The easy life is over. Before 2022, founders only had to grow revenue to secure funding from venture capitalists and angel investors for the next stage of growth, and the one after that. It was never quite that easy for Malaysian start-ups, which still faced funding challenges, but investors were...

The Pitch Deck: The new start-up founders’ dilemma: The quadruple bottom-line

Malaysia has had a venture capital (VC) industry since 1999, just after the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) was set up in 1996. The formation of MSC Venture Corporation (MSC Ventures) marked an early push to fund the first generation of start-ups setting up in Cyberjaya, enticed by the MSC’s ambi...

The Pitch Deck: Malaysia needs a stronger VC industry

Artificial intelligence (AI) is still all the rage around the globe. Even governments, including Malaysia’s, are getting in on the act as they do not want to be left out of probably the single biggest phenomenon affecting business and society today — the successful rollout of AI software by the b...

The Pitch Deck: When giants rule the world

Venture capitalism has always been portrayed as a glamorous profession. Venture capitalists (VCs) wield millions (even billions) of dollars and call the shots on which start-up gets funded and which doesn’t.

ThePitchDeck: Venture capital at a crossroads

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of speaking to around 70 students from various local universities about the future of technology and jobs. I began by telling them they probably weren’t going to like what I was about to say — and that it might even leave them feeling anxious about their fu...

The Pitch Deck: Stop being delusional about AI’s impact on jobs

Being an angel or venture capital investor, especially in start-ups, is often seen as glamorous. The media tends to romanticise VC investors who pour millions — sometimes billions — into chasing the next unicorn (a company valued at over US$1 billion). Every time a unicorn is announced, everyone ...

The Pitch Deck: How not to lose money investing in new tech

Last month was a dramatic one for the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. Just when everyone was super bullish on the industry, especially American giants OpenAI and Nvidia Corp — the developers of ChatGPT and high-performance GPU (graphics processing unit) chips respectively — the chips came ...

The Pitch Deck: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

I am sure that when you read the headline of this article, you wondered why I would be bullish about Malaysia. Well, here’s the surprise — it is not actually me who is bullish, but rather our neighbours down south in Singapore. While this initially took me by surprise, perhaps it shouldn’t have, ...

The Pitch Deck: Bullish about Malaysia

In the last few weeks, start-up ecosystem social media chatter has been buzzing about Fashion Valet (FV). It started out because of a question asked in parliament about the losses of RM43.9 million incurred by Khazanah Nasional Bhd and Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) from the divestment of their in...

The Pitch Deck: Navigating negativity: Harmful impact of unwarranted accusations on start-up ecosystem

I had an interesting conversation with a founder who was in the process of fundraising. He had met many venture capitalists (VCs) and they kept asking him questions about the size of his market and were concerned that the market was not large enough for him locally and within Southeast Asia to ac...

The Pitch Deck: Are venture capital returns requirements a bane for entrepreneurs? 

The Sessions Court here was told on Friday that local fashion company FashionValet Sdn Bhd received investment funds totalling nearly RM40 million from Khazanah Nasional Bhd and Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) eight years ago.

FashionValet received investment of almost RM40 mil from Khazanah, PNB, says witness

Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto has agreed to accept assistance from neighbouring countries to tackle its worst forest fires in more than a decade, the country's foreign minister said.

Indonesia's president ready to accept foreign assistance to combat fires, foreign minister says

UBB Amanah Bhd has said that there would be delays in its trust income and maturity payments for October, due to "temporary liquidity constraints arising from delayed repayments by certain investee companies".

UBB Amanah defers October trust payouts amid ‘temporary liquidity constraints’

MALAYSIA enters the post-Budget period with RM218.5 billion in investments approved during the first half of 2026, up 11.7 per cent from a year earlier. According to Mida, the approvals cover 2,746 projects expected to create more than 99,000 jobs. Foreign investment accounted for RM126.9 billion, 58.1 per cent of the total.

Opinion: Budget 2027 puts Malaysia’s investment pipeline to the capability test 

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has directed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said to hold further consultations on proposed constitutional amendments to separate the powers of the attorney general and public prosecutor.

PM wants further consultations on separation of AG-public prosecutor powers — Fahmi 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has only one ally now and that’s Europe, the Latvian prime minister said, referring to Kyiv’s spiralling tensions with the US.

Latvian leader says Europe is Zelenskiy’s only ally now  

Selangor aims to become a care industry hub at both the national and Asean levels by 2030, as the state prepares for an ageing population.

Selangor aims to become national, Asean care industry hub by 2030 — state exco

Taiwan plans to raise billions of dollars to develop industrial parks in the US that would build a base for a comprehensive supply chain for Nvidia Corp and other artificial intelligence (AI) hardware makers in the country.

Taiwan to fund US$4 bil Texas industrial complex for AI, Nvidia partners

Asian bonds faced in September their heaviest foreign selling pressure in more than six years, as a sharp rise in US Treasury yields and renewed Federal Reserve tightening blunted investors' appetite for emerging-market debt.

Asian bonds record biggest monthly foreign outflow since March 2020

The government intends to bring China’s leading skills training model, Luban Workshop, to Malaysia to enhance the capabilities of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) instructors, especially in producing a skilled workforce in rural areas.

