TOKEN2049: Binance CEO Richard Teng on how the company has evolved after CZ’s departure
Few leaders have faced a more pivotal career transition than Binance‘s Richard Teng. Teng, a former regulator, has been at the helm of the company for the past 10 months after being appointed directly by the co-founder and former CEO of the crypto exchange, Changpeng Zhao (CZ). His leadership comes at a critical juncture for […]
Shein’s S’pore layoffs: Strategic restructuring or signs of trouble ahead of London IPO?
Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein is a popular name in the retail world, known for its wide range of affordable and trendy clothing. But even major players are not immune to change, as the company recently laid off 17 employees from its Singapore headquarters, reported The Straits Times. This move, announced on September 25, comes at […]
Can Loop earplugs save my sanity from my yapper colleagues? I put 3 models to the test.
Sitting at my desk, I often find myself stuck between my colleagues who type furiously on their mechanical keyboards. Their loud clacking and clicking can become a constant distraction, derailing my focus on even the simplest of tasks. So, when I got the chance to test out Loop Earplugs—specifically the Quiet 2, Engage 2, and […]
Data shows Singapore MRT is more reliable than Hong Kong MTR—and has been for several years
Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed below belong solely to the author, however all of the figures are an official and objective representation of reality. Now that a major incident has disrupted Singapore’s East-West Line (EWL) for a few days, critics of Singapore’s public transit are enjoying an opportunity to gloat about how supposedly inferior and mismanaged […]
Will Singapore become a Web3 hub? Coinbase, Ripple execs weigh in at TOKEN2049.
According to a Forbes article published earlier this April, China, India, and Hong Kong have made waves for thriving Web3 ecosystems. While crypto activity is active in those countries, some experts believe Singapore will become another Web3 hub in Asia. As part of this year’s annual TOKEN2049 Singapore convention—the world’s largest crypto event—Emma Cui, founder […]
Here’s our rating of every haunted house at Sunway’s NOF10, so you know which to shortlist
I didn’t know what to expect when I signed up to join Sunway’s Nights of Fright 10 (NOF10), but I couldn’t deny that on the day of our visit, the evening air was eerie, sending chills down my spine as we waited for the gates to open. Growing up, I’ve always been a horror junkie. […]
Google paid US$2.7 billion to rehire an engineer who quit in 2021—and it may be a great deal
Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, any opinions expressed below belong solely to the author. Over the past two years, Google has cut in excess of 13,000 jobs, reportedly to reduce its operating costs. That didn’t stop it, however, from writing a cheque to license Character.AI this August. The sum? US$2.7 billion. Character.AI is an artificial intelligence […]
M’sians can finally watch award-winning local filmmaker Jared Lee’s works in cinema this Oct
Jared Lee has made it into news headlines numerous times during his career, and deservingly so. A visionary Malaysian filmmaker, Jared and his studio Grim Film have won many awards for their work. Most recently, they were recognised for their short film Horologist, which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival and won Best Animation […]
Here are Singapore’s top 10 startups to watch in 2024, according to LinkedIn
LinkedIn has once again unveiled its annual list of the top 10 startups in Singapore for the fifth time. These companies aren’t just growing rapidly—they’re also making significant strides in their respective industries, from fintech to health tech and even AI. The list is built on LinkedIn’s exclusive data, focusing on four key pillars: employee […]
Sidec aims to nurture 300 startups and SMEs to grow Malaysia’s GDP, here’s the game plan
[This is a sponsored article with Sidec.] What kicks off a business idea is often that exciting eureka moment. We’ve all been there—you’re sitting with friends, someone mentions a problem they’ve faced, and suddenly an idea sparks, followed by, “We should start a business!” But that’s the easy part. The real challenge comes after, when […]
Sidec handpicked these 9 M’sian startups to pitch to the Tokyo govt. Here’s what they learnt.
[This is a sponsored article with Sidec.] From May 12 to 18, 2024, nine Malaysian startups took part in a week-long pitching expedition to Tokyo, Japan. Organised by the Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec), the Pitch Malaysia Series aimed to connect these startups with international venture capitalists (VCs) for funding and scaling […]
S‘pore to launch new office next year to speed up approval & regulatory processes for SMEs
For Singapore’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), dealing with complicated government procedures and red tape can be a major headache. According to The Straits Times, a new office will open its doors in early 2025, specifically designed to help SMEs navigate the often perplexing landscape of rules and regulations, especially when these involve more than […]
5% increase in non-residents propels Singapore’s population to hit record 6 mil in June 2024
For the first time in the nation’s history, Singapore’s total population passed the six million threshold. This landmark milestone was recorded in June by the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) in its annual Population in Brief (PIB). This news was shared to the public just yesterday (September 24, 2024). It’s a 2% increase from […]
This Singaporean startup cultivates fish fats to make lab-grown meat taste better
Cultivated meat may offer a sustainable future, but it often falls short in one key area: flavour. Too dry, too bland—it simply doesn’t satisfy like the real thing, at least according to Singaporean startup ImpacFat. And the missing link? The startup believes that they’ve cracked the code with their cultivated fish fat. “Nobody’s working on […]
Unexpected job survey: Nearly 70% of Singapore employers believe 4-day work week is feasible
Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, any opinions expressed below belong solely to the author. Just yesterday I wrote about the improving conditions of the Singapore labour market, backed by MOM data, and today there’s another indication of a potential revolution on the horizon—the idea of reducing the work week to four days only. Robert Walters, a […]
