KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — The Selangor government has launched the Exclusive CXO Club 2025, an initiative aimed at supporting high-potential startups to scale their businesses and tap into global markets.
Organised by the Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec), the programme — inspired by similar models in India, Japan, China, and Taiwan — is tailored for startups that have graduated from accelerator programmes.
“The purpose of the CXO Club is to help startups achieve one million users, raise RM1 million in funding, and secure US$1 million in potential business opportunities,” said Sidec chief executive officer Yong Kai Ping at the club launch at Menara Affin here today.
Yong said the initiative will help founders navigate the four core challenges of building startups: developing products, raising funds, marketing, and hiring top talent.
The CXO Club will also help entrepreneurs strengthen connections with venture capitalists (VCs) and global innovation hubs, drawing inspiration from vibrant ecosystems in Silicon Valley, Tokyo, Seoul, and Shenzhen.
“We want to foster strong engagement with VCs. In places like the San Francisco Bay Area, founders pitch almost every week. That vibrant environment is something we want to bring to Selangor’s startup scene,” he said.
Yong said Selangor’s efforts to grow its startup ecosystem will be backed by policies to promote local content, as well as opportunities in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductor design, fintech, and tokenisation.
He also highlighted Selangor’s progress in semiconductor development, with its first integrated circuit (IC) design park in Puchong reaching full capacity within a year.
Meanwhile, he said, the CXO Club’s alumni-style platform will keep founders connected, supported, and mentored.
“Once you are a founder, you are forever a founder. This is a long journey, but through the CXO Club, we want to ensure continuous support for startups in Selangor,” Yong added.
