Antler has confirmed an investment of US$7.4 million into startups across Southeast Asia in H1 2025, while Vietnamese tech firm CMC Corp has partnered with Samsung C&T to jointly develop the CMC Hyperscale Data Center (CMC Hyperscale DC) in Ho Chi Minh City.
Antler invests $7.4m into AI startups in SE Asia
Global early‑stage venture capital firm Antler invested $7.4 million into startups across Southeast Asia during the first half of 2025. The Antler-funded startups in H1 2025 span key innovation hubs across Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia, according to a statement.
The firm doubled down on AI-focused ventures through $2.8 million funding in seven AI startups graduating from AI Disrupt, a new four‑week, in‑person residency designed for teams with an MVP and in early stages of serving live customers with their core AI technology.
Startups that received investment through Antler AI Disrupt include Iris, Nugen, IndustrialMind.ai, Lambdai Space, Anamaya, AppSecAI, Y (GLUCOSE).
The seven selected startups each secured $400,000 in funding after spending a four-week sprint focusing on their go-to-market, scalability, and rapid expansion. During the residency, each startup received access to over $650,000 worth of cloud computing, infrastructure, and tooling credits tailored specifically for AI-focused development to enhance their speed of execution.
Winnie Khoo, Partner at Antler, emphasised: “With the speed of product development made possible through technology today, we are matching that with our support to founders and investment into startups. AI startups are moving 10x faster than just 2 years ago, and AI Disrupt is purpose-built for founders with market-validated products to move and scale much faster. These AI founders do not wait. Moving aggressively is a moat that founders can gain in the AI age.”
Vietnam’s CMC partners Samsung C&T to develop hyperscale data centre
Vietnamese tech firm CMC Corp has partnered with Samsung C&T to jointly develop the CMC Hyperscale Data Center (CMC Hyperscale DC) in Ho Chi Minh City.
The project kicks off with a 30 MW Phase 1 valued at $250 million, with subsequent phases scaling beyond 100 MW, targeting a total investment of approximately $1 billion.
Under the partnership, Samsung C&T will spearhead the project at HCMC’s High-Tech Park, adhering to international standards for technology and information security.
The collaboration will also foster a long-term model leveraging eco-friendly technologies for CMC’s data centre ecosystem and share global expertise, tech, and partnerships to ensure timely execution and optimal performance.
This agreement not only enables CMC to tap into Samsung C&T’s global network but also facilitates the attraction of international capital, cutting-edge technology, and skilled human resources to Vietnam.
In July, CMC announced that it received approval to build a $250-million hyperscale data centre in Ho Chi Minh City. Called “CMC Hyperscale DC SHTP,” the project is designed to be the “heart” for massive data storage, computation, and analytics, providing AI-as-a-Service, cloud infrastructure, big data, and cybersecurity services to millions of users.
Samsung C&T operates in infrastructure, including data centres and renewable energy. It has been involved in notable projects like Burj Khalifa (Dubai) and Marina Bay Sands (Singapore). In the tech space, the company is increasing its focus on digital infrastructure, green energy, and next-generation data centres.
