Marriott Bonvoy embraces AI to better match travellers with their dream vacays
Ever feel like going on a holiday but have no idea where to go? Marriott Bonvoy’s new generative AI tool can save the day. Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy is now testing a search engine that incorporates AI, allowing travellers to find their ideal home and destination. Basically, all you need to do […]
With partners like OldTown White Coffee, this farm seeks to bring M’sians cage-free eggs
Did you know that Malaysia ranked the lowest, along with Vietnam and Bangladesh in the Asia Cage-Free Benchmark’s 2024 Report, meaning we’ve had the least progress in the transition to cage-free farming? I didn’t, until I attended an event called The Wings of Progress for Better Welfare on March 22. Thankfully, that event was actually […]
Velvet Cinemas’ in-house restaurant convinced us that GSC should be doing more F&B
When you get to the top floor of 163 Retail Park, Mont Kiara, you’ll find Golden Screen Cinema’s (GSC) Velvet nestled in a corner beside a skating rink. Launched in November last year, it’s a themed cinema that reimagines retro cinematic experiences, complete with vibrant F&B and lifestyle offerings. The entrance looks like any other […]
Ant Group pumps in another S$200m into S’pore digibank ANEXT Bank
Alibaba’s Ant Group has made an additional S$200 million investment into ANEXT Bank, its wholly-owned subsidiary and SME digital bank, according to news reports made yesterday (March 25). According to DealStreetAsia, the digital finance and tech giant previously pumped S$250 million into the digital bank, with the total investment amounting to approximately US$502.61 million. This investment aims […]
This M’sian started her leather crafts biz at 24, has served clients like Rolls-Royce & LV
There’s a common belief that turning your hobby into a business would kill it. And to some degree, that may be true. But Ngoo Sze Jie didn’t let that stop her from establishing Fourjei, a business selling premium handcrafted leather and canvas goods, at just 24 years old. “I thought the best time to venture […]
This engineer spent RM120K to open a PJ cafe that lets guests rent books for RM5/each
A new café has opened in Damansara Jaya’s Atria Shopping Gallery, and it’s not just any café. Rather, it’s a book café. Named One Afternoon, it was founded by Ben Lim, an electrical & electronic engineering graduate. Before starting the cafe, Ben also founded MyTaman and Pegasuswork, two apps used in 400 or so […]
Singapore’s top vacancies: Ministry of Manpower releases a list of the most in-demand jobs
Ministry of Manpower has just released its annual summary of the trends in job vacancies in Singapore, together with a list of the professions seeking the most positions that companies seek to fill. The survey is very comprehensive, having covered private sector companies which employ at least 25 people and the public sector comprising government […]
Paralysed Neuralink patient plays Civilization VI for 8 hours with his mind thanks to brain implant
Following many months of controversy surrounding the thus far rather secretive Elon Musk venture, Neuralink, the company has run a 9-minute live broadcast on X with the first patient who received one of its implants — and the reveal was more than promising. 29-year-old Noland Arbaugh suffered a broken spine in a diving accident eight […]
Tapping into “geekdom”, this S’porean artisanal dice brand has found a global audience
While somewhat niche, tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPG) have continued to have a lasting grip on pop culture. From the 2023 movie Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, to popular game shows like Dropout’s Dimension 20 and Critical Role, there’s clearly a sizeable market who play these games. And a crucial part of these games are […]
Why this S’porean shut down her popular book cafe for kids just 1 yr after launching it
“If anyone said anything about the practicality of opening a book cafe, I would have never started it,” Cecilia Koh confided to us. It wasn’t really her initial business plan to open a children’s book cafe either. In fact, she described it as an impulsive decision. But the book cafe idea wasn’t born out of […]
Don’t sleep on this S’pore brand that’s planting 12,000 trees per year by selling mattresses
After 25 years in the mattress industry, Stefan Magnus decided to confront an issue he noticed in the market. With many brands emphasising on visual aesthetics rather than quality, beds were becoming larger and higher, with a heftier price tag to match. Many of these beds would also feature exquisite quilting and luxurious fabrics. But […]
Shuttering his restaurant wasn’t the end of his S’porean biz—it was a chance for it to scale
Depending on how you look at it, Alexis Bauduin’s decision to start healthy foods brand YoloFoods almost a decade ago could seem like a YOLO (you only live once) decision. After all, he had been a corporate high-flyer before he went on The Apprentice Asia in 2013, where he met—and subsequently quit corporate to work […]
Samsung Galaxy A55 has launched in M’sia, here’s a first look at the RM1,999 phone
I’ve only had the Samsung Galaxy A55 for about one full day, but I already have some thoughts on it. We managed to get our hands on the Awesome Lilac which is a light shade that veers close to pink. I find this a pleasant change from the Samsung Galaxy A54’s Awesome Violet that was […]
Founded in Perak 104 yrs ago, this butchery has grown to 7 outlets & a ready-to-cook line
If you find yourself driving along Jalan Bangsar, you might see a signage emblazoned with orange letters spelling “TPL”. Look a little closer, and you’ll notice the tagline underneath that reads “since 1920”. Indeed, TPL Fresh Meats is a brand with more than 100 years of history, as confirmed by Kamlanathan Arumugam Pillai (Kamal), TPL’s Director […]
First impressions of the RM1,699 Samsung Galaxy A35 that has improved cameras & performance
It’s been a while since I set my hands on an A Series phone from Samsung, but from what I remember, they’ve always been reliable and solid phones for their price points. The Galaxy A35 has just launched in Malaysia, and right off the bat, I have to say the phone looks really nice. We […]
