Open For Business

The need for cybersecurity has never been greater. Technology is everywhere and whether the digitisation of society is good, bad, or ugly, what is indisputable is that we are incredibly reliant on tech. According to research and advisory company Forrester, 68% of enterprises in Asia suffered from at least one security breach in 2021. While this is an incredibly scary problem, it’s also a giant opportunity that Singapore-based cybersecurity firm Blackpanda is looking to tap intoPhoto Credit: Digital News AsiaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The wedding industry is one of Malaysia's most lucrative industries, worth up to RM7 billion a year, according to the Malaysia Reserve in 2019. But we cannot forget that this industry has suffered one of the worst hits during the pandemic. Some couples even had to go through online weddings. But Precious Wedding Bridal Studio weathered through it all despite having no sales at all during the two years of pandemic. How are they doing now? And what are the wedding trends for couples who are looking to tie the knot this year?Photo Credit: Shutterstock | Alex GukalovSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WeHantar is a digital startup logistics company looking to bridge ASEAN by providing solutions for businesses and individuals to move goods across the region. Where many couriers charge based on weight and size, WeHantar seeks to differentiate themselves by adopting the approach of sending anything that fits into their box, within the limit of 75kg. We speak to Ash Najwan, Co-Founder and Operations Lead of WeHantar to hear about their unique approach to the courier industry. Photo Credit : Shutterstock | GorodenkoffSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Back in 2017, two passionate youths were dedicated to reimagining the way people eat and creating food products that are healthy, enjoyable, and convenient for people. In just two years, they are able to expand their markets into 6 different countries. Until now, their products are available in over 1000 retailers across multiple countries. They are also one of the 12 companies for the Endeavor ScaleUp Cohort 3 program. One of the founders, Justin Chan, shares their milestones.Photo Credit : Facebook | ThipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most of us are probably familiar with cashless and ticketless parking, in fact, smart parking in Malaysia is valued at USD 450 million from 2022-2030 whereas the figure stands at USD 8 billion in Southeast Asia. However, surprisingly, the Southeast Asian market for parking is still 90% cash-based. This could be down to parking space owners not understanding or fearing the switch to digital. Started by 3 industry veterans, Sonicboom looks to transform traditional cash payment parking businesses to a 0 capital expenditure low operational expenditure business, by having an all-in-one terminal software that eliminates the need of upgrading the software to keep up to date with the latest payment features.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Insurance - it’s a crucial part of any good financial plan and it’s more than just life insurance, medical card, or critical illness cover. More importantly, it’s not just for individuals, businesses need insurance as well. Senang Insurance is an insuretech that’s trying to make insurance easier for businesses, gig workers, and more. Armed with a new round of funding from TIM Ventures, we speak to Co-founder and CEO Sharian Raj about how they started and what comes next.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Arus Oil provides convenience solutions for households, F&B, and hoteliers to recycle their Used Cooking Oil (UCO) waste. The first of its kind to focus on the household market in terms of collecting UCO waste, where households can recycle as little as 5 kgs of UCO from the convenience of their homes and Arus Oil's digital platform.Transactions of payments made are transparent and also a carbon calculation will be summarised for the user(s) to keep in track with their carbon activities by recycling their UCO. Photo Credit : Facebook | Arus OilSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many Malaysians own pets and are always on the lookout to provide the best service and care for their ‘fur babies’. Petotum is looking to revolutionise the pet care ecosystem by using technology to connect both pet owners and pet businesses on a single integrated platform. We speak to Afifah Basir, Co-founder and CEO of Petotum to hear about her unique platform and motivations behind starting a pet community ecosystem.Photo Credit : Shutterstock New AfricaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Digital marketing agencies have sprouted up in abundance over the last few years, addressing all of the needs of many businesses. To some people, digital marketing can seem like a different language, or even a different universe; so who best to help you with your digital marketing campaigns? Digital natives. We hear from Brandon Lee, Co-Founder of Pandan Social about what it's like to head up a young dynamic DM team.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Digital assets are slowly becoming more mainstream with people having at least heard of cryptocurrency and NFTs. Unfortunately, just like physical assets, assets in digital form are also vulnerable to theft and loss. Web3Gate is looking to offer a secure yet convenient way to enjoy token gated benefits without requiring holders to connect or carry their crypto wallets. We speak to Edwin Yin, co-founder of Web3Gate to hear how they are making token gating convenient, yet safer.Photo Credit: Shutterstock | Ground PictureSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.