Time is ripe for startups around the world to capitalise on Malaysia’s potential as the heart of Digital ASEAN: MDEC’s Surina Shukri

GAIN, a programme launched in 2015 by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), aims to provide end-to-end expansion support to local companies.

The programme was launched to render business-growth interventions to local tech scaleups, spanning the sectors of cloud, big data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), e-commerce, blockchain, cybersecurity, drone technology, robotics, finance, fintech, etc. It is spearheaded Global Growth Acceleration (CGA), a newly-minted division of MDEC.

As per a press statement, more than a hundred local and regional tech entrepreneurs and digital ecosystem partners gathered at the recently-held GGA Kick-off 2020 to learn how CGA division to assist in fuelling high-potential Malaysian headquartered tech companies to skyrocket on the global stage.

“In a short time span, the GAIN Programme has achieved exceptional results, yielding a cumulative export revenue of over RM4 billion. We have also witnessed an upward trend of Malaysian tech companies expanding exponentially into the region. These success stories must be amplified without reservations,” said Surina Shukri, CEO of MDEC.

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Shukri also emphasised that Malaysia is increasingly recognised as the destination of choice for digital initiatives in ASEAN, and the country has been actively rolling out business-friendly initiatives and policies to encourage higher foreign direct investment.

“The Malaysian government has laid a strong foundation for stable and sustainable economic growth. The time is ripe for tech entrepreneurs around the world to capitalise on Malaysia’s potential as the Heart of Digital ASEAN,” she added.

Gopi Ganesalingam, MDEC Vice President of GGA, said: “Starting 2020, the GAIN Programme will be embracing prolific tech startups to leverage on the tried and tested growth-intervention strategies that we have been deploying for tech scaleups. This will allow MDEC to provide clear end-to-end expansion support for Malaysian tech companies at all growth stages.”

ASEAN is on track to becoming the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2030 and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) projects that ASEAN’s digital economy is expected to expand 6.4 times from US$31 billion in 2015 to US$197 billion by 2025.

“As ASEAN’s digital economy is increasingly driven by younger tech-savvy entrepreneurs, we welcome companies to leverage on our eight tech ecosystems in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan, Australia and the UAE. With over 200 strategic partners consisting government and trade agencies, investors, business associations, resellers, end customers and regional media, the GAIN Programme has positioned itself as a credible business growth enabler that has united the digital ASEAN landscape,” added Gopi.

Also present at the GGA Kick-off 2020 were founders of three prominent Malaysian tech companies — Forest Interactive, Innovate2U, and Softspace.

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