A smart solution

• 500-backed Malaysian edtech startup, Pandai, has raised just over US$2 million in its pre-seed and seed rounds.
• Founded in January 2020 at the start of the pandemic, Pandai is an app that helps K-12 students improve their academic performance. The startup recently launched modules that allow parents to monitor their child’s activities and let teachers tap into its question bank.
• The app began as a free service and rolled out its paid feature at the beginning of 2021. It claims to have over 30,000 monthly active users today, with the number of paid users increasing by 25% every month.
• According to the startup, the fresh funds will be used to acquire more customers in Malaysia and improve the technology and content of its product.
• Read the full article on Tech in Asia. A subscription may be required.

A holistic approach

• “There’s a big gap in our approach to healthcare in Malaysia. We need to tackle both physical and mental health elements together,” said Azran Osman-Rani, co-founder and CEO of 500-backed Naluri, to Tatler.
• He went on to explain that the healthcare system today is reactionary – treating sicknesses that have already developed. Naluri’s approach is to help people maintain a good quality of health and decrease the probability of getting sick in the first place.
• According to the article, the startup combines data and behavioral science to offer health coaching and psychological support, powered by artificial intelligence and a team of health and wellness experts.
• In addition, Naluri also provides digital tools like food journals, planners, and thought journals to help users learn, plan and track their progress and get professional feedback.
• Read the full interview on Tatler.

Driving business

• 500-backed Carousell’s journey into the automotive segment began with the acquisition of Caarly in 2016. According to head of autos Sanjay Shivkumar, cars were a natural evolution of the business.
• He added that it was the first segment that Carousell started monetizing. Today, he claims that it contributes to one-third of the company’s overall revenue.
• The article states that there are currently more than 500,000 live listings on Carousell’s auto categories, with five out of 10 cars sold annually in Singapore being transacted in the marketplace.
• Sanjay revealed that compared to a year ago, Carousell is set to more than double in overall revenue for its automotive business.
• Read the full story on VulcanPost.