Brands: Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd

KL just ranked in Top 20 emerging startup ecosystem, here are 5 startups who got us there

[This is a sponsored article written in collaboration with Cradle Fund.]

Did you hear? Kuala Lumpur is now in the Top 20 Emerging Startup Ecosystems, ranking 18th in the Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) 2025 by Startup Genome. 

This is a notable milestone and a testament of Malaysia’s coordinated national innovation agenda showing measurable impact as between 2022 to 2024, Malaysia was in the Top 30 Emerging Ecosystems category. 

For context, Startup Genome is considered the world’s most comprehensive analysis of startup ecosystems, and the GSER evaluates over 300 cities across more than 100 countries.

With this new ranking, it shows a step up in the nation’s progress across performance, funding, talent development, and market reach. The latter is noted as a key contributor to the rise in rank, jumping from two to 10, reflecting on the growing ability of local startups to penetrate international markets.  

Cradle Fund, the key driver of Malaysia’s startup ecosystem, highlighted numerous startups to Startup Genome. Among the notable ones are Eatcosys, Compasia, Health Metrics, Lapasar and Bateriku.com.

Cradle explained that CompAsia, Health Metrics, Lapasar, and Bateriku.com were highlighted as they were among the top-performing fundraising startups in 2024, having successfully completed a high-valuation funding round. On the other hand, Eatcosys was named because it exited.

Five Malaysian startups worth highlighting

1. Eatcosys Sdn Bhd (now under Incite Innovations)

A homegrown retail-tech startup, Eatcosys is a one-stop retail technology solutions provider with a suite of services. Its solutions include a cloud-based POS system, CRM software, loyalty management, a transit advertising platform, e-commerce platforms, data insights, and financial services.

In 2023, Eatcosys was acquired by another firm called Incite Foodtech, a company that supercharges QSBF (quick-serving-beverage-and-food) brands’ growth with its “plug-in & scale” business model.

The two firms are now known collectively as Incite Innovations and serve 16 industries across 4 countries. Some clients you may be familiar with include local brands like Perodua, Giant, and Pensonic, as well as international names such as Japan’s AEON and South Korea’s Lotte.

Last year, Incite Innovations’ CEO told The Sun that the group is considering IPO listing in a couple years, aiming to capitalise on its rapid growth driven by fundraising efforts and investor support.

2. CompAsia

Founded by Julius Lim, CompAsia was initially built with the goal of reducing e-waste and giving secondhand devices a new life. 

Initially, he saw that many people had problems disposing of their computers, but soon realised that smartphones were changed more frequently. Hence, the team decided to pivot and focus on the smartphone market. 

CompAsia has since established itself as a one-stop platform to trade in and resell electronic devices with an emphasis on affordability.

Between 2019 to 2022, the company reportedly extended the lives of close to 3 million devices second-hand mobile phones. This has resulted in reducing 420 tonnes of e-waste, thereby conserving 46 billion gallons of water and preventing the production of 181,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

3. HealthMetrics

A third-party administrator software company, HealthMetrics simplifies and automates the management of healthcare services.

The platform incorporates advanced features such as AI-driven claim management, fraud detection, cost containment tools, and real-time analytics. Together, these help to ensure transparency, speed, and cost efficiency for insurers, corporates, and healthcare providers.

Launched in 2015, the company works with over 15,000 healthcare providers across Southeast, with 7,000 of that network in Malaysia alone.

Its latest expansion is Indonesia in April this year, strengthening Malaysia’s position as a regional hub for cross-border digital healthcare administration. According to The Exchange Asia, HealthMetrics is on track to surpassing US$1 billion in cumulative medical treatments by the end of 2025.

4. Lapasar

A wholesale business-to-business (B2B) platform based in Shah Alam, Lapasar digitises and simplifies procurement in the corporate and mom-and-pop space.

How it works is shops would order supplies such as your daily pack of Milo or Nescafe from Lapasar. Prior to that, it was focusing on buying items for daily operational needs, like laptops, projectors, and office furniture.

Today, Lapasar’s FMCG wholesale segment is the key pillar of its business, supplying inventory to over 6,000 stores and restaurants in Malaysia.

Part of this growth could be attributed to the brand securing RM31 million in investments last year from a roster of investors, including pension fund KWAP and Gobi Dana Impak Ventures.

5. Bateriku.com 

One of Malaysia’s leading connected roadside assistance providers, Bateriku.com began as a traditional battery retailer. This includes on-demand, on-site car battery replacements, jumpstarts, towing, and other assistance services such as tyre punctures.

“But our vision was always to build an integrated ecosystem catering to every vehicle owner’s needs,” the founder Azarol Faizi previously shared to TechNode Global.

Realising that dream, the company now also operates as an ecosystem connecting car owners to workshops and auto parts providers. A couple years ago, it also launched Akademi Bateriku to provide reskilling and upskilling programmes for automotive professionals. 

The brand now has over 1,000 trained gig technicians, over 70 entrepreneurs, and more than 3,000 workshops and auto part partners. These numbers are expected to grow following its recent Series B funding round in September 2024 that raised US$7.4 million.

Next stop: World’s Top 20 Startup Ecosystems

Startup Genome also reported that early-stage funding in Kuala Lumpur reached US$368 million (RM1.5 billion) over the past 2.5 years, which is a 44% increase from the previous cycle. 

