Malaysian analytics startup, UrbanMetry, recognized as 2023 Technology Pioneer by World Economic Forum

• Only Malaysian company is list of 100 Technology Pioneers
• Goal is to make cities smarter, sustainable and better for all

UrbanMetry, a leading property data analytics company based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was selected as one of the World Economic Forum’s “Technology Pioneers”. The 2014 launched startup, founded by Koh Cha-Ly (pic) who has a Masters in City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, uses a combination of spatial data and advanced analytics to provide insights to help improve city planning and governance. It is the only Malaysian company among the 100 winners selected from a pool of hundreds of companies from 31 countries.

One third are led by a woman chief executive. The US has the highest representation with 29 companies followed by China with 12.

The World Economic Forum’s Technology Pioneers community which it introduced in 2000 are early-stage companies that are at the forefront of new technologies and innovation and are poised to have a significant impact on business and society.

“We’re excited to welcome UrbanMetry to our 2023 cohort of Technology Pioneers,” said Verena Kuhn, Head of Innovator Communities at the World Economic Forum. “UrbanMetry and its fellow pioneers are at the forefront of innovation and disruption needed to help us solve the world's most pressing issues. We look forward to their contribution to the Forum's content work that brings together the public and private sector to tackle these global issues.

“We are deeply honoured to receive the prestigious Technology Pioneer award, which validates our unwavering commitment to transforming urban environments through innovative technologies,” said Cha-Ly who has the distinction of being the only startup founder to be on the board of a listed company in Malaysia, Time Dotcom Bhd since 2020. She stepped down last month.

“This recognition motivates us to continue pushing boundaries and driving positive change, making cities smarter, sustainable and better for all,” said Cha-Ly who counts many of Malaysia’s property developers and the World Bank as clients. The startup raised a US$2 million (RM9.3 million) funding round in Feb 2022 and earlier raised a seed round from 500Global.

As a Technology Pioneer, Cha-Ly will be invited to engage with the World Economic Forum, working with global leaders to help address key industry and societal issues. Technology Pioneers will also be invited to join Forum events and discussions throughout the year, bringing together leading stakeholders from the public and private sector.

More information on this year’s Technology Pioneers can be found here with information on the community and the application link here.