1337 Ventures’ ECF Accelerator is back to help Malaysian SMEs maximise opportunities through ECF fundraising

Alternative financing is gaining popularity in Malaysia as a viable option for local businesses to raise funds. This is evident as total funds raised in Equity Crowdfunding stood at RM560.34 million via 330 campaign as reported by the Securities Commission of Malaysia. 

To support the alternative financing landscape, 1337 Ventures and Leet Capital are back to host the ECF Accelerator Programme. The three-day fundraising bootcamp will guide up to 20 ambitious growth stage entrepreneurs on fundraising methods and strategies through venture capital, private equity, and equity crowdfunding (ECF).

The bootcamp will cover stakeholder mapping, go-to-market strategy, financial modelling, marketing, pitching, and other topics necessary for launching a successful ECF campaign and fundraising exercises. The culmination of this rigorous bootcamp will see the top three companies gaining an exclusive opportunity to showcase their potential at Leet Angel Club - a prestigious event is a strictly invite-only gathering of discerning angel and sophisticated investors, curated by the reputed Leet Capital.

"In the journey of fundraising, many SME entrepreneurs hit a wall when it comes to building solid financial models, crafting a bulletproof fundraising strategy, or nailing a killer pitch. That's a real concern," says Bikesh Lakhmichand, the man behind the thriving force of 1337 Ventures. Bikesh, with his vast experience of propelling over 2,500 startups to their zenith, emphasizes: "Our local Malaysian businesses aren't short of potential, they just need the right pointers to understand the fundraising landscape. And yes, learning to pitch effectively to investors is a game-changer that many are missing out on in their capital raising efforts.”

In 2022, the ECF Accelerator programme had two successful cohorts that included homegrown companies from healthtech, eco-friendly beauty products, F&B, and more. QMED Asia, the cohort 1 winner, raised over RM5 million in ECF from 110 investors on Leet Capital. 

Arus Oil, from cohort 2, was recently invested in by Shell as an initiative to encourage Malaysians to recycle their used cooking oil and continue to provide cleaner and sustainable energy solutions. 

Cohort 3 begins in August 2023 and will take place on August 4th, 11th, and 18th, 2023, at WORQ, Menara UOA, Bangsar. Malaysian SMEs and pre-IPO companies that are interested in raising funds via ECF are welcome to apply on https://bit.ly/ecfaccelerator. Registration closes on 28 July. 

The programme is supported by WORQ, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and Digital Penang.