Posts by Mark Darwin
7 hard truths about the loneliness of early entrepreneurship
You expected the late nights. You expected the financial risk. You expected your friends to not fully understand what a pre seed round actually means. What you probably did not expect was how quiet it would feel. How the Slack notifications slow down after 7 pm. How your group chat stops buzzing when you skip…
Read MoreWhy Outsourcing Customer Service is a Smart Growth Strategy
Customer expectations in today’s society are higher than ever before; customers expect an answer immediately at any time, day or night, and through multiple channels. Managing the never-ending flow of customer contact and assistance is difficult. This is especially true for a developing company with an already stretched-thin, small workforce and so many other priorities.…
Read MoreBarging blindly into Singapore’s construction boom could be a bust for some investors
Those dipping their toes in now are no longer buying the boom, but betting that these companies can manage their costs FOR years, Singapore’s construction sector was the proverbial “ugly duckling” of the local bourse – a messy, low-margin business plagued by labour crunches, fluctuating raw material costs, and the lingering hangover of pandemic-era delays.…
Read MoreAmova bets on ‘new Singapore’ sectors as MAS expands EQDP
It believes these industries represent the structural future of the country’s economy [SINGAPORE] Renewable energy, innovation-driven healthcare, technology-led infrastructure and financial services are among the key sectors Amova Asset Management is targeting under the Singapore’s Equity Market Development Programme (EQDP). The programme was expanded from S$5 billion to S$6.5 billion during Budget 2026. Amova was…
Read MoreSaic’s India venture to invest up to US$440 million on expansion, deepen bet on hybrids, EVs
Published Mon, Feb 16, 2026 · 11:58 AM [NEW DELHI] JSW MG Motor, a joint venture between China’s Saic Motor and India’s steel-to-cement JSW Group, plans to invest up to US$440 million to expand its India factory and launch new cars with a focus on hybrid and electric models, its managing director said. The loss-making…
Read MoreMacquarie-led group to buy Qube Holdings for A$11.7 billion
Published Mon, Feb 16, 2026 · 10:54 AM [SYDNEY] A group led by Macquarie Asset Management will buy Qube Holdings in a deal worth around A$11.7 billion (S$10.5 billion), as the Australian firm adds a ports and rail operator to its vast swath of infrastructure assets. The consortium will pay A$5.20 per Qube share, according…
Read MoreA family fights to keep control of 157-year-old firm in Japan
Nearly half of Japan’s listed companies are tied to a founding family, many of which no longer have enough equity to guarantee control [TOKYO] Ishikawa is a remote, mountainous prefecture bordering the Sea of Japan, but the fate of a drug store chain whose local roots go back to 1869 has implications for Tokyo’s financial…
Read MoreRampant AI demand for memory is fuelling a growing chip crisis
The fundamental reason for the squeeze is the buildout of artificial intelligence data centres [TAIPEI] A growing procession of tech industry leaders, including Elon Musk and Tim Cook, are warning about a global crisis in the making: A shortage of memory chips is beginning to hammer profits, derail corporate plans and inflate price tags on…
Read MoreUS forces board second sanctioned oil tanker in Indian Ocean
Published Mon, Feb 16, 2026 · 08:09 AM THE US military boarded an oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking the vessel for thousands of miles, saying it tried to circumvent President Donald Trump’s energy blockade in the Caribbean against sanctioned ships. The Pentagon, in a post on X Sunday, said US forces conducted…
Read MoreIndia central bank allows lenders to fund up to 75% in M&A deals
Financing can only take place when a firm ‘already holds control’ over the target company, says RBA Published Sun, Feb 15, 2026 · 05:33 PM INDIA’s central bank will allow lenders to finance up to 75 per cent of the acquisition value in corporate takeovers, in a move that is expected to boost the country’s…
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