KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Debt Ventures Bhd (MDV) a wholly owned subsidiary of the Minister of Finance Inc, last week launched its Islamic Venture Financing Programme (IVFP).
The IVFP will better enable MDV to finance early-stage companies and fill the gap in the ecosystem for venture-financing funding for growth.
The development of this ecosystem is crucial for technology-based entrepreneurs as traditional financial institutions are not prepared to support the areas in which they operate in commonly due to lack of business assets and track record.
“Venture financing addresses a very real gap in the market and this programme will ensure that MDV is able to continue lending its assistance to high-potential technology companies in Malaysia, providing further incentive towards realising Malaysia’s aspiration in achieving a high-income nation status by 2020,” said MDV chairman, Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar in a statement.
“As a venture financier, MDV adopts a different approach to funding, emphasising on the potential of an applicant and its project by analysing the viability of its technology, the management behind the applicant and the feasibility of its business plan and cash flow projections, as opposed to focusing on the applicant’s past track records and hard collaterals.”
This programme represents a long-term strategy for MDV’s business transformation in the effort to ensure continued sustainability of operations and reduce dependency on government’s support.
The launch was officiated by Tan Sri Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah, the Secretary General of Treasury.