What’s a family office, and why might it be the next big source of funding for M’sian startups?
The Malaysian startup ecosystem is evolving rapidly, and a new player is emerging on the funding scene: the family office. While venture capital (VC) has traditionally dominated startup funding, family offices are now stepping into the spotlight, offering an alternative source of capital that could reshape the landscape. But what exactly is a family office, […]
M’sian proptech startup LiveIn surpasses RM51.4mil funding milestone with new investment
On May 28, Malaysian startup LiveIn shared that it has surpassed US$10.95 million in funding for its pre-Series B round. This milestone was achieved due to a new US$2.6 million investment by Korea Investment Partners (KIP), which is an extension from the US$8.3 million pre-Series B round led by InterVest Co., LTD and Wavemaker Partners, […]
This ex-Foodpanda growth lead quit his job to start his own M’sian prebiotic drinks brand
Supergulp‘s story began with a simple trip to the supermarket. Julian Koh, a self-proclaimed health enthusiast, was never one for sugary drinks. One day, while casually exploring the aisles, Julian stumbled upon a few Western sparkling prebiotic brands. Intrigued, he grabbed them all, took them home, and gave them a try. To his delight, their […]
Online thrifting is inefficient, so this M’sian engineering student launched her own solution
When she’s not busy studying for her electrical & electronics engineering course, Wei Ean is running her own startup, Kita, that’s tackling a serious issue: fashion waste. The student has always been entrepreneurial, though, having run an ecommerce store since she was 13. It was through this experience that she noticed how detrimental fast fashion […]
M’sian unicorn Carsome’s co-founders reveal their path to achieving profitability
Building a business from the ground up is no small feat, and Carsome‘s journey over the past nine years is a testament to that. Co-founders Eric Cheng and Teoh Jiun Ee have navigated through the complexities of the used car market in Southeast Asia, transforming their startup into a profitable powerhouse. They shared their thoughts […]
After 9 yrs running a humble cafe in Bukit Jalil, this founder is ready to expand ambitiously
Bukit Jalil has become home to quite an assortment of popular cafes and eateries. Off the top of my head, I can think of CC by Mel (and all of its sister brands), The Owls Cafe’s New Chapter, and one that Vulcan Post recently featured, Scoby Cafe. One haunt that has been steadily operating out […]
Meet 3 homegrown startups that put Malaysia on the world map at this Macao tech expo
From May 22 to 25, over 30,000 people gathered in Macao for BEYOND Expo 2024. A tech conference that seeks to be the CES of the APAC and SEA region, BEYOND Expo 2024 welcomed many industry leaders to be speakers and exhibitors during the four-day event. And amongst those exhibitors were three Malaysian startups, each […]
Don’t seek angel investors for your startup funding yet if you haven’t heard of these 5 tips
As a startup with ambitious goals, you’d typically source for funding externally. Sure, it could mean a dilution of ownership, increased scrutiny and reporting, as well as a risk of vision misalignment. Not to mention that if you’re an early-stage startup, venture capital firms might not look your way at all. That said, there are […]
A worthy investment or a fad? Here’s why Meme coins are trending
Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, opinions expressed below belong solely to the author. All pricing is correct at the time of publication. Up to 300 cryptocurrencies are currently considered meme coins – cryptocurrency tokens created from memes to attract investors through their viral potential. Meme coins have been trending in 2024, but are they a worthy […]
This Macao biz expo showed us 4 ways how M’sian events can be so much better for attendees
Having attended various business events in Malaysia, and a few overseas, I’ve come to notice stark differences. The events in Malaysia are by no means bad, but—to tap into my Gen Z vocabulary—many have been quite mid. (Translation: mediocre.) Often, their premise is promising and gets me excited to attend, but the execution leaves more […]
Tribe, Nvidia and DISG co-launch Southeast Asia’s first AI startup accelerator
Announced at Asia Tech x Enterprise 2024, Ignition AI Accelerator is a new global AI startup accelerator based in Singapore. Its four-month program will foster best-in-class support platform AI startups to thrive in the rapidly emerging global AI market. A collaboration between tech giant NVIDIA, startup ecosystem builder Tribe and Digital Industry Singapore (DISG), a […]
4 S’porean startups we spotted proudly showcasing their innovations at BEYOND Expo in Macao
The highlight of Macao’s annual BEYOND Expo is typically getting to see tech innovations firsthand. Who wouldn’t be excited to lay eyes on the latest up-and-coming products that might be gracing the markets soon? But perhaps even more exciting is seeing businesses from our very own homeland being showcased on the same floor as giants […]
Are million-dollar HDBs the new norm? Over 750 resale flats are listed for S$1M+ in S’pore
HDB flats listed and sold for over S$1 million are becoming an increasingly common sight in Singapore. As of 31 May 2024, 757 HDBs are listed for over S$1 million on property listing platform PropertyGuru, and 729 are listed on 99.co. Of these flats, 29 are selling for over S$1.5 million on PropertyGuru, and 28 […]
DBS linked to $650 million ETH holding, which is the 40th largest in the world
A recent tweet by blockchain analysis firm Nansen caused some buzz in crypto news circles, as it traced a large Ethereum wallet to DBS bank. The Nansen 2 AI identified DBS bank as the holder of a blockchain address containing 173K Ethereum, valued at USD$650 million. This wallet is the 40th largest ETH holding in […]
The technology behind Islamic fintech is actually agnostic, and its demographic can be too
A couple of weeks ago, we explained why non-Muslims should tap into the Islamic fintech space. It’s projected to grow to US$128 billion (RM536 billion) by next year and will be worth about US$5 trillion by 2030, based on our Ministry of Communications’ report. The truth is that despite its name, Islamic fintech is actually […]
Noticing a gap in the S’porean market for locally made achar, this mum started her own biz
