KUALA LUMPUR: PETRONAS FutureTech 3.0, an accelerator programme to nurture technology startups, is now open to applicants in the Asia-Pacific region.
This marks the first time the programme is expanding beyond Malaysian shores.
Co-organised by PETRONAS Ventures and Singapore-based innovation, venture and startup enabler StartupX, FutureTech 3.0 is a platform to uncover innovations and game-changing technologies, and to accelerate these transformative ideas into real business solutions.
With seven new corporate partners on board — Gentari Sdn Bhd, Tenaga Nasional Bhd, DRB-HICOM Bhd, Sembcorp Industries Ltd, Hyundai Motor Company, Vitol and Khazanah Nasional Bhd — the third edition of the programme is expected to impart industry best practices while providing startups greater market access for growth and scalability across the region.
PETRONAS Ventures head Arni Laily Anwarrudin said: "PETRONAS is excited to expand its strategic partnership regionally, allowing participants to tap the vast entrepreneurial experience and C-Suite mentorship as well as access to the right tools, support, resources and the possibility for startups to test-bed their solutions.
"We are anticipating impactful solutions and positive outcomes from FutureTech 3.0 to its pool of cross-functional partners, promoting sustainability and growth globally.
"In an industry where it is constantly evolving, recent world events and the pace of energy transition have pushed us to adopt a future-first approach for the energy industry.
"Hence, PETRONAS believes that we have to pivot ourselves towards developing technology driven sustainable solutions that will establish ourselves as leaders in the industry for the future."
The third instalment will focus on solutions in the Future of Industry and Work, Future of Chemical and Materials, Future of Energy and Mobility and Frontier Technology, with an emphasis on sustainability-related technology solutions.
20 shortlisted startups in FutureTech 3.0 will undergo a 12-to-16-week hybrid programme from May that includes masterclasses, workshops and coaching by corporate partners and industry mentors as well as global entrepreneurs.
The programme will culminate with a Demo Day at the end of August, where the shortlisted startups will pitch their solutions to the C-suites of PETRONAS and its corporate partners, investors and potential collaborators, among others.
Applications are open until March 31. Interested startups can get more details and apply via this website.