Flying solo netted this founder US$370,000 in first-year revenue

More: Lazada’s restructure gets positive reactions while Zomato charges up with electric vehicles. [Read from your browser]( Daily Newsletter --------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome to Tech in Asia's free Daily Newsletter! Get full access to our subscribers-only Daily Newsletter and other insightful analysis on the big and messy topics of Asia’s tech and startup community by [registering here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- IN FOCUS In today's newsletter, we look at: - [The solopreneur who earned US$370,000 in his first year]( - Analyst and investor reaction to Lazada’s reorg - Where the [funding flows in generative AI]( - Other newsy highlights such as the latest in Zomato’s efforts to increase electric vehicle adoption. --------------------------------------------------------------- Hello {NAME} I’d like to pose a question to the founders out there reading this. When you first came up with your business idea, did it immediately occur to you to look for a co-founder? Or did you just naturally go ahead on your own? And why was this so? Today’s premium article is about a one-person startup that matches businesses with part-time, freelance workers. Reading it got me thinking about which route I’d take if I were to build a startup, and “find co-founder” was the overwhelming answer. Guess that speaks to my (lack of) risk appetite. Anyway, read on to find out how this guy earned S$500,000 (US$370,000) in revenue in his startup’s first year of operations, all by his lonesome. And let me know in the comments - or reply to this email - what your own founding thought process was. -- Winston  ---------------------------------------------------------------  THE BIG STORY [No VC: This one-man startup made S$500k profitably in its 1st year]( Bootstrapped startup Staffie grew quickly and onboarded 500 business customers in a year. We look at how the founder did it. --------------------------------------------------------------- TRENDING NEWS [Alibaba’s restructuring can benefit Lazada, analysts say]( The change could lead to more autonomy for Lazada and unlocks direct fundraising ability for the ecommerce platform. [Mapping funding flows into generative AI]( Hundreds of startups in the nascent sector have each raised at least US$5 million, with the big bucks flowing to firms providing AI infrastructure. [TIA Startup Arena winner raises $1.6m to advance ‘family banking’]( Singapore-based Little Wallet provides an all-in-one money management platform designed for families. [Gogoro seals B2B partnership with India’s Zomato]( This partnership is expected to supply 300,000 Zomato delivery drivers with more affordable loan terms to purchase electric two-wheel vehicles. [India’s upGrad scoops $36.4m from existing investors]( Co-founder Ronnie Screwvala and Temasek together injected over US$35 million. [Sequoia-backed GoMechanic bought out in distress sale]( The move comes after the Indian vehicle-servicing firm let go of nearly 70% of its workforce in January, Reuters reported. --------------------------------------------------------------- IN PARTNERSHIP WITH Give your startup the boost in deserves Parents will know this: You can’t avoid spending huge amounts of money on your kids. Despite things like milk, clothes, and education being so pricey, many parents will go all out to provide their child with everything they need to succeed. Founders have a similar relationship with their companies. They’d pull out all the stops to get funding, recognition, and sales for their businesses. Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund provides founders with some great opportunities to give their firms a leg up. It’s hosting the Jumpstarter 2023 Global Pitch Competition, offering a total pool of US$5 million in investment and a HK$1 million (US$127,000) cash prize. Startups will get to pitch to top investors and corporates, gain global recognition and media exposure, and connect with Alibaba’s ecosystem. They’ll also get free exhibition opportunities. Those who reach the Grand Finale will get a sponsored trip to the competition’s Hong Kong leg. If you think you’ve got what it takes, sign up for Jumpstarter 2023 [here](. ---------------------------------------------------------------  EVENTS HAPPENING You can also check out a curated list of trending tech events [over here](. - [Tech in Asia’s Product Development Conference 2023]( from May 16 to May 17 Tech in Asia’s Product Development Conference is back! This year’s edition, which will be held in person in Jakarta, will feature over 20 industry leaders, experts, and innovators sharing the latest trends and strategies that can accelerate product development growth. [Register now]( to get 40% off (get additional discounts exclusively for TIA subscribers)! - [Tech in Asia’s Founders Meetup: Philippines]( on April 25 Our networking event, Founders Meetup: Philippines, is happening in Manila on April 25 at Draper Startup House. Join us and share the hardest challenges you’ve faced as a founder. To help you find solutions, we’ll introduce you to fellow founders who have been there and done that. Register today! ---------------------------------------------------------------  WHO'S HIRING You can post a job [here]( or search for jobs [here](. - [Junior Software Engineer (Developer)]( at AKAR INTI ENTERPRISE Jakarta, Indonesia - [Business Development & Partnership Staff]( at Jubelio Jakarta, Indonesia - [DevOps Engineer (Yogyakarta)]( at TLab Yogyakarta, Indonesia - [NET Developer]( at Female Daily Network Jakarta, Indonesia - [Environmental & Social Officer]( at Pasifik Satelit Nusantara Jakarta, Indonesia - [Host Livestream (Freelance)]( at Ecohome Indonesia Tangerang, Indonesia [ADVERTISE]( | [SUBSCRIBE]( P.S. Don't miss out on the biggest tech news and analysis. Add newsletter@techinasia.com to your address book, contacts, or safe sender list. Or simply move us into your inbox. Tech in Asia thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Too many emails? 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