Digital News Asia

Investors say resilience, execution and capital efficiency matter as much as growth Early relationships and founder quality emerge as key factors in securing investment Endeavor Malaysia returned with Reverse Pitch 2026, bringing together more than 130 entrepreneurs and investors for candid discussions with leading venture capitalists and institutional investors on how funding decisions are made in today's more selective investment environment. Representing regional firms including Creador, Gobi Partners, Asia Partners, Vynn Capital and Khazanah Nasional Berhad, investors shared how macroeconomic uncertainty, artificial intelligence and changing market dynamics are reshaping the way startups are evaluated, with greater emphasis now placed on resilience, capital efficiency and execution. "Our goal with Reverse Pitch was to level the playing field and demystify the funding landscape. By bringing together everyone from early-stage VCs to major regional institutional investors in one room, we gave entrepreneurs direct insight into how investors think," said Shan Li Tay, managing director of Endeavor Malaysia. "More importantly, it created a space where founders could challenge the status quo, ask difficult questions and build the meaningful relationships that drive our ecosystem forward." A key theme throughout the session was adaptability. As AI reshapes how companies build and scale, investors said founders must demonstrate more than ambitious growth projections. Leadership, resilience, capital efficiency and the ability to execute consistently have become equally important considerations when evaluating investment opportunities. That scrutiny is also reshaping how deals are evaluated. Investors are looking beyond financial models to assess an entrepreneur's leadership, track record and ability to execute over the long term. "Endeavor's Reverse Pitch is refreshing because it flips the usual dynamic and gives founders direct insight into how investors think," said Syafiq Aqmar, investment director at Gobi Partners. "It also gives us an opportunity to share how we support companies from 0-to-1 and 1-to-10, across both early and growth stages." The discussion also highlighted the importance of engaging investors well before launching a fundraising round. Building relationships early allows founders and investors to establish trust, align strategically and create a more productive fundraising process. "Founders need to start building investor relationships well before a raise. Early trust and alignment can make the fundraising process less pressured and more productive," said Melissa Ng, investment manager at Qualgro Partners. During the interactive Q&A, investors also addressed the psychological realities of fundraising, reminding entrepreneurs that rejection is an inevitable part of the process. Rather than seeking universal validation, founders were encouraged to remain conviction-led and focus on finding investors whose values and long-term vision align with their own. Now in its second edition, Endeavor's Reverse Pitch continues to foster more transparent and informed conversations between founders and investors, helping entrepreneurs better understand how today's investors evaluate opportunities while strengthening Malaysia's startup ecosystem. Related Articles For more technology news and the latest updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn Keyword(s) : Endeavor Malaysia Reverse Pitch 2026 Shan Li Tay Melissa Ng Syafiq Aqmar Venture Capital Artificial Intelligence Startup Ecosystem Gobi Partners Qualgro Partners Author Name : Digital News Asia

Tourplus CEO embodies founder hustle, with keen eye for opportunity Founders have the highest responsibility, must exude optimism & hope If you want to look at how well startup founders in Malaysia have coped with the Covid-19 pandemic, few have acquitted themselves as well as Rickson Goh, the soft spoken founder of travel tech startup, Tourplus Technology Sdn Bhd. Not only did he manage to raise eyebrows in the ecosystem with a successful US$1 million seed capital fund raise last October, in the midst of a brutal standstill of the tourism market in Malaysia, but he has gone on to build some partnerships that will position his travel tech startup quite nicely when the tourism rebound happens. Plus, he has also started talking to investors on raising his next round as he projects revenue for 2021 to hit US$1.65 million (RM7 million) – almost none of it coming from travel. So, what is he smoking and what is he spiking in his teh tarik? Turns out it is nothing more than founder hustle and a keen eye for opportunity.     Cuts win-win deal with Tourism Selangor Last week, Tourplus issued a straightforward press release announcing that it had partnered with Tourism Selangor to build a mobile app for the state agency, which had no mobile app before this. But the real story here is that Tourplus has entered into a 50:50 profit share agreement with Tourism Selangor for any sales that come through the app, called Go Selangor. Even better, the state agency will be encouraging all travel related suppliers in its database to start digitalising their operations, introducing Tourplus to those who are interested (although this is not an exclusive arrangement). As Rickson notes, most of these travel players are small companies and would have been near impossible for Tourplus to get into. Instead, now it gets a credible state agency to make the introduction. “We expect the app will go live in Oct 2021,” says Rickson. “Tourism Selangor will endorse and recommend the operators to us, Tourplus will discuss commercial arrangements and setup in the app, operate and do the payout, etc,” he explains. Go Selangor will be the official travel app for the state government