Digital Investment Managers, or roboadvisors as they’re more commonly known as, have been touted as a way to improve accessibility to investment products by going digital and lowering associated costs, such as removing sales fees and lowering annual management fees. While names such as Stashaway and Wahed Invests may be more well known in this space, there are many other players here. One of them is Raiz Malaysia, a joint venture between Raiz Invest Australia Limited and Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB).Raiz is differentiating itself by helping users invest their spare change, similar to US roboadvisor Acorns. Essentially they round up purchases from linked debit and credit cards, and invest that amount into the portfolio, however if this isn’t your cup of tea, users can still invest normally with regular or one-time deposits.We speak with Raiz Malaysia CEO Aidi Izham about their strategy to compete with other digital and traditional asset management firms, how much of an advantage it is having PNB in their corner, and more.

As Malaysia’s land for waste disposal is limited and the existing landfills are rapidly reaching their capacity, it is imperative that every individual do their part to reduce, reuse and recycle. To facilitate and make it easier for consumers to transition to a more eco-friendly lifestyle, Oh Sok Peng founded Refiller Mobile in June 2022. This mobile zero-waste refillery travels around the Klang Valley offering eco-friendly household products, dried food and alternatives. With a goal to address plastic waste and environmental preservation in Malaysia, Refiller Mobile seeks to contribute to a sustainable planet for future generations.

RecruitFirst is a HRTech company that aims to play corporate Tinder by matching companies with jobseekers to fulfil a company’s talent needs. Backed by Singapore Exchange listed recruitment and consulting company HRnetGroup Limited, RecruitFirst now has operations in 15 cities across the Asia Pacific. Mok Jing Ru, Co-Owner & Senior Consulting Manager, joins us for a conversation about Recruitfirst’s role in the HR landscape and the path ahead.

SpaceIn wants to spearhead the space exploration activity in Malaysia. Previously, a company owned by a group of Postgraduate Students in the USM Space System Lab (USSL), SpaceIn started with a satellite educational product, CanSat Kit for Education and is also Malaysia’s only company that provides near-space platform services through High Altitude Balloon. We speak to Dr Norilmi Amilia Ismail, CEO of SpaceIn, about the trajectory of space exploration in Malaysia and the firm.

Buying or renting property can be a tedious process, from finding something within your budget and physically locating the property, to finding the right agent or platform to work with and wading through the paperwork. It’s no wonder why websites like iProperty and PropertyGuru have become so popular, but is the future of proptech to move away from broad searchability and build out a property superapp for all your property needs?To find out,we speak with Teow Wei Kwang, Co-Founder of Nextsix. Nextsix is a one-stop property platform that is pioneering a GPS and data-driven search engine that links property seekers to properties available within a particular vicinity through real estate agents, but by the looks of it, has bigger aspirations as well.

DOC2HOME is a Malaysian digital health platform offering personalized home-based healthcare, reviving the tradition of 'house calls'. As a subsidiary of DOC2US, it leverages advanced technology to provide both telehealth services and direct doctor home visits. This initiative, which began in April through a partnership with SP Setia's STAY Campaign, is championed by Dr. Raymond Choy, CEO of DOC2US and a key figure in Malaysia's digital health transformation.

In the last few years we’ve seen Bitcoin go to the moon, and then come back down to Earth. That said, it is still up over 340% over the last 5 years and has climbed around 60-70% year to date, so it’s not all doom and gloom.When you think about the Malaysian crypto market, or at least the regulated side of it, it’s hard to miss one key name - Luno - a regulated digital asset exchange that allows users to trade digital assets, like bitcoin. July marked Luno’s 10th year in business.10 years ago, Luno was known as BitX and started its journey in South Africa. 4 years later, in 2017, the Luno brand was born, 2 years later you entered Europe, and in April 2022 hit a milestone of 10 million customers globally. In 2023 the number is now over 12 million. In the midst of all that, Luno was acquired by Digital Currency Group in 2020, while a key moment for the company, DCG hasn’t had the smoothest of paths since. Today we explore Luno’s 10 year journey and what lies ahead with James Lanigan, CEO of Luno.

Chin Jia Zhuang, De Lettuce B.E.A.R.

Between hybrid work arrangements, talent acquisition and employee turnover, managing talent in business is getting increasingly more challenging and complicated. In a bid to expand access to talent and simplify human resources operations, MIT alumni Alex Bouaziz and Shuo Wang started Deel back in 2018.Deel may have started with a focus on payroll, but today it’s a full-stack HR solution that simplifies aspects of managing an international workforce, from culture and onboarding, to local payroll and compliance. This has become even more important post-pandemic as workforces become more distributed across the world. Today on Open for Business, we speak with Alex Bouaziz, Co-founder & CEO of Deel, about the role they play in HR and talent management, how they support companies to expand internationally via employer of record services, and how all this supports Deel's own growth. We also speak to Alex about Deel’s appetite for acquisitions to grow and the milestones that will help determine when they will IPO.

The proliferation of payment options has been great for consumer choice, but has made accepting payments more complex for SMEs. Qashier is a Fintech startup that is trying to address this by consolidating the different payment options into an integrated point-of-sale (POS) and payment solution for SMEs. They also have ambitions to go beyond just sales and payments solutions and provide other software solutions to SMEs, whether it is helping them with HR, operations, or other business areas.With over 6,000 merchants in industries like F&B, beauty, retail and service. across Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand, we speak to CEO and co-founder Christopher Choo about Qashier’s origin story, what lies ahead for this startup, and how they will compete with other key players like StoreHub, PineLabs, and GHL Systems.

Digital Banking is something that’s being keenly watched in the Southeast Asia region. We’ve seen 4 digibanks start up in Singapore, and here in Malaysia we’re expecting a few to open their doors to customers this year. While a lot of attention has been paid to players such as Grab, Sea Limited, and Ant Financial, another key player to watch in this region is WeLab.WeLab was founded in 2013 and over the decade has raised around $900 million to fund ambitions to improve accessibility to financial services. They are involved in digital lending, digital banking, and SaaS enterprise solutions.The 10-year old Hong Kong based fintech player made its entry into the Southeast Asian digital bank fray last year when it acquired Bank Jasa Jakarta. What does signal about its expansion strategy for Southeast Asia?To find out, on this episode of Open for Business, we speak with Simon Loong, Founder & Group CEO of WeLab Group. Aside from their plans for Southeast Asia, we’ll also dive into WeLab’s 10 year journey, the growth across Hong Kong and Mainland China, what lies ahead for this Hong Kong unicorn, and ofcourse the pathway to IPO.Photo Credits: Shutterstock

After an exhaustive day, battling humidity and pollutants, the last thing you want is to come home to stifling air. We speak with Chris Lim and Strife Lim, the duo behind Sterra, an air and water purifier brand that has transformed over 3000 homes in Singapore. Sterra is now set to redefine Malaysia's indoor experience and we’ll be discussing Sterra's journey, innovation, and plans for the future.

