Open For Business

Today, we speak with Ashvin Praveen, Co-founder and CEO of Cleve.ai. They're an AI-powered content workspace for creators to create, get inspired, and organise content with one tool. Ashvin founded the business back in December 2023 with his co-founders, Lizzie and Rashad, after the company secured funding from Antler, the global early-stage VC firm, earlier this year. Since their inception, Cleve has now grown to have over 120 weekly active users and steadily growing after also securing funding from Antler, the global early-stage VC firm, earlier this year.In today’s conversation, Ashvin will be giving us a sense of how the idea of starting up an AI-powered workspace came about, some of the early challenges the company is currently facing and what’s in store for the business moving forward.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Open for Business, we dive into the world of mental wellness with Madiha Fuad, Founder and CEO of PlusVibes. Launched in 2020 during the pandemic, PlusVibes is a platform that combines digital and in-person mental health services, bringing together mental health associations, volunteer listeners, and campaigners on an all-in-one app.With over 50,000 users, PlusVibes provides tools for self-development and motivation, including data reports on employee well-being and curated workshops with subject matter experts. Madiha shares her journey from journalism and F&B to creating a mental wellness platform, the challenges she faced, and the ambitions for PlusVibes in 2024 and beyond.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Paresh Subramaniyam, Founder and CEO of Engage Life, a wellness company offering holistic health and well-being solutions for individuals and businesses. With clients like Motorola Solutions Malaysia, SME Bank Malaysia, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia, and Continental Automotive Components Malaysia, Engage Life covers various dimensions of wellness, including environmental, physical, financial, mental, and social well-being. Paresh will share the journey of founding Engage Life, the challenges faced, and how the company has achieved recognition and funding through initiatives like the Digital Health Innovation Challenge 2021 and the MY Startup Accelerator Cohort 2.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"The stress. The quantum of stress. To prepare a case that you need to do the submissions the next day, (that can take) 15-16 hours. You ask the young lawyer, they can't do it, they say they want a work-life balance. A lot of junior lawyers are leaving the profession because of the intense workload and lack of balance."In this episode of Open for Business, we sit down with Francis Lui, Founder, CEO, and CTO of NexLaw.ai, an AI-powered legal trial copilot that provides innovative AI-driven solutions in litigation and dispute trial preparation.Founded in 2023 by Francis and his wife Bernie Law, NexLaw.ai utilizes advanced AI algorithms to streamline various facets of legal work. The company’s services cover commercial and criminal law across major jurisdictions including the USA, UK, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Singapore. With a successful initial funding round from 500 Global in Silicon Valley, NexLaw.ai is now aiming to raise an additional $10 million to accelerate its growth.Partnering with NVIDIA Inception, a program dedicated to nurturing startups with advanced technology, NexLaw.ai is poised to drive significant advancements in the legal AI industry. In this episode, Francis shares the motivations behind venturing into legal tech, the challenges faced in building the business, and the company’s ambitious plans for the future.Tune in to learn more about how NexLaw.ai is transforming the legal industry, the role of AI in legal trial preparation, and the strategic steps the company is taking to expand its reach and impact.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you feel when you hear the phrase team building? When your company tells you that you are going on an offsite team building weekend, do you moan and groan, or do you feel supercharged about it? Hopefully, today’s episode on Open for Business will help you - employers and employees alike - see team building in a different light.In the business world today, team building has evolved beyond simple icebreakers and trust falls. It has become a vital component of corporate culture and organisational success, driven by the growing recognition of the importance of fostering collaboration, communication, and cohesion among employees.Companies are seeking out activities that not only promote teamwork but also enhance problem-solving skills, boost morale, and improve overall workplace productivity. As businesses navigate the complexities of a post-pandemic world, the role of team building in fostering resilience, adaptability, and unity has become even more crucial, especially with the rise of remote and hybrid work environments.So, how does one push the boundaries of traditional team building? We speak with the Founder and CEO of ATAG, Arthur Woo, to uncover the story behind ATAG, explore the challenges and triumphs along the company's journey, and gain insights into the future of team building in today’s corporate landscape.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Open for Business, we speak with Dalia Alkatiri, Founder and Managing Director of Bakin Love, a Malaysian-based baking business that sells fail-proof baking premixes to consumers and businesses.Founded in December 2022, Bakin Love is present across e-commerce platforms like Lazada, Shopee, TikTok, and The Noor, but also physical retailers like Village Grocer.Dalia shares her journey from being a startup advisor to an active business owner, the challenges she faced along the way, and Bakin Love’s ambitious plans for expansion ahead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In recent years, Malaysia's digital economy has undergone a remarkable transformation, fundamentally reshaping how consumers interact with businesses and services. The travel sector, in particular, has seen significant shifts, with online transactions becoming an integral part of daily life. This rapid digitalisation, accelerated by the pandemic a few years ago, has changed consumer behaviour and driven substantial economic value through digital platform business models.Amidst this progressively developing landscape, online bus ticketing platform, redBus, has emerged as one of the forerunners in the travel industry. Established in India in 2006 and now operating in Malaysia since 2015, as well as in multiple countries, redBus leverages technology to offer seamless and personalised travel experiences. By harnessing the power of generative AI, redBus optimises operations and enhances customer satisfaction, empowering both travel operators and end consumers.Today, we speak with Krishnan Ramaswami, the Chief Business Officer for International Business at redBus, on how the company is navigating Malaysia's dynamic digital economy, its growth journey, and future technological adoption.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With their patented modular edible hydroponic green walls, Grobrix is on a mission to reconnect urban communities with the source of their food, promoting healthier and more sustainable lifestyles.Started between 2019 and 2021, Grobrix has built a presence in more than 70 commercial locations across Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, with ambitious plans to triple its urban farming footprint in 2024. They are building on their current success in Singapore and Malaysia while expanding into North America through their recently announced partnership with Green City Growers. In just two years, Grobrix has reportedly grown quarterly revenue by over 500%, driven by the company’s transition from a business-to-consumer service to a business-to-business model.From the trading floor to green walls, Mathew joins us today to explore Grobrix’s journey, including their subscription-based Farming as a Service model, the strategic move to B2B, their expansion into the North American market, and the exciting developments with Grobrix 2.0. Join us as we delve into all this and much more.Image Credit: GrobrixSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Open for Business, we discuss the evolution of expense management platforms in Malaysia with Ivan Alias, Deputy Chief Commercial Officer at Merchantrade Asia.We'll explore how Merchantrade Asia's latest corporate solution, Merchantrade Money Biz, which is also Malaysia's first corporate wallet, is redefining expense management for businesses of varying sizes and how businesses can navigate the challenges and opportunities in this ever-changing tech environment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Among some of the key findings from Malaysia’s National Health and Morbidity Survey 2023 includes the fact that 15% of adults in Malaysia have diabetes, 29% have hypertension, 33% have high cholesterol, and that 54% are overweight. These health issues are not unique to Malaysia and in response to similar trends in Singapore, Novi Health has entered the chat in an attempt to address these rising concerns.Founded in 2019 by Dr. Sue-Anne Toh, Dr. Joanne Tay, and Dr. Kyle Tan, Novi Health specialises in diabetes care and weight management, integrating clinical treatments with behavioural and lifestyle interventions, but expects to expand into health optimization and improving health longevity in the near future. In 2022, Novi Health raised $5 million in a Series A round led by Monk’s Hill Ventures to power this ambition.Today, on Open for Business, we dive into how Dr. Sue Anne Toh and her co-founders built Novi Health, the business promise and potential, and what the path ahead looks like for this HealthTech company.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.