E-nation Symposium: It takes a nation to build successful businesses

• National Entrepreneurial Policy 2030 adds social entrepreneurship to MaGIC's mandate
• Vision to transform ideas, traditional business models to scaleable, high-growth ventures

Under the theme ‘Shaping an Entrepreneurial Nation’, the Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre (MaGIC) opened a 4-day Entrepreneurial Nation (E-Nation) Symposium in Cyberjaya, yesterday. The aim is to open up and showcase future possibilities by fostering in-depth conversations on emerging technology, entrepreneurial ideas, impact-conscious ventures, industry-specific future challenges and opportunities, as well as the collaboration between entrepreneurs in finding new innovative approaches to solve real problems.

Delivering the keynote speech, Dzuleira Abu Bakar, chief executive officer of MaGIC, shared that E-Nation is intended to encapsulate the role of MaGIC under the mandate of the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development which is to help the growth of entrepreneurs in the country. “Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it would take the concerted effort of a nation to build a successful business ecosystem. We take cognisance of the fact that this is no easy task, nor is it a linear one.”

Dzuleira took the opportunity to reiterate MaGIC’s “aim and grand vision to transform technology inventions, ideas, traditional business models to scaleable, sustainable, innovative and more importantly, high-growth entrepreneurial ventures” with MaGIC acting as the connector of all ecosystem participants.

Through its entrepreneurship programmes, MaGIC has identified six key pillars essential to building the ecosystem – creativity, corporate innovation, education, entrepreneurship, policy and social entrepreneurship. “All six pillars are not only integral in forming a strong foundation in becoming an entrepreneurial nation, but are equally important as they underpin the basic needs for entrepreneurial ventures to grow.”

In her speech, Dzuleira also highlighted that accessibility to funding, training, capacity building and understanding of markets as some of the most important elements to grow businesses. The recent launch of the National Entrepreneurial Policy 2030 has resulted in an even larger mandate for MaGIC. “We have the added mandate of promoting the social entrepreneurship agenda,” she said.

The E-Nation Symposium will host speaker sessions on the areas of social innovation, entrepreneurship education and impact investment. It will also promote the concept of social innovation and social responsibility to encourage the adoption and understanding of the conscious entrepreneurship concept.

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