AppWorks brought Demo Day #31 to Malaysia for the first time, showcasing eight high-growth startups from Malaysia and Singapore at the MVCA Conference 2025, themed Beyond Borders: Positioning ASEAN in the Global Private Capital Renaissance. Held at Menara Affin Bank, TRX, the session highlighted founders shaping the future of mobility, SME finance, food supply chains, robotics, Web3, and digital storytelling.
AppWorks Principal Alyssa Chen said the KL edition bridges founders with the investors and corporates best positioned to help them scale. MVCA Secretary General Dr. Chris Daniel Wong added that Malaysia is increasingly becoming a natural hub for cross-border capital and innovation.
Malaysian Startups Solving Real Local Challenges
Four Malaysia-based ventures demonstrated solutions already gaining traction nationwide:
- Parkit – A smart parking and mobility operator founded by Kyan Liew, serving 40,000 users and generating USD 4M annual revenue through B2B and B2C channels.
- Carching – Founded by Jeshua Choong, Carching turns everyday vehicles into measurable mobile advertising, operating in three countries with USD 400K yearly revenue.
- Plandora – Kit Neoh’s AI-powered platform creates authentic travel itineraries using creator “AI twins,” gaining traction among travellers seeking personalised planning.
- Singular – Led by Terrence Hooi, Singular brings institutional-grade private equity access to investors through fractionalised, on-chain structures, with 55,000+ users and a USD 200M deal pipeline.
“These founders are building globally competitive solutions grounded in real-world Malaysian challenges,” said Chen.
Singapore Startups Using Malaysia as a Launchpad
Four Singapore-based teams pitched clear Malaysia expansion roadmaps:
- Farmio – An AI-driven food supply chain OS generating USD 6M revenue across Asia.
- Fluid – An AI-powered B2B payments and embedded credit platform supporting Malaysian SMEs.
- Hivebotics – AI cleaning robots operating in airports, malls and transport hubs, now engaging Malaysian facility operators.
- Alpha Story – A digital narrative intelligence studio serving 300+ clients regionally.
Fireside Insights: Expanding Across Borders
A fireside chat with TK Chuah (Bootsorder) and Sophie Chu (AppWorks AI Arm) explored the realities of scaling to new markets. TK shared lessons from expanding into Taiwan, while Sophie highlighted the opportunity for Malaysian founders to tap into North Asia’s rapid AI adoption.
Building ASEAN’s Next-Gen Growth Engines
Demo Day #31 reflected the region’s shift toward resilient, scalable, tech-driven solutions at a time when Southeast Asia’s digital economy is set to surpass USD 360B by 2026. The showcased startups are aligned with emerging cross-border trends, capital efficiency, and strong enterprise demand for AI-enabled productivity.
AppWorks and MVCA’s partnership continues to strengthen dialogue between founders, investors and institutions, fostering a more connected and mature ASEAN innovation ecosystem.