Ahead of the upcoming state elections happening tomorrow, Open For Business takes a slight detour to the East Coast, specifically Terengganu, to speak to Indah Sari Otomobil, a car retailer that has been in the business in the state since the late 80s. The father and son duo, Kenny Teo and Kenneth Teo sat down with us to share how it all started for them, the car industry and demand for vehicles in Terengganu and whether Terengganu's reputation as a swing state has affected business throughout all these years.

Amid growing concerns about traffic congestion, inefficient use of private vehicles, and a rising demand for convenient and affordable transport options, TREVO offers a compelling solution. Learn how this platform uses cutting-edge algorithms to manage trade-offs, providing an optimal fleet size and reducing operational costs while increasing accessibility and efficiency. We hear from Susan Teoh, General Manager of TREVO about how they’re contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions and traffic congestion while enhancing last-mile connectivity. Discover the impact of emerging technologies on transportation and car-sharing markets and how TREVO navigates the challenges posed by regulatory issues, data privacy, and liability.

You can take the Malaysian out of Malaysia, but you can’t take Malaysia out of the Malaysian. Home or abroad, you can be sure that it’s only a matter of time before Malaysians succumb to their cravings and need a dose of our delicious local food – but what do you do if you're studying abroad, say in the UK?Enter Halal Street UK – a Halal e-marketplace established in 2014 based in the UK. Their website is a one-stop marketplace to purchase curated Malaysian food products from small and medium enterprises based in Malaysia straight to consumers in the UK market. So not only does this tap into the Malaysian market in the UK, but taps into the much larger muslim market in the UK. Pew Research Center data shows that in 2016, 6% of the UK population was muslim, around 4.1 million people. Only France and Germany had larger numbers in Europe. We speak to Simon Suresh, Founder and CEO of Halal Street UK, to explore the potential of the halal market in the UK and how the platform connects local SMEs, particularly in the F&B segment, with the UK and European markets.

Once upon a time, there was a final year university student who wasn’t too happy about the parking situation at his campus. So he took to YouTube, created his own channel, and uploaded a video about it. That channel's name? dmingthing.That was around 12 years and 526,000 subscribers ago.How did a vlog about the horrible carpark situation in a university lead to 66 million views on YouTube and help build a creative and social media agency? What does it take to turn a YouTube Channel into a business that survives beyond the personalities on screen?We find out with the creators of dmingthing and Co-Founders of creative and social media agency Blankslate Ho Ming Han, Ho Ming Yue, and Bryan Lim Yong Tiam.

We hear from Keith Khor, the founder of Intelligent Consultancy, a firm dedicated to helping with financial literacy in Malaysia. Having navigated an unconventional path to success, Keith now leads a team committed to empowering Malaysians to make informed financial decisions. We'll explore the company's services, from guidance on bank loans to debt consolidation, and delve into why financial literacy is so vital today.

If a box of cereal is expiring next month, would you buy it? What if I told you it was 40% off? Now would you buy it? If you answered yes, then you’re going to want to stick around. Near To is a local business that’s trying to reduce food waste by intercepting perfectly edible food products that are headed for landfills and selling them at cheaper prices, some at half their market price. This concept of discounting foods that are ‘near to’ expiry isn’t new and in fact standalone NTE (near to expiry) stores are already found overseas.So today we ask the age-old question, is one supplier’s ‘near to expiry’ food another retailer's treasure? To find out, we speak with Nicholas Tan and Edmond Yap, the Co-founders of Near To. We get into what inspired this venture and whether there’s truly money to be made by intercepting and selling ‘near to expiry’ food products.

Remember that old saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”? Well turns out, scientifically it is even more true than we thought. Reports have indicated that your breakfast choices not only have an impact on your day but even have a lasting impact on your long-term health.

Between the accelerated digitalization from the pandemic, the continued growth and evolution of e-commerce, and government pushes for cashless payments, digital payments have boomed. And while e-wallets, online bank transfers, and NFC paywave are typically how we interact with this, like the Autobots, there’s a lot more here than meets the eye.One big element of digital payments is the magic of recurring payments. A tech stack that enables you to set it and forget when it comes to your monthly investment deposits, regular insurance premium payments, and most importantly, your monthly subscriptions to services like Netflix and Spotify.Today on the show, we’re speaking to a homemade recurring payments solution that has recently graduated to full stack payment gateway following a majority stake acquisition by Indian payment gateway provider Razorpay in early 2022.With more than 700 clients including Tune Protect, CTOS, and Mary Kay, we speak to Curlec Founder and CEO Zac Liew about Curlec’s journey from founding in 2018, working with Razorpay, and the pathway and strategy to RM10 billion Gross Transaction Value (GTV) in Malaysia by end-2025.

A month ago, EPF CEO Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said that as of May 2023 only 18% of total members met the basic savings by age, which will enable them to have at least RM1,000 a month over a 20-year retirement period from age 55.There are many reasons for these concerning numbers, including stagnant incomes, but the areas that today’s guests are addressing is financial literacy and financial planning.Through their digital financial planning app CashKu, Advisonomics founders Raevendren Ramachandran and Asgari Stephens want to improve financial literacy among Malaysians by creating awareness and accessibility to resources and products around savings, retirement planning and financial literacy.Today on the show, the founders of Advisonomics get into, among other things, how much a digital platform can move the needle to address our concerning retirement statistics, the business model that drives this business, and the role that CashKu plays in the financial services space.

Rebecca and Jared Chuah's Nateskin, born out of grooming challenges, established itself as a trusted provider of simple, sustainable, and inclusive solutions. Nateskin's commitment to design excellence resulted in products that empowered personal grooming with confidence. Their first product, a unique hair trimmer, aimed to destigmatise body grooming discussions. Battling against societal taboos, Nateskin created innovative grooming products and saw impressive sales growth, hitting RM500k per month by June 2023.

