TEDxPetalingStreet

What TEDxPetalingStreet does

TEDxPetalingStreet (TEDx茨厂街) is a Malaysia-registered nonprofit organization operating under a license from TED (a US-based nonprofit) since 2013. It is the first Chinese-language TEDx in Malaysia and the first Chinese TEDx outside Greater China. The organization produces one flagship annual conference per year, hosted at Wisma MCA (三春礼堂) in Kuala Lumpur, featuring 16-17 speakers delivering 18-minute talks on topics spanning science, business, education, arts, and social issues. Beyond the marquee event, the organization operates the Angel Program (天使计划), a charitable initiative funded by individual and corporate sponsors that subsidizes attendance for underprivileged students from schools across Malaysia, having reached students in 10 of 13 Malaysian states. Supporting programs include Adventure Workshops, TEDx Salon discussion events, an Open Mic competition for speakers under 30, and a published book of speaker stories. Operations are entirely volunteer-driven, with 230+ volunteers organized across 18 functional groups including speaker coordination, speech coaching, visual design, videography, F&B management, and logistics; the organization reports no paid staff.

The business model combines three revenue streams: ticket sales to the annual conference across four zone-based price tiers, individual angel sponsorship donations aligned with SDG 4 (Quality Education), and corporate partnerships offering brand visibility in exchange for financial or in-kind support. Multi-year recurring partnerships with Coway, Oxwhite, Printcious, Entomal, GMBB, XiaoEn, and creative studio Studio Kekfeng indicate a stable partner ecosystem. Marketing is organic and community-driven through social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, Xiaohongshu) and earned media partnerships with Sin Chew Daily, TTN, CityPlus FM, and The Interview Asia. The 2024 FORWARD conference set a record attendance of 1,700 participants, building on steady growth from the first time exceeding 1,000 attendees in 2016. The 2025 GRIT conference introduced a city carnival format, signaling an evolution of the event model. The organization reports no disclosed revenue, no venture funding, and no parent company control beyond the TED licensing arrangement; ownership and operations reside with the volunteer organizing committee.

Name

TEDxPetalingStreet

Legal name

TEDxPetalingStreet

Website

https://tedxpetalingstreet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TEDxPetalingStreet is a Malaysian volunteer-run nonprofit, licensed by TED, that hosts an annual Chinese-language ideas conference in Kuala Lumpur and runs the Angel Program subsidizing student attendance from schools across 10 of Malaysia's 13 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conference and Events

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Speaker, Program & Abstract Management Services (THAHACAI), Abstract, Speaker & Session Management Systems (THAHAFAI)

Keywords

• Chinese-language TEDx events
• Annual conference organization
• Student sponsorship programs
• Volunteer event management
• Community workshop events

Headquarters

HQ city

Kuala Lumpur

HQ country

Malaysia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Annual Conference Ticket Sales: The organization sells tickets to its annual TEDx conference (and related events) to attendees. Ticket categories include different zones (Zone 1, 2, 3, 4) with varying amenities and pricing. Angel sponsors receive two complimentary tickets as a thank-you for their sponsorship.
2. Angel Sponsorship Donations: Individual and corporate sponsors contribute funds to sponsor students' attendance at the annual conference through the Angel Program. Sponsors receive recognition, name tags, and two event tickets as acknowledgment. This is a charitable giving program aligned with SDG 4 (Quality Education).
3. Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships: Corporate partners (Inspire Partners, Event Partners, etc.) provide financial or in-kind support in exchange for brand visibility at the annual conference and across digital channels. Partners receive logo placement, recognition materials, and event tickets.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

TEDxPetalingStreet organizes and hosts an annual Chinese-language TEDx conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, featuring 17+ Malaysian speakers delivering 18-minute talks on diverse themes. It complements the annual conference with the Angel Program (sponsoring student attendance), Adventure community workshops, Salon discussion events, and an Open Mic competition for youth speakers aged 30 and below. The organization is volunteer-run, operates under TED license, and has hosted 11 annual conferences since 2013.

Product overview

TEDxPetalingStreet is an annual TEDx conference organization in Malaysia, operating as a platform for sharing ideas worth spreading. It comprises a core annual conference product (held yearly since 2013 with unique themes like GRIT, FORWARD, BALANCE, ROOTS) and several supporting programs: the Angel Program for student sponsorships, Adventure Workshops for community engagement, Salon events for deeper speaker discussions, and Open Mic competitions for youth speakers. The organization also published 'The Original Intent' book in 2017. As Malaysia's first Chinese-language TEDx, it focuses on showcasing local Malaysian stories and innovators through 18-minute talks delivered primarily in Chinese.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual TEDxPetalingStreet Conference Annual flagship Chinese-language TEDx conference featuring 16-17 Malaysian speakers delivering 18-minute talks on a unique annual theme. Held in Kuala Lumpur with zone-based ticketing, F&B service, and networking. Events include workshops, interactive elements, and post-talk Q&A. Targeted at the Malaysian general public with 1,000-1,700 attendees per edition.
• GRIT 乘风破浪 2025 Annual Conference

