KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Yayasan Dato’ Malaysia (YDM) and Cradle Fund Sdn. Bhd. (Cradle) today strengthened their strategic partnership through the formal exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch the Zenith International Investor Network — an exclusive initiative aimed at attracting foreign investments from High Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs) into high-technology Malaysian startups.
Formal MoU exchange between Yayasan Dato’ Malaysia and Cradle to launch the Zenith International Investor Network
This initiative marks the beginning of a new investment ecosystem that focuses on post-CIP Sprint startups, with emphasis on high-growth industries such as Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) sectors.
The Zenith International Investor Network is the result of a collaboration between Cradle — the primary implementing agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), responsible for supporting startups through funding and national innovation ecosystem development — and Yayasan Dato’ Malaysia, an elite organisation that unites titled individuals from across the country and holds exclusive access to global high-net-worth investor networks. Masverse Sdn. Bhd. is the project coordinator for the Zenith International Investor Network, ensuring seamless execution and alignment of the initiative’s objectives.
Under this initiative, Cradle will provide data and pipeline access to post-CIP Sprint startups ready for further investment. The CIP Sprint programme is a commercialisation-focused grant of up to RM600,000 provided by Cradle.
Meanwhile, YDM will mobilise its investor network to unlock direct foreign investment opportunities for Malaysian startups.
Key Objectives of the Collaboration Include:
- Attracting and facilitating foreign HNWI investments into local startups.
- Providing strategic support to startups through advisory and capital access.
- Building a strong individual investment ecosystem with structured due diligence processes.
- Connecting stakeholders across national and regional levels to drive investment activity.
- Supporting the growth of advanced and innovative technologies to position Malaysia as a regional innovation hub.
According to Dato’ Sri Kenta Goh Saik Heng, Vice President of Yayasan Dato’ Malaysia:
“Zenith is a strategic platform that unites exclusive investment access with Malaysia’s national ambition in future technologies. We want to ensure that titled individuals in this country are not merely social figures, but true drivers of innovative economic growth.”
Meanwhile, Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke, Group CEO of Cradle, stated:
“This agreement reflects our joint commitment to building a more sustainable and competitive startup ecosystem. Through our strategic collaboration with YDM, we are confident in creating more quality investment opportunities for local startups that are ready to scale globally.”
In addition to its collaboration with Cradle, Yayasan Dato’ Malaysia (YDM) also plans to enter MoU exchanges with two strategic entities — the Malaysia Mobile Technology Association (MMTA) and Micro Venture Group Limited (an international private investor consortium). This move aims to further expand strategic investment networks and strengthen Malaysia’s innovation ecosystem at large.
This partnership also includes initiatives such as investor development and certification, ecosystem engagement, deal flow sharing, and investor channel support for promising startups. As part of this initiative, BlockchainCert.my by Masverse has been introduced to strengthen investor verification under the Zenith Elite Program. Through blockchain-powered digital certifications, every qualified investor is issued a secure, tamper-proof, and instantly verifiable credential. This not only streamlines due diligence but also builds long-term trust and transparency within the investor ecosystem.
The MoU will remain in effect for two years and will serve as a foundation for further detailed agreements in the near future.
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