Applications for Cohort 68 are now open
Alpha Startups™
Pre-Accelerator
Malaysia’s first accelerator programme is back again. If you’re building in AI, fintech, industrial tech, healthtech, agritech, climate or semiconductors, this is for you.
Registration closes: 8 Nov 2026
Programme starts: 18 Nov 2026
Format: Hybrid (virtual + in-person sessions in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
Idea to MVP & Growth stage · Local Malaysian & overseas founders welcome
What should you be building in Malaysia right now?
1337 Ventures’ 2026 Request for Startups (RFS) outlines seven focus areas for Alpha Startups Cohort 68: Vertical AI, Fintech, Industrial AI, HealthTech, AgriTech, Climate Intelligence, and Semiconductor & HardTech Enablement.
Malaysia is going through real shifts, NIMP is pushing manufacturing up the value chain, NETR is building a new energy transition economy, Penang is deepening its semiconductor and advanced manufacturing ecosystem, Johor is becoming a two-market opportunity with Singapore, Sarawak is opening up around energy, resources and digital infrastructure. AI is cutting across all of it.
Our 7 Focus Areas
Vertical AI & Agentic Workflows
SME automation, compliance copilots, industry-specific AI systems
Fintech, Trust & Compliance
Embedded SME finance, alternative-data underwriting, Islamic fintech, RegTech
Industrial AI & Smart Manufacturing
Machine vision, predictive maintenance, factory copilots, smart logistics
HealthTech & Care Infrastructure
Clinic operating systems, AI documentation, remote patient monitoring
Food, Agriculture & Supply Chains
farm intelligence, traceability, agri-finance, cold-chain tech
Climate Intelligence & Resource Efficiency
Energy analytics, carbon MRV, circular-economy tools
Semiconductor & HardTech Enablement
IC-design productivity tools, verification software, test analytics
Dear Founders,
This Request for Startups (RFS) isn’t an exhaustive investment mandate. It’s a signal to founders, if you’re wondering what we think is becoming interesting, start here.
If you’re building something we’ve completely missed and you can explain why now is the right time for it to exist send it to us anyway.
We’re a pre-seed & seed investor, and we’re specific about it. We’re excited about companies where early capital can get you somewhere meaningful, the product built, first pilots landed, proof that people will pay, a milestone that makes your next round obvious. That’s also why you won’t see “build the fab” or “build the solar farm” on this list. We’re probably not that investor. We’re likely the investor for the team building the software that helps thousands of factories cut energy costs or the tools that help a fab test, design or run better.
KNOWLEDGE SERIES
Join our Founder Series Webinar
All webinars are LIVE on Google Meet, feel free to join from anywhere around the world!
Building a startup and not sure what comes next? Four webinars with founders, operators and bankers who have already been through it.
Each session inspires, educates, and empowers founders to build impactful, scalable, and meaningful solutions.
Webinar 1: Idea to Launch: Building a Startup That Lasts
9 Oct 2026 (Fri) | 10:00am - 12pm (GMT+8)
Bikesh Lakhmichand (1337 Ventures)
Webinar 2: From Problem to AI Solution: The Mindhive Journey
23 Oct 2026 (Fri) | 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm (GMT+8)
Johnson Goh, CEO of Mindhive
Webinar 3: The Future of Fintech: Trends, Challenges & Opportunities
30 Oct 2026 (Fri) | 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm (GMT+8)
Hildah Hamzah, Deputy CEO & COO of GxBank
Webinar 4: Shaping Healthcare Innovation: The QMED Story
6 Nov 2026 (Fri) | 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm (GMT+8)
This Pre-Accelerator is for you
For founders building in AI, semiconductors or hardtech
1337 Ventures is not a manufacturing-stage investor, it does not fund wafer fabs or capital-intensive hardware plants. It backs the design, IP, verification, tooling and automation layer around deep tech industries, including AI-native products where the defensibility goes deeper than a wrapper on a frontier model.
Semiconductors & HardTech
Malaysia already plays an important role in the global semiconductor supply chain, running roughly 13% of global semiconductor assembly, test and packaging activity.
But the opportunity we're watching is centred on design productivity, verification, test analytics, equipment monitoring and factory optimisation — rather than fabrication itself.
We're not backing the fab. We're backing the design/IP businesses that build ahead of a named customer.
AI-First
Products
That is why we want founders to go deeper into the vertical. If you understand a hospital workflow, a factory line, financial compliance or an agricultural supply chain better than anyone else, AI can make that insight incredibly powerful. But AI itself cannot be the entire moat.
The real question isn't "how do I add AI to this industry?" It's: what do you understand deeply enough about this industry that a general AI platform cannot easily replace you?
"Building with AI has never been easier. Building a defensible AI company may actually be getting harder."
Bikesh Lakhmichand
Founding Partner & CEO, 1337 Ventures
If your product sits at the intersection, AI-assisted tooling for a semiconductor, industrial or healthcare workflow, then you’re exactly who this section is for. Apply for Alpha Startups Cohort 68 >
Programme Journey
Submit your application before 8 November 2026 to be considered for the upcoming Alpha Startups™ Pre-Accelerator Cohort 68.
