From beauty queen to startup co-founder: Sharmeen Looi’s journey to 10,000 customers and US$10M revenue with iMotorbike | Markup #1166

February 21, 2025 · 1 min read

Photo credit: Tatler Asia

Shifting Perceptions

Following 500-backed iMotorbike’s recent US$10M Series A, Co-founder & CMO Sharmeen Looi reflects on the values that have shaped her journey.
Her drive began in school, inspired by the lyrics of the school anthem, “If there’s a will, there’s always a way.” This mindset fueled her ambition and determination.
In college, she won 12 beauty pageant titles, then sold her prizes to fund her Mass Communication studies.
After a stint in the corporate world, she felt a calling to build something meaningful. This led her to ShopBack, where she became Head of Partnerships and fell in love with startup life.
When she met co-founder Gil Carmo at ShopBack, they were immediately united by a vision to bring structure and transparency to the motorcycle industry, and teamed up to launch iMotorbike.
As a young woman in a male-dominated industry, Sharmeen was often underestimated; her consistent results silenced doubters. Five years on, iMotorbike celebrates 10,000 customers and US$10M in total revenue.
Read the full story on Tatler Asia.

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