SHANGHAI, Sept. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In August 2025, Kayou, a fast-rising force in trading cards and collectibles, accelerated its international growth with a two-stop exhibition tour. Following its debut at the 2025 Indonesia International Baby Products & Toys Expo (IBTE Indonesia) on August 20, Kayou unveiled its flagship product portfolio at the 59th Tokyo Toy Show on August 28—demonstrating its clear roadmap for building a worldwide footprint in the hobby and toy industry.
From Category Leader in China to Global Player
As the market leader in trading cards in China, Kayou's choice of Indonesia for its first overseas showcase reflects a targeted growth strategy. Among the country's 270 million people, roughly 25 percent are between 18 and 34—the prime demographic for trading cards and collectibles. That alignment, along with strong familiarity with Japanese and Chinese entertainment IPs, provides fertile ground for introducing Kayou's expanding lineup of cards and collectibles to Southeast Asia.
At IBTE Indonesia, Kayou showcased more than 20 globally recognized IPs, including My Little Pony and Naruto. The company also introduced its first lineup for international audiences, including Free Fire collectible cards created with Garena and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) cards developed in collaboration with Moonton Games.
Free Fire, the global battle royale mobile title launched in 2017, ranked as the world's most downloaded game for three consecutive years and regained the top spot in 2024. Its flagship tournament, the Free Fire World Series (FFWS), set a record in 2021 with 5.4 million peak concurrent viewers—the highest in mobile esports history. The Free Fire trading card collection will launch globally in September.
MLBB, an international 5v5 MOBA title released in 2016, is now available in over 135 countries with more than 1.5 billion cumulative users. As the leading MOBA title in overseas markets, it dominates charts in Southeast Asia and has been featured at the Southeast Asian Games and the Esports World Cup. Kayou's new line ties closely to the game's universe while incorporating Southeast Asian themes, boosting fan engagement and collectible value. The MLBB collection is also slated for worldwide release.
Kayou plans to use flagship overseas product lines such as Free Fire and MLBB to build a "localized IP + collectible ecosystem" model. With Asia as its launchpad, the company will expand this model into other regions with strong demand for global IP-driven collectibles.
Expanding into Mature Markets: Spotlight at the Tokyo Toy Show
Held at Tokyo Big Sight from August 28 to 31, the Tokyo Toy Show brought together nearly 1,000 exhibitors and over 90,000 attendees. As Asia's longest-running professional toy fair, now in its 59th edition, the event is a cornerstone for innovation and trendsetting in the global toy and collectibles industry.
Widely regarded as one of the world's top ten toy fairs, the Tokyo Toy Show is a platform where Disney, Mattel, Bandai and other global brands showcase their latest releases. This year, Kayou joined that lineup, presenting its newest global portfolio, connecting with international partners, and gaining insights into evolving fan preferences.
At the show, Kayou featured a wide array of IP-based collectibles, including trading cards, figures, acrylic stands, and badges. With strong product design and an integrated supply chain, Kayou's booth became a destination for buyers and collectors from around the world.
In Japan's toy and collectibles market, trading card games (TCG) are the fastest-growing category, hitting 302.463 billion yen (approx. USD 2.05 billion) in 2024, according to the Japan Toy Association. With iconic brands like Pokémon, Bandai, Takara Tomy, Konami, and Bushiroad leading the category, Kayou's Tokyo debut marks an important opportunity to enter one of the most competitive segments in the hobby industry.
Following its 2024 partnership with Hasbro, Kayou introduced the first Japanese-language edition of its My Little Pony trading card game and hosted live demo play at its booth. The game's unique mechanics, distinctive artwork, and premium production quality drew strong reactions from attendees, reinforcing Kayou's product development expertise and global outlook.
By participating in both Indonesia and Japan, Kayou demonstrated a differentiated global market strategy: rolling out localized and accessible products in emerging markets while reinforcing its premium positioning in established ones. Together, these events highlight a two-track strategy—driving growth in developing regions and pushing product innovation forward in mature markets—marking a major step forward in Kayou's international expansion.
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Kayou Showcases Global Expansion Strategy with Major Debuts in Indonesia and Japan
Kayou Showcases Global Expansion Strategy with Major Debuts in Indonesia and Japan
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The fund will invest in startups in SMU's flagship Urban SustaInnovator accelerator programme, which began incubating them from February 2026.
