S3, E18 | Building a Malaysian Startup in Your 20s: Joel & Joshua’s Buzz Story

Joshua and Joel Lim didn’t plan to become startup founders straight out of university but the pandemic had other ideas. What began as a simple university project to reduce plastic waste soon evolved into a full-fledged tech startup. The twins’ first idea, BeeBag, encouraged people to bring reusable bags by rewarding them with points. It was a clever concept that landed early partnerships with Sunway and local agencies but scaling a sustainability app in Malaysia proved difficult. The duo soon learned their first big founder lesson: a good idea isn’t always a viable business.

Determined not to give up, they pivoted. “We realised people loved the rewards, not just the sustainability,” Joshua recalls. That insight became the seed for Buzz, a fintech and adtech platform helping banks and e-wallets run in-app engagement programs, personalised rewards, and ad campaigns. Today, Buzz powers cashback experiences in apps like Touch ’n Go eWallet, turning financial platforms into advertising and engagement ecosystems.

But the journey wasn’t glamorous. Early on, the brothers faced rejections from investors, a failed first pitch with Touch ’n Go, and even layoffs when funds ran low. “There was a point we thought we might have to shut down,” Joel admits. Yet they persisted, reworking their demo, asking for a second chance, and eventually landing their biggest client partnership. “That moment changed everything,” Joshua says. “It reminded us that resilience matters more than speed.”

The twins’ dynamic also shapes Buzz’s DNA. Joshua, the front-facing connector, drives relationships and sales, while Joel manages operations and finance behind the scenes. Their differences occasionally clash but ultimately balance the company. “We argue a lot,” Joel laughs, “but that honesty helps us move faster.” Raised by a father who taught them to “always think about others,” they credit their upbringing for grounding their entrepreneurial values, humility, persistence, and empathy.

Now in their mid-20s, Joshua and Joel see Buzz as more than a business. They’ve built something that connects people, data, and opportunity, proof that Malaysian founders can compete on global terms. “We started as students with no experience, just curiosity,” Joshua says. “If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that you don’t need to be the smartest, you just need to care enough to keep going.”

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