Latest news with #NormanMatthieuVanhaecke
The Star
04-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
MYStartup Accelerator channels RM5.5mil into local startups
Cradle Fund group chief executive officer Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke. KUALA LUMPUR: Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd's MYStartup Accelerator has facilitated nearly RM5.5 million in investments over five cohorts, underscoring its role in strengthening Malaysia's startup ecosystem and advancing the country's position as a regional innovation hub. In a statement today, Cradle said the programme, under the purview of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, is operated by Cradle in partnership with NEXEA, a venture capital and startup accelerator firm. "Having completed five cohorts, we have gained meaningful insights into the needs of Malaysian startups. "Our next goal is to expand our reach nationwide and ensure startups in all regions have equal access to growth opportunities," said group chief executive officer Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke. According to Cradle, the Cohort 5 Demo Day showcased innovative solutions in areas including artificial intelligence (AI), aquaculture, electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, and smart retail. Of the eight finalists, five received cash prizes from Cradle, while four secured a total of RM800,000 in investments from NEXEA. The finalists were selected from a competitive pool of 747 applicants. It noted that among the standout startups were Paix Tech, which automates enterprise utility payments using AI; Ocean Rich Resources, which developed a scalable oyster farming system; and Recharge Xolutions, which offers integrated EV charging and green energy solutions. The MYStartup Accelerator continues to play a vital role in building Malaysia's tech-driven future by empowering bold, innovative, and sustainable startups, Cradle added. NEXEA is distinguished by its network of mentors, many of whom are successful entrepreneurs and C-level executives, and has helped its portfolio companies achieve annual growth of up to 16 times. Meanwhile, the focal agency for early-stage startups, Cradle, has supported over 1,100 tech startups and boasts the highest commercialisation rate among government grants. - Bernama
Cision Canada
14-05-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Joget Partners with Cradle to Empower Startups for Innovation and Ecosystem Growth Across Malaysia and Beyond
Strategic partnership combines Joget's AI-powered application and integration fabric platform with Cradle's startup ecosystem and capacity-building programs to accelerate innovation, empower entrepreneurs, and drive scalable growth. COLUMBIA, Md., May 14, 2025 /CNW/ -- Joget Inc., a global leader in open-source, AI-powered application development, has announced a strategic partnership with Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd, Malaysia's early-stage startup agency under the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI). The partnership was unveiled during MYStartup NXT in Cyberjaya, in the presence of YB Chang Lih Kang, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation. It unites Joget's Education, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (EIE) Program with Cradle's MYStartup Single Window Platform, with the shared goal of empowering entrepreneurs and driving inclusive, technology-led growth across the startup ecosystem. "This collaboration aligns perfectly with Cradle's mission to enable and grow Malaysia's startup ecosystem," said Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke, Group CEO of Cradle Fund. "The Joget EIE Startup Program provides startups with a powerful AI-powered application development platform, enabling them to automate smarter, scale faster, and build globally competitive solutions. Strategic partnerships like this unlock real value for early-stage innovators. We're excited to welcome Joget into our Startup Perks programme and look forward to seeing what startups will build with this opportunity." Empowering Startups with Scalable Innovation Tools Under the Joget EIE Startup Program, eligible startups will gain access to a suite of benefits, including advanced development tools, learning resources, and community support—empowering early-stage startups and tech-enabled business services organizations for rapid innovation, all the way from idea validation to minimum viable product (MVP) development and commercialization. A key objective of the program is to empower entrepreneurs build their products rapidly, and provide speed to market while keeping their development costs low. This further helps them with early customer engagement to iterate through their product for refinement, helping founders focus on product-market fit and revenue generation rather than infrastructure limitations, time and resource constraints, or technical complexity. Since its launch less than a year ago, the EIE Program has built a vibrant innovation network of more than 500 talent communities, including universities, students, and startups across Malaysia, Singapore, India, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and