as Selangor doubles efforts to help the travel ecosystem to be ready for the post-pandemic travel rebound. A key part of the efforts to get ecosystem players, most of whom are SMEs, ready, is to encourage them to digitalise so that their travel packages, services and inventory can be added to Go Selangor. Rickson, who mooted the idea in March with endorsement by the Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corp in July, believes this collaboration will help more rural operators or “hidden gem providers” that are not in the main stream platforms like Klook. It is also a sweet deal for Rickson who gets to add new inventory to his database while gearing himself for the post-pandemic rebound. The collaboration is the latest in a series of deals he has cut since his October fundraising last year. The timing could not have been better as his back was against the wall by then. It was not an easy time, he admits. Hardly any revenue was coming in and, “We were running out of money then.” The team had lost hope and even Rickson (pic) struggled to see any ray of light. “It was very hard for me. I was spending day and night trying to figure out a way to survive. We founders have the highest responsibility. No matter how we feel inside, and sometimes I felt helpless, but we have to exude hope and optimism for the team,” he says. A brief foray into delivering frozen food to consumers failed to take off. But the key moment was when he decided that there was not going to be any international travel for at least 24-months. It was a chilling realisation for a startup that had positioned its future on the back of inbound travel into Malaysia.   Hanging out in Parliament, getting TSP status, convincing investors Rickson swung into action. As the early months of the pandemic lockdowns saw webinars soar in popularity, Rickson started attending quite a few to learn from other entrepreneurs. He also paid attention to and learned about the various government initiatives to help businesses cope and realised that there was opportunity to help local players go digital. For Rickson, this was going to be the lifeline while waiting for domestic tourism to spring back to life. “I managed to convince my investors that domestic tourism was the way forward and that there was short-term opportunity in the various government Covid aid recovery programs.” One key advantage he had was the strong government relations he built up over a short period of time. “It was not from getting any projects but helping government to digitise brick and mortar companies, specifically those in the travel sector,” he says. This involved him going to the Malaysian Parliament to meet relevant ministers to make his pitch which helped Tourplus get recognised as a TSP (Technology Service Provider). This recognition allowed Tourplus to help companies apply for the Digital Marketing Grant which is part of the Malaysian Government’s efforts to help businesses recover from the pandemic impact. “They were eligible to receive up to a RM5,00 grant and we managed to get 200 companies approved thus far from a total of 800 that we submitted for the grant.” This work not only keeps his 20-strong team (30% are part-time) busy but has helped with cash flow as well. Key collaborations in China, instant access to 200k hotel rooms globally One key collaboration from April this year was between Chinese travel agency ChongQing China Youth Travel Service with Rickson still aiming to capture some of the 3 million annual Chinese tourists to Malaysia. “Travel is still our primary business and even though we raised funds, it won’t last us forever if the travel restrictions stay in place,” Rickson says, adding that income and cash flow need to be watched very carefully. “We need to keep innovating as well and I need to hire tech people, UI/UX designers, product people which will also help us scale.” Another exciting development, one that he has kept under wraps is a partnership he has struck with China’s largest OTA (Online Travel Agency), the Nasdaq listed Ctrip. Thanks to an API integration, users of the Tourplus app can now also directly book 200,000 hotel rooms from all over the world where Ctrip has hotel partners. “It is a very exclusive priviledge to be given the trust of API integration with a company like Ctrip, says Rickson. That likely cuts both ways as Ctrip, which was founded in 1999, probably sees a little bit of itself in the feisty startup from Kuala Lumpur and its gritty founder. Related Articles For more technology news and the latest updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn Keyword(s) : Rickson Goh Travel Tech Startup Tourplus Technology entrepreneur Tourism Selangor Grit Author Name : Karamjit Singh

Higher-end Redmi Note 10 Pro comes with 108MP quad-cam, 120Hz display The Redmi Note 10 arrives earlier on March 8, prices from US$196 NOT long after the arrival of the Mi 11, Xiaomi has announced the latest line-up of its mid-range Redmi smartphone series – the Redmi Note 10 Pro and the Redmi Note 10. The latter device will be available for purchase in Malaysia from March 8 onwards, while the Pro version from March 15 onwards. The Redmi Note 10 Pro is, of course, the higher-end version of the new series. It comes with a 6.67-inch AMOLED DotDisplay that features 120Hz refresh rate, which is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, Xiaomi said in a statement. The device also features a quad-camera setup led by a 108MP main shooter, followed by an 8MP ultra-wide angle camera, 5MP tele-macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The main sensor touts a 9-in-1 'binning' technology and dual native ISO combine, which the company said helps capture finer details and provide a higher dynamic range. The Redmi Note 10 Pro will offer both