KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 — Growth Charger, a leading startup accelerator and incubator, has been chosen to host the Malaysia Finals of the Startup World Cup 2024.
The Malaysia Finals, held in conjunction with the Merdeka and Malaysia Day celebrations, will offer one exceptional local startup the opportunity to compete on the global stage in Silicon Valley. The winner of this national competition will have the chance to vie for a grand prize of US$1 million (RM4.43 million) in investment at the Startup World Cup 2024.
The primary objective of this initiative is to enhance innovation and the startup landscape in Malaysia in accordance with the Malaysian government aims to be among the top 20 in the Global Startup Ecosystem by 2030 and to make Kuala Lumpur a key digital and startup hub in Southeast Asia.
By bringing one Malaysian startup to Silicon Valley, Growth Charger aims to showcase Malaysian entrepreneurial talent on a global platform, thereby increasing opportunities for innovation and investment.
This initiative aligns with the goals outlined in the Malaysia Startup Ecosystem Roadmap 2021-2030, which emphasises the importance of attracting global attention, fostering innovation, and encouraging investment to strengthen the local ecosystem.
“At Growth Charger, we envision a future where Malaysian startups lead in global innovation. Leading the organisation of this year’s Startup World Cup (Malaysia) 2024, our mission is to highlight the incredible talent within our local startup ecosystem.
“This event is the perfect platform to showcase our startups to the world. After a thorough evaluation, our esteemed judges have identified and selected the top 10 finalists, representing the best of Malaysian innovation. We eagerly anticipate their pitches on the regional Finals and look forward to seeing one of them advance to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in Silicon Valley this October.
“This finalist will not only represent Malaysia, but compete for a grand prize of US$1 million in investment, providing a transformative opportunity to engage with top investors globally. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Pegasus Tech Ventures for this incredible opportunity and to all our partners in Malaysia for their unwavering support,” said Iskandar Shafi’i, Growth Charger director and cofounder.
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Startup World Cup (Malaysia) 2024 semi final participants and judges seen at WORQ, Intermark, Kuala Lumpur, on August 8, 2024. — Picture by GROWTH CHARGER[/caption]
During the partnership signing ceremony held at WORQ’s newly opened branch at the heart of Kuala Lumpur in Intermark, Growth Charger is proud to announce a title partnership with Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd through MYStartup and strategic partnership with the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) to support this initiative.
Additionally, we have secured WORQ and CloudMile as ecosystem partners, and key players in the startup ecosystem, including Cyberview, Invest Selangor, The Hive Southeast Asia, Gobi Partners, Iris Capital Partners, Curine Ventures, Kumpulan Modal Perdana, Artem Ventures, Sunway iLabs, Ficus Capital, Ignite Asia, Indelible Ventures, TRIVE, Antler, International Medical University, and Endeavor as supporting partners.
These partnerships will provide invaluable support and resources to participating startups, enhancing their chances of success on the global stage.
”Cradle is proud to join forces with Growth Charger for the upcoming Malaysia Finals of the Startup World Cup 2024. This collaboration underscores our deep commitment to empowering Malaysian startups to succeed in the international arena.
“By working alongside other key ecosystem players, we remain steadfast in our role to nurture innovation and provide the crucial support that our startups need to thrive. Through strategic initiatives and partnerships, we believe our homegrown startups can bloom beyond borders, thus advancing Malaysia towards its vision to become one of the top 20 global startup ecosystems.
“We are hopeful and confident in the future successes of all participating startups as they take on this global challenge,” said Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke, group chief executive officer of Cradle.
“MDEC (Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation) is committed to accelerating Malaysia’s position as a leading digital economy through initiatives like the Malaysia Digital national strategic initiative, which focuses on fostering innovation, talent development, and investment within the digital ecosystem.
“The Startup World Cup Malaysia Finals 2024 is a key step in this direction, providing our startups with a global platform to showcase their potential,” said Mahadhir Aziz, MDEC chief executive officer.
“WORQ is proud to support the Startup World Cup (Malaysia) as an ecosystem partner alongside Growth Charger, aligning with our commitment to fostering a diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem that drives national economic growth through our cloud office infrastructure,” shared Wong Chea Hao, WORQ real estate and product development head.
“Dream big. Build bold. CloudMile, your tech ecosystem partner, empowers Malaysian startups to disrupt the world through the Startup World Cup!” Lester Leong, CloudMile Malaysia country manager, said.
Among the 10 startup finalists selected during the semi finals, the winner of the Malaysia Finals will have a unique opportunity to pitch their startup in Silicon Valley before world-class judges, compete for a grand prize of US$1 million in investment, and network with venture capitalists, global startups, and industry experts. This opportunity will not only put the winning startup on the global map but also provide a significant boost to their growth and development.
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Startup World Cup (Malaysia) 2024 partners and attendees at the partnership signing ceremony at WORQ, Intermark, Kuala Lumpur, on August 8, 2024. — Picture by GROWTH CHARGER[/caption]
The 10 startups chosen for Startup World Cup (Malaysia) 2024 finals are:
- Pandai, Malaysia’s No. 1 learning app for school students with gamified quizzes aligned to a specific school curriculum.
- Braintree Technologies, a multi-action agriculture robotics solution, capable of millimetre-level agriculture of precision.
- Vidanex, an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven pathology solution that accelerates cancer diagnosis by delivering swift and precise results through advanced algorithms.
- Faradays Energy, a hydrogen green technology company that specialises in the development, manufacturing, and deployment of advanced hydrogen fuel cell systems for various applications.
- Midwest Composites, engineered composites for aerospace, military, automotive and mass transit.
- Ejen2U, a platform that helps entrepreneurs manage stockists and agents digitally and increase their sales and agent numbers with data analytics.
- Reclimate, which produces biochar by heating plant materials without oxygen, creating a carbon-rich substance for soil enhancement.
- Messengerco, an AI platform that streamlines corporate gifting with instant supplier replies and quotes.
- ScancerAI, which revolutionises lung cancer diagnostics by leveraging cutting-edge AI technologies.
- MengajiOnline, a one-stop platform to teach and learn about Islam across the world.
The Startup World Cup is a global series of conferences and competitions designed to connect startup ecosystems worldwide and spotlight the most talented entrepreneurs, offering them the chance to win a US$1 million investment prize. The competition involves regional finals held across the globe, culminating in a semi finals and grand finale in San Francisco.
Growth Charger currently manages 128 portfolios and has accelerated over 250 startups, which have raised a total investment of over US$173 million. With a history of successful collaborations with government agencies such as MDEC, Cyberview, MaGIC, MOU, Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation, Teraju and Yayasan Peneraju, Growth Charger has solidified its position as a key player in the startup ecosystem. This experience and expertise will be crucial in supporting the participating startups throughout the competition.
For more details about the Startup World Cup Malaysia Finals 2024, click here.
About Growth Charger
Growth Charger incubates, accelerates, and scales businesses in Southeast Asia, providing deep operational and technical support to aspiring entrepreneurs. To date, Growth Charger has nurtured over 250 startups across Malaysia. For more information, visit the Growth Charger website.
About the Startup World Cup
The Startup World Cup is a global conference and competition aimed at bridging startup ecosystems worldwide, offering startups a chance to win a US$1 million prize in the form of an investment. This year, over 50 regional events will take place across North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, culminating in the grand finale in San Francisco in October. The competition is organised by Pegasus Tech Ventures, a Silicon Valley-based global venture capital firm.
