By Yasmin Ramlan
PETALING JAYA, Aug 19 – The 5th PJ Startup Festival has successfully drawn a diverse crowd, with its engaging discussions on critical topics such as the digital economy and artificial intelligence.
Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lim Yi Wei said this reflects a growing interest in these fields among attendees.
She said the event served as a platform for robust dialogue, highlighting the significance of innovation and technology in shaping future economic landscapes.
She said participation in the event witnessed a significant number of visitors, including youth and professionals.
“Other than our core crowd which we aimed to attract — startup founders and some investors — this year we saw a larger influx of young people, university students and working professionals.
“We also hope this segment of youth and working professionals, if they ever want to consider dipping their toes into the startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem, this has helped them stimulate their thoughts and interact with panellists and venture capital firms,” she told Selangor Journal during the event at Starling Mall here yesterday.
The 5th PJ Startup Festival, held over the weekend, was a premier event dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
The festival highlighted emerging trends and offered support for entrepreneurs, reinforcing its role as a key event in the startup ecosystem.
Lim said the festival featured robust discussions on vital topics like digital economy fundraising and AI, indicating a growing interest in these areas.
“In terms of outcomes, several panels facilitated robust and engaging discussions, particularly regarding digital economy fundraising, artificial intelligence, and digital banking.
“We received insightful questions from the audience, which indicates that attendees are actively learning and absorbing information on these subjects.
“We aimed to present a diverse range of speakers, and I hope we can delve deeper into these topics with industry experts in the future,” she said.
Among ministers and assemblymen attending the two-day event were Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo, Human Resources Minister Steven Sim, and Bukit Gasing assemblyman R. Rajiv.
However, she said, while the event lacked metrics to track deal outcomes, the audience’s enthusiasm and engagement suggest a promising future for deeper industry discussions and connections among participants.
“One aspect we have not measured, compared with corporate events, is the actual number of deals made.
“For many corporate startups, events track metrics to determine if deals were concluded during or after the festival.
“We aim to track the progress of startups that have participated in the festival, as well as the involvement of private equity and venture capital partners, to determine whether they have identified startups of interest,” she said.
Positive response
Meanwhile, MK Chan, the founder of Bonus Pink and a participant in the event’s CXO programme under the Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation, said the experience was highly valuable.
“We are thrilled to have participated in this significant event and have received positive responses from potential venture capitalists,” Chan said.
AFM Fulfillment’s senior business professional consultant Syed Putra Izuddin Sayd Idris meanwhile said the PJ Startup Festival provided entrepreneurs with an excellent platform to increase brand visibility.
“Engagement with attendees and the positive feedback we received on the first day were very encouraging. As our brand is not yet widely known, this event has been tremendously beneficial. I hope the festival continues annually to support startups like us,” he said.
This year’s festival featured an impressive list of startups, industry experts, and investors, offering a dynamic platform for showcasing cutting-edge technologies and groundbreaking ideas.
Attendees had the chance to engage in insightful panels, interactive workshops, and high-energy pitch sessions, providing valuable opportunities for networking and collaboration.