At the heart of this progress lies two core national strategies—the Malaysia Startup Ecosystem Roadmap (SUPER) 2021-2030, KL20 Action Plan, and Malaysia Venture Capital Roadmap (MVCR) 2024-2030 that was introduced last year. 

“Our progress reflects years of deliberate policy design and institution-building under SUPER, which laid the foundational infrastructure for growth across capital formation, talent development, and regulatory frameworks,” said Chang Lih Kang, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI).

“KL20 has since accelerated these efforts by deepening access to funding, attracting global talent, and further bolstering investor confidence. Together, these initiatives align with our national vision to position Malaysia among the world’s top 20 startup ecosystems by 2030.”

• Learn more about Cradle Fund here.
• Read other articles we’ve written about Cradle Fund here.

Featured Image Credit: Cradle Fund / Dadan Fitrayana via Pexels

Cradle LIVE! is Malaysia’s new startup engine, here’s how it supports founders all year round

[This is a sponsored article written in collaboration with Cradle Fund.]

If you’re a startup or business owner in Malaysia, chances are you’ve heard of Cradle Fund (or better known as Cradle).

But what you might not know is the extent of its recent brand refresh exercise after 22 years of supporting the local startup ecosystem. 

Beyond just a new logo and consolidations to initiatives like the Malaysia Startup Ecosystem Roadmap (SUPER) 2021 -2030, early-stage funding, MYStartup Single Window platform, Startup ASEAN, and Bengkel Invovasi GLC (BIG), Cradle also announced a new flagship innovation conference—Cradle LIVE!.

It brings together their best programmes, grants, showcases, and partnerships under one unifying brand. Here’s what we know so far.

One brand, year-round momentum

Simply put, Cradle LIVE! is set to be a strategic engine that serves internal programmes and delivers sustained value to commercial partners all year round. It’s broken down into four main components, each serving different purposes.

Cradle LIVE! Open Day

Tailored for startup founders in Malaysia, this open day will be held every month at Cradle HQ in KL.

These hands-on sessions will allow 30 to 50 entrepreneurs to meet directly with Cradle’s grant officers, investment analysts, and legal team. They walk you through the grant criteria and provide tips when applying. 

Don’t miss out on the one-on-one “grant clinic” slots either to get immediate grant eligibility feedback and advice.

Cradle LIVE! Brown Bag Day

The name might sound peculiar at first, but brown bag sessions are essentially meetings to facilitate knowledge sharing in a casual environment. And that’s exactly what this annual ticketed event is all about. 

Described as a masterclass, Cradle’s Brown Bag Day is a similarly intimate event for scale-ups and venture capitalists (VCs). Each edition of this half-day, interactive masterclass will feature high-profile industry leaders. Think VC partners, unicorn founders, and tech regulators, each sharing deep-dive case studies to help you grow.

By joining, you’ll get access to top decision-makers, actionable frameworks on scaling your business, fundraising strategies, and policy alignment. Attendees can expect lunch round-tables and small-group breakout sessions too.

Cradle LIVE! Roadshow

Fret not if you don’t live in Selangor or KL, founders from other states aren’t forgotten by Cradle! On a quarterly basis, startups can expect a regional micro-conference held in Malaysia’s major tech hubs—Penang, Johor, Sabah, Sarawak, and of course, the Klang Valley.

It combines a mini exhibition, panel discussions, and a networking session all in one spot, accommodating up to 500 attendees.

Aside from meeting local investors and ecosystem players, Cradle’s Roadshow will have a stage prepped for founders to practice their business pitches. The micro-conference is co-hosted with local accelerators too, making it easier to learn more about market-access programmes specific to that region.

Cradle LIVE! Flagship Summit

Last, but certainly not least, is Cradle’s flagship summit. It’s set for early November this year in KL with a theme of “ Scaling ASEAN Startups Beyond Borders.”

Over 3,000 ASEAN delegates are expected to be there, with this year’s theme focusing on:

• going regional and global
• unlocking growth capital, and 
• breaking past borders, be it regulatory, geographic, or simply mindset.

The three-day summit will be held in different locations across the three days. Festivities include grant-alumni booths, success-panels and alumni pitch-offs, a NIPA Korea-ASEAN AI hackathon, and founder workshops. 

According to Cradle’s team, participants might get the opportunity to meet notable, international figures such as TikTok’s CEO Shou Chew and Canva’s co-founder Melanie Perkins. 

You won’t want to miss out on the star-studded panel sessions either. Learn from successful entrepreneurs including Forrest Li of Sea Limited (the company behind Shopee), Jeffrey Tiong of Patsnap (a Singapore-based unicorn company), Paul Rivera of Kalibrr (a Filipino-based AI-driven job-matching platform), and Christy Ng (a Malaysian fashion entrepreneur).

More details about the summit’s agenda will be shared closer to the event date, so stay tuned to Cradle’s page for updates.

The next wave of ASEAN innovation

Malaysia is fast becoming ASEAN’s preferred innovation gateway thanks to its geographic location, strong governmental support for startups and scaleups, and regional and global partnerships.

With these new Cradle LIVE! initiatives, local founders and entrepreneurs will be able to reap more from these benefits.

Ultimately, Cradle’s aim is to ensure founders at every stage and location have repeated, high-value touch-points with the ecosystem. 

“This is where ideas become industries, startups become scaleups, founders meet investors, and policymakers set the future. It’s where Malaysia leads ASEAN’s innovation story—confidently, creatively, and collaboratively.”

• Learn more about Cradle Fund here.
• Read other articles we’ve written about Cradle Fund here.

