This article first appeared in Digital Edge, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on December 30, 2024 - January 12, 2025

Malaysia is fast emerging as a hub for digital innovation, with tech-driven start-ups making waves in sectors ranging from healthcare to agriculture. These companies are not just creating solutions, but are reshaping industries and addressing critical challenges like labour shortages and environmental sustainability.

Digital Edge spotlights the rising stars of the tech ecosystem — businesses using cutting-edge technology to drive meaningful impact and position the country as a competitive force in the regional digital economy. Here are a few standout innovators leading the charge towards a smarter, more sustainable nation.

Pantas Software Sdn Bhd is leveraging technology to streamline processes, improve data accuracy and automate tasks, making climate action more accessible and efficient for businesses of all sizes.

It automates financed emissions insights for financial institutions and integrates these into investment portfolios. This not only enhances efficiency but sets a new standard in the field by supporting future projections, modelling and scenario analysis.

The challenge is in the time required to invest in and implement certain technologies and resistance to the drastic changes these technologies bring to day-to-day operations.

To address this, Pantas started small and focused on quick wins to gather real user feedback early in the process. This iterative approach allowed it to make necessary refinements and progressively revamp the system, ensuring the investment in technology was justified.

Moving forward, Pantas aims to make climate action simpler and more accessible from small start-ups to large corporations, requiring less time and effort while eliminating the barriers that make it feel overwhelming.

Investing should not be intimidating. Robo advisory firm Versa Asia Sdn Bhd thinks it should be accessible and engaging, and so it has incorporated fun and gamification into its platform with interactive tutorials, challenges and milestone celebrations.

Its main product, Versa Invest — a partnership between Versa and Affin Hwang Asset Management (AM) — offers users diverse access to top funds globally with just a single investment. Unlike other robo advisories, all Versa Invest portfolios are designed and managed by Affin Hwang AM fund managers.

This allows users to manage both their savings (via Versa Cash) and investments (via Versa Invest) within the Versa app.

Versa ensures customer peace of mind with robust cybersecurity, including advanced encryption, multi-factor authentication, 24/7 monitoring, threat detection and regular penetration testing.

Going into 2025, Versa will be rolling out product initiatives with advanced personalisation, gamification and effective wealth-building experience.

Bee Informatica Sdn Bhd, a fintech company that specialises in providing microfinance to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), leverages advanced technology and data-driven insights to provide accessible, low-barrier loans to empower the underbanked and B40 business owners.

The company’s platform uses AI to streamline the lending process, offering personalised, no collateral loan options for underserved communities.

Bee Informatica provides two kinds of loans. Its “Chotto” loan provides businesses a flexible fund of up to RM10,000 to grow businesses and build credit scores for large access to finance.

Meanwhile, “Motto” offers up to RM50,000 in loans for businesses looking to take their business development to the next level. This is because MSMEs are constantly in an uphill battle when facing high collateral demands and stringent credit checks. Bee Informatica seeks to provide adaptable, technology-driven microlending services to align with Malaysia’s financial inclusion and economic development goals.

Using carbon nanomaterials to benefit commercial agriculture, 500 Global- backed Qarbotech Sdn Bhd’s patented technology bypasses the need for genetic modifications in solving the inefficiencies of photosynthesis. This results in increases in crop yield and climate resilience.

Across 450ha of rice fields in Malaysia and Indonesia, farmers who have used Qarbotech’s product have seen yield increases of up to one tonne per hectare.

Farmers were initially concerned about whether the product could harm crops or disrupt their yield. To address these concerns, the company conducted extensive testing to ensure the product was non-toxic and safe.

Envisioning a future where technology empowers farmers to combat climate change, boost food production and improve their livelihoods, Qarbotech aims to have widespread adoption of its product, with more farmers embracing it as a solution for sustainable agriculture in 2025.

SpaceIn Sdn Bhd aims to spearhead space exploration in Malaysia through satellite technology, and not just building satellites.

