Malaysian startup secures Antler funding to address networking pain points

Image credit: Mole

The business world has long been a push and pull between extroverts and introverts. Nowhere is that more apparent than in networking sessions.

This has led Mole, a Malaysian startup building an all-in-one networking platform, to organize an event series dubbed “I Hate Networking.”

“We understand that networking can be uncomfortable for anyone, and especially for those who are introverted,” said co-founder and COO Melly Ling. “Mole’s vision is to create a world where professionals network for real connections that go beyond business transactions.”

But the event series is just the tip of the iceberg. Mole is also creating a digital business card powered by near-field communication and QR codes, with the aim of making networking more productive and produce less paper waste. Doing so would let the company take a stab at the traditional business card market, which Mole co-founder and CEO Au Soung Rong said is worth US$1 billion.

The company has recently secured US$110,000 in pre-seed funding from early-stage VC firm Antler.

Funding details

• Funding amount: $110,000
• Lead investors: Antler
• Stage: Early Stage
• Source

Founded in June 2022, Mole was previously bootstrapped. This investment will fund the development of Mole’s digital business card platform and the launch of a networking app tailored for SMEs in Malaysia.

The company plans to expand the business card platform to other parts of Southeast Asia next year. It also offers a variety of features to help professionals connect and network such as a messaging system, a contact directory, and event listings

“We believe that Mole has the potential to reshape the networking landscape and create meaningful change in how professionals connect and collaborate,” said Erik Jonsson, partner at Antler.

See also: How tech destroyed Astro’s dominance in Malaysian pay TV

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