Open For Business

Coffee Wars: Why Koppiku Stepped into a Crowded Battlefield

10 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Malaysia's crowded grab-and-go coffee scene, a new player has exploded onto the market, opening 50 outlets in under two years. Backed by $2.5 milli...

Malaysia Vegfest - Growing Malaysia’s Plant-Based Movement

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Plant-based living was once seen as a niche trend in Malaysia, a passing fad, or something at odds with our love for sambal and satay. But with VegFes...

Why This US Aerospace Firm Chose Malaysia for Its Asian Hub

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

US-based Aircraft Propeller Service (APS), a leading independent propeller MRO company, has opened its first-ever Asian facility right here in Selango...

The Business of Belonging

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does a five-star hotel opening say about the direction of a city, or the confidence of a global brand?We speak with Till Martin, General Manager ...

How Confetto Scaled a 7-Figure Social Media Agency Without Funding

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Confetto, a digital marketing agency from Singapore specialising in social media and content creation for brands targeting Gen Zs, has quickly become ...

Beyond PT: Movement Dynamics’ B2B Push & KL Foodie Ambitions

03 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What started with just RM1,000 and a stroke of luck during the pandemic has grown into a RM500,000-a-year fitness business. But for Movement Dynamics,...

How Inductiv Is Building GenAI from the Ground Up?

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Just six months in, Singapore-based Inductiv is developing an enterprise-grade GenAI platform designed for startups and businesses in complex industri...

NALE: RM10M Selling Nasi Lemak in FY2024; RM20M Next?

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Can a business built around Nasi Lemak become a global brand like Nando's? That's Nale’s ambitious mission, but their biggest challenge is convincin...

How This Sarawak Startup's AI is Saving Elephants & Farmers

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As palm oil plantations expand, the conflict between humans and wildlife escalates, often with tragic results. Sarawak-based AIoT startup Satok Bridge...

How Two Malaysians Built Viral Skincare Brand, Dododots

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What started as a shared skincare struggle between two young Malaysians has grown into Dododots, a pimple patch brand that’s caught the attention of...

Strangers at 47: Turning Crepes into RM3.5M a Year

27 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For 11 years, Strangers at 47 has been a beloved neighbourhood cafe, famous for its savory crepes. But behind the cozy vibes is a story of resilience,...

How Pure Mylk Is Changing Plant-Based Beverages?

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Marcus Khoo, founder and CEO of Pure Mylk, shares how they’re helping F&B brands bring clean-label products to life, what it takes to innovate i...

How This 'Vending Machine' Speeds Up & Shrinks Your Warehouse

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Warehouse automation has long been seen as a multi-million dollar game reserved for giants. Backed by Pentamaster, Malaysian deep tech startup Pingspa...

RM500K a Month Selling Cold Plunge Tubs?

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How does a magic producer pivot to the wellness industry and build a business generating nearly half a million ringgit in monthly revenue in just over...

From Clippers to Kings: The Kingsmen Barbershop Story

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Co-owners Sam Fakhoury and Moustafa Elbaadwihi took over a struggling barbershop and transformed it into Kingsmen Barbershop, a premium grooming brand...

From 70 to 300 Machines: Inside Otter Barista's Growth Plan

20 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if your daily coffee was served not by a person, but by a vending machine? Malaysian startup Otter Barista is deploying its "cafe in a box" vendi...

MapleBear Canadian School

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Bilingual education demand is surging and MapleBear is tapping into Malaysia’s multicultural market with its globally respected Canadian curriculum....

What’s Behind Aleta Planet's China-Centric Payments Edge?

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Processing over $2 billion in annual transactions, Aleta Planet has carved out a powerful niche in the crowded fintech space. Their secret? A laser fo...

Taming Enterprise 'AI Chaos': Inside Shieldbase's AI OS

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As enterprises rush to adopt AI, many are inadvertently creating "AI chaos", a complex mess of disconnected tools, data silos, and major governance bl...

Building 'Giant Power Banks': A $50M Bet on Malaysia

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Singapore-based SynVista Energy is investing US$50 million to build a large-scale energy storage manufacturing facility. But what makes Malaysia the r...

