Open For Business

Autism Cafe Project is more than just a business. It’s a place where young adults on the autism spectrum gain real work experience, build confidence, and find purpose. Founded by Mohd Adli Yahya, this social enterprise was born out of a father’s love and a mission to create meaningful opportunities for those often overlooked in the workforce. But turning this vision into reality wasn’t easy, with...

Established in 1957, Xin Seng Fatt Industries has been brewing soy sauce for over three generations, supplying restaurants and food businesses with traditionally fermented soy sauce. In 2019, under the third generation leadership, the company entered the consumer retail space with Mu Artisan Soy Sauce, a premium, handcrafted soy sauce brand. In this episode of Open For Business, we speak with Shir...

In this episode, we speak with Catherine Goh, CEO at Santan, a brand under AirAsia's non-airline subsidiary, RedBeat Ventures. As of December 2019, Santan marked their first foray into the retail food business, serving meals from countries in ASEAN, including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. We’ll discuss how this all came about, the challenges she...

From failures & setbacks to success & profit, on this episode of Open for Business, we speak with Bryant Gan, Founder and CEO of Niagawan Plus—a Malaysian cloud-based accounting software company dedicated to simplifying financial management for small businesses. On the back of winning the All-Star Award at Cradle Fund’s PLUGIN 2024 conference, Bryant shares his entrepreneurial journey with...

Managing distributed and multi-site teams often leads to mountains of paperwork and hampers productivity. In this episode of Open For Business, we speak with John Lee, Founder and CEO of Caction , about how digitisation can streamline workflows and solve these challenges. Founded in 2017 by John Lee, a former GE engineer, Caction wants to improve how companies manage distributed workforces by digi...

In this episode Open For Business, we dive into how MYCRS Sdn Bhd is trying to transform the construction industry by digitising concrete testing. Founded in 2021 by Thomas Yap—whose 18 years of experience include landmark projects like the Burj Khalifa and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge—MYCRS aims to bring transparency and reliability to material testing. Thomas explains how the company is tac...

Today on Open For Business, we’re serving up some pizzas. We speak with Alan Goh, the Founder of Round, a pizzeria dedicated to authentic Neapolitan flavours and traditional pizza-making techniques. But behind every perfectly charred crust and fresh mozzarella topping lies a journey of risk, reinvention, and the pursuit of quality. What does it take to carve out a niche in Malaysia’s competitive F...

Originally founded in 2016 and restructured in 2022 as The Farm Shop, the company has rapidly scaled its operations—achieving RM4.6 million in revenue in 2024 and setting ambitious targets of RM14.4 million in 2025 and RM56 million by 2026. In this episode of Open For Business, Founder and Managing Director Dr. Tan I-Lene delves into the company’s vertically integrated model, which spans sourcing...

In this episode of Open for Business, we explore the journey of Vepro Group, a Malaysian robotics and automation company founded in 2003 by graduates of the University of Malaya. Over 23 years, Vepro Group has grown steadily and now aims to reach RM100 million in revenue by 2030. Today, the company represents and collaborates with major brands such as Fuji and Omron and is a member of the Internat...

Join us as we chat with Duncan Ross, Founder of Xzotic Pens, a Malaysian-based company specializing in personalized, hand-turned wooden pens. Founded in 2021, Xzotic Pens has quickly become a standout in the fine writing industry, with seven retail stores across Selangor and Johor Bahru. In this episode, Duncan shares his journey of turning a passion for craftsmanship into a thriving business, the...

Discover how a Sarawak startup is leveraging AI to enhance environmental sustainability in agriculture and forestry. In this episode of Open For Business, we take a closer look at EB Tech, a technology startup using artificial intelligence to tackle environmental challenges. Founded in 2021/2022, EB Tech initially developed AI solutions for the palm oil sector—employing robotics and autonomous dro...

Join us in this episode of Open For Business as we chat with Wajih Ghauri, Founder of Katin Life, a luxury bedding brand that’s redefining comfort, quality, and ethical values with its premium Egyptian cotton products. Launched in 2023, Katin Life has already achieved six-figure monthly sales and is Malaysia’s highest-rated bedding brand. With recent expansions into Singapore and Pakistan, Wajih i...

In this episode, we dive into the intricacies of biohacking with the co-founders of AMANI, an exclusive, members-only club designed to help corporate executives optimise their mind, body, and soul for peak performance. With 96% of senior leaders experiencing some level of burnout, AMANI aims to address this gap with a unique approach tailored for the Malaysian market, where biohacking is still eme...