SINGAPORE, May 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore Management University (SMU) today announced the launch of the Urban SustaInnovator (USI) Fund, a US$10 million (S$12.69 million) investment programme designed to support startups emerging from USI, SMU's flagship accelerator for urban solutions and sustainability (USS) ventures for expansion in Singapore and across Asia. The fund will invest in USI's globally sourced and competition-vetted pipeline of early stage deep-tech startups from the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC).
USI was launched at the 12th edition of LKYGBPC held in September 2025 at SMU by Minister for National Development, Mr Chee Hong Tat, and was designed to incubate high-potential startups in the USS sector. The accelerator began incubating its first batch of startups in February 2026.
The USI Fund, believed to be South-east Asia's first university-anchored co-investment fund dedicated to urban solutions and sustainability, is integrated with the purpose-built accelerator that supports early-stage ventures addressing critical urban challenges – including decarbonisation, energy transition, the built environment, mobility, and circularity – as they move from validation to real-world deployment across Asian cities.
Professor Sun Sun Lim, SMU's Vice President (Partnerships & Engagement), said, "Urban sustainability innovation often fails not for lack of ideas, but for lack of capital that understands early–stage risk and long deployment cycles. The USI Fund addresses this pain point by co–investing with leading venture capital partners and backing deep-tech startups from SMU's robust global pipeline, providing targeted early–stage capital to help founders scale proven solutions into Asian urban markets."
Professor Lim, who is also the Chair of the USI Programme Management Committee, said that the Fund will co–invest alongside established venture capital partners under prevailing market terms, providing catalytic capital while benefiting from the commercial rigour and sector expertise of lead investors. The Fund is expected to make its first investments from the inaugural USI accelerator cohort, with deployments expected to commence by Q4 2026.
Built-in Pipeline from the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition
The competition attracted over 1,500 applications from more than 90 countries, creating a strong pipeline from which seven high-potential startups were selected for incubation under the USI accelerator programme. This gives the USI Fund privileged access to quality startups with demonstrated traction and strong alignment with priority urban sustainability themes.
The USI programme brings together public, private, and philanthropic partners to support these high–potential startups to anchor in Singapore and scale across Asia. The 12–month, hybrid, non–residential, zero–fee and equity–free programme provides founders with regional market access through SMU's growing network of overseas centres in the region, fundraising and pilot support, as well as mentorship and ecosystem connectivity.
The programme is supported by a 'Singapore Inc' Advisory Board comprising venture capitalists, scientists, corporates, and regulators, providing founders with multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary guidance from early validation through to regional expansion.
Inaugural Cohort Demonstrates Early Traction
The seven startups in the inaugural USI accelerator cohort are showing significant progress across capital raise, deployment and international validation.
Qarbotech, a Malaysia–based nanotechnology company developing photosynthesis–enhancing materials for agriculture, has gained global visibility after winning the Grand Prix at SusHi Tech 2026 and securing a pilot project with Tokyu Fudosan Group. MacroCycle, a US–based startup specialising in chemical upcycling of PET plastics, has attracted institutional backing from Volta Circle, the investment platform of the Lohia family which owns Indorama Corporation, while also being recognised as a finalist at Temasek Foundation's The Liveability Challenge 2026.
Commercial progress is also evident among ventures that have moved beyond proof–of–concept.
Inviscid AI, a Singapore company focused on real–time thermodynamic simulation using physics–informed neural networks, has reported eightfold revenue growth since joining the USI programme. Sesame Sustainability, an AI–driven industrial decarbonisation software platform founded by alumni of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has secured paid pilot engagements with Swedish multinational ABB and received strong interest from a strategic investor. Smart Tire Company, a US–based venture commercialising airless tyres derived from shape–memory alloy technology, is advancing pilot projects linked to NASA–affiliated programmes. Mimicrete, a UK based company working on self–healing concrete solutions, has commenced a pilot in Singapore with The GEAR by Kajima. Pronoe, a French company focused on carbon capture through modular ocean alkalinity systems, is working on a carbon removal pre–purchase agreement project with Frontier, backed by Meta and Google.
Both Qarbotech and Mimicrete are also in the process of establishing or expanding their presence in Singapore, underscoring the city's role as a regional launchpad for deep tech commercialisation and scale–up.
