KUALA LUMPUR: Ten Malaysian semiconductor startups have been selected for the inaugural national semiconductor incubation programme, SemiconStart Malaysia, which aims to help commercialise home-grown technologies and develop globally competitive technology companies.
Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Mamat said the one-year programme will prepare the companies to transition from startups into intermediate-stage firms capable of competing globally.
“The short-term is we prepare these 10 companies to really embrace all the challenges to become from a startup to an intermediate company. It is very challenging.
“An initial public offering is too early, to me, but it is the ultimate objective; that is what we want,” he told reporters after the launch of SemiconStart Malaysia here today.
SemiconStart Malaysia is a national semiconductor incubation programme designed to support the growth of high-potential Malaysian and Malaysian-based semiconductor ventures in higher-value segments of the global semiconductor value chain.
Led by MTDC, in collaboration with Silicon Catalyst UK, SemiconStart Malaysia is the nation’s first dedicated semiconductor venture-building programme focused on helping early-stage semiconductor companies overcome the industry’s unique challenges, including high prototyping costs.
Abdul Rahman said the programme intends to prepare Malaysian semiconductor companies to become global players, adding that the inaugural cohort is only the beginning and more companies are expected to join future cohorts.
Meanwhile, MTDC group chief executive officer Mohammad Hazani Hassan said the programme focuses on building Malaysian product companies by supporting startups from the early stages of technology development through to commercialisation.
He said most of the participating companies are currently at technology readiness level (TRL) 4 to 6, with the programme aiming to help them progress to at least TRL 8 before commercialising their products.
“But most importantly (is) how we set the foundation. From day one, we expose these companies to the international scene, the investors, the partners, the mentors and the customers,” he said.
Mohammad Hazani said the programme has set a key performance indicator for at least four of the 10 companies to advance to the next stage by securing new investments and strategic partners.
He said the first phase of the programme has an allocation of RM10 million, and upon completion, MTDC plans to support participating companies with another RM10 million while leveraging funding from venture capital firms, including Khazanah Nasional Bhd, and international investors.
Under the SemiconStart Malaysia programme, selected companies may receive up to RM1 million in incubation support per company, alongside a structured 26-day development pathway.
The inaugural cohort, which runs from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, was selected from 39 applicants.
Mohammad Hazani said MTDC is already looking at forming a second cohort from the remaining companies. – BERNAMA
