From Men’s Health to a Debating Community, Here Are 10 Companies That Pitch During Chill+Pitch: Kuala Lumpur Episode 1
Episode 1 was quite an exciting event where we had a house full of people with 10 interesting pitchers ranging from companies, startup ideas, and initiatives. For some, it was their first time pitching. While we started with no expectations, we got excited when we saw some of them have a real talent for capturing the audience's attention, some with their charm and others with the data that they showcase. Here are all the companies that came over and made our Chill+Pitch an awesome success.
Sohi Technologies Sdn Bhd (CheckTime)
The problem they are solving: Over 1.2 million workers in MSME’s Manufacturing Sector are being managed poorly. This inefficiency causes the growth of the organization to stagnate.
What did they pitch?: AI-powered solution for streamlined attendance tracking. It employs facial recognition, biometric ID, and auto-tracking of working hours. By analyzing employee data, it automates attendance, offers insights for workforce management, and enables HR to perform tasks with fewer errors and enhanced efficiency.
Our commentary: It’s good to see a local SAAS trying to go against ZOHO and Salesforce. Most tools are too expensive for local MSMEs, let alone tools that incorporate Artificial Intelligence. This would be a good substitute for local companies that use expensive HR software to track their employees.
Chill+Pitch Crowd Score: 3.33/5, "Interesting platform! However, the pitching speech should be improved to be more confident and clear","Provide competitive analysis and revenue traction for investors to look and decide".
SuamiSihat.com
The problem they are solving: Men's sexual health is a critically underserved area in Southeast Asia, where cultural stigmas make it difficult for men to seek help and discuss openly. Issues such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, and low libido are prevalent but often not discussed openly.
What did they pitch?: SuamiSihat offers a comprehensive solution by integrating a digital platform that provides anonymous support, professional counseling, and direct access to medical treatments and health supplements. They have built an online community where men can safely discuss their health issues, participate in educational webinars, and access a range of medical and wellness services tailored specifically to their needs.
Our commentary: This is a testament to pure hustle, ingenuity, and maximizing opportunity. It is bootstrapped. It made MYR20mil (USD4mil) in less than 5 years. It is solving a real and painful problem. And they are just getting started. We hope for them to be more open in pitching their startups, despite their taboo nature. Numbers do not lie.
Chill+Pitch Crowd Score: 4.66/5, "Power power. A lot of energy to the point where the mic also can't match your energy. Steady brader","Pitch deck and the idea was very clear."
Braver Strides
The problem they are solving: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs are almost often a requirement for big companies, where almost 70% of the publicly listed companies in Malaysia commit themselves to CSR programs. The biggest issue of traditional CSR programs is most of the time, it is not impactful with little to no participation from the real beneficiaries.
What did they pitch?: A bespoke CSR engagement program designed to maximize the impact of the beneficiaries while helping corporates to help the community. They are an expert in creating an engaging and meaningful CSR program using their framework and experience.
Our commentary: There is a pressing need for corporates to be accountable for their social responsibilities. With enough data gathered, we hope that Braver Strides could automate or inject an element of proprietary technology into some of the processes, and take the spot as a pioneer innovator in this space.
Chill+Pitch Crowd Score: 3.95/5, "Love the pitching energy, however the beginning was long. Should dive into what you have already done","Like the gamification part of team building performance translating to donation".
Finco
The problem they are solving: Existing crypto payment services often present complex setups, high transaction fees, and security vulnerabilities, deterring businesses from adopting this emerging form of payment.
What did they pitch?: Finco provides a seamless and secure crypto payment service tailored for businesses of all sizes. Through our platform, businesses can easily integrate cryptocurrency payments into their websites or applications with minimal technical knowledge required. They offer competitive transaction fees and prioritize security measures to safeguard both businesses and their customers' assets.
Our commentary: The advantage of being in an ideation stage is you can always start all over again. Financial technology is a bit complex when it comes to legal and regulation. Truly understand the industry by doing in-depth research or having a conversation with ChatGPT so that expectations can be managed and strategy can be planned realistically.
Chill+Pitch Crowd Score: 3/5, "Idea is good. But many regulations that might slow down this", "Great effort ! Just need to reduce wording on slide 🙌🏻".
Start IIX
The problem they are solving: Building a startup is a race against time to build a product that can fill a gap and dominate the market. The biggest issue for startups is there is no space for both startups and industry to talk and discuss. Also because of too much time invested in building, no time is allocated to build relationships and gain market access.
What did they pitch?: IIX POC Accelerator enables startups to develop their product based on market needs with direct access to the industry. START IIX works together with large MNCs across the globe to source startups that can solve their problems efficiently. They also accelerate startup go-to-market strategy by helping them access the global market. They have worked with organizations such as Fraunhofer IEM Germany, and UAE’s Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah and helped Malaysian startups qualify for the Startup Germany Tour.
Our commentary: Market access is surely a big issue for startups. Especially understanding the global market, trends, and requirements, We only hope that this service can be platformatized, as Pioneer or OnDeck did with their accelerator program (Pioneer.app is shutting down, and now there’s a gap). Or at least the data collected can be shared at a cost like CBSInsights.
Chill+Pitch Crowd Score: 4.5/5, "Such a good platform. Hope it can expand out of tech", "Ideation is it allowed to apply?".
NexzGen (CareerRPG)
The problem they are solving: There is a worldwide concern about career dissatisfaction and burnout. The great resignation is happening where a large number of people are now starting to leave their jobs and others who did not, ended up being in a state of quiet quitting.