Featured Image Credit: Cradle Fund

Why M’sian startup founders need to plug in to this conference organised by Cradle

[This is a sponsored article with Cradle.]

Chances are you know of CIP Spark and CIP Sprint if you’re a part of the Malaysian startup scene.

These grant programmes by Cradle have been assisting local startups to develop ideas and turn them into commercial products for almost three years now. 

For the uninitiated, CIP Spark provides grants up to RM150,000 on top of assisting with ​​product development and market validation. On the other hand, CIP Sprint is a seed funding programme for startups with grants up to RM600,000 and helps in product commercialisation. 

But before even applying for these grants, how do you raise your startup to a level that qualifies for them?

One way is by joining Cradle’s inaugural PLUGIN conference happening on December 2, 2024.

Why this conference?

Over the years, Cradle has organised many events, from pitching and networking sessions to satellite events that equip entrepreneurs with the tools for success. But this will be the first time they host a major event dedicated to the startup ecosystem in Malaysia.

A one-day conference held at Bricks Studio in PJ, PLUGIN is a stepping stone for founders who are both new and seasoned in the startup scene. 

Whether you’re seeking industry knowledge, investors and government funding, or even to connect with fellow entrepreneurs in the ecosystem, PLUGIN is designed to take your startup to the next level.

What’s more is that Cradle-backed startups will be exhibiting and pitching as well, giving you the chance to connect with innovators shaping the future.

Who should attend?

Cradle is starting strong with its first major event dedicated to the startup ecosystem in Malaysia. The team shared with us that they’re expecting more than 500 attendees excluding the exhibitors.

There is something in store for everyone, regardless of your role in the larger startup ecosystem.

For startup founders, the event fosters collaboration and the exchange of ideas on a more intimate level, as well as the opportunity to form partnerships with game-changing investors.

Corporate leaders and government agencies will gain valuable insights into the latest cutting-edge technologies being showcased by up to 50 startups. This includes Cradle-backed startups like POMEN (an app for car service and breakdowns), Faradays Energy (a hydrogen greentech firm), and Angsana Health (a digital-first primary healthcare system).

Even university students and educators will benefit from joining PLUGIN, bridging the gap between academia and industry by exploring real-world applications of research.

A conference that you don’t want to miss

1. Insights from experts and experienced founders

As a comprehensive platform to elevate startups, PLUGIN’s Main Stage will feature four panel sessions and one spotlight session:

2. Learn from participants of Cradle Pitch 

In between the panel sessions, there will also be two Cradle Pitch sessions. Up to eight startups for each session, all of whom are CIP Spark and CIP Sprint grant recipients, will present their tech solutions to a room full of corporates, investors, and founders alike.

Attendees will hear first-hand how founders have navigated the startup journey, as well as pick up tips and tricks for future pitches. This would be especially useful for newer founders who want to learn how to structure pitches, communicate value propositions, and benchmark your startup against others in the market.

And if you find yourself ready to take that next step, you can also catch Cradle’s team at the conference to learn more about their initiatives.

At the end of it all, Cradle is hosting an exclusive, by-invitation-only Award Night Dinner to highlight Cradle-backed startups that have truly stood out. This dinner will be awarding top-performing startups, taking into account their milestones so far. 

Some award categories of the night are Trailblazer Cradle Startup of the Year, Disruptor of the Year, Investor Magnet, and more.

Connecting Malaysia’s rising tech talents

More than a gathering of key ecosystem players, PLUGIN is a launchpad for promising Malaysian startups. 

From deep dives that tackle the hottest topics in tech at the moment to startup pitches showcasing bold ideas, this conference offers attendees a closer look at Malaysia’s advancing tech scene.

Don’t miss out on the chance to be part of this dynamic event. Secure your spot today and join the tech innovators of tomorrow.

• Learn more about the PLUGIN event here.
• Read other articles about Cradle Fund’s past efforts here.

Also Read: 5 reasons Tokyo makes an ideal launchpad for M’sian & S’porean startups to scale globally

Featured Image Credit: Cradle 

6 startups on how they bagged RM90K-RM500K grants from Cradle in 2022

[This is a sponsored article with Cradle.]

A few months ago, Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd (Cradle) awarded a total of RM8.24 million to 28 tech companies under the first batch of its CIP Spark and CIP Sprint programmes. 

These conditional grants can support, nurture, and prepare startups with their prototype or business model development, market validation, market access, and commercialisation activities. 

Here are six tech companies that bagged a sum between RM90,000 to RM500,000 for their ideas and products.

CIP Spark

CIP Spark is a pre-seed grant open to startups that are less than five years, and groups of individuals. It offers grants of up to RM150,000 to startups for ​​product development and market validation.

Beebag: RM90,000

Launched on Earth Day (April 22, 2022), Beebag was born from a university assignment by twin brothers, Joshua and Joel Lim. 

Beebag can be likened to a membership card that earns you points whenever you shop from partner vendors. It’s a reusable shopping bag equipped with a QR code and NFC chip (called Beetag) that can be linked to the Beebag app. 

When users get their Beetag scanned while shopping from partner vendors, they can earn Bee points to exchange for discount vouchers and other rewards.

Beebag incentivises customers to go green while shopping. Assuming shoppers remember to use the bag, they won’t have to worry about losing their membership cards from multiple shops that have partnered with the brand.

The brand is still growing its pool of partners, including a zero-waste bulk store, The Hive, and women’s fashion brand, LILIT.

