Open For Business

In this episode of Open For Business, we speak with Kristoffer Jacek Soh and Benjamin Long, co-founders of Beep Technologies, a company that started by enabling cashless transactions for vending machines and has since evolved to address Southeast Asia’s fragmented EV charging ecosystem.Founded in 2018, Beep now operates Southeast Asia’s largest EV roaming network through its Voltality platform, connecting over 5,000 charging stations. Join us as we explore the journey of Beep, from its early days in vending solutions to its current efforts to unify EV charging infrastructure in the region. We discuss the challenges of navigating a highly fragmented market, the importance of partnerships, and more.In this episode, you’ll learn:- How Beep pushed from cashless transactions to the EV charging space.- The role of Voltality in connecting fragmented EV charging networks.- Key challenges and strategies for overcoming them in the Southeast Asian market.- Insights into Beep’s growth strategy, including partnerships with operators like Sime Darby and Grab.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Open For Business, we sit down with Chang Lih Yen and Chan Qi Yang, Co-founders and Managing Directors of FinKnight, a Malaysia-based financial advisory startup. Initially launched as Beetle Knight Advisory, the company rebranded to FinKnight in 2023 to better reflect its mission of simplifying financial management for startups and SMEs. To support this ambition, FinKnight secured funding from First Move and Gobi Partners, which will be used to fuel their expansion across Malaysia and beyond.Join us as we dive into their journey, from their backgrounds in finance to co-founding FinKnight to help other businesses with their finance workloads and financial planning, including bookkeeping, advisory, fundraising, and more.In this conversation, you’ll learn:- The problem FinKnight is solving for startups and SMEs.- How the company’s rebranding reflects its evolution and future plans.- Key strategies for scaling and acquiring customers in a cost-conscious market.- Insights into FinKnight’s business model and growth ambitions.Tune in to hear the story of how FinKnight is working to become a partner for businesses in need of finance expertise, bookkeeping, and advisory.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we speak with Sharma Lachu, Founder & CEO of Accendo Technologies. They’re a talent intelligence platform that integrates with core HRMS solutions that allow organisations to understand their talent’s potential roles and career paths, identify their risks, conceptualise strategies, assess role fit, and create development plans linked to their career growth.Formerly known as Arcane Solutions, the company was rebranded to Accendo Technologies back in 2013 with a particular focus on talent development and upskilling using technology and AI-driven innovations.In 2019, Accendo was included in the Deloitte Fast 500 Asia Pacific Technology list, being one of only 8 companies in SE Asia that made it to Deloitte’s annual ranking of the fastest-growing Asia Pacific companies in the hardware, software, communications, media, life sciences and clean technology industries.Earlier this year, the business raised funding rounds from OSK Ventures International and The Hive Southeast Asia with global expansion in mind.Along the course of the conversation, Sharma will be giving us a better sense of the early days at Accendo Technologies and what drove their rapid growth as well as the vision for the company moving forward.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“What I discovered was that business owners, especially SMEs, are petrified of employing people. It’s a huge problem that we wanted to solve.” Benjamin Thompson, Co-Founder and CEO of Employment Hero.In this episode of Open For Business, we explore Employment Hero’s journey from a simple HR platform to becoming a “fully-autonomous” HR tech solution for SMEs. We dive into why Employment Hero is striving to build the first employment operating system (OS) to simplify hiring, retention, and firing for SMEs, and why it’s raised US$411 million to achieve this goal.Joining us is Benjamin Thompson, Co-Founder and CEO of Employment Hero, who shares the company's origins, how it has evolved over the last 10 years, and the conviction behind his bold vision and why he believes Employment Hero is on track to become bigger than Atlassian.In this conversation, you’ll learn:- The personal motivation behind starting Employment Hero and how it evolved from Ben’s experience as an employment lawyer.- How Employment Hero turned its HR platform into a comprehensive solution for SMEs.- Why Employment Hero is confident it will one day surpass Atlassian, and how its total addressable market is driving this vision.- Insights into the company’s US$411 million fundraising journey and how the funds are being deployed to fuel international growth and AI-driven recruitment solutions.- The challenges of scaling a SaaS business, why it’s so capital-intensive, and how Employment Hero is navigating a path to profitability.- How Employment Hero plans to leverage AI to disrupt traditional recruitment practices with their "SmartMatch" tool, creating a real-time talent pool for businesses.