Swiss Innovation Challenge
Swiss Innovation Challenge ASEAN is an innovation competition for projects at the ideation, conceptualization, and start-up stages as well as for established businesses. The competition is open to businesses, non-profit organizations, and individuals who wish to introduce and implement an innovation or who have worked on innovation already for some time.

The Swiss Innovation Challenge has been conducted since June 2018. The competition is divided into three phases. The first phase is to outline the innovation. The second phase is to turn the business idea into a business plan. Participants are asked to arrange a business plan based on concrete innovation. The final phase is to polish the business plan and compile an implementation plan. Teams are asked to do the pitch presentation focusing on the innovation’s implementation plan. The final pitch presentation is a large public event where teams need to demonstrate to the judges the plan to implement the innovation within seven minutes.

Building on the tremendous success of the Swiss Innovation Challenge, DRB-HICOM University of Automotive Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Putra Business School (PBS) and FHNW hope that this competition will become a place for developing and implementing innovation.

Process

Swiss Innovation Challenge ASEAN last for several months and progresses through three typical stages of an innovation project:

1st stage: Description of the innovation and the business model
2nd stage: Transposition of the innovation into a business plan
3rd stage: Implementation plan

Each stage includes a competitive selection round (pitch) based on which the jury carefully selects project teams for the following round. Teams reaching the final round will compete for the prize money and the opportunity to travel to Switzerland (with expenses of up to USD 2’000 covered). A representative of three winning teams will travel to Switzerland and get insights into the local entrepreneurial eco-system.

Prize money to be awarded will be as follows:

1st Prize:  USD 10,000

2nd Prize: USD 5,000

3rd Prize: USD 3,000

  1. Benefits of the event
    1. Personal coaching by experts
    2. Seminars on various primarily business topics
    3. Promotion of the personal performance competence (pitching events)
    4. Feedback on the submitted documents, especially the business and the implementation plan
    5. Networking opportunities

Who should join?
Companies, start-ups and individuals who wish to introduce and implement an innovation or who have undertaken an innovative step within the last few years.

 

Important Dates

Application deadline: 22nd May 2024

Programme kick-off: 22nd May 2024

First pitch: 11-13 June 2024
(see details for international  partner programmes)

Second pitch: 9- 11 September 2024
(see details for international  partner programmes)

Final pitch: 5 – 6 December 2024

Venue

Universiti Putra Malaysia
Jalan Universiti 1, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Malaysia National Committee Members
1. Prof. Roselina Ahmad Saufi, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan
2. Prof. Dato’ Sr. Dr. Omar Osman, DRB-HICOM University of Automotive Malaysia
3. Prof. Dr. Azmawani Abd Rahman, Putra Business School (PBS)
4. Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Ong Huei Ruey, DRB-HICOM University of Automotive Malaysia 
5. Dr. P. Yukthamarani Permarupan, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan
6. Ts. Dr. Ahmad Shaharudin Abdul Latiff, Putra Business School (PBS)
Contact Person
1. Dr. P. Yukthamarani Permarupan, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan
yuktha@umk.edu.my
+60 16-825 0909
2. Ts. Dr. Ahmad Shaharudin Abdul Latiff, Putra Business School (PBS)
shaharudin@putrabs.edu.my
+60 16-825 0909
3. Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Ong Huei Ruey, DRB-HICOM University of Automotive Malaysia
hueiruey@dhu.edu.my
+60 17-774 2637
Evaluation Criteria

Screening is done by an experienced jury based on the following criteria:
Each pitch will focus on different elements of the evaluation criteria
First pitch: innovation content; customers / customer benefits / proof of concept
Second pitch: competitor analysis; financial planning and financial requirements
Final pitch: Market entry and market development; Medium-term objectives or scaling (at least two years); skills / competences of the team
More details on approaches and criteria under international  partner programmes.

Application

Application deadline is 22nd May 2024

Payments and Fees

Fee per participant group: RM200.00
Payment:
Payment methods as follows (you need to state your name and IC no. in their system):

1. Bank Transfer

1.1 Interbank fund transfer (Interbank GIRO/IBG or Instant transfer/IBFT) via internet banking.

1.2 Cash payment at any Bank Muamalat counters.

1.3 Interbank GIRO/IBG over the counter at any banks.

1.4 Cheque payment.

Payment must be made to our Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad account number 1211-0000-2197-18 and made payable to HICOM University College Sdn Bhd. Kindly include the remark as SICA 2024.

OR

2. JomPAY using current/saving accounts or credit card
▪ Biller code : 29090
▪ Payment alert to: finance@dhu.edu.my
▪ Ref 1: SICA 2024
▪ Ref 2: Your  name and telephone no