pro and tele-macro time-lapse video shooting. Other additional features in Redmi Note include photo clones, video clones, dual video and long exposure modes for extra fun photo or video sharing on your favorite social media apps, the company said. The Redmi Note 10 Pro is a 4G device but still powerful nonetheless. It sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G chipset, an optimised-for-gaming chipset. The device is powered by a 5,020mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging. The base Redmi Note 10, on the other hand, comes with a smaller 6.43-inch AMOLED DotDisplay, which doesn’t support 120Hz refresh rate. It does, however, have the 33W fast charging and dual speakers that the Pro version has. This Note 10 also sports a quad-camera setup, albeit with a 48MP main shooter coupled with an 8MP ultra-wide angle camera, a 2MP macro lens and a 2MP depth sensor. The main shooter does have time-lapse capabilities. The Note 10 runs on the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 678, a chipset which is designed to bring better photography and connectivity capabilities in the mid-range market without sacrificing battery endurance, Xiaomi claimed. The device has a 5,000mAh battery. The Redmi Note 10, available in Malaysia from March 8 in a 6GB+128GB setup, comes in three colours: Onyx Gray, Pebble White and Lake Garden. It prices at US$196 (RM799). [RM1 = US$0.245] Meanwhile, the Redmi Note 10 Pro comes in two variants: 8GB+128GB and 6GB+128GB, which is priced at RM1,099 and RM999 respectively. The Pro version comes in three colours: Onyx Gray, Glacier Blue and Gradient Bronze, and will be available for purchase in Malaysia from March 15. Both devices will be available at official Xiaomi stores on Lazada and in-store at authorised Mi stores, and other official retailers. Related Articles For more technology news and the latest updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn Keyword(s) : Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Quad-Camera 120Hz Personal Tech Smartphone Mid-Range Author Name : Digital News Asia

Sarazin to provide tactical advice, direction in risk management and mitigation strategies Previously head and VP of enterprise risk management at BSN The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) today announced the appointment of Sarazin Sheikh Mustafa (left, pic) as director of risk management and compliance. In a press statement, MDEC said the appointment of Sarazin will provide the agency with tactical advice and direction in risk assessment and mitigation strategies. She will also lead the implementation of a risk management framework for MDEC aimed at ensuring that comprehensive and consistent risk identification, assessment and processes are met. Sarazin’s appointment marks another milestone under MDEC’s 're-invent’ agenda, which is aimed at “inculcating a high-performance, high-impact organisation.” The agency begun cascading changes throughout the organisation to ensure “optimal performance” for its new structure, with Sarazin being the latest addition. Prior to MDEC, Sarazin was the head and vice president of enterprise risk management and business continuity management at Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN). She led the engagement and enhancement of relationship with regulators and other stakeholders. She was also responsible for the identification, assessment, review, and monitoring of risks, in line with Bank Negara Malaysia’s Risk Governance Framework as well as the central bank's Risk Framework. “I bring with me 15 years’ worth of experience in risk management and strategies and I will do my utmost to ensure that MDEC continues to create effective and cogent outcomes at all levels. I am thrilled to be able to do my part and apply my know-how to further add value towards achieving best practices and results,” said Sarazin. Sarazin will lead the risk management and compliance departments at MDEC. She will provide tactical advice and direction to the board of directors, relevant board committees, including the integrity and audit and risk committee and business teams in line with MDEC’s commitments. “Over the course of her illustrious career, Sarazin has established herself as a risk management specialist leader and I am certain she will [sucessfully] spearhead risk management and mitigation unit,” said Rais Hussin, chairman of MDEC. “I look forward to the step-up in our overall efficiency and expect to benefit our various stakeholders and ultimately the people and the country.” Related Articles For more technology news and the latest updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn Keyword(s) : MDeC Reinvent Sarazin Sheikh Mustafa digital economy Appointments Risk Management Author Name : Digital News Asia

ECF, P2P financing funds raised in 2020 to date benefitting more than 2.5k MSMEs Demand for online brokerage services in 2020 increased 270% compared to 2019 [Caption above has been edited for clarity.] “Given it is a tech event, it is only fitting we use technology to connect,” says Securities Commission (SC) Malaysia chairman Syed Zaid Albar when giving his welcome remarks to the SC x SC Fintech Conference 2020. This marks the 7th iteration of the annual conference that, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, is held virtually for the first time. Held from 5 to 7 October 2020, the event covers discussions on a broad range of topics that include local fintech players navigating the ‘new normal’, investment behaviour in turbulent times, and the role of fintech in responsible fundraising and investing. Zaid Albar acknowledges the difficulty of the current times. Yet there are silver linings amidst the gloom. For one, Syed notes that despite the challenging environment, investors have continued