Beyond Robo: Wahed's Bet on Real Estate & Active ETFs

13 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Having surpassed $1 billion in assets under management and serving nearly 450,000 customers globally, Wahed is a key player in the Islamic wealth tech...

Stretch, Sweat, Scale: The Business of GLOW

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Wellness used to be a yoga mat and a green smoothie. These days, it's a billion-dollar industry, a tourism strategy, and, in the case of one Singapore...

Zoala: Building An Early Warning System for Mental Health?

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After a personal family crisis involving his goddaughter's mental health struggles, this founder set out on a new mission. His startup, Zoala, built a...

Is This the End of CVs? LeapIn's Bet on AI Hiring

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Traditional hiring is broken, rewarding polished resumes over actual skills. Singapore-based startup LeapIn aims to fix this by replacing CVs with an ...

Inside Malaysia’s Dutch-Inspired School, Joy Comes First

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Founded in 2004, Summer Academy has grown from a single learning centre into a full education network. And now, it’s launching Malaysia’s first Du...

How a Client Request Sparked a Multi-Million Ringgit Business

06 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Angeline Mahsuri Cheah left a career in B2B tech sales to start her own venture from scratch, sparked by a single client request. Five years later, he...

Reviving Malaysia’s Vanilla Legacy

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Heirloom vanilla once grew in Malaysia, and Alfred Phua is on a mission to bring it back. Through Vanilla Impact Story, he’s building more than just...

From $400 to $52K a Month: Healthpro's Winning Pivot

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Indonesia's healthcare system faces a critical staffing gap, leaving hospitals under-resourced while many medical professionals seek flexible work. He...

The KOL-OEM Bridge? Alt Synergy's AI & BioTech Play

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After a family member fell ill from an unregistered supplement, Nash Mohamad set out to fix a broken industry. His biotech startup, Alt Synergy, is no...

The Rise of Oko Lele

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Large-scale productions used to dominate the animation industry, but a new wave of creators is proving otherwise.We speak with Charlie Chan, Managing ...

Humanising Digital? KCS's Bet on Online-to-Offline

29 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In a "red ocean" flooded with digital marketing agencies, how does a new player stand out and deliver results that go beyond just creative ideas? For ...

Fixing the Broken Handyman Market, One Membership at a Time

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Finding a reliable and trustworthy handyman in Malaysia can be a frustrating gamble of opaque pricing and uncertain quality. Handibee is trying to fix...

Versa To Hit RM1B in 2025, Fueled by RM30M Series A

24 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Approaching the RM1 billion milestone and serving over 320,000 users, wealth tech platform Versa is a key player in Malaysia's wealthtech scene. But i...

Roots Gives Malaysian Favourites a Plant-Based Spin

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most people think vegetarian food means salad bowls, grain bowls, and the occasional tofu stir-fry. But what if it could also mean laksa, sambal petai...

PSC's 4P Playbook for a Crowded Pickleball Market

22 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As the pickleball craze sweeps Malaysia, creating a crowded market and talk of a potential bubble, how does a first-mover build a brand that lasts? Fo...

Touching The Future

19 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Not all innovations are about speed or convenience. Some are about dignity, access, and independence.eBrelle is a Braille-based smart device that lets...

From Side Hustle to RM20M Target: ParkIt's Road Ahead

18 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What began in 2017 as a side hustle to solve Kuala Lumpur's parking shortage has evolved into a B2B2C technology company targeting RM15-20 million in ...

GoTechUp's Quest to Build a Gamified Learning Platform

17 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do you make complex STEM subjects like robotics and coding engaging for students, especially those in underserved communities who feel left behind...

The Invisible Engine: Building Smarter Logistics

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Smart logistics is fast becoming a critical enabler of Malaysia’s aerospace ambitions, and one company helping make that happen is Triangle Worldwid...

The Duolingo for Personal Finance? Inside Vespid's Pivot

15 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if learning about money felt less like a lecture and more like a game? Vespid, a Malaysian startup, is building the "Duolingo for personal financ...

How Mascon Is Modernising Maritime Technology?

12 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mascon Technologies, a Singapore-based Maritime Tech start-up founded in 2022 aims to help digitise, verify and simplify the work done on the ships - ...