Here’s how OCBC Business is making it easy for M’sian SMEs to offer cross-border QR payments
[This is a sponsored article with OCBC Business Banking.] Enabling cashless payment options to customers is essential for businesses in the digital landscape. This way, you can provide customers with convenience and speed in making payments for your products or services. Furthermore, if your business is looking to deal with customers from across the causeway, […]
Bike-sharing firm SG Bike ceases operations in S’pore, users to be transferred to Anywheel
Homegrown bike-sharing firm SG Bike will be exiting the Singapore market on April 30 once its license expires due to a “strategic shift in business direction”. From today (March 21), SG Bike will no longer accept new sign-ups, credit top-ups and purchases of passes, and its customer base will be ported over to Anywheel, one […]
Kids as young as 6 are learning with Apple Vision Pros at this S’porean school, here’s why
Back in February, Apple Vision Pro’s release had caused quite the stir in the industry, with many hyping up its purported ability to “blend digital content with your physical space”. One business in Singapore that’s already leveraging this device is Presence Pictures, a coding school that specialises in augmented (AR) and virtual reality (VR). From […]
These ex-bankers quit the corporate life for baking, now their Shah Alam bakery is turning 10
Nestled in a cosy neighbourhood facing rows of old terrace houses in Seksyen 4 is Cake Jalan Tiung. A rather hidden gem, this decade-old bakery cafe has made its name in the Shah Alam food scene as a go-to place for delightful cakes. Most notable is its Salted Caramel and Chocolate cake that’s a fan […]
South Korean convenience store chain Emart24 abruptly closes all 3 outlets in S’pore
Popular South Korean convenience store chain Emart24 has closed all its three outlets in Singapore. News of the chain’s closure first broke on Monday (March 18) in a Facebook post by Singapore Atrium Sale. A photo included in the post shows a mall unit where the convenience store once stood, which is now locked and […]
Nurtured by MDEC & 1337 Ventures, these 9 startups want to innovate our tourism economy
There’s no doubt that tourism is a major industry in Malaysia. In 2017, we were ranked 25th out of 141 countries on the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report. However, in 2021, our position had fallen to 38. So, how can Malaysia’s tourism industry be kept competitive and profitable? One word that comes to mind is […]
Behind this weekend-only PJ florist’s are 2 bros who want to normalise “just cuz” flowers
When I think of florists, the first thing that comes to mind is either a young lady at her flower shop or an older auntie selling jasmines outside of Hindu temples. In either scenario, they’re both of the fairer sex. But that’s not the case at The Bunge. Started by Louis and Findi, this one-year-old […]
ShopBack lays off 195 employees in a bid for business sustainability
Cashback and rewards platform ShopBack has laid off 24 per cent of its workforce or 195 roles “to become more focused and self-sustainable as a company”. The announcement was made by co-founder and CEO Henry Chan at the Temasek-backed startup’s town hall today (Mar 19). Those impacted by the job cuts were notified within an […]
S’poreans can now top-up their GrabPay wallets with cryptocurrency
Grab users in Singapore can now pay for its services with cryptocurrencies following its tie-up with crypto payments provider Triple A. With this new feature, stablecoins and other digital assets can be converted into usable funds for GrabPay. Users can top up their GrabPay e-wallets using five cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Ether, StraitsX’s Singapore dollar-backed stablecoin XSGD, a United […]
This M’sian couple quit their jobs to start a supper club at home, prices go up to RM350/pax
The stars must’ve been aligned the day Shmita joined BAC, a bar in Bukit Damansara. Because what are the odds that she would find Dean, someone whose career vision aligned so much with hers, and who would quit BAC a year later with her to start Round Table, their own supper club together as a […]
Breaking biases: First these M’sian men started a florist biz, now they’re making jewellery
It’s not often that you come across a floral business being run by two men. It’s less often to hear them use that as a marketing gimmick. Coming across a jewellery brand called Etereal by ForLove, I was wowed by their enchanting floral pieces, which were all made with real flowers. It’s true that using […]
26 out of 136 startups were chosen for MYStartup’s 3rd pre-accelerator, here’s what they do
Out of 136 applicants across Malaysia, 26 high-potential names have been picked to join MYStartup’s third pre-accelerator programme cohort. Established in 2021, MYStartup acts as the single window to Malaysia’s startup ecosystem. An initiative by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), the Cradle-powered MYStartup nurtures the ecosystem through capacity-building programmes, including hackathons, accelerators/pre-accelerators, […]
This M’sian found his calling in fixing classic car meters at age 42, now it’s his full-time
Chris Gooi has always harboured a passion for all things antique. Fascinated by old tech, the ex-hotelier is particularly infatuated with classic cars. This love culminated in his purchase of a Mercedes W124 Classic around six years ago. Meddling with his car, he noticed his meter looked worn out, so he turned to workshops, asking […]
VP Eats Out: A taste of how Hotel Indigo KL blends local & luxury in its cuisine
Hotel dining can be a bit of a hit or miss. At times, people go out of their way to dine at a hotel’s restaurant, while at others, people leave the hotels to find better, cheaper food elsewhere. During our recent workcation at the new Hotel Indigo Kuala Lumpur on the Park (Hotel Indigo KL), […]
They quit their corporate jobs to offer S’poreans a newer way to enjoy coffee—concentrates
As coffee aficionados, Ong Lee Ting and Christabel Cher loved to brew their own coffee at home. Their time together in Melbourne exposed them to the Aussie coffee culture which heavily emphasised on specialty brews. But being career women made it hard for them to do so every day. They just couldn’t seem to find […]