to show confidence in the Malaysian capital markets. “We have seen a considerable increase in individual investor participation via digital investment managers, equity crowdfunding (ECF) and peer-to-peer (P2P) financing platforms, digital asset exchanges (DAX) and online brokers. So, the retail participation in this challenging environment has only increased,” he says. The silver lining certainly shines bright here, with some fascinating discoveries. For one, the total funds raised on ECF and P2P platforms have broken the US$240 million (RM1 billion) mark in 2020, benefitting more than 2,500 MSMEs. “Supporting this growth are investors under the age of 35, who account for 60% of individual investors. The presence of retail investors – constituting 84% of participating individual investors - further underscores the appeal of these platforms,” Zaid Albar elaborates.   Other numbers of significance There are other positive things to note. This year, SC issued three more digital investment management licenses, totalling seven overall. “I am pleased to note that these digital investment managers have attracted many first-time investors… with close to 90,000 new accounts opened this year,” Zaid Albar continues. In addition to that, demand for online brokerage services have also increased – the number of new account openings through online-only brokers, grew by more than 270% this year compared 2019. “That is an almost four-fold increase. Their average trading volume has also tripled this year, so once again, lots of silver lining.” Zaid Albar goes on to say that SC approved three digital asset exchanges last year – and all three have now gone live with four digital assets permitted on trading on these platforms. Collectively, these DAXes have seen more than 400,000 accounts being opened, with the value of trades surpassing US$24 million (RM100 million) in the month of August. According to Zaid Albar, the country has seen rapid adoption of digital technologies across every economic sectors. “Companies have relied on digital tools and means to reach out to customers, as well as to ensure uninterrupted operations due to the physical limitations imposed. “The SC is continuing to work together with industry to leverage these unexpected but positive outcomes to advance our digital agenda for the capital market. One would caution, of course, about digitisation and that, is that as market participants scale up their use of technology and digital tools, we need to recognise the risks that come with increased technology adoption,” he adds. “The SC will remain vigilant and will continue to enhance the market’s cyber resilience, particularly against cyber-attacks and online scams.” Zaid Albar also took the opportunity to remind investors to exercise “common sense” during investing. “Verify the individual or company offering capital market products or services - that they are on SC’s public register. Please also help us by reporting any suspicious activities. As you know the number of online scams is increasing, so investors must avoid being deceived in their search for yield in this low interest rate environment,” he explains. “The SC remains committed to promote what we might call the Triple A capital market; Accessible, Agile and Accountable. That includes broadening the range of alternative fundraisings and investment opportunities as the market matures, and further market innovations are welcomed and encouraged.” Related Articles For more technology news and the latest updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn Keyword(s) : SCxSC Securities Commission Syed Zaid Albar Fintech ECF P2P Alternative Financing Online Brokerage Digitisation Author Name : Digital News Asia

Motorola will be giving out promotions and discounts during Lazada's massive online sale Introduced Ultimate Lenovo K8 Note model in conjunction with the sale   Motorola is giving back to its fans even more with their latest participation in Lazada’s 12.12 Online Revolution happening from 12th to 14th December. There will be special promotions and discount available worth up to RM516 exclusively on Lazada for only three days! “To show our appreciation to our loyal Motorola and Lenovo mobile supporters in Malaysia for a great year, we are giving back to them with amazing promotions for 3 days only through Lazada’s 12.12 Online Revolution. It’s also a great opportunity for our supporters to get a lovely gift for their loved ones ahead of Christmas and the New Year,” said Lydia Foo, General Manager of Lenovo Mobile Business Group and Motorola Mobility Malaysia. Among the Motorola and Lenovo smartphones that will be available during the promotional period include the Moto X4 (RM1,899), Moto G5S Plus (RM999), M (RM799), E4 (RM549), Lenovo K6 Note (RM599) and Ultimate K8 Note (RM999). Now is also the best time to get your favourite Moto Mod and accessories at a 10% discount on Lazada when you use the code “MOTOACC10D”. There will also be Moto Mods accessories available at discount including the JBL Sound Boost, projector, 360 Camera, gamepad, Hasselblad True Zoom and many others. The All New Ultimate Note  The newest addition to the beloved Note series, the Ultimate Lenovo K8 Note will be officially made available at Lenovo Official Store on Lazada starting 12th December. The phone is elegantly crafted in a metal frame with a 5.5” Full HD display and 4000mAh that will power you throughout the day without a worry.  The first Note series to get a dual-camera setup, the K8 Note comes with a 13MP Purecel sensor and a 5MP sensor that allows you to capture beautiful pictures in a quick snap. The Ultimate K8 Note will be continuing on the much loved TheaterMax technology and Dolby Atmos audio paired with a dedicated music button for a greater entertainment experience.  