Malaysian startups will soon have the opportunity to present their ideas directly to policymakers in parliament, an initiative introduced by YB Fahmi Fadzil, Minister of Communications, during his opening speech at the KL Startup Summit (KLSS) 2024. The summit, held at the Asia School of Business, attracted over 300 attendees, including early-stage entrepreneurs, investors, ecosystem builders, and corporate and government representatives.
The fourth edition of KLSS was organised by the Startups & SMEs Malaysia community, led by Inbaraj Suppiah. “We aim to be the hub for startups and entrepreneurs, providing direct access and connecting Malaysian startups with policymakers by hosting ‘Demo Days’ in parliament,” said Suppiah, the director of KLSS.
Minister Fahmi Fadzil proposed hosting the next Startups & SMEs Malaysia entrepreneur meetup in parliament to garner support and buy-in from Members of Parliament, reflecting the government’s commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and innovation at the highest levels. The organisers have committed to working closely with Fahmi’s ministry to design a programme that effectively connects early-stage entrepreneurs with policymakers.
“The opportunity to pitch directly to policymakers is a game-changer for startups and SMEs. We believe this initiative will empower entrepreneurs to scale their businesses and contribute to Malaysia’s economic growth,” added Tengku Mubiin, Head of Marketing & Public Relations at Kiple and a speaker at the summit.
KLSS 2024 featured engaging panel discussions, masterclass workshops, and pitching sessions, immersing participants in learning from industry leaders, dynamic networking, and building meaningful connections to foster innovation and growth. The summit provided insights into the funding landscape, technology advancements, and the potential of artificial intelligence.
The event boasted an impressive lineup of speakers, including Kamarul A Muhamed (Founder & CEO, Aerodyne Group), Harmender Singh (VP, Super PMO & Special Projects, Cradle), Adlin Yusman (Managing Director, Endeavor Malaysia), Mohd Farid Mohd Rosl (Senior VP of Venture Finance, MDV), Azleena Idris (Head of Strategy & ESG, Paynet), Ben Lim (Founder, NEXEA Group), Bikesh Lakhmichand (Founder, 1337 Ventures), Kashminder Singh (Co-founder, pitchIN), Kevin Brockland (Founder, Indelible Ventures), and Manminder Dhillon (Founder, publiCT), among others.
A standout segment of KLSS 2024 was the pitching session, which garnered over RM1 million in seed funding pledges from investment partners. Ten shortlisted innovative startups pitched in a private setting, with nearly all securing interest from investors.
KLSS 2024 was supported by AWS Malaysia, MyStartup, iCompany, Etika Holdings, Tech Malaysia Advocates, and many other ecosystem partners.