“Not only is Beebag able to help vendors enhance their sustainability and marketing efforts, but our solution can also help them enhance customer engagement from the gamified shopping experience,” Joshua said about the brand’s market potential.

He believes  this venture received RM90,000 from Cradle’s CIP Spark grant due to Beebag’s innovative approach to tackle Malaysia’s plastic pollution issue. 

The twins will be using Cradle’s grant to develop Beebag’s app further, adding new features and improving user experience. Now associated with Cradle, the entrepreneurs are confident that this will give their business an immediate credibility boost for future investment opportunities.

GreenQR: RM100,000

Syahrir Suib developed GreenQR after witnessing his friends struggle to maintain the workforce in their retail stores during the pandemic. Though self-checkout kiosks were an alternative, they were pricey.

“GreenQR replaces self-checkout kiosks found at retailers like Lotus’s, IKEA, and Decathlon, into a more affordable alternative by making a customer’s phone the self-checkout system,” he described in layman’s terms.

Smaller retailers can also adopt self-checkout system at a fraction of the cost. This way, SMEs can benefit from increasing their business’s efficiency, while reducing manpower and operational expenses.

GreenQR will be free for consumers to use, as it monetises by charging merchants RM1 per month or RM12 per year, plus a 3% commission per transaction. 

With RM100,000 awarded  from Cradle’s CIP Spark, Syahrir will use the funds to finish developing GreenQR’s web app, which he intends to launch in Q1 2023.

He believes the main factor that got him Cradle’s grant was his solution coming in at the right time, just as

Launched in May 2021, CoKeeps acts as a safe box for digital assets such as cryptocurrencies and their exchanges, hedge funds, and banks. The startup’s solution is called a third-party custodial service, which protects private keys used to access digital assets. 

Did you know: Private keys are usually made up of a random set of alphanumerics, and act as a user’s secret password that provides them access to their wallet. They’re extremely difficult to remember, but can still be stolen or hacked. 

– Vulcan Post, Investopedia

CoKeeps’ co-founder, Suhanna Husein, cited that over US$2 billion (about RM8.8 billion at the time of writing) has been lost due to an alarming increase in crypto thefts in 2022.

“Companies regulated by the Securities Commission and required to use third-party custodial services for digital assets could certainly benefit from CoKeeps services,” Suhanna explained the startup’s primary target market.

With RM150,000 from Cradle’s CIP Spark, CoKeeps intends to use the grant solely to enhance the software. 

The service will be improved by incorporating feedback from existing clients, which includes one of the five licensed digital asset exchanges in Malaysia.

CIP Sprint

CIP Sprint is a grant awarding up to RM600,000 to help startups scale. 

It is open to universities and research institutions’ spin-off companies, as long as the companies are registered as Sdn Bhd. This grant is also open to foreign-owned companies, where the majority of their employees are Malaysian.

Companies that apply must be less than seven years old with revenue of less than RM5 million, and hold intellectual property (IP) rights for their solutions. 

De Eco SR Hygiene: RM370,000

Incorporated in 2020, De Eco SR Hygiene (SR Hygiene) is a deeptech spin-off company formed in Penang by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). 

It provides businesses with professional cleaning services via photocatalysts, a sanitisation method using the chemical reaction of light to get rid of indoor contaminants.

Photocatalysts can be used in services like deodorisation, sterilisation, air purification, wastewater treatment, and more.

Created to overcome the spread of contagious diseases, one of SR Hygiene’s products, EcoDifesa, was made to kill various bacteria and notorious viruses on surfaces and in the air.

Thus far, SR Hygiene has serviced notable clients, which include Kanzen International, Ecoat Resources, and Sinar Global. 

Having been awarded RM370,000 from the CIP Sprint grant, SR Hygiene’s team believes that the driving factors in being awarded were the strength of their technology and intellectual property.

To further its commercialisation, SR Hygiene intends to expand its sales and marketing efforts. The team will also use the funds to register their products with the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA).

CloudJoi: RM400,000

What do you get when you cross streaming and theatre? 

CloudJoi. It’s a digital venue for performing arts founded by Dennis, William, and Kevin, who each has a background in such areas. 

Here, viewers from around the world can tune in to livestreamed or pre-recorded shows to share in the experience, as shows are all played at predetermined times. 

It was initially developed in May 2020 to help performing arts practitioners sell tickets, and perform live over the internet amidst global lockdowns. As an indication of CloudJoi’s relevance in the industry, the Malaysian platform has partnered with Broadway On-Demand. Doing so brought over 20 Broadway and West End shows to Malaysian and Taiwanese audiences.

Instead of charging a subscription fee, CloudJoi takes commissions between 5% to 30% from ticket sales and its on-demand services.

Kevin believes CloudJoi’s passion and commitment to the performing arts industry, and innovating a platform for people to appreciate and engage in arts and culture, are key factors to bagging RM 400,000 from Cradle’s CIP Sprint.

Ittihad Maju Jaya: RM500,000

Ittihad Maju Jaya was established in 2020 to provide an alternative clean water source for those living in rural areas, and water-stressed areas (where there’s not enough clean water supply for the people). 

Instead of depending on water from rivers, Itthad Maju Jaya looks for underground sources, using mapping and drilling techniques to extract clean water.

However, underground water tends to be contaminated with heavy metals such as iron and manganese. So, the company created a mobile and easy-to-install water filtration system that follows the MoH’s standards.

