27-06-2025
Alliance Bank Releases Malaysia's First SME Business Pitch Film In Conjunction With World MSME Day
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, The Ultimate Elevator Pitch , Malaysia's first feature-length SME business pitch film, will premiere exclusively on streaming platform iQIYI on 18 July 2025, marking a bold convergence of business, documentary storytelling and digital streaming.
Produced around the 2024 Accelerator Edition of Alliance Bank's BizSmart® Challenge, the documentary offers unfiltered, behind-the-scenes access into high-stakes pitches, mentorships, and the journey of Malaysian entrepreneurs in building their businesses under pressure. The Challenge awarded RM550,000 in cash prizes to 13 winners, including BioLoop, Gula Cakery and HiiVolt.
The 2024 programme introduced a new 60-second Elevator Pitch format and received a record-breaking 593 submissions, the highest since its inception in 2013. This year also saw Alliance Bank becoming the first bank in Malaysia to offer SMEs venture capital through partnerships with 1337 Ventures and 5X Capital, beyond its regular financing and grant collaborations with CGC and Cradle's MYStartup.
Streaming the documentary on iQIYI reflects a push to reach new audiences, including students and aspiring entrepreneurs, by showcasing the real-world struggles and triumphs of Malaysian business founders. Related
