Imagine a productivity super app for businesses to digitalise operations from HQ to storefront, streamline communications, and achieve operational efficiency – all in one place. That’s Lark for you. 

Initially developed by Chinese social media giant ByteDance in 2016 for internal use, Lark started as a platform that aims to combine business processes and collaborative documents in a single platform to transform workplace collaboration. 

The platform was later spun off in 2019 to become a subsidiary of ByteDance, providing tools for project management, video conferencing, chat, documentation, and automation to help enterprises simplify their workflows.

The firm serves some of the fastest growing companies from over 125 countries, ranging from Pop Mart, Atome, Xiaomi, Aeon Mall and even hotpot chain Haidilao, and is widely seen as a close competitor of Slack. 

But how does Lark define its positioning within the industry and the geographical markets it wants to double down on? 

Also, a technode article in December 2021 had said that Lark was aiming to achieve US$1 billion in global revenue from the five years counting from 2021.

Three years later, an Yicai Global report said in March 2024 that Lark is reportedly launching a downsizing initiative and a new round of organisational adjustments. But what were the reasons behind the move and how far is the Lark still in line with the earlier targets it had set out to achieve? What will be the key drivers of growth for the firm?

On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Mark Dembitz, General Manager of APAC, Lark.

Imagine a productivity super app for businesses to digitalise operations from HQ to storefront, streamline communications, and achieve operational efficiency – all in one place. That’s Lark for you. 
Initially developed by Chinese social media giant ByteDance in 2016 for internal use, Lark started as a platform that aims to combine business processes and collaborative documents in a single platform to transform workplace collaboration. 
The platform was later spun off in 2019 to become a subsidiary of ByteDance, providing tools for project management, video conferencing, chat, documentation, and automation to help enterprises simplify their workflows.
The firm serves some of the fastest growing companies from over 125 countries, ranging from Pop Mart, Atome, Xiaomi, Aeon Mall and even hotpot chain Haidilao, and is widely seen as a close competitor of Slack. 
But how does Lark define its positioning within the industry and the geographical markets it wants to double down on? 
Also, a technode article in December 2021 had said that Lark was aiming to achieve US$1 billion in global revenue from the five years counting from 2021.
Three years later, an Yicai Global report said in March 2024 that Lark is reportedly launching a downsizing initiative and a new round of organisational adjustments. But what were the reasons behind the move and how far is the Lark still in line with the earlier targets it had set out to achieve? What will be the key drivers of growth for the firm?
On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Mark Dembitz, General Manager of APAC, Lark.

We speak with businesses, industry leaders, venture capitalists and startups on their assessment of the business environment they're in, and what the future holds for them.

We speak with businesses, industry leaders, venture capitalists and startups on their assessment of the business environment they're in, and what the future holds for them.

Under The Radar

From politics to pop culture, we've got it all. Get ready to immerse yourself in the world of business, lifestyle, culture, travel, and sports.

From politics to pop culture, we've got it all. Get ready to immerse yourself in the world of business, lifestyle, culture, travel, and sports.

The Evening Runway with Hongbin Jeong, Roshan Gidwani and Chua Tian Tian

Under the Radar: What are the key drivers of growth for ByteDance’s super app for enterprises Lark?

Today we’re going to talk about the journey a Japanese thermometer manufacturer took to transform itself into a medtech player and increasingly a medical solutions provider. 

Founded in 1921 to address a stoppage of thermometer imports to Japan amid World War I, our guest Terumo is now a global leader in medical equipment with a footprint in over 160 countries and regions. 

Its range of products has also broadened over the century, and now extends beyond thermometers to include vascular intervention, cardio-surgical solutions, cell therapy technology and even diabetes care and peritoneal dialysis treatments. 

Why are we speaking to Terumo you might ask? Well, Terumo is an interesting company to look at because of just how fast society is changing in recent years, and how societal changes are creating new and more complex healthcare challenges for medtech players. 

These include the increased prevalence of chronic diseases amid an ageing population, the drive to improve healthcare efficiency through digital technologies and the need to balance advancing healthcare versus cost effectiveness. 

All that means the firm needs to rethink its positioning strategy and value proposition to remain relevant amid the evolving external environment.

To do so, Temuro had in December 2021 came up with a 5-year innovation strategy called GS26, in which the company plans to reposition itself from a device maker to a solutions provider. 

But what were some of the business decisions made in line with the strategy in the three years since 2021, particularly within Asia, and how would the firm assess its success in implementing the strategy?

