Daily Briefing: SG to consider appeals for early vaccination for urgent overseas travel; How Sealed Network introduced expert networks to SEA

And Malaysian e-grocer Jocom raises $5.6m via listing on SG’s 1exchange.

From HumanResourcesOnline:

The Singapore government will now start considering offering early vaccination to Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who need it for urgent overseas travel.

According to a press release by the Ministry of Health (MOH), this comes on the back of appeals from members of the public who wish to receive their vaccination early.

Whilst the government's focus has been to vaccinate identified priority groups on public health considerations, as more vaccine supplies arrive, Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents with very exceptional circumstances can apply to receive their vaccination earlier.

These circumstances include: having an urgent need to travel overseas to work or to complete a formal education or vocational programme, where remote working or learning is not an option; and wishing to travel overseas to visit or care for a critically ill immediate family member, or to seek medically necessary treatment that cannot be reasonably received in Singapore.

The MOH noted that those who plan to appeal for early vaccination should cater for the time needed to complete the full course of vaccination in Singapore in their plans.

Read more here.

From e27:

Whilst global giants such as Gerson Lehrman Group (GLG) and AlphaSights pride themselves on having a multinational presence, Singapore-based Sealed Network is focused on the world’s fastest-growing region — Southeast Asia.

Launched by Benjamin Lee and Leo Wen Ge, a former investment professional at Temasek-backed VC firm Wavemaker Partners, Sealed is on a mission to connect the region’s top minds with organisations from across the world.

However, in a region as diverse as Southeast Asia, connecting people to it is easier said than done. “When we started, we realised that many experts in Southeast Asia are either not on English language platforms or have a minimal online presence,” Lee shared with e27 in an interview.

In true entrepreneurial spirit, Lee — who previously worked at unicorns Grab and Sequoia China-backed Huobi — managed to turn the hurdle into a competitive advantage for Sealed.

Read more here.

From e27:

Malaysia-based Jocom International Holdings, which runs a grocery mobile app, announced that it has raised approximately $5.6m (US$4.1m) via listing part of its share capital on Singapore’s first regulated private securities exchange, 1exchange (1X).

The company will use the financing to enhance its technology and expand its presence into markets like West Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia. Jocom has already started making inroads in China, channelling sales of Malaysian products to Chinese consumers.

The 1X’s second cross-border listing, as well as the third private securities exchange listing of its kind in Singapore.

1X is part of CapBridge Financial, and is backed by Singapore Exchange, SGInnovate, South Korea’s Hanwha Investment and Securities Co, Hong Kong’s Cyberport Macro Fund, and AMTD Digital.

Read more here.