[This is a sponsored article with Sidec.]
Lately, on-line searching for, properly, something, appears to be the norm.
Providing the utmost comfort and velocity, buying items—be it garments, house home equipment, or tech equipment—on-line is the popular means of buying many Malaysians in sating our consumerist minds.
Therefore, it is smart why increasingly retail companies are transitioning to an internet mannequin, whether or not through social media platforms or purchasing web sites.
However with the appearance of AI continuously switching up platform options and frequent digital system updates, it is likely to be scary for a lot of companies to make the bounce.
Right here’s the place Sidec is available in
Since their inaugural Retail-X accelerator programme in 2023, Sidec has mentored entrepreneurs to push their companies to embrace expertise, optimise operations, and improve buyer experiences.
Together with their different initiatives, Sidec has empowered over 70,000 entrepreneurs and generated over RM700 million in gross merchandise worth.
They usually’re planning on elevating these numbers with their 2025 installment of the programme.
When you’re the founding father of a retail firm trying to develop your corporation, listed below are 4 the explanation why you need to participate within the Retail-X programme.
1. It’s a 12-week complete programme
Working for 12 weeks, the accelerator programme goals to empower as much as 30 Malaysian retail SMEs with the abilities and information to construct resilient, scalable enterprise fashions for immediately’s fast-evolving market.
From skilled mentorship to immersive coaching labs, Retail-X provides a strong and up-to-date instructional expertise that covers areas resembling livestream promoting, AI-driven buyer engagement, sensible stock, and personalised commerce.
Members can have entry to mentorship inside these areas through 10 enterprise workshops and 5 pitching programs…
2. That cowl three intensive-learning tracks
Flip your pitches demo-day prepared with the Pitch like a Unicorn observe, the place individuals will probably be guided by consultants on how you can refine your pitch earlier than sharing it with the world. This contains studying to enhance your model storytelling and pitch deck design.
Sidec’s Blueprint to 100x observe, which tackles branding, progress and capital technique, provides mentees the know-how to boost their total model technique as a retail firm. This contains steerage on constructing a scalable model, progress hacking with knowledge, and even assessing authorized and monetary investor readiness.
Lastly, acquire Retail Tech Mastery and be taught to innovate, have interaction and scale through the observe’s workshops on sensible retail instruments, AI-driven advertising and marketing, and retail knowledge analytics and extra.
3. You’ll be mentored by trade consultants like F&N
By becoming a member of the Retail-X accelerator programme, startups can anticipate to be guided by prime trade names, with previous mentors coming from established and reputed corporations resembling Aeon, Carsome, RHL Ventures, F&N, and The Lego Group.
As you be taught from skilled trade gamers, SME founders additionally stand an opportunity to widen their community with worthwhile contacts that might probably result in main collaborations or partnerships.
4. You get the chance to be rewarded with unique prizes
Though the programme goals to bolster all its individuals’ companies, prime pitchers additionally stand an opportunity to win items and advantages from a prize pool price RM50,000.
“The highest 10 winners will obtain an unique alternative to affix a global retail innovation journey,” mentioned Sidec.
Though the 2025 vacation spot is but to be confirmed, previous winners and their runner-ups of the programme have visited main innovation hubs; from the Alibaba HQ in Hangzhou, China; to TikTok Store’s workplaces in Shanghai, together with numerous retail expertise labs and digital commerce centres throughout Asia
Since we have now joined ECX24, we have now learnt a lot particularly from the mentors and in addition from the positioning visits to Flipper and Signature Market. We learnt quite a bit from our pals and community.
Mohd Nizar Bin Jamaludin
Director of MCCKT Ventures, one of many prime 10 winners of the 2024 cohort
Certainly, these visits have confirmed to be particularly worthwhile for SMEs trying to be taught from and even join with key trade leaders on organising their enterprise for the longer term.
A couple of issues to bear in mind
Earlier than registering for Sidec’s Retail-X accelerator programme, individuals ought to pay attention to the next entry necessities:
With a RM6,000 one-time charge, individuals are handled entry to a slew of perks and advantages price a complete of RM 300,000.
Not solely does this embody the teaching workshops from devoted and skilled mentors, but additionally entry to cloud providers and AI instruments and even two seats on the Selangor Sandbox co-working house on the Puchong Monetary Company Heart for one 12 months.
With functions closing on June 27 and solely 30 slots accessible, founders ought to seize this chance to improve their enterprise and register quickly.
Who is aware of, your startup may be a part of the checklist of winners and innovators from earlier cohorts who’ve efficiently elevated their companies for immediately’s, and tomorrow’s worlds.
- Study extra about Sidec’s Retail-X programme right here.
- Learn our different startup tales right here.
Featured Picture Credit score: Sidec
