The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) today hosted the second cohort of GROWMatch for 50 entrepreneurs. The initiative supports the growth of agri and bio-based business entrepreneurs by creating access to alternative financing through the capital market.
Launched in August 2024, GROWMatch enables entrepreneurs within the agriculture value chain, including those in foodtech, agtech, biotech, and bio-based sectors, to showcase their projects and learn about alternative financing options to raise capital.
Participants are also given the opportunity to pitch their ventures to a diverse group of investors, including SC-registered equity crowdfunding (ECF) and peer-to-peer (P2P) financing platforms as well as venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) firms[1].
As of end June 2025, over RM10 billion in funding has been raised on ECF and P2P, benefiting over 23,000 businesses across various business activities since inception.
Past GROWMatch participants have achieved significant milestones, including securing follow-on funding and unlocking new business opportunities through our ecosystem partners. For example, Entomal Biotech secured investment from Sarawak's AgriFoodTech Sustainability Impact Fund, and Pacton Technologies gained access to business opportunities with 50 farms. This highlights the diverse support and lasting value the programme provides beyond just financial connections.
The SC Chairman Dato’ Mohammad Faiz Azmi highlighted that GROWMatch places the focus firmly on impact.
“GROWMatch bridges the awareness gap and offers opportunities for underserved segments to utilise alternative financing for growth.
“We are grateful to our GROWMatch partners. Their participation enriches the ecosystem for developing agri-solutions in food security and sustainability, while providing businesses the visibility to scale.
“This complements initiatives such as MyCIF, which to date has crowded-in more than RM6 billion into startups, MSMEs and MTCs through ECF and P2P,” he said.
Focusing on "Tackling Industry Challenges to Strengthen Malaysia’s Food Security with Alternative Financing," this year's GROWMatch attracted over 70 applications.
This year, GROWMatch expanded its finalists to 50, from 20 in the first cohort, broadening visibility and opportunities for a more geographically diverse group. Of these entrepreneurs, 54% showcased climate-resilient farming solutions, 34% focused on soil degradation, and 12% on sustainable feed and livestock health.
More importantly, these agri-entrepreneurs are innovating in ways that directly support Malaysia’s food production systems, whether through technology, sustainable practices, or smarter operations.
GROWMatch 2025 evolved from a mentorship focused programme into a comprehensive initiative, covering pitching workshops, capacity building and alternative financing awareness sessions. These are aimed at making participants more investment-ready and educating early stage MSMEs on alternative financing opportunities.
The programme is supported by key partners2, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM), Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and Invest Sabah Berhad.
For more information on GROWMatch and the full list of 50 shortlisted companies, visit GROWMatch - Pitch & Match | SCxSC.
[1] ECF and P2P platforms such as pitchIN, Ata Plus, MyStartr, Leet, MicroLeap and AlixCo, and VC/PE firms that include Artem, The HIVE SEA, Gobi Partners, COPE, and Kairous Capital.