Did you know that Saharan ants inspired the development of an electricity-free cooling technology?Tapping on scientific research findings of their supervisor, Dr Edwin Tso Chi-yan from the City University of Hong Kong’s School of Energy and Environment (SEE), research assistant Shirley Du and PhD student Martin Zhu, set up “i2Cool” to develop and promote zero-energy, low-cost, highly-efficient passive radiative cooling paint to save energy and reduce carbon emissions in cooling buildings.One of the product’s they developed is a radiative paint, that when applied to the exterior wall of a building, can simultaneously reflect sunlight and dissipate the building's heat into space, resulting in a drop in the building's indoor temperature.On this episode of Open for Business, we speak with Dr Martin Zhu, CEO and Co-founder of i2Cool Limited, about how ants inspired the tech behind this paint, why 2 academics jumped into the startup world, and what lies ahead for i2cool. I2Cool Limited is a start-up technology company, incubated by HK TECH 300 in the City University of Hong Kong (CityU) and Hong Kong Science and Technology Park

The Electric Vehicle (EV) space has been heating up here in Malaysia. Last year we saw some 2,631 EVs sold in Malaysia through official distribution channels last year, representing a 860% gain from 2021 which saw 274 sold.Now, selling EVs is one thing, but we need to ensure we’re building the infrastructure to support the ability to use these vehicles and that means building a charging network that is wide enough to support this boom. While big players like Tesla and Gentari are trying to address this, there are also other players that are working on this. Powered by RISE is one such player. Founded in 2019, the local tech startup wanted to address a critical issue in the Electric Vehicle scene, the lack of accessible charging infrastructure. Today the company isn’t just installing charging points, it has developed its own chargers and apps so that it doesn’t have to rely on other companies to succeed, but is this enough to defend against well funded competition that’s coming into the space? We speak to Kray Chong, Founder and CEO of Powered by RISE, to get a better understanding of their role in the EV ecosystem, how they built their own technology, and whether they see moves by Gentari and Tesla as threats or opportunities to their long term story.

Founded in 2020, Creative Factory combines traditional drawing with digital technology, and introduced the first digital oil-painting service in Malaysia. They transform special memories into unique art pieces, sparking interest among celebrities and influencers. Committed to enhancing customer experience and promoting an appreciation for modern-traditional art, they offer a variety of affordable digital oil paintings in multiple sizes.

The Electric Vehicle space in Malaysia got big news yesterday with Tesla formally announcing its strategic expansion into the Malaysian market, and they’re not just here to sell cars, they’re looking to establish an office, build out Tesla Experience and service centres, and set up a Supercharger network.Now that last part is something to watch, given Tesla’s experience and knowledge in the space and their brand value and recognition, how much of a threat is this foreign player to the local EV infrastructure players?For a perspective on this, we speak with Shah Yang Razalli, Deputy CEO of Gentari - wholly owned clean energy solutions company under PETRONAS. Gentari is involved in EV charging stations here in Malaysia, but outside the EV ecosystem it’s also involved in rooftop solar panels, battery storage, hydrogen production and more. We’ll also get into the company’s mandate and their role in driving the clean energy agenda here in Malaysia.

DrPrevents is a provider of preventive healthcare services in the Klang Valley area. With 24-hour operating medical clinics and a dedicated team of doctors and clinic assistants, DrPrevents offer healthcare solutions backed by some of the latest technology. Guided by the belief that prevention is better than cure, DrPrevents specialises in personalised and innovative medical services to empower individuals in their proactive pursuit of wellness. We’ll be hearing from the founder, Dr. Vikneswaran Ragupathiraja.

Although getting better in recent times, Malaysia still has a property oversupply problem, but could big data and AI be the solution? Or atleast help make sure this doesn’t continue to be a problem going forward?That’s something UrbanMetry is banking on.UrbanMetry is an AI-driven city and property data startup that cleans and analyses large amounts of city data, through its proprietary algorithms. The data and insights can then be used by governments, city planners, developers and financial institutions to create and back – better planned property developments and town planning. This will hopefully help manage the demands-supply mismatch so that developments match actual needs on the ground.We speak to Cha Ly Koh, CEO and founder of UrbanMetry, about how she built this platform, whether data is truly the answer to Malaysia’s property woes, and what lies ahead for the company.

Mowgli Venture brings to life adventures straight out of a story book. They seek to provide once-in-a-lifetime trips through raw adventures while challenging travellers out of their comfort zones.Their team is dedicated to delivering exceptional, bespoke travel services that promise an unforgettable experience. They champion the rise of adventure tourism, guiding their clients towards undiscovered gems far from the usual tourist trails, through their expert travel consulting and customised journey packages.

Despite being a major food exporter, Malaysia relies on imports for certain items like rice, dairy, wheat, barley, and selected fruits and vegetables. This is due to a production-consumption gap, making the country vulnerable to supply chain disruptions, exacerbated by geopolitical tensions and climate change. We speak with Greg O'Shea, the Head of Country for Malaysia and Singapore for TMX Global, and discuss the importance of developing the entire food supply chain, not just increasing farming output. We talk about the need for simultaneous development of midstream and downstream sectors, such as food manufacturing and processing -- and how TMX are helping SMEs and MSMEs with their distribution woes.

What do consumer brands such as Thousand Miles, Bottoms Lab, Montigo, and Cosmic Cookware have in common? They were all built by the same Malaysian startup – RPG Commerce.RPG Commerce is a direct-to-consumer (DTC) e-commerce startup that develops consumer brands and products targeted foreign markets. Some of their in-house brands are apparel and homeware brands Thousand Miles, Bottoms Lab, Montigo, and Cosmic Cookware.Since its launch in 2017, RPG Commerce has raised a total of US$34.5 million from Temasek-backed Vertex Ventures, East Ventures, UOB Venture Management, and RHL Ventures, but money doesn’t always buy success, especially in the consumer market, so how has one company been able to launch and operate multiple consumer brands in such a short time?To find out, we speak to Melvin Chee, the co-founder and CEO of RPG Commerce. We’ll also get into why he started by targeting foreign markets instead of building up at home first, how they’ve managed to successfully launch these consumer brands, and what’s next for RPG.

Media and entertainment is all about capturing and retaining your attention, and digital content and technology has been incredibly successful in capturing your eyes, ears, and time. That said, the entrepreneurs behind the BREAKOUT Escape Room, HAUNTU and Spy Game, know that immersive experiences aren’t the monopoly of tech companies and the digital world.The immersive gaming company is bringing excitement, challenge and social interactions back to the physical world. They started with The Breakout Escape Rooms in 2014, then launched a fully immersive haunted attraction called Hauntu in 2018. During the pandemic, the company adapted and took the product online and last year Superdough launched Spy Game, a game concept that wants to deliver an adrenaline-fueled adventure. Today, Superdough has 70 escape rooms across four countries – Malaysia, Korea, Canada, and the United States, and says its games have been played by over 1 million people globally. We speak with Superdough’s founders, Kelly Low and Johnny Ong about how and why they built this business, the business viability and what lies ahead.

Tin Men Capital is on a mission to unlock the potential of B2B tech startups within Southeast Asia, focusing on markets where industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, and sustainability are flourishing, particularly Malaysia.