Can AI Solve SME Finance & Accounting? Meet DashAdd

11 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many Malaysian SMEs generate healthy profits but still struggle with cash flow and fail to secure funding. Why? The problem often lies in the gap betw...

Protech’s Road to 9-Figures: From Badminton to Pickleball

10 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How does a homegrown Malaysian badminton brand, with roots in 1980s shuttlecock manufacturing, scale to an eight-figure business with a presence in ov...

School Finance, Simplified

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Edward Ling, the founder of Edvance, a Malaysian fintech company that helps families afford private and international school fees, while...

SquareX Raised $30M to Defend Web Browsers. But Why?

08 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Could working in your browser with tools like Google Docs and Salesforce be the biggest cyber threat facing enterprises today? According to Vivek Rama...

How Does TLC Redirect Profits to Malaysian Charities?

05 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Truly Loving Company is Malaysia’s first social enterprise to adopt a corporate profit model for goods—developing, manufacturing, and marketin...

Why HASAN.VC Thinks Silicon Valley’s VC Model Is Broken?

04 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if venture capital wasn’t built to chase unicorns in Southeast Asia, but to build camels instead?On Open For Business, Umar Munshi, Managing Pa...

100K Users & Counting: BrioHR’s $6.5M Growth Charge

03 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With over 100,000 users across 1,000 companies, BrioHR is fast becoming a potential major HR tech player. But how does a Malaysian-based startup take ...

Could Algae Fix Our Climate Problems?

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most people don’t think of algae when it comes to climate action, but it might just be one of the most powerful tools we’ve got. We speak with Jea...

Revisiting The Green Carpenter

29 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Harith Ridzuan, also known as The Green Carpenter, transformed his family’s woodworking business into a sustainable manufacturing company that’s n...

From Google to ChatGPT: EduAdvisor On How Students Seek Advice

28 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

ChatGPT, AI tutors & the future of student advice, that’s the focus of today’s Open For Business.As students shift from Google searches to Cha...

From Marketplace to Must-Have? AOne’s Edtech Evolution

27 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With over 2,500 centers onboard and over $64 million in annual gross transaction volume, AOne is quietly transforming the education sector with its al...

Turning Tradition Into Trend: The Justine Cakes & Kueh Story

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Justine Cakes & Kueh founder didn’t plan on starting a kueh business. She began with cakes, baking on the side while holding a corporate job. To...

How ZUZU Helps Independent Hotels Boost Revenue & Cut Costs

25 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

ZUZU Hospitality is a tech-enabled revenue platform helping independent hotels digitise, optimise, and compete in a travel ecosystem dominated by big ...

Rise and Plunge: Can This Duo Redefine Wellness in Malaysia?

22 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we speak with Richard and Rachael Prentice, the husband-and-wife co-founders of Rise and Plunge, Malaysia’s first dedicated contras...

Built in Malaysia to Beat Mailchimp? Meet Enginemailer

21 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What began as an internal tool has grown into a Malaysian-built challenger to Mailchimp. But in a crowded global market, how does Enginemailer really ...

From JobStreet to Fave: Why Chen Chow Now Advises by the Minute

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Yeoh Chen Chow is one of the most recognizable names in Malaysia’s startup scene. From co-founding Fave to scaling Groupon and KFit, he’s now laun...

How Hotel Owners Lose Money And How to Avoid It

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Owning a hotel sounds glamorous, but beneath the surface lies a high-risk, capital-heavy, and often misunderstood business. Dr. Timmy Ho, Managing Dir...

From 1 Cafe to 12 Co’s: JWC’s Coffee Ecosystem Play

18 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 2009, JWC started as a small café in Johor with just 16 seats. Today, it has grown into an eight-figure, multi-company coffee group with retail ou...

Solving Problems With Purpose

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today, on Open for Business, we speak with SEEd.Lab, QuinTerra and ArtsProud , three entities using business as a force for good.QuinTerra is tackling...

iPay88 Co-Founder on Exit Lessons & The Shift to MedTech

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

iPay88 Co-Founder Chan Kok Long reflects on over 20 years building one of Malaysia’s pioneering fintech companies; sharing lessons from the exit, se...