The Ultimate Lenovo K8 Note RRP will be RM1299.  In conjunction with the official availability of the Ultimate Lenovo K8 Note in Malaysia, it will be sold at RM999 for 3 days exclusively during Lazada’s 12.12 Online Revolution. For more information, visit https://www.moto.com/my or follow the Official Moto Malaysia Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MotorolaMalaysia and Official Lenovo Malaysia Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LenovoMobileMalaysia Check out Motorola and Lenovo’s offerings on the Official Store on Lazada Malaysia at Motorola Official Store and Lenovo Official Store. Related Stories: Motorola rolls out two new value-for-money handsets Moto G5 Plus: Classic line gets internal makeover Motorola launches official store on Lazada Keyword(s) : Motorola Lazada 12.12 Online Revolution Discount Promotion Lenovo Author Name : Digital News Asia

Latest round of funding to be used to expand development team and improve game engine Vainglory to make a big push in SEA market with more activities in store     Mobile games maker Super Evil Megacorp, creators of Vainglory a game for iOS and Android devices, has raised US$19 million (RM81.5 million) in funding from its existing investors which include Index Ventures, Korea Investment Partners, Signia Venture Partners, General Catalyst among several others. Vainglory is a mobile game of the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) genre that is similar to games like Dota 2 and League of Legends. Super Evil Megacorp will utilise the financing round to expand its team and deliver on its mission to build the best MOBA experience for touchscreen gamers. “Already the most competitive mobile MOBA on the market, with an active global esports scene and growing community, Vainglory is off to a great start,” Super Evil Megacorp chief executive officer Kristian Segerstrale said. “Together with our investors we’re doubling down on our missions to build the best core gaming experiences for the touchscreen generation, and to create a home for talented game developers who are passionate about pushing the boundaries of the industry,” he said. Segerstrale explained that the funding will be utilised to grow the company’s team of game designers, engineers and artists. Super Evil Megacorp will also use the investment to continue developing its proprietary multi-platform E.V.I.L. engine that has allowed Vainglory to deliver stunning graphics and beautiful visuals. Currently, the studio is heavily focused on developing Vainglory’s upcoming 5v5 game mode, which will add to the strategic depth of the game and offer more to the already thriving Vainglory competitive community. According to the company, Vainglory has made an impact on the mobile game scene just two years after its launch. It claims the game is already the world’s biggest mobile eSports game with more than 3,000 teams across North America and Europe alone, 1,500 teams in APAC and over 1 billion matches played. The company has also partnered with the likes of Apple, Samsung, Google, Amazon, ESL and others to deliver competitions and eSports events for fans across the world. Super Evil Megacorp has recently been making heavy forays into the Southeast Asian (SEA) market having held the SEA Spring Championships in Manila and participated in Singapore’s annual Youth celebrations at the Shine Festival 2017, where they were part of a line-up that featured eSports for the first time in the festival’s 12 year history. The company said it plans to hold the 2017 Vainglory World Championship in Singapore bringing the game full circle as it was tested in early beta in the island republic back in 2013.   Related Stories: Netmarble’s Lineage2 Revolution to run first massive fortress siege on July 28 New refreshed Omen gaming PCs from HP New challenges await Lineage 2 Revolution players   Keyword(s) : Vainglory Super Evil Megacorp Mobile Game eSports MOBA Funding raise round latest Expansion Author Name : Digital News Asia

 Funding kickstarts high-growth phase and tech expansion Ambitions to be a global top 10 martech company  Zanroo founders Chitpol Mungprom (CEO) and Udomsak Donkhampai (CTO)  Thai-based insight discovery and marketing technology startup Zanroo is one of the fastest-growing startups in its industry; founders Chitpol Mungprom and Udomsak Donkhampai claim it is the fastest-growing in Southeast Asia (SEA).  Zanroo, which was founded in July 2013, helps its customers discover actionable insights through real-time big-data analytics so that these businesses can make their campaign activation and crisis management processes more efficient and successful.  Its customer acquisition in the last four years has been significant, certainly helped along by its bespoke proprietary technology. It now has more than 300 leading brands across various verticals, including banking, automotive, telecommunications, e-commerce, aviation and consumer goods. It is active in 15 countries:  Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, the UK and Thailand. On July 11, Zanroo closed its Series A funding, securing US$7.4 million (RM31.8 million) from a single investor, Shift Ventures. According to Mungprom, who is chief executive officer, Zanroo will use the funding to propel it further forward in its journey to secure a global footprint and become a unicorn.  World domination Zanroo has big plans for global expansion but the founders do not believe they are overly ambitious. The startup is already in 17 countries, its current biggest markets being Mexico and Dubai. The next big markets the startup is looking into are China and cities in Europe, followed by cities in the US.  