Founded by mother-son pairing Gwen and David, King Living had its humble start at Paddy’s Markets in Sydney over 40 years ago.Today, with its steel construction and modular sofa designs, King Living is a leading Australian furniture manufacturer-retailer with 18 branches across Australia, with another 10 overseas spread across Singapore, Malaysia, the UK, New Zealand, Canada, and China.King Living’s journey entered a new chapter around 8 years ago when David King stepped away from the day-to-day and Anna Carrabs took up the role as CEO. After 7 years in charge of the company, Anna stepped down in November and today’s guest on the show took up the baton.Photo Credits: LinkedIn | David Woollcott

There’s no running away from it, gig work is becoming a bigger part of the labour market, and gigwork isn’t just ride hailing or food delivery, it can encompass freelancers, project-based workers and part-time hires. Managing this kind of work force can be complicated for businesses and troublesome for temporary gig workers due to potential exposure to unsafe working environments, delayed payments, and exploitation.Cidekick is a platform that wants to manage this balance by making gig work management easier on both sides of the equation. This include the screening, hiring, and monitoring of on-ground workers for events, creative talent for marketing and promotion, or other temporary manpower needs.While a clear need in the market, how does it stack up against other more notable players like Fiverr or Upwork or job matching platforms like GoGet or TROOPERS, that was recently acquired by BetterPlace?To find out, we’re speaking with Philip Phua, Founder and CEO of Cidekick. We’ll get into how they have built this solution, where it fits in the talent management stack, and what lies ahead for this startup.

Promo Partners is a company that specialises in redemption programs and licensed character promotions that has access to intellectual property from Disney, Pokemon, Universal Studios, Warner Bros, and DreamWorks. With this they have worked with companies like AEON, Giant, Guardian, 7-Eleven, Shell, and Family Mart to build marketing initiatives and redemption programs that are generally used to acquire new customers and boost short-term sales, but it can also help build customer retention over the long term.To learn more about this, we speak with Gary Chin, Founder and Director of Promo Partners.

Itxotic, a Malaysian visual AI startup. Currently in its market penetration stage, Itxotic has secured a significant contract with a key player in the oil and gas industry, despite fierce competition from advanced-stage competitors in Australia and France. Itxotic's solution not only enhances efficiency in the oil and gas sector, but also positively impacts the environment with potential applications across industries like road transportation and plantations. We speak to the founder Amar Zolkipli.

There’s a key issue that many tenants or potential renters face when they’re looking to rent a property - that’s the initial cash deposit that can significantly impact a renter’s liquidity position. At the same time, landlords want that deposit to help financially protect themselves and their properties.And the answer to this conundrum is? Well, tech it seems.Founded in 2018, Blue Duck Tech is a fintech company that provides financial services in the real estate landscape in Malaysia. Their key offering, a Zero Deposit Program to help replace the old rental deposit model with one that strikes a balance between tenants and landlords.Earnest Wong, Founder and CEO of Blue Duck Tech, joins us to get into the business model and technology that drives this startup, how they manage the associated risks, and what’s next for them.

80% of Malaysians don’t have valid wills and there’s more than RM90 billion worth of unclaimed assets nationwide. That’s what the President of the Malaysian Institute of Estate Planners (MIEP) said 9 months ago.Wills and estate planning are some of the least appealing areas of personal finance, but they are essential in ensuring that your money and assets are distributed in a way that you feel best protects your loved ones and dependants. Sure part of the issue lies in the taboo around talking about death, but another part is the potential expense of the process and the inaccessibility of writing solutions or services. CreateWills is trying to address this by digitalising the process, but can a digital product truly replace a lawyer or estate planning professional’s expertise in this nuanced and sensitive space? We speak to Raymond Gabriel, Founder and CEO, CreateWills to find out.We also get into CreateWills business prospects, trajectory, and future plans.

Usually what you’d see a business do is build itself up in its home country before venturing overseas, but that’s not what the engineers at INTRIX Group did.INTRIX began as an R&D consultancy company that was initially trying to build its business locally, but following some not-so-favourable inquiries, they then shifted their focus to countries that were willing to pay for intellectual property, which then led INTRIX to the UK. 20 years later, they have expanded their range of products, attaining 19 patents, serving some of the biggest clients in the UK and the world, and even moved into the consumer market, selling all-in-one purified water taps directly to customers.Founder and Managing Director Tee Tone Vei joins us to discuss their journey over the last 20 years, why they explored foreign markets before tapping local opportunities, the value proposition of its water purification system INTRIX One Tap, and more.

Prepare to dive into an intriguing quest of self-discovery — not of personality, but the secrets encoded in your DNA, the key to your past, present, and future. Dr. Rachna Kairon, the innovator behind myPreciseDNA by Synapse Laboratory, is making genetic testing more accessible for a healthier Malaysia. As a seasoned pathologist, Dr. Rachna has pushed microbiology and molecular diagnostics to new frontiers, pioneering genetic testing in Malaysia's digitised healthcare landscape. Despite challenges, from naysayers to significant investment demands, she persisted, driven by the vision of empowering everyday Malaysians to understand and manage their genetic health. Synapse, her brainchild, is the first in Malaysia to offer private newborn screenings and affordable direct-to-consumer genetic tests.

According to the Institute for the Future of Education, music education has become instrumental in students’ wellbeing because of the pandemic. Music education was introduced as a regular subject in all primary schools’ curriculum in Malaysia in 1983. But is music education accessible to all students or anyone in Malaysia? Kenny Ooi, the founder and CEO of The Rondo Production, a music education and social enterprise based in Penang helps us understand what impact they are trying to make in the music education market. Photo Credits: The Rondo Production

The World Economic Forum reports that 400 million tonnes of plastic waste is generated annually. Current recycling efforts are ineffective due to cost and energy-intensive processes. Pamarai, a Malaysian sustainable waste management pioneer, offers a solution called The Asher. Since 2018, The Asher has used solar power for thermal degradation of solid waste, including organics, non-organics, and various types of plastic, converting them into reusable, non-harmful ash without needing fossil fuels or external energy. Pamarai sees The Asher as a solution to the global waste crisis, as it's simple enough to be operated anywhere by anyone. The company aims to remove barriers to green technology, empowering organisations to invest in a cleaner, greener future.

SPM results came out around 2 weeks ago and now over 400,000 students need to look ahead and make decisions that will set up the next phase of their lives - young adulthood. A key step for many students after SPM is pursuing higher education, which can be a daunting task considering just how many courses there are out there, the number of education institutions to consider, and the hunt for scholarships, an area where awareness can be an issue.Uni Enrol is an online platform that is trying to address these issues. Since 2018, the startup says it has successfully assisted over 3,000 applicants secure scholarships amounting to RM50 million.Today on Open for Business, we speak with co-founder and CEO Rickson Khaw about how Uni Enrol has helped streamline scholarship access and search for students, how they built this business, their plans to grow the business, and ofcourse, we’ll talk about AI.

