As the year of 2024 comes to an end, we sought insights from prominent figures across the Southeast Asian tech landscape. These leaders reflected on their triumphs throughout the year, sharing valuable perspectives on their achievements and the challenges they overcame. Furthermore, they unveiled their ambitious aspirations, meticulously outlined their strategic plans for 2025, and offered insightful predictions on the trajectory of the tech industry in the coming year.

We talked to Adrian Hia, Partner at Kairous Capital, to learn more about the Malaysia-headquartered venture capital firm’s achievements in 2024 and its plans and aspirations for 2025. He also shared insights on the outlook for the tech ecosystem in Malaysia and Southeast Asia in 2025.

1. How was Kairous Capital’s 2024?

2024 was a pivotal year for Kairous Capital as we deepened our presence in Southeast Asia and strengthened our cross-border investment strategy. Despite global economic challenges, we identified resilient companies in key markets like Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore, making strategic investments aligned with long-term value creation.
Our disciplined approach yielded strong portfolio performance, underscoring our commitment to sustainable returns for our investors. Additionally, we expanded our regional footprint, reflecting our confidence in the long-term potential of Southeast Asia’s tech and SME ecosystems.

2. What are your expectations/aspirations for 2025?

In 2025, we aim to build on the momentum of 2024 by targeting scalable, high-impact investments across Southeast Asia. With the U.S. potentially adopting more stringent foreign policies, Southeast Asia stands to benefit from the ‘China Plus One’ strategy due to its neutral stance with global players – positioning the region as a hub for economic activity.

Kairous Capital remains committed to bridging China and Southeast Asia, helping companies unlock cross-border growth opportunities. With digital-first solutions and AI-driven technologies shaping next-gen consumer experiences, we are particularly keen on companies that innovate in user journey design to meet these evolving expectations. Incumbent SME players, especially in the B2C space, face disruption from agile newcomers – proving how tech-enabled solutions can redefine customers’ experiences.

With our latest fund launches gaining traction, we aim to support resilient companies poised for regional expansion and continue to solidify our role as a trusted partner for visionary founders and institutional investors who believe in the potential of the region.

3. What is Kairous Capital’s focus in the new year? Are there any plans that you can share?

Heading into 2025, our focus remains on high-growth opportunities in Southeast Asia’s emerging markets, particularly Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Singapore. We are zeroing in on sectors such as consumer brands, enterprise solutions, and tech-enabled businesses, where we see transformative potential driven by next-gen consumer preferences.

We are also actively exploring sustainability and ESG-focused sectors, including sustainable farming, energy transition, renewable energy, and food security.

Beyond capital deployment, we offer expertise to support cross-border scaling and value creation. Strategically, we plan to establish a local office in Vietnam to strengthen our support for investments in this high-growth market.

4. What is the outlook for 2025 for the tech ecosystem in Malaysia and Southeast Asia?

We remain highly optimistic about Southeast Asia’s tech ecosystem in 2025. While economic headwinds persist, the region is entering a consolidation phase, with resilient, well-executed businesses emerging stronger.

In Malaysia, digitalization efforts and government initiatives – such as the MYR120 billion allocation under the 2025 budget and national fund-of-funds like Jelawang Capital – are set to drive innovation and entrepreneurship.

Next-gen consumers are driving demand for digital-first solutions, particularly in app-based services and AI-driven tech. Businesses that cater to these preferences and reimagine user journeys will lead the way, potentially disrupting incumbents in the SME and B2C spaces. This dynamic shift creates opportunities for investments in AI, e-commerce, data analytics, fintech, healthtech, and enterprise solutions.

At Kairous Capital, we are ready to identify and back these category leaders while supporting sustainable initiatives that align with ESG principles.

 

Malaysia’s Carsome: 2025 will set the stage for the next decade of growth