Five entrepreneurs from Sarawak were awarded the state winners of Shell LiveWIRE 2022 by Shell and Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak (TEGAS) in the state finals, which took place today at the TEGAS Digital Village.
The event was officiated by YAB Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg, Premier of Sarawak, who also witnessed Shell and TEGAS finalising the extension of Memorandum of Understanding for their collaboration in Shell’s LiveWIRE programme.
This year’s winning enterprises SPL Food Industries Sdn Bhd, Hornbill Networks Consortium Sdn Bhd, Fatin Hanna Bakes, Easygrow and Zueema Enterprise were part of over 60 participants who joined this programme.
They went through a comprehensive bootcamp, where 10 selected finalists moved on to the final pitching competition.
Here, the entrepreneurs were assessed based on their business pitches, which demonstrate their drive to grow their business ideas based on their comprehensive business plans and five winners were chosen thereafter.
“We look forward to continuing our partnership with Shell Malaysia to stimulate the local economy through entrepreneurship, innovation and meaningful employment in Sarawak. I commend the efforts that Shell has achieved in building community skills and developing enterprises among the people of Sarawak. This is an exemplary initiative that promotes a strong cooperation between the public and private sector. I would urge other corporations to follow suit to complement the government’s effort in accelerating the digital economy,” expressed YB Datuk Haji Len Talif Salleh, Deputy Minister for Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment, who is also Chairman of TEGAS.
The five winning entrepreneurs received a start-up fund of RM10,000.00 from Shell and an additional RM5,000.00 from TEGAS.
They will also receive a year of business coaching to flourish their business plans into full-fledged businesses and access to the facilities and opportunities made available by TEGAS.
Additionally, the winners will also be given the opportunity to connect with the global LiveWIRE ecosystem and share their knowledge with entrepreneurs around the globe, while standing a chance to compete in the annual Shell Global Top Ten Innovators Awards.
“Our LiveWIRE programme empowers budding entrepreneurs by providing them access to knowledge, skills, networks and resources to help turn their entrepreneurial ideas into successful businesses. Our hope is that our entrepreneurs not only grow their own businesses but also create employment opportunities in their communities, ultimately contributing towards the socio-economic development of our nation,” shared Dato Ivan Tan, Chairman of Shell Malaysia and Senior Vice President, Upstream Malaysia.
The judges for Shell LiveWIRE Sarawak 2022 were Mr. Manzoor Hayat Khan, General Manager, TEGAS Digital Village; Mr Churchill Edward, Senior Reporter, The Borneo Post; and Mr. Alex Pega Mahda, Senior Territory Manager, Mobility, Shell Malaysia.
During the event, Sarawak Shell LiveWIRE 2018 winner, Heineken Anak Laluan who is the Founder and CEO of Syarikat Timogah from Sarawak, was recognized as the Global Runner-Up in the Business Innovation category of Shell LiveWIRE Global Top Ten Innovator Award 2022. He received USD10,000 and a year of global business mentoring and coaching. Meanwhile Azuar Zainuddin, CEO of Satu Creative Services from Sarawak, was also named as the Global Runner-Up for the outstanding Achievement for a LiveWIRE Implementing Partner, of the global award.
Shell LiveWIRE is the flagship enterprise development programme of Shell. The programme strengthens local economies across the globe by promoting entrepreneurship and developing entrepreneurs.
It aims to inspire young entrepreneurs to innovate and produce real business solutions that meets today’s socio-economic needs.
The five winners of Shell LiveWIRE Sarawak 2022 will compete against five winners each from Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia at the national final of Shell LiveWIRE Malaysia, which will take place next year.
To learn more on Shell LiveWIRE Malaysia, click here.