Malaysia is on its way to becoming a “super-aged society”, by 2056, which is defined by having over 20% of the population above the age of 65. The number was around 7% in 2020. This highlights the need for more aged care facilities but also the need to focus on preventative care to help elderly adults age better so that they can maintain their mobility and independence.Driven by personal experience, this is exactly what Dr Jillian Yeoh is doing with her healthtech aged-care focused startup. She dove into Aged Care to help Malaysia’s ageing population age with grace, leading to her to starting IMM Carehub, a lifestyle rehabilitation centre which provides holistic care services that aims to cover the full range of wellness, including Physical, Mental, Nutritional and Social. We speak with Dr. Jillian on IMM Carehub’s next steps, the future of Aged Care, and the business model that keeps all this going.

Starting off as an app that wants to help homes with purchasing LPG cylinder cooking gas during the pandemic, Suthan Mookaiah soon rebranded the business to EDAR.com. EDAR is an umbrella of three divisions: EDARgas, EDARruncit and EDARsemula.Suthan Mookaiah, CEO & founder of EDAR.com discusses which is the most profitable division under EDAR's umbrella, and how he can subsidise your groceries at EDARruncit by recycling.

The world is getting busier and technology is here to help us to “do more” - our work and personal letters are all now managed with digital tools. So is traditional pen and paper stationery still relevant in today’s world?We speak to Alvin and Jason Chen, two brothers and Executive Directors, of the CzipLee Group of Companies, to talk about the biggest challenges when running a stationery business in this digital age.CzipLee is a stationery shop that has been run by the Chen family since 1968.

Having witnessed firsthand the hassles of traditional eyewear shopping, Daniel Lim decided to revolutionise the process. He founded AIRVIZIO, an artificial intelligence (AI) tech company, which thrived amidst the pandemic chaos by creating an AI temperature detection system and groundbreaking augmented reality (AR) technology. Leveraging this tech, Daniel then launched Spectaclex, Malaysia's first virtual try-on app for glasses. The app utilises AI and facial recognition to suggest frames tailored to users' face shape and skin tone. Despite the challenges of launching two businesses during a global health crisis, Daniel remained motivated by his vision for AI's potential in transforming eyewear shopping. Now, Spectaclex is making eyewear selection a seamless, enjoyable experience and continues to enhance customer experience in the optical industry. We speak to Daniel about his journey, challenges, and Spectaclex’s plans for future innovations in the optical industry.

In April, India-based Software-as-a-Service and workforce management platform BetterPlace acquired TROOPERS, a Malaysian firm that specializes in part-time staffing and recruitment services, in a deal estimated to be worth between US$15 million and US$20 million, according to a source who spoke to Tech in Asia. This came a month after BetterPlace acquired Indonesia-based MyRobin for an undisclosed amount.Given this sudden push into Southeast Asia, we speak to Pravin Agarwala, Co-Founder and Group CEO of BetterPlace to get into how these acquisitions plug into BetterPlace, a deeper dive into their growth and expansion plans, and what the pathway to profitability and an IPO could look like.

Under its MyStartup Hub (MSH) programme, the Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation (MRANTI) has been trying to recruit global innovators to establish business hubs in Malaysia. One of these companies is Singapore-based sustainable building solutions provider Bizsu. Founded in 2019, Bizsu wants to help businesses embrace sustainability in a way that’s practical while being kind to the bottomline. The firm claims that its main product reduces air-conditioning consumption by 25% on average. We speak to Brice Degeyter, Bizsu’s Founder and General Manager, about tech behind this patented net, their expansion strategy beyond Singapore, and what else lies ahead for Biszu.

Is doing laundry at a laundrette becoming a trend here in Malaysia? We hear from Nini Tan, Co-Founder of Dobi Queen, a laundrette that has been providing wash, dry and fold services since 2015. Over the next eight years, DobiQueen plans to expand to more than 70 stores in the Klang Valley. We'll be delving into DobiQueen's business model, profitability, and future expansion strategies.

Kabel is a tech company that developed an app to connect young graduates with employers to help graduates find meaningful jobs. It can be said to be a dating app-like model for jobs, because job seekers can swipe left and right on jobs they are interested in, and so can employers. Camelia Loh and Daniel Yap talk about how they co-founded the company, and how Kabel fits into the picture of youth employment.

SF6 (Sulphur Hexafluoride) is an extremely potent greenhouse gas, 23,500 times more effective at trapping infrared radiation than an equivalent amount of CO2. According to National Grid, it remains in the atmosphere for 3,200 years, and is a vital component in switchgear technology for distribution of electricity. We hear from Nicholas Ottersbach, Business Development Manager of Nuventura–a cleantech company that has developed an alternative to the harmful SF6 gas used in switchgear technology.

Elderly care is becoming an increasingly more pressing concern given Malaysia’s ageing population with The World Bank noting in 2020 that Malaysia will be a “super-aged society”, by 2056, as defined by having over 20% of the population above the age of 65. For context, the number was around 7% in 2020.While there doesn’t seem to be a silver bullet to address this concern, it does smell of business opportunity and private sector players have entered the scene. One of them is CARE Concierge.CARE Concierge recently got a huge boost in the form of funding, it was onboarded as the first portfolio under Gobi Partners’ newly established Gobi Dana Impak Ventures (GDIV) fund. GDIV is a part of the Future Malaysia Programme, an initiative under Khazanah Nasional’s Dana Impak mandate.We speak to Martin Yap, CARE Concierge’s Founder and CEO about how this funding will be utilised, the growth pathway ahead, and how CARE Concierge leverages tech to power its elderly care offerings.

1 in 3 Malaysians face mental health issues, and that was based on the National Health and Morbidity Survey conducted in 2015 – 5 years before the pandemic. Pair that with a March report from the World Health Organization that found that the Covid-19 pandemic triggered a 25% increase in depression and anxiety worldwide, and we can see why mental health and wellness is becoming a more pressing issue. In a bid to help address this, we’ve seen many mental health startups come up and on this episode of Open for Business we speak to one of them - ThoughtFull, a mental wellness startup that connects users to certified mental health professionals.

Over the past two decades, the price of solar energy has decreased substantially, leading to greater potential for its adoption. Which is great for a country like Malaysia, where we’ve got plenty of sun.However, according to a journal article in Clean Energy by Lin-Sea Lau and others, while global residential solar capacity is expected to grow from 58 GW in 2018 to 143 GW in 2024, many developing and emerging economies in Asia, such as Malaysia, are lagging behind for a variety of reasons including inadequate policy incentives, lack of rules and regulations, and low or subsidized household electricity tariffs.Leading up to World Environment Day, we speak to Zeth Lim, Founder and CEO of Verdant Solar about the role solar power can play in the energy transition, how to get around the upfront cost hurdle, the business potential of this company, and what the government can do to encourage solar power take up.

