A diamond in the rough: the Malaysian startup ecosystem

Aaron Sarma

Chapter 7 in Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education, 2025, pp 132-148 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Malaysia's startup ecosystem has undergone significant growth over the past decade, emerging as one of the leading environments for innovation in Southeast Asia. Government support and a vibrant entrepreneurial culture have contributed to steady progress, though Malaysia still faces stiff competition from regional peers like Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam. As of 2022, Malaysia was home to over 3,000 startups and ranked among the top startup hubs in Southeast Asia (third in the region by some measures). And yet challenges remain persistent - policy robustness, access to capital and the ability to attract and retain talent haunt the burgeoning ecosystem whose potential places it in a strategic position in the emerging market that is Southeast Asia. This chapter examines Malaysia's startup landscape in depth, covering the regulatory environment, ecosystem maturity, exit opportunities, and entrepreneurship education, while benchmarking against regional neighbours for a comparative perspective.

Keywords: Malaysia; Startup ecosystem; Southeast Asia; Entrepreneurship policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035307180
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