Event venue booking startup VMO secures funding to expand across Malaysia

Photo credit: Mauiinfo.

Finding a venue for an event you’re planning can be a pain, especially if you’re working within a budget. VMO Rocks, which just raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Rhombus Food, wants to make the process easier.

Officially launched in March this year, the marketplace currently lists 650 venues and services across Malaysia catering to all sorts of events – from corporate launches to weddings and birthday parties. People can search for venues and compare them based on location, capacity, and price. Once they find one they like, they can get a quote from the vendor or book the site instantly.

The investor has 13 restaurant brands under its belt across Southeast Asia.

VMO also lists services you need for your event such as car rental, catering, and video and photography.

The company claims it has booked close to US$170,000 worth of event venues in the last 15 months, averaging about US$970 per booking. It takes a percentage cut of each transaction.

VMO chief evangelist officer Vincent Kok says Rhombus Food’s investment is a validation of the company’s business model.

“We shall be using the investment to upgrade and expand our coverage in the Klang Valley and extend services to major cities such as Penang, Johor Bahru, and Melaka. This will further allow us to help venue owners promote their space, connect them with the right clients, and grow their revenue,” he adds.

Rhombus Food, which operates popular food chains Rama V, Wondermama, and Dancing Fish, among others, invested in VMO after the startup “successfully generated a steady stream of bookings to their restaurants.”

“We see digital channels as a way of extending customer touch points beyond the food hall,” notes the group’s CEO Tham Lih Chung. “Rhombus Food is always on the lookout for opportunities that bolster our ecosystem.”

Rhombus Food has 13 restaurant brands under its belt across Southeast Asia.

Converted from Malaysian ringgit. Rate: US$1 = RM 4.13.