PR for Startups in Malaysia: Standing Out in a Noisy Market

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Startups don’t have the luxury of time, and they sure don’t have the luxury of big budgets. You’re running lean, fighting for market share, and probably pitching to investors in the same week you’re onboarding your first customers. So why bother with PR when every ringgit counts?

Because in Malaysia’s crowded startup ecosystem, credibility isn’t a “nice-to-have.” It’s survival.

Why PR Beats Ads (Especially for Startups)

Let’s be blunt: you can buy ads. Anyone can. But attention isn’t the same as trust.

A Google ad might get someone to click. A social campaign might rack up likes. But the right kind of PR gets you something money can’t buy: belief. People believe what third parties (media, thought leaders, even communities) say about you far more than what you say about yourself.

And when you’re a startup - unknown, untested, and maybe a little misunderstood - credibility is the currency that opens doors. Investors, customers, regulators, talent... they all ask the same thing: can we trust you?


Strategies That Actually Work for Early-Stage Companies

  1. Founder Profiling
    Your founder’s story is your biggest asset. Why did you start? What problem are you solving? Malaysian media and communities love a strong founder narrative, but it has to be authentic, not rehearsed.

  2. Thought Leadership (Done Right)
    Startups can’t outspend incumbents. But you can out-think them. Publishing insights, speaking on panels, or sharing perspectives on industry challenges positions your brand as more than just another “app.” It says: we’re shaping the space we’re in.

  3. Smart Media Relations
    Spray-and-pray press releases won’t cut it. Journalists get hundreds a week. What works? A well-timed pitch that’s relevant, concise, and framed in the bigger picture. (Hint: it’s not about your new office opening. It’s about the problem you’re solving for Malaysians.)

  4. Community First
    Whether you’re fintech, F&B, or logistics, early traction often comes from building trust in smaller communities before the big headlines. Word-of-mouth is still king here.

Real-World Wins (Anonymised… Mostly)

  • Fintech Hustle: A startup faced the toughest pitch of all i.e., convincing Malaysians to trust their money with a new platform. With targeted founder stories, clear messaging around compliance, and steady media education, they shifted from “Who are these guys?” to “This is one to watch.”

  • Tech Scale-Up: A local app got buried in a crowded category. Instead of fighting for ad clicks, we built their founder’s profile as an industry voice. Within months, they weren’t just “another app” - they were quoted in targeted media outlets as an expert.

  • SME Challenger Brand: Small budget, big competitors. The play? Sharpened storytelling around their unique problem-solving. Earned coverage carried them further than their ad spend ever could.

And then there are names we can mention: Glyd - which we helped carve out space in the mobility scene by putting their founders’ vision front and centre. Or Instapay, where building credibility with regulators and investors mattered just as much as getting customers through the door. Each faced different pressures, but the playbook was the same: get the story right, get it out early, and make it human.

Orchan’s Take

We’ve been in the trenches with startups like Glyd and Instapay, helping them cut through noise, win early trust, and grow with credibility. The lesson’s always the same: startups don’t need more noise. They need the right conversations.

PR isn’t about press releases and photo ops. It’s about shaping perception when nobody knows you yet. And done right, it’s the difference between a startup that flickers out and one that scales up.

If you’re building something and wondering how to make people take you seriously, let’s chat. Drop us a line at changenow@orchan.asia or call +603-7972 6377. Because in Malaysia’s startup scene, standing out isn’t about shouting louder - it’s about being heard for the right reasons.

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