more. "Our partnership with Cradle opens up exciting new possibilities for startups in Malaysia and beyond," said Raveesh Dewan, President and CEO of Joget. "At Joget, we're reimagining how enterprises innovate. With Cradle's support, we're making it faster, easier, and more accessible for startups to scale and transform industries. This isn't just about building applications—it's about empowering founders to shape the future." A Shared Vision for Ecosystem Growth By combining Cradle's deep expertise in startup development with Joget's AI-powered platform, the partnership creates a powerful springboard for entrepreneurs to accelerate innovation, expand market access, and build sustainable businesses. Together, Cradle and Joget are reinforcing a shared vision: a thriving, innovation-driven startup ecosystem—made more accessible and impactful for the next generation of founders in Malaysia and the region. For more information about the Joget EIE Startup Program, please send an email to [email protected]. About Joget Joget offers an AI-powered, open-source application development platform that enables organizations to rapidly build and customize applications at any scale. Designed for business users, citizen developers, and professional developers, Joget empowers teams to create applications from simple departmental tools to enterprise-grade solutions serving millions of users. As an application and integration fabric platform, Joget seamlessly bridges existing and modern systems, enabling organizations to upgrade their digital infrastructure without disruption. Its open-source foundation ensures flexibility, while an extensive plugin ecosystem allows limitless customization. With Generative AI and Agentic AI capabilities, Joget Intelligence simplifies AI-powered app development and automation, helping businesses streamline processes through natural language and images. For digital solutions companies seeking a branded, tailored experience, the Joget OEM White Label solution provides full rebranding capabilities, aligning the platform with their corporate identity. Trusted by startups, Fortune 500 companies, and governments worldwide, Joget is the go-to platform for digital transformation across industries.
New Straits Times
23-04-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Zoho teams up with Cradle, pledges RM44mil to boost local startups
KUALA LUMPUR: Global technology company Zoho Corporation has pledged over RM44 million in Zoho Wallet credits to support 4,400 Malaysian startups, as part of a strategic partnership with Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd (Cradle). Under the partnership, Zoho will expand its 'Zoho for Startups' program via Cradle's MYStartup single-window platform, an integrated hub that assists startup founders at various stages of their journey. Malaysia is the second Asean country to gain access to the program, in line with Zoho's global mission to equip startups with the tools and resources needed to launch and scale their ventures. The partnership aims to strengthen Malaysia's startup ecosystem by providing access to Zoho's comprehensive suite of business applications and fostering innovation among early-stage companies. Each participating startup will receive credits valid for one year, allowing them the flexibility to explore and adopt tools tailored to their specific operational and growth needs. Cradle Group chief executive officer Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke said startups tend to grow faster when equipped with the right tools and supported by a conducive ecosystem. "Our collaboration with Zoho is all about making that happen, giving founders easy access to world-class software solutions that can power their next big leap," he said in a statement today. "Through the MYStartup Single Window platform, we are not just connecting startups to the right tools and resources-we are opening doors to global opportunities and helping them build with confidence." Zoho for Startups global head Kuppulakshmi Krishnamoorthy said the program follows a 'pull model', responding to the proactiveness of the startup ecosystem while aligning with Zoho's regional growth strategy. "Malaysia is steadily focusing on its innovation landscape, strengthened by the support and budget from the government and the new policies in place. "With the collective experience we have of running the Zoho for Startups program in more than 10 locations across the world, including India, we are poised to make this collaboration as one of the most impactful one for Malaysia," she said. Since its inception in 2017, the Zoho for Startups program has engaged with over 18,000 startups globally through impactful partnerships with more than 200 incubators, accelerators and startup-enabling organisations. In Malaysia, this opportunity will be extended to startups with Cradle's expansive ecosystem, which includes companies ranging from early-stage to those that have reached Series B funding. Promotion of the program will be carried out through various touchpoints, including WhatsApp groups, emails, events and social media to ensure broad visibility and engagement.
