Open For Business

Can animals help humans heal? Rajagopal Yagambram, Founder of Planet Zoo Malaysia, believes they can. After nearly two decades in agrotourism, he’s built a one-of-a-kind animal behaviour centre where petting a rabbit isn’t just fun… it’s therapy. He shares how Planet Zoo blends business, education, and empathy to turn animal encounters into wellness experiences for all ages. From starting the busi...

Punita Nook Naidu, Co-Founder of H2O DataTech, shares how the Malaysian climate-tech company is turning complex climate and water data into actionable intelligence for governments, businesses, and regulators. Through its platform Airnomik, H2O DataTech helps organisations assess site-specific environmental risks, from floods and droughts to water quality. She discusses how her team combines AI, en...

Grace Oh, Founder of Sol Menopause, Asia’s medically reviewed menopause app, shares how her platform is changing the way women manage midlife health at home, at work, and beyond. Designed to be both evidence-based and community-driven, Sol aims to break the stigma around menopause by providing women with trustworthy guidance, holistic support, and a space to understand and advocate for their wellb...

The on-demand home services space is notoriously difficult, with high-profile failures like Kaodim. So why is Tim Goi, a founder of a traditional B2B cleaning company, now entering the fray with his new app, Okay Tasks? Tim Goi joins us to discuss: * The strategic pivot from a B2B service to a B2C tech platform. * How Okay Tasks plans to succeed where platforms like Kaodim failed. * Their 20% tran...

Wellness, it’s a word we hear constantly these days. But for many women, particularly in Malaysia, it’s more than a buzzword. It’s a balancing act between work, family, identity, and the pursuit of something deeper, connection and purpose. Earlier this year, a small idea built on friendship, shared passion, and a mission to help women Connect, Recharge, and Grow turned into one of Malaysia’s most...

With the bold claim of "Making Teh Tarik Great Again", this new F&B brand is on a mission to elevate Malaysia's unofficial national drink. But this is no ordinary startup, it's built on a 96-year family legacy in the B2B tea supply business. Founder Koh Peng Chye joins us to share his story. He explains why he expanded from his family's established B2B trade to a B2C brand, driven by a frustra...

For 70 years, Wah Chan has been a Malaysian household name in jewelry. Now, with the third generation stepping in, the brand is navigating a major "reinvention". How does a 70-year-old legacy brand adapt to the modern market while staying true to its roots? Executive Director Amanda Koo joins us to share her unique story. A computer scientist who first built her own successful digital jewelry bran...

Today’s story is about reinvention and what it really takes to build something completely new when the odds aren’t really in your favour. Kristy Ting, Founder of Side Gig Accelerator, realised her savings and EPF weren’t going to be enough for the life she wanted for her family. She took a leap from dispensing prescriptions to designing sales funnels, and eventually launched the Side Gig Accelerat...

Could a subscription model for outpatient care, like "Netflix for healthcare", be sustainable? FEV3R is betting it can. For a fixed monthly fee, the health tech company offers unlimited virtual consultations, medication delivery, and 24/7 doctor access. Co-Founder and CEO Adlan Hercus joins us to share the story behind his "round two" startup. He discusses the lessons from his first failed venture...

Why is this Silicon Valley VC bullish on Southeast Asian tech companies, despite faltering IPOs, blowups, and a scarcity of exits? Launched in 2024, Raisewell Ventures has raised over $35 million to invest in AI, climate, and manufacturing tech, with a longer term aim to cross-pollinate between Silicon Valley and Southeast Asia. With 14 deals already completed, Founder and Managing Partner Jeep Kl...

After a dramatic pivot from a failed Bitcoin startup at Y Combinator, Xendit has since raised over US$500 million since 2015, growing into a payments unicorn. Founder and CEO Moses Lo joins us to share his 10-year journey, detailing their "simplicity, speed, and service" competitive edge, their expansion into a financing business, and the lessons learned from navigating Southeast Asia's fragmented...

What started as a way for game publishers to escape the ‘app tax’ has evolved into a global monetisation and distribution platform. Fresh from acquiring its European counterpart Recharge, Coda now processes nearly $2 billion in commerce annually. CEO Shane Happach, the company's first non-founder CEO, joins us to discuss this new chapter. He shares his mantra of "profitable global growth," the str...

The packaged food and beverage space is overflowing with brands claiming to be “natural”, “premium” or “healthy”, but few survive beyond the packaging. Alvin Andrew, the self-proclaimed King of Processed Foods, reveals why most founders shouldn’t even be in the game, the truth about what makes a product scalable, and how to build something that actually sells at home and abroad. This episode of Op...

