Alliance Bank Malaysia Bhd announced two new SME-focused initiatives on Thursday under its BizSmart platform. The initiatives aim to support Malaysia’s small and medium enterprise (SME) sector through a broader, ecosystem-driven approach. The first initiative is a feature-length film entitled “The Ultimate Elevator Pitch.” The film focuses on the contestants of the 2024 edition of the BizSmart Challenge.
Alliance Bank Group CEO Kellee Kam said, “The movie is Malaysia’s first feature-length SME business pitch film that invites the public to witness the grit, vulnerability, and determination behind Malaysia’s SME founders.”
Produced in collaboration with local creative agency Ampersand Advisory, the film aims to highlight the realities of entrepreneurship while providing greater visibility to early-stage companies. The film will premiere on iQIYI on July 18. The 2024 edition of the BizSmart Challenge received a record 593 submissions, which were narrowed to a final 13 following an intense competition.
The top three winners in 2024 — BioLoop, Gula Cakery, and HiiVolt — shared RM550,000 in cash prizes.
BizSmart Challenge film highlights grit
All finalists received mentorship and access to funding networks, including 1337 Ventures, 5X Capital, Cradle’s MYStartup, and Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia (CGC).
The second initiative is an upcoming conference, titled BizSmart Business Conference, set to be held on Oct 7. The event will feature over 35 speakers, including founders, investors, and alumni of the BizSmart Challenge. Notable speakers include Colony CEO Timothy Tiah, A Cut Above founder Winnie Loo, and HYGR co-founders Ivor and Meng.
Since its inception in 2013, notable names who have emerged from the BizSmart Challenge include Christy Ng, myBurger Lab, BloomThis, and Signature Market. Alliance Bank’s group chief strategy and transformation officer highlighted that several alumni are preparing for initial public offerings (IPOs) with the bank’s support. Bikesh Lakhmichand, founding partner of venture capital firm 1337 Ventures, emphasized BizSmart Challenge’s continued role as a deal discovery platform for venture capital and private equity players.
He estimated that about RM2 billion in private capital is deployable within Malaysia’s VC and PE ecosystem — capital that programmes like BizSmart Challenge help unlock by improving founder visibility, investor readiness, and business structure.