EnPrivacy’s Mission To Building Responsible AI in the LLM Era

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we speak with Nisha Paramjothi, founder of EnPrivacy, a B2B SaaS platform focused on tackling data privacy risks in the era of public...

SmartCarts and Smarter Stores: The Retailetics Vision

08 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we explore the future of retail with Shaji Rajappan, COO and Co-founder of Retailetics — the startup behind ezyCart, an AI-powered ...

Bootstrapped to €1B: Infobip, Croatia’s First Unicorn

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Founded in 2006, Infobip quietly powers some of the world’s biggest brands, including Meta, Uber, and Microsoft, across more than 70 offices worldwi...

Why Fiuu Walked Away from the Razer Brand

04 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 2024, Razer Fintech rebranded to Fiuu, marking a bold new chapter for one of Malaysia’s largest B2B payment platforms. But why walk away from a g...

How KyoChon Made Korean Fried Chicken a Malaysian Favourite

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We take a flavourful dive into the world of Korean fried chicken with Terry Goh, CEO of KyoChon Malaysia. From its South Korean roots in 1991 to its M...

Grit, Grip and Growth: 20 Years of Camp5

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From humble beginnings selling pancakes and hustling through odd jobs, to building one of Malaysia’s most recognisable names in sport climbing, Camp...

Can Get It Fresh Deliver on a RM10M Valuation?

27 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With inconsistent revenues and a price-to-sales ratio nearing 57 (based on 2023 revenue), Get It Fresh is chasing RM2.6M to scale its dairy delivery m...

How Little Fat Duck Grew Beyond the Truck

24 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Open For Business, we speak with Adel bin Muhamed Ishak, Co-Founder of Little Fat Duck — Malaysia’s first HALAL Italian and Fre...

Why Are Singles Paying for This IRL Matchmaking Service?

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In a market ruled by swipes, one 20-year-old matchmaking agency is keeping dating alive IRL.In this episode of Open For Business, Violet Lim—Co-Foun...

Pickle Park: Kenny Hills’ MD Makes a Pickleball Play, But Why?

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Pickleball is booming, but is it a bubble? In this episode of Open For Business, we speak with Au Kai Zen and Antony Au, Co-Founders of Pickle Park, a...

Lifesavers for Hire: Red Rescue’s Dive into Professional Pool Safety

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Drowning remains one of Malaysia’s silent epidemics, yet few talk about who’s truly responsible for water safety, or how it can be turned into a v...

Can Coaching Go Digital? Backed By $350M, CoachHub Says Yes

20 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

CoachHub has raised $350 million to build a global digital coaching platform, but can coaching really scale like software?Matti Niebelschütz, Founder...

From Stage Fright to Spotlight

17 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if leadership training didn’t look like another workshop or classroom but more like stepping on stage, facing your fears, and performing with a...

How CardUp Turned Credit Cards Into SME Working Capital

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

CardUp started as a simple idea: let people pay rent with credit cards to earn rewards. But that consumer-centric product evolved into a scalable B2B ...

From Flower Chimp to LVLY: Building a 9-Figure Gifting Machine

15 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Limitless Technology built a profitable 9-figure gifting machine, and it all started with Google Search optimisation. CEO and Co-Founder Niklas Frassa...

Photosynthesis, but Make it Innovation: Qarbotech’s Agritech Leap

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if we could supercharge photosynthesis and boost crop yields using science born right here in Malaysia? That’s exactly what Qarbotech is doing....

Deemples: Building a Regional Golf Super App, Backed by $2M

13 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A golf superapp raised USD $2M — but is the problem really big enough to justify that kind of funding? In this episode of Open For Business, we spea...

Fresh Fashion That Lasts

10 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Staying cool in Malaysia’s tropical heat is tough, but Ultifresh has a solution. Founded by Frank Yap and Gerald Eng in Singapore in 2018, Ultifresh...

Nexacore: Raising RM2M to Fix The Cracks in Device Insurance

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Cracked screens, complex claims. As smartphone use surges and digital lifestyles evolve, device insurance offers peace of mind for consumers, but for ...