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,700 attendees at the 2024 FORWARD conference — record high attendance
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• La' DermflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025La' Derm serves as a Visionary Partner for the 2025 GRIT conference. As a flagship partner, La' Derm receives prominent branding visibility across event materials and digital channels, representing the highest tier of corporate partnership support for TEDxPetalingStreet.
• Hospital PicasocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Hospital Picaso serves as an Impact Partner for the 2025 GRIT conference, providing support as a key healthcare-sector partner with branding presence at the event.
• GMBB (All-zinc Broadcasting Centre)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025GMBB (Guang Min Broadcasting Centre) is listed as an Innovation Partner for 2025 GRIT and was previously an Inspire Partner in 2023. It is a recurring partner that provides venue and community support, having been involved since at least 2023.
• XiaoEn (孝恩)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025XiaoEn (孝恩) is listed as an Innovation Partner for 2025 GRIT and was an Inspire Partner in 2023 and 2024. It is a recurring partner representing a consistent support relationship over multiple years.
• LEGUMEScoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025LEGUMES is an Innovation Partner for the 2025 GRIT conference, representing a growing partnership with the sustainable food/restaurant sector.
• Good MorningcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Good Morning is an Innovation Partner for the 2025 GRIT conference, supporting the event with branding visibility across event materials.
• Studio KekfengcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Studio Kekfeng (李克丰) serves as Creative Partner and Visual Design Director for the 2025 GRIT conference, responsible for the main visual concept and design. Previously served as a Creative Partner in 2024. The red-toned GRIT visual design with dynamic wind and wave imagery was created by Studio Kekfeng.
• ExabytesminorOthers · 1 January 2025Exabytes is the digital experience platform hosting sponsor, providing the web infrastructure for TEDxPetalingStreet's event websites (tedxpetalingstreet.com and annual conference microsites). Listed as Event Partner in 2024 and 2025.
• CowayminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Coway is an Event Partner for the 2025 GRIT conference. It has been a recurring partner across multiple years (2023, 2024, 2025), consistently providing support for the annual event.
• OxwhiteminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Oxwhite is an Event Partner for the 2025 GRIT conference. A recurring partner across 2023, 2024, and 2025, supporting the annual event.
• PrintciousminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Printcious is an Event Partner for 2025 GRIT, providing print/production services. Recurring partner across 2023, 2024, and 2025.
• EntomalminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Entomal is an Event Partner for 2025 GRIT. A recurring partner across 2023, 2024, and 2025, supporting the annual conference.
• Wisma MCA (马华大厦)coreOthers · 1 January 2025Wisma MCA (马华大厦) provides the 三春礼堂 (Chsan Hall) as the venue for the annual TEDxPetalingStreet conference. This has been the consistent venue for all annual conferences. It is a nonprofit organization building in Kuala Lumpur.
• WellousminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Wellous is listed as an Inspire Partner for the 2023 衡 BALANCE conference. It is a health/wellness brand that supported the event.
• 誠品馬來西亞 (eslite Malaysia)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025誠品馬來西亞 (eslite Malaysia) serves as a Community Partner for the 2025 GRIT conference, contributing to the cultural and community engagement dimension of the event.
• Film EdgeminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Film Edge is a Creative Partner for the 2025 GRIT conference, providing video production and creative services. Also listed as a Creative Partner in 2024.
• Film TroopminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Film Troop is a Creative Partner for the 2025 GRIT conference, providing video production services. Also listed as an event partner in 2023 and 2024.
• 星洲日报 (Sin Chew Daily)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023星洲日报 (Sin Chew Daily) is a media partner for the 2023 衡 BALANCE conference and 2024/2025 GRIT conference, providing press coverage and media amplification for the event.
• 谈谈 Tan Tan News (TTN)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023TTN (Tan Tan News / 谈谈) is a media partner providing news coverage and media amplification for TEDxPetalingStreet events since at least 2023.
• The Interview AsiaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023The Interview Asia is a media partner providing interview content and media coverage for TEDxPetalingStreet events since at least 2023.
• CityPlus FMminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023CityPlus FM is a media partner for the 2023 衡 BALANCE conference, providing radio/media coverage and audience reach through its broadcast platform.
• Goodness MartminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Goodness Mart is an Event Partner for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 conferences, providing F&B support for the annual events.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• TEDxBangkok: Another major Southeast Asian TEDx event with a comparable annual conference format, sponsorship structure, and audience scale. Comparable as a regional SEA TEDx peer, though operating primarily in English/Thai rather than Chinese.
• TEDxSunwayUniversity: Malaysian TEDx event licensed by TED and based at Sunway University. Direct peer sharing the same national market, regulatory environment, and TEDx operating model, though university-affiliated vs. community-rooted.
• TEDxKL: Other TEDx event licensed by TED and based in Kuala Lumpur. Directly comparable as a Malaysian TEDx operating in the same city, though focused on English-language audiences rather than Chinese. Most relevant peer given shared geography, format, and licensing structure.
• TEDxTaipei: Major Chinese-language TEDx event in Greater China with a longer operating history and larger audience scale. Comparable as a Chinese-language TEDx with similar speaker curation, sponsorship tiers, and annual conference production model — useful as a benchmark for scale potential.
• TEDxSingapore: Singapore-based TEDx event operating under the same TED license with a comparable annual conference format, sponsorship model, and volunteer-led organization. Comparable as a regional SEA TEDx peer with similar scale and audience characteristics.
• TEDxHongKong: Chinese-language TEDx event operating in Hong Kong. Closest linguistic peer to TEDxPetalingStreet as both serve Chinese-speaking audiences with the same TEDx format, speaker curation approach, and volunteer-driven nonprofit model.

Regional players

• Yayasan Salam (Malaysia): Malaysian nonprofit foundation supporting youth and education initiatives, including student access programs. Comparable as a Malaysian nonprofit operating youth-education and community programs with similar CSR-aligned corporate sponsorship models.

Emerging players

• Social Innovation Park (Malaysia): Malaysian social enterprise focused on social innovation programs, talks, and community events. Adjacent to TEDxPetalingStreet's mission of showcasing Malaysian innovators and changemakers, though with a broader social-innovation rather than ideas-platform focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TedxPetalingStreet
• Facebookfacebook.com/TEDxPetalingStreet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tedxpetalingstreet
• Instagraminstagram.com/tedxpetalingstreet
• TikToktiktok.com/@tedxpetalingstreet

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 TEDxPetalingStreet