Mungprom says that China will not be too difficult for Zanroo to break into because it already has a local partner that Zanroo obtained through its extensive network in Thailand and because of the good business reputation that the startup has cultivated. Though Mungprom declines to reveal the name of the China partner, he says that it is big in the retail and food and beverage space, and has connections with Alibaba. Zanroo is looking at an expansion timeline of two-and-a-half years, though Mungprom stresses that this timeline is just the first benchmark: “We believe that expansion needs to carry on for the company’s whole life. If you stop expansion the company stops moving,” he says.   He elaborates that the funding will be used for two things - hiring people for marketing, sales, and research and development, and to improve on Zanroo’s hardware and software. Zanroo currently has 160 employees across the 17 countries it operates in.  “The funding is only for expansion, so we are ready to move up from a startup to a corporation. We want to be the next company that people who come out from Google, Facebook or Agoda come to. We are ready for them,” reveals Mungprom. Though Zanroo is comparatively small, it is moving into a sustained high-growth phase – Mungprom says Zanroo will very soon be in 40 countries – which means great opportunities for people to use their previous experience to help grow the company.  “We can offer a good salary for sure. But normally when hiring people I don’t think what we are going to use them for, I think about how far they can go with us. People in Google may be at the top of the world, but what’s next after that? We are offering them the chance to grow another company and grow themselves together,” he says.  The founders emphasise that one of Zanroo’s major strengths is a strong local sales team that understands the local markets. The localisation of Zanroo’s products is an important aspect of its success. Its latest solution, Arun, for example, contains carefully designed algorithms that enable it to process big data quickly and intelligently, aggregating paid, owned and earned media for return-on-investment measurement. The most interesting part of it is that it can be tweaked to suit each market.  “Every market is slightly different, with different data, culture and ways of using the product, so when we first enter a new market we have a temporary team there with local knowledge so that we can customise the software for market requirements,” explains Donkhampai, who is the chief technical officer.    From left  Shift Venture CEO and founding partner Worawisut Pinyoyang, Zanroo CEO and founder Chitpol Mungprom and Zanroo CTO and founder Udomsak Donkhampai Unicorns are real Zanroo boasts an annual revenue growth of between 200% and 400%. This year’s target revenue is US$7.43 million (THB260 million), about the same amount as it obtained for its Series A funding. The founders did not reveal Zanroo’s valuation but Mungprom says it is far over the US$25 million mark.  As of August, Zanroo has achieved 80% of its revenue target for the year and Mungprom says that it will certainly exceed the target, something the startup does every year.  “When we set the targets and forecast growth we don’t just imagine where we want to be, we look at the numbers and calculate what we should achieve in two months, six months and one year. So we never miss a target. We always have a plan and we stick to it,” says Mungprom. According to Mungprom, Zanroo has been profitable from day 1: “We have never had negative cash flow.” He explains that as a B2B model, Zanroo has a long and diversified list of customers from which revenue flows in. Further, because the startup’s cutting-edge products and technologies are so attractive and its client servicing and after-sales services are top-notch, it was able to obtain quite a few clients from the beginning who signed contracts and paid in advance, enabling Zanroo to make early profits.  The founders strongly believe that Zanroo’s unicorn dream is achievable and that Thai capabilities are certainly of global standard, saying that Zanroo will be the first Thai brand to go global. Donkhampai says that his previous experience at a global company has given him the experience, knowledge and confidence to take Zanroo’s products global. “It’s great to know that in Thailand we can do something like this.” Besides becoming a unicorn, Zanroo has aspirations to be in the top 10 martech companies in the world. It will achieve this as it does everything else – with quality products and services, and methodical, steady growth.  Mungprom explains that once Zanroo has expanded to 40 countries as per plans, it will strive to be in the top three martech companies in each country. Once this is achieved, Zanroo will be in the top 10 in the world. With revenue already at such high numbers, such growth will definitely make Zanroo a unicorn in terms of valuation. The founders see all this happening within three years.  What is next for a startup with such high ambitions and founders that are confident of success? “Once we become a unicorn we can’t just stop; we still need more products. We would like to be an innovation company. At that time we will probably have a lot more money, connections, people, and technology so why not think of more innovations, create something that can help solve the problems in the world?” says Mungprom.  “We don’t want to solve all the world’s problems, just those we have the knowledge to solve. We just want to be part of making the world better.”   Related stories:  Telco Deep Dive: Sharing, not taking away telco lunch eCommerce Crossborder Conference aims to educate local SMEs Ventures in the Southeast Asian jungle     Keyword(s) : Zanroo Chitpol Mungprom Udomsak Donkhampai Shift Ventures marketing technology martech Big Data B2B Unicorn Startup Author Name : Anushia Kandasivam