Advancing the 'Teaching Accelerator' Model
In line with SMU's emphasis on experiential and practice–oriented learning, another important benefit of the USI Fund is that it enables SMU students to learn directly from live ventures and real investment decisions through interactions with the founders and mentors on the USI programme, said Prof Lim.
She said, "Selected SMU students are embedded across stages of the USI platform – from startup evaluation and market analysis to diligence and portfolio support – allowing them to develop venture literacy, climate and sustainability insight, commercialisation know-how and applied decision–making skills beyond the classroom."
"By integrating capital deployment with deep experiential learning, the USI Fund reinforces SMU's mission as a global city university, where education, innovation, and real–world impact are closely intertwined," she added.
For more information, please visit https://iie.smu.edu.sg/usi
About SMU IIE
The Singapore Management University's Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) empowers aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators to create positive change. It offers tailored training programmes, an equity-free incubator, and a vibrant community that connects innovators through events and networking opportunities, including the renowned Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC). For more information: https://iie.smu.edu.sg
About SMU
Established in 2000, Singapore Management University (SMU) is recognised for its disciplinary and multi-disciplinary research that addresses issues of global relevance, impacting business, government, and society. Its distinctive education, incorporating innovative experiential learning, aims to nurture global citizens, entrepreneurs and change agents. With more than 13,000 students, SMU offers a wide range of bachelors, masters and PhD degree programmes in the disciplinary areas associated with six of its eight schools - Accountancy, Business, Computing, Economics, Law and Social Sciences. Its seventh school, the SMU College of Integrative Studies, offers degree programmes in deep, integrative interdisciplinary education. The College of Graduate Research Studies, SMU's eighth school, enhances integration and interdisciplinarity across the various SMU postgraduate research programmes that will enable students to gain a holistic learning experience and well-grounded approach to their research. SMU also offers a growing number of executive development and continuing education programmes. Through its city campus, SMU focuses on making meaningful impact on Singapore and beyond through its partnerships with industry, policymakers and academic institutions. https://www.smu.edu.sg/
The fund will invest in startups in SMU's flagship Urban SustaInnovator accelerator programme, which began incubating them from February 2026.
SINGAPORE, May 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore Management University (SMU) today announced the launch of the Urban SustaInnovator (USI) Fund, a US$10 million (S$12.69 million) investment programme designed to support startups emerging from USI, SMU's flagship accelerator for urban solutions and sustainability (USS) ventures for expansion in Singapore and across Asia. The fund will invest in USI's globally sourced and competition-vetted pipeline of early stage deep-tech startups from the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC).
USI was launched at the 12th edition of LKYGBPC held in September 2025 at SMU by Minister for National Development, Mr Chee Hong Tat, and was designed to incubate high-potential startups in the USS sector. The accelerator began incubating its first batch of startups in February 2026.
The USI Fund, believed to be South-east Asia's first university-anchored co-investment fund dedicated to urban solutions and sustainability, is integrated with the purpose-built accelerator that supports early-stage ventures addressing critical urban challenges – including decarbonisation, energy transition, the built environment, mobility, and circularity – as they move from validation to real-world deployment across Asian cities.
Professor Sun Sun Lim, SMU's Vice President (Partnerships & Engagement), said, "Urban sustainability innovation often fails not for lack of ideas, but for lack of capital that understands early–stage risk and long deployment cycles. The USI Fund addresses this pain point by co–investing with leading venture capital partners and backing deep-tech startups from SMU's robust global pipeline, providing targeted early–stage capital to help founders scale proven solutions into Asian urban markets."
Professor Lim, who is also the Chair of the USI Programme Management Committee, said that the Fund will co–invest alongside established venture capital partners under prevailing market terms, providing catalytic capital while benefiting from the commercial rigour and sector expertise of lead investors. The Fund is expected to make its first investments from the inaugural USI accelerator cohort, with deployments expected to commence by Q4 2026.
Built-in Pipeline from the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition
The competition attracted over 1,500 applications from more than 90 countries, creating a strong pipeline from which seven high-potential startups were selected for incubation under the USI accelerator programme. This gives the USI Fund privileged access to quality startups with demonstrated traction and strong alignment with priority urban sustainability themes.
