Malaysia’s Top Startup Investors & Corporate Innovation Event
DisruptInvest Summit
Kuala Lumpur
8 MAY 2025 9AM - 5PM
NETWORKING PARTY 5.30PM ONWARDS
Venue (TBC)
NETWORKING PARTY 5.30PM ONWARDS
Venue (TBC)
Organiser
Tech Ecosystem
Partner
Partner
Strategic Partner
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Partners
Engage with Our Inspiring Keynote Speakers!
YB Gobind Singh Deo
Minister of Digital Malaysia
GOBIND SINGH DEO was appointed as the Minister of the newly-established Ministry of Digital in December 2023.
He has served as Minister of Communications and Multimedia from May 2018 until February 2020. In that time, he pushed for reforms in various sectors such as making broadband more affordable and accessible, media freedom, transitioning national broadcaster Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) into the digital era, and enhancing the country’s digital connectivity through 5G.
Chua Kee Lock
CEO, Vertex Holdings
Mr. Chua Kee Lock is the CEO of Vertex Holdings and concurrently Managing Partner of Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India, as well as Chairman of Vertex Growth Fund.
Before this, he held senior positions in Biosensors International Group, Ltd.; Walden International; NatSteel Ltd.; and Intraco Ltd. He co-founded MediaRing, a provider of voice-over-internet, which was later listed on Singapore’s stock exchange. Mr. Chua was appointed by the Singapore Government as a Non-Resident Ambassador to the Republic of Cuba and the Republic of Panama in 2020. He currently serves on the boards of several companies, including Yongmao and Credit Bureau Asia, which are publicly listed.
Teoh Jiun Ee
CARSOME Co-founder & CARSOME Academy CEO
Teoh Jiun Ee, co-founder of CARSOME and former COO, now leads CARSOME Academy as its CEO, driven by a commitment to nation-building and developing Southeast Asia’s automotive workforce. Under his leadership, the Academy became the first in Malaysia and Indonesia to introduce TVET inspection skills training, aimed at fostering highly skilled nations and building higher-income economies. CARSOME Academy has trained over 1,500 students and 6,500 corporate employees regionally. Leveraging his experience, Teoh has facilitated strategic collaborations with major local institutions, including Sunway University, Yayasan Peneraju Pendidikan Bumiputera, and Indonesia’s Program Kartu Prakerja.
Azran Osman-Rani
CEO of Naluri
Azran is the CEO of Naluri, a digital health startup that addresses mental health and chronic diseases together, in a preventive, holistic and outcomes-based approach. He was previously CEO of AirAsia X where he grew it from a business plan to a $1billion IPO with 2,500 employees in six years, and CEO of iflix Malaysia which scaled to 20 million users in 20 markets in 3 years. He held prior leadership roles at Astro, Bursa Malaysia and McKinsey. He holds a Masters and Bachelor's degrees in Engineering, from Stanford University. He chronicles his leadership challenges in his book, ’30 Days and 30 Years’. He is an Ironman triathlete.
Dato’ Sri Idris Jala
Chairman of PEMANDU Associates
Dato’ Sri Idris Jala is a world-renowned transformation guru who drives government and private sector performance through his Big-Fast-Results Methodology. He is currently the Chairman of PEMANDU Associates. In 2014, Bloomberg placed him amongst the world's top 10 most influential policymakers. He also served as a Cabinet Minister under the Prime Minister’s Department between 2010 and 2017. Prior to PEMANDU, Dato’ Sri Idris was the CEO of Malaysia Airlines. On top of his role in Pemandu, he currently serves as the non-executive co-chairman of Sunway Group, the Chairman of Heineken Malaysia, and the pro-chancellor of Sunway University. Dato’ Sri Idris also lectures annually at Harvard University under the Harvard Ministerial Programme.
Arsalaan (Oz) Ahmed
Founder & Executive Chairman of MMOB
Arsalaan (Oz) Ahmed has more than 18 years of experience in banking, including digital and traditional models, and is a recognised leader in banking and Islamic finance. He has held several senior management roles with international exposure in the UK, the Middle East and Asia. He has innovated financial services solutions and advised governments in Islamic finance regulations. He has been involved as an advisor and angel investor in the UK FinTech community for over seven years.
Georg Chmiel
Co-Founder & Chair of Juwai-IQI Holdings
Georg Chmiel has three decades of experience in rapidly growing, disruptive online businesses and has led more than 40 acquisitions, which have been taken over seven times. He has been instrumental in creating three unicorns so far during his career and is known to grow shareholder value significantly. For the last 12 years, he has been based in Malaysia and focused on the ASEAN & ANZ markets. He is a regular guest lecturer on disruptive technologies, AI and big data and entrepreneurship at the University of St. Gallen (USG/HSG), Singapore Management University (SMU), Asia Pacific University (APU), Technische Universität München (TUM) and speaker at many conferences and events as well author of business articles. He serves as mentor of emerging company directors across Malaysia, Australia and Myanmar.
