Empathy Meets Innovation: Women Entrepreneurs Leading Malaysia’s Economic Future

Women-owned businesses—defined as those that are at least 51% owned, managed, and controlled by women—are growing in number across Malaysia. Micro and small women entrepreneurs (MSWEs) now account for 21% of all SMEs in the country, representing about 241,767 businesses. These women-led ventures are a crucial force in Malaysia’s economy, where SMEs make up 97.4% of all businesses.

Despite this encouraging trend, a significant gender gap persists. Malaysia aims to raise the female labour force participation rate (LFPR) to 60% by 2033. As of the latest figures, the female LFPR stands at 56.3%, compared to 82.9% for men—highlighting the need for targeted interventions to close this gap.

In response, leading self-service laundrette dobiQueen recently hosted a thought-provoking panel discussion, “Empathy Meets Innovation: How Women Entrepreneurs Utilise Purposeful Technology & Empathetic Leadership to Transform Businesses.”

The session brought together voices from the public and private sectors, including TalentCorp’s Wanita MyWira, Khazanah Research Institute (KRI), and Strive Malaysia.

According to a study by Strive Malaysia, women entrepreneurs face three primary challenges:

• Time poverty – 97% of women business owners cite the burden of balancing business responsibilities with childcare and household duties. This imbalance is deeply rooted in social and cultural norms that often cast women as primary caregivers.
• Digital disconnect – While over 80% of MSWEs are digitally literate and active on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, many use these tools for personal rather than entrepreneurial purposes, limiting their business growth potential.
• Financial confidence – Only 50% of MSWEs feel confident managing their business finances. While many can track basic expenses, fewer understand broader financial concepts like market dynamics or accessing funding. Notably, 78% of respondents expressed a strong need for more information from financial institutions regarding loans, grants, and market data.

“These insights have helped shape our targeted interventions,” said Li Yang Lau, Program Officer at Strive Malaysia. “Through our Strivers’ Hub platform, we offer free self-assessment tools, microlearning resources, mentorship opportunities, and tailored training to empower women entrepreneurs and strengthen the small business ecosystem.”

One example of purpose-driven entrepreneurship is dobiQueen, founded with the mission to ease the burden of household chores, particularly for women facing the “double burden” of paid work and unpaid care.

“Women spend 63.6% more time daily on unpaid work compared to men,” explained Nini Tan, Co-founder and Executive Director of dobiQueen. “This translates into 3.6 to 4 additional hours of chores after work, creating an exhausting ‘second shift.’”

To address this, dobiQueen leverages technology to streamline laundry services. Customers can schedule pickups, drop-offs, and same-day deliveries through a user-friendly mobile app. Their 90 outlets across Klang Valley are staffed with supervisors who manage the entire process—from washing to folding to delivery.

“As Malaysia’s leading self-service laundrette, we’ve lightened the domestic load for many households,” Nini said. “By understanding and supporting the multiple roles women play in society, we’re building a business that meets real needs.”

The public sector is also stepping up. Through TalentCorp, the Ministry of Human Resources launched Wanita MyWira in 2024 to close workforce gaps by enabling more women to actively participate in Malaysia’s economy.

“Our focus is on supporting women at every stage—from students and returning professionals to entrepreneurs and industry leaders,” said Natasha Alias, Head of Wanita MyWira. “Through strategic advocacy, skills development, and employer engagement, we aim to create sustainable career pathways for women.”

In 2025, Wanita MyWira will ramp up efforts, including promoting tax incentives under the Career Comeback Programme (CCP), embedding diversity and inclusion in higher education, and partnering with industries to expand job opportunities.

TalentCorp is also developing a Gender Action Lab Report, aligned with UN Women’s Empowerment Principles, to advance workplace gender equality and foster a more progressive labour market.

Meanwhile, in the agrifood sector, women smallholders are gaining long-overdue recognition. Dr Teoh Ai Ni, a Research Associate at KRI, highlighted how gender stereotypes have historically rendered women “invisible farmers.”

“Women play equally vital roles in agrifood production but face greater hurdles—limited access to resources, the burden of care, and persistent cultural biases,” said Dr Teoh. “With technological advances reducing manual labour, women now have more opportunities to thrive in this space—provided we address structural barriers.”

Efforts to bridge these gaps are essential if Malaysia is to meet its 2033 target for female labour force participation. The momentum driven by women-led SMEs, digital adoption, and inclusive policies is already reshaping the national economy.

Women are not only building businesses—they are transforming industries with empathy, innovation, and resilience. By closing gender gaps in access to finance, technology, and opportunity, Malaysia is laying the foundation for a more inclusive and prosperous future.

The panel session was hosted by dobiQueen. For more information, visit www.dobiqueen.my or follow @dobiqueen on Facebook and Instagram.