MYStartup, a national project initiated by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) in Malaysia and developed by Cradle Fund, has in partnership with NEXEA, a venture capital and startup accelerator firm, kicked off its third accelerator program by shortlisting a total of 25 promising tech startups.
MYStartup said in a statement on Friday that the firms were shortlisted and recently onboarded from 60 applications spanning diverse industries, comprising four primary sectors: artificial intelligence, machine learning, healthcare, and software development, MYStartup said.
According to the statement, these startups will undergo a four-month enrichment program designed to catapult their businesses into accelerated growth trajectories and foster an environment conducive to innovation, pushing beyond boundaries and catalyzing significant shifts in Malaysia’s startup ecosystem.
Demonstrating tangible success, the preceding cohort witnessed substantial investment injections with some startups securing up to MYR 700,000 ($146,396) worth of investments within the past six months.
These startups, which include Parkit, Engagelife, iJalan and EB Tech, also achieved an aggregated total valuation of 290 percent, growing from MYR 11 million ($2.3 million) to MYR 32 million ($6.69 million) over the same period.
“Startups are one of the fundamental building blocks in Malaysia’s economic development,
“Based on the Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) report in 2023, Malaysia’s startup ecosystem was estimated to be worth $4.6 billion,” said Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke, Group Chief Executive Officer of Cradle.
At Cradle, he said they recognize the crucial need to foster high performing, an inclusive, globalized, and sustainable startup ecosystem in the country to empower these ventures for regional and global expansion.
As the focal point agency championing the creation and growth of future leading Malaysia tech companies, he said their dedication lies in building a startup ecosystem that will spur the economy through tailored capacity-building programs like the MYStartup Accelerator.
“The goals go beyond monetary; they also come with intensive mentorships and comprehensive resources,
“Through these programs, we hope to equip our local startups with the requisite exposure and support to scale their operations, thus elevating Malaysian startups to become future multinational tech champions,” he added.
It is noted that the MYStartup Accelerator programme is designed for scalable and technology-driven startups, either in the revenue-generating stage or with a minimum viable product (MVP).
To date, the MYStartup Accelerator has successfully empowered 58 startups, across two cohorts.
“The last two cohorts of MYStartup Accelerator, guided by our investor-mentors and Cradle’s support, have on average doubled their growth year-on-year,
“Out of the 940+ applications that received this year, 25 were selected to join the third cohort,” said Ben Lim, Founder and Chief Executive Offier of NEXEA.
According to him, each team, with their own dreams and disruptive ideas, are competing to become top finalists and secure initial funding worth MYR 250,000 ($52,285) with grants up to MYR 1 million ($209,138).
“Together with Cradle, we look forward to creating a bigger impact, accelerating their growth and, eventually, cultivating an inclusive and sustainable startup ecosystem in the country,” he added.
The 25 selected startups for MYStartup Accelerator Program Cohort 3 include:
1. Nakngaji, a platform that offers personalized online and home-based Quran learning services.
2. Otter Barista, an automated robotic coffee brewing experience with high-quality and fresh brews.
3. Ollie & Hana, a pet grooming and hotel boarding specialist.
4. ALT Synergy, a strategic application of biotechnology to enhance supplement effectiveness.
5. WeAssist, a mobile applications developer focusing on connecting people to healthcare services.
6. Messengerco, a one-stop platform for corporate gifting.
7. EasyRenz, an automated & smart tenant management solution.
8. Numom, specialized in maternity and baby products focusing on breastfeeding support.
9. Resitku, an application for expense receipts and income records as well as a taxation solution.
10. Dreamory, an all-in-one business event platform.
11. Heycast.me, a casting platform for entertainment industry.
12. Property Lab, an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven platform for precise property investment insights.
13. DeepLogi, a smart shipping gateway for small and medium-sized business.
14. Siren Networks, a safety application that connects people on a platform with emergency and care service providers.
15. Axtraction, an AI, business to business (B2B) document AI software as a service (SaaS).
16. Quasa.ai, a platform provides regulatory and compliance tech solutions to businesses.
17. Infinitlab, a modular SaaS enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution empowered by an AI-ready framework for seamless and efficient business management.
18. Choladeck, a web app that creates customized, brand-aligned presentations and offers insights on audience engagement.
19. VStream, a digital drone insurance solutions provider.
20. Astra Medical Technologies, a technological advancements platform in the medical field.
21. Pixalink, acloud-based customer acquisition system for SMEs.
22. Toolbox2u, a one-stop industrial supplies procurement and management service platform.
23. Wander Wild, a one-stop digital platform for experiential travel in Southeast Asia.
24. AI Love Code, a web-based AI tool aimed to help web developers build websites faster by converting simple text to code.
25. EZDisposal, a platform bridging the gap between customers seeking hassle-free disposal for bulky items and dedicated Driver-Partners ready to assist.
Malaysia’s MYStartup selects 26 startups for pre-accelerator cohort 3 program