Uzabase, Japan's largest industry and corporate database, renowned for its precise client insights and innovative tool, SPEEDA. This all-in-one solution accelerates business growth by providing comprehensive access to reports on over 560 Asian industries, created by experienced in-house analysts. We're joined by Shafarudin Sariman, Head of Local Markets, who will discuss SPEEDA's Southeast Asian launch, the importance of Asian-focused data, strategic collaborations for exclusive resources, and Uzabase's capability to provide beyond-platform research. We'll also delve into a recent Foodtech report as an example of Uzabase's ability to provide in-depth, ground-level insights into emerging markets and trends.

Freshable wants to change the way people approach their food. The Malaysian start-up delivers ready-to-cook meal kits to your doorstep, making it easier to meal plan and, hopefully, lead healthier lives. With the promise of convenience and time saving, this could certainly appeal to the time-poor, but is that a big enough market for this start-up to build a sustainable business model? We’ll explore this, future plans, and more with co-founder and CEO Adeline Tang.

FusionQB is a leading data-driven company that provides business super-app solutions to help businesses to increase sales conversion and improved customer experience, with customer data analytics and predictive engine.Through their expertise, they have managed more than 300,000 customer data on their platform, establishing brand presence in various fields including real estate, healthcare, automotives and media.

In conjunction with World Sustainability Day, we explore the conversation around plastic waste. Our Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said that the government is targeting zero use of plastic bags by 2025 at all premises. What can be done better to reduce plastic waste? Joshua and Joel Lim, the co-founders of BeeBag, want to reward people who use their reusable bags when they shop. What’s so special about their bags? They’ve got NFC tags. We’re here to find out what challenges lie ahead of them in this competitive sustainability space.

Video games are often regarded as merely entertainment, yet in the last few years, the Malaysian gaming industry business has experienced rapid growth and recognition. According to SEA Gaming Industry Report 2021, the Malaysian Gaming Industry is valued at $786M, and it's the 3rd largest in SEA. Established in 2004, OffGamers was established by three brothers to connect Gamers, Game Developers and Game Publishers in one place and make transactions between them possible, to create a perfect platform for game developers, publishers and gamers alike.Photo Credits: Shuttershock

Umami Meats, a sustainable seafood pioneer, is tackling the impending seafood supply collapse with lab-cultivated seafood. Using stem cell cultivation, they produce sustainable protein, offering a solution to global food security concerns. Now expanding into Malaysia, they aim to tap into the potential of Malaysia to lead in the cultivated meats industry, a market projected to be worth over USD 25 billion by 2030.

It’s no secret that Malaysia has a first and last mile connectivity issue. While we’ve seen billions spent on developing public transport hubs and integrating new and old train lines, anecdotally we see that there’s still a hurdle to reach these hubs.Enter Asia Mobiliti, a mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions provider that’s trying to make urban mobility more intelligent.From their trial of Trek Rides, an on-demand transit service that connects passengers with shared vehicles to plug the last mile gap, to their work with Airport Coach and RapidKL, to help making existing fleets more intelligent, and super apps such as Smart Selangor and AirAsia Digital (who is also an investor), Asia Mobiliti wants to plug the first and last mile gap, here and across the developing world.Fueled by a recent funding round of around RM5 million, reportedly valuing the company at close to RM50 million, we speak with Ramachandran Muniandy, CEO and Co-Founder of Asia Mobiliti, to get a better understanding of what all these tech buzzwords look like when applied to the real world, what else they’re working on, and the business potential of this venture.

AVANA is a social commerce platform that started in 2016 that helps business owners sell online. They have helped over 100,000 businesses optimise their brands and automate their business capabilities online. They have since expanded into Singapore, Indonesia and Taiwan as of 2021. Yien Yee Soh is the co-founder and we last spoke in 2021 together with one of its merchants Dough Little. What are they up to now?Photo Credits: Rebound.asia

HRD Corp's data from January to May 2021 revealed that organizations in Malaysia invested a total of RM13. 6 million into employee training, which covered external and internal trainer fees to be in skills related to IR 4.0 by 2030. But how effective has L&D training been? How can we make L&D fun again? eVulX is a digital simulation developer that focuses on creating digital game-like elements in corporate L&D. They have been in town for almost 3 years. Arun Nagarajah, Founder of eVULX helps us understand the business of gamification in the L&D space to level up the experience.

With the growing presence of online shopping platforms and e-wallets, people are leaning towards platforms such as Shopee and Lazada to obtain their everyday products. But this does not mean brick-and-mortar stores are becoming a dying breed. They do however, face stiffer competition. Enter Retailetics, an applied technology company that is leveraging the power of AI to modernise retail shopping. Offering a three-in-one solution; named ezyList, ezyRetail, and ezyCart, users are provided a more coordinated experience for their ease from listing grocery items all the way to item checkout at the retail store effectively.Photo Credits: Freepik | tonodiaz

As Malaysia aims for the digital economy to contribute 22.6% to its GDP by 2025, the nation focuses on creating new jobs, internet access for all, and comprehensive online learning environments.Dinesh Varadharajan, CPO – a low-code, no-code platform, discusses the importance of digital transformation and the need for an inclusive, democratised approach. We’ll be addressing the resistance to digital transformation, the role of unified platforms in connecting fragmented enterprises, and the impact of citizen development in fostering an inclusive approach to digital transformation.

Tech talent seems to be a perpetual bottleneck for Malaysian startups, but can a local tech talent platform address this problem through free coding and training modules?Malaysian startup Krenovator develops and offers free coding and training modules, as well as job placements for individuals that go through their training. The platform currently has more than 5,000 tech talents from Malaysia and Indonesia combined. Mahadhir Yunus, Founder and CEO of Krenovator Technology, joins us to get into how they are trying to plug the tech talent gap and how they keep up with the ever evolving nature of technology.

Sinisana Technologies began operations in 2019 to help brands out-compete their competitors by giving consumers a behind-the-scenes look at the story of the products they are purchasing. By combining multiple data streams throughout the supply chain, brands can back up their claims with real-world data to strengthen their brand equity and build long-term consumer loyalty.We spoke with the one of the co-founders of Sinisana Technologies; Jonah Lau (left) about his companyPhoto Credits: Marketing Magazine Asia

Death is taboo. Even saying the word die or death makes many of us uncomfortable. But death is unavoidable. Having gone through two biggest tragedies in the span of one year, Izumi Inoue created Bereev, a death preparation platform in 2018, in hopes to help ease the burden and paperwork that families need to go through after a family member's passing. We discuss how Bereev compares to conventional and traditional wills, and why his users are mostly young Malaysians.

Data is the new oil. Data in itself does not carry any value; but if it is studied and analysed in the right hands, it opens doors to new ideas and modern innovations. The amazing value of data lies in its potential. Incorporated on 20th October 2021, by a group of young enthusiast professionals, Databolt aims to utilise the world of data to provide solutions to transform manual industrial processes into digital systems and applications via software development and integration among others.

