IPOH — Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd (Cradle), the focal agency for Malaysia’s startup ecosystem development under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), has launched Cradle Elevate, a new RM10 million funding programme alongside the Cradle Startup Accelerator Programme 2026 yesterday.
The initiatives represent a coordinated national effort to strengthen the startup pipeline, enhance ecosystem connectivity, and expand access to support via the MYStartup Single Window platform. This move is aligned with the Malaysia Startup Ecosystem Roadmap (SUPER) 2021-2030 and the KL20 Action Plan.
MOSTI Minister Datuk Chang Lih Kang stated that Malaysia is focused on building a startup ecosystem centered on quality, scalability, and tangible economic impact.
“Through the Cradle LIVE! Roadshow, we are bringing support closer to founders across all states, connecting them to the right funding pathways, capabilities, and market opportunities,” he said.
He added that these efforts ensure Malaysian founders are better positioned to raise financing and expand overseas, supporting the vision of placing Malaysia among the world’s top startup ecosystems by 2030.
Cradle Group CEO Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke noted that while Malaysia has a strong funnel of startups with validated solutions, the primary challenge remains bridging the gap from early growth to scale. “Cradle Elevate is designed to address this by strengthening investment readiness and supporting startups to scale with confidence,” Vanhaecke said.
The programme specifically targets the “missing middle”—startups that have validated their products but are not yet prepared for larger private funding rounds. Cradle aims to bridge this gap through equity investments in Pre-A to Series A startups, with investment sizes ranging from RM500,000 to RM2 million alongside partner investors.
Complementing the funding, the Cradle Startup Accelerator Programme 2026 introduces a structured nationwide approach through initiatives such as:
- Bootcamp
- Pre-Accelerator
- Accelerator
- ReInnovate
The launch was held during the Cradle LIVE! Roadshow Perak 2026, which is part of a nationwide tour to engage high-potential startup ecosystems outside of major urban hubs.
Interested parties for Cradle Elevate can submit expressions of interest to elevate@cradle.com.my, while further ecosystem information is available at www.mystartup.gov.my.
