Alliance Bank Malaysia Bhd has announced the top 13 finalists for its highly anticipated 2024 BizSmart Challenge Accelerator Edition. These thirteen trailblazing businesses have been selected after a rigorous process of filtration involving 593 innovative applicants, four days Accelerator Programme and Business Coaching, two days of Business Pitching and one day of Elevator Pitch; all vying to win the top prizes in the seventh edition of the reputed programme.
The 2024 Accelerator Edition marks a landmark decade for the BizSmart Challenge, which has evolved from a platform for entrepreneurial growth to an accelerator for industry-defining talent.
As a leader in the SME sector, Alliance Bank wanted to encourage the sector by pioneering the first BizSmart Challenge in 2013 to foster the progress and development of growing SMEs, to identify rising stars and to give back to Malaysia’s emerging entrepreneurs.
Brands that are household names today like Christy Ng, myBurger Lab, Tapping Tapir, BloomThis, Signature Market, Amazin’ Graze, Chriszen, Salad Atelier, and Vanzo have come through the Alliance Bank BizSmart Challenge in previous years, gaining cash prizes, loan financing and valuable business acumen from Alliance Bank as they progress on their entrepreneurial journey.
“We are thrilled to present this year’s finalists, whose entrepreneurial spirit and innovation are truly inspiring. They have reached our Grand Finale after months of honing their pitches, strengthening their business stories and financials, and receiving mentoring from class-leading venture capitalists like Bikesh Lakhmichand of 1337 Ventures and 5X Capital’s Natalie Tan.
“Alliance Bank’s BizSmart® Challenge is committed to supporting sustainable business practices and empowering the next wave of industry leaders,” said Kellee Kam, Group Chief Executive Officer of Alliance Bank.
The finalists embarked on one final three-minute pitch, followed by 12 minutes of questioning, as they strived to impress the panel of judges who are industry veterans featuring Kam, Bikesh Lakhmichand, Founding Partner & CEO of 1337 Ventures, Natalie Tan, Partner at 5X Capital, Mr Raymond Chui, Chief SME, Commercial and Transaction Banking Officer of Alliance Bank, along with category award sponsor representative Sean Tan, Chief Business Officer from Credit Guarantee Corporation (CGC) and Ecosystem Partner, Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke, Group Chief Executive Officer of Cradle.
The finalists have thus far demonstrated great resilience and resolve throughout the Alliance Bank BizSmart Challenge Accelerator Edition. The finalists were selected from a large pool of 593 applicants from all across Malaysia and were further narrowed down into a group of Top 10 finalists.
Impressed by the high standards in delivering their pitches, three wild cards were also selected and were also awarded with Golden Tickets.
These 13 recipients of the coveted Golden Ticket stand a chance to win a share of the RM500,000 cash prizes, in addition to business loans at preferential rates, branding exposure and potentially, venture capital funding; empowering them to further scale their business. Total prize value exceeds RM2 million.
In a further innovation, and another first-of-its-kind effort in Malaysia, Alliance Bank is producing a feature-length film that captures the stories and progress of the Alliance Bank BizSmart Challenge Accelerator Edition.
This film, which documented the journey of the BizSmart Challenge finalists is planned to be screened and to premiere on 27 November at Aurum Theatre, The Exchange TRX, as a private screening for our invited guests where we will know the journey and outcomes of who will be the next winners of the BizSmart Challenge Accelerator Edition.
For more information and updates on the Alliance Bank BizSmart Challenge Accelerator Edition, please visit www.bizsmart.com.my.
