Fund. The company develops underwater sensing and equipment systems, including fiber optic hydrophone arrays and distributed fiber sensing instruments. It said the funding will support development of advanced underwater instruments, R&D of unmanned marine systems, and expansion into civilian applications such as marine observation and infrastructure monitoring. —36Kr
Eezee, Diaflow, GIC, and others made recent headlines:
- Eezee, a Singapore-based procurement and supply chain platform, raised USD 5 million in a pre-Series B round led by Korea Investment Partners. Existing backers Kickstart Ventures and Wavemaker Ventures also participated, alongside several other investors.
- Diaflow, a Singapore-headquartered startup, raised an undisclosed amount of seed funding from Insignia Ventures Partners.
- GIC, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, anchored Anthropic’s Series G round alongside Coatue. The US-based AI firm raised USD 30 billion in the round at a post-money valuation of USD 380 billion, drawing investment from a slate of institutional and venture capital investors.
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