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Gobi Partners, the most integrated Pan-Asian venture capital (VC) firm with assets under management of US$1.5 billion (RM6.5 billion), has added a promising Malaysian startup to its Gobi Superseed II Fund (Gobi SSII Fund).
Jamaludin Bujang, Gobi Managing Partner (Malaysia), is delighted to welcome the new portfolios to the Gobi family and to assist them in navigating the predicted economic challenges this year.
“We are continuing our efforts to help spur the growth of entrepreneurs, especially startups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in the local ecosystem during a challenging time for the Malaysian economy, as evidenced by our latest investment into these four companies under the Gobi SSII Fund,” he said.
“The tough situations faced by startups do in a way, act as a natural filter for us to choose the best companies. Because of this, we were able to identify and then invest in Durioo+, Lapasar, Paywatch and pitchIN who have not only successfully adjusted themselves to remain relevant to their markets but have also thrived and strengthened their respective positions.”
Durioo+, an Islamic themed streaming service available on smart devices and appliances, was established in February 2022 to display high-quality Islamic and kid-friendly material. Durioo+ Originals, high-quality Islamic cartoons, and kid-friendly entertainment from across the world are included on the streaming site. In 10 months, the site has garnered over 20,000 subscribers and has shown over 1,600 episodes of programming.
With over a decade of experience heading Digital Durian, the publisher of Didi & Friends and Omar & Hana, Durioo+ Founder Sinan Ismail hopes to create a platform that generates content for Muslim children as well as educational mobile games that teach Islamic principles.
“There are over 400 million Muslim children around the world, but there are too few high-quality Islamic animations and games, that children love to watch and play. What we want to do is instil good values and virtues through the lens of a Muslim,” he said.
The company’s objective for the next five years is to join the worldwide market, especially the United States, the United Kingdom, MENA, Indonesia, Europe, and South Asian nations. Durioo+ intends to work with other local and international animation studios, production houses, and gaming businesses to create new content and games.
