Open For Business

Acxyn - Helping Gaming Studios Better Monetise Intellectual Property

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Before Generative AI and ChatGPT was the talk of the town, there was web3. Although the budding industry has taken a hit since the fall of FTX and oth...

Origo Eco: Turning Farm Waste Into Straws, Shipping Pallets, and More

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a world where sustainability and environmental consciousness are becoming increasingly more important to consumers, Origo Eco initially stepped int...

Sustainability Meets Innovation: Pioneering a Greener Corporate Future

01 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’ll be taking a look into the realms of sustainability and innovation with insights from CarbonWorks and CarbonGPT. CarbonWorks is at the forefron...

Lizard Global - An Alternative For a CTO or Technical Co-Founder?

28 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today it seems like no matter what business you’re building or running, you need some form of digital presence that goes beyond social media. Whethe...

Saving The ERTH While Building a Profitable Business

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What do you do once you’re done with your current smartphone? What about your TV or laptop?Since 2010, Statista data shows that the volume of e-wast...

Building Whitman, Staying Relevant, and Listing Plans

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The financial planning industry has grown considerably over the last few years. Between 2015 and 2022, the number of financial planning firms increase...

VR, AR, XR & SMEs?

24 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the dynamic landscape of technology, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Extended Reality (XR) are emerging as revolutionary forces, ...

Unicorn Carro Is IPO-Ready, Improving Profitability, and Still Fundraising

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Having recently announced a historical best of US$11 million in EBITDA for the first quarter of FY2024, we speak to Carro’s CFO Ernest Chew about pr...

Pioneering Malaysia's Short-Term Rental Revolution

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

COBNB stands at the forefront of Malaysia's burgeoning short-term rental sector, offering a comprehensive suite of services that cater to property ow...

Ulalive - From Live-Streaming Ecommerce Solution To Virtual Meeting Replacement

19 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ulalive wants to change the way businesses and individuals communicate and collaborate, addressing the evolving needs of modern remote teams. The plat...

Deemples - When Agoda Meets Tinder For Golfers

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Golfing startup Deemples wants to help people more easily find golf buddies and organise games at preferred locations and time slots. Founded in 2017,...

Sarawak's Heritage Gem: The Ranee

14 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nestled in Kuching, The Ranee of Sarawak is a beacon of Malaysia's rich heritage. Founded by Rosemarie Wong, who studied at Central St.Martins and Che...

Pioneering Inclusive Employment for All

13 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Enoku, formerly known as Enable OKU, is a social enterprise focused on bridging employment gaps between Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and employers...

SEDANIA Innovator’s RM1 Billion Aspiration

12 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

SEDANIA Innovator started out as IDOTTV back in 2004. Back then the focus was to develop media content which was in line with the Founders experience,...

What’s Next For Homegrown Flexi Storage After Majority-Stake Acquisition?

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Founded in 2015, Flexi Storage was established to provide hassle-free and flexible self-storage service for homes and businesses here in Malaysia. Fou...

Banana Bliss: Wownana's Vegan Bakery Evolution

10 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Wownana Bakehouse is a unique bakery that specialises in vegan pastries, offering a range of products that are 100% dairy-free and egg-free.Situated i...

Building a Family Support Ecosystem: The KiddoCare Vision

07 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In an era of dual-income households, the demand for reliable childcare solutions is at an all-time high. Enter KiddoCare, launched in 2018, a pioneeri...

PNB-Backed Raiz Malaysia’s RM50 Million AUM, PNB Synergies, and Expanding Beyond ASNB Funds

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Digital Investment Managers, or roboadvisors as they’re more commonly known as, have been touted as a way to improve accessibility to investment pro...

Zero Waste Shop-On-Wheels In Your Neighbourhood

03 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As Malaysia’s land for waste disposal is limited and the existing landfills are rapidly reaching their capacity, it is imperative that every individ...

RecruitFirst - When Tinder Meets HRTech

31 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

RecruitFirst is a HRTech company that aims to play corporate Tinder by matching companies with jobseekers to fulfil a company’s talent needs. Backed...

SpaceIn - Using Tiny Satellites To Connect Businesses in Rural Areas

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

SpaceIn wants to spearhead the space exploration activity in Malaysia. Previously, a company owned by a group of Postgraduate Students in the USM Spac...

From Searching to Furnishing, Nextsix Wants To Be Home For All Property Needs

24 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Buying or renting property can be a tedious process, from finding something within your budget and physically locating the property, to finding the ri...

Reviving House Calls: Malaysia's Digital Health Revolution with DOC2HOME

23 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DOC2HOME is a Malaysian digital health platform offering personalized home-based healthcare, reviving the tradition of 'house calls'. As a subsidiary ...

