Brief: Singapore’s answer to 9GAG grabs funding

Hepmil Media Group is a Singapore-based humorous content provider, best known for its publications SGAG and MGAG platforms that distribute funny pictures and memes in Singapore and Malaysia. The company has been described as the Singaporean version of 9GAG.

Competitors: 9GAG, 1CAK, HaiVL, EpicPix

How it compares to competitors: While most of their competitors focus heavily on user-generated content, Hepmil claims SGAG and MGAG create every piece of content that is published on their sites to preserve overall brand personality. The startup’s hyper-localized content also serves as a unique appeal for its target audience in Singapore and Malaysia.

Traction

The startup, which was founded in 2012, claims that SGAG has achieved a weekly user base of over 2 million in Singapore. Meanwhile, MGAG, which launched in 2016, has managed to pull in 8 million weekly users in Malaysia. Hepmil says they’ve achieved double-digit audience growth for Singapore and triple-digit audience growth for Malaysia in the past 12 months.

Funding details

Amount raised: US$968,000
Funding stage: Pre-series A funding
Investors: Unnamed parties from the media, advertising, and tech industries
Investment type: Equity
Purpose: Expansion to more Southeast Asian markets and product development
Total funding to date: US$968,000

Converted from Singapore dollar. Rate: US$1 = SG$ 1.34.

(Update at 11am, September 12:  The headline of the article has been amended for accuracy.)