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we are switching it up a notch and taking you on an “exhilarating” journey behind the scenes of Skyline Luge Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s newest adventure attraction. As the 8th Skyline Luge park globally and the 2nd in Southeast Asia, this “thrilling” (depending on your thrill appetite or level) destination offers a unique blend of gravity-fueled excitement and scenic beauty in the heart of the Klang Valley.We explore the origins of this luge park concept, its latest innovations like Malaysia’s first spiral zipline, and how it is shaping the local tourism landscape with Gavin Barnes, the General Manager of Skyline Luge Kuala Lumpur. Get ready to discover what makes Skyline Luge a memorable experience for adventurers of all ages.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is turning everyday vehicles into billboards the key to breaking through ad overload?In this episode of Open For Business, we explore how VOOH Media is attempting to transform the advertising landscape by turning everyday vehicles into mobile billboards. Joining us is Rajvinder Rai Singh, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of VOOH Media, who shares his journey from digital marketing and e-commerce to leading VOOH’s charge in vehicle out-of-home advertising.Rajvinder discusses the challenges and opportunities in this unique advertising space, how VOOH Media is differentiating itself from competitors, and how the company leverages data to try and deliver high ROI for brands. He also dives into the future of vehicle advertising and the growth strategies VOOH Media is implementing to drive success in a crowded market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1 ton of food waste + Black Soldier Fly larvae = 100kg of animal feed + 200kg of fertiliser!? Does this mean that the secret to managing biowaste is hidden in fly larvae?Founded in 2019, Entomal Biotech uses Black Soldier Fly larvae to transform organic waste into new products while reducing carbon emissions (compared to leaving the food waste in a landfill).Having made US$310,000 in revenue in 2023 and on track to grow 4.7 times to US$1.48 million in 2024, Entomal has big ambitions ahead, aiming to hit US$3.7 million in 2025 and US$5.2 million in 2026.However, given that the use of Black Soldier Flies isn’t proprietary IP or technology, what is going to stop a hungrier competitor from coming in and eating their lunch (or in this case their biowaste)? We get into that, and much more, in this episode of Open For Business with Yanni Ching, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Entomal Biotech.Among other things, Yanni shares with us:- The inspiration behind starting Entomal Biotech.- Differentiation in a non-proprietary tech market.- Entomal’s value proposition and current offerings.- Challenges and milestones from inception to commercialization.- Ensuring quality and compliance in biowaste management.- Revenue growth, profitability, and future financial expectations.- Funding, investors, and strategic plans for scaling the business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you go through security bag scans, have you ever wondered about how it works or do you just find it a hassle and wish the checks would move faster? Well, today look into the world of security technology in the field of cargo and baggage scanning solutions.We speak to Lee Yuh Jiunn, the General Manager of Billion Prima, a Malaysian company specialising in developing and deploying cargo scanners. With over 15 years of experience, the company has evolved from a service provider to a manufacturer, focusing on X-ray scanners, optical character recognition systems, and radiation detection technologies.In today’s episode, Lee YJ  shares about the inception of the company,  and how its innovations set Billion Prima apart from other players in this niche industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could turning ugly fruits into gelato be worth quitting university? For Hailey Yong, it was.At just 20, Hailey, CEO and Founder of The Unusual Greens, left her studies behind to pursue TUG Gelato full-time, an enterprise that transforms imperfect and surplus fruits into delicious gelato. What began as a student competition idea in the HULT Prize has grown from a home kitchen project to a 123 sqft central kitchen, and now to two outlets, including a fully-equipped central kitchen.Among other things, Hailey discusses the early challenges of convincing others—starting with her own family—of her vision, the R&D process that began in her own kitchen, and how she eventually transitioned her project from a side hustle to a full-time business.She also delves into the importance of staying true to her mission while continuously innovating to stand out in a crowded market. Finally, Hailey talks about her future plans, including potential expansion and the possibility of external funding, all while staying committed to the cause of food sustainability.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OGAWA, an iconic household name in the health and wellness industry that most Malaysians are familiar with – it doesn’t sound Malaysian but did you know that it is indeed a Malaysian brand?What started as a passion for enhancing lives through innovative wellness solutions, and from its humble beginnings in 1996, OGAWA has grown into a recognisable brand, changing the way we think about relaxation and well-being.In our conversation today with Leong Boon Hong, the Director of OGAWA Malaysia, we uncover the story behind the company’s journey – how it navigated early challenges, embraced technological advancements, and carved a niche in a highly competitive wellness industry, creating a healthier, more relaxed world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.