Open For Business

Founded in 2006, Infobip quietly powers some of the world’s biggest brands, including Meta, Uber, and Microsoft, across more than 70 offices worldwide. CEO and Co-Founder Silvio Kutić joins us to unpack how Infobip bootstrapped its way to a billion euros in revenue before ever raising external capital, becoming Croatia’s first unicorn after a $200 million equity round in 2020. We explore the compa...

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 globally recognized brand like Razer? In this episode of Open For Business, Eng Sheng Guan, CEO and Co-Founder of Fiuu, shares the company’s 20-year journey, from pioneering e-commerce shopping carts in the early 2000s to processing over RM44 billion in...

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 Malaysian debut in 2014, KyoChon has become a household name in Malaysia’s F&B scene, now boasting 36 outlets nationwide. Terry shares the story behind the brand’s expansion into Malaysia, the strategies that fueled its rapid growth, and how KyoCh...

From humble beginnings selling pancakes and hustling through odd jobs, to building one of Malaysia’s most recognisable names in sport climbing, Camp5 is a brand that has helped shape the climbing ecosystem here and across Southeast Asia. As they celebrate 20 years in the business, we speak with Patrick Andrey and Jeremy Peet, Co-Founders of Camp5, about the early struggles, finding product-market...

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 model and build a fresh food marketplace. Can the vision match reality? In this episode of Open For Business, we dive into the story of Get It Fresh, an e-commerce dairy startup and budding food marketplace raising funds via equity crowdfunding at a v...

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 French fast food chain. From starting in a second-hand truck to expanding into catering, events, and manufacturing, Adel shares how he navigated early challenges, adapted Western dishes for local tastes, and built a resilient F&B brand. See omnystudio.c...

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-Founder and CEO of Lunch Actually, and now Group CEO of the newly formed Lunch Actually Paktor Group, shares how her team is navigating the swipe-saturated dating landscape with an 8-figure concierge-style business. We unpack Violet’s journey from lunch d...

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, about why they believe they’ve found the winning formula both on and off the court. Backed by the team behind Kenny Hills, Pickle Park is a lifestyle-driven pickleball concept that goes beyond court rentals, blending sport, social connection, and hosp...

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 viable business. In this episode of Open For Business, we explore how Red Rescue is addressing this urgent concern not just by placing lifeguards poolside, but by building a full-fledged academy, running training programmes, and offering safety solutions...

CoachHub has raised $350 million to build a global digital coaching platform, but can coaching really scale like software? Matti Niebelschütz, Founder and CEO of CoachHub, unpacks how the Berlin-based startup transformed coaching into a scalable, tech-powered solution serving 1,000+ enterprise clients and backed by a network of 3,500+ coaches across 90 countries. We explore CoachHub’s journey from...

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 live band? That’s exactly what Gig For Good sets out to do — using music and performance not just to entertain, but to transform. It’s a bold, human-centred approach to leadership, teamwork, and personal growth, built on courage, creativity, and conne...

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 payments solution, unlocking credit card-based cash flow for SMEs. In this episode of Open For Business, Diana Lim, Vice President of Partnerships and founding team member at CardUp, walks us through the platform’s early days, their product-market fi...

Limitless Technology built a profitable 9-figure gifting machine, and it all started with Google Search optimisation. CEO and Co-Founder Niklas Frassa gets into how they scaled brands like Flower Chimp, LVLY, and CakeRush through SEO, smart M&A, and shared infrastructure, turning flowers, cakes, and gifts into an e-commerce powerhouse. Founded in Kuala Lumpur in 2016, Limitless powers DTC bran...

What if we could supercharge photosynthesis and boost crop yields using science born right here in Malaysia? That’s exactly what Qarbotech is doing. In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with the startup’s three co-founders, Dr Suraya Abdul Rashid, Amirul Merican, and Chor Chee Hoe, about their groundbreaking technology, their global recognition, and the surprising struggle to gain loca...

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 speak with David Wong, Founder and CEO of Deemples, a Malaysian-born golf-tech startup that began as a simple way to find golf buddies and has evolved into a full-fledged super app for golfers. From tee-time bookings and group game matchmaking to bundled g...

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 creates sustainable, anti-microbial garments that eliminate 99.94% of bacteria. The result? Clothes that stay fresh longer, require less washing, and help conserve water — all without sacrificing comfort. In this episode of Open For Business, we speak...

Cracked screens, complex claims. As smartphone use surges and digital lifestyles evolve, device insurance offers peace of mind for consumers, but for insurers, it’s an operational headache. The real challenge isn’t selling policies, it’s delivering claims efficiently and at scale. In this episode of Open For Business, we speak with Melanie Hawgood, Co-Founder and CEO of Nexacore, a Malaysia-based...

What does it take to build a business around outdoor fitness in Malaysia’s unpredictable weather and competitive fitness scene? In this episode of Open For Business, we speak with Sanjay Kumar, Founder of Madfoxx Training, an outdoor strength and conditioning brand offering bootcamp-style sessions in parks and car parks. Started as a weekend hustle in 2018 while Sanjay worked as a PE teacher and t...

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 improve sleep? That’s the idea behind PeakFlowTape, founded by Kooi Yi Xuan and Gan Chen Jie. Launched just last year, PeakFlowTape aims to make nasal breathing an essential part of both fitness and rest. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

From automating tedious expense claims to unlocking consumer data trapped in third-party retail, this episode explores whether Xtractify is just AI hype, or solving real problems. After raising RM2 million and setting its sights on RM1 million in revenue by 2025, Xtractify is betting on AI-powered automation, especially through WhatsApp, to help businesses streamline operations and extract hidden...

Slippery mats are a common challenge shared by yoga enthusiasts. Recognising a significant gap in the local market for high-quality, eco-friendly yoga mats, Wolo Yoga was founded in 2021. The company is dedicated to providing vegan leather mats that not only enhance grip and durability but also contribute to environmental sustainability. Initiatives include planting a tree for each product sold an...

Manual bookkeeping and accounting is tedious, error-prone, and outdated, but can automation & AI fix it? In this episode of Open For Business, we speak with Hazli Johar, Co-Founder and CEO of Cynco, an AI-powered bookkeeping platform built specifically for startups and SMEs. Hazli breaks down how Cynco wants to differ from industry giants like QuickBooks and Xero by focusing on business owners...

Every oil & gas company wants better & faster insights from their deep and complex. Can Rosary Labs’ AI tools deliver smarter decisions, or is it just more AI hype? Rosary Labs began life as V-Cred under PETRONAS Innovation Garage, aiming to close the SME credit gap with alternative data. Fast forward to today, the rebranded AI startup is carving out a niche in high-value enterprise sector...

With more people seeking simple, effective ways to stay healthy, one local brand is helping Malaysians get their daily greens… no blender required. Meet HGHY Nutrition, short for “Healthy Gut, Happy You”, a wellness brand on a mission to make gut health easy, accessible, and actually enjoyable. Their hero product, My Daily Greens, is a nutrient-rich blend designed to support digestion, immunity, f...

mindnrobotics, a Malaysian IOT and robotics company, has spent over a decade building automation solutions, but recently has focused its efforts on the agriculture and plantations industry. In this episode of Open For Business, we speak with Founder & CEO Ts. Zhafri Baharudin and Co-Founder & COO Shahid Bakar about their company’s 15-year journey, including its pivot from general robotics...