KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC), proptech group Juwai IQI, and INNOVentures Global (IGPL) have partnered to create a global entrepreneurship programme that will bring talented startups from Pakistan and other countries where Juwai IQI operates, to Malaysia over the next three years.
The first of these initiatives is the Malaysia-Pakistan Innovation Corridor, which shall be a founders’ exchange between Malaysian and Pakistani startups and SMEs enabled by IGPL, an innovation and startup entrepreneurship ecosystem enabler in Pakistan.
MTDCCEO Mohammad Hazani Hassan said: “This collaboration reflects MTDC’s commitment to building a globally connected innovation ecosystem. Through initiatives such as the Malaysia–Pakistan Innovation Corridor, MTDC aims to strengthen cross-border linkages that foster knowledge exchange, entrepreneurship, and growth driven by technology and innovation.”
By facilitating partnerships between local and international founders, he added, they are helping to create a more dynamic and inclusive startup landscape, one that supports national objectives under NIMP 2030 and enhances Malaysia’s position as a hub for deep technology and innovation.
Juwai IQI co-founder and group CEO Kashif Ansari said: “Startups are a crucial part of the economic picture in Malaysia. They create more jobs, bring more new technologies to the market, and generate a greater return on investment than established companies. This year, Malaysia’s startup ecosystem is attaining new success, and the number of jobs in the country has soared to a new record of 9.1 million.”
“Funding for prospective startups hit RM14 billion between 2020 and 2024, which ranks us highly compared to other markets. Malaysia’s startup ecosystem will be of great interest to founders from around the world,” he added.
Juwai IQI co-founder and group managing director Daniel Ho said: “Malaysia has a significant domestic market and the even larger Asean market of 680 million consumers. That gives new startups the customers they need to expand and reach sustainable scale. Founders will build connections with counterparts all over the world, so they can truly think globally.”
INNOVentures managing partner Dr Athar Osama said: “It is a great thrill to be working with the Malaysian Technology Development Corporation and Juwai IQI on this entrepreneurship exchange initiative. It will give Pakistani entrepreneurs the opportunity to cross-pollinate with their counterparts in Malaysia and bring new ideas and connections back home with them. We believe the programme will have positive ripple effects on the whole innovation economy and encourage our founders to adopt an export orientation, scale, and obtain investment.”
