The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) launched its i-Services Portal during the National Investment Seminar 2018 today. It is a business linkage platform to connect service providers and their potential clients, which consists both local and foreign companies.

The National Investment Seminar 2018 was graced by Datuk Darell Leiking, Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI).

The upcoming tabling of Budget 2019 has township developer, LBS Bina Group Berhad (LBS), hopeful for policies that will help empower first-time home buyers face the current challenges of home ownership. “As a Malaysian property developer, we remain committed to helping more people realise their dreams of owning a home by providing more affordable homes,” said Group Managing Director, Tan Sri Lim Hock San.

“Our experience in the property development industry, which spans more than two decades, has allowed LBS the opportunity to understand the evolving needs of home buyers. We wish to highlight suggestions to consider for Budget 2019, which we strongly believe can help empower home buyers and help the nation achieve its aspiration of increasing home ownership,” Tan Sri Lim Hock San said.

In its efforts to further the Asian startup ecosystem, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corpora-tion (MDEC) has partnered with betahaus – a Berlin-based co-working space and communi-ty of more than 500 entrepreneurs, startups and freelancers – to hold the ‘Launchpad to Eu-rope Workshop’ and BetaPitch Competition in Kuala Lumpur, on 7th November 2018.

BetaPitch is a global startup competition taking place in 12 countries around the world (Germany, Portugal, Sweden, Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Egypt, Bosnia, Turkey, South Korea and Malaysia). Malaysia will be the first country in Southeast Asia to hold a Be-taPitch event.

Norhizam Abdul Kadir, Vice President of Growth Ecosystem Development at MDEC, said, “With German businesses being at the forefront of global innovation, and Berlin being the startup capital of Europe, MDEC has decided to host the first BetaPitch competition with betahaus in Southeast Asia. The partnership with betahaus will help smooth the way for Southeast Asian startups to enter the German and European markets and allow them to lev-erage upon betahaus’s network and expertise. The BetaPitch competition will let us show-case the inherent potential of technology startups based here and across Southeast Asia.”

The winning startup of the BetaPitch KL pitch competition will score a trip to Berlin on 15th November 2018 to attend the Investor Day, and to pitch and compete against the global startup finalists from each local competition. They will also walk away with prize money of €5,000, a trip to the Silicon Valley, a free co-working space at Berlin-based co-working hub betahaus for one month and assistance for market access through betahaus’ European net-work.

At the Investor Day in Berlin on 15th November 2018, there will be business matching, inves-tor speed dating and networking sessions. The winning BetaPitch KL startup will also get the chance to meet investors and ecosystem partners from Europe.

Founder of betahaus, Maximilian von der Ahé stated that the purpose of the initiative is to pivot strategies for market expansion for global startups into Germany and eventually Eu-rope. “We've watched the startup ecosystem heating up in Malaysia over the last 2 years, so we couldn't be more excited about this initiative with MDEC. Additionally, the region is an incredibly attractive first point of entry for startups looking to enter SEA. With the help of startup support programs like the ones MDEC is organising, it should be simpler than ever for our community to expand into the region and vice versa.”

Earlier this year, MDEC had signed two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with be-tahaus and Startup AsiaBerlin (SUAB) in Germany, aimed at accelerating the cross-market penetration by businesses and entrepreneurs between the two countries. betahaus will pro-vide a soft-landing zone and assistance to Malaysia-based companies seeking to enter into the German and European markets and channel businesses in its network eyeing the South-east Asian market to MDEC. In return, MDEC will provide betahaus’ recommended start-ups easy access to Malaysia Digital Hubs, as well as business advisory and assistance.