Can Aspire win Asian SMEs’ loyalty?

More: SoftBank Ventures Asia closes a new fund and rebrands as well as the CEO of livestreaming firm 17Live stepping down. [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 spotlight: - [Aspire has SMEs’ trust. Can it win their loyalty?]( - 17Live’s CEO steps down - Other newsy highlights such as SoftBank Ventures Asia changing its name to SBVA --------------------------------------------------------------- Hello {NAME} For as long as I’ve had a smartphone, I’ve had an Android. I couldn’t tell you exactly why I eschewed an iPhone when I joined the 21st century and got a smartphone, but it was probably something to do with the price. Even though I’m in a (slightly) better financial situation now, I’ve always stuck with Android phones. Maybe it’s loyalty (though it doesn’t make much sense to be loyal to companies the size of Samsung), or maybe Androids simply fulfill my needs in a phone. They tend to be pretty robust, are simple to use, and still have an audio jack. Maybe if my needs for a phone were different, like if I suddenly got into photography or videography, I’d switch to Apple. My loyalty hasn’t truly been tested yet, I guess. Today’s featured premium story dives into Aspire, a company that finds itself facing a loyalty test. The fintech startup needs to show that it’s more than a niche provider for small businesses that have more and more options for their financial management needs as they grow. -- Peter  ---------------------------------------------------------------  THE BIG STORY [Aspire’s fintech solutions have earned SMEs’ trust. Now comes a loyalty test]( After raising US$300 million, Aspire needs to prove that serving the finance management needs of SMEs could propel it into a regional tech powerhouse. --------------------------------------------------------------- TRENDING NEWS [17Live’s CEO steps down, co-founder to return to helm]( Former CEO Joseph Phua has been reappointed to lead the livestreaming firm starting January 26. [SoftBank Ventures Asia changes name after closing $150m fund]( The 2023 Alpha Korea Fund will back early- to mid-stage startups operating in sectors like enterprise software, healthcare, and industrial deeptech. ---------------------------------------------------------------  SAIGON SUMMIT 2024: CHARTING VIETNAM’S TECH FUTURE Join Tech in Asia’s inaugural conference in Ho Chi Minh City on May 30 Did you know? Tech in Asia is hosting its largest-ever event in Vietnam on May 30! 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