The USI programme brings together public, private, and philanthropic partners to support these high–potential startups to anchor in Singapore and scale across Asia. The 12–month, hybrid, non–residential, zero–fee and equity–free programme provides founders with regional market access through SMU's growing network of overseas centres in the region, fundraising and pilot support, as well as mentorship and ecosystem connectivity.
The programme is supported by a 'Singapore Inc' Advisory Board comprising venture capitalists, scientists, corporates, and regulators, providing founders with multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary guidance from early validation through to regional expansion.
Inaugural Cohort Demonstrates Early Traction
The seven startups in the inaugural USI accelerator cohort are showing significant progress across capital raise, deployment and international validation.
Qarbotech, a Malaysia–based nanotechnology company developing photosynthesis–enhancing materials for agriculture, has gained global visibility after winning the Grand Prix at SusHi Tech 2026 and securing a pilot project with Tokyu Fudosan Group. MacroCycle, a US–based startup specialising in chemical upcycling of PET plastics, has attracted institutional backing from Volta Circle, the investment platform of the Lohia family which owns Indorama Corporation, while also being recognised as a finalist at Temasek Foundation's The Liveability Challenge 2026.
Commercial progress is also evident among ventures that have moved beyond proof–of–concept.
Inviscid AI, a Singapore company focused on real–time thermodynamic simulation using physics–informed neural networks, has reported eightfold revenue growth since joining the USI programme. Sesame Sustainability, an AI–driven industrial decarbonisation software platform founded by alumni of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has secured paid pilot engagements with Swedish multinational ABB and received strong interest from a strategic investor. Smart Tire Company, a US–based venture commercialising airless tyres derived from shape–memory alloy technology, is advancing pilot projects linked to NASA–affiliated programmes. Mimicrete, a UK based company working on self–healing concrete solutions, has commenced a pilot in Singapore with The GEAR by Kajima. Pronoe, a French company focused on carbon capture through modular ocean alkalinity systems, is working on a carbon removal pre–purchase agreement project with Frontier, backed by Meta and Google.
Both Qarbotech and Mimicrete are also in the process of establishing or expanding their presence in Singapore, underscoring the city's role as a regional launchpad for deep tech commercialisation and scale–up.
Advancing the 'Teaching Accelerator' Model
In line with SMU's emphasis on experiential and practice–oriented learning, another important benefit of the USI Fund is that it enables SMU students to learn directly from live ventures and real investment decisions through interactions with the founders and mentors on the USI programme, said Prof Lim.
She said, "Selected SMU students are embedded across stages of the USI platform – from startup evaluation and market analysis to diligence and portfolio support – allowing them to develop venture literacy, climate and sustainability insight, commercialisation know-how and applied decision–making skills beyond the classroom."
"By integrating capital deployment with deep experiential learning, the USI Fund reinforces SMU's mission as a global city university, where education, innovation, and real–world impact are closely intertwined," she added.
For more information, please visit https://iie.smu.edu.sg/usi
About SMU IIE
The Singapore Management University's Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) empowers aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators to create positive change. It offers tailored training programmes, an equity-free incubator, and a vibrant community that connects innovators through events and networking opportunities, including the renowned Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition (LKYGBPC). For more information: https://iie.smu.edu.sg
About SMU
Established in 2000, Singapore Management University (SMU) is recognised for its disciplinary and multi-disciplinary research that addresses issues of global relevance, impacting business, government, and society. Its distinctive education, incorporating innovative experiential learning, aims to nurture global citizens, entrepreneurs and change agents. With more than 13,000 students, SMU offers a wide range of bachelors, masters and PhD degree programmes in the disciplinary areas associated with six of its eight schools - Accountancy, Business, Computing, Economics, Law and Social Sciences. Its seventh school, the SMU College of Integrative Studies, offers degree programmes in deep, integrative interdisciplinary education. The College of Graduate Research Studies, SMU's eighth school, enhances integration and interdisciplinarity across the various SMU postgraduate research programmes that will enable students to gain a holistic learning experience and well-grounded approach to their research. SMU also offers a growing number of executive development and continuing education programmes. Through its city campus, SMU focuses on making meaningful impact on Singapore and beyond through its partnerships with industry, policymakers and academic institutions. https://www.smu.edu.sg/
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Singapore Management University Launches South-east Asia's First University-Anchored Fund Dedicated to Urban Solutions & Sustainability
