Samsung gives Malaysian startups a leg up
sAMsUNG Malaysia electronic is giving the local startup scene a boost by sharing its tech knowhow with 16 startups.
samsung Malaysia corporate affairs director Datuk Roh Jae Yeol says as an MNC (multinational company), it feels it is its responsibility to help startups reach the next level.
“There are so many ambitious startups that have seen impressive growth; and as a company that supports the idea of chasing after your dreams and making it happen, we at samsung want to do as much as we can to help the budding entrepreneurs,” he says.
The employee Volunteer Programme ran with the theme Global startup Acceleration Programme, and aimed to strengthen the local startups through training in marketing, engineering, design and strategy.
The 16 startups, selected from various sectors such as education, agriculture and fashion, were given a week-long crash course at the International Youth Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
Training them were 35 experts and engineers from samsung Headquarters, and student volunteers from south Korean universities.
Youth sports Ministry secretary general Datuk Loqman Hakim Ali says such programmes are in line with the ministry’s goals, as it feels it’s important to try new ideas and venture into new fields.
He adds that getting new startup players will also help drive the economy, so the ministry is supportive of all entrepreneur development programmes which assist startups in getting funding and going to market.
At the end of the programme the top three startups were given cash prizes so they can continue to grow their business.
First prize went to Go Coach, whose founder Mohd Rashid Jamiran, 36, says its service matches sports enthusiasts with coaches of an appropriate level to ensure people get the right trainer within their budget.
He says the team is now planning to expand its web-based service to mobile apps using the Us$3,000 (RM12,250) prize money as seed capital.
First runner up, customised clothing maker AiReca snagged Us$2,000 (RM8,160) while second runner up, Gigz, a freelance jobs placement service for university students, received Us$1,000 (RM4,080).
In addition to cash prizes, the three teams will get another six months of mentorship from startUp Malaysia to help them deliver on the plans that were presented during the programme.
samsung also selected five winners in various categories such as Most Improved, best Potential and social Impact.
They got an award and a samsung Galaxy Tab 3.