Nine startups under the DARe (Darussalam Enterprise) entrepreneurship bootcamp had the opportunity to pitch their ideas before a panel of seven leading venture capitalists in Singapore recently.
The startups under DARe’s Accelerate programme – Xpress Enterprise, Ameenfarm Agrotech and Trading, Bruhaha Comedy, Rumine Corporation, Fatih Aquaculture, Thryffy, Alora Collection, Yuwal Technologies, and Al-Huffaz Management – took part in a ‘Demo Day’ in Singapore and engaged in the regional entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Singapore’s Golden Equator (GE) – DARe’s appointed facilitator for prior cycles of Accelerate – organised the Demo Day programme from March 13 to 17, which culminated in the nine startups pitching before a panel of seven leading venture capitalists and consultants at GE’s tech and innovation workspace SPECTRUM.
The Demo Day is a staple of entrepreneurship programmes; gathering startups together to present their ideas and network with an audience of potential business partners.
DARe Executive Officer Mohd Saiful Azzam bin Haji Sarpudin said a key feature of the 100-day Accelerate bootcamp, which targets startups looking to scale locally and abroad, is to provide international exposure and connections.
“The majority of the Accelerate programme is focussed on helping startups build up their capabilities: improving their business models, developing their products, learning how to leverage technology, while also creating their pitches,” said Mohd Saiful Azzam.
“Towards the end of the programme is the opportune time for the participants to be exposed to networking and market access opportunities to help them validate and find partners that can allow them to grow further.”
In addition to the pitching event on Demo Day, GE also curated a list of tours and workshops for the nine participants.
This included a session focussing on how to enter the Singapore market; a fireside chat on how to be investible with founder of Sugar Venture Capital Dr Mark Hon, one of Singapore’s pioneering venture builders; and a visit to award-winning social enterprise and agritech startup Edible Garden City.
