Other category winners are fintech startups MoneyMatch and Brankas; online platform for pet lovers PetBacker; and farm-tech startup Jala
TechMatch ASEAN 2017 — a startup competition jointly organised by Sunway Innovation Labs (iLabs), Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), and Silicon Valley-based US Market Access Center (USMAC) — has announced the five winners.
The five ventures — four Malaysian and one Indonesian — will receive US market entry strategy package for business essentials worth US$4,200 from USMAC and legal essentials worth US$5,000 from global law firm Reed Smith LLP, in addition to 3-month’s desk space in San Francisco worth US$2,700 from tech co-working accelerator RocketSpace.
They were selected from 40 startups participated in the competition.
Here is sneak-peek at the five startups:
HelloGold (Best of TechMatch ASEAN 2017)
HelloGold is a Shariah-compliant mobile app that allows you to buy and sell gold on a single platform for as little as RM1. You can manage your account and enjoy competitive buying and selling prices in the market. Your physical gold is fully insured and stored in a secure vault.
MoneyMatch (Best technological innovation)
MoneyMatch is a peer-to-peer currency exchange platform. Users will be able to transfer and exchange foreign currencies with ease and at great value. It enables you to send money to your friends and family abroad with up to 6x cheaper rates and no hidden charges.
Brankas (Best pitch)
Brankas is an online platform to manage your money. With Brankas, you can track your accounts, request and send instant payments, through a mobile app. Brankas is compatible with many Indonesian banks.
PetBacker (Most likely to succeed on a global scale)
PetBacker is an online platform to find and book local pet sitters, dog walkers and pet service providers in your city. It also connects you with other pet lovers, who are ready to help you take care of your pets. PetBacker sitters ensures your pet stays in a home, free to roam and explore, rather than in the confines of a 3-foot cage typical in kennels or pet hotels.
Jala (Highest potential impact)
Jala provides technological solutions to agriculture and aquaculture. Its IoT device allows farmers to know the condition of the pond water, so they can make proper handling of their shrimp ponds.
Datuk Dan E Khoo, President of MDEC Americas, said: “Many global players have remarked that Malaysian startups have innovations and solutions that have not been seen in Silicon Valley. Our country’s strong showing at TechMatch ASEAN 2017 therefore underscores the growing strength of our homegrown tech talent and has helped us stay on course to develop a world-class digital economy by 2020.”
Mab van Leeuwen, Director of Sunway iLabs, said: “The collaboration with USMAC will help the startups scale rapidly by connecting them to funds and investors in Silicon Valley who can bring them the distance.”
“With the local startup scene ramping up, it is a very interesting time to be an entrepreneur in Malaysia right now. Through initiatives such as TechMatch ASEAN 2017, we have a good shot at building successful start-ups by providing them access to the funding and mentorship they need,” Leeuwen added.
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