New Grants Keep Cropping Up In Malaysia

With so many grants available provided by the good government of Malaysia, I was hardpressed to choose which ones to go for.

I mean, the most basic grants would be from SMIDEC - they offer fundings and reimbursements for new start-ups, office renovation, advertising and promotion, website development. All we need to do is simply fill up their forms, submit, and wait for the cheques!

And there is the Cradle Investment Programme - a whopping RM150,000 for individuals who can come up with a feasible commercial idea, leveraging on ICT and multimedia technologies. Think "ikan air tawar" + "e-content portal" = "increased tourism revenue", and you might as well pocket RM150,000 from Cradle.

Or, similar example of the "ikan air tawar" (clear water fish, for the uninitiated) + "e-content portal" + "mobile devices distribution" = "increased use in 3G technologies", and you can apply from the Malaysia Multimedia and Communications Commission (MCMC) for a whopper catch of RM1,500,000!!!

And not to mention MDeC's RnD Grant (MGS) for MSC status companies with unlimited funding (which Designel Media Sdn Bhd, as an MSC status company, is going to adamantly pursue to enhance the effectiveness of the teaching and learning of Islamic content).

Ah... for individuals they have the MDeC PreSeed fund - RM150,000 + a new MSC Status company for teams who can come up with an idea that (yet again) leverage on ICT and Multimedia technologies to bring the Malaysian economy another notch up.

(Btw, 2 of our Eilham friends got the MDeC PreSeed fund - an animated feature, and a mobile video ringtones development).

In addition, MDeC just launched another grant scheme dubbed "ICON" (Integrated Content Development Programme) for individuals who already has something ready to be commercialized. There's ICONity (for social networking enthusiasts), ICONedu (for e-content owners and e-learning practitioners), ICONex (for online service providers) and ICONapps (an internship programme for students and the unemployed). The grant is up to RM100,000 for each subcategory (excluding ICONapps)!!!

Whoa!

How come people still go to Alongs (or Sharks, if you wanna continue the fishy metaphor)?

Sheesh. For those who have missed my posting on the available fundings in Malaysia, you may download a list of grants and funders for FREE over at www.eilmu.com/senarai.

Then, if you have the flimsiest of ideas (like compiled salon hair in a woman's stockings), you are welcome to check with me to see if they can be explored further.

I am Eilham. Try me.