by BERNAMA / Pic by TMR FILE PIX

AFFIN Bank Bhd aims to be the “bank of choice” for start-ups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with its sponsorship for the Selangor Accelerator Programme (SAP) 2021, an initiative under the Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corp.

SAP is a state government programme for tech start-ups. Affin Bank president and group CEO Datuk Wan Razly Abdullah Wan Ali (picture) said start-ups have become one of the most affected segments due to lack of funding, experience and resources amid the pandemic.

“To assist this underserved segment, we have rolled out comprehensive banking solutions and non-financial services for them to grow further, drive revenue and increase market share,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Wan Razly said sponsoring a state government programme was one of the ways for Affin to be startups’ and SMEs’ bank of choice.

“We regard it as our responsibility to extend as much effort as possible to help build and nurture this robust segment.

“Following this year’s theme, we are thrilled to see how start-ups will blend creativity, innovation and novelty in using technology for the betterment of our society,” he said.

SAP aims to prepare 30 early-stage start-ups to become investment-ready businesses.

It prepares start-ups for the final demo day where they would get a chance to pitch their business propositions to renowned venture capitalists, corporations and government agencies.

This year’s theme focuses on start-ups from the fields of agrotech, fintech, greentech, e-commerce and smart city solutions. Registration is open from July 8 until July 14, 2021.

All winners stand a chance to gain from a cash prize pool of RM50,000. — Bernama