What did they pitch?: A gamified social media platform that combines performance tracking, task management, and portfolio building. CareerRPG allows users to create personalized avatars, embark on quests, earn experience points, and level up their professional skills. This gamified experience fosters healthy competition and a sense of progression, keeping employees engaged and motivated throughout their career journey. By making professional development more enjoyable, interactive, and rewarding, CareerRPG aims to combat burnout and promote job satisfaction, leading to a better work-life balance.
Our commentary: We love this as an internal tool, not so much as a social media. But this does have merit! We honestly think that they are on to something, just need to test out a few core features before they launch. Again, our bet is on the gamified productivity tool for the workforce. At this stage, don’t plan to build too much, or you will face burnout from building.
Chill+Pitch Crowd Score: 3.71/5, "The idea is good, but too cliche. Hopefully you can compete with other competitior very well & focusing on marketing", "Maybe can be more focused on pain point".
Kuala Lumpur Debate (KLDebate)
The problem they are solving: There’s a lack of public space for debating and public speaking. Most programs are designed for students or competition. There is also little to no option for professional development programs for young professionals.
What did they pitch?: A safe space for young professionals and young adults to learn how to communicate effectively by providing workshops, community, and speaking opportunities. KLDebate aims to help Malaysians be more eloquent when speaking or conveying any information. They are betting on the growing trend and interest in long-form content, comparing themselves to an experiential podcast, by providing a community where ideas are spoken and discussed in a non-aggressive environment.
Our commentary: Another great idea that can be technologically enabled. There is a growing trend of community-centric businesses (TheHustle, MilkRoad, Hampton), cohort-based programs (OnDeck, 100DaysNoCode), and kiddulting-focused businesses. If they can build a cross between Duolingo, Futurelab, Girlboss, and Speechcoach, this might be something scalable.
Chill+Pitch Crowd Score: 4.76/5, "Great initiative. Your energy and presentation style is awesome. Perfect fit for the idea that you are pitching! All the best to you","Slides too small, couldn't see them. All the best".
Leikhafilms
The problem they are solving: Those who are facing anxiety or other mental health issues need a space for them to zone out. Sometimes they need to recharge their social battery and sometimes, it is just to space out, think, wonder, and discover their true self. The alternatives are drugs, prescribed or from the black market.
What did they pitch?: Leikha Films is a Malaysian-based independent production studio that builds an AI-driven audiovisual performance that helps you zone out via a space with multi-sensory immersion. This dynamic fusion of sound and visuals, enhanced by AI technology, offers diverse narratives and experimental explorations, reflecting contemporary culture's fusion of technology and creativity, and engaging audiences in innovative experiences. This will help people zone out and escape from reality, to a psychedelic-like trance, without the use of drugs.
Our commentary: She wowed us with her performance, and only two words came to mind, productized service. We think that there‘s a need for a strong business model to scale this business because we want everyone to immerse themselves in this experience. Corporations would love to pay to have this at their events. Just start crafting multiple packages and test out the pricing. There must be a sweet spot. Imagine this instead of a photo booth or a 360 camera.
Chill+Pitch Crowd Score: 3.67/5, "She kena said , my niche is psychedelic entrancing. , really depicts the whole picture", "Great start. All the best to you".
Alnefre Rana Sdn. Bhd
The problem they are solving: Mascaras are almost often not waterproof, and if it is, it's made with chemicals. While it is just a simple problem, it's a growing issue that needs to be solved for this growing beauty segment that is set to be valued at USD14 billion in the next 10 years. Imagine needing to clean dark spots under your eyes every time something goes into your eyes.
What did they pitch?: An organic blend mascara that is waterproof and safe for the user’s eyes. They formulated their product making sure of its quality and safety factor. Having significant traction, they have testimonials and reviews from not just power users, but also global influencers, artists, and celebrities without any marketing dollars.
Our commentary: We are truly honored to have a global founder selecting Malaysia as the country of their choice to do business. Being a direct-to-consumer brand has its challenges, and Malaysia is saturated with local players providing high-quality products at a cost-effective price. The name of the strategy is hyperlocal. For this segment, especially across the region of Asia, while it is useful to spend on branding and marketing, leveraging relationships and getting more sales channels beyond online and retail would differentiate one brand from the rest.
Chill+Pitch Crowd Score: 4.13/5, "Huge achievement !! Nice pitch. But i think you need to focus on marketing so that can get lot of exposure towards ur brand", "Good product n all , loves it but pitching wise , It's a weak pitch deck".
Nexuses
The problem they are solving: Misdiagnosis is where a patient's condition is incorrectly identified by medical professionals, which presents a significant challenge in healthcare. It can lead to inappropriate treatments that not only fail to address the actual medical issue but may also cause harm. One of the leading causes of misdiagnosis is the incomplete information of a patient. Doctors have to fill in the blanks with assumptions or best guesses, which can lead to inaccuracies in understanding a patient's full medical history and current health status.
What did they pitch?: Nexuses help patients take control of their data by consolidating all the information in one data bank. Users now can have a better understanding of their data and make a well-informed decision, while taking full control of that private information.
Our commentary: Can’t wait for the launch. While we love taking control of our medical history and data, we also would want your company to scale and grow. We would love it if there were clearer B2B plans beyond hospitals and clinics.
Chill+Pitch Crowd Score: 4.77/5, "Great healthtech product! Looking forward to see it bridge the private and public healthcare services.","Great idea. However, one of the biggest challenge here would be public's reservation in regards to privacy. All the best to you".