By Selangor Journal Team
SHAH ALAM, June 1 — Eight startups from Selangor were given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase their capabilities and capture the attention of industry leaders and investors in Tokyo when they participated in a recent trip organised by the state government to Japan.
In a statement, the Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec) said the programme from May 12 to 18, dubbed Pitch Malaysia 2024, also helped position Selangor as a key player in the global startup ecosystem.
According to Sidec, the companies selected to take part in the programme made significant strides during the trip as they impressed industry leaders across a series of high-profile events.
The selected startups were VirtualTech Frontier, Ejen2U, Zucca, Imagine AI, Vimigo, Voice For Health, Pay Recon, and Eventsize.
It said, among other things, the companies attended three industry-specific site visits, namely to Plug & Play Japan, Kepple Capital Japan and the Kawasaki Business Incubation Centre (KBIC).
They also participated in two major conferences — SusHi Tech Expo Tokyo and Startup Japan 2024.
Entomal, alumni of Sidec’s Selangor Accelerator Programme (SAP) 2022, was also recognised at the SusHi Tech Expo, winning the Special Prize for the SusHi Tech Challenge.
“The companies also delivered powerful pitches in three sessions, engaged with 10 venture capitalists, and capitalised on three networking sessions, effectively showcasing their innovative solutions and securing promising opportunities for expansion and collaboration,” Sidec said today.
Among the networking sessions was the Asean TechCrossroads Mixer in Tokyo, which brought together over 60 tech startups from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
The delegation was led by state executive councillor for investment, trade and mobility Ng Sze Han. He was accompanied by state financial officer Datuk Ahmad Fadzli Ahmad Tajuddin, Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporated), or MBI, chief executive officer Saipolyazan M Yusop, and Permodalan Negeri Selangor Bhd chief executive officer Raja Ahmad Shahrir Iskandar Raja Salim.
“Seeing our startups perform on this international platform has been immensely gratifying. Their innovative spirit and the recognition they’ve garnered underscore Selangor’s commitment to fostering a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem,” Ng said in the statement.
Sidec said the Pitch Malaysia 2024 programme is part of its efforts to foster global competitiveness among local startups by giving them a platform to showcase their innovations and explore international business opportunities.
Meanwhile, Sidec said during the trip, Ng and representatives of state local councils also visited several locations in Tokyo and Osaka to experience first-hand how Japan harnesses technology for sustainable public transport, setting a benchmark for Selangor’s future initiatives.