THAIFEX-Anuga Asia 2023, taking place from 23-27 May, will be a vital platform for Malaysian food brands and the global F&B industry's recovery post-pandemic. Mathias Kuepper, Managing Director & VP Asia-Pacific, Koelnmesse Pte Ltd, highlights the event's importance and insights on emerging trends. Over 2,700 exhibitors from 40 countries will showcase various industry verticals, attracting 60,000 visitors. Key trends include sustainability, health-focused cuisine, and nutrition for ageing populations. Singapore's investment in alternative proteins and green economy jobs presents significant opportunities for Malaysian entrepreneurs and investors in the food industry.

Travel is back. Global tourism bounced back in 2022, and that was without China’s reopening, and Malaysian startup TixCarte is set to ride on this growth, tapping into the demand for experiences in a post-pandemic world, whether it’s travel packages or concert tickets.With ambitions to become the region’s largest B2B ticketing engine for attractions and activities in 2023, we speak to Parthiven Shan, Founder and CEO, TixCarte about the company’s role in the travel and experience industry, how they work with players like AirAsia and Boost, and how much of a money maker this business could be.

Malaysia is known for a lot of things, more so for our enticing food and our colourful festivals. Such are the perks of having a diverse group of people and cultures living together under one roof as Malaysians. Hence, the importance of unity and tolerance cannot be stressed enough to preserve this harmony.So in 2015, a couple of good friends decided to put their best foot forward and formed Projek57, a social enterprise which shares the vision of our 1st Prime Minister, that “Our future depends on how well many different kinds of people can live and work together” They engage with youths, from schools, colleges, universities or the Orang Asli community in spreading patriotism and admiration for fellow Malaysians.

Candles are not so much a source of light anymore. Rather, scented candles have become a form of aromatherapy. To get a “scents” of the scented candles markets in Malaysia, Julie Yim and Marcus Khoo, co-founders of Lilin and Co, tell us about the candle trends we see here in Malaysia, how they are competing in the market by hand pouring at least 800 candles per day and opening a physical store.

In the world of brand strategy design, Brand Soul Consultancy stands out by specialising in crafting exceptional brand development, strategy, and architecture.Their expertise in digital development, public relations, and content creation distinguishes them from the competition, providing businesses with the tools necessary to engage audiences effectively and enhance their brand visibility to new levels.Photo Credits: Facebook | Brand Soul International

Money may make the world go round, but credit keeps it moving smoothly in the business world. Traditionally credit terms have been the staple in business to business dealings, but in order to help address cash flow issues a variety of financing solutions have come about, including invoice financing, P2P financing, trade financing, and now Buy Now Pay Later or more commonly known as BNPL.While mostly focused on supporting consumer purchases, BNPL has made it into the B2B space, which is a much larger market, worth around $125 trillion in 2018 according to Statista data.Today on Open for Business, we explore the potential of B2B BNPL with Shafik Ali, co-founder and CEO of du-it Malaysia, a Malaysia-based Islamic Fintech firm.du-it was recently shortlisted as one of the Top 11 startups for RHB accelerator programme.

The future of our industries lies in automation and AI. More and more companies are embracing this new change and the Malaysian Agriculture field is no different. Agro Stream Sdn Bhd started off as Shawal Technologies Sdn Bhd, a company that specialises in offering services such as PCB design and hardware integration.However, their interest shifted towards smart farming system development, which led them to establish their own cloud-based platform and hardware for the smart farming system. Focusing more on hydroponics and fertigation techniques, they aim to help businesses and farmers boost work efficiency and production quality in efforts of promoting Malaysia achieving UN’s sustainable development goals.Today, we will be talking to the co-founders of Agro Stream; Badar Ali and Muhamad ShawalPhoto Credits: Freepik | jcomp

With the rising food insecurity in Malaysia, more and more Malaysians are adopting gardening to grow their own produce and for some, agriculture has even become a profession. Even with inflation, the demand for fresh vegetables and fruits is constantly on the rise. This is where Qarbotech intends to lend a helping hand with their product, QarboGrow. By increasing the efficiency of a plant’s photosynthesis process, they believe vegetable and fruit production will be increased by 30% among other benefits, including a 25% reduction in the crop cycle.

So far in 2023, ChatGPT, a text-based AI bot, is making headlines for its versatility, from generating recipes to fixing coding bugs. However, the potential misuse of ChatGPT for cybercrime raises concerns. With Malaysia investing RM10 million to combat cyber scams, an interview with Ravi Rajendran, Vice President of APJ at Cohesity, could provide insight on AI's role in technology and businesses, the implications of ChatGPT misuse, cyber threat implications, the importance of cyber resilience, and the role of machine learning in defence against ransomware attacks.

When you think of the big restaurant brands, odds are brands like KFC, McDonald's, and Domino's come to mind, but can homegrown startup Pop Meals change that up?Formerly known as Dahmakan, Pop Meals wants to make everyday food affordable, convenient, and exciting by curating, cooking, and delivering data-driven meals. The startup is tapping into data, technology, and lessons learnt from Dahmakan, to create a scalable quick serve restaurant built for the omnichannel world we currently live in.Based on Crunchbase data, Pop Meals has raised a total of $27 million in funding over 5 rounds and is on a fast expansion course across Southeast Asia, with over 35 smart outlets Pop Meal.On the back of Pop Meals being selected at Endeavor's 33rd Virtual International Selection Panel (vISP), Jonathan Weins, Co-founder & CEO of PopMeals and Endeavor Entrepreneur, joins us on Open for Business for a look at their growth ahead, the potential profitability of the business model, and how it plans to create a brand that can rival the likes of McDonald's, KFC, and Domino's.

Breaking news! Diamonds aren’t just a girl's best friend. Because frankly, everyone likes them.Opening its doors in 2015, ZCOVA has established itself as one of the most recognised jewellery brands in Malaysia, modernising the diamond business by offering their products and services online. With an offering of endless choices of diamonds and designs, you can create that special piece according to your liking at any budget.The best bang-for-buck in treating (and spoiling) yourself with a little luxury.Photo Credits: Malaysiakini

According to a recent World Bank Report, Malaysia has yet to realise the full potential of digital technologies to boost small media enterprise (SME) productivity. Many Malaysian firms that sought to turn to digital solutions over the last two years have only used them for basic customer-facing functions such as a social media presence. The lack of depth and breadth of SME digitisation could raise the risk of a growing digital divide, at a time when digitalisation is becoming more crucial to stay competitive. Dedicated to supporting SME on their digital journey and improving their productivity and competitiveness, Agmo Holdings have developed more than 100 mobile applications to help SMEs on their journey.

Employee health and wellness programs are becoming increasingly important to C-Suites, HR managers, and insurance companies, with reports showing that they can lead to increased productivity. One company that’s looking to tap into this and run with it is GetBiib. GetBiib wants to improve social cohesion and wellness through its platform that allows people to easily host a digital run or walk challenge.