Data centres are no longer just information warehouses; they are high-density hubs, or ‘airports for internet traffic’, and the demand for power is exploding from 6 kilowatts a rack to over 150. Wong Weng Yew, a 20-year industry veteran and the founder of Open DC, joins us to share his journey. He explains his pivot from a traditional ISP to building a RM70 million (projected) data centre business...

Running a transport company in Malaysia is no small feat, especially with rising fuel costs and the challenge of keeping track of dozens of drivers and vehicles. Ginderpal Singh Harnek Singh, Managing Director of Shaziman Transport, shares his entrepreneurial journey, how he keeps his fleet running efficiently, and how tools like PETRONAS SmartPay are helping businesses better manage one of their...

With the recent launch of its direct ETF Explorer and a long-awaited Shariah Global Portfolio, is digital wealth manager StashAway signaling a major evolution in its business model? Malaysia Country Manager Wong Wai Ken joins us to share the story behind this new chapter. We discuss: The self-disruptive expansion to a transaction model for their new ETF Explorer. Whether ETF Explorer is an attempt...

Marking its 10th anniversary, IGL Coatings has grown into an eight-figure business exporting its surface protection solutions to 50 markets. But this milestone comes at a challenging time, with new US tariffs impacting its largest market. Founder and CEO Keong Chun Chieh joins us to reflect on his 10-year journey. He discusses the on-the-ground reality of navigating tariffs, his strategic push to...

We sit down with Shaerfatwa Intannadwah, Founder and Managing Director of Roboshop Technologies, to explore how a small series of robotics workshops has grown into a full-fledged EdTech ecosystem aiming to shape Malaysia’s next generation of tech talent. Since its founding in 2019, Roboshop has been helping teachers and students not just adopt technology, but truly thrive in technology-driven clas...

William Koh, CEO and Managing Director of ALUMASTER, joins us to explore how a Sarawak-based aluminium solutions provider grew from a small local operation into one of East Malaysia’s most trusted names in high-quality windows, doors, and façade systems. In an industry defined by tight margins, rising costs, and competition, ALUMASTER’s story is one of quiet resilience — built on craftsmanship, co...

How does a former NASA scientist team up with a former Wall Street trader to build a deep tech company that manipulates atoms without a multi-million-dollar clean room? For NanoSkunkWorkX (nSWX), it’s about breaking the rules of nanotechnology. Co-founders Dr. Amani Salim and Iqbal Shamsul join us to share their incredible journey. They discuss their core technology that "stitches together" graphe...

What can Malaysian entrepreneurs and policymakers learn from one of the world's most advanced digital economies? Two of our own, Michele Chai of Kintry and Sasibai Kimis of Earth Heir, recently returned from a UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) eTradeforWomen Study Tour to China, getting an inside look at giants like Alibaba, JD Logistics, and Tencent. The two founders join us to share their eye-op...

Cipher is an AI engine built by Ambitionz, a bootstrapped gaming software company led by Pavel Bains, that helps creators and studios design, build, and monetise games faster than ever. Unlike general AI models, Cipher “thinks like a game developer” — understanding the nuances of gameplay, asset optimization, and monetization, while empowering creators to focus on what truly matters: creativity an...

As Malaysia digests the announcements from Budget 2026, how are entrepreneurs and startup founders viewing the road ahead? Beyond the headline numbers, what are the real-world implications for costs, growth, and strategy in the coming year? Seasoned entrepreneur and investor Yeoh Chen Chow, of 1% Advisory & Coaching, joins us to provide a founder's perspective on the budget. He discusses the o...

Can gig work be both flexible and fair? TROOPERS thinks so. With 400,000 verified users and RM50 million in worker earnings, the platform is redefining what it means to take on part-time and flexible jobs in Malaysia. Co-Founder and CEO Joshua Tan, and COO Craig Goonting explain how TROOPERS built trust with workers through zero commission fees, free training, and insurance coverage, while helping...

From a humble roadside stall to five thriving outlets in just three years, Mokky’s Pizza is rewriting the rules of Malaysia’s billion-ringgit pizza industry. Built on authenticity, consistency, and a sense of community, the brand has turned customers into advocates and grown into a serious contender against giants like Pizza Hut and Domino’s. Umar Abdul Aziz, Co-Founder of Mokky’s Pizza shares how...