The announcement came in despite recent announcement from Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad about the disbandment of MaGIC

Despite announcement of its disband by Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in May, on Tuesday, Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre (MaGIC) announced the startups that are set to participate in the second cohort of its Global Accelerator Program (GAP).

Selected out of 961 applications, the programme shortlisted 27 startups from 10 countries to join its latest batch: Germany, Poland, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, the US, and Malaysia.

The majority of the startups are working in the Lifestyle and Creative industry verticals, followed by healthcare, smart cities, social innovation, and fintech.

The four-month programme provides participating startups with mentoring; direct access to corporate partners such as Google, Malaysia Airlines, Maybank, and Media Prima; a six-month professional visitor pass for founders that are not based in Malaysia; coworking space access; accommodation; and US$5,000-worth of benefits from Amazon Web Services, Canva, iPay88, EasyParcel, HubSpot, Kakitangan, and others.

The GAP syllabus includes four main areas: Identifying desired target market and build the right product; measuring the right metrics to drive the required outcomes; positioning for local expansion and regional growth; and preparing for Demo Day and investors.

Startups can also participate in the programme’s other learning opportunities that include weekly check-ins with account managers and class room modules, as well as mentoring sessions with industry leaders and subject matter experts.

For this year, GAP has expanded its syllabus to include: Relationship-building meetings with venture capitalists from the start of the programme; more efficient route-to-market (RTM) week where startups will receive more information on RTM partners and coaching on how to pitch on individual companies; and ASEAN Expansion Week where “key community builders” from the region will share growth strategies and resources the startups can leverage to support their ASEAN expansion plan.

Mentors for this year include Dr. Daniel Loy, Director, Centre of Learning & Innovations of Petrosains; Andre Teow, Venture Manager of Tan Chong Group; Arzumy MD, CTO of Fave and Billplz; Desmond Ngai, Senior Vice President, Global Alliances of WebTVAsia; Tomas Holub, CEO of CoverGo; Muhamad Nasir Habizar, CEO of Jomparking; Rudy Lee, CEO and Founder of VREX LAB; Heinrich Wendel, CTO of iPrice group; Chok Kwee Bee, Managing Director of Teak Capital Sdn Bhd; and Fui-yu Choong, CEO of Kaodim.

“This year we have expanded the programme to really focus on how we can help participants build a network within the venture capital space and better position themselves to secure seed funding or other forms of investor commitments. For us, we believe it is not just about adding more capital into the market but putting focus and emphasis to ensure entrepreneurs truly get access to investments. This is currently a missing link within Malaysia’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and one we are actively working to help bridge,” MaGIC CEO Ashran Dato’ Ghazi said in a press statement.

Also Read: MaGIC or no MaGIC, Malaysia’s startup ecosystem is bound to flourish!

The following is the list of the shortlisted startups:

1. Amalan International (Indonesia, fintech)
With the goal to “empower people to regain control of their finances,” the startup provides debt management programmes to reintegrate customers into the banking system.

2. Branch8 (Hong Kong, lifestyle)
Branch8 is a website that helps online sellers list and manage their products on e-commerce marketplaces.

3. Camdy (Malaysia, creative)
Camdy describes itself as a “thoughtful gift platform” that enables shoppers to find unique and personalised gifts from diverse small creative businesses.

4. Cantikful (Malaysia, lifestyle)
Cantikful is an e-commerce platform that sells, reviews and showcases Malaysian health & beauty, cosmetics, and wellness products.

5. Caring Moms (Malaysia, social innovation)
With the goal to “engage, enrich, and empower women,” Caring Moms support entrepreneurial development for mothers.

6. Dagang Algomecs (Malaysia, fintech)
The startup aims to make automated trading “accessible for all.”

7. Delta Global Automation Sdn Bhd (Malaysia, smart cities)
The startup provides system integrator for industrial automation with wide range of skills in robotic solutions and vision systems.

8. ExpoStores Tradetech Private Limited (India, fintech)
The startup provides AI and blockchain-enabled tradetech platform and trade E2E solutions.

9. Food Market Hub (Malaysia, lifestyle)
Food Market Hub is restaurant purchasing and inventory system to help restaurant groups control purchasing, inventory, costing, wastage, and production from outlet to central kitchen. It also come with B2B module to link restaurant purchasing with F&B suppliers.

10. Guesswork (Malaysia, lifestyle)
The platform helps e-commerce companies to recommend products for their new users.

11. Heal Nutrition (Malaysia, healthcare)
Heal Nutrition is a health beverage brand that focuses on bringing the “best-tasting” protein beverage in the market. The company is motivated to combine taste, convenience, and nutrition together for the people.

12. IJADFARM (Indonesia, fintech)
An online farming platform that enable cattle farmers to gain investments, expert’s help, and market access through digital technology.

13. Menur (Malaysia, creative)
The startup produces outfits that combine unique design, quality product, reasonable price, and local craftsman empowerment.

14. PHINIX (The Philippines, creative)
Phinix collects textiles wastes and transforms them into higher valued products.

15. Poladrone (Malaysia, smart cities)
Poladrone solves agricultural problems with aerial analytics and automation solutions.

Also Read: MaGIC launches startup programme for early-stage impact ventures, social enterprises in Malaysia

16. Pocohouze (Malaysia, creative)
The company creates craft kits and turns “boring” art and craft into exciting products for both kids and adults.

17. QWERIFY (Malaysia, creative)
QWERIFY describes itself as a fun, new platform to create content using crowdsourced “snippets” of text, photos or video.

18. Rtist Creative platform/Zeroo Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia, creative)
Rtist provides an online platform where creative talents gather for the opportunity to grow, gain exposure, and increase their income. Matches them with clients who need to hire designers, whether temporarily onsite, project basis, contract basis or even on a permanent basis.

19. SmartBridge Health (US, healthcare)
The startup aims to proves that optimal cancer care can be accessible and affordable.

20. SmartPeep Pte Ltd (Singapore, healthcare)
SmartPeep is an AI med-tech startup that monitors patients and elderly people in ward with cameras, enabling nurses to get notified for emergent situations, and provide proactive care at all times.

21. The Picha Project (Malaysia, social innovation)
A social enterprise that empowers refugee through sustainable food businesses.

22. TresGo/Store Pack Deliver (Malaysia, lifestyle)
E-fulfilment service for online merchants. The platform enables seamless fulfillment using a proprietary system called ForTres, that is integrated with marketplaces and courier companies. It also provides storage and inventory management, packing and delivery services for both online and offline merchant.

23. VIKING GARAGE (Poland, lifestyle)
Decentralised motorcycles rentals.

24. Wonderfly (Malaysia, lifestyle)
Online ticketing platform for discovering and booking local experiences, event, & attraction tickets.

25. YoungHappy (Thailand, social innovation)
YoungHappy is a personal assistant App for seniors.

26. MotionsCloud (Germany, fintech)
AI claims automation engine for property and motor insurance companies.

27. Toolyt/Vahmine Technologies (India, smart cities)
Toolyt claims to be the world’s first intelligent personal assistant for field officers, which helps enterprises to automate field operation and increase productivity of team by 40 per cent.

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