Newswav

Newswav represents a significant player in Malaysia's digital media landscape, functioning as a politically independent content aggregator. The company was established in 2017 by co-founders Swee Wai Hoow and Yap Zhi Chau. Swee's entrepreneurial background includes founding the mobile commerce marketplace SnapSell and a mobile app development agency, bringing a strong foundation in mobile-first technologies to the venture. The company launched its mobile application in the same year it was founded, targeting the evolving content consumption habits of Malaysians.

The core of Newswav's business is its mobile platform, available for both Android and iOS users, which aggregates news and content from a wide array of sources. The platform partners with close to 200 publications, including major names like The Sun Daily, The Edge, Malay Mail, and South China Morning Post, alongside individual content creators. This allows the company to offer a diverse range of content spanning current affairs, business, technology, lifestyle, and more. To cater to Malaysia's multilingual population, content is provided in English, Malay, and Chinese, and is available in multiple formats such as articles, videos, and podcasts.

Newswav's business model is primarily centered on advertising. The company generates revenue by offering advertising space on its platform to a variety of brands, which have included prominent names in property development, telecommunications, and insurance. A key aspect of its model is a revenue-sharing agreement with its content partners, where it delivers additional traffic and a share of ad revenue back to the publishers and creators. The company has demonstrated strong revenue growth, reporting a threefold increase in 2021 compared to the previous year. The platform sustains high user engagement, recording over 15 million average monthly visits across its app and website.

The company has successfully navigated the startup funding ecosystem, securing a total of $2.41 million over three funding rounds. Its journey began with a first round on July 6, 2018. A significant milestone was the Series A funding round on December 20, 2021, which raised RM6 million (approximately $1.43 million) and was led by OSK Ventures International Berhad. Other notable investors include BFM Capital and YYC Ventures. These funds are earmarked for strategic expansion, including user acquisition, enhancing its in-house ad-tech capabilities, diversifying revenue streams, and expanding its platform for content creators.

Keywords: content aggregator, Malaysian news, digital media, mobile news app, news platform, Swee Wai Hoow, Yap Zhi Chau, OSK Ventures, ad-tech, publisher partnerships, multilingual content, news aggregation, video news, podcast news, Series A funding, media technology, Malaysian startups, content monetization, user engagement, digital advertising