Local startups shift from ideas to scalable digital biz ventures

KUCHING (Feb 3): Sarawak’s startup ecosystem is gaining stronger momentum as local founders move beyond ideas towards building scalable, market-ready digital companies.

Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) chief executive officer Dato Sudarnoto Osman said programmes such as the Digital Village Accelerator (DiVA) and the Sarawak SaaS Accelerator (SaSAR) are no longer focused solely on ideation, but on developing resilient companies capable of creating jobs and competing beyond the state.

He said several DiVA startups have already gained exposure on competitive platforms, including the Startup World Cup 2025, while others secured early commercial and collaboration opportunities through ecosystem engagements in Kuala Lumpur.

“Today is not just about pitches, but about progress,” he said, adding that founders emerging from the programmes are more focused, confident and prepared for growth.
Sudarnoto made these remarks during the Startup Innovation Showcase 2026 (SIS 2026) at Tegas Digital Village here on Monday.

Reflecting on the DiVA programme, he said startups under Cohort 4 underwent intensive development in key areas such as product-market fit, business model innovation, marketing, branding, pitching, and intellectual property protection, while also being exposed to the wider startup ecosystem.

Meanwhile, the inaugural SaSAR event attracted more than 200 applications nationwide, signalling strong demand for a structured, software-as-a-service-focused growth pathway.

Following a rigorous and transparent selection process, he said 22 high-potential companies were selected to form the active cohort.

“These companies operate across areas such as AI, logistics, health technology, enterprise software, and digital platforms,” he said, adding that the programme―delivered together with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and NEXEA―aims to strengthen commercial readiness, scalability, and long-term sustainability.

Sudarnoto noted that SaSAR recorded a participant satisfaction rate of over 90 per cent, reflecting strong confidence in its programme structure, content relevance and mentor quality.

“These programmes send a clear message: Sarawak believes in its entrepreneurs, and we are committed to supporting those who are prepared to build and scale from here,” Sudarnoto added.