Why This Trainer Spent RM200K Building a Gym-on-Wheels

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does it take to build a business around outdoor fitness in Malaysia’s unpredictable weather and competitive fitness scene? In this episode of O...

Breathe Better, Train Harder

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When you think of nose strips, you might imagine skincare routines or snoring aids. But what if nose strips could also enhance your workouts and impro...

Xtractify’s RM2M Bet on AI, WhatsApp & Business Automation

06 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From automating tedious expense claims to unlocking consumer data trapped in third-party retail, this episode explores whether Xtractify is just AI hy...

Steady Poses on Sweaty Limbs

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Slippery mats are a common challenge shared by yoga enthusiasts. Recognising a significant gap in the local market for high-quality, eco-friendly yoga...

Cynco: Raising $125K to Take on Xero & QuickBooks?

02 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Manual bookkeeping and accounting is tedious, error-prone, and outdated, but can automation & AI fix it? In this episode of Open For Business, we ...

Rosary Labs: Vertical AI Built for O&G, Law & Utilities?

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Every oil & gas company wants better & faster insights from their deep and complex. Can Rosary Labs’ AI tools deliver smarter decisions, or ...

Healthy Gut, Happy You

27 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With more people seeking simple, effective ways to stay healthy, one local brand is helping Malaysians get their daily greens… no blender required.M...

mindnrobotics: Building Smart Plantations with Tech?

26 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

mindnrobotics, a Malaysian IOT and robotics company, has spent over a decade building automation solutions, but recently has focused its efforts on th...

ASCARO’s RM91M Valuation: Bold Bet or Financial Fantasy?

25 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How does one padel club with big dreams justify a RM91 million valuation?Founded in Stockholm and now trying to make waves in Southeast Asia, ASCARO c...

UrbanMetry: How Are They Simplifying Home Ownership With UrbanWave.ai?

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Open For Business, we speak with Koh Cha-Ly, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at UrbanMetry, a data analytics company in Malaysi...

How Bootstrapped Pott Glasses Built an 8-Figure Retail Biz

23 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Founded in 2015, Pott Glasses has grown from bazaars to 8 retail outlets, all without external funding. The company broke past 8-figures in revenue 2-...

How CashOut Drives Sales Through Gamification?

20 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

CashOut, a digital contest management platform that uses gamification to drive sales and customer engagement is aiming to change how businesses and ma...

$200M AUM & Growing: Kairous Capital’s China Edge?

19 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Exiting a startup in Southeast Asia isn’t easy. IPOs are rare, valuations are tricky, and local buyers often fall short. So how do VCs and founders ...

Pandai: From Y Combinator to RM16M Funding & 1M+ Users

18 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A school reunion eventually led to an AI-powered edtech that raised RM16 million, and is now an 8-figure business with over 1 million users and on tra...

AI Meets Microfinance? Bee Informatica’s SME Lending Model

16 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Securing financing can be a major hurdle for SMEs, especially those without traditional collateral. Enter Bee Informatica, a digital microfinance plat...

Kee Nguyễn’s Shift From A Car Boot To 52 Outlets

13 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Radius Khor, Co-Founder & Director of Kee Nguyễn, a Malaysian startup that’s bringing Vietnamese-style coffee to the local market. Founded in ...

Fueled for Expansion: iMotorbike’s $10M Growth Playbook

12 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With a $10 million Series A in the bag and backing from Gobi Partners, 500 Global, Headline, and Endeavor Catalyst, what’s next for iMotorbike?Since...

On Track For RM100M? How High-Tech Cables Power Swift Bridge

11 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Founded in 2012, Swift Bridge Technologies is a Malaysian company that makes high-tech cables used in telecommunications, semiconductors, medical devi...

The Brand Shaper’s Journey From LinkedIn To A 6-figure Business

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sasha Tan, Founder and Principal Brand Strategist of The Brand Shaper, a local enterprise that provides PR & Marketing Solutions, joins us to disc...

A&D Nature: The Plant Business Raising RM500K to Grow

09 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Founded in 2015, A&D Nature has blossomed into a profitable one-stop centre for plant enthusiasts, generating RM1.16 million in revenue and RM117,...