On Open For Business, we speak with Jamie Lim, the founder of Zoey’s Homemade by Zoey Food Supply, a brand that has grown from a home-based venture into a thriving business with RM4.8 million in revenue in 2023. Jamie shares her journey, from starting the business during a personal challenge to raising RM2 million in equity crowdfunding. Tune in to hear how Zoey Food Supply champions preservative-...

Today on Open For Business, we’re melting into the world of Chocolate Concierge, a brand redefining chocolate by showcasing Malaysia’s rich cacao heritage and crafting bold, unforgettable flavours. Founded by Ong Ning Geng, it’s more than just a chocolatier — it’s a quest to create meaningful experiences through sustainable practices and local innovation. We'll explore how Chocolate Concierge is b...

With so many fast-growing beverage brands crowding the market, is there really room for one focusing on juices and smoothies? The former CEO of Foodpanda Malaysia and Brunei certainly thinks so, having raised USD 1 million in seed funding from 500 Global and BEENEXT to fuel his new venture, Being Juice. In this episode of Open for Business, we explore how this Malaysian startup is tapping into the...

Collektr in 2025: 10X revenue, raise Series A funding, push regionally, hire right. In this episode of Open for Business, we explore how Malaysian startup Collektr is tapping into the booming collectibles market, blending nostalgia with investment potential. From trading cards and comics to sneakers and beyond, Collektr wants to transform how enthusiasts trade, value, and showcase collectibles. Wi...

Discover the journey of Double C, a wellness brand focused on handmade remedies and aromatherapy, with a holistic approach to enhancing physical and emotional well-being. From crafting unique therapeutic products to overcoming entrepreneurial challenges and fostering a community through education, this conversation with certified aromatherapist and Founder of Double C, Christine Looi, discusses th...

How can home renovation become both more affordable and more environmentally friendly? In this episode of Open For Business, we spotlight a Malaysian startup that’s transforming surplus and overstocked building materials into savings for homeowners while cutting down on construction waste. Founded in 2017, HOMA is now an 8-figure revenue business that runs an online marketplace that reintroduces “...

Today, we explore the story of a café that’s redefining the art of artisanal baking. Set in a warm, inviting atmosphere and with carefully crafted baked goods, Dou Dou Bake combines sustainability, mindfulness, and impeccable design to create a unique sensory experience. Keith Koay, the Founder of Dou Dou Bake, shares his journey, from the inspiration behind this iconic café to the challenges of s...

From supplying kopitiams to launching grab-and-go kiosks, this 81-year-old Penang coffee roastery is determined to modernise its Nanyang heritage and scale nationwide, and maybe take on ZUS. In this episode, we explore how a fourth-generation CEO balances family legacy with modern strategy—preserving artisanal roasting methods while introducing newer product lines like instant coffee and Nitro-inf...

A pregnancy craving launched an online sourdough bakery that now wants to be the homemade alternative to Subway and O’Briens. In this episode, we explore how this husband-wife duo shifted from online to B2B and B2C retail—testing cloud kitchens, kiosk models, and central production to carve a niche in Malaysia’s competitive F&B space. DIve into how they balance product quality, branding, and e...

Today on Open For Business, we speak to Edwin Wang, Co-Founder and CEO of Signature Market, a brand that’s making nutritious meals and healthy snacking more accessible to Malaysians. From its humble beginnings to becoming a household name both online and in stores, Signature Market’s journey is one of resilience and growth. We uncover the story behind its success, explore the challenges faced, and...

Why and how did a B2C storage company pivot into a B2B e-commerce fulfillment platform, now supporting over 38 local and international brands and managing fulfillment for more than 100 online stores across platforms like Shopee, Lazada, TikTokShop, and Shopify? In this episode of Open For Business, we uncover the story of FlyBear, a Malaysian e-commerce fulfillment company, with Co-Founder and Man...

Today on the show, we’re joined by Wan Emir Astar and Falah Hamidi, Co-Founders at ReMeal, a platform aiming to help cafes and restaurants sell their surplus food at discounted prices. ReMeal's journey began in 2023, with the launch of their app on the App Store and Google Play Store by mid-2024 and today, they have expanded to 16 active stores and over 40 vendors in the onboarding process with so...