☕️ Good morning, friends,

China has imposed anti-dumping duties on “pork and by-products” from the EU in response to the EU’s tariffs on Chinese EVs.

🐷 That means we’d better gorge ourselves on as many Nuremberg sausages as possible while we’re still in Germany.

P.S. As Thomas’s former boss at the Sparkasse once said: “If something doesn’t work, it’s either the technology or the lawmakers. Never us.”

We know some of you are having trouble with broken links or newsletters ending up in spam. This time it’s not the lawmakers or us — it’s the tech… and we’re working on it!

BENCHMARKS

NUMBER OF THE DAY

+14%

🚀 More early-stage deals, despite 8% less capital: Singapore’s startup scene is on the rise

📈 Growth in key sectors: Advanced manufacturing and sustainability saw 56 deals in 2024 (up from 49 in 2023), even as funding dipped from US$402m to US$371m.

💰 Early bets in focus: Investors shifted capital toward early-stage rounds, which surged 56% year-on-year.

👉 Watch: Despite shrinking total funding, the rising deal flow highlights the resilience of Singapore’s startup ecosystem and points to strong future growth in high-tech manufacturing and sustainability.

TOP BIT

👜 China Punishes Dior for Data Violations

Chinese regulators have penalized Dior’s Shanghai subsidiary for unlawfully transferring customer data to France. 
According to the official statement, required reviews and safeguards were missing; the punishment was imposed as an administrative measure, though the amount was not disclosed. It is the first high-profile case where China’s strict data protection rules have been enforced.

The Details

📡 Banned Export: Dior Shanghai sent customer data such as …