The inaugural Brunei Startup Summit 2024, held at The Rizqun International Hotel, Gadong yesterday, gathered local and international start-ups, aspiring entrepreneurs, industry experts, investors, and stakeholders.
Organised by the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) in collaboration with Darussalam Enterprise (DARe) and the Brunei Innovation Lab (BIL), the summit aims to promote growth, collaboration and innovation within the Sultanate’s start-up ecosystem, under the theme ‘Innovate to Elevate: Charting the Path to a Future of Possibilities’.
Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah, as the Chairman of the BEDB and DARe, officiated the event.
Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BEDB and DARe Daniel Leong expressed gratitude to the stakeholders involved in coordinating the summit.
He highlighted the event’s goal of uniting start-ups, ecosystem builders, and venture builders to create a collaborative environment for mutual learning, sharing insights, discussing industry trends, and engaging in dialogue sessions.
The acting CEO added that the summit would serve as a catalyst, propelling local start-ups to new heights and unlocking new possibilities.
The two-day event features local and regional speakers, panellists and guests from various sectors, facilitating collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Participants were also encouraged to embrace challenges, celebrate successes, and foster an environment where collaboration is celebrated.
The summit received support from programme partners, including Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sdn Bhd, Progresif Sdn Bhd, EVYD Technology Sdn Bhd, Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI), and Microsoft Brunei.
The opening ceremony marked the launch of Startup673, a collaborative initiative led by four agencies – Shell LiveWIRE Brunei, the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) through Darussalam Enterprise (DARe), Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) and Brunei Innovation Lab (BIL).
The collaborative effort, directed at entrepreneurs, aims to integrate existing initiatives from these four agencies into a streamlined and unified programme.
Startup673 also seeks to accelerate the development of groundbreaking solutions that will benefit the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem, serve as a melting pot for ideas where talented individuals with diverse backgrounds converge to address challenges and create business opportunities in various industries and sectors.
It serves as a platform where innovation meets entrepreneurship, fostering a dynamic environment for innovative ideas to evolve into thriving businesses. The programme will be carried out through a three-phase approach: Ideate and Innovate; Validation and Prototyping; and Growth and Development.
The first phase, set to kick off with a hackathon in April 2024, aims to empower individuals from diverse backgrounds to address pre-defined challenges posed by industries.
It is designed for starters to explore creativity, enhance technical skills, and pitch innovative ideas. The event includes workshops, both technical and non-technical, running in parallel.
The culmination is a three-day hacking session where participants collaboratively work to develop proofs of concept and minimum viable products before pitching to a panel of judges.
Participating in the Startup673 programme provides entrepreneurs with networking opportunities within the entrepreneurship ecosystem, enabling connections with like-minded individuals, mentors, and potential collaborators. – Rokiah Mahmud