Awarded RM500,000 from Cradle’s CIP Sprint, Ittihad Maju Jaya’s Managing Director, Dr. Zaini believes this grant will benefit the startup in helping rural communities get their needs met. 

The company will use the funds to create more units of its water filtration systems to speed up its delivery process. 

“Ittihad Maju Jaya is optimistic that in two to three years, we would be able to market the product to our neighbouring countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia, as clean water access is not only Malaysia’s problem,” Dr. Zaini told Vulcan Post. 

-//-

Judging from the few names highlighted here, it can be said that an opportune industry Cradle is currently eyeing has to do with exciting innovations in technological advances and digitalisation services for SMEs.

The high cost of running a startup is always on the rise. With operational and personnel costs getting more demanding on lean businesses, digital solutions that can help create efficiencies and automate workflows are always welcomed.

Cradle is now accepting new applications for its CIP Spark and CIP Sprint programmes, and you can submit one for your business on its website.

• Startups looking to partner with Cradle can learn more here.
• Read more funding-related articles here.

Also Read: TikTok takes online shopping interactivity to new heights for M’sian merchants this 11.11

Featured Image Credit: Cradle Fund

MYHackathon 2022’s first cohort winners have been crowned, here’s what they learnt

[This is a sponsored article with Cradle.]

Not too long ago, the MYHackathon 2022 concluded its first cohort, and five winners were chosen.

The winners, which consist of technopreneurs, innovators, and subject-matter experts, were each awarded USD$56,000 (~RM259,000), and mentorship to help them develop, refine, and execute their pilot project for the next 12 months.

During the MYHackathon 2022, participants were required to choose one out of five available problem statements and come up with solutions to address them. Those with the best solution will be chosen as the winner.

The problem statements include:

1. Solution to solve the monitoring of subsidised cooking oil in Malaysia.
2. Digital solution to monitor production and distribution of agriculture produce to predict supply and demand.
3. Technological solution for a more effective palm oil harvesting process and activities.
4. Solution for early reconnaissance, Search and Rescue (SAR) for Jabatan Bomba (Malaysian Fire Department) using robotic technology.
5. Solution to monitor and provide countermeasures for drone invasion for smuggling and unauthorized access to restricted areas for Jabatan Penjara (Malaysian Prison Department).

With all that being said, here are the winners, and their experiences going through MYHackathon 2022.

A quick introduction of the MYHackathon winners

To start things off, we have Mohamed Affian, an automation engineer and team leader for Duckarts Studio.

Initially started out as a game development studio, Duckarts Studio pivoted their business towards providing data hosting, data processing, and network infrastructure.

Mohamed Affian’s team chose the first problem statement because of the price inflation of cooking oil in Malaysia.

“While our country is known to be one of the leading producers of palm cooking oil, price inflation of these products has been an issue for a very long time, until now,” he continued.

Their solution was to create an automated system in the supply-chain network that allows them to monitor all stages of the product from manufacturing to sale.

Next, we have FlyBots Technologies led by Fakhrul Azran. His team specialises in AI (artificial intelligence) and robotics. They also provide services such as consultation of unmanned ground and aerial vehicles.

They also plan on offering their own autonomous products for sale, primarily for companies and government agencies for various use cases such as surveying and agriculture.

Because of their experience in drone navigation technologies, they chose the fifth problem statement by combining thermal camera, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors, AI technologies to detect, and jam the signals of intruding drones.

Another winner, A2Tech Sdn Bhd, specialises in selling robotics-related products, as well as developing technical solutions for them. It is founded and managed by Ahmad Athif Mohd Faudzi.

Their expertise in the field of robotics led them to choose statement number four, and they have worked with Jabatan Bomba under the Consortium of Robotics Technology for Search and Rescue Operations (CORTESRO) for early reconnaissance.

We also have The Badangs, led by Dr Wan Aliff Abdul Saad, whose main business model involves converting raw materials into useful products and selling them to distributors, retailers, and consumers.

They chose the third problem statement in the MYHackathon 2022 due to the composition of their team who are mostly from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in University Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).

By taking advantage of their knowledge in mechanical engineering, their solution was to develop an exoskeleton to assist workers in shifting heavy loads, essentially boosting productivity and prolongs effective work hours.

Last but not least, we have Kapitani Sdn Bhd, the developers of the Kapitani Analytics Platform (KAP) chose the second problem statement as their superapp helps ensure that all data collected from the agricultural industry remains accurate.

They also see a potential in digitalising and integrating the Malaysia Good Agriculture Practice in order to streamline all stages of the agricultural process, which could lead to increased certification adoption.

What was their experience going through the MYHackathon 2022?

Duckarts Studio mentioned that since they’re more technically inclined, participating in the programme has shown that they had to work on improving their pitching skills to potential clients.

The Badangs, on the other hand, felt that their time was well spent, highlighting the opportunity to meet with mentors and coaches frequently and provide updates being essential elements to their project’s progress.

Dr Wan Aliff Abdul Saad highlighted, “The coaches and mentors were helpful when it came to resolving issues that may jeopardise the planning of the project if left unchecked. They helped ensure that our team is still on track in solving the problem statement that we chose.”

For A2Tech, Ahmad Athif Mohd Faudzi praised the programme for giving them clear steps and strategies which has helped them complete their prototype development. They also learnt that retaining connection with their customers and providing long-term after-sales support is important when expanding a business.