Previously owned by a group of three postgraduate students in the USM Space System Lab (USSL), SpaceIn started with a satellite educational product, CanSat Kit for Education, utilising the technological know-how in satellites to teach students and the public.

SpaceIn offers Internet of Things (IoT) satellite services, affordable starter kits for ground sensors and high altitude balloon launch services.

The company reached a milestone in November with the launch of SpaceANT-D, a pico satellite weighing less than 250g designed for IoT applications.

SpaceIn uses advanced software tools to streamline design processes, allowing the company to simulate, test and iterate rapidly, while hardware advancements enable it to build efficient and robust systems.

As a start-up, acquiring essential software and hardware for innovation was difficult due to limited resources, funding constraints and a lack of expertise.

However, SpaceIn took a gradual strategy and relied on small grants and project-based funding to procure resources bit by bit, ensuring every investment was aligned with immediate priorities.

SpaceIn overcame budget constraints by collaborating with universities, networking with industry experts and upskilling its team.

Moving forward, SpaceIn aims to utilise satellite data and develop innovative solutions to address environmental challenges and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.

Urbanmetry Sdn Bhd, a data analytics company that provides solutions to help cities and governments make informed decisions, extracts market trends and patterns for real estate from city data using AI and proprietary algorithms.

The data analytics company uses its proprietary algorithm to decode cities data trends and patterns, which are then utilised to unlock insights related to urban development, city planning as well as mortgage and property assessments.

The company also utilises geographic information systems to allow decision-makers to make data-driven strategies and planning. Furthermore, Urbanmetry’s data sets include lifestyle indicators, demographics and government policies.

This ability to factor obscure data sets allows stakeholders to track lifestyle trends that could impact the property market. For example, Urbanmetry’s data shows that coffee shops, which offer beverages twice the price of normal meals, is a precursor for a rise in home prices.

Koh Cha-Ly, founder of UrbanMetry, has also set up UrbanWave, which is a home co-ownership programme that helps to upcycle homes by providing cash for renovations. UrbanWave utilises Nowcast, an AI price checker, which utilises data science and real estate expertise that provide accurate property prices.

Upon entering the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, Lapasar Sdn Bhd faced several preconceived notions that small retailers would not adopt an app-based ordering system, preferring traditional in-person sales visits.

The B2B procurement company challenged this assumption, successfully transitioning to a fully remote sales model by 2022, relying on remote account managers, an app and a website. This shift led to significant growth between 2022 and 2024.

While this transition brought substantial benefits, it also presented challenges. Many small retailers require education and support to adapt to online ordering, particularly those with limited digital literacy. The company addressed this by simplifying the app interface, providing one-on-one training and offering personalised assistance.

Lapasar believes that success depends on delivering the highest number of orders at the lowest possible cost while making sense of logistics expenses and managing aggressive price wars, all without compromising gross margin growth. Technology is the only way to tackle these complexities.

Mesolitica Sdn Bhd has developed Malaysia’s first large language model (LLM), named MaLLaM. Available through open-source LLMs, MaLLaM showcases how advanced artificial intelligence (AI) can be tailored to meet local needs, fostering technological progress while preserving cultural identity.

Being active in the LLM space in the last two years has given Mesolitica a unique insight into where the world is heading with generative AI. Technology has enabled the company to take steps toward AI sovereignty, ensuring Malaysia’s voice is distinct and powerful in global AI ecosystems.

One major hurdle was balancing state-of-the-art AI models with localised use cases. Global models often lacked the nuance to understand Malaysian languages and contexts. Mesolitica crowdsourced data with engaging aspiring AI talents to help gather and curate a richer language dataset. This was key to refining MaLLaM for Malaysian nuances.

The company’s dream for 2025 is to see a Malaysia where AI tools are commonplace, empowering businesses, communities and individuals to thrive while retaining cultural and linguistic heritage. Mesolitica also hopes to see the rise of localised AI solutions globally, where countries take ownership of their data and models.

