AIRASIA Super App has signed a five-year tie-up with Google Cloud to advance the former’s vision of a co-innovation ecosystem that all businesses and developers can partake in to serve the daily needs of people in the region.
The two organisations will combine core competencies to nurture technology talent, co-create software tools for open innovation, deliver data-driven intelligence on behalf of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) on the platform, and ensure accessibility for diverse users in cities and rural areas.
The airasia Super App, which operates in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines, is part of Capital A’s digital pillar.
The platform offers everything from flight and hotel bookings, e-commerce and food and parcel delivery to ride-hailing, financial health services and on-demand education – all anchored by an integrated rewards programme and mobile wallet.
“From the time we started with two planes till now as the fourth largest airline in Asia, the airasia brand’s focus has always been on serving the underserved.
“With the Super App as the centre of our ecosystem of e-commerce, logistics and fintech, we are determined to continue that legacy and give all 700 million people in Asean inclusivity, accessibility and value with an extensive range of services available at their fingertips,” said Capital A Bhd group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.
The strategic collaboration with Google will also see the newly rebranded parent company Capital A expanding the platform into an entire ecosystem that will not only be transactional but also about building communities and enriching these communities with market-ready technologies and resources.
“What we are doing is not evolutionary but revolutionary and I’m excited to prove to the world how AirAsia and all of Capital A’s assets will transform Asean and deliver value,” Fernandes remarked.
The strategic collaboration and ecosystem building efforts will encompass four pillars namely fostering an agile culture and co-innovation talent engine; ensuring a seamless user access anytime and anywhere, on any device; unlocking data-driven insights to fuel MSME growth; and empowering partners and developers to co-innovate and contribute.
“To benefit everyone across Southeast Asia’s heterogeneous communities, the airasia Super App must be simple and easy-to-use while underpinned by inclusive design, interoperability and personalisation,” said airasia Super App CEO Amanda Woo.
“It’s therefore crucial that we leverage on Google’s rich experience in building global platforms and ecosystems to equip and engage more talent, entrepreneurs and partners who can provide even more tailor-made solutions that fit users’ lives.”
According to Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, super apps are helping small businesses thrive and stimulate economies, with the World Economic Forum estimating that 70% of new economic value generated in the next decade expected to be driven by digital platform business models.
“airasia Super App is an inspiring example of a company that’s innovating using cloud-first technologies to better reach and serve their customers,” he said.
“We’re proud to be working with Tony and his team to further develop talent and an open innovation ecosystem to meet diverse digital lifestyle needs across Southeast Asia.” – April 8, 2022
