Sunway iLabs, Cradle Fund team up to launch Startup Deep Tech Ventures Lab
The initiative aims to catalyse breakthrough solutions to some of the region's most critical challenges, setting the stage for a new era of technological advancement and entrepreneurial excellence.
DTVL which began in July and will runt until December, is tailored for early-stage startups operating at the intersection of science, engineering and impact. Participants will undergo a rigorous and structured journey, including expert-led workshops, personalised mentorship through monthly office hours, investor-readiness sessions, and access to global capital networks, geared towards turning ambitious ideas into market-ready solutions.
The programme is backed by a strong coalition of global and local innovation leaders. Core partners include Cradle, Malaysia's focal point agency for early-stage startups under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation; Deep Tech Labs, a UK-based accelerator and venture capital fund backed by the University of Cambridge, ARM and Cambridge Innovation Capital; Investible, a venture capital firm based in Australia and Singapore focused on climate-tech early stage investment; and CloudMile, an AI and cloud technology company with a strong presence in Malaysia, enabling digital transformation across industries.
Further strengthening the programme is a robust ecosystem network of collaborators and enablers. These include prominent venture firms such as Gobi Partners and The Hive Southeast Asia, alongside a consortium of Malaysia's leading academic institutions, including Universiti Malaya, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia and Sunway University.
Additional support comes from national innovation and commercialisation agencies such as Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation and a diverse bench of industry mentors from Malaysia and the United Kingdom. Together, this multidisciplinary coalition is building a launchpad for the region's next generation of transformative deep tech ventures.
Twenty startups were selected from a pool of 69 applicants, resulting in a 29% acceptance rate. These startups are tackling urgent global and regional challenges across seven key verticals: artificial intelligence and deep tech, food and water security, health and wellness, intelligent autonomy, semiconductor applications, energy transition, and decarbonisation through carbon capture, innovation, and storage.
The programme will culminate in a Pre-Demo Day in September, where all participating startups will present their progress to a curated audience of regional venture capitalists, corporate partners, and policymakers. A shortlist of five to 10 standout ventures will be invited to the final Demo Day showcase in October or early November, providing a public platform to spotlight breakthrough technologies and Malaysia's deep tech leadership globally.
'DTVL embodies our vision to drive deep tech innovation that delivers both commercial success and meaningful societal impact,' said Sunway Group chief innovation officer and Sunway iLabs CEO Matt van Leeuwen.
'By empowering science- and engineering-led startups, we're not just investing in technology – we're investing in solutions that can shape a better future for Malaysia and the region.'
'This is exactly the kind of bold, future-forward initiative our ecosystem needs. Deep tech is about solving real, complex challenges at scale. DVTL reflects the spirit of collaboration we need between government, academia and industry to push Malaysia's innovation frontier. Cradle is proud to be part of this momentum, and we're excited to back founders who are ready to turn breakthrough ideas into global impact,' said Cradle group CEO Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke.
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