Prashant Kumar
Founder of ENTROPIA
Prashant Kumar, a leading marketing futurist in the Asia-Pacific region, currently heads Gen AI for Growth Markets at Accenture. He founded ENTROPIA, later acquired by Accenture, and achieved remarkable growth as President of IPG Mediabrands Asia. Recognized on prestigious juries and a sought-after speaker, Prashant is a marketing mentor, charter member of TiE Singapore, and author of the bestselling "Made in Future." An alumnus of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, MICA Ahmedabad, and Harvard Business School, he is not only a marketing visionary but also a budding aviator and a devoted father of two.
Ramachandran Muniandy
CEO & Co-founder of Asia Mobiliti
Ramachandran Muniandy is the CEO and Co-founder of Asia Mobiliti, an award-winning startup in Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) and digital city solutions. Recognized as a Digerati50 2020/2021 by Digital News Asia, he serves on the Talent Expert Network Panel of MDEC and is a Subject Matter Expert for Industrial Skills Framework (AI) at HRD Corp. Ram is also the Tech Advisory Panel Member of Sri KDU International School (Klang), a Mentor in the Malaysian chapter of the Founder Institute, and a member of various industry panels and committees, including the Entrepreneurship World Cup, Malaysia Finals 2024.
Ben Lim
Founder & CEO, NEXEA
Ben Lim founded NEXEA in 2015, and today it invests & supports Startups with over RM1 billion in revenues in total. NEXEA connects Startups with 50+ Angel Investors, 20+ Corporate Partners, and all relevant Government agencies.
Karamjit Singh
CEO, Digital News Asia
Karamjit Singh is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Digital News Asia. Karamjit founded Digital News Asia with a vision that media should play its role as the Fourth Estate and on the belief that timely, insightful and analytical coverage can help the tech ecosystem in South-East Asia, especially Malaysia, grow and develop.
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Agenda: Driving Startup Investments and Advancing Corporate Innovation
9.00AM
Arrival & Networking
+
9.20AM
Opening Remarks
Ben Lim, Founder & CEO, NEXEA
10.00AM
KWAP's Role in The Startup Funding Ecosystem
Ben Lim, Founder & CEO, NEXEA
Moderator
Karamjit Singh (CEO of DNA)
Saifulbahri Hassan (Director of Private Equity, KWAP)
YB Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital of Malaysia
Connect with Our Esteemed Invited Guests
Michael Fong
Head of Digital, Partnerships & Innovation, Allianz
Michael Fong is the Head of Digital Partnership & Innovation in Allianz Malaysia since January 2017. He has extensive managerial experience in Allianz's departments such as COO's office, branch operations and actuarial.
Peter Wee
MBAN President
Peter Wee is a mentor at NEXEA, an early Startup Accelerator, Angel Network and Venture Capital. NEXEA has invested in more than 35 Startups across Southeast Asia and is known for creating value in their investments. NEXEA is backed by experienced entrepreneurs who have done their M&As and IPOs or are CEOs of publicly listed companies. Peter has successfully mentored companies at NEXEA. He is also an advisor to a large regional F&B player and a Council Member of MBAN (the Malaysian Business Angel Network).
Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi
Senior Advisor, ZICO
Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi is a mentor at NEXEA, a Southeast Asian startup accelerator and venture capital firm that has invested in over 35 startups. Sharil has a diverse background in both public and private sectors and is an authority on internet governance and telecommunications. He was responsible for modernizing the Malaysian telecommunications industry and has led various strategic projects and corporate transactions. He is also an experienced mentor, working with startups and scale-ups across the world.
Shi Ying Lau
CEO & Managing Partner,
Adaptive Capital Partners
Adaptive Capital Partners
Shi Ying is the Managing Partner at Adaptive Capital Partners, a Singapore-based venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology startups with a focus on Healthtech. Shi Ying brings over 15 years of experience in management consulting and tech, having worked on projects in various industries and locations. Before joining Adaptive, she was the former Head of GrabCar for Malaysia, where she helped the company become a market leader in private car ride-hailing services within two years. The firm's first fund is Evergreen and anchored by a prominent businessman in the region.
Sai Kit
founding managing partner of Artem Ventures
Sai Kit is a seasoned venture capitalist and the founding managing partner of Artem Ventures, a venture capital management registered with the Securities Commission of Malaysia. He has extensive experience in corporate venturing, having established and led the CVC arm of a public company listed in Singapore. He has made 18 investments across different stages and sectors in Southeast Asia, with three exits, two of which happened in 2022. Artem Ventures is now the fund manager of a partnership fund with FWD. Sai Kit also serves as the Chairman of MVCA.