Luno’s 10 Year Journey, Role in Crypto, and IPO Appetite

22 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Empowering Tomorrow's Farmers: Harnessing AI to Revolutionise Food Security

20 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Chin Jia Zhuang, De Lettuce B.E.A.R.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The $12 Billion Unicorn That’s Simplifying Access to Global Talent

17 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Between hybrid work arrangements, talent acquisition and employee turnover, managing talent in business is getting increasingly more challenging and c...

Qashier - Building a SuperApp For Merchants and SMEs

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The proliferation of payment options has been great for consumer choice, but has made accepting payments more complex for SMEs. Qashier is a Fintech s...

How Hong Kong’s WeLab Will Break into Southeast Asia’s Digital Banking Scene

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 M...

Clearing the Air: Sterra's Journey to Fresh Innovations

13 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Charting the Automotive Landscape in Terengganu

10 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ahead of the upcoming state elections happening tomorrow, Open For Business takes a slight detour to the East Coast, specifically Terengganu, to speak...

Driving Change: Unlocking the Future of Shared Mobility

09 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Amid growing concerns about traffic congestion, inefficient use of private vehicles, and a rising demand for convenient and affordable transport optio...

How Halal Street UK is Selling Malaysian Food in the UK

08 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 mat...

From dmingthing to Blankslate - Turning A YouTube Channel Into A Scalable Business

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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, c...

Redefining Intelligence

06 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We hear from Keith Khor, the founder of Intelligent Consultancy, a firm dedicated to helping with financial literacy in Malaysia. Having navigated an ...

Would You Buy ‘Near To Expiry’ Food If Heavily Discounted?

03 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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’...

Revolutionising Breakfast Habits

02 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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. R...

Backed by Razorpay, Curlec Goes Beyond Recurring Payments

01 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Between the accelerated digitalization from the pandemic, the continued growth and evolution of e-commerce, and government pushes for cashless payment...

Cashku - Aiming to Make Financial Planning More Accessible and Affordable

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Turning Stigma into Success

26 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rebecca and Jared Chuah's Nateskin, born out of grooming challenges, established itself as a trusted provider of simple, sustainable, and inclusive so...

How A Saharan Ant Inspired Radiative Paint Is Helping Cool Down The Planet

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that Saharan ants inspired the development of an electricity-free cooling technology?Tapping on scientific research findings of their sup...

Are Tesla and Gentari Threats to Malaysian EV Charger Maker Powered by RISE?

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 c...

Creating Permanent Memories

23 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Founded in 2020, Creative Factory combines traditional drawing with digital technology, and introduced the first digital oil-painting service in Malay...

Will Tesla’s Entry Hamper or Boost Petronas-Backed Gentari’s EV Ecosystem Ambitions

20 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Electric Vehicle space in Malaysia got big news yesterday with Tesla formally announcing its strategic expansion into the Malaysian market, and th...

Healthcare, Not Sick-Care

19 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DrPrevents is a provider of preventive healthcare services in the Klang Valley area. With 24-hour operating medical clinics and a dedicated team of do...

Is Big Data The Answer To Malaysia’s Property Oversupply Problem and Inefficient Town Planning?

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Mowgli Venture

16 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 chal...

Feeding Malaysia: Supply Chains and Food Security

12 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Despite being a major food exporter, Malaysia relies on imports for certain items like rice, dairy, wheat, barley, and selected fruits and vegetables....

RPG Commerce - The Startup Behind Montigo, Thousand Miles, Bottoms Lab, and Cosmic Cookware

11 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 st...

Superdough - Helping You Feel Like Tom Cruise In Mission Impossible With Immersive Physical Experiences

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Media and entertainment is all about capturing and retaining your attention, and digital content and technology has been incredibly successful in capt...

Unearthing Tech Treasures

09 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 manuf...

Family Owned King Living’s Past, Present & Future

06 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Cidekick - Matching Much Needed Gig Workers with Businesses

04 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Using Disney and Pokémon IP to Help Businesses Drive Sales and Improve Customer Retention

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Promo Partners is a company that specialises in redemption programs and licensed character promotions that has access to intellectual property from Di...

AI Pioneer Boosts Efficiency and Eco-impact in SEA

02 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Itxotic, a Malaysian visual AI startup. Currently in its market penetration stage, Itxotic has secured a significant contract with a key player in the...

Using Tech to Strike a Balance Between Tenants and Landlords

29 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 c...

CreateWills - Making Will Writing Easier, Cheaper and More Accessible

27 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Malaysians Wouldn’t Pay, So INTRIX Took Its Tech and Ventured Abroad

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

From Pathologist to Technopreneur

25 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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,...

Making Music Education Lively Again

22 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

According to the Institute for the Future of Education, music education has become instrumental in students’ wellbeing because of the pandemic. Musi...

From Waste to Grace

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The World Economic Forum reports that 400 million tonnes of plastic waste is generated annually. Current recycling efforts are ineffective due to cost...

Uni Enrol - Making It Easier For Students to Pay For University

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 l...

