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Startups

Southeast Asian startup funding down 30% amid tougher scrutiny

Fundraising shrinks to $9.5bn in 2019 as investors focus on profitability

A woman uses the Traveloka app in Jakarta. The Indonesian travel booking startup raised $420 million from investors in 2019.  (Photo by Rie Ishii)

TOKYO/JAKARTA -- The flow of funds to startups in Southeast Asia is slowing as global investors take a harder look at new companies and their prospects for growth.

Investment in startups in the region by venture capitalists and others totaled $9.5 billion in 2019, down about 30% from the previous year, according to data from DealStreetAsia, a Singaporean financial news site. The data includes investment by private equity funds and corporations.

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