It all started amidst the pandemic. At the time, Harleen Soin, who was originally from New Delhi, noticed a void in the market for homemade delicacies such as achar due to the inability to travel back home. That’s when she had a lightbulb moment. “We still had the ability to talk to our elders and […]
Weeks after Microsoft’s RM10.5bil pledge, Google invests in Malaysia too with RM9.4bil
Google today announced RM9.4 billion (US$2 billion) investment in Malaysia, and it’s set to accelerate the country’s digital transformation. This follows Microsoft’s massive investment of RM10.5 billion (US$2.2 billion) in Malaysia, announced less than a month ago. Google’s huge investment includes building Google’s very first data centre and Google Cloud region in Malaysia, aimed at […]
Grab & OpenAI announces a first-of-its-kind in collaboration in SEA, here’s what it’s about
Grab and OpenAI announced today (May 30) that they will collaborate to build and deploy advanced AI solutions that enrich the Grab experience for users, partners, and employees. Both brands barely need an introduction, with Grab being the leading superapp in the region known for its e-hailing, ewallet, and food delivery services, amongst other offerings. […]
Obsessed with the Dutch treat, this M’sian spent RM350K to start a stroopwafel cafe in SS15
Working in the property industry, 36-year-old Ray Lim enjoyed his first stroopwafel many years ago when a family friend brought a pack back from their trip to Amsterdam. Featuring a balance of gooeyness and a soft snap, as well as a mix of buttery vanilla flavours complemented by a touch of cinnamon, what’s not to […]
AI will make investing in stocks harder as GPT-4 makes better forecasts than human analysts
Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, any opinions expressed below belong solely to the author. The findings about GPT-4 performance vs. human analysts come from a recent paper from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business In a march for human jobs (as we are told, at least) Large Language Models have seemingly made another major […]
5 ways this UK uni in Johor gives students real-world training to prepare for their future careers
[This is a sponsored article with the University of Southampton Malaysia.] You’ve just graduated from high school, and it’s normal to feel a little lost and unsure about what to study next. Ideally, your chosen course and university should help prepare you for the real working world. That said, many employers in Malaysia feel that […]
TNG eWallet’s new service lets users make repeat payments for subscriptions like the gym
TNG Digital, one of Malaysia’s leading integrated fintech players and operator of TNG eWallet, just announced the introduction of a new service to users—recurring payments. Directly integrated with the TNG eWallet, this latest offering aims to empower underserved markets and improve financial accessibility for merchants and consumers across Malaysia. Traditionally, recurring payments for gym memberships […]
Meet the neurodivergent chef behind this vegan, reservations-only omakase spot in S’pore
Originally from Hong Kong, Joyce Cheng never expected to stay for as long as she has in Singapore. “My family and I were born in Hong Kong, then emigrated to Toronto before 1997,” she shared with Vulcan Post. “We all studied and lived in Toronto before going back to HK to work for a few […]
This tech event in Macao wants to be the CES of APAC & SEA, here’s how it’s getting there
Flying cars. A robobus. Tesla’s Cybertruck and humanoid robot, Optimus. These were just some of the eye-catching sights at BEYOND Expo 2024, a recent tech event in Macao that Vulcan Post had the opportunity to attend. But all these only make up the surface of what the event is truly trying to accomplish. What is […]
She broke away from her corporate job to bake “sourdonuts”, now owns a microbakery in PJ
The transition of a home-based food business from an online platform to a physical storefront tends to make for an inspiring story. Such is the case with Basket Break Bakehouse. Daphne Ng was well-known on Instagram for her “sourdonuts” (sourdough-based doughnuts that look similar to bombolinis), which she started as a COVID-19 pandemic hobby. However, […]
Indeed: GenAI jobs in S’pore double, despite “incredibly tight” job market
A news article by Singapore Business Review reported today (May 28) that Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) jobs have doubled in Singapore. The report came after recruitment platform Indeed reported that one in every 190 job postings in Singapore involves generative AI, noting that the posting share has almost doubled over the last three months. According […]
MRANTI alumnus Simplify puts Malaysian tech on the world map at a Beijing global forum
Simplify, a Malaysian trailblazer in wireless connectivity has just bagged a top spot as one of the 100 Best Innovative Technologies for International Cooperation at the esteemed Zhongguancun (ZGC) Forum in Beijing. This win is a huge nod to the groundbreaking work coming out of Malaysia and highlights the global impact of our homegrown tech. […]
PwC: Singaporeans with AI skills can earn up to 45% more in the same job. Here’s the list.
Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, opinions expressed below belong solely to the author. Presented data comes from PwC’s AI Jobs Barometer report published last week. The primary concern of the AI-powered era that we were thrust into so suddenly in 2022 was that thinking computers will render millions of us jobless. However, as it happens, it […]
Meet the 7 M’sian startups who made it onto Cyberview Living Lab Accelerator’s 18th cohort
The Cyberview Living Lab Accelerator‘s 18th Cohort wrapped up on May 15, which was when the Demo Day took place. Also known as CLLA, this accelerator empowers promising startups by providing a conducive platform for them to experiment, pilot, launch innovative solutions, and grow. The programme provides entrepreneurs support in the areas of human capital, […]
No agriculture skills, no problem: These M’sians started a microgreens biz with big ambitions
He’s an expert in intellectual property. Her background is in construction. How did these two Malaysians from different fields come together to start an urban farming company together? Despite their different paths, Qi-Guang and Karen have been friends for years since college, laying the groundwork for their business partnership. The spark for that partnership came […]