This programme is open to early-stage startups (Idea to MVP stage or recently launched) from across Southeast Asia.
While the cohort is industry-agnostic, we’re especially keen on startups who are building solutions in AI, fintech, industrial tech, healthtech, agritech, climate or semiconductors.
We’ll review all applications and shortlist up to 25 startups to join the programme.
Shortlisted teams will be notified via email in the week of 11 November 2026.
The onboarding session will be held hybrid event (a mix of virtual & in-person) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 18 November 2026.
If you’re based outside of KL or Malaysia, you may opt to join the onboarding virtually.
The full programme timeline we’ll share in detailed over email.
The Alpha Startups™ Pre-Accelerator runs for 11 weeks from (18 November 2026 till 3 February 2027) with a total commitment of 15 contact days.
It includes:
- Self-paced learning via Alpha Startups Online (Leet Academy)
- Weekly workbooks assignments
- Virtual mentoring sessions via Google Meet
- Virtual Office Hours sessions with industry leaders
During the programme, teams will undergo a pre-qualifying pitch to select the Top 10 finalists for Demo Day.
| Date | Agenda | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 18 November 2026 | Onboarding & Mentoring #1 | Kuala Lumpur |
| 26 November 2026 | Mentoring #2 | Virtual |
| 3 December 2026 | Mentoring #3 | Virtual |
| 10 December 2026 | Mentoring #4 | Virtual |
| 14 December 2026 | Pitching Workshop | Virtual/ Kuala Lumpur |
| 17 December 2026 | Mentoring #5 (Pitch Deck) | Virtual |
| 4 January 2027 | Mentoring #6 (Pitch Deck before QP) | Virtual |
| 6–14 January 2027 | Office Hours & Investor Office Hour | Virtual |
| 16 January 2027 | Qualifying Pitch Deck Submission | Virtual |
| 21 January 2027 | Demo Day Briefing & Mentoring #7 | Virtual |
| 26 January 2027 | Mentoring #8 | Virtual |
| 27 January 2027 | Investor Office Hour with Max | Virtual |
| 28 January 2027 | Deadline to Submit Final Pitch Deck for Demo Day | Virtual |
| 2 February 2027 | Demo Day Dry Run | Kuala Lumpur |
| 3 February 2027 | Demo Day (In-Person) | Kuala Lumpur |
The programme culminates in an in-person Demo Day on 3 February 2027 in Kuala Lumpur.
Finalist teams will pitch to a panel of investors, corporates, and ecosystem partners with a 3–5 minute pitch followed by 5 minutes of Q&A.
The event will also be attended by alumni, investors, and community guests — a great opportunity to showcase your startup.
Perks & Benefits
10+ Hours of Mentoring
Participating teams will have access to business and technical mentors. Startups will have group mentoring sessions as well as one-to-one sessions to accelerate their learning.
Fundraising Support
Connect with 1337 Ventures to expand your network within the investor community, unlocking the potential for VC funding.
Digital Credits
1337 Ventures, Malaysia’s first Microsoft Champions Network partner — including cloud credits (Microsoft/AWS/Google), Airtable, Notion for Startups, training, job portal credits, and more.
Office Space
Co-working space privileges for teams in Penang through our partner.
Corporate Access
Through the accelerator, you’ll have opportunities to connect with corporate professionals open to innovative ideas. Use these sessions to validate your solution, ask questions, and explore potential interest.
Market Access
We’ll provide opportunities to showcase your startup through our platform and network, helping you reach a wider audience along the way. Such as Leet Launchpad, Leet Angel Club events & more.
Alpha Startups™
Alpha Startups™ is 1337 Ventures’ flagship pre-accelerator programme for early-stage founders in Malaysia. Founded in 2012, 1337 Ventures was Malaysia’s first accelerator. Alpha Startups is now 68 cohorts strong
It’s an intensive, hands-on bootcamp built on the Design Thinking and Design Sprint methodology we pioneered in Malaysia. Selected teams work daily with mentors, peers and industry operators to test and validate a scalable product or startup idea. Daily deliverables. Real mentorship. Real commitment. By the end, you’ll have a validated startup with a pitch deck strong enough to raise. Organised by 1337 Ventures in collaboration with Leet Academy, our education arm.
Best Accelerator or Incubator Program 2020 (1337 Ventures)
How do you put running shoes to your ambitious idea? These days, most startups’ quickest resort is to seek funding and incubator support from accelerators and angel investors. There is a lot to achieve however to get your startup from “idea” to “minimal viable product” (MVP) and “market validation” stage – the main criteria for accelerators and investors looking to invest in a worthy start-up.
We saw that gap, and we seek to be the bridge between your alpha idea and its critical acceleration curve! Alpha Startups™ is an intensive bootcamp where selected teams of entrepreneurs, developers and designers get to test and validate a scalable product/startup idea together with their peers. Daily deliverables are expected, mentorship is provided, and commitment is absolutely mandatory!