Computer vision is a field of AI that enables computers to meaningfully interpret images and videos, essentially enabling computers to see, understand, and act. Malaysian A.I. startup Inference Tech is one of the companies that’s tapping into this and delivering cutting edge A.I. solutions to its clients. Getting to this stage takes time and money though, so learn how Cradle Fund was instrumental in Inference’s journey when Enterprise speaks to Izad Che Muda, CEO of Inference Tech.

Zero Waste Earth Store (ZWES) was founded by Dr Janira Kumari and Jaclynnd Wong Yin Thing in 2019. ZWES is a social enterprise with a circular platform that people can “Buy With Less Waste'' through Refill, Reuse, Recycle and Repurpose.

The red and white, rainbow-shaped logo behind different school workbooks is the core memory of many Malaysian students. Pelangi Publishing Group was established in 1979 by three teachers, and has since published educational content, publishing textbooks, workbooks, storybooks and more. Pelangi Publishing Group is also the first homegrown Malaysian publisher which listed in 2004. Sum Lih Kang, Deputy Managing Director and Poh Swee Hiang, Publishing Director of Pelangi Publishing Group discuss Pelangi’s journey of automating conventional operations and how the publishing group is faring.

Coworking spaces are community centres, collaboration hubs, and social spaces. A coworking space is a setting created for workers from various businesses who come to work there. WORQ is a large-scale coworking facility and productivity community with facilities that was established in Kuala Lumpur in 2017. WORQ creates an ecosystem that connects early-stage startups with established companies which are ready for investment as well as SMEs. The WORQ team seeks to establish a community where entrepreneurs may come together to navigate the difficult and isolating road. We are here speaking to Stephanie Ping, the CEO and Co-Founder of WORQ to explore more about her story and the coworking space.Photo Credits: Facebook | WORQ Coworking Space

Kenneth Worsdale, CEO of Extra Space Asia, shares his expertise on the benefits of self-storage for today's generation. Discover how people can maximise their limited living spaces and learn about the company's innovative solutions to address the growing demand for storage in urban environments. Tune in for valuable tips, industry insights, and Kenneth's vision for the future of self-storage in Malaysia.

The world of business runs on credit.Whether it’s freelance photographer or a big manufacturer, odds are cash doesn’t land in the bank immediately after making a sale, no you’ve probably offered your customer some credit terms. This can sometimes lead to cash flow issues if you’ve got your own bills to pay.In response to this, a variety of working capital financing solutions have come about, and one of the newer ones is Zetl - Asia-Pacific’s first financing company for asset-light businesses.Zetl is headquartered in Hong Kong and was one of 5 companies identified and qualified for support by the Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation (MRANTI) under its MyStartupHub programme.

Biogenes Technologies is trying to change the biotech landscape by creating and commercialising synthetic antibodies for mass use in all kinds of test kits. However building and scaling a deeptech startup like this can be challenging here in Malaysia without the right help. We speak to Adrian Joseph, Co-Founder & Chief Commercial Officer, of Biogenes Technologies about the startup’s journey and mission, and how Cradle Fund has supported them along the way.

Established in 2021, CookX Asia is an all-in-one social cooking app created for food enthusiasts and foodpreneurs that want a community for learning and sharing.From recipe-sharing, meal planning, and grocery shopping CookX has it all–and allows the users to make a profit with it.Photo Credits: Freepik

Hard Rock Hotel opened its second property at Johor’s Desaru coast in 2019, Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast. We speak to Murray Aitken, General Manager of Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast to talk about how hoteliers are faring post-pandemic, tackling problems like labour shortage and economic recovery.

Swimming is fun. Even more so with your family members, be it a picnic by the beach or an evening by the pool. On the other hand, it’s not as easy for couples with young ones to plan a water-fun day, especially with toddlers. But what if we told you that your 5 month thumb-sucking toddler can actually swim?At Happy Fish they help you do just that, with baby steps. With their very-own professional instructors and heated indoor pools, your little ones will be guided to feel at ease and comfortable while surrounded with water. Today, we will be talking to Mr Tan Jian Yong, founder of Happy Fish, a swimming school renowned to provide lessons catered for toddlers as young as 4 months old.Photo Credits: Facebook | Happy Fish Swim School

Over the past few years, we’ve seen a shift in the mindset of a lot of people towards taking better care of their health, especially when it comes to their diet. Plant-based diets and veganism are no longer seen as ‘alternative’ lifestyle choices, they now stand proudly front and center in the mainstream. At least, in some countries.Here in Malaysia, there’s still a way to go. But that doesn’t stop the spirit of entrepreneurship.Jason, a strength and conditioning coach, has brought a new vegan dietary supplement to market. Its main ingredient is the water lentil, a super food that is considered a complete food source, higher in protein than other plants including pea and hemp, and is comparable to whey.

Small grocery stores and restaurants have to fight for supplies with bigger chains and players, which is often a losing battle.Enter Lapasar - a B2B wholesale platform that has served over 10,000 SMEs across the country through its own warehousing, distribution and financial services capabilities.With ambitions to become the largest wholesaler in Malaysia, we dive into Lapasar’s journey to hit RM1 billion in revenue and their path to profitability, with Thinesh Kumar Asogan, the Co-founder and CEO of Lapasar.Thinesh also gets into Lapasar’s plans to develop its own consumer brands and products, use its scale to expand margins, and what he expects Lapasar to look like in 2025.

Global Psytech consists of professionals that specialise in offering cutting-edge and scalable profiling and analytic solutions for a range of sectors. Experts from a variety of scientific fields, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, behavioural sciences, computer science, statistics, and psychometrics, make up their team. For research, development, and commercialisation reasons, they collaborate with esteemed partners both domestically and abroad. We hear from Dr. Haniza Yon, Founder & CEO of Global Psytech to explore more.Photo Credits: Freepik | DCStudio

A Little Thing provides gift curation with a variety of gift boxes to choose from, but they have integrated AI into their operations. But how are they differentiating themselves in the competitive gift curation landscape? Yeo Lee Ching, Director of A Little Thing unwraps the details.  Photo Credits: Freepik | Racool_studio

Founded in 2020, Kapitani is an early-stage firm that promotes itself as an agri-fintech company that focuses on empowering smallholder farmers through digital and financial inclusion. Their name is an abbreviation for "capital for farmers," which reflects their goals. We are here with Nazrul Hazeri Nazirmuddin, Co-founder and CEO of Kapitani to know more about the platform.Photo Credits: Freepik | pressfoto

While a zero waste business may be sustainable for the earth, is it enough to sustain the bottomline?This is a question that has come up following NUDE: The Zero Waste Store’s announcement that it was closed until further notice.We explore the closure with co-founders of the store, Cheryl Anne Low & Abhishek Bhattacharjee, getting into the reason they entered the zero waste business, whether it was profitable, and lessons learned from the journey.