Ahmad speaks at the opening of the MYStartup NXT Sarawak in Kuching on July 11, 2023.
KUCHING (July 11): The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti) and Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd’s (Cradle) micro-conference series, MYStartup NXT, has launched its second edition in Sarawak.
Held in collaboration with Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak (Tegas), MYStartup NXT Sarawak promises to be an exciting platform that offers aspiring and existing entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn, network, and expose themselves to corporates, technology giants, investors, and other relevant stakeholders to start and scale a business.
“We believe that the MYStartup initiative will continue to drive innovation, create employment opportunities, and contribute to the overall economic development of the region,” said Science, Technology and Innovation Deputy Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup in a statement.
“At Mosti, we remain committed to supporting initiatives under MYStartup that foster entrepreneurship and technological advancement as we work together to build a vibrant and sustainable startup ecosystem in Sarawak and Malaysia as a whole.”
Commenting on the event, Cradle senior vice president of ecosystem development Ahmad Kashfi Alwi said: “Sarawak is a unique state on its own, where entrepreneurs face a very different set of challenges in starting and scaling their businesses.
“Together with our partners and stakeholders, we have specially curated the event based on the entrepreneurial landscape in Sarawak, in hopes of creating a more inclusive and sustainable ecosystem for Malaysia.”
He added that the initial response to MYStartup NXT Sarawak has been overwhelming and a testament to Sarawak’s untapped potential as an undiscovered launchpad to Southeast Asia.
“With our series of micro-conferences across Malaysia, addressing the needs of the three core pillars in creating a robust ecosystem: founders, investors and developers, we are determined to propel Malaysia to become a regional hub for innovation and entrepreneurship,” he said.
The first day of MYStartup NXT Sarawak began with a panel discussion entitled ‘Sarawak: An Undiscovered Launchpad to Southeast Asia’ that included a panel of speakers from prominent Sarawakian businesses involved in the tech industry.
The panel delved into topics surrounding Sarawak’s untapped potential as a startup and business hub in Southeast Asia given its abundant natural resources, supportive and stable environment, and strategic location neighbouring Nusantara, Indonesia’s future capital.
The panellists also explored the benefits of establishing startups in Sarawak and the need for the local ecosystem to focus not only on upskilling the local workforce but also bringing in a talented workforce to facilitate knowledge transfer.
The panel was followed by a spotlight session entitled, ‘Changing the Game: Policies and Initiatives from the Top Down’, which highlighted and discussed the reasonings and effects of implemented policies and initiatives by the Sarawak state government that target the growth and development of the local tech and startup ecosystem.
Also on the programme for the micro-conference include a panel session entitled ‘Building Stronger Foundation: Secure and Scalable Cloud Infrastructures for Startups’, a spotlight session entitled ‘Sarawak’s Rise as a Tech Hub’, and a spotlight session entitled ‘Maximising Impact: ESG-driven Sustainable Infrastructure for the Future’.
The next MYStartup NXT series of micro-conferences will be in Penang and Sabah.
