Airasia Super App has tapped Google Cloud for a five-year strategic collaboration that will see the advance of the digital travel and lifestyle platform’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 participating parties have announced that they will do this by combining 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.
CEO of Capital A, Tony Fernandez commented that this partnership has been something he’s wanted to engage in since his decision to to move the company’s digital journey to its next stage. “I went around the US looking for that partner, met Diane Greene from Google Cloud, and the journey started.”
“We may be late in the game, but with the Super App as the center of our ecosystem of e-commerce, logistics and fintech, we are determined to give all 700 million people in Asean inclusivity, accessibility and value.”
Since 2020, airasia Super App has become one of three unicorns headquartered in Malaysia, with operations in Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines and catering to 51 million active users.
The strategic collaboration and ecosystem building efforts will encompass four pillars: fostering an agile culture and co-innovation talent engine; ensuring seamless user access anytime and anywhere, on any device; unlocking data-driven insights to fuel MSME growth; empowering partners and developers to co-innovate and contribute. Google will also tap airasia Super App’s in-region network to expand its developer community in Southeast Asia.
“With Google’s help, our ecosystem will not only be transactional, but be about building community, and enriching that community – not just the customers but partners like restaurants, airlines, hotels and drivers. I’m excited to reveal how airasia and all of Capital A’s assets will transform Asean and deliver value, not only in transactions but in making Asean a smaller place. What we are doing is not evolutionary, but revolutionary. I’m going to enjoy the ride with Google,” added Fernandes.
Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, also mentioned the benefits of super apps in helping small businesses thrive and stimulate economies. “airasia Super App is an inspiring example of a company that’s innovating using cloud-first technologies to better reach and serve their customers. 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.”