CLLA PROGRAMME HELPS STARTUPS KICKSTART INNOVATION

CYBERJAYA, June 22 (Bernama) -- The 17th Cohort of Cyberview Living Lab Accelerator (CLLA) programme is looking for startups involved in technology clusters, mainly in smart mobility, smart healthcare and digital creativity, to help kickstart their innovation.

CLLA is an intensive five-month programme led by the tech hub developer of Cyberjaya, Cyberview Sdn Bhd (Cyberview), which serves as a launch pad for startups to accelerate their growth.

Cyberview Technology Hub Development division head Shafinaz Salim said CLLA recognises the capability of the startups to make sure they can transform from the idea concept to the actual product and then gain access to markets.

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“To attract more serious investors, startups need to be well-equipped and have a proper business plan," she said, adding that CLLA would address that through coaching and mentoring programmes.

“They (startups) will go into series of training on how to manage a business, how to look at operational management and market development plans,” she said when met on the sidelines of the ‘CLLA Tech Innovators: Creating the Future’ programme here today.

Since 2013, Cyberview has invested more than RM6 million in startups via CLLA and nurtured 90 startups creating more than 1,400 jobs.

Among the successful alumni of the programme are TheLorry, a land logistics platform; Billplz, a payment platform for organisations; and Pandai, a smart revision app.

Open to Malaysian startups for the time being, applications to join the CLLA programme are open until June 30 and can be accessed at https://www.cyberview.com.my/business/cyberview-living-lab/#Living-Lab-Acelerator.

"Here in CLLA, we want to make sure your product can sustain and grow, not just stay stagnant for some particular period,” she said.

Shafinaz said upon receiving the applications, about 20 to 25 startups will be first shortlisted and called for a short pitching session with Cyberview panels to narrow the final shortlist of eight startups for the CLLA programme which is set to begin in mid-July.

"Apart from the coaching and mentoring with business experts, participants will be exposed to funding assistance from government grants and corporate partners," she said, adding that Cyberview also worked closely with Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd, Malaysia Venture Capital Management Bhd (MAVCAP) and Malaysian Debt Ventures Bhd for the fundings.

“The value of CLLA is just beyond the coaching and mentoring programme. It is about the ecosystem development that startups have gained access to through Cyberview’s partners, and easy accessibility to markets and to hire talents,” she added.

Meanwhile, MedKad Sdn Bhd marketing executive Nurafiqah Rahim said MedKad was a CLLA alumnus in 2018 and up to now, it has received various benefits including the idea to build an easy ecosystem for the health technology industry.

“We started with three staff and to date, there are 60 staff including a supplementary subsidiary under MedKad. Our company has also created  ‘Salixium’, a local rapid antigen home self-testing Covid-19 kit for saliva and nasal,” she said.

Established in 2016 and headquartered in Shah Alam, Selangor, MeDKad is a health technology company providing services to companies to better manage health benefits. 

-- BERNAMA