Mapping Malaysia's Resource Centres

174 MAPPING MALAYSIA’S RESOURCE CENTRES MALAYSIAN TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION SDN. BHD. (MTDC) Introduction Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC) was established in 1992 to accelerate the commercialisation of new technologies and promote innovation-based economic growth. It is primarily focused on implementation, specifically the creation, evolution, and operation of funds and services designed to encourage and support high-tech entrepreneurship within Malaysia. In the Malaysian commercialisation ecosystem, MTDC assumes a pivotal role through promoting and facilitating the commercial exploitation of R&D findings from research institutions and universities, and eventually help apply these findings in the marketplace. From the very beginning, MTDC has encouraged and supported high-tech entrepreneurship through a variety of specific funds and entrepreneurial programmes to accentuate the growth of start-ups and new ventures. Each fund was established in response to a specific need within the Malaysian commercialisation ecosystem. Rather than treating fund recipients and non-recipients as customers, MTDC treated them as partners. As MTDC partners, fund recipients have access to a suite of innovation support services such as mentoring and coaching, networking, technical assistance, and commercialisation support. MTDC funds include the Business Start-up Fund (BSF), Bumiputra Expansion Fund (BEF), and Halal Technology Development Fund (HTDF). These funds signaled a shift from focusing only on university- generated technologies to a wider range of technology sources for SMEs, including other SMEs, company, and university sources outside of Malaysia. Area of Expertise With a vision to be the leading integrated commercialisation solutions provider building world class Malaysian technology companies through strategic partnerships and as the strategic enabler for IR4.0, MTDC’s areas of expertise includes Fund Management, Technology Incubators, Technopreneur Training Academy (TENTRA), Centre of 9Pillar (Co9P) and Advisory and Nurturing services. Strengths and Achievements MTDC is a venture capital agency and technology commercialisation arm that supports technology, start-up and SMEs development. In 1996, MTDC established Technology Development Centers (TDCs) on university campuses. TDCs provide offices, wet and dry labs, training rooms and a vast array of amenities for companies to conduct research in close proximity to researchers and students in relevant technical fields. In 2017, Technopreneur Training Academy (TENTRA) was established as the prime capacity building entity for technopreneurs and technology commercialisation. TENTRA serves T E C H N O L O G Y A N D I N N O V A T I O N