MYStartup, in collaboration with WatchTower and Friends, has on Wednesday announced the selection of 30 high-potential startups for the MYStartup Pre-Accelerator Cohort 4.

This program, spearheaded by Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd (Cradle) and executed under the MYStartup initiative, is designed to propel these startups towards achieving product-market fit and fostering the overall success of the Malaysian startup ecosystem, MYStartup said in a statement.

Chosen from a competitive pool of close to 100 applicants across Malaysia, the selected startups will embark on a four-month tailored program.

The program covers essential topics, including aligning co-founder goals, crafting mission and vision statements, developing business models, designing and iterating minimum viable products (MVP), conducting market validation, exploring valuations and funding, and understanding sustainable development goals (SDGs) and governance.

This structured approach equips participants with the knowledge and tools to build and scale successful startups.

“MYStartup is dedicated to advancing the local startup ecosystem by providing access to crucial early-stage support tools and resources such as expert mentoring, seed funding and market access,

“Since the launch of the first cohort in 2022, MYStartup Pre-Accelerator has supported more than 100 Malaysian startups across three cohorts,” said Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke, Group Chief Executive Officer of Cradle.

“This program reflects our commitment to position Malaysia as a key player in driving innovation and advancement in local and global technology sectors, aligning with the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation’s objective to place Malaysia among the top 20 global startup ecosystems by 2030, as described under the Malaysian Startup Ecosystem Roadmap (SUPER) 2021 – 2030,” he added.

It is noted that the pre-accelerator program offers a cohesive package for each shortlisted startup, encompassing weekly learning modules, hands-on mentoring, on-demand
resources, and strategic connections within the tech and entrepreneur industry.

These resources are meticulously designed to guide startups in developing viable business models and seizing growth opportunities, said the statement.

By the end of the program, participants will present their validated and constructive MVP to potential investors, presenting a pivotal opportunity to secure funding and propel their growth trajectory forward.

This structured approach not only equips startups with essential skills and insights but also prepares them for sustainable success in the competitive startup landscape.

“Since 2015, we’ve proudly supported Malaysian startups, with many from our WTF Accelerator evolving into the nation’s most successful ventures,

“Partnering with Cradle through MYStartup, we’re fully committed to the government’s goal of creating 5,000 startups by 2025,” said Sam Shafie, Co-Founder of WatchTower and Friends.

“During this four-month program, our focus is on achieving product-market fit across diverse sectors like software as a service (SaaS), e-commerce, edtech, fintech and artificial intelligence (AI),

“We look forward to witnessing significant achievements and scaling potential under WatchTower and Friends,” he added.

The 30 companies shortlisted for Cohort 4 include:

1. Lekir Tech: Introducing Ai.Libs that makes personal and business tasks easy with seamless smart AI tools
2. Antara Kita: A female-led tech startup with a mission to help brides make informed decisions by building trust between brides and vendors in the wedding community.
3. ATTN Digital: A platform to help you digitize and automate your business with proven strategies to grow and strive online.
4. Bengbeng To-Go: A place for healthy sandwiches and exceptional coffee to start the day.
5. BitRanger: A firm offers a range of services and products to outsource your cybersecurity monitoring and defence.
6. btos.ai: A platform to conduct competitive analysis and assist customers in making better business decisions.
7. Buzku: A platform that revolutionizes children’s transportation, providing safe, efficient, and sustainable rides to school.
8. caGrand: An interconnected marketplace curating senior living facilities and geriatric products.
9. DashAdd: A financial tool with real-time business performance tracking dashboard to make intelligent data-driven business decisions and help the company to focus on the most important metrics for growth and secure funding
powered by AI.
10.Drangue (Drang-uh) – A climate tech solution that addresses geomapping concerns with three key features: automated geo-mapping, predictive models accessible, and a natural disaster forecaster.
11.Erti: Exclusive fashion resale e-commerce platform that is redefining fashion through circularity.
12.Faradays Energy: A firm powering a sustainable future with hydrogen energy.
13.Founder HQ: An agentship software to grow business ten times faster with intelligent automation. It helps business manage and grow their business, build networks fast and ensure ongoing customer sales.
14.HiMerch: An innovative platform for event organizers to create, manage, and distribute high-quality, customizable merchandise for various events.
15.IOXTECH GLOBAL: A firm that introduces OnSites, an all-in-one construction companion that acts as a “punch-card” app using Geo-Fencing technology and also aids construction companies with business management through features
like worker scheduling and human resources systems.
16.Nanofertech: AI-powered real-time advisory mobile app that crafts precise fertilization regime for agri-crops with its cutting-edge controlled-release technology and features soil informatics for farmers, agritech enthusiasts and plantation industries
17.Nature Pick: Formulated for versatility, Nature Pick’s artisan supplements come in the form of candy and blend various herbs, spices, and flavors that ensure the authentic taste of its ingredients.
18.Perantara: A solution that focuses on developing customizable electric micro-vehicles tailored to diverse commercial needs.
19.Renorumah: A platform that connects homeowners with certified local contractors for quality projects and maintenance, backed by secure payments and long-term warranties, while providing local contractors with a platform for connections to reliable customers through transparent transactions.
20.Reyhut Hospitality Automation: A QR-based digital check-in and passcode-based room entry system that integrates seamlessly with proprietary hotel management system.
21.Rizurf Technology: A firm that is creating connections through homes.
22.Sawit Data: A platform that empowers palm oil smallholders with data-driven insights, carbon credit access, sustainability investment and financial
empowerment.
23.SuamiSihat App: A platform that offers men access to anonymous community support, telehealth consultations, health tracking tools, e-learning for sexual health education, and clinically proven supplements and treatments to address health issues and improve relationships.
24.SystemSage Solutions: Smart farming and traceability technology to increase farmers’ agricultural productivity, income and sustainability.
25.TAPP! Global: TAPP! is an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven sales platform that helps B2B sales teams to fully automate their sales process and secure deals with personalized outreach.
26.Twelve Gelato: An artisan gelato maker that is specializing in plant-based and no sugar added flavors with a vision is to set a new benchmark in the dessert industry, that is healthy, tastes great, and environmentally responsible.
27.Virtual Tax Assistant ( ViTA): A personal tax advisor solution that allows users to snap and store supporting documents for up to seven years, strategize to optimize tax benefits, and find the nearest tax agent for audit assistance.
28.Vidanex: A platform that is transforming cancer diagnosis with AI precision.
29.WealthAI: An AI-powered tax platform for Malaysian taxpayers (Form B & BE) to simplify tax filing with easy form submission, secure data transfer to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN), access to verified tax agents, and personalized advice.
30.Zura Charge: An app that accelerates commercial fleet decarbonization and offers companies a complete, integrated solution for adopting commercial electric vehicle (EV) fleets.

MYStartup is a national initiative by the Malaysia’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), powered by Cradle.

Established in 2021, MYStartup is the Single Window to Malaysia’s startup ecosystem, offering a platform that fosters an inclusive and sustainable growth for founders, investors, and tech talents.

In line with Malaysia’s aim to be one of the top global startup ecosystems and the ASEAN Center of Excellence by 2030, the platform nurtures the ecosystem through capacity-building programs, including hackathons, accelerators, pre-accelerators, and bootcamps.

MYStartup is part of the Malaysia Startup Ecosystem Roadmap (SUPER), which has been mandated to ensure that initiatives by MYStartup benefit the startup ecosystem as a whole.

This effort is also in tandem with MOSTI’s target of creating 5,000 startups by 2025 and 10,000 coders by 2030.

Malaysia’s MYStartup selects 26 startups for pre-accelerator cohort 3 program