Vincent Wong is named area vice president Citrix Asia Sandeep Pal is regional VP marketing, Orcun Tezel is senior sales director for networking     CITRIX on Aug 9 announced that Vincent Wong (pic, above) has been appointed area vice president of Asia for Citrix.  Reporting to Stanimira Koleva, vice president of sales and services, Asia Pacific Japan, Citrix, Wong brings extensive experience in driving workspace innovation, cloud adoption and business transformation. He will focus on executing the company’s corporate strategy and delivering consistent growth across all sectors of the Asia region, covering Asean and Korea markets. Wong joins as Citrix is expanding the leadership team across the Asia Pacific Japan region. Citrix recently appointed Sandeep Pal to regional vice president, marketing, Asia Pacific Japan, Citrix and Orcun Tezel as senior sales director for networking, Asia Pacific Japan, Citrix.         Commenting on the expanded leadership team, Koleva said: “I’m excited to announce the extended APJ leadership team, and believe Orcun, Sandeep and Vincent will strengthen our ability to support our customers and partners across the region. Our investment and commitment to growth will help drive our business forward and support organisations across the region to transition to cloud and drive digital transformation.” Wong joins Citrix to lead the Asean and Korea sales and services business, bringing almost three decades of experience in business development, product sales, marketing, sales operations, channel management, sales management and business management from companies such as IBM, Cisco Systems and Microsoft. Prior to joining Citrix, Wong spent fourteen years at Microsoft where he held various roles, most recently as director of the company’s APAC channel business.  During this time, Wong developed a deep understanding of business transformation and leading change, as well as adapting to the ever-changing needs of the Asia region. “Vincent brings proven expertise and a solid track record to the role. His knowledge of the ASEAN and Korean markets, combined with his strong leadership skills, will strengthen our ability to help businesses in these markets succeed,” said Koleva. Wong holds a BSc degree (with double majors in Computer Science and Information Technology) from The University of Western Australia and an Executive MBA from the California State University, Hayward. Wong was a committee member of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s IT advisory board, Committee member of the National Infocomm Competency Framework and committee member of Singapore International Chamber of Commerce’s Cybersecurity chapter before he left for Korea in August 2015. He is currently a board member of Netball Singapore, a non-profit sport organisation. Sandeep joins Citrix to lead the Asia Pacific Japan marketing team, with over 25 years of sales and marketing experience in the Asia Pacific region in companies such as IBM and Oracle. He will be responsible for leading marketing strategy to accelerate the brand’s growth in the Asia Pacific Japan region.  Key to his focus will be to drive the transformation towards cloud while leveraging digital and modern marketing techniques. Prior to joining Citrix, he spent almost two decades at Oracle in various country, regional and global marketing leadership roles. Most recently, he was the senior director of Marketing leading all aspects of marketing in Southeast Asia and emerging markets. Tezel joins Citrix to lead the Asia Pacific Japan Networking team, bringing extensive experience from across the IT industry in EMEA, Middle East and Asia Pacific Japan. In his role as the senior sales director, Networking for Asia Pacific Japan region he will be responsible for leading the company's strategic initiatives in the rapidly evolving application delivery and cloud networking markets to expand Citrix’s thought leadership and drive top line revenue and market share growth across APJ region. Prior to joining Citrix, Tezel worked as senior director, systems engineering (SE) and professional services at Brocade Communications Asia Pacific Japan, and led a team of Principal Architects and SE managers/directors to achieve significant sales growth in new and emerging technologies across Asia Pacific. Prior to his time with Brocade, he held management roles with Cisco, HP and 3Com. Keyword(s) : Citrix Vincent Wong Stanimira Koleva Sandeep Pal Orcun Tezel IBM Cisco Systems Microsoft Oracle Brocade Communications HP 3Com Author Name : Digital News Asia

HP's versatile laptop comes with a 360-degree hinge that allows it to transform into one of four modes Beefy security and long last battery provide added value   Think of business laptop and you may immediately conjure up an image of a functional but ultimately unexceptionally designed machine that gets the work done but isn’t something you would like to use on a daily basis. That isn’t quite the case with HP’s new EliteBook x360 1030 G2, we will just keep calling it the EliteBook x360 from here on. There is an air of sophistication to this laptop that you don’t see too often in a business laptop. It doesn’t just look good but it also ticks the check boxes in other areas including security, durability and privacy, core features for businesses. Design As far as design goes the EliteBook x360 is a stunning looking business laptop. Coated in silver with an aluminium unibody, it definitely has taken some design cues from Apple’s best. Admittedly, the new stylised HP logo looks strange but apart from that the aesthetics look great. Lifting the lid reveals a 13.3-inch full HD display which produces very vivid colours though it isn’t as bright as other laptops that we have tested in the past. This may make it difficult to read out