Greening The Grey — A Farm In The City

On this episode of Open For Business, we speak with Paul Dass, Managing Director of Green Street Farms, about what it means to grow food with care in the heart of a city. Green Street Farms uses aquaponics, a natural system where fish and plants support one another, to produce fresh food while w…

No Equity, No Fee Accelerator? AppWorks’ Deal Flow Engine

Startup accelerators are everywhere, but few operate like AppWorks. Based in Taiwan with a sizable footprint in Southeast Asia, the firm runs an accelerator that takes zero equity and charges zero fees, a model sustained by its associated VC funds. Alyssa Chen, Principal of the AppWorks Accelera…

Morgan Stanley to Fintech: Helicap’s Private Credit Play

Private credit has exploded over the last decade. But is it a necessary structural shift or a "shadow banking" bubble waiting to pop? David Z Wang, Co-Founder & CEO of fintech firm Helicap Group, joins BFM to make the case for connecting global investors to Asia's massive private credit opportun…

Can Ted Optimus Fix Retail Investing?

Malaysians are investing more than ever, but many are doing so in a market flooded with hype, social media tips, and unverified “gurus.” The result? Emotional decision-making, rising losses, and growing distrust among retail investors. We speak with Warren Mak, CEO and Co-Founder of Ted Optimus,…

AI Startups: Why Distribution is the Only Moat Left

While skeptics dismiss the current wave of startups as mere AI 'wrappers,' a grassroots movement in Kuala Lumpur is ignoring the noise and building anyway. It begs the question: is it really just an 'AI wrapper' if it solves a fundamental business problem? Joseph Chin, City Organizer for AI Tink…

Nomad Capitalist: Building a Life Where You’re Treated Best

For many entrepreneurs, the idea of living and working anywhere in the world is the ultimate goal. But for Andrew Henderson, it’s more than a dream—it’s a business model. He’s the founder of Nomad Capitalist, a consultancy that helps high-net-worth individuals and entrepreneurs build global lifesty…

Replacing Microsoft Office with Memes? Inside Agnes AI

The AI sector is frothy, filled with "wrappers" disguised as deep tech and companies blurring the line between innovation and snake oil. Yet, Agnes AI claims to be different. By combining a "Snapchat-style" social feed with an enterprise-grade productivity suite, they aim to capture the 99% of Sout…

Being SME-First: How HitPay Scaled to $1B Volumes

The Southeast Asian payments landscape is a fierce battleground, crowded with global giants like Stripe and Adyen, regional heavyweights, and local gateways. Yet, HitPay has carved out a lucrative niche, processing over $1 billion annually for more than 10,000 businesses across the region. CEO A…

Turning Buffet Waste Into A Business

When most people think of buffets, they think of indulgence, not innovation. But for treatsure Co-Founder and CEO Preston Wong, surplus food became a business opportunity. After gaining traction in Singapore with its “buffet-in-a-box” concept, treatsure is now partnering with top hotels like The We…

From Paper to AI: Why Arkmind is Digitising Money Lenders

The non-bank lending industry, comprising licensed money lenders, pawnshops, and used car dealers, often operates on paper ledgers and Excel sheets. Johnny Tin, a former banking tech consultant, left his 9-to-5 to change that. He joins us to discuss Arkmind, his company attempting to digitalise …