Sorted Wallet, a fintech startup focused on digital payments and blockchain accessibility, has secured $4.4 million in seed funding to scale its stablecoin‑based financial services for users of feature phones across emerging markets. The round was led by Lateral Front Ventures, with participation from Rally Cap Ventures, Abler Nordic, and several angel investors. The funding will help Sorted Wallet expand its infrastructure, strengthen… [Read More]

Venture capital funding for Irish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) fell sharply by 58% to €221.7 million in the first quarter of 2026, according to the Irish Venture Capital Association (IVCA) VenturePulse report. The decline comes after a record-breaking Q1 2025, when Irish firms raised €532.8 million, highlighting a significant year-on-year correction in investment activity…. [Read More]

Canadian fintech company Relay has raised $50 million in new investment from General Catalyst’s Customer Value Fund (CVF), a financing model designed to support customer acquisition without requiring traditional equity dilution. The funding will primarily be used to scale sales and marketing efforts as the company aims to expand its business banking and money management… [Read More]

The Indonesian rupiah strengthened in early trading on Monday, rising 0.12 percent to Rp17,696 per US dollar compared to the previous close of Rp17,717. The movement reflects a modest gain in the local currency as global and domestic market sentiment showed signs of improvement. Currency analyst Lukman Leong from Doo Financial Futures noted that the… [Read More]

Indonesia’s Directorate General of Taxes under the Ministry of Finance has removed OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, from its official list of value-added tax (VAT) collectors for e-commerce platforms. The decision was announced on May 21, 2026, as part of broader adjustments to the country’s digital tax administration framework. Officials described the change as an… [Read More]

The Philippines is taking a significant step toward modernizing its construction sector by developing a new pool of master trainers in Building Information Modeling (BIM), a digital system widely used in global infrastructure and large-scale construction projects. The initiative is aimed at helping young workers access higher-quality employment opportunities while preparing the industry for more… [Read More]

Cyient Semiconductors, a subsidiary of Cyient Ltd, has secured $30 million (₹286 crore) in financing from funds managed by Edelweiss Alternatives and co‑investors, strengthening its capital structure and accelerating growth in the global semiconductor market. The transaction includes $10 million in equity investment at a post‑money valuation of $500 million (₹4,600 crore), alongside $20 million in structured debt to support long‑term… [Read More]

The European Commission has announced €15 million in additional humanitarian assistance to support the response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. The funding is intended to strengthen emergency operations, improve preparedness, and reinforce prevention efforts in affected regions. The outbreak response includes rapid deployment measures coordinated through… [Read More]

The United States has proposed $2.013 billion in incentives under the CHIPS and Science Act to strengthen domestic quantum computing capabilities, marking a major step in expanding national investment into next-generation computing technologies. The funding, announced by the Department of Commerce, is aimed at boosting both large-scale manufacturing infrastructure and targeted research programs in the… [Read More]

A new wave of rural entrepreneurs across Latin America and the Caribbean is transforming agriculture by integrating science, technology, and sustainability into traditional farming systems. According to a recent initiative by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and FONTAGRO, this emerging ecosystem is redefining agriculture beyond food production to include biomass utilization, carbon… [Read More]

Vivian Silole, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Collaboration, and Sustainability at IMPACT Kenya, has highlighted how direct funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) is transforming Indigenous-led conservation efforts in northern Kenya. IMPACT Kenya works with pastoralist communities whose livelihoods, identity, and traditional knowledge are closely tied to the landscapes and animals they have stewarded for… [Read More]

Pacific youth are being invited to take part in shaping a regional climate action vision ahead of COP31 in Türkiye, as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office launches a new youth engagement initiative aimed at strengthening young people’s role in climate decision-making. The program will begin with a series of “talanoa” dialogues in… [Read More]

The Muskegon Farmers Market in Muskegon, Michigan, has received a $481,267 grant from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) to support major upgrades to its indoor market and Kitchen 242 facility. The funding, approved earlier this week, will help expand food production capabilities and provide additional resources for local vendors. Improvements include enhanced… [Read More]

A fast-moving Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is continuing to spread across the country’s northeast, raising concerns among global health agencies about containment challenges and weakened international response capacity. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the outbreak has now resulted in more than 800 suspected and confirmed cases, including over… [Read More]

Conservation experts from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) have raised concerns over increasing threats to marine life across the Pacific, warning that human activities are placing growing pressure on fragile ocean ecosystems. WWF representatives say ship strikes, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and plastic pollution are emerging as some of the most… [Read More]

The Council of the European Union has approved an additional €21 million in support to strengthen the capabilities of the Albanian Armed Forces, marking the third bilateral assistance measure under the European Peace Facility. With this latest allocation, total EU support to Albania under the framework has reached €49 million, reflecting continued efforts to enhance… [Read More]

Scapia, a Bengaluru‑based fintech startup, has raised $63 million in a funding round co‑led by General Catalyst, Peak XV Partners, and Z47 Ventures, marking one of the largest investments in India’s travel‑focused financial technology sector this year. Founded by Anil Goteti, former senior executive at Flipkart, Scapia offers a co‑branded credit card and app that combine travel rewards with seamless digital… [Read More]

Bangladesh is entering a critical reform phase ahead of its scheduled graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category, according to a new report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which highlights significant governance, fiscal, and institutional challenges that could affect the country’s long-term economic stability. In its report titled “Bangladesh at a Crossroads of… [Read More]

Bangladesh Bank has launched a Tk 600 billion refinancing and support package aimed at revitalizing the country’s slowing private-sector economy, boosting employment, and restoring industrial and agricultural activity. The central bank introduced the stimulus programme on Saturday, describing it as a key part of the government’s broader economic recovery agenda. Officials said the initiative is… [Read More]

Bangladesh Bank has introduced a new policy permitting Bangladeshi shipping companies and airlines engaged in international operations to place their foreign currency account balances into interest-bearing or profit-generating renewable term deposits. The central bank issued a circular on Sunday outlining the new facility, which allows Authorized Dealer (AD) banks to convert eligible foreign currency account… [Read More]

StrainX Bioworks, a synthetic biology startup based in India, has secured $13 million (₹124 crore) in funding as it emerges from stealth mode, marking one of the largest early‑stage investments in the country’s biotech sector. The round was co‑led by Prime Venture Partners and Leo Capital, with participation from Good Startup, Sparrow Capital, Sun Icon Ventures, Dholakia Ventures, and WindT (IIT Delhi) Angels. Founded by Akshay Mittal and Alok Malaviya, both… [Read More]

Foreign loan disbursement to Bangladesh declined sharply by almost 19% in the first nine months of the 2025–26 fiscal year, reflecting a slowdown in external financing amid ongoing political and economic instability. According to the Economic Relations Division (ERD), development partners and international lending agencies disbursed $3.89 billion in loans and grants between July and… [Read More]

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has committed $1.4 billion in financing to Bangladesh to support four major development projects aimed at strengthening economic governance, social protection systems, and infrastructure expansion across the country. The financing agreement was formally signed between Bangladesh’s Economic Relations Division under the Ministry of Finance and the ADB during a bilateral… [Read More]