November is off to a flying start with acquisitions by 500-backed startups. PolicyPal officially enters the financial planning market after acquiring a US-based, Asia-focused firm, while Una Brands buys a glassware startup founded by a 15-year-old schoolboy.

Missed our last roundup? Check out the top stories in October here.

Credit: Scott Graham on Unsplash

• PolicyPal acquires US-based firm to enter financial planning market
• Una Brands acquires glass startup by 15-year-old for US$730,000
• Curlec grows almost 4x over the pandemic, eyes regional expansion
• Aerodyne’s Swiss partnership to deploy cutting-edge drone tech globally
• Neuron partners with Moovit to expand mobility options in Brisbane
• Grab & Mastercard ink 2-year regional partnership to boost digital literacy
• Kredivo & Standard Chartered target mass market & offline retailers
• Escavox beefs up the red meat industry with real-time shelf-life calculator
• Prenetics appointed exclusive testing partner for Hong Kong marathon

Other stories you may have missed:

• Read Tech in Asia’s analysis of 500-backed Carousell, its next move in the re-commerce space, and how it meets ESG (environmental, social, and governance) criteria.
• Mental health issues are on the rise in low- to middle-income ASEAN countries, and 500-backed Naluri is one of the healthtech apps in the region taking the problem head on.
• 500-backed ANGIN launched INTRA (Investing and Entrepreneurship Think Tank) in collaboration with Impact IDN. It claims to be the first think tank in Indonesia dedicated to impact investment in Indonesia.