Malaysian startup Deemples raises US$2mil from Singapore's V Ventures

• Grown number of active golfers by 200% since last fundraising
• Operating as two-sided marketplace to expand golfing community

Malaysian startup Deemples Technologies Sdn Bhd has raised US$2 million (RM9.58 million) from Singapore based corporate venture capital firm — V Ventures, to drive its growth and enrich user experience. The investment comes as Deemples has seen its business double over each of the past four years in Malaysia. This investment will further facilitate the startup's plans to expand its presence in Southeast Asia.

"Our core mission is to create the premier golfing experience empowered by tech to allow our community to play anytime, anywhere, with anyone. With this new investment, we have set our eyes on further expanding our ecosystem to be truly regional with our services and to significantly enrich the golfing community,” said David Wong, CEO and founder of Deemples whose last public announcement of funding was in April 2019 when he closed a US$270,000 round.

Founded in 2017 with the vision of addressing a personal need to find golf buddies, Deemples has grown its number of active golfers in Malaysia by 200% since their last fundraising round. Deemples enables golfers to plan their games effortlessly, whether it's a spontaneous round, a tournament, a club match or a prearranged outing. With its tech-first philosophy and designed-for-golfers approach, Deemples caters to the diverse needs of golfers, enhancing their overall experience of the sport.

“We will use the funds to build a scalable best-in-class product, with a keen focus on relentless innovation, market fit, and to ultimately expand into untapped markets. This is important to the mission of providing the best borderless golfing experience for our community, enabling golf enthusiasts to connect, play, and enjoy the game, anywhere. In essence, it solidifies our commitment to empowering golfers everywhere and reinforces our position as a leader in revolutionising the way golf is experienced and enjoyed across borders," said Ahmad Daleen, Chief Technology Officer of Deemples.

Attributing the strong growth of golf to increased accessibility to golf courses and training facilities, Deemples claims it has played a significant role in shaping and expanding the golfing community across Malaysia.

Operating as the first two-sided marketplace, Deemples prioritises providing value to both customers and golf courses alike by encouraging players to golf more frequently by connecting them with other golfers and establishing a golfing network. This not only benefits users by enhancing their experience but also helps golf courses increase their revenue and attract more players to their facilities. 

"Deemples has helped golf courses in Malaysia to provide a new level of service for both new and existing golfers over the last 4 years.  We at The Mines Resort and Golf Club were able to launch on the platform easily and immediately start receiving bookings from their users. Deemples has been a great partner to us and other golf courses. We are excited to see what our future with Deemples holds for the golf community in Malaysia,” said Admiral (rtd) Mohd Anwar Nor, President of the Malaysian Golf Association and Executive Chairman of The Mines Resort and Golf Club.