Meanwhile, Terumo had in August this year launched a new corporate venture fund called Temuro Ventures to invest in early stage companies. But how far will this help Temuro further innovate and meet ever changing healthcare needs? 

On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Probir Das 
Group Executive Officer, Terumo Corporation/ Chairman, Terumo Asia Holdings, Vice Chairman of APACMed Board of Directors.

Today we’re going to talk about the journey a Japanese thermometer manufacturer took to transform itself into a medtech player and increasingly a medical solutions provider. 
Founded in 1921 to address a stoppage of thermometer imports to Japan amid World War I, our guest Terumo is now a global leader in medical equipment with a footprint in over 160 countries and regions. 
Its range of products has also broadened over the century, and now extends beyond thermometers to include vascular intervention, cardio-surgical solutions, cell therapy technology and even diabetes care and peritoneal dialysis treatments. 
Why are we speaking to Terumo you might ask? Well, Terumo is an interesting company to look at because of just how fast society is changing in recent years, and how societal changes are creating new and more complex healthcare challenges for medtech players. 
These include the increased prevalence of chronic diseases amid an ageing population, the drive to improve healthcare efficiency through digital technologies and the need to balance advancing healthcare versus cost effectiveness. 
All that means the firm needs to rethink its positioning strategy and value proposition to remain relevant amid the evolving external environment.
To do so, Temuro had in December 2021 came up with a 5-year innovation strategy called GS26, in which the company plans to reposition itself from a device maker to a solutions provider. 
But what were some of the business decisions made in line with the strategy in the three years since 2021, particularly within Asia, and how would the firm assess its success in implementing the strategy?
Meanwhile, Terumo had in August this year launched a new corporate venture fund called Temuro Ventures to invest in early stage companies. But how far will this help Temuro further innovate and meet ever changing healthcare needs? 
On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Probir Das  Group Executive Officer, Terumo Corporation/ Chairman, Terumo Asia Holdings, Vice Chairman of APACMed Board of Directors.

Under the Radar: From thermometer to medtech solutions – How is Japanese medical equipment maker Terumo Corporation executing its "From Devices to Solutions" innovation strategy?

If you’ve been to the newly revamped Changi Airport Terminal 2, you’ve would’ve noticed this landmark feature located at the heart of the departure hall. 

Does an immersive digital waterfall ring a bell? Called The Wonderfall, the 14-metre tall digital waterfall is a piece of digital art and is said to be the result of a highly creative and technical challenge. 

The LED wall, for one thing, is made up of close to 900 flat and flexi-curve tiles, which blends seamlessly with the vertical green wall and the facade of the airport terminal. Along with piano music and sounds of the waterfall rush, the Wonderfall was quite the spectacle. 

But ever wondered who are the ones behind such digital entertainment experiences combining video, lighting, sounds and special effects? Well, that’s exactly who we’re going to talk to for today.

Founded in 2001, our guest Moment Factory is a multimedia entertainment studio that specialises in the conception and production of immersive environments for its customers in public spaces.

The Montreal-headquartered firm has a geographical presence in major cities such as Paris, Tokyo, New York and Singapore. It serves some of the world’s largest companies such as Microsoft, Billie Eilish, Changi Airport, the NFL, Madonna, the City of Barcelona, Sony and cruise operator Royal Caribbean, and is behind some of the most notable installations like Las Vegas Sphere. 

But how would the firm define its value proposition given such a diverse customer base?

Meanwhile, Grand View Research estimates the global immersive entertainment market to grow at a CAGR of 24.6% from 2024 to 2030 to reach US$426.77 billion by 2030. But where does digital immersive experience fit within the market, and what will be the key drivers of growth for Moment Factory?

On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Danny Tan, Singapore-based Managing Producer, Moment Factory.

If you’ve been to the newly revamped Changi Airport Terminal 2, you’ve would’ve noticed this landmark feature located at the heart of the departure hall. 
Does an immersive digital waterfall ring a bell? Called The Wonderfall, the 14-metre tall digital waterfall is a piece of digital art and is said to be the result of a highly creative and technical challenge. 
The LED wall, for one thing, is made up of close to 900 flat and flexi-curve tiles, which blends seamlessly with the vertical green wall and the facade of the airport terminal. Along with piano music and sounds of the waterfall rush, the Wonderfall was quite the spectacle. 
But ever wondered who are the ones behind such digital entertainment experiences combining video, lighting, sounds and special effects? Well, that’s exactly who we’re going to talk to for today.
Founded in 2001, our guest Moment Factory is a multimedia entertainment studio that specialises in the conception and production of immersive environments for its customers in public spaces.
The Montreal-headquartered firm has a geographical presence in major cities such as Paris, Tokyo, New York and Singapore. It serves some of the world’s largest companies such as Microsoft, Billie Eilish, Changi Airport, the NFL, Madonna, the City of Barcelona, Sony and cruise operator Royal Caribbean, and is behind some of the most notable installations like Las Vegas Sphere. 
But how would the firm define its value proposition given such a diverse customer base?
Meanwhile, Grand View Research estimates the global immersive entertainment market to grow at a CAGR of 24.6% from 2024 to 2030 to reach US$426.77 billion by 2030. But where does digital immersive experience fit within the market, and what will be the key drivers of growth for Moment Factory?
On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Danny Tan, Singapore-based Managing Producer, Moment Factory.

