Antler backs seven startups with $770,000 Pre-Seed Funding in Malaysia

Backing the best talents in Malaysia to build the most defining companies of tomorrow

Frank Kang

Associate Partner
January 31, 2024
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Kicking off the year with a historic milestone, we are proud to announce an unprecedented investment of $5.1 million in 37 Southeast Asian startups, including 7 in Malaysia.

This investment round follows a resounding response from founders, with over 5,000 applications received for our residencies across SEA. Held concurrently in four cities—Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia—from October to December 2023, the applications represented a diverse group of founders. Some in search of the right co-founder and a compelling idea to launch their startups, while others aimed to develop and scale their existing startups.

The selection process was rigorous, with approximately 300 founders chosen from the pool to receive intensive mentorship and guidance during a 10-week residency. This culminated in the launch and funding of the 35 startups, showcasing our commitment to nurturing groundbreaking ideas from inception and backing founders from day zero.

Here in Malaysia, we have backed the following startups:

COEX

A platform designed to maximize capital and operational efficiency in the construction industry, digitalizing project claims and bills of quantity management.

Demi Chu (COO), Peh Sern Tan (CEO)

Seafoody

A seafood supply chain enabler for direct sourcing to businesses.

Eleen Kee (CEO), Zach Leong (CTO), Samantha Ooi (COO)

PingMi

AI co-pilot and product management platform designed to expedite the development and launch of revenue-driving ideas.

Stanislav Voronov (CEO), Katsiaryna Rusalovich (CPO), Sergei Petrov (CTO)

Cleve

AI-powered tool that assists creators and thought leaders to scale their online presence by generating personalized content optimized for different platforms.

Ashvin Praveen (CEO), Lizzie Tan (COO)

UniiD

Smart access solutions for buildings and cities, transforming the way entry and security are managed through a mobile-based platform.

May Hee (COO), Huey Teo (CCO), Renyi Khor (CEO)

Zappy

Provides unified and affordable business communication tools, integrating various work conversations into one unified inbox.

Mark Sachintha (CEO), Shay Anthony (COO)

MessengerCo

A one-stop corporate gifting platform to optimize B2B gifting with a global distribution solution.

Mahamat Moussa (CTO), Wayne Wong Wooi Leng (COO), Heaster Andrea (CEO), Kimberly Lau (CSO)


As a multi-stage investor, we recognize the immense potential of early-stage startups in Malaysia. With over 1,000 portfolio companies globally, we remain steadfast in our mission to back founders from day zero.

Besides being the earliest backer for startups, we are also a long-term capital partner that provides expansion support and scale-up funding to breakout companies from Series A onwards.

Join us to get your startup launched and funded in Malaysia. Find out more here.

Frank Kang

Associate Partner

Frank is a seasoned serial entrepreneur with 17 years of experience. As Country Head for Malaysia, he leads investment strategy and operations for the region. He founded a social networking service at 23 and established one of the largest Twitter directories in Korea. He also founded LivingSocial and Althea in Malaysia. With Frank's proven track record of building scalable businesses in Asia, his vast experiences will help Malaysians to think globally from Day Zero and expand Malaysia's entrepreneurial impact across borders.

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