Mints with a twist: Why he started a S’porean mint brand with turmeric as the star ingredient
During the pandemic, many of us turned to boosting our immunity, seeking comfort in various health supplements. Turmeric, with its known health benefits, became a common sight in households. But for Pushpendra (Push) Sharma, founder and CEO of HaldyPlus Nutrition Pte Ltd, turmeric’s traditional forms weren’t cutting it. “I wanted to incorporate turmeric into my […]
TOKEN2049: What experts at the world’s largest crypto event say will drive crypto mainstream
While many Singaporeans and tourists felt buzzed last week because of the annual Singapore Grand Prix Formula One race, it coincided with TOKEN2049, the world’s largest crypto event. Following the crypto winter in the last two years, the industry is no stranger to scepticism from the mainstream audience and traditional financial institutions—a sentiment that several players in the […]
Why this Malaysian software developer created yet another calorie tracking app
If you’ve ever tried losing weight, you’ll know that the journey isn’t easy. This is something that software developer Hazmi Irfan experienced. “Like many, I gained a lot of weight during the pandemic and tried numerous times to shed it, but I always ended up giving up,” he said. “The main issue I found with […]
He used to be a line cook in S’pore, now owns a pad krapao specialty restaurant in PJ
Opening a restaurant is no easy feat, but Alvin Lim, the founder of Padboy, makes it seem like it was the natural next step in his culinary journey. From working under a celebrity chef at a Thai restaurant in Singapore to becoming the owner of a Thai street food haven, Alvin’s story is one of […]
RPG Commerce is shutting down M’sian apparel brands Thousand Miles & Bottoms Lab after 5 yrs
Vulcan Post recently learnt that Malaysian apparel and travel brand Thousand Miles is shutting down. “We’re writing to share some bittersweet news with you,” an email from Thousand Miles to customers read. “After five amazing years serving the community in Malaysia, we’ve made the difficult decision to permanently close our store.” “At Thousand Miles, our […]
Singaporeans are enjoying the best job market conditions on record, according to MOM data
Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, any opinions expressed below belong solely to the author. In a previous article I extracted a list of professions with the highest number of vacancies, listed in Ministry of Manpower’s most recent Labour Market Report. But the document itself provides more insights into the evolution of the job market in Singapore—and […]
Nights of Fright 10: Sunway Lagoon on growing its profitable haunted event for 10+ yrs
Sunway Lagoon’s iconic Nights of Fright (NOF) is back for the 10th time, running every weekend from September 20 to October 31. This year there are nine exclusive, spooky haunted experiences in total: And of course, the whole park is joining in on the spooky fun, with four scares zones scattered about the space. Namely, […]
Adapt or go obsolete: Learn to embrace AI & cybersecurity for your biz at this KL summit
[This is a sponsored article with Internet Alliance Malaysia.] Digitalisation has evolved in recent years, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Before this, many businesses doubted the benefits of cloud tech and subscription models or felt sustainability wasn’t crucial for resilience. As companies adapted, many were unprepared for the cybersecurity risks that came with new tech […]
At 23, this Johorean started a pop-up coffee biz that’s now grown into a full-fledged café
At just 23 years old, Zahirulhaque, who goes by Haq, has succeeded in his dreams of opening his very own cafe. Located in X Park Sunway Iskandar in Johor, the cafe is called Cartboy, and was officially opened around June this year. But don’t be mistaken; this opportunity wasn’t something that just landed on his […]
Is At Tea S’pore “just another bubble tea brand”? Our verdict: Nope.
“It’s too milky! I can’t taste the tea flavour enough.” I often hear this sentiment from my family and friends when we get our weekly bubble tea fix, and I wholeheartedly agree. Now, feel free to disagree with me, but as someone who prefers tea over coffee, there were times I felt disappointed when the […]
Dwindling demand for books? Following Times’ closure, S’pore’s Epigram shutters sole outlet.
On September 19, homegrown book publisher Epigram Books posted to Instagram: “Another one bites the dust…” This is followed by the bittersweet announcement that Epigram Books will be shutting down its sole physical outlet, Epigram Coffee Bookshop, on January 26, 2025. “This week has been a tough one for Singapore’s book community, and we are […]
Singapore is facing a birth rate decline, PMO projects more deaths than births by 2030s
We’ll be seeing more deaths than births among Singaporeans in about 10 years, according to The Straits Times‘ findings. “If (or when) this happens, Singapore’s population would shrink without immigration,” the report stated. This was following Minister Indranee Rajah’s response to a parliamentary question on September 9. Based on the current trends, it’s believed that […]
Stuck in a creative rut, this M’sian quit the film industry to launch two themed cafes
Cafes seem to be sprouting up on every corner these days, but Petra Pudu and N.16 stand out for their creativity and atmosphere. Spearheaded by Tan Wei Ting (YY), both cafes reflect a deep passion for design, environment, and the personal touch of nostalgia. Born and raised in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, YY, transitioned from a […]
Where to find tong sui in the Klang Valley: 6 dessert cafes to satiate your “sugar water” fix
Literally translating to “sugar water”, Tong Sui, in my humble opinion, is part and parcel of Malaysian cuisine. From creamy peanut soup to bubur cha cha, these sweet concoctions make for such a heartwarming dessert. While your favourite tong sui spot might be run by an uncle in a truck or an auntie at a […]
This M’sian opened a cafe straight out of uni, now it has 9 outlets & is expanding to Bali
Syed Arif Azman has always loved business. “I was selling CDs and T-shirts when I was in high school,” Arif reminisced. “I was going class to class and asking students whether they’d want a custom music CD playlist.” Now, the legality of what Arif was doing is… questionable at best, but it was the start […]
