KUCHING, Dec 5: Sarawak’s Pungu Borneo has been selected among the five national-level Shell LiveWIRE Malaysia 2023 winners.
According to a press release, the other four winners are GK Aqua, Southeast Asia Treasure, Grace Creation, and Materials in Works.
Pungu Borneo (@punguborneo on Instagram) is a social enterprise focusing on traditional handicrafts, jewellery, and culture to spearhead the digitalisation of the industry, preserve heritage, and promote sustainability.
The award ceremony took place at Wisma Shell, Cyberjaya, yesterday (Dec 4) and was officiated at by Datuk Ewon Benedick, Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives of Malaysia, who also presented the winners with their prizes.
The press release stated the winners were among the 15 finalists selected from 180 entrepreneurs participating in this year’s Shell LiveWIRE programme.
The finalists went through a week-long intensive incubator workshop in three locations, followed by a three-month LiveWIRE national accelerator programme in preparation towards the final pitching competition.
Assessments were done based on the finalists’ business pitches demonstrating their drive to grow their business ideas based on their comprehensive business model, team capabilities, and business traction.
The winners received a start-up fund of RM30,000 each and the opportunity to connect with the global LiveWIRE ecosystem and share their knowledge with entrepreneurs around the globe while standing a chance to compete in the annual Shell Global Top Ten Innovators Awards.
In addition, Tabung Gagasan Ekonomi Anak Sarawak (Tegas) awarded an additional cash prize of RM20,000 to the winner from Sarawak, Pungu Borneo, as a motivation to inspire more participation from Sarawak.
“Our Shell LiveWIRE programme makes a positive social impact on communities, while contributing to local business development, job creation, and innovative social and economic solutions.
“Each year, this programme supports thousands of entrepreneurs globally to turn their bright ideas into sustainable businesses and I am truly happy to see our local entrepreneurs leveraging this to not only develop their businesses, but to also uplift their communities through employment opportunities,” said Siti Sulaiman, Country Chair of Shell Malaysia and Senior Vice President, Upstream Malaysia.
Tegas chief executive officer (CEO) Udin Bujang was also present.
Shell LiveWIRE is Shell’s flagship enterprise development programme that strengthens local economies globally by promoting entrepreneurship and developing entrepreneurs. — DayakDaily
