From a Team of Five to Exponential Growth: The Transformation Journey of Astasoft with Bentley

In Malaysia’s competitive infrastructure and engineering market, Astasoft, a long-standing Bentley partner, has recently written one of the most impressive chapters in its history. After years of stagnant sales and with a lean team, the company underwent a remarkable transformation, doubling its new sales revenue in just one year. This is the story of how an internal cultural shift, combined with a strategic partnership, can reignite growth.

Reinventing Astasoft: Leadership, Sales Strategy, and Bentley Support

With over 20 years as a Bentley partner, Astasoft had a solid foundation and deep engineering expertise. However, the company was facing a period of stagnation. Upon the return of its leader after 25 years in another industry, the path forward was clear: change was necessary.

“When I came back, the company had five people; it was very small. Sales had been flat for many years. I saw that as a challenge for me,” said Torkil Ganendra, founder of Astasoft.

The old model, where the CEO handled most of the sales and the team only fulfilled orders, was no longer sustainable. The first and most crucial change wasn’t in technology, but in people.

The new leadership invested in a cultural transformation, empowering and motivating the entire team to sell. The result was a seismic shift in the company’s dynamics. “I basically empowered the people. I empowered the staff, motivated everyone to do sales. We incentivized them and rewarded them for the company’s success. That was the big change,” commented Ganendra.

For a team of engineers to take on frontline sales, they needed more than just motivation; they needed tools and support. This is where the partnership with Bentley became a pillar for growth. Astasoft dove into the programs offered, such as the concierge program and the campaign-in-a-box, learning to use automation and digital marketing to create successful campaigns.

“We took great advantage of Bentley’s marketing assets because we are a small company. We can’t really spend a lot of time developing these ourselves. It was all readily available, and we simply used it,” explained Ganendra.

This dedication to marketing excellence did not go unnoticed. In recognition of their innovative approach, Astasoft was the winner of the Rapid Time to Value Award. This award honors partners who have made a significant impact through creative, consistent, and strategic marketing efforts that elevate Bentley’s brand, drive customer engagement, and support business growth, perfectly validating the company’s new direction.

Torkil Ganendra (left) receiving the award from Allan Murphy, senior vice president of product sales at Bentley Systems (right), at the Sales Partner Summit 2025 in Berlin.

“We were only six, seven people. But we have an extended family at Bentley, always ready to help us. Having Bentley’s backup is a very important point for a small company like us,” emphasized Ganendra.

From Water Infrastructure Wins to Road & Bridge BIM Expansion

The new strategy yielded concrete and rapid results. One of the biggest successes came from the water sector, where Astasoft helped operators in Malaysia combat non-revenue water loss in aging pipe networks by using Bentley software to model and manage their networks more efficiently.

Looking ahead, Astasoft’s challenge is to significantly expand its presence in the road and bridge design market, an area currently dominated by a competitor. In response, the company is positioning Bentley’s OpenRoads and OpenBridge Designer solutions as the best-in-class BIM platform for linear infrastructure, reinforced by recent award-winning projects that highlight the capabilities of Bentley solutions.

“Bentley is a fantastic company and has the best products. All you need to have is the right people, know the product you’re selling, and know your customer. Customer success equals growth in your business,” concluded Ganendra.