KUCHING, Sept 18: Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak (Tegas) welcomes five local startups, namely SEED, MyPAMS, SnappED, PharmaPlus and SaraLuna, to its fourth batch of TEGAS Startup Lab (TSL) accelerator programme.
TSL is a five-month early-stage venture acceleration programme founded on the belief that connecting local startups with the right mentors, investors, and industry experts is the right way to achieve scale and generate explosive growth.
The programme will run from September 2021 to January 2022 in partnership with WatchTower & Friends.
The programme is supported by Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC), Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), pitchIN, FutureLab, Borneo Digital, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Escape by Etiqa.
State Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Assistant Minister Datuk Len Talif Salleh who is also the Tegas chairman said the TSL accelerator programme will further help local startups in achieving product-market fit.
“Since the introduction of the programme in 2018, we have supported 15 local startups from all over Sarawak by providing mentorship, funding facilitation, access to market and ecosystem partners as well as free access to Tegas Digital Innovation Hub in Kuching, Bintulu and Miri. Our notable alumni include, among others, Borneo Digital, Volume R&D, RealFun Learning, Darmadia and Call Aladdin,” he said.
The five selected startups will receive mentorship from industry experts and Malaysia’s top startup founders, access to government and funding agencies, access to market, investor network and ecosystem partners via Tegas and MDEC.
Among the mentors for TSL Batch #4 are EY Malaysia Partner Meling Mudin, RunCloud co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Arif Tukiman, Artwist.co founder Bostami Ahmad, Bereev founder Izumi Inoue, Mesolitica founder and chief operating officer (COO) Khalil Nooh, Lapasar founder and CEO Thinesh Kumar, The Lorry co-founder and CEO Nadhir Ashafiq, Ejen2U co-founder Sheikh Ezaiddin, Omnimatics CEO and founder Raj Kissu Rajendran, Pomen co-founder Nazmi Najib and PahangGo Head of Business Development, Muhammad Firdaus.
They are also entitled for 5-month free access to Tegas Digital Innovation Hub in Kuching, Bintulu, Miri and Escape by Etiqa in Kuala Lumpur.
Other benefits include up to USD5000 Amazon Web Services (AWS) credits, scholarships for Digital Marketing Institute’s online professional certification course, six-month access to FutureLab’s online mentorship platform and green lane to participate in Tegas Digital Village scale-up programme.
Meanwhile, WatchTower & Friends and pitchIN co-founder Sam Shafie said, “We are excited to once again partner with Tegas for this accelerator programme. We will further strengthen our ongoing partnership with Tegas in growing local startups and building an inclusive startup ecosystem in Sarawak.”
WatchTower & Friends has produced many successful startups such as TheLorry, MoneyMatch, MyCash Online, PostCo, ParkIt, Lapasar and Omnimatics.
TSL is open to startups and businesses registered under the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) or other recognized registration body with at least 51 per cent Sarawakian shareholding or one Sarawakian co-founder, in operation for at least 6 months and not more than 5 years with proof of traction in the form of revenue or customer acquisition. Only five top startups are selected for the 5-month yearly programme. — DayakDaily
