Welcome to Asia Tomorrow's 10th newsletter ✨✨ 

In today’s letter, we will spotlight "the story of the Malaysian entrepreneurship education center and their know-hows on fostering the young founders".

How to Cultivate Practical Entrepreneurs: Inside the CEM of Agri-preneur Focused UPM

Asia Tomorrow met with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hizmawati Madzin, Director of CEM, to explore the various programs and activities offered by CEM, understand UPM’s entrepreneurial program focused on agriculture, and discuss CEM’s role in the Malaysian entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Q. Could you explain more about CEM in detail?

At UPM, CEM was established in accordance with the directive from the Ministry of Higher Education at the time, to set up Entrepreneurship Centers at all public universities (UA) for the implementation of the Entrepreneurship Development Policy in Higher Education Institutions.

We are mainly focused on two categories. Firstly, the way to develop entrepreneurship among the young students in our university. Secondly, we are focusing on the marketability of the students with their careers.

For entrepreneurship education, we run the programs to identify and develop the students who are into entrepreneurship having the possibility to pursue the entrepreneurial career path. 

CEM’s philosophy is to encourage students to become job creators and establish their entrepreneurial journey while they are studying and after graduation. 

Q. How does CEM identify students who are actually interested in entrepreneurship?

Currently, 1,755 students, representing 6.5% of the entire student body at ‍Universiti Putra Malaysia(UPM), are enrolled in entrepreneurship development programs.

To identify these students, UPM requires all students to take a compulsory course called "Basic Entrepreneurship(MGM3180)". Through this process, CEM provides extracurricular education, activities, financial support, and awards to these identified students.

Q. Could you share a special activity that CEM’s offering for students?

CEM provides students with the opportunity to manage a shop as part of their entrepreneurship studies.

We encourage those interested in entrepreneurship to take on this role. By offering the shop at an affordable rate, CEM helps students run their own businesses without a significant financial burden.

Although the shop is small, students are required to register their business with the SSM and create a timetable to ensure organized operations. The shop offers a variety of products and services, including food and beverages, stationery, courier services, and mini-mart items, providing students with valuable hands-on experience in business management.

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Q. Besides these programs, as UPM is focused on agriculture, do you have any program about it?

UPM offers an Agri-Preneur(agriculture + entrepreneur) program that combines agriculture and entrepreneurship, teaching students how to create startups within the agricultural sector. 

This initiative is supported by several local banks, including Agrobank, RHB Bank, and Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia, which provide funding for facilities and educational resources, including advanced digital technologies like drones and the Internet of Things (IoT).

In Malaysia, agriculture is often overlooked by young people due to its association with physical labor, challenging weather, and less glamorous aspects. However, as food supply issues become more pressing, the importance of agriculture is growing. To address this, UPM’s Agri-Preneur program seeks to inspire more youth to explore agricultural startups.

The program has seen promising results, with a dedicated group of students showing genuine enthusiasm for agriculture.

Q. What is the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Malaysia like that you are taking part in? 

Currently, the Malaysian government is focused on empowering youth to become successful entrepreneurs by offering a variety of grants aimed at fostering entrepreneurship. These grants are specifically designed for early-stage startups, making it easier for aspiring business owners to secure financial support.

What sets entrepreneurs apart from conventional business people is their emphasis on innovation and social contribution. Unlike those who primarily seek business loans for profit-driven ventures, entrepreneurs who receive these grants are expected to incorporate innovative elements into their business models that benefit society.

For example, if an entrepreneur is selling healthy food products aimed at helping diabetic patients, this purpose-driven approach aligns with the kind of initiatives that the government seeks to support through its grant programs. The government is particularly interested in businesses that prioritize societal impact alongside their economic goals.

Q. Could you give advice or tips for the early stage entrepreneurs in Malaysia?

For early-stage entrepreneurs in Malaysia, the actual process of launching a startup might seem straightforward, but cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset and focusing on sustainability can be more challenging.

A key aspect of the entrepreneurial mindset is recognizing how your business can contribute to society. View societal problems as opportunities for business innovation. When you adopt this mindset, profits often follow naturally.

We also emphasize social entrepreneurship, which involves generating profit while positively impacting society. Aligning your business with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria—such as environmental sustainability and gender equality—can help you achieve both financial success and societal benefit.

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underdogs Supports Asia Tomorrow!

underdogs, the company behind Asia Tomorrow, is South Korea’s largest entrepreneurship education company. It has trained over 15,000 entrepreneurs to date!📈

With more than 150 corporate partners in Korea, underdogs has created a supportive environment for entrepreneurs to challenge themselves and grow.

And in 2024, underdogs is expanding the business globally. We’re expecting to foster the pre-entrepreneurs & early founders in the Asian market such as Japan, India etc.