Under the Radar: Multimedia entertainment studios Moment Factory sheds light on opportunities in the billion-dollar immersive entertainment market; project portfolio including Changi Airport Terminal 2’s The Wonderfall and Las Vegas Sphere

Today we’re going to talk about a company whose mission is to increase the GDP of – not a country or city – but the internet. 

Founded in 2010, our guest Stripe is a technology company that prides itself on building the economic infrastructure for the internet. 

With dual headquarters in San Francisco and Dublin, and offices dotted across major financial hubs such as London, Tokyo and Singapore, the firm assists customers from the world’s largest enterprises to budding startups in accepting payments, growing their revenue and tapping new business opportunities. 

That means its suite of products and services cuts across a number of functions, from pricing, billing, checkouts, payment links, revenue recognition, to invoicing and even marketplace solutions.  

The firm said over 100 industry leaders process more than US$1 billion on its platform annually, while over US$817 billion in payments were processed by businesses on the platform in 2022. In Singapore specifically, the firm works with some of the fastest growing players including Grab and Carousell.

Now, why are we speaking to Stripe you might ask? Well, the internet or the digital economy is an interesting one to look at, with the digital economy in ASEAN alone widely tipped to grow to US$1 trillion by 2030. 

But where are the opportunities within the broader APAC region? And more importantly, what are the complexities involved in capturing them given how fragmented the payment landscape is here? Not to throw in the cost of compliance as well?

Meanwhile, the Stripe is also seeing a number of developments of late. It had in April raised US$694.2 million in a tender offer, giving the fintech player a 30 per cent higher valuation amid the cooler funding climate. The move is said to allow employees to cash out their share compensation without an IPO. But is the firm ready for an IPO anytime soon? 

Meanwhile, Stripe had also in July this year acquired its competitor Lemon Squeezy. But what was the rationale behind the move?

On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Paul Harapin, Chief Revenue Officer, Asia Pacific & Japan, Stripe.

Today we’re going to talk about a company whose mission is to increase the GDP of – not a country or city – but the internet. 
Founded in 2010, our guest Stripe is a technology company that prides itself on building the economic infrastructure for the internet. 
With dual headquarters in San Francisco and Dublin, and offices dotted across major financial hubs such as London, Tokyo and Singapore, the firm assists customers from the world’s largest enterprises to budding startups in accepting payments, growing their revenue and tapping new business opportunities. 
That means its suite of products and services cuts across a number of functions, from pricing, billing, checkouts, payment links, revenue recognition, to invoicing and even marketplace solutions.  
The firm said over 100 industry leaders process more than US$1 billion on its platform annually, while over US$817 billion in payments were processed by businesses on the platform in 2022. In Singapore specifically, the firm works with some of the fastest growing players including Grab and Carousell.
Now, why are we speaking to Stripe you might ask? Well, the internet or the digital economy is an interesting one to look at, with the digital economy in ASEAN alone widely tipped to grow to US$1 trillion by 2030. 
But where are the opportunities within the broader APAC region? And more importantly, what are the complexities involved in capturing them given how fragmented the payment landscape is here? Not to throw in the cost of compliance as well?
Meanwhile, the Stripe is also seeing a number of developments of late. It had in April raised US$694.2 million in a tender offer, giving the fintech player a 30 per cent higher valuation amid the cooler funding climate. The move is said to allow employees to cash out their share compensation without an IPO. But is the firm ready for an IPO anytime soon? 
Meanwhile, Stripe had also in July this year acquired its competitor Lemon Squeezy. But what was the rationale behind the move?
On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Paul Harapin, Chief Revenue Officer, Asia Pacific &amp; Japan, Stripe.

Under the Radar: What are the key drivers of growth for ByteDance’s super app for enterprises Lark?

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