D8 announces USD3 million fundraising round for digital investment for Bangkok businesses

D8ii Ltd., also known as D8, a digital
consultancy, technology, research and innovation solutions company based in
Thailand is boosting its reach to Bangkok businesses as a strategic tech
partner and also setting up a graduate training program.

The BOI company, run by an
international team skilled in developing and implementing Silicon Valley
business models, also announced a new fundraising round of USD3 million
(approximately THB 105 million). Kuvera Capital Group, a Thailand-based
investment company, will lead the opening of this investment round.

The investments will enable D8 to
increase its HR capacity to meet demand from Thai companies to integrate
greater tech tools by developing and implementing cutting-edge business
strategies to compete within a fast-moving digital landscape; utilizing mobile
technologies, augmented reality and virtual reality, social media and digital
marketing.

By 2020, D8 has a goal to employ a
team of around 1,000 comprising of 75% Thais with strategic sales offices
primarily within Thailand alongside the company’s HQ; strengthening Thailand’s
growing reputation as a digital-skills hub within ASEAN. To enhance this skill
set, D8 is also announcing the D8 Scholarship Program for Thai IT graduates
commencing in Q2/Q3, 2017. The USD 1.5 million fund, providing nine months to
one year scholarships, will enable graduates to learn advanced technology such
as Node.js within D8. The company is a leader in this platform which is not
currently taught or created within Thailand.

One of the key areas of business for
D8, aside from consultancy and tech services, is to provide startups and established
businesses needing a digital overhaul an avenue in which they can utilize new
technologies effectively and affordably. This involves providing a system of
software licensing for components and full applications instead of full-cost
development.

Founder and President at D8, Jayson Ho
is an IT management consultant with a background managing and deploying tech
development projects with Wall Street banks and major investment houses. With a
team that promises expertise across many verticals for greater value-added
service, D8 particularly hones in on finance, insurance and HR processes.
Jayson believes that creating a strong tech brand such as D8 is timely in
Thailand in order to disrupt traditional business models.

“Thailand is the smartphone capital of
ASEAN and companies that are adopting these more advanced tech models and
platforms are gearing themselves up to be future-ready. Within Thailand,
businesses are already transitioning into digital environments and the app
industry in Thailand alone is worth hundreds of millions of US dollars per
year.

“D8 is aimed at capturing at least 10%
of this market and becoming a brand leader; a go-to tech partner with
international standing that will drive Thai enterprise to the next level.”

Among some of D8’s current list of
clients are Sift Security, MissingStep, SeventhSense, Machinima, Wisertogether,
FootballIndex, Rabadaba and Tineri who are in the network security, SaaS
(sales), entertainment, health, finance, social media and travel are the
industries respectively.

The
company will be signing up new clients including career search website
CareerBolt, jobmarket place Kolla, golf equipment retailer Tour Golf and Levco
Holdings (Thailand), which sources products from China and other parts of Asia.

A boutique digital
agency, D8 specializes in providing essential expertise in bleeding-edge
technologies in which traditional, startup and larger organizations do not
traditionally have the research and development knowledge, capability or
financial privileges to implement.