“Mushrooms scare S’poreans”, so he turns them into funky, functional art to fight those fears
“In all their expressions, [they] have helped me to develop myself, becoming a more balanced being,” Ng Sze Kiat, the founder of Bewilder, told us. It’s a sweet sentiment that you might attribute to a friend, a family member, or even a loving pet. None of them apply in this case. Instead, Sze Kiat was […]
What’s stopping female entrepreneurs from becoming leaders? 5 M’sian female leaders share.
While many eyes were on KL20 Summit’s main Leader and Founder stages, there was also something called the Catalyst Corner where a variety of different side events were being held. One such event was called “Catalyst for Change: She Runs the World”. Organised by Cradle Fund and Women in Tech as a roundtable discussion, it […]
Fake honey is a huge problem, this M’sian biz addresses it with its farm-to-bottle approach
“Darlings Honey was born out of an unfortunate incident. Right before the pandemic hit, a family member was diagnosed with cancer,” Danielle and Lewin Pee recalled. “At the time, we were debating on treatment options and were keen to explore more natural alternatives. Several of our friends had recommended consuming stingless bee honey (or better […]
Net zero explained: Why Amazon, Microsoft, & M’sia itself are pledging to be carbon neutral
[This is a sponsored article with MRANTI.] Achieving carbon neutrality is all the buzz right now in the business world. Apple and Microsoft have set goals to become carbon-negative by 2030. Amazon and General Motors have vowed to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. Meanwhile, Google claims that it’s maintained carbon neutrality since 2007. The Malaysian […]
This kombucha café in Bukit Jalil said goodbye only to reopen in the same spot months later
A few months ago in January, a café that appeared to be shutting down came across our radar. At the very least, it seemed to be relocating. Called Scoby Cafe, it’s a spot serving up coffee and brunch, touting to be the first kombucha café in Malaysia. On Instagram, the team had posted a series […]
Malaysian startups need to stop copying the Silicon Valley playbook, here’s why
For decades, the startup narrative has been dominated by Silicon Valley’s mantra which is to raise capital, scale rapidly, and flip for profit. Silicon Valley, a region in Northern California, is a renowned hub for high technology and innovation. It hosts numerous global tech giants and thousands of startups, making it a focal point for […]
Keeping a fading legacy alive, these M’sian sisters’ Peranakan beadwork shoes start from RM1K
For Swee Lin and her sister, Swee May, beaded footwear is an integral part of their Chinese Peranakan heritage. Hence, they are on a mission to preserve the fading legacy. The siblings are no strangers to the challenges of building a business from the ground up. Swee Lin, founded the PichaEats startup, which provides meals […]
Senheng is building an all-in-one lifestyle app, here’s how M’sians can benefit from it
A few years ago, super apps, which are basically all-in-one platforms, had been all the rage, though the hype seems to have died down a little now. However, one app that still seems to be on the up-and-up is the Senheng App, which first launched in 2022. Now, I know what you might be thinking. […]
Keeping quality high & prices low, Airbot plans to grow its physical presence in Malaysia
[Written in partnership with Airbot, but the editorial team had full control over the content.] If you’ve ever shopped for household appliances online, one option you might have come across is a brand called Airbot. Airbot features a robust range of products, including handheld cordless vacuum cleaners, mopping vacuum cleaners, air fryers, air purifiers, and robotic […]
5 things M’sian fintech entrepreneurs can’t ignore if they want to propel their startups
As Malaysia gears up for the next big leap in financial innovation, the spotlight is on fintech companies poised to flip traditional banking and investment practices. And in the fast-paced world of finance, you can’t just brush off how much technology can shake things up. Looking back over the past four decades, we’ve witnessed a […]
S’pore ranks 4th wealthiest city in the world – 4 out of 100 residents are millionaires
Singapore has been ranked the fourth wealthiest city in the world, with 244,800 millionaires, 336 centi-millionaires, and 30 billionaires residing in the city-state. This means that about four out of 100 people in Singapore is a millionaire, without taking into account the number of centi-millionaires (people with a net worth of at least US$100 million) […]
What to know about the new EPF Account 3 & how it’ll impact your retirement savings
When that paycheck hits your account at the end or start of the month, there’s a fleeting moment of joy for many working adults. But in Malaysia, a portion of that happiness is reserved for the future because of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF). Established in 1991 by the Malaysian government, the EPF is like […]
Islamic fintech isn’t just for Muslims, here’s why M’sian consumers & startups should tap in
Malaysia is the third largest Islamic finance market after Iran and Saudi Arabia. Why does this matter, you may ask? Because the Islamic finance industry has been expanding rapidly over the past decade. Global Finance Magazine reported earlier this year that the industry has been growing about 10% to 12% annually. This growth is more […]
Amazon to invest S$12bn into S’pore to expand cloud computing and AI capabilities
At the AWS Summit held at Marina Bay Sands earlier today (May 7), Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced that it will invest S$12 billion in its existing cloud infrastructure in Singapore from 2024 to 2028 to meet the growing customer demand for cloud technology and services in the city-state. This marks the tech giant’s largest […]
Sick of her day job, she quit to focus on her baking biz that now has a physical cafe in PJ
Since childhood, Lakhshmi Priya, alongside her sister Dhivya Dhyana and cousin sister Vidyalakshmi, shared a deep passion for baking fostered by their mother’s loving tradition of baking cakes for birthdays and family gatherings. What began as a childhood pastime bloomed into a full-fledged business venture, taking shape as Ministry of Cakes. The inception of Ministry […]
