1337 Ventures, Malaysia-based early-stage venture capital firm, has announced the launch of the 64th cohort of its flagship Alpha Startups™ Pre-Accelerator, with applications now open for the July 2025 intake.

The firm said in a statement on Thursday that as Malaysia strengthens its position as a global innovation hub, startups remain key drivers of economic growth, job creation, and digital transformation, and the accelerator is to support this momentum.

Launched in 2014, the is Malaysia’s longest-running startup accelerator program, tailored for early-stage founders — from those with an idea to teams building their first minimum viable product (MVP).

Over the past decade, the program has supported the growth of more than 3,500+ startups, including success stories such as Vircle, Swipey, BloomThis, ParkEasy (acquired by Shell),
EatCakeToday (which exited within a year of completing the program), MaidEasy, Arus Oil, Cult Creative, Qarbotech, Finory.tech, Dear Kyra and more.

The ten-week hybrid accelerator combines structured learning with founder flexibility—starting with an in-person onboarding, followed by weekly virtual mentoring, self-paced modules, and culminating in a live Demo Day with investors and ecosystem leaders.

Only 20 startups will be selected for this intake, receiving personalized mentorship and regional exposure.

While open to all tech-enabled solutions, this cohort will spotlight innovation in artificial intelligence (AI), DeepTech, small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) business to business (B2B), HealthTech, FinTech, and Climate Tech.

“Early-stage founders need structure, speed, and honest feedback—that’s what Alpha Startups™ pre-accelerator delivers,” said Bikesh Lakhmichand, Chief Executive Officer and Founding Partner of 1337 Ventures.

“After running thematic cohorts in FemTech, Tourism, InsurTech, and FinTech, we’re excited to return to a fully agnostic batch,

“This isn’t just about accelerating founders—it’s also a pulse check on early-stage deal flow across Malaysia and Southeast Asia, and where the next wave of innovation is coming from,” he added.

Throughout the program, selected startups will benefit from hands-on mentorship by seasoned venture builders, customer validation sprints, and go-to-market strategy development.

They will also gain access to the 1337 Ventures Startup Playbook, over MYR 100,000 ($23,677) in digital credits and partner tools, and lifetime entry into 1337 Ventures’ growing alumni network of founders, mentors, and investors across Southeast Asia.

The program culminates in a high- impact Demo Day, where the top teams pitch to a curated panel of angel investors, venture capitals, and corporate innovation leaders.

Applications are now open and will close on July 20, 2025. The program officially begins on July 31, 2025.

1337 Ventures invests in Philippines-based AI-powered HR tech startup Betterteem