KUCHING: Fifteen start-ups have been selected for Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak’s (Tegas) first Digital Pre-Accelerator (TDPA) programme.
In a press statement issued today, Tegas is working closely with their strategic partners — WatchTower and Friends (WTF), pitchIN and Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) — for the programme’s third batch from July 13 until 18, which is run virtually for the first time due to the pandemic.
TDPA is a one-week programme designed to take early-stage start-ups to the next level, from validating ideas into creating a minimum viable product (MVP) and a go-to-market strategy.
With that, the content is delivered by industry experts and seasoned entrepreneurs, covering topics such as starting up, team and product, going to market, fundraising and pitching.
Tegas chairman Datuk Len Talif Salleh said that the team is excited about the collaboration.
“We’re really excited to collaborate with WatchTower & Friends to run this programme. This could be a great springboard to take early-stage start-ups to the next level.
“Our mission is to provide growth opportunities for early-stage start-ups and to build a strong start up community across Sarawak, and this initiative is in line with Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s agenda to increase the number of successful technopreneurs and subsequently drive the state’s digital economy,” he said.
Len Talif also highlighted that the state government — through SMA-Tegas Digital Innovation Hub — is offering a free three-month co-working pass in an effort to help Sarawakian start-ups and social enterprises affected by the current Covid-19 pandemic.
“We are also offering support for entrepreneurs on a regular basis via free webinars, online capacity building programmes, and digital accelerators,” added Len Talif, who is also Assistant Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment.
The programme prepares participants for the Virtual Demo Day to select the top three winners and a chance to pitch to early-stage investors as well as a green lane to participate in Tegas Start-up Lab Accelerator and Sarawak Shell LiveWIRE.
Demo day winners are set to receive an attractive package that includes company incorporation support from Tegas and a three-month access to SMA-Tegas Digital Innovation Hub (DIH).
