Open For Business

In April, India-based Software-as-a-Service and workforce management platform BetterPlace acquired TROOPERS, a Malaysian firm that specializes in part-time staffing and recruitment services, in a deal estimated to be worth between US$15 million and US$20 million, according to a source who spoke to Tech in Asia. This came a month after BetterPlace acquired Indonesia-based MyRobin for an undisclosed amount.

Given this sudden push into Southeast Asia, we speak to Pravin Agarwala, Co-Founder and Group CEO of BetterPlace to get into how these acquisitions plug into BetterPlace, a deeper dive into their growth and expansion plans, and what the pathway to profitability and an IPO could look like.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Under its MyStartup Hub (MSH) programme, the Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation (MRANTI) has been trying to recruit global innovators to establish business hubs in Malaysia. One of these companies is Singapore-based sustainable building solutions provider Bizsu.

Founded in 2019, Bizsu wants to help businesses embrace sustainability in a way that’s practical while being kind to the bottomline. The firm claims that its main product reduces air-conditioning consumption by 25% on average.

We speak to Brice Degeyter, Bizsu’s Founder and General Manager, about tech behind this patented net, their expansion strategy beyond Singapore, and what else lies ahead for Biszu.

Under its MyStartup Hub (MSH) programme, the Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation (MRANTI) has been trying to recruit global innovators to establish business hubs in Malaysia. One of these companies is Singapore-based sustainable building solutions provider Bizsu.

Founded in 2019, Bizsu wants to help businesses embrace sustainability in a way that’s practical while being kind to the bottomline. The firm claims that its main product reduces air-conditioning consumption by 25% on average.

We speak to Brice Degeyter, Bizsu’s Founder and General Manager, about tech behind this patented net, their expansion strategy beyond Singapore, and what else lies ahead for Biszu.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is doing laundry at a laundrette becoming a trend here in Malaysia?

We hear from Nini Tan, Co-Founder of Dobi Queen, a laundrette that has been providing wash, dry and fold services since 2015. Over the next eight years, DobiQueen plans to expand to more than 70 stores in the Klang Valley.

We'll be delving into DobiQueen's business model, profitability, and future expansion strategies.

Is doing laundry at a laundrette becoming a trend here in Malaysia?

We hear from Nini Tan, Co-Founder of Dobi Queen, a laundrette that has been providing wash, dry and fold services since 2015. Over the next eight years, DobiQueen plans to expand to more than 70 stores in the Klang Valley.

We'll be delving into DobiQueen's business model, profitability, and future expansion strategies.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kabel is a tech company that developed an app to connect young graduates with employers to help graduates find meaningful jobs. It can be said to be a dating app-like model for jobs, because job seekers can swipe left and right on jobs they are interested in, and so can employers.

Camelia Loh and Daniel Yap talk about how they co-founded the company, and how Kabel fits into the picture of youth employment.

Kabel is a tech company that developed an app to connect young graduates with employers to help graduates find meaningful jobs. It can be said to be a dating app-like model for jobs, because job seekers can swipe left and right on jobs they are interested in, and so can employers.

Camelia Loh and Daniel Yap talk about how they co-founded the company, and how Kabel fits into the picture of youth employment.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SF6 (Sulphur Hexafluoride) is an extremely potent greenhouse gas, 23,500 times more effective at trapping infrared radiation than an equivalent amount of CO2. According to National Grid, it remains in the atmosphere for 3,200 years, and is a vital component in switchgear technology for distribution of electricity.

We hear from Nicholas Ottersbach, Business Development Manager of Nuventura–a cleantech company that has developed an alternative to the harmful SF6 gas used in switchgear technology.

SF6 (Sulphur Hexafluoride) is an extremely potent greenhouse gas, 23,500 times more effective at trapping infrared radiation than an equivalent amount of CO2. According to National Grid, it remains in the atmosphere for 3,200 years, and is a vital component in switchgear technology for distribution of electricity.

We hear from Nicholas Ottersbach, Business Development Manager of Nuventura–a cleantech company that has developed an alternative to the harmful SF6 gas used in switchgear technology.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elderly care is becoming an increasingly more pressing concern given Malaysia’s ageing population with The World Bank noting in 2020 that Malaysia will be a “super-aged society”, by 2056, as defined by having over 20% of the population above the age of 65. For context, the number was around 7% in 2020.

While there doesn’t seem to be a silver bullet to address this concern, it does smell of business opportunity and private sector players have entered the scene. One of them is CARE Concierge.

CARE Concierge recently got a huge boost in the form of funding, it was onboarded as the first portfolio under Gobi Partners’ newly established Gobi Dana Impak Ventures (GDIV) fund. GDIV is a part of the Future Malaysia Programme, an initiative under Khazanah Nasional’s Dana Impak mandate.

We speak to Martin Yap, CARE Concierge’s Founder and CEO about how this funding will be utilised, the growth pathway ahead, and how CARE Concierge leverages tech to power its elderly care offerings.