Open For Business

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,...

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 pa...

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 t...

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...

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...

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 in...

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 algorithm...

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 undiscovere...

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...

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, Montig...

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...

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Livi...

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...

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 ac...

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 applicati...

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...

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 be...

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 prope...

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...

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 a...

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 v...

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 schola...

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 experien...

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...