The Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corp (Sidec) announce its Fourth Cohort of the Selangor Accelerator Programme 2021 yesterday, focusing on opportunities created under the new norms such as Agrotech, Fintech, Greentech, e-Commerce and Smart City Solutions (Proptech, Mobility and Logistics).
Selangor Investment, Industry and Commerce, Small and Medium Enterprises executive councillor and standing committee chairman Datuk Teng Chang Khim (picture) said traditional brick-and-mortar companies have been hit hard by the lockdowns as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, businesses related to Agrotech, Fintech, Greentech, e-Commerce and Smart City are booming in the pandemic.
“E-commerce, Fintech and Smart City solutions are especially relevant with the current pandemic to ensure that businesses continue to run while following the standard operating procedures.
“It is Selangor’s focus to recover the economy through digitalisation, adoption of tech in business operations and ensuring food security,” he said.
Teng added that the Selangor government also continues to uplift small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by initiating the Selangor SME Digitalisation Matching Grant to assist SMEs to take the first step to digitalise their businesses.
“The initiative is expected to benefit 1,000 Selangor SMEs with an initial grant worth a total of RM5 million.
“For the first batch, we have managed to disburse RM1.2 million to 280 SMEs out of 492 applicants. SMEs can start to apply for the second batch from Aug 1 to Oct 31,” said Teng.
Meanwhile, Sidec CEO Yong Kai Ping said their focus is to address Selangor’s very own problem statements and the needs for solutions to provide the best facilities and assistance to the Selangor residents.
The agency is providing launchpads or beta testing facilities through a number of state subsidiaries.
“This will be a perfect avenue for these high potential start-ups to get their solution tested by real users in real environments, which is essential to prove their concept.
“For example, agrotech start-ups will be channelled to relevant agriculture agencies to help them with testing in a real environment. Their solution might be picked up and adopted by the agencies in their operations,” he said.
Source: https://themalaysianreserve.com/2021/07/28/selangor-accelerator-programme-to-focus-on-new-norms-biz/