in bright sunlight but indoor settings, as where most office workers should be, were fine. As it is a convertible laptop, thanks to the 360-degree hinge (hence the x360 monicker) it comes with a handy touchscreen that lets you navigate the EliteBook seamlessly even when using it in one of its four different modes. You can, of course, use it as a normal laptop or a tablet but there is also the tent, where you can prop it like upside down “V” and display mode, with the screen facing up while the keyboard faces down. Weighing in at just 1.28kg, the EliteBook x360 really is a featherweight laptop that we had no trouble taking along wherever we went. While it doesn’t win any awards for being the slimmest, it just as easily slips into any bag we could throw it in. Of course with a laptop as slim as this, one must worry if HP had cut any corners with the ports in order to maintain its svelte shape. Fortunately, there are still a decent number of ports available so you won’t be trapped in dongle hell. The HP EliteBook x360 looks surprisingly stylish for a business laptop. To the right side, there is a USB 3.0 port along with a headphone jack and smart card reader for additional security. On the opposite side, there is a microSD card slot, Thunderbolt 3, HDMI output, second USB 3.0 port, Kensington lock and power jack. Right below the screen you get a full-size keyboard with backlit keys The keyboard doesn’t feel too shallow and the keys are clicky though responsive. There is also a respectably large trackpad and a fingerprint reader on the right side for added security. There is even an NFC reader hidden just beneath the trackpad. Apart from that, you get a nice stylish stylus that comes with the box. The stylus boasts over two thousand degrees of pressure sensitivity so it feels natural to write and draw on the screen. We liked the nice little touch HP made by allowing the stylus to slide into the Smart-card reader for safe storage when it is not in use. has looks that completely complement the laptop. Performance Underneath the hood, the EliteBook x360 boasts an Intel Core i7-7600U processor along with 8GB of RAM and 512GB solid-state drive. All these specifications are configurable to meet your requirements and budget. The EliteBook x360 scored a middling PCMark 10 score of 2,626. In practice, the EliteBook x360 ran smoothly functioning as a primary web browsing device, keeping more than 15 tabs opened proved no challenge to it at all. The 512GB of storage feels constraining but there is the microSD card slot for expanding the memory. As it comes with an integrated Intel HD graphics 620, the EliteBook x360 isn’t going to allow you to handle heavy graphics applications nor run high-end games. That is not to say that it is completely useless, it can still play older games at a lower resolution but you will need to dig far back into your catalogue to find something less intensive for it to handle. Temperature wise, the EliteBook x360 actually runs very coolly throughout the time we tested it. The laptop actually manages to stay cool throughout usage. The only time when the laptop really heats up is when it needs to draw more power and dispense more heat during intensive graphics procedures. The 720p webcam isn’t anything to write home about but it works all the same if you need to have that all-important video Skype call. The ports along the side of the HP EliteBook x360 The audio of the Bang & Olufsen branded speakers punctuate the EliteBook x360’s rich audio capabilities. The pedigree of the speakers speaks for themselves as the audio quality remains very clear and vivid, projecting voices and music to great effect. Despite sounding good, the designers should have reconsidered the placement of the speakers as they sound muffled thanks to their downward firing position. Being a convertible laptop, the EliteBook x360 changes shape and form all the time, but the placement of the speakers at the bottom just doesn't make sense. In tablet mode, the speaker is sandwiched between the screen and the keyboard portion of the laptop while in display mode the speakers are hidden behind the screen. That being said, if you truly want to enjoy music and movies it is best to plug in a good set of headphones or speakers. Coming down to battery performance, the EliteBook x360 is a very power efficient laptop able to last close to 10 hours with regular surfing which is very respectable and great for getting work done on the go. The Bang & Olufsen speakers sound really good but the speakers are downward firing, making the sound muffled.  Conclusion On a whole, the HP EliteBook x360 is a slightly unusual business laptop as it actually sports good looks. With its 360 degrees hinge, it offers lots of versatility for business users whether they need to use for serious work as a laptop or hold it up as a tablet during presentations. The added benefit of having additional security features doesn’t hurt and the exceptional battery life is a big plus for mobile workers. As it is designed to be an enterprise class notebook it has a high price tag of US$1,830 (RM7,843) which to be honest, is a tad expensive for the specs that it comes with considering it has integrated graphics only. Clearly, the EliteBook x360 is intended for a specific audience, namely mobile workers who need a decent performing and long lasting laptop. For the rest, there are cheaper and more economical options out there. The HP EliteBook x360 in 'Tent' Mode. Related Stories Dell XPS 15 combines beauty and performance in one sleek package Lenovo introduces its next generation P series mobile workstation Lenovo YogaBook: Have notebook, will travel Keyword(s) : HP Elitebook x360 Bang & Olufsen Review Performance Price graphics Intel battery Product Review Author Name : Chong Jinn Xiung