20 Startups, One Goal: Startup World Cup Malaysia 2026 Enters Its Final Stretch

Kuala Lumpur & Kuching - Growth Charger, the official Malaysia partner of the global Startup World Cup by Pegasus Tech Ventures, has named the Top 10 startups from each chapter of Startup World Cup Malaysia 2026, setting the stage for two of them to win a golden ticket to Silicon Valley. The programme is anchored by Premier Partners, the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD) and Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation Berhad (SDEC). Their support has powered Startup World Cup Malaysia into the country's most far-reaching pathway for founders to compete on the global stage. At the upcoming National Finals, one startup from the West Chapter and one from the East Chapter will be crowned national champions, earning a trip to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale to compete for a USD 1,000,000 investment prize alongside startups from over 100 regional competitions worldwide.

Ahead of the Semi-Final, West Chapter founders sharpened their pitches at a bootcamp hosted by Strategic Partner CloudMile, who provided the venue, before advancing to compete at the Semi-Final held on 23 June 2026 at WORQ Bangsar, Menara UOA Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, proudly hosted by Ecosystem Partner WORQ, where founders pitched before a panel of expert judges. They now advance to the Final on 23 July 2026 at Khazanah Auditorium, Asia School of Business (ASB).

“At WORQ, we believe that great startups need more than just a workspace. They need access to the right ecosystem, opportunities, and community to grow. We've been proud to support Startup World Cup Malaysia since 2024 by providing founders with a platform to showcase their ideas and take meaningful steps towards the global stage. We look forward to seeing more Malaysian innovations make an impact beyond our borders." said Stephanie Ping, Co-founder & CEO, WORQ.

Ahead of the Semi-Final, East Chapter founders sharpened their pitches at a bootcamp held at TEGAS Digital Village, Kuching, with venue support provided by Strategic Partner Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak (TEGAS) throughout the chapter, from bootcamp through the Semi-Final on 25 June 2026 to the upcoming Final on 31 July 2026. 

"Hosting the Startup World Cup 2026 East Chapter is a testament to our ongoing mission at TEGAS: uncovering Borneo's boldest founders and bridging our local startup ecosystem to the global arena,” said Haji Udin Bin Bujang, Chief Executive Officer of TEGAS.

Now in its second year, the dual-Finals format in Kuala Lumpur and Kuching continues to ensure innovation from every corner of the country is equally represented on the global stage. It's a mission shared by Strategic Partner Cyberview, which has long supported founders' growth through strategic resources and market access.

"As a Tech Hub Developer, Cyberview accelerates startup growth by providing strategic support, resources, and market access for regional and global scaling," said Shafinaz Salim, Head of Technology Hub Development at Cyberview Sdn Bhd. "We are honoured to be part of this event and witness startups from our Cyberview Living Lab® Accelerator programme advance to their next stages of growth. This further reaffirms Cyberjaya's collaborative ecosystem."

That same commitment to backing founders sits at the heart of Growth Charger's own approach to the competition. "At the end of the day, this is about the greater good of the startup ecosystem in Malaysia. Every bootcamp, every semi-final, every stage we build is our way of giving back to the founders who are putting in the work and making sure they have a real shot at expanding beyond our shores, not just competing within them," said Nick Khor, Partner at Growth Charger. 

The Finals promise to be the ultimate showcase of Malaysian startup excellence, as the Top 10 from each chapter compete for the two golden tickets to Silicon Valley. RSVP now to catch the Top 10 pitch live and find out who's heading to the Grand Finale.

RSVP for the KL Final (23 July): https://luma.com/aouk4r1fRSVP for the Kuching Final (31 July): https://luma.com/sthlkr4n

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About Growth Charger

Growth Charger is a venture platform accelerating startups, building companies, and running high-impact innovation programmes across Southeast Asia — with 300+ startups nurtured to date. [https://www.growthcharger.com/]