KUALA LUMPUR: Bitsmedia Pte Ltd, the creator of Muslim lifestyle application Muslim Pro, will emphasise content localisation efforts this year, aiming to meet the diverse needs of the Malaysian audience.
Bitsmedia managing director Nafees Khundker said the focal point of the initiative is enhancing user experience within Malaysia to broaden its customer reach through an extended offering of Bahasa Malaysia subtitles.
Recognising Malaysia as a key market for Muslim Pro, Khundker said the move is aimed at reaching new subscribers while concurrently enhancing the user experience for existing ones.
"By expanding Bahasa Malaysia subtitling, we aim to create a more immersive and culturally resonant platform, further solidifying Muslim Pro as the go-to app for the Muslim community in the region," he told Business Times in an interview.
To date, Muslim Pro boasts an impressive 1.5 million monthly active users in Malaysia on average, showcasing the widespread adoption of the app within the country.
The user base in Malaysia is slightly tilted towards female users, comprising 51 per cent while male users make up 49 per cent.
Examining geographical preferences, the top three cities contributing to Muslim Pro's user engagement in Malaysia are Kuala Lumpur (29 per cent), Shah Alam (nine per cent) and Johor Bahru (six per cent).
"Interestingly, there are no significant differences in terms of the most used features by users in Malaysia compared to other markets," said Khundker.
Previously, Bitsmedia secured US$20 million in its Series A funding round.
The funding round saw participation from Asia-focused venture capital firm, Gobi Partners, alongside continued support from existing investors CMIA Capital Partners and Bintang Capital Partners.
The newly-injected funds will be used to advancing Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities, enrich content offerings on Bitsmedia's streaming platform, Qalbox, continuously develop educational features, and improve the Quran experience within Muslim Pro.
Khundker said this infusion of funds not only supports Bitsmedia's foray into key markets, with Malaysia taking center stage, but also catalyses the development of Qalbox, a pioneering addition to their digital offerings.
He said the company's emphasis on technology-driven innovation resonates with Gobi's TaqwaTech thesis to create a significant impact on the global Muslim community to ensure accessibility and enhance the experiences of Muslims worldwide.
"In an exciting turn, we also want to reveal our plans for content expansion on Qalbox, signalling a deeper celebration of Muslim identities and cultures.
"This expansion is a pivotal part of the broader strategy to transform Muslim Pro into a diverse lifestyle content hub, further enriching the user experience," he said.
The company is actively exploring regional and international partnerships that align with this transformative vision.
He said building strong ties with educational institutions for example, Ulum Al-Azhar Academy stands out, with live Tajweed lessons reaching a global audience of over 15,000 students.
"Exploring child-centric learning initiatives is also on the agenda, with collaborative efforts underway with IluvQuran, an organization based in Malaysia.
"We also implement region-specific initiatives, campaigns as well as focusing on Astro-Qalbox partnership, which exclusively streams Muslim-focused content in Malaysia on Astro Ultra and Ulti Boxes.
"These collaborations not only enhance reach but also ensure cultural adaptation, making the content more resonant for Malaysian audiences," he added.
