‘Great 2016 offers access, opportunities’
Due to the positive response, we decided to bring the event to other states and Sarawak is selected due to its strong and growing economy. Sarawak has enormous untapped potential – ranging from culture, food to technology.
KUCHING: The ‘Gathering of Rising Entrepreneurs, Act Together’ ( Great) will host its inaugural assembly of start-ups, entrepreneurs and funders in Sarawak and Sabah at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching ( BCCK) this April 2 and 3.
The event – initiated by the Ministry of Finance ( MOF) and National Entrepreneurs Development Office ( Nedo), in collaboration with Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre ( MaGIC) and the state government – will bring opportunities and access to entrepreneurship programmes that are not readily available to local entrepreneurs.
According to MOF secretarygeneral (treasury) Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah, it will act as a platform for everyone, especially aspiring entrepreneurs, to gain knowledge and insight on entrepreneurship.
“This will be the avenue for the gathering of the minds, network expansion, inspiration, experience- sharing, initiation of ideas and plans, as well as to obtain assistance from various participating government agencies, experts and players from various industries,” he said in his address at the soft-launch of
Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah, MOF secretary-general (treasury)
Great 2016 in BCCK yesterday.
The gathering was first held in 2014 at MaGIC, Cyberjaya, where it welcomed over 6,000 visitors.
“Due to the positive response, we decided to bring the event to other states and Sarawak is selected due to its strong and growing economy. Sarawak has enormous untapped potential – ranging from culture, food to technology,” he said.
Mohd Irwan pointed out that passion for and skills in entrepreneurship could actually be developed; it is not solely and necessarily defined as familyowned businesses.
“Entrepreneurship is crucial in driving the industrialisation in Sarawak, and Malaysia as a whole, towards realising the dream of becoming a modern, advanced nation with high income.
“Higher level of entrepreneurship would enable creation of jobs, increase the income of the people, expand opportunities in existing sectors, as well as open up new sectors particularly those involving modern technology.”
Mohd Irwan said as part of MaGIC’s efforts to grow its entrepreneurship programmes among local communities, a ‘CoWorking Space’ – a popular concept in Silicon Valley, USA – would be set up in Urban Transformation Centre ( UTC) here.
“This is the first time that a Co-Working Space, much like a garage or a workshop, is going to be set up outside the Klang Valley other than in Cyberjaya, Selangor.”
Moreover, he disclosed that Cahya Mata Sarawak ( CMS) group managing director Richard Curtis had offered a warehouse on a 35- acre land to provide a functional place for entrepreneurs of all sectors and industries to gather, get training and explore their talents and potential.
“The ultimate dream is establishing a national entrepreneurship ecosystem – which we are still working and planning on – that serves as an avenue for youngsters to unleash their creativity, ideas and imagination; and create products that can be offered to the world.”
Mohd Irwan later announced that he would unveil his very own organisation, ‘Global Entrepreneurship Movement (GEM), of which he would be the patron, in Kuala Lumpur this Monday.
Great 2016 is expected to attract over 5,000 visitors from all over Malaysia, with various programmes lined-up such as the panel and master class sessions on entrepreneurship development from government agencies, and leading entrepreneurs from Malaysia and the Silicon Valley.
The clusters in Great 2016 would be youths in entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, halal food and agro- entrepreneurship, retail and services, fashion, tourism and culture, women and entrepreneurship and green technology.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is expected to officiate at the launch on April 3.
For entrepreneurs, there will be ‘clinic sessions’ that provide 20 minutes of personalised coaching by experts from various business domains – for free. There will also be boot camps, dedicated for aspiring start-ups and social enterprises.
The IMET Bootcamp is a twoday programme that teaches on basic entrepreneurship skills and how to generate viable business opportunities, while the MaGIC Social Entrepreneurship ( SE) Bootcamp provides 48-hour exposure on the fundamental processes and knowledge needed to kick- start a social enterprise.
Additionally, there will also be programmes run by local organisations such as Koperasi Belia Innovatif Sarawak ( Kobis) where selected local entrepreneurs will be given booths or sales lots, to feature their brands and offerings.
Approximately 55 booths will be available at the Marketplaze, which they will then be eligible for the ‘Sales Challenge’ at the end of the second day.