Think City

What Think City does

Think City Sdn. Bhd. is a Malaysian impact organization and wholly owned subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad, the country's sovereign wealth fund. Established in 2009 and headquartered in George Town, Penang, with an additional office in Kuala Lumpur, the organization functions as Khazanah's implementing arm for urban regeneration, operating 11–50 staff. Its work spans heritage conservation, climate adaptation, public housing empowerment, creative economy development, and archaeotourism across Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Seberang Perai, and four northern Malaysian states. Core programmes include the George Town Transformation Programme, Laneways Improvement Programme (originated 2012), Warisan KL (formerly KLCCD, a Downtown KL initiative with 10 flagship projects), the Kita-untuk-Kita (K2K) public housing programme co-developed with the World Bank, the Penang Nature-based Climate Adaptation Programme (PNBCAP) with UN-Habitat and the Adaptation Fund, Coronation Avenue in Johor Bahru, Arts on the Move, and the Northern Region Archaeotourism Network (NRAN), a RM10 million project initiated in 2022.

Think City does not sell commercial technology products. Its intellectual property consists of urban regeneration methodologies, strategic masterplans (KLCCD), and research publications including the From Roof to Resilience study (2,884 households across 10 Klang Valley public housing sites) and the Social Resilience Assessment and Action Plan. The organization also administers multiple grant vehicles — Warisan KL Grants, PNBCAP Urban Greening Grants (up to RM100,000), Seberang Perai Small Town Grants, Downtown Johor Bahru Grants (up to RM50,000), and K2K Community Grants — distributed to individuals, collectives, and community organizations.

The business model is grant-funded rather than commercial. Revenue flows from Khazanah Nasional Berhad as parent/anchor funder, supplemented by multilateral sources such as the Adaptation Fund under the Kyoto Protocol/UNFCCC, World Bank co-funding, and Ministry of Finance Malaysia support. Distribution is partnership-based: Think City works directly with government agencies (MBPP, MBJB, DBKL, MPSP, IRDA, JPS), international bodies (UN-Habitat, World Bank, Adaptation Fund), academic partners (USM, UTHM), and corporate collaborators (Maxis for the Explore with Maxis heritage bus tour, Airbnb for heritage publications, AECOM/EDAW for masterplanning). The go-to-market motion is community-led rather than sales-driven, with reach built through grant programmes, events (KL Festival, Pentas Seni Merdeka, Arts on the Move), publications, and government co-delivery rather than traditional channels.

Name

Think City

Legal name

Think City Sdn. Bhd.

Website

https://thinkcity.com.my

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Think City is a Malaysian urban impact organization and wholly owned subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad, operating grant-funded programmes in heritage conservation, climate adaptation, public housing empowerment, and creative economy across Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, and northern Malaysia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Regeneration Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADALAL

Sustainable Cities, Urban Development & Green Infrastructure

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Climate, Environment & Sustainable Development Programs

SECONDARYBPAHAKAD

Urban Planning & Master Planning

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Architecture, Design & Planning Services

SECONDARYBPAIANAD

Urban & Regional Planning (Land Use, Zoning, Master Planning)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Housing, Urban Planning & Community Development

SECONDARYBPAGALAO

Community Arts, Culture & Creative Placemaking Enterprises

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Enterprises & Impact Organizations

Keywords

• Urban regeneration programs
• Heritage conservation services
• Community development grants
• Climate adaptation solutions
• Placemaking initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

George Town

HQ country

Malaysia

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding Model: Think City operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad, functioning as an impact organization funded through grants and government-backed initiatives. The organization does not generate commercial revenue from products or services but instead distributes funding through various grant programmes to support urban regeneration projects across Malaysia.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Think City is a Malaysian urban impact organization that delivers inclusive, place-based urban regeneration programmes across Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Johor Bahru. It works with government agencies, urban planners, NGOs, businesses, academia, and communities on heritage conservation, climate adaptation, public housing improvement, and creative district development, channeling institutional grant funding into these place-based initiatives and discrete community grant schemes.

Product overview

Think City is an impact organization (wholly owned subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad) that functions as a platform of urban solutions rather than a single software product. Its portfolio includes multiple thematic programmes: Warisan KL for heritage-based urban regeneration in Kuala Lumpur; the Kita-untuk-Kita (K2K) Programme for public housing community empowerment (co-developed with World Bank); the Penang Nature-based Climate Adaptation Programme (PNBCAP) for climate resilience; Laneways Improvement Programme for placemaking; Coronation Avenue for streetscape enhancement; Arts on the Move for creative district activation; and the Northern Region Archaeotourism Network (NRAN) for cultural heritage development. Think City also manages multiple grant programmes including Warisan KL Grants, PNBCAP Urban Greening Grants, Creative KL Grants, Seberang Perai Small Town Grants, and Downtown Johor Bahru Grants. These programmes collectively aim to create sustainable, equitable places through data-driven insights, community engagement, and nature-based solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,884 households surveyed across 10 public housing sites in Klang Valley for From Roof to Resilience study
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and minor.

• MaxisflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 December 2025Partnership for 'Explore with Maxis' initiative featuring an interactive heritage bus tour in Kuala Lumpur with AI-powered digital storytelling at historical landmarks including Dataran Merdeka, Masjid Jamek, and Stadium Merdeka.
• World BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developed the Kita-untuk-Kita (K2K) Programme with the World Bank, aiming to facilitate poverty exit and reverse social, economic, and physical decay in public housing schemes.
• UN-HabitatmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for the Penang Nature-based Climate Adaptation Programme (PNBCAP), collaborating on nature-based solutions for climate adaptation in Penang's urban areas.
• Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Downtown Johor Bahru Grants Programme for arts, heritage, and culture initiatives to rejuvenate Downtown Johor Bahru and complement the Sungai Segget revitalisation project.
• Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru (MBJB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on multiple Johor Bahru projects including Coronation Avenue streetscape improvement, Coronation Avenue project, and Laneways Improvement Programme, under the Johor Bahru Transformation Programme.
• Majlis Bandaraya Pulau Pinang (MBPP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for PNBCAP and various George Town regeneration projects. MBPP integrates the Penang Climate Board within its structure.
• Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Kuala Lumpur projects including Pentas Seni Merdeka arts platform and Laneways Improvement Programme in Downtown Kuala Lumpur.
• Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Levelling Up Seberang Perai Programme and PNBCAP stormwater management initiatives.
• UTHM (Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAcademic partnership for the 'Back to Back Lane' programme in Muar, collaborating on transforming back alleys into safe, healthy, and walkable spaces.
• Jabatan Warisan NegaramajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Kuala Lumpur Creative and Cultural District (KLCCD) Strategic Masterplan development.
• EDAW (now AECOM)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGlobal master planners supporting the George Town Transformation Programme, providing expert guidance on urban regeneration.
• Badan Warisan Malaysia (Heritage of Malaysia Trust)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal subject experts collaborating on the George Town Transformation Programme for heritage conservation.
• AirbnbminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Heritage Guide To Kuala Lumpur publication, promoting heritage tourism in the city.
• Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in PNBCAP, adopting the Sungai Ara Linear Park pilot project under a taskforce for blue-green corridor development.
• Penang Green CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in PNBCAP environmental initiatives for Penang's climate adaptation efforts.
• USM (Universiti Sains Malaysia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in PNBCAP for research and knowledge management on climate adaptation.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group: Network of global cities focused on climate action and urban resilience. Comparable to Think City in partnering with cities on nature-based climate adaptation, public housing resilience and policy advocacy.
• Aga Khan Trust for Culture: Mission-driven foundation that drives heritage-based urban regeneration and cultural revitalization in historic cities (e.g., Cairo, Zanzibar, Delhi). Highly comparable to Think City's combination of heritage conservation, cultural economy and place-making across Malaysian historic centres.
• The Prince's Foundation: UK-based charity focused on placemaking, traditional skills and built-environment education. Comparable to Think City as a non-profit, mission-driven organization working on heritage conservation and community-led regeneration of urban places.
• World Resources Institute (Ross Center for Sustainable Cities): Research-to-action organization working on sustainable, equitable cities in emerging economies. Comparable to Think City in combining data-driven urban research (similar to From Roof to Resilience) with place-based implementation programmes.
• ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability: Global network of local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. Comparable to Think City in mobilizing municipal partnerships, climate adaptation programming and capacity-building for cities, including in Southeast Asia.
• Gehl Architects: Urban planning and design consultancy focused on people-centred public spaces. Comparable to Think City's Laneways Improvement and Coronation Avenue programmes that transform underutilized urban space into vibrant, walkable places.

Emerging players

• Habitat for Humanity International: Global non-profit addressing housing poverty and community development. Compares to Think City's K2K Programme, which similarly targets poverty exit and physical/social/economic revitalization in public housing schemes, though with a regional rather than global operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Arup: Global engineering and urban development consultancy with deep practice in sustainable city design. Comparable to Think City in providing integrated urban solutions across climate, mobility, heritage and community resilience, though on a commercial fee basis.
• AECOM: Global infrastructure and urban planning consultancy. AECOM (which absorbed EDAW, Think City's master-planning partner on the George Town Transformation Programme) is comparable as a large-scale provider of urban regeneration masterplanning services, though it operates commercially rather than as an impact NGO.
• UN-Habitat: United Nations agency for sustainable urban development. Think City is an active partner of UN-Habitat on PNBCAP; UN-Habitat operates a much broader global mandate but shares Think City's focus on inclusive, climate-resilient urban regeneration.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mythinkcity

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Think City