When we asked how different their MVPs are now compared to how it was before, Duckarts Studio realised that their MVP is also good for monitoring any kind of logistics-related data.

On top of that, the data collected could be analysed further to find out which stage of the supply chain needs to be optimised, or used as insights to keep shareholders in the loop.

For A2Tech, they mentioned that after several engagement sessions with Jabatan Bomba, they’ve modified their reconnaissance drone to include radiation sensors, multi-gas detectors, and pH sensors to help them understand the environment they are surveying better.

What would the winners say to those looking to join the MYHackathon 2022 programme?

For those interested in joining the next MYHackathon 2022, Mohamed Affian mentioned, “Be patient and always accept rejection, because every rejection is an opportunity to expand your knowledge.”

Ahmad Athif Mohd Faudzi from A2Tech reassured that the MYHackathon is a good starting point for those aspiring to be an entrepreneur with a big idea in mind.

The programme also allows participants to pick up and polish crucial skills like product development, marketing strategies, and how to grow a business properly.

It also serves as a platform for founders and like-minded startups to share their experiences and knowledge in running a business.

The second cohort of MYHackathon has just begun with completely new problem statements expected to be launched on 22 November 2022. 

• Find out more about Cradle here.
• Register or find out more about MYStartup programmes here.

Also Read: Here’s what IPC’s new work pods can offer mall goers who are also workaholics

Featured Image Credit: Cradle

These 5 MYHackathon winners prove that great ideas come from all over Malaysia

[This is a sponsored article with Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd.]

Though Klang Valley may be home to the biggest startup hub in Malaysia, not every startup with a great idea or solution necessarily emerges from it.

At MYHackathon 2020 organised by Cradle Fund, we saw proof of this. Briefly, MYHackathon is an initiative under the Pelan Jana Semula Ekonomi Negara (PENJANA) with a goal to tackle national challenges in serving citizens. 

Under it, startups will pitch their ideas and the winners’ solutions will aid in improving the efficiency of our government services.

Here we’ll be highlighting 5 winners who hail from outside the Klang Valley, showing that they’ve got what it takes to impress the big guns.

Digitalising company secretary services

Corporate governance can be a headache—just ask any business owner. Not understanding how to do it properly can lead to inefficiencies, wasted resources, or even trouble with authorities.

To that end, Penang-based Boss Boleh believes a company secretary could be a solution. But choosing the right one is another headache.

“95% of company secretaries are non-transparent in pricing, [with] hidden costs when you receive invoices, [and] surprise charges at the end of the year,” co-founder Lee Jung Ren said.

Thus, the team drew from their years of experience in this space to come up with their solution. They’ve built up a database of documents, and partnered with trusted technology providers for digital signatures and e-Know Your Customer (eKYC) to streamline digital processes for companies.

Within 1 year of launch, it’s gotten more than 150 users and is poised to grow further with MYHackathon.

There, the team learnt how to pitch effectively, got guidance in working with government agencies, and experienced first-hand how they could aid in the Malaysian government’s digitalisation efforts.

Moving forward, they plan to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) pairing features on their business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) cloud platform. 

Improving career growth training

eLancar is a data analytics platform from Kota Kinabalu that aims to help the government more efficiently upskill the nation directly through customised training and improving its agencies’ internal processes.

During our interview, Director Charlie Teh highlighted an interesting point. Growing up, we’re taught that a good education is important to secure a stable job and improve the nation’s economy.

Yet there exists an increasing gap in terms of career education, he noted. The pandemic has now worsened many people’s prospects too, making eLancar’s solution all the more crucial.

The platform has now provided 10,000 hours of training for career growth as well as tailored career paths for its users. 

It’s also given 30 million Malaysians the opportunity to attend courses from the top 1% of universities including Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, and more, for free, Charlie added.

These milestones were achieved with the help of MYHackathon’s financial backing via a conditional grant under Cradle Fund, which helped kickstart the business.

Following that, eLancar will utilise the industry mentoring and network exposure it got from the programme to continue deploying its solutions to the public, driving Malaysia towards a high income future.

Advancing Malaysian road maintenance

Sarawak’s vast land is home to a road network that’s challenging to monitor, let alone maintain when any damages occur.

Typically, the process is still manual, with authorities driving around slowly and taking down notes of damages and their location.

Unable to idly sit and do nothing about his hometown’s struggles, Dr. Chai Kok Chin and his team at NEUON AI, an AI solutions company, created RoadPlus.

With it, they’ve taught the AI to detect road damages automatically and then classify them. To add, RoadPlus can also work offline, which means areas without connectivity aren’t an issue either.

All the collected data is then stored in the cloud, able to be easily shared and accessed by the necessary parties. In essence, RoadPlus is a cost-effective solution that’s able to speed up processes, allowing potholes to be detected, tracked, and fixed within 24 hours.

At MYHackathon, NEUON AI was connected to the right agencies, allowing RoadPlus to become a fixture in Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak’s operations. It also got seed funding for its project’s capital expenditure (CapEx) and operational expenditure (OpEx).

Looking towards the future of RoadPlus, Dr. Chai aims to serve the rest of Sarawak’s road network then expand to the rest of the nation. More than that, his team is also working to have RoadPlus include more road asset management services.

Providing disabled communities with learning opportunities

Noticing that hearing impaired children didn’t have the same access to proper Islamic education the same way their able-bodied peers did, Ruzimi Mohamed knew he had to do something about it.

