From the highways of Malaysia to the messaging inboxes of businesses across 180 countries, two companies born in Southeast Asia have been recognized by Forbes Asia as emblems of a broader regional awakening in practical innovation. Bateriku and Respond.io — one solving the ancient frustration of a dead car battery, the other untangling the modern chaos of fragmented customer communication — have earned places on the 2026 Forbes Asia 100 to Watch list. Their inclusion speaks to something larger: that meaningful technology need not reinvent the world, but simply meet people where their problems
Malaysian startups Bateriku, Respond.io named to Forbes Asia's 100 to Watch
Nearly a quarter of the companies offer AI-related enterprise services.
Mark
Why does a car battery replacement service deserve recognition alongside software companies processing billions of messages?
Mimi
Because both solve real problems at scale. Bateriku isn't just a convenience—it's infrastructure for a motorist in crisis. The fact that it operates across 270 locations with thousands of partners means it's built something that actually works in the messy real world.
Mark
What makes these two companies stand out from other startups in the region?
Mimi
They've both moved beyond the idea stage into operational maturity. Bateriku has been running for twelve years. Respond.io is processing two billion messages every quarter. That's not theoretical—that's proof the market wants what they're selling.
Mark
The list emphasizes AI innovation. How does that shape what gets noticed?
Mimi
It's the language of the moment. Respond.io's AI tools are genuinely useful—they triage conversations so humans focus on what matters. But the list also includes robotics and other sectors. AI is dominant, but it's not the only story.
Mark
What does the funding picture tell us?
Mimi
That investors believe in these companies. Bateriku raised $7.4 million, Respond.io $62.5 million. The entire cohort has raised $2.4 billion. That's real capital flowing into the region, which means real confidence in the founders and their visions.
Mark
Does making this list change anything for these companies?
Mimi
It's validation and visibility. When Forbes names you, you become legible to larger investors, potential partners, and talent. It's not a guarantee of success, but it's a signal that matters.
Der Puls
- Bateriku has quietly built a lifeline for stranded Malaysian drivers, deploying 1,000 mechanics across 270 locations through nothing more than an app and a reliable promise.
- Respond.io is racing to solve a problem every growing business feels — the exhausting scatter of customer messages across WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, email, and voice — by pulling them all into one intelligent interface.
- Both companies secured significant Series B funding in the past year, with Respond.io drawing $62.5 million and Bateriku $7.4 million, signaling that investors see durable demand behind each model.
- Forbes Asia's editorial director notes that AI now defines the selection landscape, with nearly a quarter of this year's 100 companies offering AI-driven enterprise services — a threshold moment for the region's startup identity.
- The collective $2.4 billion raised by this year's cohort — nearly $1 billion of it in 2026 alone — suggests the Asia-Pacific startup ecosystem is not merely growing but accelerating.
From the highways of Malaysia to the messaging inboxes of businesses across 180 countries, two companies born in Southeast Asia have been recognized by Forbes Asia as emblems of a broader regional awakening in practical innovation. Bateriku and Respond.io — one solving the ancient frustration of a dead car battery, the other untangling the modern chaos of fragmented customer communication — have earned places on the 2026 Forbes Asia 100 to Watch list. Their inclusion speaks to something larger: that meaningful technology need not reinvent the world, but simply meet people where their problems actually live.
Two Malaysian startups have joined Forbes Asia's 2026 edition of the 100 to Watch, a list that maps the most promising emerging companies across the Asia-Pacific region. Their selection reflects both the diversity of problems worth solving and the growing sophistication of the ecosystem producing the solvers.
Bateriku, founded over a decade ago and based in Shah Alam, has built its business around a simple but urgent need: getting a dead car battery replaced without the ordeal. Under CEO Azarol Faizi Zakaria Ansari, the company has grown into a network of 1,000 mechanics and 2,000 partner shops across 270 Malaysian locations, reachable by app, website, or hotline. After expanding into Indonesia in 2023, Bateriku closed a $7.4 million Series B round last year with backing from KWAP, Gobi Partners, and VentureTECH.
Respond.io, founded in Kuala Lumpur in 2017, addresses the fragmentation that plagues modern customer communication. CEO Gerardo Salandra has built a platform that consolidates WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, email, and voice into a single workspace for sales and service teams, layered with AI that handles routine queries and escalates complex ones. The platform now processes over two billion messages per quarter for 10,000 businesses in 180 countries. In June, the company raised $62.5 million in Series B funding from Camber Partners and Endeavor Catalyst.
The broader list spans 100 companies from 16 countries and territories, with artificial intelligence emerging as its defining theme — nearly a quarter of selections offer AI-driven enterprise services, and robotics is rising as a secondary wave. To qualify, companies must be Asia-Pacific headquartered, privately held, earning under $50 million annually, and have raised no more than $100 million total. Together, the cohort has raised over $2.4 billion, with close to $1 billion secured in 2026 alone.
Two Malaysian companies have earned spots on Forbes Asia's closely watched roster of emerging businesses, a recognition that underscores the region's growing appetite for innovation in customer service technology and roadside logistics. Bateriku and Respond.io were selected for the 2026 edition of the 100 to Watch list, which identifies promising small companies and startups across the Asia-Pacific region.
Bateriku, based in Shah Alam and founded a dozen years ago, operates a straightforward but essential service: when your car battery dies on the highway, you call. The company, led by CEO Azarol Faizi Zakaria Ansari, has built a network of 1,000 mechanics and 2,000 partner repair shops spread across 270 locations throughout Malaysia. Customers reach the service through an app, a website, or a hotline. The company made the list under the consumer technology category. Its growth trajectory has been steady—in 2023 it moved into Indonesia, and last year it closed a Series B funding round worth $7.4 million from backers including KWAP, Gobi Partners, and VentureTECH.
Respond.io, headquartered in Kuala Lumpur and founded in 2017, operates in a different space entirely but addresses a problem many businesses face: the fragmentation of customer communication. The platform, led by CEO Gerardo Salandra, consolidates messages from WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, email, and voice calls into a single interface for customer service and sales teams. The software also includes artificial intelligence capabilities that handle routine inquiries, organize customer information, and flag more complex issues for human workers to address. The company processes more than two billion messages each quarter for 10,000 businesses across 180 countries. It earned its spot on the list under the enterprise technology category. In June, Respond.io raised $62.5 million in Series B funding from investors including Camber Partners and Endeavor Catalyst.
The two Malaysian entries are part of a broader cohort of 100 companies from 16 countries and territories selected for this year's list. According to Rana Wehbe Watson, editorial director at Forbes Asia, artificial intelligence has become the defining theme of the selection. Nearly a quarter of the companies on the list offer AI-related enterprise services, helping smaller businesses automate their operations. Robotics represents another emerging segment, with 10 companies making the cut across sectors like eldercare and scientific research.
The companies selected for the list operate under specific constraints: they must be headquartered in the Asia-Pacific region, remain privately owned, generate annual revenue below $50 million, and have raised no more than $100 million in total funding as of mid-August. Forbes Asia evaluated candidates on their industry contribution, market fit, business model, innovation track record, revenue growth, and ability to attract investment capital. Collectively, the 100 companies have raised more than $2.4 billion to date, with nearly $1 billion of that coming in 2026 alone—a sign that investor confidence in the region's startup ecosystem remains robust.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
The 100 to Watch list continues to highlight startups and small businesses leading the region's next wave of innovation, largely driven by AI.— Rana Wehbe Watson, Forbes Asia editorial director
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