IMM Carehub - Helping Malaysians Age with Grace?

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Subsidise Your Groceries at Kedai Runcits By Recycling

18 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Starting off as an app that wants to help homes with purchasing LPG cylinder cooking gas during the pandemic, Suthan Mookaiah soon rebranded the busin...

Has Technology Taken Over Conventional Stationery?

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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....

Reinventing Optical Shopping

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Having witnessed firsthand the hassles of traditional eyewear shopping, Daniel Lim decided to revolutionise the process. He founded AIRVIZIO, an artif...

How Buying Growth in SEA Boosts Indian Startup BetterPlace’s Global Ambitions

13 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In April, India-based Software-as-a-Service and workforce management platform BetterPlace acquired TROOPERS, a Malaysian firm that specializes in part...

Bizsu - Trying to Cool Down the Planet and Electricity Bills

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Under its MyStartup Hub (MSH) programme, the Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation (MRANTI) has been trying to recruit global i...

Washing Up the Laundrette Industry

11 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 provid...

Kabel-ing Young Graduates to Employers

08 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Powering Change

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

SF6 (Sulphur Hexafluoride) is an extremely potent greenhouse gas, 23,500 times more effective at trapping infrared radiation than an equivalent amount...

CARE Concierge - Improving and Scaling Elderly Care With Tech

06 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Elderly care is becoming an increasingly more pressing concern given Malaysia’s ageing population with The World Bank noting in 2020 that Malaysia w...

Digital Mental Wellness Services - A Thoughtfull Way to Address Mental Health?

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 p...

Solar Panels - Good For Your Wallet And The Environment?

01 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Your Data Compass In Asia

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Uzabase, Japan's largest industry and corporate database, renowned for its precise client insights and innovative tool, SPEEDA. This all-in-one soluti...

Ready-To-Cook Meals: Just For The Affluent and Health Conscious?

30 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 easi...

Engaging Customers The Smart Way

29 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

FusionQB is a leading data-driven company that provides business super-app solutions to help businesses to increase sales conversion and improved cust...

Bee-sy Saving the World from Plastics

28 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In conjunction with World Sustainability Day, we explore the conversation around plastic waste. Our Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change ...

Connecting Teams Of Gamers

25 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Video games are often regarded as merely entertainment, yet in the last few years, the Malaysian gaming industry business has experienced rapid growth...

Reeling in a Sustainable Future with Lab-Cultivated Seafood

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Umami Meats, a sustainable seafood pioneer, is tackling the impending seafood supply collapse with lab-cultivated seafood. Using stem cell cultivation...

Can Asia Mobiliti’s AI and Tech Fix Gaps in Public Transport?

23 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The Latest On Social Commerce

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

AVANA is a social commerce platform that started in 2016 that helps business owners sell online. They have helped over 100,000 businesses optimise the...

Level Up Your L&D Training Programmes

21 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 cov...

Your AI Shopping Assistant

18 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With the growing presence of online shopping platforms and e-wallets, people are leaning towards platforms such as Shopee and Lazada to obtain their e...

Sparking a Digital Transformation Wave

17 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Krenovator- Helping Plug the Tech Talent Gap

16 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tech talent seems to be a perpetual bottleneck for Malaysian startups, but can a local tech talent platform address this problem through free coding a...

Here, There & Everywhere With Blockchain

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sinisana Technologies began operations in 2019 to help brands out-compete their competitors by giving consumers a behind-the-scenes look at the story ...

Death Planning Has Become Digital

14 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Making A Business Smarter

11 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 mo...

Thai-ing Flavours Together: Asia's F&B Event of the Year

10 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 po...

TixCarte - Connecting Attractions and Experiences with Resellers and Marketplaces

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 g...

Shaping Our Future by Remembering Our Past

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 peop...

Hand Pouring 800 Candles A Day & Making Customers Stay

07 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ca...

Putting The Soul Into Your Brand

04 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the world of brand strategy design, Brand Soul Consultancy stands out by specialising in crafting exceptional brand development, strategy, and arch...

Can B2B 'Buy Now, Pay Later' Fix Quick Financing Needs for SMEs?

02 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 busin...

Automated Green Fingers

01 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 n...

New Steroids For Plants

27 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With the rising food insecurity in Malaysia, more and more Malaysians are adopting gardening to grow their own produce and for some, agriculture has e...

AI Powerhouse: Unravelling ChatGPT's Cyber Secrets

26 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 pot...

Homegrown F&B Startup Pop Meals Wants To Take Malaysian Food Global

25 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 chan...

Malaysian Diamonds

24 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Breaking news! Diamonds aren’t just a girl's best friend. Because frankly, everyone likes them.Opening its doors in 2015, ZCOVA has established itse...

Being Digitally Mobile

19 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

According to a recent World Bank Report, Malaysia has yet to realise the full potential of digital technologies to boost small media enterprise (SME) ...