PETALING JAYA: Three Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have been selected as the top three winners in the fifth edition of the SAY Aspire programme.
The three MSMEs were chosen after successfully completing the final pitches to a panel of judges, including Raja Muda of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and Selangor Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurship Committee chairman Mohd Najwan Halimi.
The first prize went to the cosmetics and aesthetics company, DASC International Sdn Bhd, followed by health drink company Citra Kesom Sdn Bhd, and food company The Skinny Bakers Group Sdn Bhd.
DASC International chief executive officer Dr Nurhidayah Roslan hoped this would help propel the brand onto the global stage.
"Malaysia has outstanding products and I would like to introduce ours to the world. I will fully utilise the knowledge and resources gained from the programme to ensure my brand is globally recognised.
"I also hope that such programmes will continue and expand to allow more entrepreneurs to reach their potential and achieve success," she said.
Nurhidayah said SAY Aspire has equipped entrepreneurs with the knowledge to grow their businesses.
"We often lack the means, guidance, mentorship and resources to start a business, and a programme like this is incredibly valuable for us.
"I am truly grateful to Tengku Amir Shah and the organisers because the programme is tremendously beneficial and will uplift entrepreneurs like myself.
"There is a perception that local products are inferior but this programme has proven otherwise, and that we are capable of competing alongside international brands."
Puteri Nur Jannah Husni, marketing director of Citra Kesom, said thanks to the programme, her 'kombucha' (fermented tea) product is now export-ready.
The company has received sample requests from Hong Kong, Cambodia, Singapore, Brunei, the United States, the United Kingdom and Qatar.
"This is because each of us was assigned a coach to offer us guidance.
"This has further demonstrated that it's not just larger companies that can expand their businesses abroad," she said.
The Skinny Bakers' chief executive officer and founder Eniza Elias was grateful for the feedback provided by the judges.
"Some gave really good feedback and suggestions for us to improve.
"With this, we aim to penetrate the Japanese, South Korean and Philippine markets and we hope to achieve this within the next year.
"We are now making inroads into Japan and at the moment, are only delivering small consignments. We hope this recognition will open up more opportunities for us to send container loads of Malaysian products to the country."