So, he founded Ozel and created iskanDAR, a series of interactive books and an app based on basic Islamic learning. These tools mean that disabled children can study with the help of augmented reality (AR).

The Johor-founded solution today has seen 62 user downloads within 3 months of launching its app, and its user base includes learners from Malaysia, Germany, Kuwait, India, and Iraq.

But this milestone would have been much harder to achieve without the help of MYHackathon, where Cradle Fund supplied financing that enabled Ozel to hire programmers, animators, buy equipment, and more.

With its current progress, Ozel plans to continue creating educational content on all kinds of Islamic topics and enhance its existing modules.

In the long term, Ruzimi envisions building a virtual international school for the hearing impaired community to provide a global education that’s accessible to all.

Making technical learning fun and interactive

At Penang-based ThinkersLab, the goal is to teach Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) through interactive learning.

This is important to Dr Mohammad Khairul because he noticed that existing teaching methods for the above subjects are typically too difficult to learn. Workshops or additional classes are usually also needed to properly understand them.

But what if an app could solve this problem? Introducing Mat Metro, which aims to do just that in a virtual manner, utilising AR and virtual reality (VR).

Mat Metro enables users to do workshop-like learning without having to pay extra, while providing the younger generation that’s interested in gadgets with interactive learning.

MYHackathon’s role in this project was helping ThinkersLab with its branding so it could gain credibility in getting cooperation from other organisations, and providing mentors and funds.

Now that the project has ended, ThinkersLab is working on an advanced solution using more sophisticated tools at their own expense.

One such example is developing Mat Metro to be compatible with Oculus Quest, a VR headset. Besides that, Dr Mohammad wants to partner with more institutions to drive adoption of the app.

A continuous creation of resilient startups

With MYHackathon 2020 wrapped up, Cradle Fund is already prepared to host MYHackathon 2022. 

The goals remain the same: to build and channel high potential startups into the national ecosystem, strengthen public partnerships, and support the overall national STI agenda.

After all, it’s been entrusted with the important role of restoring the economic resilience of startups so they can contribute to the development of Malaysia.

In a way, the above 5 startups have shown that even with less developed startup ecosystems in their respective states, they can remain resilient and rise to the challenge with the support of Cradle Fund.

Now here’s to hoping we’ll see even more winning startups out of Klang Valley at MYHackathon 2022.

• For more information about MYHackathon 2020 or upcoming events, click here.
• You can read more about Cradle Fund here.

Also Read: 6 highlights from this insightful entrepreneur event, one of the first in M’sia post-COVID

Featured Image Credit: Cradle Fund

Cradle tells us what these 2 MYHackathon winners accomplished this year

[This is a sponsored article with Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd.]

Malaysia’s own MYHackathon 2020 competition, organised by Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd, has come to a close.

From it, emerged 18 winners whose digital solutions to improve public services were impressive enough to earn them their share of grant prizes. 

Among the cohort of outstanding performers were NEUON AI and Ozel. Their submissions stood out and gained special recognition from the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation Dato’ Sri Dr Adham Baba during the MYHackathon 2020 Graduation Day event that happened this December 1. 

To help us fully appreciate what the two winners have achieved this year, we spoke to Mohd Noor Hisham bin Abdul Bari, who’s the Manager of Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships at Cradle Fund. 

Filling gaps and also potholes

Malaysian roads, especially in less developed areas, are notoriously laden with potholes. To address this, NEUON AI’s RoadPlus platform uses AI to detect road damage, and the speed at which it does this allows potholes to be fixed within 24 hours.

According to the Sarawak-based company, this solution does away with the more traditional manual inspection processes, which require lots of paperwork and human resources. RoadPlus is even reliable enough that the Public Works Department of Sarawak (JKR) uses it for road maintenance work.

Thanks to the MYHackathon platform, the team was able to complete a number of pilot projects with federal and state road concessionaires. Today, RoadPlus is officially running and being put to good use by JKR. 

They’ve also deployed over 10 Road Maintenance Units (RMU) across Sarawak since this September and raised a whopping RM2 million in funding. 

On top of that, the guidance they received during the event allowed them to secure six memorandums of understanding (MOU) at the Expo Dubai 2020 fair.

With these achievements, NEUON AI was properly rewarded with the award for Best Commercialisation Project during the MYHackathon 2020 Graduation Day event.

“NEUON AI was recognized because of a high-value MOU they signed at Expo Dubai 2020. A team that has just started its journey in MYHackathon to be able to sign an international MOU is of very high value to Cradle,” shared Hisham.

He also added that the team managed to sign with partners from both China and Malaysia, which further bolsters the brand’s commercial value.

RoadPlus isn’t the team’s first foray into AI, however; since its inception in 2018, they’ve been working on several products. 

There’s NEUON-BOX, an interactive advertisement platform that utilises AI facial recognition to help companies put out better advertisements; and GoTani, a farm-management platform that uses precision farming and AI technologies to help farmers easily collect data about their crops.

Learning made accessible for the deaf

A person’s spiritual beliefs can be crucial in shaping who they become, and that’s why children learn about their religions from their parents first, then from school. Unfortunately, not every child gets the same opportunities to learn.

A 2021 study published in the International Journal of Research in Progressive Education & Development agrees with this by saying that the hearing impaired are part of a disabled community in Malaysia that lack access to proper Islamic education. 

To address this issue, Ozel created iskanDAR, a series of interactive books and an app on basic Islamic learning that children can study using the help of augmented reality (AR).

