GEORGE TOWN, October 10 — The Penang Youth Development Corporation (PYDC) in collaboration with various business associations has triumphantly organized the Youth Entrepreneurial Challenge (YEC) 4.0 National Level 2023 Final at The Ship Campus, Batu Kawan. This initiative, part of the “Youth For Future” campaign, aims to nurture youth entrepreneurship and stimulate interest in business ventures among the younger generation. YB Daniel Gooi Zi Sen, Penang State EXCO for Youth, Sports, and Health, expressed the significance of attracting young talents to Penang’s thriving startup ecosystem.
He stated, “The YEC symbolizes the Penang State Government’s commitment to providing a platform for aspiring youth entrepreneurs to choose Penang as their destination to pursue their ambitions.” Dr. Gwee Sai Ling, General Manager of PYDC, emphasized the platform’s role in educating and encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs. She said, “From the YEC, our participants have a platform for them to learn about entrepreneurship and pitch their business ideas. Throughout the years until today, we have been amazed by our finalists with their amazing presentations and business ideas from YEC.”
The annual “Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge” (YEC), an initiative that began in 2020, fosters entrepreneurial capacity within youth. It includes workshops, an entrepreneurial forum, and a pitching competition for selected finalists, providing invaluable experience. So far, four YEC series have been conducted, involving 188 teams and 645 participants. The Youth Entrepreneurial Challenge (YEC) 4.0 National Level 2023, the fourth installment in the YEC series, was officially launched on March 23, 2023, at Penang Youth Space, Jelutong. Over the registration period from March 23, 2023, to May 31, 2023, a total of 85 teams with 283 participants registered.
Several entrepreneurial workshops took place in June, and on September 2, the PYDC organized the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (YEC) Forum with panelists from Malaysia, China, and Singapore. The YEC 4.0 National Level 2023 Final showcased 10 finalists from the School Category and 10 finalists from the Open Category. These talented individuals, hailing from various high schools and backgrounds, pitched their business ideas to a panel of industry judges and exhibited their concepts via dedicated booths.
Winners of the Youth Entrepreneurial Challenge (YEC) 4.0 National Level 2023:
High School Category:
- Champion: POLE
- First runner-up: Digital Dynamo
- Second runner-up: Serantau Intelligenze
- Consolation prize winners: AUDEX, Agrobin Pvt Ltd
Open Category:
- Champion: The Changemaker Academy
- First runner-up: MIKA
- Second runner-up: Metta Maitri
- Consolation prize winners: Aimsity, Sifu On The Way
