Sunway Innovation Labs (Sunway iLabs) has successfully concluded the third cohort of its Digital Transformation Acceleration Programme 2021 comprising Japanese companies Bee Informatica, Samaria, Scala Inc, Suncreer, and TBM.
Organised in collaboration with the Japanese External Trade Organization Kuala Lumpur (JETRO KL), a Japanese government-related organisation that promotes trade and investment, the programme hopes to help Japanese technology companies establish and expand across Southeast Asia, using Malaysia as well as the Sunway ecosystem as a launchpad and testbed.
“The companies in the third cohort of our Digital Transformation Acceleration Programme have definitely utilised this opportunity well to learn about the local market, as well as test their solutions and products with local players,” said Sunway Group Chief Innovation Officer and Sunway iLabs Director Matt van Leeuwen.
“We are very pleased how this programme with JETRO has evolved over the last few years and we look forward to continue working together with them and help more Japanese companies to expand into Malaysia and the wider Southeast Asian region,” added Matt.
JETRO KL Director Yuhei Enguchi said that the accelerator programme with Sunway had fruitful outcomes.
“This is our third time collaborating with Sunway iLabs. Throughout the past two programmes, we have supported ten Japanese cutting edge companies. As a result, half of them successfully launched their business with Malaysian partners here in Malaysia. This year, we did not only provide support in terms of advice and networking opportunities, we also arranged pilot initiatives to assist them in achieving their goals. We hope to see some completely new solutions created through collaboration and open-innovation with their Malaysian partners in the near future as well,” said Yuhei Enguchi.
Scala Inc, a farm process management tool, is currently running a pilot project with Sunway XFarms to track the workflow of an agronomist and their agrifood apprentice which would allow processes optimisation to encourage greater crop yield. Scala Inc is also in the midst of planning a pilot project with Sunway Organic Gardens in Sunway City Ipoh to digitise their workflow processes.
Throughout the six-month long accelerator programme, the five Japanese companies were connected to a network of venture capital funds, industry experts, entrepreneurs, corporates and Sunway’s 13 business divisions to further understand the Malaysia market and explore collaboration opportunities as well as to pitch their business solutions.
Sunway iLabs Ventures Head Dr. Melissa Foo was impressed with the progress the companies made throughout the programme.
“The companies have progressed a lot in the past six months to understand the Malaysian ecosystem and adapt their innovative and sustainable solutions to the market. We will definitely continue working with them to push for more innovation and collaboration opportunities within Sunway and with other industry players,” added Dr. Melissa Foo.
The companies also received one-to-one mentoring sessions with Sunway leaders and attended various workshops hosted by MDEC, LAW Partnership, Allm Healthcare and TK International. JETRO KL has been instrumental in establishing connections with government organisations, providing necessary information as well as facilitating support services.
Separately, Sunway iLabs was recently affirmed as one of the best incubators by clinching the Outstanding Incubator/Coworking Space award at the Malaysian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (MVCA) Awards 2020/2021. The MVCA Awards recognises industry participants, partners, and entrepreneurs who have achieved significant milestones and made tremendous contributions to the industry.
The companies of this cohort are:
Bee Informatica Ltd., Inc. (Fintech)
A microfinancing company that utilises psychometric assessments with a focus on women business owners in Malaysia.
Samaira Co., Ltd. (Blockchain)
A Japanese manga and animation platform with anti-piracy and content protection utilising blockchain technology.
Scala, Inc. (Agri-food Tech)
Farm process management tool to track workflow using QR code to optimise agricultural processes.
Suncreer Co., Ltd. (Digital Health)
A developer, manufacturer, and distributor of smart Nexus®care – a privacy-conscious artificial intelligence monitoring system to track patient’s movement and for fall detection.
TBM Co., Ltd. (Carbon Neutral)
A company specialised in manufacturing and distributing LIMEX, a sustainable and alternative material for plastic and paper that is made of limestone and inorganic materials.