Ozel is a social enterprise and its mission is to help disabled children of varying needs. One of the ways they do so is this: if you purchase two of their educational products, they will donate one unit to those in need.

Thanks to iskanDAR, Ozel’s founder Ruzaimi Mohamed bagged himself the award for Best Social Impact during MYHackathon 2020 Graduation Day.

“The solution developed by Ozel is very niche and has the added weightage of social impact as it helps disabled people who are deaf,” said Hisham.

This year, Ozel ran a three-year pilot programme and gained 62 user downloads for the companion app and a worldwide user base that reaches countries such as Germany, Kuwait, India, and Iraq. 

“Ozel was recognised by the Ministry of Entrepreneurship as a social impact enterprise this year, and they are one of the solutions that aim to give back to society,” Hisham added.

The company has another product too in the form of  BIMO. It’s a similar tool that teaches deaf children sign language; and together with iskanDAR, Ozel hopes that these kids, whose access to mainstream education are limited, can properly learn about and embrace their religion.

Ozel’s project was selected to be implemented under the Aspirasi Keluarga Malaysia (AKM) initiative thanks to its collaborations with the Johor State Education Department (JPNJ) and the Deaf Society of Johor (SDJO).

Success spurred by support from Cradle Fund

Cradle Fund—as an agency under our local Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI)—is responsible for restoring the resilience of startups. Therefore, MYHackathon 2020 is such an effort and it’s implemented as part of the National Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA).

As such, winners of MYHackathon 2020 now have more funds in their coffers to flesh out their products; but their successes didn’t come without help. 

“It’s not only about the money, but also the experience, and the knowledge that Cradle can provide to the winners,” Hisham shared.

He explains that through the programme, the winners learned how to manage their money, commercialise their technology, and sustain their businesses.

However, that’s not to say the winners wouldn’t have been able to achieve success by themselves; but rather the extra funds and guidance afforded by Cradle allowed them to fast track their progress. 

Hisham believes that NEUON AI are hardcore entrepreneurs and would’ve found a way to secure investors anyway, but their participation in MYHackathon quickened the process by one to two months. 

Meanwhile, as noble as Ozel’s motives are, they would’ve found it hard to get their application off the ground. 

“The founder wants to develop an app that helps people, but it was only after the event that he realised there’s a lot more to building his startup,” he said.

With this newfound knowledge, Ozel can empower more disabled communities across the globe with its educational products.

Hisham further added to what MYHackathon 2020 provides by saying that some of the winners had possessed an entrepreneurial spirit from the onset, but the event showed how hard it is to be a startup, and how to build their business

• For more information about MYHackathon 2020 or upcoming events, click here.
• You can read more about Cradle Fund here.

Featured Image Credit: Cradle Fund

18 M’sian Teams Won RM250,000 Each To Deploy Their Winning Ideas Nationwide

For the past few months, The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) has actively been on the lookout for innovative ideas to uplift and improve the delivery of key public services through technology and digitalisation. 

With more than 100 identified problem statements, MOSTI sent out a call to innovators, software engineers, subject matter experts, as well as concerned Malaysians.

The call-to-action? To join MYHackathon 2020, a nationwide series of hackathons under the National Economic Regeneration Plan (PENJANA). The end goal was to co-create digital solutions to solve people-centric problem statements and ultimately, improve the well-being of Malaysians citizens.

For the latest updates, watch the MYHackathon 2020 Finale & Showcase livestream this Tuesday, January 26.

The problems statements were gathered from all levels of government from Federal, to State, to Local/District and were categorised under six themes; Rakyat Prihatin, Rakyat Sihat Sejahtera, Ilmu Pelita Hidup, Bina Negara, Nilai Keluarga Asas Pembangunan, and Rakyat Produktif.

36 winning teams have been selected from all across Malaysia in two categories which are Sprint and Marathon. The 18 winning Marathon teams will be building their solutions until the pilot deployment stage for the next 12 months and they will need to register a new company, if needed.

For instance, one of the Kuala Lumpur Marathon Winners, MyOKU will be working on their information and management system for persons with disabilities over the course of 2021.

You can check out a YouTube playlist of all the winners and their ideas here.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, this series of hackathons was run online, giving an opportunity to Malaysians from all walks of life to access the event to pitch their ideas before a panel of judges. 

These have culminated in a finale which will be livestreamed on Cradle’s Facebook page on the 26th of January 2021.

This is an opportunity for viewers to engage with the mentors, industry experts and the participants who have experienced a National Hackathon, which is the first of its kind. The event will include speeches from: Rafiza Ghazali, Group CEO of Cradle; YBhg. Datuk Ir. Dr. Siti Hamisah Binti Tapsir, the Secretary General of MOSTI; Dr Surinasirah Pakih, a MOSTI representative; and various panel sessions.

Viewers can also look forward to a special keynote by YB Khairy Jamaluddin, Minister of MOSTI at the closing ceremony at 11.00 AM. After that, he will be interacting with all 18 winners online.

The 18 winners will also have the opportunity to speak with angel investors and early stage VCs before the event begins.

“Innovation keeps us hopeful for a better nation, with all things digital and technology on our side,” said Cradle, on their Facebook page. “It’s time to digitalise, streamline, simplify and even disrupt government delivery.”

• Sign up for the MYHackathon 2020 Finale & Showcase here.
• Watch the grand finale on Cradle’s Facebook page on the 26th of January 2021 from 8:30am to 3:30pm here.
• Read more of our past articles on Cradle here.