Ouch Protect Bhd’s “Ouch!” was created to address the urgent need for affordable takaful insurance for Malaysia’s low-income demographic, aiming to bridge the market gap and ease financial burdens for the segment.

Founded in 2018, Ouch! is a one-stop platform and app that helps users understand their coverage and risks, purchase and manage digital insurance products, and file claims. Last year, the start-up introduced its first takaful product, Pusara Pro.

One of Ouch!’s primary objectives lies in the transition from a reliance on a third-party core system to a proprietary, independent and automated system.

However, one of the main challenges Ouch! has faced is navigating system integrators. These often involve misalignments between expectations for speed and quality and the realities of external vendor-dependent implementations.

The company’s past experiences have underscored the importance of owning core technologies essential to its operations. By assuming control over these technologies, Ouch! has reduced its reliance on external factors, improving production speed and quality. This approach gave the company the necessary control and flexibility to adapt and innovate effectively.

Curlec Sdn Bhd aims to make full-stack payment solutions affordable and accessible for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). To achieve this, it offers innovative, ready-made tools, including recurring payments and a full-service payment gateway, catering to businesses of all sizes.

SMEs often face the challenge of building systems from scratch, which can be costly, resource-consuming and time-intensive. Curlec’s technology bridges this gap. Its DirectDebit service, for example, allows SMEs to automate recurring payments at a fraction of the cost.

Another example is the company’s no-code apps, which take away the need of complex setups. One of the primary challenges in driving innovation has been fostering adoption for Curlec.

This process necessitates creating awareness, educating users and building trust, as new ideas and technologies often encounter resistance or scepticism from the market. The company has addressed this challenge through consistent groundwork, including direct outreach, speaking engagements and highlighting customer success stories to demonstrate the tangible value of its solutions.

Looking ahead, Curlec envisions leveraging AI to enhance operations and develop smarter solutions for its customers. The company aims to create technologies that not only simplify business processes but also enable clients to unlock their full potential.

Meraque Services Sdn Bhd’s — ranked one of the world’s Top 20 drone companies — provides autonomous drone and robotics systems services for the agriculture, plantation, telecommunications, infrastructure, warehousing and even aircraft inspection sectors.

The company’s newly commercialised Intelligent Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Warehouse Management Solutions software offers advanced features such as mission planning, real-time tracking and analytics. Designed for adaptability, it seamlessly caters to diverse client needs within the warehousing sector.

In 2022, Meraque’s drones were used for surveillance and for delivering critical medical supplies via Pharmaniaga to aide in flood relief efforts in Selangor.

Meraque uses big data analytics to process and analyse the vast amounts of data collected by drones during operations. Insights from this data are crucial for sectors like agriculture and plantation and warehouse management.

The company integrates AI, machine learning, IoT and big data analytics into its solutions to differentiate itself from competitors.

GK Aqua Sdn Bhd leverages biotechnology and advanced breeding technologies, such as RNAi-driven monosex prawn production and marker-assisted selective breeding, to enhance the growth, size and resilience of freshwater prawns.

Its subsidiary Sento Biotech complements this with innovative feed solutions like insect meal-based diets that improve gut microbiomes, increase omega-3 content and optimise nutritional performance. These technological advancements have helped us improve production scalability, reduce environmental impact and provide farmers with tools for better economic outcomes.

The company’s digital initiatives, such as the upcoming MUGA app, aim to integrate AI-driven analytics with on-ground aquaculture practices. This will enable farmers to monitor water quality, feeding schedules and growth metrics while leveraging data insights for decision-making.

In 2025, GK Aqua aims to lead the aquaculture industry through AI-driven precision aquaculture. The company hopes to see the MUGA app scale into an AI start-up, integrating sequencing data, microbiome studies and hunger-related genetic markers to enhance feeding precision and prevent disease.

Farmer empowerment will be a focus as the MUGA programme is expanded to more Asean countries with inclusive business models that elevate socioeconomic conditions for farmers.

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