By Nasuha Badrul Huzaini
SHAH ALAM, May 10 — The fifth installation of the Selangor Accelerator Programme (SAP) will feature a new vertical element, HealthTech, said the Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec).
The new element will be added to existing verticals, namely Agritech, Greentech, Smart City, and Fintech.
Sidec chief executive officer Yong Kai Ping said all early-stage tech startups are welcome to participate in the yearly programme.
“Themed ‘Net Zero, Sustainability & Circular Economy’, Sidec hopes to welcome a new batch of companies with new and variational solutions that can take this chance to pitch their business models and obtain funds from credible investors in the nation.
“Since 2018, SAP has nurtured 120 startups with a record of about 34 per cent SAP alumni who have managed to raise funds to elevate their business performance successfully.
“The introduction of HealthTech as a new vertical in this year’s SAP is due to the pandemic that has pushed health technology into a greater, more crucial role in the Malaysian healthcare industry and globally,” he said in a statement today.
SAP is supported by the state government, with Affin Bank Berhad as its main sponsor and long-time collaborator in providing a platform for startups to pursue new knowledge and boost entrepreneurial potential.
The programme is also carried out in collaboration with The Hive Southeast Asia and Agrobank as strategic partners.
SAP is an intensive and structured three-month programme that will benefit tech startups in Selangor through excellent guidance from well-versed mentors in the community and comprehensive workshops that can lead them to an investment-ready level.
Yong said the programme also aims to develop and empower the startup ecosystem, especially in Selangor, and provide needed support and guidance to get matching funding based on the needs and background of the respective startup companies.
“The emergence of tech-based health services has indeed transformed the way people approach their healthcare needs,” he said.
The official registration starts today and Sidec also welcomes the participation of other startup companies that have innovative and creative solutions they want to kickstart.
The programme this year will be conducted in a hybrid mode (online and onsite) with a programme module consisting of 11 workshops, three pitching clinics, five office-hour mentoring sessions, one closed-door semi-final and the final demo day.
Those interested are encouraged to submit an application before the closing date on June 13, 2022.
Thirty shortlisted startup companies will tentatively start their programmes from June 30 to September 9, 2022.
For more information, please visit www.sidec.com.my/sap2022.
