For entrepreneurs out there seeking to raise initial startup capital for an idea or prototype, you can now pitch your ideas and raise up to RM50,000 (~USD11,000) in equity investment beginning January 2017.

The new initiative, dubbed ‘The Pitch’, is a joint effort between BEAM, TinkBig Venture, Technopreneurs Association of Malaysia (TeAM), Angel Investors, and Partner Investors to further catalyze innovation within the region, increase investment opportunities, and to provide greater initial support for aspiring/new teams of entrepreneurs who wish to take their ideas to the next level.

"There are many aspiring entrepreneurs out there who have great ideas capable of bringing tremendous value to our lives. Unfortunately, many of these entrepreneurs are reluctant to take any risks due to the fear of failure. We believe that this joint initiative will not only provide the necessary capital to reduce the risk of starting out, but also provide the necessary connections, mentorship, market access, and resources to take these businesses to the next level.

We also hope to create a platform that enables more investors to connect and invest in many of these teams of incredible entrepreneurs to take their ideas to life. We believe many of these investors can bring tremendous value to the growth of these young companies and we're working hard to bring in more involvement,” mentioned Wallace Ho, COO of BEAM.

Throughout the duration of the investment, teams will also be provided with the necessary support to spearhead their businesses. Some of these include market access, mentorship, introduction to angel investors and venture capital firms (for subsequent rounds of investments), business validation, working spaces, and many more.

Interested teams of entrepreneurs who wish to participate can easily apply to pitch via a simple online form. A maximum of 8 shortlisted teams will be invited to pitch their idea (or present their prototypes) to a judging panel on the 'pitch day', which will be held twice every month.

 The format of the pitch will be split into 2 sections; a 5 minutes presentation by the participating team and a 10 minutes Q&A session between the panelist and the participating team. A sample presentation deck will also be sent to applicants to simplify their presentation flow.

The most unique aspect of the The Pitch is that teams will be notified on the pitch day itself on whether or not they are eligible for the investment. This allows the entrepreneurs to gain the necessary validation for their ideas and move on to their next focuses a lot sooner.

"For the entrepreneurs out there who are aspired to build some truly groundbreaking products and services for the world, this will be an incredible opportunity to bring your ideas to life. This is an initiative that is open to anyone, regardless of race, religion, and background. We want to offer an equal opportunity to everyone to do something great.

Do things that you're afraid of. Nothing great ever happens inside your comfort zone. Take some risks, take the leap, and get used to embarrassing yourself. Life is short. There is never a perfect plan nor a perfect time to start something. Results are created instead of predicted,” mentioned Andrew Tan, Managing Partner of Tinkbig Venture.

Visit the link below to submit an application for The Pitch:

Submit Application