Zahid wants China's TVET training model in Malaysia's rural areas

The Johor Bahru High Court has reinstated a lawsuit filed by a Maybank customer who lost nearly RM60,000 in allegedly&nbsp;unauthorised online transfers after scanning a third-party QR code, ruling that the dispute must proceed to a full trial.

High Court reinstates customer's suit against Maybank over funds allegedly siphoned after QR scan

Zetrix AI Bhd (KL:ZETRIX) acknowledged a potential breach of a sukuk's clause that requires the digital services firm’s managing director to remain as its single-largest shareholder.

Zetrix AI acknowledges potential breach of sukuk covenant

Indonesia's stock market is no longer worthy of "emerging market" status, MSCI said on Friday, laying out a plan to expel it from a suite of indices tracked by funds, a shock move that sparked the steepest one-day drop in Jakarta shares since 1998.

Indonesia gets 'wake-up call' as MSCI prepares to remove it from global indices

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) failed to obtain a stay on the High Court’s April decision ordering it and the wound-up developer, Fame Modulation Sdn Bhd, to pay RM1.3 million in damages to two former civil servants. 
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DBKL fails to halt RM1.3 mil payment order over structural damage to Cheras retired civil servants’ home 

Malaysia’s economy expanded faster than expected in the third quarter as growth of manufacturing and services sectors offset a contraction in mining activities, official flash estimates showed.

Malaysia’s economy outperforms with 5.3% expansion in 3Q, official flash estimates show

Eligible renewable energy developers under the Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS) Acceleration Package (CAP) will benefit from a fixed system access charge (SAC) of 14 sen per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for 10 years, while green consumers will be subject to a separate charge of four sen/kWh.

CRESS charges fixed at 14 sen/kWh for developers, four sen for green consumers — Energy Commission

Asian stocks rebounded on Friday following heavy selling in the previous session when investors dumped tech shares as questions about cloud company CoreWeave's debt pile fuelled worries about the financing driving the AI boom.

Most Asian stocks rise as calm returns after CoreWeave shock

China’s campaign to promote the global use of the yuan appears to be accelerating as the authorities seek to build a more comprehensive financial ecosystem for the currency beyond just trade settlement.

China’s plan to make yuan a global currency enters faster phase

Malaysian banking stocks could see some stability towards the end of 2026 as declining global bond yields provide an opportunity for banks to recover investment losses, said MBSB Research.

Banks eye year-end stability on lower bond yields; dividends 'too attractive to ignore' — MBSB

EGH International Bhd (KL:ECOGRP) fell in its ACE Market trading debut on Friday amid relatively weak demand for the interior fit-out firm’s shares.

EGH International opens lower on ACE Market debut

Malaysia-China cooperation in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) has secured thousands of training opportunities for Malaysians, with the partnership now focusing on developing skilled talent for high-value jobs in emerging technologies.

Malaysia-China cooperation to prepare talent for higher-value jobs, says Zahid

Kepong Member of Parliament Lim Lip Eng has called on the Prisons Department to disclose the conditions governing convicted former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s house arrest.

Kepong MP calls for public disclosure of Najib’s house arrest terms

A local assembly operation by Chinese carmaker BYD&nbsp;will offer incremental upside to Sime Darby Bhd (KL:SIME) which controls the plant, an analyst said. 
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BYD local assembly offers incremental upside to Sime Darby — analyst

The High Court has given more time to Tan Sri Shahrir Samad and Tan Sri Tommy Thomas to iron out settlement terms in the former Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) chairman's malicious-prosecution suit against the former attorney general.

Shahrir Samad, ex-AG Tommy Thomas to update court on Nov 11 of possible settlement in malicious-prosecution suit

Ormond Group, the hospitality arm of ECM Libra Group Bhd (KL:ECM), broke ground for the 396-key Ormond Desaru resort in Johor on Friday.&nbsp; 
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Ormond Group breaks ground for Ormond Desaru resort

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong vowed to investigate firms responsible for fires that have shrouded the city-state in haze for weeks, warning those found culpable could face legal action.

Singapore probing firms over haze-causing Indonesian fires

Genting Property Sdn Bhd, the property division of Genting Plantations Bhd (KL:GENP), has entered into a strategic partnership with Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd to master-plan Johor Tech Smart City (JTSC), including its flagship 430-acre smart campus within the Knowledge AI Campus.

Genting Property partners Huawei to master-plan 430-acre smart campus at Johor Tech Smart City

The upfront costs incurred by CelcomDigi Bhd (KL:CDB) and Maxis Bhd (KL:MAXIS) for the latest spectrum awards are expected to be offset by capital expenditure savings and lower network costs, according to Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB).

CelcomDigi, Maxis spectrum costs to be offset by capex and network savings — HLIB

(Oct 15): Is an October Fed hike back on the table? The release of hot headline and core September US inflation figures sent markets into a tailspin on Wednesday, with futures markets at one point showing as much as a ​50-50 chance that the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates again this mont...

Opinion: CoreWeave unravels

The European Union (EU) is preparing to create new trade powers that could completely shut off access to its single market as part of a dramatic new push to cut the trade deficit with China.&nbsp;

Dr Sivapalan Vivekarajah

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Dr Sivapalan Vivekarajah

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