CYBERJAYA: Bumiputera startups developed under the Bumiputera Startup Scheme (Superb) have generated cumulative revenue of RM515.1 million, representing a four-fold increase from the RM127.9 million recorded in an impact study conducted in 2021, according to the latest review carried out by the Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit (Teraju).
The review conducted this year found that 82.9% of the Superb recipient companies surveyed remain operational, reflecting a high survival rate for startups, especially considering that some have been in operation for more than a decade.
The cumulative revenue of RM515.1 million was recorded by companies with available financial data, with growth driven primarily by several firms that have scaled significantly, including expanding into international markets.
The figures were announced during the Teraju Startup Ecosystem Programme: Voice, Vision & Aspirations, held in Cyberjaya today, which brought together Bumiputera startups for a direct feedback session on the challenges and needs they face at various stages of business growth.
Superb, which ran from 2014 to 2021 with an allocation of RM91.5 million, selected 231 winners through a business idea pitching competition, with each company receiving grants of up to RM500,000 along with mentoring support from partner agencies.
To date, five Superb alumni companies have secured follow-on financing through the Islamic Working Capital and Project Financing Facility (i-WCPF) and the Bumiputera Expansion and Catalyst Fund (BECF), marking their transition from the startup stage to the scaling phase.
Teraju CEO Junady Nawawi said the achievements of Superb alumni demonstrate that startup development requires continuous support that evolves in line with changing business needs.
“Startups face different challenges at every stage of growth. That is why Teraju continues to connect Bumiputera startups with financing opportunities, market access, investment, strategic networks and capacity development, so that they not only get started, but are also able to grow and scale their businesses,” he said.
To sustain this momentum, Teraju introduced two post-Superb support programmes, Superb Coach & Grow in 2023 and TERAJU Venture Spotlight in 2024, focusing on capacity building, commercialisation, market access and investment readiness.
Startups also gain access to Teraju’s broader facilitation programmes, including Ascend, Enhance and Xcelerate, as well as scale-up funds such as the Sabah and Sarawak Bumiputera Scale-Up Fund (BSSF) and the Bumiputera Strategic Ownership Fund (BSAF).
The programme was also attended by Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, who said the government would continue strengthening the Bumiputera startup growth ecosystem through strategic collaboration involving ministries, agencies, investors, financial institutions, corporations and industry players.
This phased support approach is aligned with the Bumiputera Economic Transformation Plan 2035 (Putera35), which emphasises the development of competitive, sustainable Bumiputera companies capable of capturing opportunities in the high-value economy.
