Vietnamese startups raised only US$47 million in share capital in Q1/2024, down by a staggering 80% against the same period last year. This trend mirrors a similar decline across other Southeast Asian countries, though their downturns are less severe. The mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market appears to be more buoyant, though. Investors are increasingly looking for opportunities in new startups while divesting from older ones. This trend is particularly evident in Vietnamese startups this year and is expected to impact other ASEAN countries next year. According to the SE Asia Deal Review by Singapore-based DealStreetAsia, startups in Southeast Asia raised only US$1 billion in share capital in Q1/2024, down by 41% year-on-year and over 50% against Q4/2023. There were 180 deals or transactions made in Q1, down from 193 deals in the same quarter last year, with only five deals reaching the final phase of startup funding. Vietnam no longer at the peak In Q1/2024, the size of share capital raised by Vietnamese startups was significantly smaller than in previous years, with no deal exceeding US$100 million. Analysis by DealStreetAsia of data from the 20 biggest share capital deals in Q1/2024 shows that Singaporean startups played a dominant role with […]