This M’sian quit banking to learn how to bake polo buns so he could start a HK-style eatery
Hailing from Taiping Perak, Chester Lee always wished to have a café or restaurant before turning 30. And in 2019, the year he turned 30, he did just that. Before that, Chester had been a mortgage loan banker by trade. “Mortgage sales is a high-pressure job because you always have to deal with a lot […]
Tealive’s new brand refresh shows that Bryan Loo’s vision for it goes beyond just bubble tea
[Written in partnership with Tealive, but the editorial team had full control over the content.] Bright and early on Friday (May 3), we were invited by Tealive to Lot 10’s Premier Terrace at Bukit Bintang for a milestone event. Located just outside the MRT station’s doorway, you could hear the event before seeing it. Playing repeatedly […]
This M’sian actor started a dumpling brand with unique flavours like bak kut teh & pad krapao
“At that time, I could feel my acting career building loads of momentum. [I was] signing with the biggest talent agency in Toronto, Canada, [after making my film debut alongside Sigourney Weaver in The Good House],” Adrian Choong, the founder of Gyoza For Life, shared. “And then COVID-19 happened.” Everything in the entertainment industry halted. […]
S’pore govt unveils AI-powered search engine to provide easier access to Parliament records
The Singapore government’s experimental development arm, Open Government Products (OGP), has launched Pair Search, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered search engine that aims to give Singaporeans easier access to parliamentary records. According to a news report by The Straits Times, the website is powered by a large language model (LLM)—the same technology behind the mainstream generative […]
S’poreans can soon use PayNow, GrabPay to make payments in Japan
Tourists from Singapore and several other Asian countries will soon be able to pay for their purchases in Japan using their local QR code wallets. Under a new joint payment programme, eight participating countries will be able to scan Japan QR (JPQR) codes to make payments, the Straits Times reports. Likewise, Japanese travellers can also […]
After being retrenched, these M’sians started making yoghurt that’s now sold in 30+ locations
For those who are not familiar with Indian yoghurt also known as “tairu”, it’s renowned for its rich and creamy texture. Throughout history, Indian yoghurt has been consumed in various forms and dishes, playing a versatile role in Indian cooking, from savoury curries and marinated meats to refreshing drinks and sweet desserts. However, in Malaysia, […]
Why we’re flying to Macao for this 4-day global tech event in May & why you should too
Portuguese egg tarts, we’re coming for you. The last time Macao was brought to our attention, it was at The Macao Showcase in Singapore where we had a teaser of the region, and we were mightily impressed by what it has accomplished. Although famous worldwide as being an entertainment hub, Macao’s business prowess is not […]
Rafizi Ramli shares his biggest concern: Malaysians’ risk aversion & success model
If you were to ask top Malaysian students what their career goal is, what do you think their answer would be? Our Minister of Economy, Rafizi Ramli, believes that many of these highly trained Malaysians would want a nice, stable job at a big corporation. “And that presents a problem to the country especially as […]
Is your job at risk from AI? Nvidia’s CEO predicts the future of humans in the workplace
Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, opinions expressed below belong solely to the author. In the latest episode of CBS’ 60 Minutes, Bill Whitaker spends time with and interviews the superstar CEO of the AI era, Jensen Huang of Nvidia, who showcased the capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) today and gave us hints about its future. Among […]
Despite growing demand for flexibility, most S’pore firms still want staff to be in office
A recent survey by Reeracoen Singapore showed that most companies are sticking to traditional office-based work policies despite the growing global demand for flexible work arrangements (FWAs). The survey data showed that 56 per cent of the companies in Singapore maintain a 100 per cent office-based work policy, with only 7 per cent offering fully flexible […]
Homegrown firm Anywheel gets approval to expand fleet size to 35K shared bicycles in S’pore
Singapore’s Land Transport Authority has allowed homegrown bike-sharing company Anywheel to add another 5,000 units to its fleet, expanding its total fleet size to 35,000 shared bicycles. The decision comes on heels of Anywheel’s robust business growth in recent years—as of February 2024, the bike-sharing firm boasts over 1.3 million users, seeing month-on-month growth in […]
What a day at this lux hospitality-centric coworking space in Mont Kiara was like
Featuring a premium Mont Kiara address, Colony’s latest and largest branch in The MET Corporate Towers goes the extra mile to bring patrons that luxurious touch the coworking brand is known for. A coworking and event space company in Malaysia, Colony is also present in KLCC, Star Boulevard, Eco City, and Mutiara Damansara. The hospitality-centric […]
Microsoft drops its biggest investment yet in M’sia with US$2.2B, here’s how it’ll be used
Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella has announced today (May 2, 2024) that the company will be investing US$2.2 billion (RM10.5 billion) in Malaysia, to be dispersed over the next four years. To go towards advancing cloud and AI technology, this marks the single largest investment Microsoft has made in Malaysia. It was announced during […]
S’pore is too small for Udders, here’s how the 16 Y/O ice cream chain is expanding globally
Earlier this year, I was in my dad’s hometown in Kelantan, Malaysia when I noticed a familiar brand in the mall. It was Udders, the beloved Singaporean ice cream brand. I was surprised to find Udders so far from home, in a market that’s often overlooked even by Malaysian chains. The last time we featured […]
AI at your fingertips: Google rolls out its AI assistant mobile app in Singapore
Google has rolled out the mobile version of its AI assistant, Gemini, in Singapore on Wednesday (May 1), granting users convenient access to assistance while on the move. With Gemini on your phone, you can type, talk or add an image for all kinds of help: You can take a picture of your flat tire […]
