Tegas holds second boot camp for startups
KUCHING: Twenty startups are participating in Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak (Tegas)’s Pre-Accelerator Bootcamp (TPAB).
Tegas is working closely with their strategic partner WatchTower and Friends Accelerator for the programme’s second cohort on April 15-20 at SMA-Tegas Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) here.
The participating startups are Fouracle, Hello Gabby, Circle Tech, Get Hero, Soaring Games, Miracolo, Vroom Delivery, Mariadra, Edaberan, Family Bus, Jorvel, Landmiles Mobile, Lit.cn, Naru Film, The Bery, Uncle Green, Volume, Timogah, Hedjraa and Foodhero.
The one-week boot camp is designed to take early- stage startups to the next level, from validating ideas into creating a minimum viable product and a go-to-market strategy. The content is delivered by industry experts and seasoned entrepreneurs, covering topics such as business fundamentals, customer and product development, marketing, operations, fundraising, and pitching.
“We’re really excited to collaborate with WatchTower & Friends Accelerator to run this boot camp. This could be a great springboard to take earlystage startups to the next level,” said Tegas chairman Datu Len Talif Salleh, who is Assistant Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment.
He added that their mission is to provide growth opportunities for early- stage startups and build a strong startup community across Sarawak.
“This initiative is in line with Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s agenda to increase the number of successful technopreneurs and subsequently drive the state’s digital economy,” he said.
The boot camp prepares participants for the Demo Day to select the top three winners and a chance to pitch to investors as well as green lane to pitch for Tegas Startup Lab, Sarawak Shell LiveWIRE and WTF Accelerator. Demo day winners are set to receive an attractive package that includes company incorporation support and three-month access to DIH.
WatchTower and Friends Accelerator has produced some notable alumni which include startups TheLorry, MoneyMatch, MyCash Online, PostCo, ParkIt, Lapasar and Omnimatics, to name a few.
Some of these founders will share about their journey to success with participants.
WTF chief executive officer Sam Shafie said they are happy to join forces with Tegas and Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) towards creating a vibrant startup ecosystem in Sarawak.
“We believe Sarawak will have startup success stories soon,” he said.
The programme is supported by the SMA and is one of the key programmes in the Sarawak Digital Village Ecosystem. Tegas is also collaborating with SMA in operating the DIH in Kuching, Miri and Bintulu.
DIH serves as an inclusive avenue to nurture talents, support entrepreneurs and create innovators for Sarawak. DIH offers access to co-working space and shared amenities, funding opportunities and facilitation, incubation and acceleration programmes as well as an entrepreneur-friendly ecosystem.
SMA general manager Dr Zaidi Razak believes that together with all partners within the digital ecosystem, the initiative will create success stories that will be the pride of the state and nation.
TPAB is open to all Sarawakians or startups with at least one Sarawakian co-founder.