Paramjit Singh
Chief Investment Officer, MAVCAP
Paramjit Singh Gill has wide experience spanning over 13 years in Corporate Investment Banking, Private Equity and Venture Capital. He is currently the Chief Investment Officer (“CIO”) of Malaysia Venture Capital Management Berhad (“MAVCAP”) which is one of the largest Venture Capital setup in Malaysia. He began his career at Maybank Investment Bank Berhad where he worked on several initial public offerings (IPO’s) and merger & acquisition transactions in Malaysia. He subsequently joined OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad in 2011 as Relationship Manager in Public & Institutional / Corporate Banking Department.
Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke
Group CEO, Cradle
Norman is the Group CEO of Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd (Cradle), a key agency in Malaysia's startup ecosystem under the Ministry of Science, Technology & Innovation (MOSTI) Malaysia. He joined Cradle in 2020, initially as Head of Finance and Corporate Services. Norman started his career at KPMG and has held various strategic, financial, and management roles in local and multinational companies and government agencies. He holds degrees in Accounting from the University of Queensland, Australia, and Software Engineering from Multimedia University, Malaysia. His professional journey and educational background fuel his passion for technology and innovation, driving him to support Malaysian startups in becoming global tech leaders.
Mohd Noor Hisham Abdul Bari
Assistant Vice President, Cradle
Hisham has been with Cradle since 2015, and is a senior officer with over 8 years of experience in Corporate Administration, Business Development, Funding, Public Policy, Government Liaison and Strategic Partnership. During his time in Cradle, he has assumes a few roles in the company such as the Angel Tax Incentive Officer (ATIO) whom look into the high network individual investment and tax claim. He is currently the Assistant Vice President (and Head of MYStartup Malaysia) that looks into the Stakeholder Engagement, Government Liasson, Special Projects, Partnerships & Programme unt and continue to play an important role in helping building the capacity of the local technology base entrepreneurs and start-ups to achieve success.
Saifulbahri Hassan
Director of Private Equity, KWAP
Saifulbahri Hassan has over 23 years of experience in various technology-related sectors ranging from IT services to manufacturing. Saiful spent the last 18 years in Private Equity and Venture Capital investing in various stages of enterprise development and its funding needs. He is also active in the development of the domestic and international private investing eco-system from influencing policymaking to building linkages with international eco-systems.
He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from University of Missouri-Kansas City, Missouri, USA and obtained his Master’s Degree in Management from the International Islamic University, Malaysia.
What Awaits You?
Main Stage
Important insights from well-known entrepreneurs, investors, government officials, and other industry experts (VIP Speakers).
Networking Lounge
Meet new people at our exclusive networking space and develop new business partnerships and clients.
Networking Party
Come enjoy a fun-filled evening of drinks, fantastic music, and networking opportunities at our Networking Party.
Discover the Visionary Investors Joining Us!
Our Esteemed Summit Partners from the Past
What People Are Excited About
DisruptInvest Is The Largest Community For Startup Investors & Corporate Innovators in Malaysia
DisruptInvest Current and Past Speakers
Noomi Fessler
CFO, Lapasar
Noomi Fessler is a partner at NEXEA, specializing in helping startups improve their business models and growth strategies. She has experience working with early stage startups and is committed to incorporating technology into their ventures. She has successfully worked with the startup Lapasar, which is an online business for purchasing supplies in bulk and continues to grow in the Malaysian market. Fessler's first-hand experience provides valuable insights to future startups.
Alan Lim
Co-Founder, MBAN
Alan is a founding partner and Principle Advisor for NEXEA, where he is responsible for overseeing the development of strategic initiatives for startups under their investment. He is a member of the investment committee and an expert in advising and mentoring companies on strategic growth and regional expansion. Alan has a proven track record of successfully growing startups, having co-founded and served as CEO of MediaBanc Group, the largest media monitoring and insights company in Southeast Asia, and expanding other companies such as Commsight to multiple countries.
Justin Lim
Principle of Nexea
Starting his career at CIMB as a management trainee and then as an associate in credit risk, he has hands-on experience with the financial crisis of 2007 - 2008. The exposure built a strong appreciation of how complex systems work and where opportunities are in crises.
In 2011, Justin became an Associate Director in credit trading, managing a G7-denominated global trading book whilst building CIMB’s retail bond franchise. He was voted The Asset's Most Astute Investor for Asian G3 bonds (Malaysia) between 2016 - 2018 and led the business development for CIMB’s Indonesia retail bond franchise, introducing innovations in the distribution process.
Chua Kee Lock
CEO, Vertex Holdings
Mr. Chua Kee Lock is the CEO of Vertex Holdings and concurrently Managing Partner of Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India, as well as Chairman of Vertex Growth Fund.