Before you seek support and raise funds, put your idea to the ultimate test.
Idea > MVP + Validated Startups
All Alpha Startups that successfully complete the pre-accelerator programme will gain priority admission into funding programmes run by 1337 Ventures. As we’re a venture capital firm, apart from having an interest in investing in early stage startups, we have a wide network where we can connect you to other VCs and/or other recognised funding organisations throughout the country.
Above all, upon completing this accelerator programme you will be a validated startups with strong pitch decks consisting of a viable product proposition, refined marketing plan and practical development roadmap.
Who should join Alpha Startups™ Pre-Accelerator?
All startup stages are welcomed – while teams are preferred, individuals with ideas are also welcome.
Entry Requirements:
- Able to communicate and understand English
- Above 18 years old
- Team of 2–4 people (individuals with a specific idea also considered)
- Technology or innovation-enabled business, early stage, scalable model
- Startup based in Malaysia or serving a Malaysian market, OR at least one Malaysian co-founder, regardless of market or location
- Particularly keen on this year’s Request for Startups focus areas, strong ideas outside this list welcome too.
Terms & Conditions apply.
Apply for Alpha Startups™ Pre-Accelerator
Apply to join Alpha Startups today — learn how to launch your startup, validate your ideas, and master pitching to VCs and investors. Take the first step toward your entrepreneurial journey!
Success Stories
With a tried and tested curriculum, a powerful network of mentors, and a track record to taking startups to success. Get access to exclusive events, digital software and infrastructure, co-working spaces, and so much more. Learn what our alumni have to say about Alpha Startups.
Acquired by Jireh Group within 12 months after Alpha Startups
GetDoc
MedTech
Achieved a GMV of RM700K in 12 months. Acquired by Cat & the Fiddle Cafe.
Eat Cake Today
Gig Economy
Raised an undisclosed 7-digit amount from Axiata.
Maideasy
Gig Economy
Acquired money remittance license in 3 countries
Swapit
Fintech / E-Wallet
Acquired by ABSS (MYOB)
Financio
Fintech / Accounting
Acquired by TUNE in 12 months after completing Alpha Startups.
Gigfairy
Gig Economy
Raised first round of USD 150K (~RM631K) by Iterative VC based in Singapore and San Francisco. Became a Singaporean entity & expanding throughout Malaysia.
Hawkr
F&B / Foodtech
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The RFS is a signal, not a mandate, it shows what we’re particularly excited about this cohort. Strong ideas outside this list are welcome.
Yes. Our team publishes in-depth field guides on the industries we invest in, including a guide to the semiconductor value chain built with direct input from Malaysian founders in the space. We’ve also have a strong network with Malaysian semicon & SMEs in this space.
Mentoring will take place either physically or virtually, depending on the mode of the day’s programme. If it is physical, it will be done face to face, and if it is virtual, teams will need to be in a Google Meet / Zoom.
There will be a total of 9 hours for the self-paced learning, 23 hours of live webinar, and 26 hours of available office hours. The live webinars (i.e classrooms) happen two days a week, while Mentor Rooms (i.e office hours and coaching) are flexible for participants to join. Self-paced learning sessions can be done at the convenience of the participant, as our videos and interactive teaching materials are online on our Leet Academy portal.
No, however in order to qualify for the funding, you will need to ensure the key outputs required (i.e Lean Canvas, Pitch Deck, etc) must be completed in the timeframe required.
At the end of the accelerator, a physical pitching session will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. All of the participants who have been shortlisted will pitch, and it will be open to both judges and audiences.
There is no application fee to join the pre-accelerator. However, only 10 to 25 startups will be shortlisted to participate in the programme.
The AlphaStartups Pre-Accelerator accepts ideas from any industry or niche. Preference will be given to Startups in the 7 key focus areas. If you’re building in AI, fintech, industrial tech, healthtech, agritech, climate or semiconductors, this is for you.
For the past 13 years, 1337 Ventures has been conducting the Alpha Startups Pre-Accelerator programme. Traditionally, this programme was held in a physical format. However, in the past 2 years during the MOC & pandemic, we have successfully conducted multiple cohorts virtually. To provide participants with more flexibility and ensure optimal results, we are now introducing a hybrid mode for this programme, which includes both physical and virtual components.
To participate in the Alpha Startups Pre-Accelerator programme, all applications undergo a rigorous screening and review process. Our aim is to provide aspiring Malaysian entrepreneurs with a platform to pursue their dreams.
Over the years, we have had the privilege of running both large and small cohorts, ranging from 10 to 25 shortlisted startups. We have also collaborated with esteemed partners such as MDEC, Accenture, Mranti (formerly MaGIC), KPMG, Digi, Found8, and others.
Click here for full Terms & Conditions for Alpha Startups Digital Accelerator (ASDA).
You can reach out to us at 1337 Ventures via WhatsApp +6011 5628 0817 or email us at info@1337.ventures.
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