Asian telecom operators are increasingly collaborating with digital startups through venture funds and partnerships to gain access to innovation and tap into growth opportunities. Major operators like Axiata, Indosat, Telkom Indonesia, Digi, Reliance Jio, PDTL, and Grameenphone have launched corporate venture funds over the past three years to source innovation from startups in popular sectors like ecommerce, fintech, and mobile health. Reliance Jio and PLDT Smart have directly supported startups through funding, resources, and partnerships to scale digital solutions in areas like AI, IoT, and data analytics. Telstra Ventures seeks strategic fits with startups in networking, cloud, security and

1. ASIAN OPERATORS AND DIGITAL STARTUPS (2015-17)
Asian operators are ramping up collaborations with digital startups
Inderpreet Kaur
Inderpreet.sembhi@gmail.com

2. TELCO BACKED VENTURE FUNDS
Telco backed corporate venture funds (Asia Pacific)
 Investing in digital startups is catching up among emerging Asia operators significant increase in
smartphone penetration and operator investments in mobile broadband networks is setting the ground for
digital revolution.
 Like their developed counterparts, telecom operators in emerging Asia have also pursued direct and
indirect investments in startups to win the digital race. Over the past three years, many leading operators
in the region including Axiata, Indosat, Telkom Indonesia, Digi, Reliance Jio, PDTL, and Grameenphone have
launched venture funds to source innovation.

3. RENEWED OPPORTUNITY TO TAP INTO GROWTH AND INNOVATION
-OPERATOR INVESTMENTS IN DIGITAL STARTUPS (2015-17)
•Ecommerce, fintech, and mhealth remained
popular
•IoT, virtual and augmented reality, and AI
slowly gaining relevance

4. TELCOS NEED INNOVATION AS MUCH AS START-UPS NEED
SALES
Call for innovation

5. RELIANCE JIO- INNOVATION PRIORITIES
- PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO SCALE, TELCOS GO BEYOND SPONSORSHIP
 Reliance GenNext hub- INR50bn fund for supporting digital
startups offering mentorship, funding, and access to
resources
 Call for innovation: supporting 51digital startups in India,
focused on AI/IoT/data analytics, fintech, and e-
commerce/marketplace

6. PLDT SMART- INNOVATION ROADMAP
-SEEK STARTUPS WITH CLEAR VALUE PROPOSITION
 PLDT Capital was founded in
September 2015 with an
initial fund of $50m to support
PLDT’s business units to
grow their digital portfolio.
 The fund focused on
investments in mobile
engagement platforms,
content, m-commerce, and
digital services
 PLDT Capital invested $10m
in US based mobile platform
Phunware for mobile
customer engagement
solutions
 AppCard, US based digital
marketing and loyalty
platform secured $20m in
Series funding led by PLDT
Capital.

7. TELSTRA VENTURES- DIGITAL PRIORITIES
-SUSTAINING THE PARTNERSHIPS, TELCOS SEEK STARTUPS THAT MAKE A STRATEGIC FIT
 Telstra Ventures, corporate venture
arm of Telstra was founded in 2011.
The startups funded generated over
A$100m in revenues through Telstra
sales channels.
 The fund has invested A$250m in 35+
technology companies across sectors
including networking, cloud, security,
video, big data, IoT, ehealth, and
AI/AR/VR
 Operator uses internally the products
on its portfolio companies- Docusign,
near, kony, whispir, Matrixx software