MIRI, Aug 26: After a series of entrepreneurial workshops to equip Sarawakian entrepreneurs and a gruelling pitching competition, Sarawak Shell Berhad and Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Bumiputera Sarawak (TEGAS) have crowned their fourth round of LiveWIRE winners at the Sarawak Shell LiveWIRE 2019 finale that took place on Aug 25.
As LiveWIRE winners, each entrepreneur received RM10,000 from Sarawak Shell Berhad and an additional RM5,000 courtesy of TEGAS.
As part of their winners’ package, they received a year’s period of co-working space from the SMA-TEGAS Digital Innovation Hub and the opportunity to enter the Shell Malaysia value chain.
“This year’s entrepreneurs really made it challenging to determine who the winners would be, even from the start of this year’s programme. The ideas that have come through the programme this year really demonstrate the maturity and the societal problems that Sarawak’s entrepreneurs aim to solve with their startups.
“I’m glad that the Sarawak Shell LiveWIRE programme is equipping our local entrepreneurs with the skills they need to affect change and that the programme affords them the opportunity to grow their businesses by potentially entering the Shell Malaysia value chain,” said Head of Research and Development of Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) Dr. Khairul Hafiz Sharkawi.
The finalists were invited to participate in a pitching workshop before pitching their ideas to the judges to determine who emerged as winners of the 2019 Sarawak Shell LiveWIRE programme.
Chief Operating Officer (COO) of TEGAS, Awangku Merali Pengiran Mohamed also present at the event.
A total of 96 entrepreneurs had participated in the 2019 Sarawak Shell LiveWIRE programme, beginning their journey with the Bright Ideas workshop in Kuching, Miri, and Bintulu.
The top 30 entrepreneurs were invited to participate in the “Become a Successful Owner Manager” session where they learned the necessary skills to grow their ideas into businesses.
This year, the programme featured multiple sessions specifically held to introduce the processes of entering the energy industry to the top 30 entrepreneurs.
This included registration processes and the importance of occupational health and safety standards in the energy industry. This was conducted to ensure that the entrepreneurs feel confident enough to be a part of the Shell Malaysia value chain.
The five recipients of the seed grant from Sarawak are Ombak DevHouse, Miri (Co-Founder Steven Wee and Muhammad Irfan Mohd Ismail); Ahmad Tamar Kuching (Chief Operating Officer Syed Muhamad Hamdi and Chief Operating Officer Syarifah Nurfaizah Wan Manshor); Wooden Daiger – The Pie House, Miri (Director Reuben Brandon Lee and Chief Marketing Officer Yeo Hui Hui); Moredoor Interactive, Bintulu (Managing Director Dr. Azfar Tomi) AND SportsHub Malaysia, Kuching (Marketing Consultants Jim Liew and Kent Chang).
Since starting in 2016, the Sarawak Shell LiveWIRE programme has seen a total of 326 participants coming through the programme and 20 of them receiving startup grants as of today. — DayakDaily
