China university to host Malaysian startups from Selangor Accelerator Programme

• TusStar manages over 100 incubators in China, and have incubated over 5,000 startups
• The top ten teams from SAP2018 will embark on a study visit and knowledge-sharing trip

THE Selangor Accelerator Programme 2018 (SAP2018), organised by the Selangor Information Technology and E-Commerce Council (Sitec), welcomes one of China’s top incubators, TusStar, as a community partner through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between TusStar and Sitec.

“This partnership allows us to bring our top ten startups from SAP2018 to Tsinghua University in Beijing, which is a good way for them to meet with their Chinese counterparts, and experience the startup culture there,” said Ann Lee, startup manager of Sitec. TusStar manages over 100 incubators in China, and have incubated over 5,000 startups, including 49 listed companies.

The Sitec-run programme is the first in Malaysia to partner with the Beijing-based incubator. Under the MoU, top ten teams from SAP2018 will embark on a study visit and knowledge-sharing trip, which includes a demo day for them to pitch to potential investors, partners, and venture capitalists.

“China is now a global powerhouse of cutting-edge technology, such as artificial intelligence. A partnership with one of China’s best universities provides critical exposure, allowing our startups to meet collaborators and investors, opening a path for our local talents to tap into the Chinese market,” said Yong Kai Ping, chief executive of Sitec.

Mohamed Azmin Ali, Chief Minister of Selangor, first mooted the idea of an accelerator similar to the Stockholm-based Epicenter, where fast-growing digital startups were incubated within a world-class innovation environment.

This prompted Sitec to develop the Selangor Accelerator Programme to boost startups’ investor-readiness, by sharpening their skills and refining their businesses, presentations, and products.

The four-month accelerator offers a suite of facilities and resources, such as access to co-working space, and credits from partners such as Amazon Web Services, Exabytes, GetResponse, EasyParcel, and Biztory.

Additionally, participants receive guidance from a roster of experienced mentors, industry experts and professional trainers, on top of networking opportunities with industry contemporaries, potential investors, and venture capitalists.

Only 30 teams will be shortlisted for the programme. Sitec has received 33 submissions, with 24 qualifying for shortlisting.

Registrations are still open, and ends on April 1. 

Interested parties may visit www.sitec.com.my/sap2018 for more information.

Related Stories:
 
Digital transformation to contribute US$10bil to Malaysia GDP by 2021
 
Selangor boosts digital economy efforts for citizens through Sitec
 
Malaysian eMerchants bag RM25,000 in cash at Selangor Smart City Convention