Temasek-backed Vertex leads series A round of Malaysian ecommerce startup

Malaysia-headquartered ecommerce firm RPG Commerce has bagged an undisclosed series A round led by Temasek-backed Vertex Ventures.

The startup has also appointed Warren Tseng, former Uber general manager for Singapore and Malaysia, as its new chief operating officer.

RPG Commerce Team

Founded in 2016, RPG Commerce is a multibrand direct-to-consumer (DTC) ecommerce company that incubates its own brands while also acquiring other brands. It has launched over 10 of its brands globally.

With the fresh funds, the company is looking to expand in Southeast Asia where it will also boost its talent acquisition, brand building, and research and development efforts.

“We will continue to add in more talent this year to scale the business, as we are seeing tremendous growth opportunities,” said RPG Commerce co-founder and CEO Melvin Chee in a statement.

According to the company, it saw high growth in 2020, and as a result, its headcount reportedly quadrupled to over 100 employees despite the pandemic.

“This new normal created by societal reaction to the pandemic has accelerated the entire ecommerce industry and never been a more favorable period for DTC brands to rise,” Chee added.