Before this, he held senior positions in Biosensors International Group, Ltd.; Walden International; NatSteel Ltd.; and Intraco Ltd. He co-founded MediaRing, a provider of voice-over-internet, which was later listed on Singapore’s stock exchange. Mr. Chua was appointed by the Singapore Government as a Non-Resident Ambassador to the Republic of Cuba and the Republic of Panama in 2020. He currently serves on the boards of several companies, including Yongmao and Credit Bureau Asia, which are publicly listed.
Dato’ Sri Idris Jala
Chairman of PEMANDU Associates
Dato’ Sri Idris Jala is a world-renowned transformation guru who drives government and private sector performance through his Big-Fast-Results Methodology. He is currently the Chairman of PEMANDU Associates. In 2014, Bloomberg placed him amongst the world's top 10 most influential policymakers. He also served as a Cabinet Minister under the Prime Minister’s Department between 2010 and 2017. Prior to PEMANDU, Dato’ Sri Idris was the CEO of Malaysia Airlines. On top of his role in Pemandu, he currently serves as the non-executive co-chairman of Sunway Group, the Chairman of Heineken Malaysia, and the pro-chancellor of Sunway University. Dato’ Sri Idris also lectures annually at Harvard University under the Harvard Ministerial Programme.
YB Gobind Singh Deo
Minister of Digital Malaysia
GOBIND SINGH DEO was appointed as the Minister of the newly-established Ministry of Digital in December 2023.
He has served as Minister of Communications and Multimedia from May 2018 until February 2020. In that time, he pushed for reforms in various sectors such as making broadband more affordable and accessible, media freedom, transitioning national broadcaster Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) into the digital era, and enhancing the country’s digital connectivity through 5G.
Kenny Lim
CEO, Spritzer
Kenny took the position of Deputy General Manager and was responsible to assist the Managing Director and General Manager to plan and set up the company’s policy and objectives. At the same time, he was involved in strategic planning and Corporate Social Responsibility of the Company. In 2011, he had been promoted to be the Group General Manager.
Joel Neoh
Founder, Fave
Joel Neoh is a Malaysian entrepreneur and the founder of Fave, a leading mobile app for cashless transactions and deals in Southeast Asia. Neoh has a background in e-commerce and digital marketing, having previously co-founded Groupon Malaysia and served as the CEO of Groupon Asia Pacific. Beyond his work with Fave, Neoh is also an active investor and mentor to other entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia. He has been recognized for his contributions to the tech industry, including being named to Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia list in 2016.
Teoh Jiun Ee
CARSOME Co-founder & CARSOME Academy CEO
Teoh Jiun Ee, co-founder of CARSOME and former COO, now leads CARSOME Academy as its CEO, driven by a commitment to nation-building and developing Southeast Asia’s automotive workforce. Under his leadership, the Academy became the first in Malaysia and Indonesia to introduce TVET inspection skills training, aimed at fostering highly skilled nations and building higher-income economies. CARSOME Academy has trained over 1,500 students and 6,500 corporate employees regionally. Leveraging his experience, Teoh has facilitated strategic collaborations with major local institutions, including Sunway University, Yayasan Peneraju Pendidikan Bumiputera, and Indonesia’s Program Kartu Prakerja.
DisruptInvest Summit: Shaping the Future of Innovation!
Build & Grow the Startup Ecosystem
Share Key Learnings from Successful Investors, Corporates and Entrepreneurs
Connect Corporates to Startups for Deeper Collaborations, Investments & Acquisitions
Share key support from Government for Startups
Build & Grow the Startup Ecosystem
Share Key Learnings from Successful Investors, Corporates and Entrepreneurs
Connect Corporates to Startups for Deeper Collaborations, Investments & Acquisitions
Share key support from Government for Startups
Build & Grow the Startup Ecosystem
Share Key Learnings from Successful Investors, Corporates and Entrepreneurs
Connect Corporates to Startups for Deeper Collaborations, Investments & Acquisitions
Share key support from Government for Startups
Build & Grow the Startup Ecosystem
Share Key Learnings from Successful Investors, Corporates and Entrepreneurs
Connect Corporates to Startups for Deeper Collaborations, Investments & Acquisitions
Share key support from Government for Startups
Connect Startup Investors & Corporate Innovators with the Startup Ecosystem
Share Key Learnings from Successful Investors, Corporates and Entrepreneurs
Accelerate Investments, Mergers & Acquisitions Within The Startup Ecosystem
Share key support & Insights from Governments to Startups
Build & Grow the Startup Ecosystem
Share Key Learnings from Successful Investors, Corporates and Entrepreneurs
Connect Corporates to Startups for Deeper Collaborations, Investments & Acquisitions
Share key support from Government for Startups
