Cradle launches initiative to drive Malaysian SME innovation

The Sun

6 days ago

PETALING JAYA: Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd, the lead agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti), has launched Cradle Innovation Advisory – a strategic partnership initiative aimed at accelerating technological transformation among corporates and small and medium-sized enterprises in Malaysia.
The initiative is designed to address long-standing structural challenges in the national innovation ecosystem, including insufficient post-grant support, weak commercialisation pathways, fragmented connections between industry and startups, and limited SME involvement in research and development (R&D) activities.
Science, Technology and Innovation Deputy Minister Datuk Mohammad Yusof Apdal said innovation cannot thrive in isolation and emphasised the importance of collaboration and ecosystem building.
'With Cradle Innovation Advisory, we empower SMEs – Malaysia's economic backbone – to access the expertise, tools, and partnerships they need to innovate, scale and compete on a global stage,' he said in a statement.
'This marks a shift from simply offering support to enabling empowerment. By activating partnerships with universities, corporations, and global startup communities, we aim to create fertile ground where great ideas are not just developed, but launched into the market, with the potential to transform entire sectors.'
Cradle Group CEO Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke said the initiative goes beyond introducing new frameworks – it is about building collaborative spaces for innovation.
'This is about creating a space where startups can work closely with key corporate players, thereby strengthening SMEs, which are the backbone of the country's economy. In this proof-of-concept phase, we will focus on refining and optimising the approach before scaling it nationally for greater, long-term impact,' he said.
At the heart of the initiative is the Corporate Innovation Lab Programme, a structured platform that offers modular workshops tailored to the maturity and needs of participating organisations.
Beyond workshops, Cradle will provide tailored advisory services, including innovation audits, the development of innovation roadmaps and support for R&D commercialisation.
Participants will also have access to strategic services, including legal advisory and human capital planning.
Aligned with national agendas such as Ekonomi Madani and the Malaysia Startup Ecosystem Roadmap 2021–2030, Cradle Innovation Advisory aims to strengthen Malaysia's overall innovation capacity and enhance its position as a globally competitive startup and SME ecosystem.