Daily Briefing: SIA implements no-pay leave days for pilots; Waste management firm Blue Planet bags $36m

And Expara Ventures launches accelerator programme for COVID-19 solutions.

From CNA:

Singapore Airlines (SIA) pilots will be required to take some days of no-pay leave a month from April as part of cost-cutting measures the national carrier is putting into place.

In an internal email seen by CNA, the airline said it had signed agreements with the Singapore Airlines Staff Union, the Air Transport Executive Staff Union and the Airline Pilots’ Association to implement such cost-cutting measures.

Captains will have to take seven days of compulsory no-pay leave. First officers will have to take five days of no-pay leave a month, while second officers will have to take four days of such leave each month.

Meanwhile SIA executives and associates will have to take one day of no-pay leave in April, and two days of no-pay leave in May.

Read more here.

From DealStreetAsia:

Waste management firm Blue Planet Environmental Solutions has raised $36.24m ($25m) from the Japanese financial group Nomura, according to an announcement. The investment is through Nomura’s Loans and Principal Investments Area in Asia (ex-Japan).

The proceeds will help Blue Planet further develop its technology-driven waste management solutions. The company, which has offices in India, Vietnam, Malaysia and the UK, received an investment from Neev Fund, jointly set up by the State Bank of India and the UK Government’s Department for International Development, in 2018.

One of Blue Planet’s key offerings includes the conversion of organic waste into energy and high-value compost using an anaerobic digestion technology.

Read more here.

From DealStreetAsia:

Southeast Asia-focused early-stage investor Expara Ventures has launched a new accelerator programme that is looking for startups developing solutions to counter challenges the world is facing due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a top executive of the firm.

Selected teams will receive three months of intensive online acceleration, mentorship and funding up to $72,485 (US$50,000), culminating in an online Demo Day.

The programme will focus on detection, information, prevention and protection and finally mitigation. It will cover improved ways to detect viruses, new tools to help share information about pandemics, solutions to protect people from infection and slow the spread of the virus in communities and solutions that aim to improve life quality and work efficiency during and after global pandemics.

The company has launched five venture capital funds in Southeast Asia since 2007, investing in over 80 startups to date.

Read more here.